Cleaning Out the Clutter

With 20 years as a military wife to my credit, I have seen the advantages of going through our belongings on a regular basis and purging the excess or unused items.  A military family is allotted just so much weight allowance for their household goods.  Any excess and they pay the difference.

When my husband took a civilian job, we did this less frequently because we moved less often.  It is still a good idea to go through closets and storage at least once a year.

Lately, I have been praying God’s help with organizing my life better.  This has been foremost in my heart since I began the process of downsizing 32 years of accumulating stuff.  Finding what I need when I need it prevents extra stresses in my life & getting rid of stuff I do NOT need clears clutter, also stress reducing.

Spiritually speaking, I also think one needs to evaluate the clutter of emotions & irritations with others or situations in life that can prevent us from seeing the blessings from God.  We can lay our burdens at His feet & praise Him for His willingness to lift them from our shoulders.  God can bring peace of mind even when things are weighing us down, & He LOVES to hear our praise.

I'm sharing a crockpot recipe for chili that can cook all day while you tackle just ONE clutter filled area of your home.  A good dinner & the satisfaction of job completed and a life just a little more organized will be your reward.

FIRESIDE CHILI
3 lbs. ground beef
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 T. bacon drippings
2 c. hot water
1 (10-oz.) can tomato puree 
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Tabasco 
3 heaping T. chili powder
1 tsp. ground mustard
2 large onions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1/2-1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp. salt

Brown meat & onion; add bacon drippings and cook 5 minutes.

Add hot water, tomato puree, Tabasco, onion and garlic. Simmer 30 minutes. Add rest of ingredients and simmer slowly for 1-2 hours or 8 hours in crock pot.

Start with the 1/2 tsp. of oregano and increase to taste. This dish freezes well for 3-4 months. 
Serves 8.

Note: You may notice this chili has no beans. When we lived in Texas, the "natives"
claimed "real" chili was all meat and seasonings. Feel free to decrease meat by half
and add two 1 lb. cans beans. The flavor is not compromised in the least.

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Chili

CHILI
2 lbs. ground beef 
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (omit if you don't like it hot)
2 (16-oz.) cans tomato sauce 
4 (16-oz.) cans pinto beans
1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 med. onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 c. water
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 can diced green chilies
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
2 tsp. cumin
3 T. chili powder
Salt, to taste
Sharp cheddar, grated
Fritos Corn Chips
Brown ground beef over medium heat and drain fat. 


Add the rest of the ingredients in a large pot and simmer over low heat. Stir every 15 minutes for 2-3 hours(the longer,the better) or place in crockpot on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Top with fritos
and cheese when serving.  Makes at least 3 quarts.


Note: A chipotle pepper is a smoked jalapeno and is usually in an adobo sauce. There are several in one can and I divide out the peppers with sauce into snack size plastic bags (enough for this recipe). I place the tiny bags into a freezer bag and you got it...I freeze them for future chili. Be sure to date and label bag so you can find it when you need a chili fix.