#47: See life through the eyes of a child.

Date Completed:  3/24/2010

I don’t really remember a time when my life was simple - a time when my mind was free of capacity plans, human resource issues, cost-benefit analyses and corporate strategies. At this point in my life, the thought of making decisions such as flavor of ice cream or color of chalk seems so simple...and amazing. On the evening this list item was completed, I played with a six-year old, and life was good. I tossed softballs toward strikes, sorted Lego pieces by color, ate pizza without worrying about carbs or fat grams, and snuggled while watching Wall-E on DVD. It was a reminder that every decision I make – small or large – in some way represents a choice, and based on those choices, I have the ability to prioritize accordingly. Life seems simpler already. So, in the spirit of simple living, here's my favorite SUPER SIMPLE recipe:

Super Bowl Chili

When I made this last, I thought to myself "This is a SUPER bowl of chili!"  So, I changed the name and figured I was allowed to call it anything I wanted because I'm modified the recipe so many times already.  So, below is how *I* make it - not the original recipe:

- Brown 1.5 pounds of 95% lean ground beef (I suppose ground turkey could also be used).  Drain and set aside.

- Chop 4 medium zucchini.  I quarter them into diced cubes, but because I don't like zucchini "nuked", I still keep the pieces sizeable so they don't cook down to nothing.  Then, saute them in olive oil until they are slightly cooked (I don't like them mushy).

- Place cooked ground beef and zucchini in a stock pot and add in the following ingredients:

15oz can of tomato sauce
15oz can of navy beans (rinsed and drained)
15oz can black beans (rinsed and drained)
Two 15oz cans of Italian stewed tomatoes (cut up, including juice)
1/4 cup each, cilantro and parsley
2 T. chili powder
1 T. granulated sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cumin

- Cover the pot and simmer over medium for about 30 minutes.  At first, it won't seem like there's much juice.  But, if you mix often while simmering, just add the condensation from the lid.  This is not meant to be a thin soup.  It's very hearty and almost more like a stew.

- Serve with various toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla strips.  Some of my friends serve with a side of cornbread or even in a bread bowl.

- When I am just cooking for myself, I tend to half the recipe and I still have plenty of leftovers.  This freezes and thaws well, so you could also make a full batch and freeze extra individual servings.