Nov 262009
 

This week’s You Capture challenge over at I Should Be Folding Laundry is, appropriately, food. I meant to take pictures of our meals every day but time got away from me as we’ve had two birthdays and one party in the past week. I did take quite a few pictures of cake but we also had some great meals this week. Think homemade chicken potpie (which I’ve photographed before), ribs (made by FireDad), a new meatloaf recipe, and, oh, I did photograph our chili!

But I did manage to get some food shots. You see, BigBrother has been wanting to make pumpkin pie for weeks. But then we got the flu and it kind of fell by the wayside. With today being Thanksgiving, I figured we’d make a pumpkin pie together. Last night we got together in the kitchen, after I already had the crust made, rolled, fought with and placed in the pie pan, and made a pie together. Our pumpkin pie has no cinnamon (I’m allergic) and is actually a maple pumpkin pie.  BigBrother had a blast. Truth be told, so did I.

See? Me!
To prove that I was involved, FireDad snapped a picture. Thanks, hon!

Pouring

Pumpkin

Maple Syrup

Ginger

Mixing

Smug
He looks awfully smug, doesn’t he? So proud of himself! I’m proud of him, too.

HOORAY!

Recipe is a variation on this Real Simple one, sans cinnamon due to my allergy and cloves due to my distaste for their very existence. Our maple syrup is Gramps’ homemade maple syrup so, of course, ours is better than any variation you will make. It is heavenly.

Somewhere in between the last two pictures I managed to spill the pie out of the crust and pan and onto the bottom of my oven. The spilling also caused the crust on that side to burn. Knowing that it would, I ran to the store and picked up some Reddi-Whip which I plan to use so that my Great-Grandmother doesn’t see my pie snafu. Also, I picked up wine on my quick outing. See?

Wine

The big bottle in the back is for today to share over dessert with my enormous family. The small bottle in front was for me to test last night (as my favorite brand wasn’t available in a big bottle). You know, just in case it wasn’t going to be good, I had to have a glass last night. I took one for the team. (Moscato is my favorite.)

Next week’s You Capture challenge is to tell a story. I have something in mind. We’ll see if I remember to do it or not!

Food (and wine) aside, I’m very thankful today, of all days, to be where I am, who I am and with those in my life. Our life may be busy and hectic at times but that in itself is a blessing. I am thankful for the three amazing men who live under this room. I am thankful for an amazing Munchkin and the people who love and care for her on a daily basis. I am thankful for my friends, both here in Ohio and back home in Pennsylvania, who bring sanity and laughs to my life. I am thankful for my blog friends who encourage, challenge and generally make my life awesome. I am thankful for so many, many things.

I hope that you are able to be thankful today as well!

Happy Thanksgiving from the FireFamily!

Nov 212009
 

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve posted a new recipe in our FireHouse Chili Series. That flu kicked me/us in the butt and not much cooking or planning meals went on in this house. Thankfully, we’re all well (knock on wood) and back into the meal planning and cooking game! I altered a recipe this week and am now pleased to bring you our Tangy, Spicy Beer Chili.

Tangy, Spicy Beer Chili

The original recipe was going to be too hot for a four year old, a two year old and a man who sweats when he eats too much ketchup. We like spicy food in this house but we also like to be able to chew, swallow and enjoy our food. As such, this particular recipe offered some great and unique ingredients and we tweaked it just a bit.

Here’s what we used:

2 pounds ground beef
1 large white onions, finely chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3/4 can beer (something with good flavor)
1 (15 ounce) cans spicy chili beans
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
1.5 tablespoons chili powder
Some shakes of red pepper flakes (to taste)

Simply brown your meat. Toss in the onions after your meat is browned and let them cook with the meat until clear(ish). Toss everything into your soup pot (use the big one, not the smaller one… trust me). Cook over low-medium heat for two to two and a half hours, stirring now and then. The amount of time it is cooking will cook out the alcohol so don’t freak out about the beer.

Voila! A very tasty chili with a little bit of a kick!

Tangy, Spicy Beer Chili

The results? LittleBrother loved it. (Of course, he loves chili of any kind because he loves him some beans.) FireDad liked it and only had minimal sweating going on. BigBrother isn’t a particular fan of chili but at it as well. I loved the heck out of it, claiming all leftovers for myself. Yes, this one gives leftovers for a family of four. It reheated very well. I want some more but now it’s all gone. Bummer. I do feel that both the Worcestershire sauce and the beer were the winning factors in this particular recipe. Prior to adding the Worcestershire, I thought it tasted rather bland despite the spices. I added that and, BAM! Then I added the beer and, DOUBLE BAM! So awesome. The result was a unique tasting chili with a mild afterburn that left me craving more!

As before, we are asking for submissions to our FireHouse Chili Series. Please leave a comment here with your tried-and-true chili recipe or one you’ve been wanting to make but have been to scared to try out. If we use your recipe, we will link to your blog/site. (Also feel free to use the contact form if you feel so inclined.) We have decided that we are going to be on an every-other-week schedule with our series so we’ll see you on December 5 with another great recipe!