EASY CHILI WITH MEAT AND BEANS

EASY RECIPE

Whether you are a busy mom or dad who needs a quick home cooked meal recipe or you are getting ready for the big game, my Easy Chili with Meat and Beans recipe is for you! You don’t need to buy an expensive one time chili seasoning package at the store. With this easy recipe and just a few basic spices you are on your way to a great meal.

Recipe serve 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 15 oz can white kidney or pinto beans

1 15 oz can red kidney beans

1/2 white onion – diced

1/2 green or red bell pepper – diced

1 tsp garlic crushed

1 tsp jalapeno – diced (seeds removed)

2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 12 0z Sierra Nevada beer (or your choice)

1/3 C fresh cilantro – chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Grated cheese for topping

Preparation

In a large pot brown the ground beef( salt & pepper the hamburger to taste). When meat is browned, spoon out most of the grease. To the the ground beef add the onion, bell pepper, and saute’ at low temperature for a few minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute’ a few more minutes. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro. Stir, turn to medium high and bring to low boil, then reduce temperature to maintain simmer. Slowly add the beer taking care to avoid foam overflow. Bring back to strong simmer.

Approximately 20 minutes prior to serving, drain can fluids from the beans, rinse beans with fresh water, drain and add beans to chili. Stir and get chili back to a strong simmer and then cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or more.

Before serving the chili, top each bowl with a little grated cheese. There you go, in no time at all you just made an awesome home made, low sodium, killer chili that everybody is going to love!

AND STUFF

Perception is reality.

In the late 90’s I was a partner in a middle size law firm. Back in those days, I had two or three associates working files under my supervision. I remember one file was close to settling as I was preparing to go to trial on another matter. The associate had done a fine job negotiating the settlement, and all that was left was to document the agreement.

I went to trial for a couple weeks. Upon my return to the office the associate was very keen to meet with me. Seems the associate had a little problem with the settlement; it had never been documented and now one party was balking. Unfortunately the associate had relied on the other attorney’s word. I hate to sound old and grumpy, but relying on anyone’s word, let alone that of an attorney, is never a good strategy.

The associate was a tad uncomfortable as we spoke, because it turned out the trial was scheduled to commence the next day. Fortunately I was relatively young and free of heart issues, because my blood pressure must have spiked something fierce. We were no where ready for trial. But, this was not as bad as it would seem because courts, like air carriers, over book. The result is that trials do not typically go out on the day scheduled. In fact they may get kicked for days, weeks, or even months. And, even if the matter does go out, the first few days are spent on motions, instructions, and jury selection. So, typically lawyers do not haul their trial boxes and exhibits into the court room on the first day of trial.

I had two goals that day, not let on that we were unprepared to go to trial, and kick start the stalled settlement. Having only until the next morning to prepare I left the associate to spear head trial preparation, and I asked my secretary to change the labels on my prior trial’s boxes and exhibits to the current case name to create a ready for war appearance. The next morning, having made certain that the exhibit boards were facing in to each other and securely sealed, I walked into court with boxes and exhibits ready for trial. None of the other counsel were ready to go to trial, as they too had relied on the oral settlement. Rest assured everyone was very interested in seeing my exhibit boards. I calmly advised them that they would see the exhibits in due time.

Prior to our case being called I could see the other lawyers talking amongst themselves, and going off to speak with their clients. Eventually they walked over to me and began talking about how crazy it was that the settlement had broken down. The consensus was that it would be a shame to go to the expense of a long trial when we had been so close to a deal. So, nice guy that I am, I agreed to their suggestion to revive the old deal and recite it on the record as soon as the judge took the bench.

Moral of the story, people tend to do the right thing when they perceive they are screwed; they just need a little help coming to that perception.

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger