Chili!!!!

It has finally cooled off here in North Alabama.  

In fact, it is down right COLD!  

It has not even been a month since our family made Brunswick Stew  but we received an invitation to a Chili Cook- off so we decided to make some Chili.  

I have been making this recipe for years, it is my grandmother's recipe. 

Chili

1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 large cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)
3 large onions (peeled and chopped)
1 green pepper (seeded and chopped)
4 lbs. hamburger
3 or 4 (1 lb 3 oz) cans whole tomatoes
2 ( 6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1/4 - 1/3 cup Chili Powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 dashes Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3 (16 ounce) cans red kidney beans
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf

In skillet - saute garlic, onions, peppers until tender.  Add hamburger and cook until done.

Have this Hot on stove:
In a large kettle add tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, vinegar, cayenne pepper and salt.  After mixing the two above stir into kettle the kidney beans, cloves and bay leaf.

I simmer my chili for several hours on top of the stove, put into crock-pot and refrigerate overnight.  Cook on low for the whole day.

Brunswick Stew!

Behind the simplicity of Brunswick Stew lies a rather complicated past. A longtime dispute between Brunswick, Georgia, and Brunswick County, Virginia, exists over who cooked the first batch of stew.

Traditionally, Brunswick Stew was cooked in an iron cauldron over fire for a large group of people, using whatever ingredients are on hand. Virginia’s version is thick and chock-full of pulled meat and vegetables, while Georgia’s has more broth and often a squirt of fresh lemon juice. You’ll also rarely see peas in a Virginia stew, but almost always in a Georgia stew.

I think Brunswick Stew is delicious, regardless of its actual origin, 

This is our family version of Brunswick Stew!!!!

Getting ready to begin our stew!

Hubby with grandsons, Parrish and Preston.

Parrish had to taste.

Parrish and Pop stirring

My youngest son, James with his boys, Parrish and Preston.

Ready to chow down.

Here i s the recipe but scaled down.

 3 lb. Chicken                                             2 lb. Pork Roast, cooked and shredded

1 large onion                                              1 Tabl. salt

1 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes                       1 1/2 tsp. pepper

1 6 oz Tomato Paste                                 1/4 cup sugar

1 Can Tomato Juice                                  1 drop Hickory Smoke

6-7 Potatoes

3 cups Shupeg Corn

Cover chicken in stock pot with water cook until done, about 30 - 45 minutes of boiling.  Remove Chicken from water and reserve the water. (I add celery and onion to the water for extra flavor.  Remove all celery pieces and fat from water. (I will cook my chicken the day before and let the water sit for a couple of hours and the fat will harden.  Just remove the fat.  Pour at least 6 cups chicken water into the crock pot.  Shred chicken and add to crock pot.  Add all other ingred. and put on low for 8 - 10 hours.    

Serve with Cornbread.  

My mother in law has been making this since she was a small child.  Recipe came from her mother.  We sometimes add shredded beef roast. 

Choco-Dot Cookies

I have been craving Chocolate and Coconut.  

I remembered this recipe I used to make when my boys were young and this being one of their favorites.  

Easy and fast!

Choco - Dot Cookies

1 cup flour

1/4 cup shortening

3 tablespoons milk

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan.  

Mix flour, salt shortening, milk and press into pan.  Bake 10 minutes.

2 eggs

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup coconut

1- 6 oz. package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts.

While baking beat eggs, stir in remaining ingredients and spread over baked layer.  

Bake an additional 20 minutes.  

Cut into 2 X 1 inch bars while warm.