Vegetarian Chili~

Just a nip in the Mountain air make my desire to cook up a pot of chilli kick into overdrive! Here's the thing, it's delicious and VEGETARIAN!

I begin by cooking Red Kidney Beans from scratch. You can use 2 can of Red Kidney Beans (I prefer to control the sodium level though). If you are a fan of Kidney Beans, have a big family or just for you, measure the amount to taste of the Beans you'll have in yo'pot of chilli!

 Add a tbsp olive oil to a non stick frying pay and prepare 1/2 bag of *Morning Star Grillers. Brown and mix into your Kidney Beans to simmer.

Chop
1 Medium Yellow Pepper (remove the seeds)
1 large fresh Garden tomato
1 small white onion 

 To the pot:

Add 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste).
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp ground Red Pepper
1/2 pkt of your favorite chili seasoning mix

Add this to your pot and simmer 40 mins.

I LOVE Quinoa and it is a good grain! So, while the chili simmers, I look around my kitchen for what I will serve the chilli over. I cook up some quinoa, add a lil salt and olive oil...Yum!

Beautiful curly Quinoa and so good served with the chilli.

The thing about this Veggie Chili is that you do not miss the meat. You can serve it with Tortilla Chips, make veggie chilli dogs or serve it with oyster crackers and a lil cheese on top.~:)
*Enjoy!

jardin

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.--Plato

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary of life.”

 - Rachel Carson

You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.--Joyce Meyer

"Aut inveniam viam aut faciam"--

"I shall either find a way or make one."--Hannibal

Starfish~

“Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, 
"It made a difference for that one.” 
― Loren Eiseley

One Christmas Eve when I was about 7 years old, we were visiting some friends of my Dad and Mom's. These friends had a couple kids the age of my Brother Randy and me. We played and visited through the evening, when about 9-9:30 pm Dad and Mom said it was time to go home. As we stepped out the front door we were HAPPILY astonished that a big box of presents were wrapped and sitting right in the doorway... and in the snow. We began screaming at our friends "Santa has been here, look!" They came running, all wide eyed and and full of 'happy', as we watched them carrying this box of treasures inside.

All the way home we questioned Mom and Dad about "Why had Santa just dropped them off and left, and if "we would get home to find presents at our door?" Mom and Dad ushered us in the front door, strange, we usually came in the back door, but I was too excited to think much about that. No presents on the front steps, so we ran to the back door and opened it to find nothing there as well. Just snow, untrodden snow. Mom and Dad assured us that we would not be missed by Santa, while Mom was doing her best to get us out of our coats and into bed. Just as we settled down we heard a 'thump' and a "Ho, Ho, Ho!" We were excitedly startled and sat still for a few minutes looking at each other when Mom said "What was that? I bet it was Santa." Dad came through the house and said "Did you hear that?" We jumped up out of bed and ran to the back door, for that was where we had heard the 'thump.' Sure enough, sitting at the door was a box full of presents...and a single set of footsteps on the snow covered porch. 


I don't remember what I received in the way of material gifts that Christmas, I just have this memory of our family, all well, all young, all happy. Some were creating magic that Christmas, while some were believing in it with all our hearts.
Good job, Dad and Mom-

*Merry Christmas, one and all-

Kolacky-Polish Christmas Cookies.


Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick = 4 ounces) butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
fruit preserves (raspberry, pineapple cherry)
Directions:
Beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add flour; beat at low speed until mixture forms soft dough. Divide dough ball in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 375*F. Roll out dough, half at a time, on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2-1/2 inch squares. Spoon 1 tsp. preserves into center of each square. Bring up two opposite corners to center; pinch together tightly to seal. Fold sealed tip to one side; pinch to seal. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks; cool completely

Merry Christmas!

Courtesy: Aj The original Polish Prince.

My beloved Breaks Interstate Park-

A hidden treasure atop the Virginia/Kentucky Mountains. It is said that Daniel Boone played a real part in the discovery of these Mountains. It is referred to as The Grand Canyon of the South.

http://www.breakspark.com/blog/?p=218

Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.--John Muir