Monday's Musings

Ya'll!!! This is the best chili I've ever made or eaten! I can't take 100% credit because I adapted mine from here but...seriously it was THE.BEST.EVER. A unique addition for me was adding unsweetened cocoa powder...uh do what? Yep..cocoa powder! No idea if that is what sent it over the top BUT..WHATEVER it was...the flavor was off the hook good! It will go in the all time favs recipe box! And the weather cooperated with my desire for winter food. It was COLD yesterday!
Here's how it went down:

THE BEST CHILI EVER!
3 lbs. of lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 small cans of tomato sauce

1 cup of water

12 oz. of chicken broth

6 beef bullion cubes or 2 teaspoons of better than bouillon, beef flavor

1 packet of Goya Sazon(buy this in the Mexican section, in a box)
1 packet taco seasoning mix

3 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons cumin, ground

1 Tablespoon of Adobo seasoning

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons oregano, ground

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons Louisiana style hot sauce
1 can of Ranch Style bean
1 can of black beans
S&P to taste

Brown meat in large dutch oven, drain.(I use several paper towels to soak up fat that has cooked off) Add chopped onion, pepper and garlic, cook until soft (about 10 minutes).  Add all other ingredients except beans. Cook, covered for 2 hours on medium to low heat. Add beans and heat through.  Serve however you like!

We also put up Christmas!!! Yay! Through much of my adult life, I must admit, I've not gotten into Christmas decorating really. When it was just me, I was hardly ever home, spent every Christmas holiday at my parents, so I never put up a tree. I had friends, berate me for this and tell me I needed to do it "just for me" but I never did. BUT...I have to say that my Christmas decorating spirit has come alive and I'm giddy to do it. Uncle and Auntie came over and Auntie...well..she is THE BEST! She has enough decorating spirit in her to go around most of the city. She loves it and is good at it and she LOVES helping us put it all together. I had dear people donate lots of Christmas decor and even a pre-lit tree a couple of years ago and we simply love it all. Our tree is not themed, it's not elegant, it's FUN! It's draped and adorned with all kinds of ornaments and Lailey has so much fun just sitting and staring at it. I caught her last night just sitting and staring in wonder at it. She literally sat there for 30 minutes just adoring it. That makes my heart so happy! Here is the tree all dressed up! I'll share more when all the boxes are out of the way!


I've been seeing these cute little felt Christmas trees on Pinterest and decided L needed one of her own. It's not perfect but it's on the wall and decorated. We have more ornaments that we decorated with puffy paint and glitter glue that are drying and we will put up tonight. She loved decorating the ornaments, the tree..all of it. I LOVE doing stuff like this with..love her creativity, her raised eyebrows and giggles.  So thankful to be this babe's mommy!

All in all it was a great weekend and now begins the countdown to our BELOVED Nashville. We are spending Thanksgiving with our family there and in Florida! BEACH!!!! Happy Monday ya'll!