I write to you in haste this night.
This is largely because I spent much of the day doing household chores: washing my bedding to prepare for the fall, processing the bounty of my farm share to preserve it for the winter (freezing peppers, making a big batch of chili*, etc.), paying bills, grocery shopping, purchasing cat food lest the Double Felinoid consume my flesh, and so on. These are all necessary, and frequently boring, but having food in the pantry, a nice clean bed to sleep in, and keeping the lights on are, y’know, important.
I also would prefer not to become tasty snacks for hungry apex predators, either, but that’s just me.
Regardless, housekeeping takes up quite a bit of time — the chili* alone takes about an hour to prepare and cook, and then there’s schlepping the blankets down to the laundromat — and between one thing and another, I simply ran out of time to prepare a diary for tonight.
Fear not! For tonight I bring two things to compensate for the lack of a freshly mocked Book So Bad It’s Good: the lineup for the rest of 2022, and a tasty treat for those wondering why I put asterisks next to the word “chili” in this introduction.
So! Without further ado, here is the proposed lineup for the fall and early winter of 2022. If you have any comments, or suggestions for 2023, they would be most welcome:
9/24 - This Won the Hugo?
10/15 — Chewing on Chick Lit
10/29 — Manuscripts of Mystery
11/12 — The Tragedy of Nesthäkchen
11/26 — Travels with Trader Horn
12/10 — Graham Hancock’s Unified Theory of History
12/24 — The Non-Sacred King
As for the tasty treat...here is my personal chili recipe. I just finished up a batch, and once it’s cool I’m going to freeze individual portions. Every vegetable in it except the beans was from my farm share, too, so we are talking fresh.
1 package Riega Foods organic chili seasoning mix
1 pound ground beef (preferably Pineland Farms or another grass-fed producer)
1 chopped onion, either white or red
1 15 ounce can Field Day black or kidney beans (I prefer black beans but it’s your chili, have fun)
4-5 large fresh tomatoes
1-2 Thai peppers, minced fine
Heat two tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in your largest skillet. Add the onions and cook until soft.
Crumble the ground beef into smallish chunks and add to the softened onions. Brown the beef, making sure it’s thoroughly cooked and mixed with the onions. Drain and immediately return to the skillet.
While the beef is browning, chop the tomatoes into nice coarse chunks. Stir in the minced Thai peppers, being very careful not to rub your eyes with your hands. Open and drain the can of beans.
Once the beef and onion mixture is back in the skillet, add the beans, the tomatoes, and the chili powder, in that order. Thoroughly stir, then bring up the heat until the liquid is at a nice brisk simmer.
Set your timer for 40 minutes and continue to simmer, occasionally stirring so everything cooks evenly. Bring the heat back down to medium once the liquid has reduced (about 20-25 minutes), then simmer until the timer goes off.
By now you should have a rich, thick, very fragrant chili. I usually freeze mine for future lunches/emergency dinners, but it can also be served hot, with your choice of accompaniment (I like blue corn tortilla chips, but cornbread or rice would also work). Either way, enjoy!
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Do you have a favorite chili recipe? A suggestion for a 2023 diary? Too many household chores? It’s a warm night in Massachusetts, so come share…..
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