Chilly weather

 

Have you ever tried chili made with stew meat instead of hamburger? A good project when you're home all afternoon. My sou chef cut up some scrappy looking beef into (almost) uniform little cubes, then I browned it with peppers, onion and garlic.

Then the canned tomatoes and seasoning go in...this needs to simmer for a long time until those tough bits of meat are completely tender. 

Finally add your cooked or canned beans and simmer some more-- these are kidney beans I made in the pressure cooker. A nice fall dinner and and plenty left over for the freezer. 

We're getting into that dicey season for mountain travel. When will it snow at pass level? Even though we expect it, it still takes drivers by surprise each fall. The daytime temps are above freezing this weekend (rain) so I'm making a short solo trip over to the house.