It was a very busy week! A lot was good and there were many smiles, but over all, it was just busy ;) However, one thing stood out. Yes, I have done this before, but I will do it again – I made a batch of chili.
I just have to say that when I make chili, I really make it. As the beans are soaking, I chop tomatoes and then start everything out by stewing the tomatoes that I chopped. That forms the base of the chili. Next I chop up garlic cloves, onions and jalapeno peppers. This is all sauteed, with a lot of spices, and goes in. The soaking beans are brought to a light boil and the drained and put in. Over time other veggies are chopped and added, as well as spice. I do put in a little pre-made ingredients, but the majority is by scratch. Meat is towards the end. I do use a lot of spices, but go heavy on chili powder (it is chili!) and, may sound funny, but cumin – for some reason, cumin is the taste of chili for me. The entire process is stretched over four days from when I first start soaking beans until first serving. The chili, however, is at its peak taste after the fifth day.
Anyway, it tastes great! I froze about half of what I made and take it out in a couple of weeks.
That is my smile for the week, making homemade chili.
What made you smile?
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Come on, I’m sure you smiled at least once last week. Why don’t you share it? I hope you can join in!
Here is list of “rules” and guiding ideas. If you don’t have time to read it right now, just remember that this is an exercise to spread positivity. Don’t smile about the misfortune of others. Don’t smile in a way to excludes others. Make sure a 12 year old can read it.
To join in, write a post to share your smile and then leave a comment on this post with a link to your smile. Or, if you prefer, do a pingback to this post (pingback = have a link from your post to this one) (Note – pingbacks have been very inconsistent – please leave a comment :) ). You can post any time until next Sunday evening (to be simple, I will say midnight GMT, which is 7 PM Sunday for me). Next week I will compile all of the Smiles and do a separate post of them on Monday morning just before the smile. (I will shoot for around 7 AM EST).
Trent's World (the Blog) 
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I enjoy playing with spices though am not a ‘foodie’ or much of a kitchen person. The chilli does sound interesting!
Here’s my smile triggered by Green Sandpiper fly across my balcony https://travelerinmeblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/23/green-sandpiper/
Have a happy weekend Trent!
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I’m funny in the kitchen: I am either the complete guy with ultra-simple foods, or I become the chef and do everything from scratch – there is no in between ;) The chili was great! I’ll be by in few to check out your smile.
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I guess it all depends on the mood and what your taste buds tingle for …….
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What made me smile; is that you cook.
I gotta say it all sounded (and still does) yummy delicious.
Still, you don’t need the meat. The meat ruined it for me.
Please try it without the meat!
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Thanks! I typically have been making vegan chili, but my wife wanted meat this time. I do eat a little meat, usually once a week, but I get most of my nutrition from plant based sources.
And yes, I do cook! We may have many things in our house, but try to keep sexual stereotypes out of it ;) I do my own laundry, do the dishes on many nights, etc. OK, I guess I do the stereotype guy things, like snow-blow and mow the lawn as well, but…
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Great that you use plant based nutrition sources. I’m a veggie, not pure vegan, as some cheese slips in. My bones were disappearing, and a little cheese (I only like very mild…bocconcini, mozzerella.. goes a long way. My bones have been stable for years now. I do buy from a store that has all free range and non cruelty, so it’s over twice the price. They have a map of their farms, and anyone can go to any of the locations and see how the animals are treated.
Snow blow and mow…. lol! Love it!
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wow! I love chilli, you just gave me an idea for our next meal.
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2021/01/20/the-weekly-smile-for-the-18th-of-january-2021-weeklysmile/
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Chili is great. i hope you enjoy yours :) I’ll be by in a few minutes.
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Thanks, I’ll be by in a few.
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I just listened to a podcast where chilli was discussed – namely is vegetarian chilli and white chilli really still chilli?
It sounds like you’ve the got the process down pat – and now you have a toothsome, comforting food to enjoy over the next few weeks. Enjoy! I would be smiling too!
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Vegetarian is definitely real chili, but white chili? Not so sure ;) A little more seriously, over the years I have made chili quite a few times and have often ended up with a very spicy vegetable soup or stew. They were very good, but not “chili”.
Thanks, it is nice to have some ready to eat meals ready to go.
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The podcast did discuss what made a chilli – and I think the general consensus is the spices.
Apparently, white chilli doesn’t have tomato & uses white beans instead of kidney beans; cream based. And with the chilli spices thrown in.
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I can see that. On the other hand, the big thing that changed my “almost chili vegetable soup” into chili was adding a little store bought tomato sauce to my from scratch stewed tomatoes.
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Wow! You make your own stewed tomatoes too!
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Yep, that’s my first step in making the chili, while the beans soak.
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This is a very involved process. Just as well you get to enjoy it for a long time after!
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It is worth all of the effort :)
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All new windows installed, next day “SURPRISE” the a/c-furnace needs to be replaced. We just bit the bullet and have a brand new one! New house! 😄
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Ouch. Sounds like it will be a new house!
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Yes indeed!
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That sounds really good! I put cumin in mind and also a touch of cinnamon.
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Thanks! Hmm, I might try a sample with a touch of cinnamon. I use a huge amount of cinnamon, so maybe not, but worth trying.
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Yummy!!!
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Maybe not as good as old fashioned Texas chili, but it is yummy!
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Well done, Trent! Chili is a great dish to have in the winter and the frozen portions make dinner a breeze after a busy day. Hope your week is going well.
I had another great blog party, read a good book, and cleaned up my digital photos: https://natalietheexplorer.home.blog/2021/01/15/coffee-share-2-words-and-photos/
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That is the thing about making big batches in the crock pot – plenty to save to eat later! And in the winter, yes, chili really warms you up. I had the day off today and tried to explore ;) (I was outside all day). Hope you are having a great week as well.
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Finally made it back here. Hope the New Year is treating you well:) I mad chilit (without beans, but with bell peppers) from scratch yesterday! My smile is the snow – take your pick:)
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It’s funny how many people made chili recently! I did chop up a couple of bell peppers to add to the chili – I put a ton of different veggies in it. We’ve had surprising little snow, but the winter is still young. So far the year is going along well. I hope you had a great New year!
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I so wish I could eat chilli but I’m just not spicy enough for that, lol. It sounds so delicious though I love the smell of spicy foods cooking, are you a messy chef in the kitchen? My cousin is a chef & the kitchen looks like a tornado aftermath when he’s done, its hilarious.
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I do like spicy foods, but try to limit how hot I make the chili. This batch is slightly spicier than usual, but not even close to the almost-inedible first few times I attempted it ;) I can get pretty messy, though I also try to clean as I go, so not quite tornado level.
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I used to love chili and made it often. Until I found that I can no longer eat beans or nuts of any kind. So many of my favorites gone just like that! Have an extra serving for me.
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That’s awful. I try to limit my meat intake, so I get a lot of my protein from nuts and beans, so that would limit those to big sources. I’ll enjoy a serving for you :)
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Your homemade chilli sounds fantastic, Trent. You have written about it before and it sounded great then too.
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Thanks, Robbie. It is delicious, or at least I think so ;)
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Yum! We had chilli last night too – bet it wasn’t as tasty as yours, mind you … yours does sound like it might blow my head off?
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Thanks! This chili is hot, but not super hot. I’ve made it much hotter before, and so try to keep it a bit more reasonable! The chili powder doesn’t add a huge amount of “heat”, most of that comes from the fresh peppers that I use.
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