Christmas 2015 off to a Lights in the Heights start

Mom and Dad have begun their whirlwind tour of the US. First stop is in Houston. Saturday evening we went to a neighborhood festival called Lights in the Heights. We dressed up Aggie and took her with us.

There was a lot of booze, Christmas music and of course lights.

After the light party, we walked over to a favorite restaurant of mine, Zelko Bistro. Oh and the pose is because earlier in the evening I'd taught Mom about skinny arm and skinny leg. It's a thing.

Sunday we went to Brookwood and looked at all the pretty Christmas things and ate a good meal.

Mom and Dad leave for Seattle on Wednesday and when they return they will be headed up to Baton Rouge to help Todd and Nick move into their new house.

Recipe: Underwood Ranch Chili

I adore this recipe and I've made it several times.

I enjoy cooking for guests when we go up to the farm, and I've found that meals that are simple to throw together are the best.

The first time I made it, I decided to augment it by adding some chipotle pepper. So, I added a whole can of peppers in adobo sauce. That chili could have set your face on fire. Since then, I've reduced the pepper number to 3-4, based on spice preference.

Anyway, I just made this for Bible study yesterday. This recipe tastes like Fall to me. It fed enough to fill five or six adults.

Also, I had an extra 1/2 zucchini and red bell pepper and carrots in my fridge, so I diced those and threw them in. Get creative. This is  a great recipe to clear out the fridge with.

Make it and love it. I promise it's make-a-million-times good.

Underwood Ranch Chili 

3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds lean grass-fed ground beef

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet smoked Spanish paprika

1/2 teaspoon to 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

3-4 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

About 1 tsp. salt

1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can or bottle flavorful, medium-bodied beer, such as Anchor Steam

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1 can (14.5 oz.) pinto beans, drained

Optional additions: Bell Pepper, Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans, Carrots

To serve: Sour cream, sliced green onions, and/or coarsely shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Preparation

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon, stirring until it just begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add onion, lower heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 7 minutes. Uncover pan, stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef; break it up with a wooden spoon and stir gently until it loses its raw color, 7 minutes. Stir in spices and 1 tsp. salt and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and cook 30 minutes.
3. Add beans and cook 10 minutes, uncovered. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm, with toppings on the side.

See original recipe: myrecipes.com/recipe/smoky-beef-and-bacon-chili

Sunday afternoon following trip to San Marcos

Hello, family. I'm sitting here in the eery quiet of my apartment. A few hours ago Mom dropped me off and since I've sorted my San Marcos purchases, put away dishes, watched American Horror Story. Now I'm updating the blog, interrupted only by the loud buzz of my window unit.

Yep it's October and it's in the 90s or high 80s, either way. It's looking like it's not going to be a white Christmas here in Houston.

Mom is in town for another week and Dad just left to go back to Anchorage. From there, in a few days he will head off to Iceland.

Wait, hold the phone, it hasn't been recorded yet in blog history that TODD IS ENGAGED! Macrander-Sanders is finally going to happen. Todd and Nick are in Mexico for the week and on Thursday, Nick proposed to Todd. First Macrander child wedding. Wow. Go baby brother. Here's a pic.

I'll let Todd or Nick tell the story whenever they get around to posting it. (Hint...Hint)

Anyway. So Mom and Dad had a crossover time in Houston, so we went to San Marcos this weekend.

We even ate at the old favorite Cracker Barrel.

Looks the same as it used to except now there's no smoking. Woohoo!

We're all looking forward to heading up to Baton Rouge for Thanksgiving with Todd and Nick. Man. It couldn't come soon enough. Can't wait to see you guys!

Always looking for my Knight in Shining Armor (Big Bend trip)

As it was getting toward evening Saturday night, Chelsea and I decided to take a walk around Marfa. This was the point in our trip where we talked a lot about life and where we see the future, faith, God and family. As we rounded a corner we saw this small stone church and Chelsea asked if we could go up to it. She was satisfied that her suspicion was true, it was in fact an Episcopal church. Chelsea was raised Episcopal and is in a period of spiritual exploration as she tries to land in her adult church. Anyway, no one was around so we tried the door. It was open. Despite Chelsea's concern that we might be tripping some sort of silent alarm, we went inside. The sanctuary was still and empty inside and seats maybe 100. It's pretty small. I told Chels that this is the kind of place I want to get married because I wouldn't be overwhelmed with the number of available seats for guests. The church windows were colorfully illustrated biblical scenes. We walked around for a few quiet moment before letting ourselves out and continuing on.

"Henkey is Marfa" (Big Bend trip)

When I was in Marfa, there happened to be a film festival so there were all kinds of unique individuals running around. In the center of town there was a small art bizarre capitalizing on the out-of-town tourism that was booming in their town for the weekend.

As I told Chelsea, I was really interested in getting a piece of art to commemorate out trip to Big Bend. At the bizarre, there was a young blonde woman that had a booth set up where she was selling shirts that she was drawing original art on for $25. Next to her table was a night stand (smaller table) with stacks of her art on it. I'm not sure if she had any intention of selling this art. But it was there, so I asked.

I was particularly interested in the pink man you can see in the above picture. Below his face, it reads, "the most beautiful man in the world." I really wanted to get it for Todd and Nick to add to their collection. I also wanted something for myself, but couldn't figure out just what I wanted. So, Chels and I asked Megan to put aside the Most Beautiful Man so that I could come back later and purchase it.

When we returned later that evening, the booth was empty. So I grabbed the most beautiful man and wandered around wearing my best concerned face. I found a woman in a top hat that seemed to know what was going on and explained that the artist was gone and she'd never given me a price for the Most Beautiful Man.

The top hat woman led me over to couches by the booth where Megan and a young man were cuddled together in a "dream-like state." Megan told us what she wished to charge and helped me pick out the painting that I would buy for myself.

Then, checking out, the top hat woman looked at my Most Beautiful Man picture and said, "I can't believe that you're buying this."

"Why?"

"This is a picture of Henkey. Henkey is Marfa."

I'd met this guy earlier. He was the one Megan was lying with out the couch with. I smiled.

"Henkey is a tortured artist," she went on. "And he used to dress in drag. Then Megan moved to town and they fell in love."

Oh, I get it. So this wasn't just any Most Beautiful Man. This is a portrait Megan drew of the man she loves, an adoration of his whole self. So cool. So Marfa.

Solicitation and other Girl Scout cookie crimes

As I was leaving my doctor's office today, I saw something surprising. My doctor's office is in a multipurpose business building and there on the first floor is an insurance office. Taped to that door was the form to order Girl Scout cookies.

When I first saw it I laughed. I mean, really? I guess that's one way to do it. You can't sell the cookies if people don't know you've got them. And everyone love Girl Scout cookies, right?

As the day has gone by, though, my thoughts have returned to the form taped to the door. For one, I'm not a very private person, but even I would be uncomfortable having my name, address and phone number taped somewhere out in public.

I just imagine, 'Well, you know, Janie Smith, she's a fat ass. She ordered six boxes of thin mints. Thin mints, more like fat thigh mints, am I right?'

I mean come on. Isn't this supposed to be a private interaction between me and my dealer? If not that, isn't this supposed to be a private interaction between me and a sweet child. That sounds off. But stay with me.

Girl Scout cookies are supposed to be a fundraiser for the scouts by the scouts. I was a Girl Scout, so was my sister. And every year, Dad carted our butts around the neighborhood, door-to-door, ringing door bells, meeting the neighbors and selling those darn cookies. It's cute. It's homey. It's American, for the love of God.

The image would be much less cute if my dad dressed in that darling child's outfit and rang my neighbors' doorbells. That's the thing. It's the scouts, not the parents that are supposed to pushing the Caramel Delights.

I understand that nowadays with cookies being sold at $4 a box and a vegan cookie option that times have changed. In 2014, we have stranger danger. In 1994, we had spanking danger from Mom or Dad if we didn't stop our fussing and get our shoes on to pedal cookies to the neighbors.

I don't care if your kid is selling cookies, nuts, popcorn, wrapping paper, home pregnancy tests, whatever. The point of a fundraiser is not to get the parents to take the form to work and guilt clients or coworkers into buying something.