Being right on the edge of something is a funny feeling. Right now, I’m feeling right on the edge of Fall and the holidays, but also on the edge of bigger life things, too.
When Matthew and I first got married, I was thrilled to no longer be playing the waiting game… waiting to finish school, waiting to quit my job of nearly eight years, waiting to finally be married and living with my husband… it was one of the things I hated most about my life B.M. (Before Matthew.) And now, as weeks and months have slipped through our fingers, we’ve found ourselves back in the waiting and wondering game. Waiting for weekends, waiting for holiday breaks, waiting for law school to be over, waiting to find out what our life will be like when it is. And other things, too. Wondering. What will happen with Edd’s cancer? When will be an appropriate time for us to have children? Will that time ever come? Should I continue doing what I’m doing, or bite the bullet and get a “real” job?
To be honest with you, I’m not thrilled to find myself back in the waiting game—back in that place of in between—but I’m trying to adjust my attitude about it. This life is such an endless lesson in contentment despite one’s present circumstances, isn’t it? Because when will anything ever really be perfect?
Ahh, LIFE. You crazy thing.
To redeem myself and my ramblings this morning, here’s my very favorite chili recipe of all time. Ever. It’s like chili STEW, made with tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef stew meat. Serve it up with a little cilantro, fresh grated cheese, and warm cornbread for a seriously perfect fall dinner. I make a huge batch and freeze most of it. Hope you try this one! ;)
Hearty Beef Chili (for the crockpot)
You’ll need:
2 1/2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 cups beef-flavored broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper (I leave these out since I don’t like them)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
Garnish with:
Freshly grated cheese
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1. In a large resealable food-storage plastic bag, place half of the beef and 1 tablespoon of the flour; seal bag and shake to coat. Repeat with remaining beef and flour. In 4-quart Dutch oven or other large pan , heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil until brown on all sides; drain, if desired.
2. Transfer meat to crockpot and stir in remaining chili ingredients except cornmeal, beans, and chiles. Cook on low about 6-8 hours or on high about 4-5 hours (it’s done when the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender!).
3. Stir in cornmeal; cook and stir about 1 minute to thicken. Add beans and chiles; cook until thoroughly heated. Remove bay leaves. Serve chili with garnishes and biscuits or cornbread. Enjoy!
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