Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Bird]

We used to use a pressure cooker a lot, but I can't even remember the last time we used ours.:laughing: I just asked Margaret if we still have one and she said, "I think so." But neither of us are sure where it is, if we still have it.:laughing: But the crockpot is what we use now for beans, chili, soups, roasts, etc. Instead of just 2 or 3 hours, we wash the dry beans the night before and leave them soaking in a big bowl of water overnight, so it doesn't take long for them to cook in the crockpot on the low setting. We usually just add salt, pepper, and chopped onion to start with, then add diced ham a little later. Of course, we gotta have cornbread to go with the beans, and I kinda like a little Cholula in mine.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Jim,
So Y'all are a bean AND no bean chili house.
hugs, Brandi

Turns out my 6 year old doesn't like beans in her chili. So we are also a Bean and No Bean chili household.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Jim, do you do your beans in a pressure cooker? We have the Instant Pot IP-LUX60 6-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6.33-Quart : Amazon.com : Kitchen & Dining For about 3 years. It cooks every thing in a fraction of the time without watching. It has as a stainless steal inside bowl that is hard to find in a pressure cooker. We use our about 4 times a week for beans, rice, grains, veggies, soups, etc . . . and is the kitchen's most used appliance behind the microwave. The other vegans just found it and it is the big talk on their blogs. It has a exceptional high approval rating.

I guess it would cook chill and other meats also because it has programable buttons for meat/stew.

That looks like a doozy Don. I have been eating food from pressure cookers my whole life. I have a hand me down that I was able to locate a new seal for, and I bought a new smaller one for smaller recipes. Just old style.

Note to all, if you have a glasstop stove, be careful not to set a pot near the edge. If yours has an edge guard (piece of trim) that is a good thing. Ours did not, and my wife or kids dropped a glass or something on the edge and chipped it. The chip turned into a crack which eventually went across the whole top and ruined the stovetop. The fix was a new piece of glass for about $300. I always hated cooking on it anyway. I prefer gas but we don't have gas or propane. I found an old school electric coil cooktop and it cooks so much better than the glasstop. If you have a glasstop, you better have a fire extenguisher close by. If you spill or boil over any grease or oil, it will ignite. Was able to use a big wet kitchen towel to extenguish my little fire but it wasn't fun.

 

[jinman]

Turns out my 6 year old doesn't like beans in her chili. So we are also a Bean and No Bean chili household.

Would that 6-yr old be this little cutie you have on your shoulders when we were skinning Don's carport?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Would that 6-yr old be this little cutie you have on your shoulders when we were skinning Don's carport?

View attachment 352207

That one would be my 8 year old and she eats just about anything, not picky at all. My wife and I have to curtail her eating nowadays.

Here is my 6 year old.


She is getting an award from the school board for her Christmas card drawing. They had all the elementary kids draw cards and her's is the one picked by the school board to be used by the elementary for its official Christmas card this year. She has a bit of autism, and learns differently, but she loves to draw and being in kindergarten, they have plenty of art projects which helps keeps her happy. I told my wife that it took me until I was 14 to get any award in front of the school body and she's done it before 1st grade. I'm very proud of her if you can't tell. I know the good Lord gave her to us to help us understand how special, special kids like her can give us the smallest but most grand rewards in life.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

That is the school board president with her.

 

[jinman]

Very cool, Kyle! I really like that picture. She shows great perception for a child so young. Just remember that kids with some autism and Aspergers may be some of the most brilliant people around. It would seem they can concentrate and communicate on a different level.

I did the math from the date of the picture and had decided I was off on the age of your daughter in the photo. Still, she is so cute and your wife and you such a lovely couple that I just had to post the photo.

 

[Bird]

Note to all, if you have a glasstop stove, be careful not to set a pot near the edge. If yours has an edge guard (piece of trim) that is a good thing. Ours did not, and my wife or kids dropped a glass or something on the edge and chipped it. The chip turned into a crack which eventually went across the whole top and ruined the stovetop. The fix was a new piece of glass for about $300.

Our KitchenAid Range does have an edge guard. But that didn't help a bit when I fumbled a heavy glass measuring cup. And yes, the glass cost $320, but since I'd never worked on one and didn't realize how simple it is, I also paid about $200 in labor to get it fixed.

 

[Lou66]

Ladies and Gentlemen just caught up on the reading.. Thanks all for the wishes and prayers.. They let Betty come home yesterday,, She does have to wear the LIFEVEST,, in case she has another cardiac arrest,, gives her a strong shock,, get her heart started again.. We will be going to Houston a lot in the next few weeks till all is back to normal..

For some reason I got a craving for a bowl of chili with beans some cornbread and a ice cold beer.. Lou

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Our KitchenAid Range does have an edge guard. But that didn't help a bit when I fumbled a heavy glass measuring cup. And yes, the glass cost $320, but since I'd never worked on one and didn't realize how simple it is, I also paid about $200 in labor to get it fixed.

yes, it is a very simple (but pricey) fix. There are vids on youtube showing how easy it is. If you can turn off a breaker and turn a screwdriver, you can do it.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Ladies and Gentlemen just caught up on the reading.. Thanks all for the wishes and prayers.. They let Betty come home yesterday,, She does have to wear the LIFEVEST,, in case she has another cardiac arrest,, gives her a strong shock,, get her heart started again.. We will be going to Houston a lot in the next few weeks till all is back to normal..

For some reason I got a craving for a bowl of chili with beans some cornbread and a ice cold beer.. Lou

Glad for your wife to be home. Hope she is not in any pain.

Cravings like that are a good thing.

 

[Lou66]

Kyle the only pain she say she has is where they gave her CPR and broke a couple of ribs.. Just time will heal all.. Lou

 

[pacerron]

All these words like "Big and Red and Chili" made me hungry.

Us simple folks are still enjoying leftovers from earlier in the week, so our lunch was:

A Big Red Smokey with mustard, homemade squash relish, left over homemade spaghetti sauce ( very similar to your chili ), and finished off with kraut.
Leftover homemade Macaroni salad, raw veggies with a little low cal cream cheese, and a big glass of deep, cold, well water.
Now I gotta go work it off to make room for a simple supper of homemade pizza.

 

[farmgirl19]

Ladies and Gentlemen just caught up on the reading.. Thanks all for the wishes and prayers.. They let Betty come home yesterday,, She does have to wear the LIFEVEST,, in case she has another cardiac arrest,, gives her a strong shock,, get her heart started again.. We will be going to Houston a lot in the next few weeks till all is back to normal..

For some reason I got a craving for a bowl of chili with beans some cornbread and a ice cold beer.. Lou

FABULOUS NEWS!!!! I am so glad to hear that Betty is home and doing so much better! Thanks for the update! :cool2:

 

[farmgirl19]

pacerron; Here I have been trying to get back on a "normal" diet, after earlier this week, and you go posting something like that?!?! You're making me hungry! :licking:

 

[jinman]

Lou, I'm so glad that Betty is home now so that you'll have some adult supervision.:laughing:

God bless her and her continued recovery. Let's hope the vest is not needed.

Ron: I'll swap you a cup of my chili and beans for a bite of that Big Red Smokey sammich.:thumbsup:

 

[bindian]

That one would be my 8 year old and she eats just about anything, not picky at all. My wife and I have to curtail her eating nowadays.

Here is my 6 year old.
View attachment 352211

She is getting an award from the school board for her Christmas card drawing. They had all the elementary kids draw cards and her's is the one picked by the school board to be used by the elementary for its official Christmas card this year. She has a bit of autism, and learns differently, but she loves to draw and being in kindergarten, they have plenty of art projects which helps keeps her happy. I told my wife that it took me until I was 14 to get any award in front of the school body and she's done it before 1st grade. I'm very proud of her if you can't tell. I know the good Lord gave her to us to help us understand how special, special kids like her can give us the smallest but most grand rewards in life.

That is awesome Kyle. I know Y'all are all proud of here.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Lou,
I agree with Jim. Glad you got her home. Guess Y'all can watch each other now.
hugs, Brandi

 

[blueriver]

Lou ... Good to hear !!! Gotta go warm up some chili (with beans)!!!

 

[pacerron]

Ron: I'll swap you a cup of my chili and beans for a bite of that Big Red Smokey sammich.:thumbsup:

Jim,
I think I'd be getting the sweet end of the deal there. Your Chili looks and sounds delicious.:licking:

To keep things "Fair and Balanced" as FOX, I think I should offer you some of the homemade Pizza we just had
for supper.

The ready to bake crust does come from the in store bakery at the grocery we frequent. We buy them on sale and freeze them.

My wife doesn't like green Olives so that is the reason for two plates of toppings. The browned meat is Sausage.

Baking it on the stone really makes a difference in our opinion.

We bake it for 25 minutes then add the cheese and bake 3 more minutes.

The two of us split about 2/3 of the pie for supper and split the other 1/3 for lunch later in the week.

It certainly could not be considered real Italian or Sicilian pizza but this is the way we like it.