The Best Chili Ever

The temptation to manipulate your husband should be avoided at all cost, unless it means you don’t have to cook dinner.  I’ve shared with you that cooking has lost its thrill for me.  I have calculated that since I married Bob in 1975, I have fixed over 10,512 dinners (see A Cooking Blog My Way from 10/27/11).  Frankly I think that should do it for me, but since we are not willing to stop eating dinner, that number continues to grow.

With all this in mind, here’s the story of how a large pot of chili served me very well.  We had all of our local family over to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday – that’s 15 people.  I quadrupled the recipe and it barely fed our group.  I must say the chili was magnificent.  I wanted more, but there was no more to be had.  Two weeks later I still was in a chili mood, so I made another pot.  We ate it for dinner and then I froze the leftovers.

Best Chili Ever

Two weeks later I thawed the chili to have that night.  Bob called from work and inquired what was for dinner.  There was a moment of silence after I told him chili, so I quickly added, “Unless you want to go out.”

We went out.  It was wonderful, but now the chili was thawed and I did not want to re-freeze it, so two nights later I tried to serve it again with the same results.  I began to realize I was on to something here.

Don’t judge me, but if you come to my house and check the back of the refrigerator, you will see a container full of chili that I keep on hand just in case I want to go out to dinner.  Is that wrong?  I’m not sure, but it’s working for me.