Cuddling Weather, and Famous Chili ~ by Magdalena Scott

Here is a picture of Attila, helping me work recently. I'm fortunate that he likes to cuddle on my legs instead of across my arms as I'm trying to type. He's tried that, but just a couple of times, and we decided it wasn't our best option.

Attila is a big cat, and when he cuddles with you, you know you've been cuddled! Wow, just like a hairy furnace. That body heat of his mixed with my frequent hot flashes this past summer made life...let's just use the word "challenging."

Fortunately the hot flashes are much less frequent lately, and with fall temperatures arriving, cuddling with Attila is all good. When he decides to bite me, his teeth don't easily go through my jeans. Win/win!

Attila is an indoor cat, but he has windows so he can watch people, vehicles, birds, and the weather. He hasn't said whether he's a fan of autumn, but if he's paying any attention, he knows it's in full swing. The people are wearing jackets, the tree leaves are changing as the temperatures drop.

Another indicator of the changing seasons is the fact that I'm making soup more often.

If you want a quick and yummy dinner on a cool evening, try my famous chili recipe. Most of my life I made not-so-good chili, but in 2010 I created this recipe and have had rave reviews.

Magdalena's Famous Chili
1 lb ground chuck, browned & drained
2 cans chili hot beans
1 can Cincinnati style chili
1 can tomato soup + 1 soup can of water
1 can diced tomatoes
Put it all into a Dutch oven and let simmer an hour or two, to mix the flavors.

Cats aren't supposed to eat tomatoes, but Attila does score the occasional piece of meat, or bean. And he appreciates cornbread or blue corn chips as a side. It's a nice change from his diet of dry cat food with raw spinach for dessert. Hey--neither of us is normal. Maybe that's why we found each other.

Happy October!
Magdalena

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance with small town settings. Visit her website: www.magdalenascott.com

Roxanne Rustand's Winter Chili Recipe

Where did the last two months go?  It seems like just last week that I was thinking about all of the family members coming home for Thanksgiving...and suddenly we are in January. The wonderful Christmas season flew by--and now those of us in the Upper Midwest are buckling down for more cold, more snow, and high winds that will be driving our wind-chills way into the sub-zero range.  Brrrr! 

We live on an acreage in the country, on a windblown, dead end gravel road, so on snowy days the farthest I get is out to the barn to do my horse chores.  But I love this weather!  After getting supper started in the crockpot, it’s a perfect time to work at the computer in my office, with a nice cup of fragrant tea at my side--and without the temptation (or even the possibility) to run to town for errands.  And later, curling up by the fire with a good book while listening to the wind howl outside is a perfect way to spend an evening. 

Have you had a chance to enjoy books from all of the authors here?  Becoming part of this group has introduced me to some authors I hadn’t read before, and what a delight it is to be catching up on their wonderful backlist!  And I’ve read and enjoyed books by the others for a long time. What a wonderful group this is! 

For those of you who are also enjoying winter weather, here’s our family’s favorite chili recipe--great for a snowy evening!   

CHILI

4# ground beef, browned

2 medium onions, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground oregano

1 tsp cumin seed

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder 

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Two   28oz cans stewed tomatoes

Two cans  red beans (rinsed well and drained)

2 cups water 

Mix everything in the crockpot, and simmer on low all day.  Season to taste.  Enjoy!

 

Roxanne Rustand has written over thirty books for the Harlequin Superromance, Everlasting, Heartwarming, Love Inspired, and Love Inspired Suspense lines. Her two new independent releases are sweet, contemporary romances:  Comeback Cowboy, and  Summer at Briar Lake, which was released this month.  She lives in the country with her husband, three horses, and a goofy, talkative Border Collie her husband refers to as Elmo the Wonderdog. You can learn more about Roxanne and her books at www.roxannerustand.com, or find her at www.facebook.com/roxanne.rustand.author