There lived a man

Sounds like the start of a dirty limerick right? Geez, more and more I'm realizing you readers have one thing on your mind. Actually it refers to a song I've had in my head all week. A haunting kind of song. Perfect for Halloween week right? The song is "Nature Boy" by Nat King Cole. And it makes me think of Thatboy in a lot of respects. And although I call him Thatboy, he is in truth a very strange and special man. He puts up with so many of my quirks, and indulges in my whims. Like my desire to make ridiculous Halloween treats two weeks in a row. I take up the entire kitchen for a week, stay up insane hours, and make the most horrendous mess. He patiently cleans up all my messes, rubs my back and tells me how fantastic my creations are.

And he's completely supportive of my chili obsession. I was so excited when the weather dipped this week. I knew that it meant it was time to whip out my kidney beans and ground beef. And then I saw it in my Trader Joes. A can of vegetarian chili on an endcap. Interesting idea....except I like my chili chock full of meat. Thick enough to eat with a fork. So I took that can of chili and added the most unvegetarian thing I could think of. Ground Beef. Then I added the rest of my chili goodies. Have I mentioned how much I love the fall?

How to Doctor Chili in a Can

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can Trader Joe's vegetarian chili
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 oz salsa
• 1/2 cup red wine

1. Heat oil in large pot on high heat. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook till meat is crumbly and browned.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serves 3.
Each serving has:

Calories		532.5
Total Fat		22.7 g
Cholesterol		66.7 mg
Sodium		1,328.6 mg
Potassium		1,043.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate		51.2 g
Protein		31.0 g