- Two pounds ground beef
- Two medium or one extra large onion (white or yellow, but not sweet)
- Two cans kidney beans, drained
- Two cans crushed tomatoes (these are usually larger than typical cans)
- Three rounded teaspoons of chili powder
- Three or four cloves
- Salt (I’m unsure on the exact measure… maybe around two tablespoons)
- One or two tablespoons of Liquid Smoke (don’t bother measuring)
- A few chipotle peppers (this is the real secret)

First, a word on chipotle peppers. A chipotle pepper is a smoked jalapeño. I’m not sure the exact measure to use, but while you’re in the store, take a good look at a normal jalapeño pepper. You’ll want to use about the same volume of chipotle peppers, since they vary in size. Make sure to take the veins and seeds out of each pepper, unless you like it very spicy. Dice these very small.

If you can’t find chipotle peppers, just use a good-size green jalapeño pepper and some extra Liquid Smoke.

Start by dicing the onion(s) and grilling them together with the ground beef. You’ll probably want to add some salt to these as they cook (in addition to the two tablespoons added later). Drain. Pour one can of kidney beans and one of crushed tomatoes into your Crock Pot, followed by the beef and onions and half of the spices. Put the rest of the beans and tomatoes on top, followed by the rest of the spices and Liquid Smoke. Cook on low for eight hours, stirring partway through (if you can).

I’ve been experimenting with a beer bread recipe. Here’s what I have so far:

- One cup wheat flour
- One cup barley flour (This really makes it better, so it’s worth hunting down. If you can’t find it, use another cup of wheat flour.)
- One cup white flour
- 4½ tsp. baking powder (if you’re using self-rising flour, you can omit this)
- One rounded half cup of sugar (so a little more than a half cup)
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- One bottle or can (12 oz.) of a beer you like (don’t skimp on the beer)
- Two tablespoons of vegetable oil (optional, but makes for moister bread)

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Mix all of the dry ingredients together thoroughly before adding any of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Place in a lightly-greased bread pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

After a week and a half with no Internet, I’m back in action. Unfortunately, I’m in no position to be blogging right now, being that I have a housewarming party tomorrow. (Oh, excuse me, a high-octane house party. Because housewarming parties… are for babies!)

We’re cooking a bazillion foods. Here’s a partial menu:

• Dolmades
• Chocolate cups with cheesecake filling and cherry pie filling on top
• Chocolate cups with coconut cream pudding and toasted coconut flakes on top
• Beef kabobs in red wine and soy sauce with ginger
• Chipotle-lime chicken kabobs
• Veggie kabobs
• Mocha coconut brownies
• Olives and feta cheese
• And so much more!

So come hungry, if you’re coming.

Oh man, when Janelle leaves town next week, I am so cooking up a pot of bratwurst and sauerkraut. Who’s with me? That just popped into my head.

Don’t sniff the wine cork when they show it to you in a fancy restaurant. It’s going to smell like cork. They show it to you so you can see that it’s not rotted, molded over, or made out of arsenic. Sniffing it makes you look like a total noob.

(Thanks, Landon, for today’s tip.)