Warm & Cozy on the inside....

Winter seems to have made it's presence here in Iowa, temps have been cold & windy the past couple of days with a 1" dusting of snow... a good day for soup! Just finished preparing Chili for supper & plans for today are to curl up in my chair next to cracking logs in the fireplace and STITCH, STITCH, STITCH...

If all goes well, I think I will complete the new Santa cross stitch design today....yippee!!! Pictures of this to follow (hopefully in a day or so)...still have to come up with a pattern title for this guy! After 21 years of being in this business I find it harder and harder to come up with pattern titles...always afraid I'm going to repeat myself!

Sharing a couple of recipes today...enjoy!

Chili for Chili Weather

" A great chili with just the right amount of spices. Good served with a slice of Cheesy Olive Ciabatta bread or buttered Saltine crackers (my personal favorite)."
1 pound lean ground beef

2 - 11.5 oz. cans V-8 juice

2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 - 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)

1 - 16 oz. can red beans (drain & rinsed)

1 cup water

1 T. white vinegar

Place ground beef in large skillet; cook over medium heat until browned. Drain & set aside. Add all other ingredients and bring almost to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours; stirring occasionally.

Cheesy Olive Ciabatta Bread

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed green olives

2 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 loaf of Ciabatta Bread

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Slice bread in half width-wise & lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into serving pieces with an electric knife.

Enjoy your Sunday,

brenda