Making the Most of My Bare Pantry

I'm challenging myself to be frugal, use what we have and still eat at home.  Not just for the month of January but as a life change.  Who know if it will work, only time will tell.  And isn't there a saying that if you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit.  Well I'm giving it my best shot.



This was last night's dinner.  Not my typical chili recipe but it worked really well.  Of course I didn't measure anything but this is what I had on hand.

Ground beef

Italian Sausage

Onions

Garlic Powder

Chili Powder

Diced Tomatoes with Peppers (Rotel by a different name)

Light Kidney Beans (leave them out if you don't put beans in chili)

Tomato Paste

Ketchup

Water

Salt and Pepper

Corn Bread Mix - Love it, Love it, Love it.  You need milk and an egg.

Butter for the corn bread

Saute onion in a little olive oil. Throw in the ground beef and sausage.  After it is all nice and browned, season it as hot or as mild as you like it.

Add tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, water to the consistency that you want it.  I had to add ketchup to this because the taste wasn't right.  I really needed another can of tomatoes but...you gotta make due.

Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Make the Corn Bread while you wait. 

The house will smell so good.  If you weren't hungry when you started, you will be now.

This is what my regular pot of chili looks like.  It's a little darker and thicker.  And actually much spicier.  But this made for a great dinner and I didn't spend a dime or even alot of time putting it together.

Don't forget to join the group for 'Eat In Month'.

I also got to preview a new show on OWN through SheSpeaks.  That would be the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was pretty cool.  I'm a reality show freak anyway and Oprah is going to give the winner of this show their own talk show.  It premiers Friday, January 7th at 9E/8C.  The line up of other shows is very Oprah-like so I'm sure there will be lots of makeovers for body, soul and homes.

Texas Chili

I know Chili is a personal thing.  Everybody has their own way of doing it.  Beans or no beans, spicy or mild.  But no matter how you like it, you've got to have chili when the weather turns cool.

Unfortunately, the weather hasn't turned cool here.  So we decided to make our own little cookout and not heat up the house.  We moved it outside to the grill.  I don't use the burner often, other than frying on it so grease doesn't splatter everywhere.  It was a nice day so Charlie and I thought we would spend some time in the back yard.

Here's our take on Texas Chili:

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour 15 minutes


What you need:
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds Italian sausage
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 (28 oz cans) whole tomatoes, broken up
2 (16 oz cans) dark kidney beans
1 (16 oz can) light kidney beans
Cheddar Cheese

Here's what you do:
Crumble the beef and sausage.  Put them along with the onion and onion in a cast iron dutch oven.

Wait until the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender.   Have a beer while you wait, the parts takes awhile because there is a lot in that pot.  And you know the more you watch it, the longer it is going to take.

After that's done, if there is a lot of grease, please drain it at this time.  Add the red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, flour and sugar.  Combine.Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every now and again so it doesn't stick.

Next, add the tomatoes and beans.  We have played around with the seasoned tomatoes and even used Rotel before.  Like I said, Chili is a very personal thing.  Find what works for you and stay with it.  Taste for seasoning.  Cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Now, you are ready for another beer and to make cornbread or whatever else you think goes with chili.

Enjoy!