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Author: Brooke

New Years 2017

I feel like I should have some grand epiphany going into a new year; like some huge plan for my existence starting tomorrow.  But I don’t.  I’m not even big on resolutions.  Because, if I’m being honest, I know I won’t stick to something I feel pressured into.  I’m a rebel like that, I guess.  And New Years resolutions feel like just that; some enormous pressure to change my path.

Honestly, though, I like the path I’m on.  Sure, I’d change some minor things, but overall, I’m happy with my life, my family, and my little farm.   So, I’m sitting down writing, not resolutions per say, but the the top 10 choices I make daily that I’m becoming increasingly aware of.

1.  I choose to be real on social media. One of my most favorite messages to receive after I post a video or a blog post is that I make other moms feel normal. Because isn’t it a relief to feel like we’re not alone?!? If there’s a woman out there that’s always on time, in stilettos, with full make-up, who does intricate Pinterest projects with her kids; who never has that screaming kid at wal-mart, never burns a meal, and never forgets a homework assignment, I don’t know her (and I might call BS on her if I did!) I know I’m certainly not her! And I won’t pretend to be. It gives me greater joy to make another woman feel normal than it would to try make make myself look invincible.

2.  I refuse to “keep up with the Joneses.”    I buy most of my kids clothes at wal-mart *gasp* and sneak in off-brand cereal.  I LOVE my stained, missing knobs, broken DVD player Suburban and have no intentions of trading her in for a newer, prettier model.   Now, don’t get me wrong, I like nice stuff, but I’m not trying to impress or outdo my fellow moms out there with a name brand….well, anything.

3.  I choose to distance myself from dramatic people.  Frankly, I have enough crazy under my own roof to try and tame yours too.  It’s taken me 34 years to recognize the difference between a friend looking for genuine help to restore peace to their home….and someone looking to rally the troops, to elicit pity and to stir the pot.  I choose to distance myself from the latter, and instead seek out the peacemakers; the ones who will challenge me to be better when I’m wrong and expect me to do the same for them.  These people are hard to find!  But they make life better!

4.  I no longer feel guilty for scheduling some Me time.  It is vital to my health, my well-being, and my role as a Wife and a Mom.  There’s a reason the airlines tell you in case of emergency to secure you own air mask first.  I won’t have anything to give if I don’t take time to replenish.

5.  I am that annoying mom that brings homemade treats to every school party.  Because I genuinely love to.  Because food is my love language.  But I absolutely do not judge the mom (or dad!) that only had time to grab yesterday’s donuts from the gas station on the way to school.  Because who cares?!?  My part is no more impressive than her part.  And I hope that feeling is mutual on days when I walk in with dirty, mismatched kids.  We, as parents, should function as a team; not as competitors.  It really takes a village, folks.

6.  I need a finished product at least every couple of days to revive my sanity.  As a stay at home mom, I need; not want; need a finished product.  Laundry will be there tomorrow. The floors will be as dirty tomorrow as they were today before I mopped them.  For me, it’s the signs I paint and projects I do.  Whatever it is for you, do it!  Paint something.  Bake something.  Build something.  For the love of all things repetitive, I have to end the day checking something off my list.

7.  I choose to be happy now.  Not when I lose a few pounds.  Not when I bring home more money.  Not when my kids are old enough to keep the house cleaner.  Right now.  Because if none of those things ever happened, I would still have lived a blessed, fulfilled life.  It really is so much about perspective.  Audrey Hepburn was oh, so correct when she said, “Happiest girls are the prettiest girls.”  A genuine smile radiates and attracts people.  No amount of make up, nice clothes, or accomplisments can match that.

8.  I choose to laugh lots and even more when things get hard.  In our house, with 4 young kids, horses, chickens, dogs, cats and sometimes pigs…there’s a lot of room for stuff to go wrong.  And it does so often.   If I let every little mishap get me angry or upset, I’d be a miserable sad sack.  The best thing I can do instead is giggle, put on my big girl panties, deal with it, and then usually make a funny post on Facebook about it, so others can laugh with me.

9.  I learned a long time ago to take the “quit” out of my vocabulary.  Quit, divorce, waste, …they’re not options in my house or my marriage.  I do not like my husband some days.  Heck, I don’t like myself some days.  And I’m sure that feeling is mutual.  But I never threaten to leave or give up.  It’s simply not an option.  There’s a profound strength that comes from figuring out a way around the problem and a genuine comfort that comes from knowing no matter how mad I am today, neither of us is going anywhere.  Because our marriage and our family….we’re worth fighting for.

10.  I choose to lift up people around me.  Whether it be supporting a local business or just pumping up that potato salad someone brought to a party.  I choose to tell strangers in the store that I love their sweater or their haircut.  I choose to smile empatheticly at the mom who just looks wore out because I’ve been there!  Write happy birthday on Facebook walls, pay for the coffee behind me in the drive thru when I can, leave a kind note for a waitress.  I was blessed this year by several random acts of kindness.  Speaking from experience, sometimes the smallest gesture, even from a stranger, can be the grandest pick-me-up.

So there it is.  May your 2017 be full of lots of love, kindness and grace.  May your mishaps lead to good stories and your failures encourage others. May God place people in your life that delicately challenge you while simultaneously making you feel normal.  Happy New Year!!

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Why we love BBQ People

It’s hard to explain cook offs to people outside of the circuit.  Best put; we spend an exuberant amount of money to have a weekend with little or no sleep, in that sultry southern sunshine, slaving over a hot pit…all for the chance to win a trophy and prize money that usually pales in comparison to the amount of money that goes into this hobby.  Yes, we pay to have that much fun.


But there’s something intoxicating about traveling the nation, pulling in to that cloud of smoke, admiring all of the shiny pits, and custom trailers.  There’s something oddly calming about evenings before the cook, something addictive about hearing your name called; something humbling about that 15 second walk to the stage among your peers.  And then there’s weeks that leave you empty-handed and grasping to get back on top of your game.

The truth of the matter is Jay and I breathe a deep sigh of relief when we roll into a cook off.  Because while we don’t get to do it as often as we’d like, these people get it.  They get why we do it.  They get why we are always entertaining people.  They get why we love to cook. All ages, all walks of life, all ethnicities;  we are cut from the same cloth.  For the weekend, no one cares what kind of truck you drive or how big your house or your paycheck is, or who you parents are or what kind of grades your kids make, or what you do for a living.  BBQ people just feel like our people.

I’ve said it a million times before, and I’ll say it again….BBQ people are the best people in the world to spend a weekend with.  And here’s why:

1.  Food is our love language.  Let’s face it, good food brings people together. We don’t cook for our health (which is obvious by most of our waistlines!). We cook because good food lures in people of all kinds. It’s a common denominator in an ever-evolving, ever-dividing culture. So naturally, BBQers love people. We love to sit around and shoot the bull with fellow cookers, with spectators, with people from all over the country.  BBQers never meet a stranger.  At home or on the field, we love entertaining old friends and meeting new ones.

2.  BBQ people are generous.   Whether it be a forgotten tool, a few sticks of wood, the right camper plug, guidance backing into a spot or just an extra hand…you never have to look far for help.

3.  BBQers are like McGyver behind a pit.  Maybe it’s just us and the extra chaos we bring, but everything that can go wrong, will go wrong on a BBQ weekend.  Being a good Pitmaster isn’t as simple as  knowing temps and cook times…it’s about pulling off a flawless turn in box that wows judges with limited resources when absolutely everything goes wrong and the clock is ticking quickly.

4.  BBQers compete fiercely but are always genuinely happy to see their friends win.  We freaking love to win. I mean, love. to. win.  We high five, we gloat a little, and we live on that high until the next competition when we know there’s a solid possibility we’ll be knocked down a peg….or 3.

This weekend, we were particularly happy to score higher than Jacks Old South.

Because let’s face it…beating Myron Mixon at a whole hog cook in Georgia is like beating Chuck Norris at a Tae-Kwondo match in Texas.

But the reason we’re so stoked isn’t because we wish any ill on his team.  Quite the contrary,  we respect the hell out of ’em! They’re phenomenal cookers and they’ve really brought BBQ competitions into the limelight.  So while it feels like a milestone to our little team, it’s all from a standpoint of admiration.

5.  BBQ people feed eachother spectacularly.  We all know everyone shows up to cook BBQ, but all the random little odds and ends, in-between meals and leftover desserts that get passed around…mmmm, to die for.  Steak, boudin balls, fajitas, burgers…if a BBQer hands you a snack, just relish the moment.  Odds are it will be amazing.

6.  BBQers are lifelong friends.  There’s something about the wee hours of the night that bring people closer together.  I mean, you see people’s true colors (and pajamas) long about 2am.  Friends that we met at out very first cook off in Montgomery, Texas are still our friends today.  We still root for them and they root for us.  It’s a comradary that lingers. 


7.  BBQ people are trustworthy.  You can trust them to keep an eye on your trailer or to watch your pit in a pinch.  Now, if you do something goofy after a shot or two of fireball (like the guy that exited the portapotty this weekend sans pants) you can also trust they’re probably going to tell that story…more than once and to different crowds.  Because everybody loves a good laugh and a funny story!

8.  BBQ people raise BBQ kids…that turn into BBQ people.  We deem cook off weekends technology free for our kids. We bring balls, bubbles, crayons, and, most of the time, a plastic pool. We may look like a redneck special pulling in, but our kids have an excellent time. They carry the responsibility of being polite in a grown up arena and helping as part of our team, but play hard and meet tons of new friends.  They learn to win politely and lose graciously. They learn how to function as a team and the payoff that comes with hard work.  Hopefully they turn into equally awesome adults.


9.  BBQers work hard and play hard.  Cooking itself is not an easy task.  But beyond that, most cookers have a regular job all week, cater on the side, and compete on the weekends.  It’s lots of work, but all worth it for the chance to play.

10.  BBQers are gypsy souls.  While every team has a home base that largely influences their cook, cookers pack up and move like the wind.  Jay always jokes, “have pit, will travel.”  Every weekend in a different city or state, at a different festival or for a different charity.  When we’re cooking as often as we like, it seems like we’re packed as much as we’re not.  And we love it that way.

So hug your BBQ friends today!  They’re just good folks to know, to have a beer with, and definitely to eat with.  We count ourselves so blessed!

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Tips & Tricks

I’ve learned lots of random tricks and tips the last couple of years.  While I’m still no expert, I’m certainly more experienced than I was this time last year.

 

Keep your water up high, so they don’t poop in it.  Hang it, use a stump, put smooth rocks around it so they don’t kick dirt into it.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve always had oyster shells available to them, but mine don’t eat them.  I do feed their shells back to them though.  They like that better and get their calcium.

 

 

 

Mine love, love, love when I hang a whole cabbage on a wire outside their coop.  It entertains them and me for hours.

  1. I keep buckets on my counter for my pigs and my chickens.  Veggie scraps and egg shells go to my chicken bucket.  So their feed is supplemented daily with scraps and whatever they find while free ranging.
  2. You don’t have to refrigerate your eggs.  You certainly can if you’d like, but eggs have a natural protective coating that keeps them from spoiling immediately.  If you wash them when you collect them, refrigerate.  If you don’t, they make a nice centerpiece or decoration for a week or so. Science and Europeans say longer, but we usually eat ours in that time frame anyway.
  3. Worming your chickens is vital to their health.  If you start getting dirty eggs and it’s not muddy out, you may be overdue for a worming.  I’ve actually never wormed mine with medication, but rather with bleach.  I know, it sounds harsh.  But putting just a tablespoon in 3 gallons of water cleans them out without stopping their egg production or upsetting their stomach.
  4. Chickens pretty much do what they want….when they want.
  5.      
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The Coop


2016:  I’m a Chicken rookie. I spent several months reading about chickens and asking all of my poultry raising friends questions. I got lost in nesting boxes and roosting and ventilation. I just knew if I did one thing wrong, I was going to wake up to a coop full of dead birds. But finally we decided we just had to take the plunge! I had intended to build my own coop, but we ended up just buying a ready-made one at the co-op to start with.  And then the darn thing fell apart long about week 4.

Game time! I’d spent months reading and bugging my friends with questions, and now, here I was with just a month of poultry experience in my back pocket….and I set out to build my own. I wish I had taken more pictures as it progressed, but I really was learning as I went.  And it was quick.  I literally had no safe place to keep my girls, so I had to Speedy Gonzales this project.

I was so inundated with information that I started out overwhelmed. I had to narrow down the most important factors and go from there.  Hopefully this focused list helps other people too.  Again, I am absolutely no expert.  But I gathered pieces from here and there and this most of what I used and then what I’ve learned so far.

This is how I started.  All pallets and random scrap wood we had laying around.   I’m sure my neighbors thought I was crazy the first day. 

SAFETY FIRST

Use hardwire mesh, NOT chicken wire, attached with screw and washers.  Chicken wire is flimsy and critters with long fingers like raccoons and hawks can stretch the holes. Staples would probably be fine, but we live way out in the land still prowled by lots of nocturnal critters. That said, 1.5 inch screws with 1 inch washers is the route I chose for attaching it.

I had an antique window screen. I attached hinges and turned it into my main door. It is old, and has a corner where the wire has become weak. So I attached mesh to the inside of it for reinforcement as well.


I also made a smaller door to accommodate my chickens. It’s really barely big enough for them to go in and out of. I did this purposely so that nothing bigger than them can sneak in there. I close both up at night.


Be sure to use real locks…again, sneaky critters can open the eye hook latches, so spend the extra few dollars for secure hardware.

CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS

And lets face it, chickens are nasty.  I decided sand in the coup was the best route for us. Think giant litter box. A kitty shovel or a short tined rake works so easily to scoop poop. I liked cedar chips before, and I still love them when they’re fresh, but they don’t stay fresh long. I left some in my nesting boxes because my girls seem to enjoy bedding down in them sometimes.

Sand also helps regulate temperature in the coop. It doesn’t heat or cool as fast as some other bedding does, so it stays relatively steady. That helps keep it cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Although, they are able to bathe in the coop sand, I also wanted one outside. I had an old wheelbarrow on hand, but you could use almost anything…old tires, old crates. I buried it a few inches in the ground for stability and filled it with clean sand and ash.  Ash seems somewhat controversial…some people swear that an ash bath keeps lice and mites away. Others fear the chemical make-up will harm their skin. So, I met in the middle and just added about 4 cups to the load of sand. 6 months in, I haven’t had problems with irritation or mites, so maybe there’s something to it.

VENTILATION

Fresh air movement is key to a healthy coop.  I have the screen door in the front, as well as, windows at both ends, all covered by the hardwire mesh. Fresh air gets in, but because of the positioning of my coop, it rarely gets any gusts of wind or  rain blowing through.

Nesting Boxes

As luck would have it, the day I was building my coop, I noticed my son’s school was getting rid of an old classroom cabinet. They let me steal the drawers out of it, so at least for now, those are my boxes. I was going to repaint them, but I actually kind of like that they still have school labels on them. They have a story.

Roosting

Chickens have a natural inclination to roost, or perch on a stick. The first night my old coop broke, I had to just lock them in a crate of sorts for safety.  I worried about them so much that I went to check on them through the night. Long about 3:30am, you could see the misery on their faces as they piled together, all trying to latch onto the edge of the box. It’s an innate survival instinct to sleep up high.

So, I found several strong sticks around our place, big enough to hold several chickens at a time, and placed them through the coop. Needless to say, I was thrilled the next night (and first night in the new coop) when I checked on them and they were all lined up…..roosting.

 Free Range vs. Secure Run

I had every intention of creating a full, screened in run. And I still may at some point. But as I was building, I noticed how well they did out and about. They all stay together and never stray far from their home.  I have a fenced in area that they can still fly out of if they choose, but it at least adds a line of defense from a rogue neighborly mut or something of the like.

HAPPY HENS LAY  MORE EGGS

Because a job around here isn’t finished until it’s cute….I put their names on the wall.  I gave them flowers.  And both cute and functional, I put a solar lantern on the outside.  There are no lights near my coop, so its very handy when I close my chickens up at night.  You know, for my maternal head count.

 
  

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Summer Bundt….for your critters!

So while it’s not Texas hot, it still gets pretty warm and muggy in the hills of Tennessee.  Between my kids, dogs, chickens, pigs and horses, keeping everyone hydrated in the summer is a chore in and of itself.

I’d seen on Pinterest the idea of freezing veggies and water in cupcake trays for chicken treats.  Genius.  My pigs, chickens, horses, everyone loves them.  But I found they melted very quickly.  So in an effort to add longevity to the recreational aspect of this treat (i.e. Keep them busy longer!), I decided to make them a Bundt. Hahaha….but seriously.

Aside from a short-lived brain freeze my Roo encountered (See video below), it was a huge hit. Recreation, hydration and nutrition all in one!  So from our coop to yours….

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cup corn
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped greens
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 diced Apple
  • Water

*you can absolutely substitute whichever fruits or veggies your critters prefer.

1.  Spread corn evenly in bottom of Bundt pan. Add enough water to cover.  Let freeze for 1-2 hours, until frozen.

2.  Spread greens over the frozen corn.  Add enough water to cover.  Let freeze for another 1-2 hours; until frozen.

3.  Repeat with carrots and then with apples.

4.  When ready to serve, invert pan and place under running water (pan side up) for 1-2 minutes; until ice cake removes easily.

5.  Sit back and watch your chickens (or other critters!) enjoy.

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Mimi’s Giblet Gravy

I have literally never made this.  True story.   Call me spoiled rotten, but my Mimi does this every year, so no one else even thinks about making it.  Partially because she’s amazing at it.  And partially because the thought of chopping neck and liver doesn’t particularly put me in the holiday spirit.

But this year, I don’t have a choice.  I’m in Tennessee and she’s in Texas, so if I want giblet gravy, I’m going to have to learn to make it!   These are her step by step directions.  I don’t ever, ever post a recipe without lots of trying first, but I’m making an exception with this for Thanksgiving.   We can be Guinea pigs together!

So here’s my Mimi’s top secret Giblet Gravy!

Ingredients:

  • Giblets from the turkey
  • 1 qt chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 c water
  • 2 Tbs cornstarch
  • 6 green onions*
  • 1 stalk celery*

*If you made The Sister’s Dressing, you should have these already sautéed and set aside for gravy.

1. In a medium pot, pour enough water to cover your giblets and eggs.  Simmer until giblets are cooked thoroughly and eggs are hard.  (About 40 minutes).  If you did not reserve sautéed veggies from The Sister’s Dressing, toss them in the water to boil, too.

2.  Once the giblets are cooked and eggs are hard, remove them from the water.  Peel the eggs and chop the giblets and the eggs into small pieces.

3.  Return to the water.  Depending on the amount of gravy you want, add chicken broth. Mimi typically adds a cup or two.

4.  In a small cup, mix 2 Tbs of cornstarch into 1/3 cup of cold water.  Once a smooth, semi-thick paste is made, add slowly into the broth.

5.  Continue to cook over low, whisking constantly until the desired consistency is reached.

Pour over your dressing or your turkey.  Or use your bread to sop up the leftovers.  It’s that good!

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Buttermilk Ranch

I can’t be the only one who heavily weights a restaurant’s credibility by its ranch dressing.  I mean, right? Bad ranch = bad restaurant.

So for 3 years, I’ve played with a homemade recipe.  I’ve toyed with low fat, fat free, whole milk, sour cream, mayo and even heavy cream.  While I felt very Ree Drummind making it completely from scratch, I was severely over-complicating it.  I think we’ve finally arrived at a consistently good and very easy recipe for a creamy buttermilk ranch that’s slightly less mayo-y and a little bit thicker than package directions.   Yields 5 cups of gloriousness.

Ingredients:

  • 3 packets of Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 2 cups Buttermilk
  • 2 cups Duke’s Mayonnaise (you can go low fat on sour cream or buttermilk, but don’t skimp here.  Your ranch will come out with an unnatural sheen and fake taste).

1.  Whisk together the buttermilk and the ranch packets.

2.  Whisk in the mayo and the sour cream.

3.  Dip it.  Pour it.  Lick the bowl.  Just make sure to refrigerate it in between 🙂

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Ham, Potato & Cheese Soup

In Texas, the beginning of fall is mostly just a date on the calendar.  It’s still hangs around 90 degrees and displays varying shades of brown.  While that never  stopped me from cranking down my a/c and breaking out my  fall wardrobe, I’m pretty excited about living in the land of cooler temperatures and hills covered with oranges and yellows and reds this year.

So excited, in fact, that the absolute second we dropped below 80, I whipped out my fall decorations, bought us some apple cider and made us our favorite big pot of soup.

Fair warning, this is not a wimpy soup you get at a ladies’ tea.  Nope, this is a please-your-bearded-husband type soup….Full of ham, potatoes, cheese, cream and topped with bacon.  In fact, this soup is so good, Jay, aka The Man of The Smokin’ F, aka Papa ‘Merica, didn’t want me to share the recipe.  He’s sure that someday when we have our own booming restaurant or catering business, this soup will be a favorite menu item.  So hey, if you make it and love it, just act surprised one day when you order it off of our menu 🙂

And speaking of those bearded manly men, fall at our house also means deer season; which means dinners are far less formal.  My boys are in the woods right up until almost bedtime, so dinners like these, that can be reheated well when they come in, are always a hit.

So without further ado, from our fall table to yours….Ham, Potato & Cheese Soup.

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups diced potatoes (I peel about half of them first.  I like the skins but they can be overpowering and gritty if there are too many or they aren’t cleaned well)
  • 4 cups diced ham (leftover holiday ham or turkey ham works very well!)
  • 1 diced onion
  • 8 cups of water
  • 4 Tbs. chicken broth paste
  • 7 Tbs. butter
  • 7 Tbs. flour
  • 3 cups heavy cream or milk
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 slices bacon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • *optional: chopped green onions, celery, and/or hot sauce for topping

1.  In a large pot, boil potatoes, ham, onion, water and chicken broth paste until potatoes are tender.

2. Pre-measure your flour and cream before you start to melt your butter.  And don’t get distracted like I’m prone to do….this parts burns quickly and easily!

In a separate pot, melt butter.  Add in flour and whisk constantly until fluffy and thickened (less than a minute).

3.  Continue to whisk while adding your cream.   Whisk often until a thick and creamy.  Add in cheese and continue to stir until melted.

Can I just take a second to brag on this whisk? The shape is genius! It stirs like a spoon and actually scrapes the bottom as you whisk.  And with chunky ingredients like these, nothing gets caged in like a traditional whisk.  It’s so much easier to clean. One of my favorite kitchen tools from the Pioneer Woman!

4.  Pour your potato mixture into your creamy sauce (or vis versa….depending on which pot is biggest).  Mix until combined well and bring to a very gently boil.  Remove from heat.

5.  Cook bacon slices until they’re crispy.  Cool and crumble.

6.  Ladle the soup in individual bowls and top with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions.  I also like to add a few dashes of  Louisiana One.  Seriously, Heaven in your mouth.  I’m already anticipating leftovers for lunch tomorrow!  Happy fall from all of us here at the Smokin’ F!  🙂

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Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce

No introduction necessary. Cranberry sauce is an essential condiment for a holiday feast, so here’s how I do it. The jalapeño adds a subtle but savory flavor. Feel free to leave it out for an excellent and traditional sauce.
Ingredients:

  • 1 c water
  • 1 c sugar
  • 12 oz of fresh cranberries
  • 1 orange, peeled and diced
  • 1 jalapeño, de-seeded and diced (for more heat, leave the seeds in)

1.  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil.

2.  Add cranberries, oranges and jalapeños.  Boil for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is thick and the cranberries have popped.  Stir often to prevent burning on the bottom.

3.  Remove from heat.  I pour mine into a mason jar and let cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate and enjoy!

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LaKay’s Chili

We jump at the chance to make a pot of chili every chance we get.  At home, that’s about 3 cold days a year.  Now that I’m living where there’s an actual winter, I’m sure this recipe will be used more often!  In fact I have a big pot on the stove today….my Micha-Tex-Assean has been clearing and burning in the pasture since 6:30 this morning and we have some burley friends of his coming over this afternoon.  What better way to warm up after being outside all winter day?IMG_1930

This was given to me by a good friend, Janice, in Spicewood, Texas.  It’s so simple, but so good.  The ONLY thing I change is the meat.  We sometimes eat it over sweet Jiffy cornbread (Because I’m not into fixing what ain’t broke….just for the sake of saying homemade) or fritos, with chopped lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream on top. Or eat it plain.

Either way you want to do it, you’ll want to lick the bowl.  Enjoy 🙂

Ingredients:

  1. 2 lbs 85/15 hamburger meat (I use 2 lbs ground venison and 1 lb ground beef -we like it a little more meaty)
  2. 4-6 cloves crushed garlic
  3. 4 tbs flour
  4. 4 tbs chili powder
  5. 1 tsp cumin
  6. 1/2 tsp salt
  7. 1/2 tsp pepper
  8. 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  9. 4 cups chicken broth
  10. 1 can kidney beans

Directions:

1. Brown your meat in a large skillet.

2. While it cooks, add garlic, flour, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

3. After the meat is browned and all above ingredients are mixed in, add tomato sauce, chicken broth, and kidney beans.

4. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 2 hours.

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