Skyline Chili

Cincinnati Ohio is home to the Skyline Chili restaurant chain. I used to travel there on business. Their five-way chili is legend in those parts.

So, here's the recipe. (No, it doesn't taste like the original. That's a trade secret. But it's not bad.)

1 Sweet Onion Diced
1 T butter
2 cans tomato paste
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 lb. Ground beef (85%)
1 t garlic powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1 t chili powder
1 t oregano
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
4 T brown sugar
3 T vinegar
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 can red beans
1 lb spaghetti

Saute with butter ½ of the diced onion (about ¾ cup) in 4 qt saucepan until the edges brown.

Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce and stir together.

Add the spices, chicken broth, brown sugar and vinegar and allow the ingredients to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the raw ground beef, mashing it into the sauce with a potato masher.

Simmer the mixture for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Make sure it's bubbling, because you're cooking the meat here. That means--keep stirring!

Meanwhile, prepare the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain

Drain the red beans and microwave for 3 minutes.

Set out a dish of each of the following:
red beans
diced sweet onions
shredded cheddar cheese

Assemble as follows:
#1 – a bed of spaghetti noodles.
#2 – a layer of chili sauce
#3 – a sprinkling of diced sweet onions
#4 – a sprinkling of red beans
#5 – top with shredded cheese

Serve with French bread or oyster crackers.

Now, about spices. You can make any of those "t"s in the recipe into "T"s if you like the spice. The cinnamon comes through strong, as does the garlic.

Enjoy!

Four

Today.

Han and Leia

Hope you're feeling better.

By request

With that much mischief, there must be two of them!

Sweet gifts!

Perhaps a little explanation is in order. The lovely model below is showing off a delightful sweater and necklace combination, compliments of an R and B Christmas surprise. The occasion depicted here is date night to see "My Fair Lady" compliments of CTE's subscription to the Marriott Lincolnshire. Believe me, everyone there was quite astounded at the grace and elegance shown by the model below. They were also quite grateful that she did not appear in her "Slinky" "spring" ensemble....

Way to go, Rob!

It's always nice when money comes looking for you.

You've earned it.

Rattlin' the windows

We had an earthquake in Elgin early this morning. It was just east of Sycamore and registered 3.8.

We don't get many of those around here. It started strong and dissipated right away. No damage reported.

We now return to your regularly scheduled life.

Precision Bombing

Elgin snowplows executed a targeted attack on the driveway this afternoon. The plows hadn't been out for a week and the roads were dry, but they were able to scrape up just enough snow and ice to dump in my driveway. All other homes on the block were spared.

It pays to have friends in high places.

Workin' those feet

Obviously, she didn't get it from her dad.

But she loves the shoes and the newfound skills.

Abs...

...of steelHappy Birthday, Munchkin!