Life

Well there it is. The alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. on a cool spring day. How I would love to just sleep. I swear I haven't slept in 5 years. I get my oldest son up and ready for school. Homeschooling looks like a better option each day. The crazy hectic day has begun. Child #3 awakes promptly at  8 a.m.followed by child #2 a little later. The rest of the day consists of picking up toys, shoes, items from the trash, paw patrol, yelling for child #3 to get out of the toilet, answer 50 million questions for child #2, paw patrol make breakfast, make child #3 get out of the trash,paw patrol,make lunch, paw patrol, and finally pick up child #1 from school. Nap time for child #3 but only while we are in the car for a whole 20 minutes. Homework, outside playtime, and yay dinner time. This is my daily schedule. It is pretty much the same thing every single day. Some days I have to get out. Take the kids out and about. Other days we are prefectly content at home. Today we were content. Since it's a cool day I decided to make some chili for dinner. I wished I had decided this yesterday so I could have soaked some dry beans. However, canned beans will work too. So here it is, our dinner. Every child in this home loves Chili. Child #1 hates onions and bell peppers, child #2 loves everything, and child #3 is in the process of learning what he does and doesn't like. I leave all of my veggies in big chunks so child #1 can pick them out. We also eat cornbread with our chili. Here's my version of chili for my family.

Chili:
 Ground Beef (or which every protein you wish, sometimes I use Venison)
1 can Pinto beans
1 can light red kidney beans (or dark)
1 can chili beans
1 can diced tomotoes
1/2 jar tomato juice
1 onion sliced
1/2 bell pepper sliced
chili powder (packet)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven or pan of choice. Drain the grease from the meat. In the same pot saute the fresh veggies until tender. Add in the can of tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes. Return meat to the pan along with the cans of beans and tomato juice. Stir in seasoning packet and remaining seasonings. Simmer on medium heat for 1 hour or longer. Stirring often. Top with cheese and sour cream (optional)

 Onions and Bell Peppers sauted until tender. Tomatoes added and simmered for 2 minutes.









All ingredients added and simmered for 1 hour.

 Yummy Cornbread!

 Dinner's Ready! Added cheese and sour cream






Cornbread:
1 cup self rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self rising flour
1 Egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 water

I use my smallest pan when I bake cornbread for chili. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place desired amount of Oil or Lard in cast iron skillet (or whichever pan you use) and place in the oven while it is preheating. Mix all ingredients together and place in hot pan. Bake until browning begins. Once it begins to brown turn over to broil. High or low. Broil until well browned. Enjoy!