Missing my Daddy and Craving his Chili

I cannot believe I have neglected my blog. It has been a long and difficult summer and fall because my sweet daddy died in July at the great age of 89. Daddy was always in a good mood, never worried about anything and made everyone in the room laugh.  He was always so happy and my memories are so warm and wonderful. Even the week that he died, and we planned his funeral, there was an abundance of funny stories.  The night before the funeral when our whole family went to the funeral home for a private time, I noticed when I saw him that he was not wearing his wedding band. Through my sobs, I asked my mother where it was. She replied, ” Oh darling, he took it off when he went to the hospital. He didn’t want anyone to know he was married!”  Mama and Daddy were married 57 years. I don’t remember a time when he ever got mad at me. And I know that I gave him plenty of grey hairs!  When I came home from college one semester, after sliding by with barely a passing grade in finance, he just said to me,  ” Keep up the good work, Gina Leigh!” 

The great loves of Daddy’s life were his family, God, and Alabama football. Daddy also had so many friends. He had a magnetic personality – people loved to be around him and listened to every story and every joke he told, even if they had heard them a dozen times.

Some of the best times at my mom and dad’s house were on game day. I would rather watch a game at his house with him than at Bryant Denny stadium with 100,000 of my best friends.  The tradition was that anytime anyone went to the bathroom, everyone in the room would yell and cheer so they would think they were missing some terrific game-changing play.  This was a very annoying tradition when you were the one it the bathroom, missing the action!  Win or lose, mostly win though, we always had a great day of football with great food.  I should give this disclaimer now – my dad invented chips and salsa. He at least introduced the United States to chips and salsa. I remember when I was young, way before people were eating chips and salsa, daddy ate Doritos and Ole El Paso taco sauce.

Daddy loved to make his chili on game days – perfect even on Panama City fall days when it was still in the 70′s outside, not cool at all.  I don’t know his exact recipe and I sure wish I did because his chili had a flavor that could win any cook off!

He started off chopping onions, bell peppers and celery and cooking them down in a big iron pot. Then he would add ground beef and cook that down for awhile, add a couple of cans of drained kidney beans, a couple of cans of tomatoes and cook it all down, all day. For seasoning, he used a package of chili-o seasoning mix. Then he added some kind of magic.  I have tried to duplicate it, but have never hit it just right.

Now I know, you were all born knowing how to make chili. It is so easy, and while I am singing the praises of chili, let me say, it is great on  hamburgers with jalapenos and cheese, awesome on a hotdog with slaw, great on fries with cheese and makes awesome nachos.  But my favorite chili fact is that it is basically carb free. It is a filling, protein rich, flavorful meal!

Here is my favorite recipe for chili:

1 onion, diced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1+ pound of ground beef

2 cans of dark kidney beans

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 can tomato puree

1 jar of  Tabasco chili starter – get the medium, not the mild. It has awesome flavor, and not too much heat!

1 Tablespoon cumin

Salt to taste

so easy – saute onion in oil in big pot – yes, cast iron is best, until soft. Add beef and stir and stir until beef falls apart and is not clumpy. When beef is browned , add everything else. Cook on low as long as you need.

Here are some more options on serving -

make Frito pie – spoon over Fritos and top with cheese and onions

serve with great Mexican cornbread

Always serve with good cold beer!

Serve with great chips and salsa!!

Here is how I make homemade salsa -

Diced tomatoes, diced purple onion, diced fresh jalepeno, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper, a dash of cumin, fresh lime juice and olive oil. Chop every thing, mix together, and the longer it sits, the better it is.  Make it as chunky or as smooth as you like.

A few salsa options:

add a drained can of black eyed peas, for Black Eyed Pea Salsa

add a drained can of black beans, for Black Bean Salsa

add a half pound of boiled, chopped shrimp for a fantastic Ceviche

Mash up a couple of avocados with a spoonful of this salsa for great Guacamole

Well, all this thinking about my dad, good football and good chili makes me feel very blessed.  Anytime there is chili and beer and chips and salsa in the kitchen, it feels like a special occasion. And anytime I am thinking about my daddy, I smile.

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