You can pick your friends, your nose, but not your family.

I know I have written this in a blog before but it applys to this one as well. There is a saying: "You can pick your nose. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family." I might also add that you cannot make someone be your family either even if they are blood related. My daughter said this to me when we spoke on the phone together last night.

She had a phone call from her aunt who is also her godmother. Her godmother had said she would call and finally she did. The call was full of apology and excuses about not keeping in touch. To her credit I think my daughter did not lose her temper but she didn't accept any half lame excuses either.

I cannot for the life of me understand how people can feel it's ok to ignore family. There has not been a cataclsylmic fight or anything to keep us apart other than just apathy I guess. I know all my kids aunts on their father's side keep in touch with each other. My daughter's aunt said as much that they talk at least once a day to each other. On the other hand, they don't have anything to do with their brothers or any of their familys.

I guess my daughter is right, you can't make someone be family if they don't want too.

This is the best tasting chili EVER!!!

I usually don't post receipes. I ran across this receipe on a website called EatingWell. It is called Ultimate Beef Chili http//.eatingwell.com/receipes/ultimate beef chili.html From EatingWell: January/February 1999. The Essential EatingWell Cookbook(2004)

Offer garnishes such as reduced-fat sour cream and grated Cheddar cheese(about 9tbl per person). chopped scallions and chopped fresh tomatoes. Serve withwarmed corn tortiallas and a green salad topped with change slices.

12 servings, 2 cipe each \ Active Time: 1 hour 1/4 hours.

Ingredients

1 pound beef round trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks( I substituted gr. beef 97/3 ratio of fat).

Salt & freshly ground pepper. to taste

1 1/2 tbl canola oil, divided( I substituted olive oil, still tasted good)

3 onions chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeed and finely chipped( for this I substituted red pepper flakes)

2 tbl ground cumin( I didn't have any this time or I missed it)

2 tbl chili powder

1 tbl paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

12 ounces dark or light beer(I substituted water instead of beer)

1 28 can diced tomatoes

8 sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil), snipped into small pieces (didn't have these either, had to leave them out.)

2 bay leaves

3 19oz cans dark kidney beans, rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

Prep:

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add half beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 2 to 5 inutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with another 1 1/2 oil and remaining beef.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Add garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, paprika and oregano. Stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes.

3. Add beer and simmer, scraping up and browned bits, for about 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaves and reserved beef Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender, 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

4. Add beans; cook, covered, stirring occasionally,until chili has thickened, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

No More!

I am not useing this site anymore. I have moved to another site on Blogger and I am posting all my blogs from there. When possible I am going to copy the older blogs to that site.