SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

The hoopla is over and it was a great game. I am not a football fan -- at all. But this game was exciting and congratulations to the Steelers.

We had a party at our house which was a lot of fun. We seldom entertain and it was fun to have our friends and neighbors over. People brought food and we ate non-stop. Thank you to all! I may not be a sports fan, but Super Bowl Sunday is about the food as far as I am concerned. We had my homemade chili, cornbread, salad, wings, steamed shrimp, cheeses and dips, cookies and eclairs, beer and wine and soda.

Several people wanted my recipe for chili so this is it:

This will serve about 12-15 people.

3 lbs. ground beef

2 packages of Chili-O or some brand of chili seasoning (optional, but I had it in the cupboard and it is a fast way of making chili)

Approx. 1 Tbs of chili powder

Approx. 1 Tbs of ground cumin

1 large can of kidney beans (or also black beans or pinto beans) to taste

3 15 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes

1/2 bag frozen chopped green pepper (or more)

3/4 bag frozen chopped onion (or more)

2-3 cloves chopped garlic

1 -2 cups frozen corn (optional)

I sautee the garlic, green pepper and onion in some olive oil until they are soft. Then I add the beef and brown it well.

Add the seasonings and then the tomatoes. Simmer a few minutes and add the beans and corn.

Simmer it all for approx. an hour and a half. I transferred it to a crock pot to keep it warm for self-serve.

I don't usually make this large a quantity of chili, so I was tasting as I was going to make sure the seasoning was right. I don't like it real hot and this was just a little spicy. Obviously, you may want to chop your own peppers and onions, but this was so much easier.

Everyone has their own chili recipe, but everyone raved about this. It is simple, basic chili.

Where have I been you ask? Well, maybe you haven't, but in case you have wondered -- I am still here.

I drove up to Pennsylvania on Thursday to visit my sister and came back on Friday. Thursday night I was fortunate enough to be included in a belated birthday dinner that her friend gives her every year. Linda's birthday is actually in December, but they never get around to it for months later. I have never attended one before and it is pretty special. Why, you ask? Because the menu is home-cooked Italian ravioli!! Linda's friend's mother makes over 300 ravioli twice a year for Christmas and Easter. She freezes some and that is what we had for dinner with the good Italian tomato sauce (or gravy as the Italians call it) which has pork and sausage in it. Believe me. You would think you had died and gone to heaven - it is that good. I am changing my recipe for sauce and will make it this way instead:


Canned crushed tomatoes
Canned whole tomatoes
Fresh chopped garlic sauteed in olive oil (with browned sausage links and/or pork roast optional)
Fresh basil
Grated locatelli cheese
I will add some red wine and red pepper flakes also because I always put that in my sauce.

The ravioli are made by hand and are stuffed with shredded pork, egg and grated cheese. I don't think I will attempt these, but they are truly delicious.

Linda and I had a great day and a half together. We both love old 5&10's (which are almost non-existent now) and she took me to one that dated back to 1912 and still had a soda fountain. Unfortunately, the store was on its "last legs", but it was fun to eat at the soda fountain and peruse the store goods. We also visited an antiques store and a Mennonite thrift store and had breakfast at a diner (which we both love to do also). I came home loaded with more "stuff." You never know what you will find!

One of my purposes in going to visit my sister was so that we could both go to Mom and Dad's grave to plant some flowers. We never did get there, but I am sure they won't mind - especially if Mom knows we were at an antiques store. We will go to the cemetery when I am up there again next month.

Yesterday I had a wedding to attend (with another one next Saturday). It was held at a local winery. Beautiful bride, handsome groom, elegant and delicious cake -- what more could you want?

Tonight we will attend a Passover seder at a friend's house. I have never been to one so it should be interesting (and delicious!).

Hope you are having a beautiful Sunday dear bloggers!