dish: hearty chili & corn cakes

Chili is one of my favorite cold weather foods and this one is delicious and super easy. With the corn cakes it's the best blend of slightly sweet/ spicy and the perfect cozy dish. I hope you love it too!

 Chili

Makings:

1 tsp. olive oil

1 pound ground turkey(or meatless!)

1 hot (or mild) chili seasoning packet*

1 (28 ounce) can stewed(or crushed) tomatoes

1 (16 ounce) can light red kidney beans - drained

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans

2 (10  ounce ) cans diced tomatoes(with green chillies)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. sugar

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook until evenly browned.

Mix in all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes.

*or make your own chili seasoning!

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Meanwhile get to work on these!

Corn Cakes

Makings:

1 package corn muffin mix(prepare as shown on box)

1 (10 oz) can sweet corn

1/4 cup chopped jalapenos

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375

1. Prepare the corn muffin mix as shown on the box(mine took 1 egg/1/3 cup milk) Add the can of corn and jalapenos. Grease mini loaf pans or a muffin tin/use liners,fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and then turn out on a rack.

We found our mini loaf pan set at a thrift store for a few dollars and I use it for everything..banana bread,meatloaf,all things loaf really. I love them!

Serve the chili with the corn cake on the side or eat them together in the bowl like we do, so good!



candied gams

I hope everyone had a great day! We ate way too much and spent the day with our families. I helped with the cooking a bit by making one of my favorite holiday dishes, candied yams.(sliced,carmelized,butter&brown sugar) My grandma Betty used to make them every year and it's so nice to carry on certain traditions.

I've been living in rust,the perfect color for Fall. I can't believe it's almost December, time has been flying by!

Amelia Bedelia

 I love catching up with everyone and slowing down for a bit, it's all about food and family.

Jack

Colby..she's one of the prettiest dogs, those eyes!

Do you have a favorite holiday food?

green grass

♪Lay your head where my heart used to be

Hold the earth above me

Lay down in the green grass

Remember when you loved me♪

I collect vintage cameras, this Polaroid Land is my favorite!

With what seemed to be the last semi-warm day of fall we decided to spend some time at one of my favorite out of the way picnic spots, Pleasant Ridge. I grew up coming here to be in the wide open spaces,exploring the wooded trails, and hunting for Morel mushrooms. The rolling hills are my favorite, it's the perfect place for sledding! We enjoyed the sunshine and drank spiced apple cider. It was so nice to be outside for a bit, the perfect remedy for the blues! I was hoping to see some pretty fall leaves but almost all of the trees were already bear..I think winter is near. I always find myself listening to Tom Waits when the weather gets cold, he just fits the mood.

new dark hair..it's growing on me

bow-handmade(I want to make one in every color!)

I've been obsessed with pretty collars and bows lately. I made this with vintage fabric left over from my dress sewing adventure..I'm teaching myself!

The house on the grounds was built in the 1800's, I love that it's still here!

sun showers

Can't wait for the first snowfall!

Do you have any vintage collections?

midweek menagerie

a collection of thoughts and things..

a woodland walk-

It has been so incredibly windy lately that all of the gorgeous fall leaves were already swept from the trees and covering the ground. Fall is so fleeting...I wish it would stick around longer!

My favorite heavy wool coat was much needed on this blustery day

something sweet-

I made my first Lemon Meringue pie..so good!

Luke loves Julia Childs and wanted to show me how she whips by hand with a GIANT whisk..this clip cracks me up!!

namesake-

My mom was 19 and pregnant with me when she spotted this pretty perfume at a drugstore. She loved the way the name looked and practiced writing it..

I've been searching for one and my mom recently snagged it at a yard sale for me!

Decription: Forever Krystle Perfume by Carrington was introduced in 1984 by the design house of carrington as a floral scent-contains a blend of mimosa, rose, musk and bergamot

Claimed to be the first "celebrity scent"

Who were you named after?