Preparing for a snow day

As the rest of the country is getting blasted by snow, sleet, ice and freezing temperatures, we are patiently awaiting the arrival of OUR turn with the winter snow fall. We are currently looking at snowfall starting some time this evening and continuing all day tomorrow and into Wednesday.

Since we’ve known there was a chance of a serious snowfall I decided to be prepared this time. So yesterday – I got to cooking! While cooking our dinner for last night I also cooked our dinner for tonight. We were supposed to have dinner guests as well, but our friend Brian is currently stuck somewhere in the south due to the weather. We miss you Brian! Have a safe trip home…

There is nothing better to eat on a freezing cold, snowy evening then homemade chili. I made a huge pot of my vegetarian chili just for the occasion.

Put your onion, peppers, garlic and celery in the pot over low heat with the olive oil and allow to cook down.

Then add all your spices.

Once your vegetables have a nice clear color and the spices are cooked in add your beans (drained of course) to the pot.

Allow the beans to cook with the vegetables for about 5 minutes or so and then add in your crushed tomatoes.

Bring this mixture to a boil and then turn the heat way down, cover and allow to cook for about 45 minutes. Then (because Jason likes it this way) I add a bag of veggie crumbles.

This is when I add the can of whole kernel corn.

Stir really well and then put the lid back on. Let the chili cook over very low heat for about 20 more minutes if you’re going to eat right away.

We weren’t going to be eating it last night (and chili is so much better the second day) so I turned off the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I then placed the pot in the refrigerator so it would be ready to throw back on the stove today.

Currently I have the pot back on the stove waiting for it to come to a boil. Once it does I’ll cover it, turn the heat on very low and start making these bad boys!

This way the corn bread AND the chili are all done at the same time. Then…dinner is served.

BRING ON THE SNOW!!!

I promised you a thinkThin winner and I’m going to deliver you a thinkThin winner. Thanks to random number generator the winner is…

Stacey – please email me your mailing address at Maria(at)RealFitMama(dot)com and I will send your bars right out!!

Enjoy the warmth of your home and the love of your families where ever you are tonight. I hope that each and every one of you are safe, happy and healthy.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.  Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~ Jane Howard