A Gravy Thought...

After rising from my bed, I proceeded to do as I do once every weekend. I made sawmill gravy.

Starting off with my favorite breakfast sausage, I browned that up nicely. After sprinkling on a tablespoon or two of chili powder and paprika, I stirred that and scooped it into a bowl to the side.

Adding a couple tablespoons of butter and flower, I scraped and stirred the pan with a wooden spoon. After the flower-butter mixture turned a nice amber, I added a cup or two of milk. Letting that thicken up, I added the sausage back in and enjoyed over some toasted, left-over thanksgiving rolls.

Thinking back on this, I wonder why pre-made gravy packs and cans work so well. After all, this whole ordeal took me maybe half an hour, and I know it tasted better than anything found in a pantry. Just another example of why quality is a dieing virtue in today's life. Oh well, atleast I had a good breakfast.

Today, seeing myself without an appointment or obligation, I saw it fit to make up a batch 'o Chili Con Carne.

Now, Chili can and will be done a million different ways, each claiming to be the original and the best. Mine is neither, but it's how I like it. It tastes good, it's hot, and it makes you feel manly. Really, that's all you need to make good Chili.

I started off with a pound or two of stew beef, cubed and seasoned liberally with salt, pepper, and a run-of-the-mill grill seasoning. After that was browned up in my favorite pot, I took that out and (bless you Alton Brown) poured a can of beer into the pot to dissolve all the little burnt bits.

Then came about four chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, diced well, along with about half the can's worth of the adobo sauce.

Spice-wise went a handful of Paprika, and small palm full of curry powder, and a heavy handful of chili powder.

A can of chipotle salsa nearly sealed the deal, missing only a little touch that makes the entire meal meld together: Dark chocolate. Half a bar, that is, chopped and tossed in to the pot.

It boiled for a few minutes, and then lightly simmered on my stove for a couple hours. I would have preferred three, but at this point members of my family had sneaked down and already taken bowl-fulls away.

A good adventure in all, warming me and the family from the cold commercialism of this Friday.