Dark Days Challenge #1!!

So I decided to pick my blog back up from the dark, dark corner I stuck it in...just in time for the Dark Days Challenge, being hosted by (not so) Urban Hennery.

Just a quick disclaimer - I am not a food photographer.  I will post pics of my food and the ingredients, but they'll be rough.  I hope to improve in 2012.  Let me know if you see any improvements!!  Also, my first dish is a little clunky...last minute...and not quite as local as I'd like.  However, it is Sustainable, Organic, and Ethical!!  With enough Local thrown in that I'm doing it anyway.  I am currently working on getting through my stockpile of toxic sludge canned goods and non-organic foods, with the goal of re-creating a new, more beautiful stockpile in 2012 that is all organic and mostly local.  With no canned tomatoes.  Eww.  I just read an article about how much BPA leaches into canned tomatoes because of their high acidity and I can say with gusto - I will not be buying any more canned tomatoes!!  I wish I could remember where I read the article, I would post the link, but I digress...on to....

Venison Chili!!!

My dad sent me a big box 'o' meat last fall, South Dakota venison that he either shot himself, had given to him, or (don't gag, please) harvested from deer killed by late night travelers.  Yes, Virginia.  Road Kill.  For this recipe, it's unknown which of the three we are using.  Are you still with me, people?  Please don't hate me for eating weird food....

Ok.  Here we go - 

Ingredients
1 lb. ground venison
1 Organic red onion, chopped small
3 to 5 cloves Organic garlic, also chopped small.  Tiny.
Several peppers, green, medium to hot from my friend's mom's backyard, and today from my freezer, chopped small.
1 quart of frozen Organic roma tomatoes
1 dried Ancho Chile, chopped small
1 8 oz can Organic tomato sauce
1 15 oz can Organic black beans
Chili Powder, Chipotle Chile Powder, and Ancho Chile Powder to your liking
1 T Organic Molasses
1 Bottle Stella Artois

Putting it together is pretty basic.  Brown the venison. 

Add onions, dried anchos and green peppers, cook on medium until the onions are translucent.  Add garlic, cook until fragrant, not too long.  Don't burn it, but you know that. 

Once the ingredients are cooked to your liking, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans (including liquid), and chili and chile powders, molasses, and salt to taste.  Break up the tomatoes really well with your spatula or spoon.  Simmer for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors.  Taste, salt if necessary, and add the beer.  The whole beer.  Save one for dinner...

Simmer long enough to boil away the alcohol so you can serve the chili to your kids....and enjoy!  This one's going on the table for the big guys' lunch today.  Think he'll notice the ROADKILL????  Diabolical laughter here.......

Thank you for stopping by!!  Enjoy the challenge!

Stephanie

Freeze!

"Great pancakes, Mom!"  Ahhhhhhhh......

Sweet Success. 

Freeze!  Pancakes, that is....waffles too.  Chocolate chip, or buttermilk.  (In my mind I'm humming the Beverly Hillbillies theme...what does that mean exactly?)

I've been trying different pancake recipes in hopes of finding The One. 

To me.....with love....from me!

To me....with love....this year I am giving myself some slack.  I'm going to (try to) live without keeping such a tight rein on myself.  I beat myself up about things that are important to me, lately my blog. Here's the short list of my Bloggy Blues....Not professional enough...Not focused on my topic....Not inspiring enough....blah, blah, blog.

So.  Instead of giving myself heck for not being perfect, I am going to have fun with my imperfections.  For sure I tend to be a little flakey, disorganized, and unfocused in real life.  So my blog, good intentions and all, will likely be similar.  Which could be fun!  I'm going to just roll with it.

This post is a shining example of my lack of focus with my blogaroni - not a speck of info about food here.  However....I have begun to make some progress on one of my New Year's "resolutions."  (I use the term very, very loosely.  Because I am disorganized.  And unfocused....)  But progress it is, so I hope you enjoy...in case you hadn't noticed....my new blog design!  I was admiring my friend Megan's blog, MAID in Alaska, and saw that she had a design from Shabby Blogs.  So I cruised on over to have a little looksee.

Wowzas.  What a gorgeous selection!  I browsed and browsed and found a design that I love - it's kind of kitchen-ey and really pretty.  And how cool that I knocked off one of my New Year's resolutions, or at least got started on it.  That would be.....  "4.  Get serious about my blog - get a design, make it pretty.  Give it a menu, archives, go pro, you know?"  (See January 1...)  I have my design.  Check!

What do you think of it?

If you have any skills or talent you want to share, I am a willing guinea pig!!!   In particular - how on earth do I get the old Blogger template not to flash before my beautiful new design pops in?  Weird.

Coming soon....Freezer Pancakes!  Stay tuned for more....

Steph  ;)