And then it was Sunday...

I woke up on Sunday, Veteran’s Day, around 6:00 AM, but didn’t get out of bed until 7:00. Then I finished and posted the Blog entries. Next, I drained the beans, rinsed them and then covered them with water. I added a fresh bay leaf (I just had to try one). I brought that up to a boil, reduced it to simmer, covered them and set the timer for two hours.

According to what I read, you have to boil them until fork-tender BEFORE you cook them in your chili. At this point in the process, I was seriously wondering why I didn’t just use canned beans, LOL! But, I am rocking this chili old school.

I ate breakfast, took my pills and then refilled my pill box. When I went into the bathroom to get my shaver, I could see (now that its daylight and I’m not depending on those stupid, new-fangled bulbs) a few spots that I missed last night. Sigh...

I got out the installation instructions for the new vanity. They were brief. Basically, there are two holes in the sink and two holes in the base and they say to attach them to the wall, using whatever hardware you want (none was provided). Gee, thanks!

So, I shaved, and showered and then got dressed. I wound the clock in the living room and drank one more cup of coffee. Then I went back to silicone scrapping. When I finally had it all off, I repeated washing it with minerals spirits and steel wool.

Then I washed the entire tile wall and the floor with Pine Sol and hot water. I shut the door to let it dry. It was 10:45 AM. The stove timer went off and I checked. Hmmm... a little firm for “fork-tender,” so I let them simmer another half hour before I drained them and set them aside in the colander.

I have been thinking about the best way to ensure the holes on the cabinet and sink are mirrored on the wall before I drill anything. So, I took the regular razor knife and cut off the back of the box the vanity came in.

But, first, I backed the car out of the garage. I swept out the remaining kitty litter and then used the blower to get any stray litter outside. Once outside, I blew it into the grass (I don’t need more dirt in the driveway for grass to grow in!) I took the box out to the garage and cut the back off it.

Inside, I held the cardboard tight to the back of the vanity, outlined it with a pencil, opened the door and marked the four holes by punching through with an awl. So, now I have a rough template.

I checked on the dryness of the bathroom floor and wall. They were dry, so I rinsed them both with clean, hot water. I shut the door and took off my shorts and put on some pants. I need to install that headlight and go to the grocery store for some spices I thought I had, but don’t. Thinking I would be cleaner if I installed the headlight afterwards, I went shopping first.

I went to Meijer’s, not because I like Meijer’s anymore (I don’t) but because it was close. I got what I needed and made it out through the 12 Items or Less line.

Back home, I treated the cats, opened the bathroom door and shut the window, and then started on making my chili for the freezer. To get the containers I need I pulled out some old vegetable stock I made almost a year ago but never used and put them in the sink to thaw.

Okay, so I am warning you ahead of time: DON’T MAKE THIS RECIPE! I am making it all up and, until I taste test it at the end, I cannot recommend it.

I took out the pot with the browned three pound of ground chuck to come up to room temperature. Then, I wiped my big cast iron, porcelain-covered Lodge pot (that I soaked the beans in overnight) dry with paper towels, squirted in about two tablespoons of canola oil and turned the heat to medium high.

Meanwhile, I diced two big onions (one red and one yellow – the red only because it was getting old). I added them to the pot as I diced them. Next, I diced up one green bell pepper and put that in as well. I stirred that until the onions were translucent. I also put in six cloves of minced garlic.

Then I added half the other pot (or about 1 1/2 pounds) of ground chuck and let that get warm. Once it was warm, I started adding in spices: two tablespoons of ancho chili powder, three tablespoons of regular chili powder, a tablespoon of sugar, two tablespoons of ground cumin, and then a teaspoon each of dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, dried red chili flakes and ground black pepper. I heated that on medium for about 10 minutes and stirred it occasionally.

Next I added the kidney beans, a 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans, two cups of frozen corn (that I warmed in the microwave first), one 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes (including the juice), one 15-ounce can of tomato sauce, one six-ounce can of tomato paste and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

I stirred that up and decided it was WAY to thick to let simmer for another two hours. I needed to thin it out, not water it down and lose the flavors! So I added about three cups of beef broth (I just eyeballed it until I thought it was thin enough.

You may have noticed I never added any salt. That was deliberate as I had salted the meat when I browned it. And, I taste-tested it. It was not as hot as I feared it might be, just a real nice kick and a wicked back-bite. I was going to add in some diced pickled Jalapenos peppers I keep in the fridge, but decided it didn’t need them. I put it on simmer and set the timer for two hours to let it all get happy.

I filled in the Blog to date and then went outside to install my new headlight. I was wearing my rubber gloves (much to the amusement of my neighbors, I’m sure) because you are not supposed to touch a halogen bulb with your bare fingers (the oil on your hands degrades them or something).

But, after taking off the battery cover and uncovering the old bulb, I smeared the new one with bulb grease (recommended by my friend, B___ ). I got the new one installed and working! I pulled the car into the garage and called it good. It was really warm, but really windy out there, BTW.

Back inside, I saw that I had the chili on a little higher temperature than I wanted. I knew this as the splatters from the pot have covered the stovetop. So, I turned it down a bit, stirred it and taste-tested it again. Yep! Perfect! Okay, now I officially approve this recipe!

I washed off the chili splatters from the stovetop and the nearby counter.

I called B___ to wish him a Happy Veteran’s Day and we chatted for a bit. I turned off the chili to let it cool. Jake called to ask me a question he already knew the answer for by the time I picked up. So, we talked for, oh, about 20 seconds.

I worked on designing a cover for the big space in the wall from the old heat vent. Not only will it be tricky to cut to fit, but attaching it will be next to impossible. With nothing to screw or nail it to, I think it will have to be held on with construction adhesive.

It was getting late and while I was still supposed to make that cabbage casserole, I didn’t feel like it at all. So, I put the other 1 1/2 pounds of browned ground chuck in a baggie and in the freezer. I put the pot of chili in the fridge. I’ll have to put it into the containers tomorrow as they have just now thawed enough to empty. So, I hand washed them and put them into the drying rack for the evening.

I wasn’t all that hungry (I’ve been sampling chili all afternoon) but knew I had to eat something so I could take my evening pills. So, I warmed up a brat and ate that on a bun with some deli mustard.

I had planned on watching a movie but it was late and I was tired. So, I just went to bed.