Mmmmmm........Slow Cooker Sweet-Spicy Chili

Confession time........

I've made the same chili for years.

AND, it partially comes from a box.

We like Two Alarm Chili, which comes with all the seasonings you need.

Of course, you add the meat, tomatoes, beans........

However, we had a CHILLY day this week and wanted chili.

But I had no car to go to the store, so that meant I had to make it from scratch.

Whoa.......grown-up chili! lol

I found a recipe from Betty Crocker and figured, basic chili......it must be pretty good.

AND, it was a slow cooker recipe.......even better.

After reading the reviews, I tweaked it a bit (kinda proud of that;)

Rather than being a hot, spicy chili,

it was more of a spicy~SWEET chili, which was totally okay

with us.  (We love Cincinnati chili which is sweeter)

If you don't mind your chili with a bit of hot and a bit more sweet, give it a try.

My 17 year old ate so many spoonfuls while it was simmering, she hardly wanted dinner.

THAT good.

My 20 year old came home from work at 8:30, wasn't sure how hungry she was, 

devoured a bowl.  I imagine young children would LOVE it.  Husband loved it, I loved it.......all in all a great cold-weather meal.

Slow-Cooker Sweet~Spicy Chili

20 minutes prep in the morning = a bowl of chili when you get home from work!

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Prep Time 20 min  Total Time 6 hr 20 min  Servings 8

Ingredients

2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (16 oz) chili beans in sauce, undrained

(* 1 can red kidney beans.......if you like more beans)

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

3-3 and 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 and 1/2-2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 cup brown sugar (trust me)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

* * * I didn't have garlic cloves so I used garlic salt in place of regular salt.

1. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes,

 stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.

2. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion and remaining ingredients.

3. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

It was different for us, but apparently a welcome change since we devoured it:)

XOXOXO

Suzanne

Fall, Mom Caves and...I'm Back. ALREADY!!!

Okay, before i get started,

let me say i think i'm back on this here 'ol blog for good.

I tried switching to wordpress and it's just too much for this fried brain

to figure out.  Who has time for that?

This will be just fine.  I'm tired of the address but.......I'll survive.

The main reason I tried the move was because I was starting to hear

of friend's blogs going missing.  THAT would be a bummer.

I realize I probably have 3 readers and that's cool.

But it's MY blog and it shouldn't go missing.

Having said that, I guess I'll have to take my chances:)
But I'm still changing the name to CRAZYBlessed.......cause I am.

Movin on.......

I've spent a lot of time indoors this steamy summer.

Tired, so not getting much done.

But I did manage to make myself a 

MOM CAVE!

It's done in whites and creams, with touches of burlap, glitz, and RUSTIC.

I love rustic chic these days!

Totally me.

I finally found MY style:)

Here are a few individual pics to show you a few more details.

My daybed, complete with twinkle lights:)  

A few sale items here...

the star pillow was from Pottery Barn.....$14.99.

Not bad!

I made the cowprint pillow.  (I know, it looks like it:)

The burlap bulletin board......my inspiration board.....was $10.00.

Yep!  Ten whole dollars from the White Elephant here in Naples.  

Regular $199 from Ballard designs.  (Tags still on:)

I have my little writing corner......to do what, I don't know.

But it's there if I need it!

Check out my COOL deer head.

Another SCORE!

Hard to see detail but it's a faded burlap quilted look, by Cynthia Rowley.

HomeGoods strikes again! lol

Been making a lot of embellished mason jars.

They make great holders in bathrooms, kitchens, on desks.......you name it.

There's something about an old fashioned jar wrapped

in burlap, lace or twine and adorned with jewels or even seashells.

And look at this vintage sewing chest.  

Apparently it was used to hold thread and other supplies.

My daughter found it at a thrift store and since she never has much money

on her, it was CHEAP!

(She's stocking up for those Southern Rustic Weddings she'll be doing someday;)

A closer look at some of the different jars and bottles.....

And don't miss the gold pumpkin and gold tipped feathers........

cause what home is complete without gold tipped feathers?

hehehe

 and last but not least,
we can't leave out a touch of the beach.

Or in this case,a HUGE metal sign!
We found it at the flea market.
I'm thinking I will poke holes and add lights to make it
 a marquee sign.
I'm kind of hung up on fringe in every way so I need to add a touch of
that when I find it.
There is also a cool vanity with a vanity stool covered in.......
you guessed it!
Cow print.
I need a ranch.  In Texas.
But for now, I'll settle for my Mom Cave.
Thanks for visiting.
YEEHAW!
xoxoxo
Suzanne

happy rules and inspiration from afar.......

i explained yesterday about my blog.......

 giving it up, keeping it, 

doing what makes me happy.

and i talked about wonderful people who read your blog,

people whom you have never met and likely never will. 

well, yesterday i received another very SPECIAL email..........

all the way from Bulgaria!

Maria is a beautiful 19 year old who said i inspired her, 

and she hoped I would keep my blog.

me? inspiring?  that's sooooo nice to know.  

and so cool that it comes from a 19 year old!

i have two teenaged girls and my hope is that i inspire them

and that they find others who can inspire them also.

what Maria doesn't know is,

she inspired and encouraged me with her email!

so to beautiful Maria from Bulgaria,

thank you so very much!

your email is a keeper for when i need a boost:)

awhile back, i read

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

i felt some of it applied to my life and some of it didn't.

but let's face it,

 we all need a bit more "happy" in our everyday.

one thing she suggests if you start your own "happiness project" is to

make a list of happiness "rules".

i thought it wasn't a bad thing to think about that,

so here is my own list of happiness rules to live by.

i'm not perfect.

i have bad days.....too many:)

basically, i think i'm doing okay with life,

by the grace of God only:)

but i kinda like my little happy rules list:)

and if it serves as a reminder to laugh instead of cry,

or do instead of watch,

then it's a good thing:)

hope you have a happy, colorful week!

i promise, next time i post something, 

it will be my usual, random, shallow stuff;)

hugs,

suzanne

all about "stuff"...

random STUFF...

STUFF to do...

and just plain STUFFY.

hey there,

back home from a WONDERFUL week in Hawaii...

TRUE Hawaii, that is...

but i'll have to fill you in on that when i get time.

i have TONS to tell you and even MORE photos to share...

LUCKY you:)

but today is a quickie post all about STUFF.

let's get started...

first, something really COOL...

don't ya just LOVE this?

now for some STUFF to say...

~i am using my husband's new desktop mac a lot these days,

and i finally figured out (took the time) to

get my google homepage on it, with all the

links to my favorite blogs front and center...

so HOPEFULLY i'll be a better friend!

~as much as i want to share photos and stuff from the trip,

i'm not sure i'll be doing that right away.

on top of jet lag/wanting to sleep at weird times,

it's a CRAZY week!

 STUFF to do:

~wrap silent auction gift baskets and chocolate favors for the 

Naples Ballet

first annual Ballerina Ball on Thursday.

~figure out what in the heck I'm going to wear!

(i have plenty of long gowns but this one doesn't yet require that so

i have to think of something:)

~dinner with my husband's board members on Friday

~re-FOCUS my girls from surfing to school...

no easy task, let me tell you!

~get Taylor ready to go with her Dad to a HEART ball on Saturday.

(i think we just need accessories since she has a dress picked out)

~clean house (YUK)

~unpack and LAUNDRY

~finalize new landscaping plans for next week

~and mostimportantly, get some SLEEP!

(did i say that already?:)

random STUFF...

~have you watched Duck Dynasty?

that show CRACKS me up:)

~Trader Joe's finally opened by me...and now i get it.

i really get why the parking lot is ALWAYS full!

~beach umbrellas FREAK me out.

ever since being hit in the face by a runaway umbrella 

exactly one year ago,

i'm like the umbrella police.

when we go to the beach, i need to see who has an umbrella,

which way the wind is...and if they look like they have a 

CLUE as to how to put it up securely...

before i lay down near them. 

otherwise, i have to watch their stupid umbrella the whole time.

i need umbrella therapy:)

~okay...enough random stuff.

i'm too tired to think much anyway:)

but i have to say a few words about STUFFY...as in

STUFFY behavior, STUFFY rules and STUFFY people.

being on the north shore of Oahu,

where surf RULES,

i saw a whole other outlook on life.

like i said, i'll write more...WAY more later:)

but one thing that struck me is we are all so STUFFY these days.

so uptight.

it was soooooo relaxing and laid back.

a simple, "unplugged" life.

kind of a daily reminder of what's important, you know?

that life is GOOD.

even my sometimes slightly STUFFYish husband, (wonderful as he is:)

already misses the simple, happy place we lived for a week.

and let me tell you, that says something.

i mean, we're talking Mr. Five Star Hotel here...

and he already wants to be back there.

simple...

the most unexpected thing to come from this trip.

blessings and life lessons aren't always what we think, are they?

now i promise to STOP rambling...

go back to bed for a few...and let you go!

Be Blessed today!

Suzanne