A Chili Weekend

Nope - that's not a typo in the title just in case you're wondering.

It is cold outside.

I mean really cold.

Like we have the potential for a little bitty bit of snow tonight, which doesn't happen all that often in Austin.

My kids' prayer lives have never been better.  They're spending quite a bit of time on their knees, imploring the Lord for a snow day so they can stay home from school.

Whether it snows or not, this is the perfect weather for chili.

So I made an enormous pot of it this afternoon and the plan is to make it last all weekend.  I'll be using that same chili to make enchiladas, nachos, chili mac, and chili cheese dog nachos.

One night of cooking = four meals.

It just doesn't get much better than that.

Of course, come Sunday, we'll be sick of it but I'm all about making life a little easier for myself.

And the added bonus?

No matter what I make on Monday, my family will be cheering because it won't be chili.

But anyway, every time I make chili, I can't help but think of the eight years we spent in Virginia. Anytime I served chili to friends there, the reaction to it was always quite interesting.

I remember one time, our friends Guy and Jodi were over.  I was cooking away in the kitchen and Jodi was keeping me company.

We got everything set out:  chili, cornbread and sliced cheese.  I was about to call the gentlemen to the table when Jodi stopped me.  Our conversation went a little something like this:

Jodi - "Where's the rest of the food?"
Me - "What do you mean - the rest of the food?  It's all here."
Jodi - "I mean, like the stuff to put on the chili."
Me - "What stuff to put on the chili?"
Jodi - "Onions, beans, tomatoes... you know, toppings."
Me - "I'm not making soup, Jodi.  This is chili."
Jodi - "So basically you're just giving us a bowl of.... meat?"

I had to laugh.  I hadn't ever heard chili described in quite that way but it was true.  It really was just a bowl of meat.  That's the way we do it in Texas.

So every time I'm serving up bowls of meat, I can't help but think of Jodi.

She'll be happy to know that while we ate bowls of meat tonight, the rest of this weekend, we'll be adding all kinds of "toppings" to our chili in her honor.

My goal for the weekend?  No more cooking.

Ryan's goal?  No need for Extra-Strength Tums in the middle of the night.

It's looking good for me.  I'll keep you posted on Ryan.