I've decided to enter my chili recipe in the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Recipe Smackdown that The Recipe Girl is hosting in conjunction with Sam's Club.

I almost always host a Super Bowl Party, even if our favorite team isn't participating! It's just another good reason to have a get together with friends! And I love to cook for a big group of hungry guys! They appreciate almost anything! If you don't fancy cooking, you could always order out by looking for ‘subs delivery near me‘ and cater to your guest's individual food needs.

This year I'm going to make my “prize winning” chili for the Super Bowl. (Okay, it wasn't a famous contest or anything, but I did win second prize and a cute little red ribbon at our recent Chili Cook-off on our dock at the Harbor!)

I've doubled and even quadrupled this recipe, so it's perfect for a large crowd! Here's my version of Chili Con Carne.

 

LilSis' Chili Con Carne

LilSis' Chili Con Carne

3 pounds lean ground beef
One sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 dark beer
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can dark kidney beans (drained)
1 sm. can corn (I use Green Giant Sweet vacuum packed)
4 – 5 tsp. Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice*
2 chopped roasted poblano peppers (optional)
1/4 t. cayenne
1/2 t. onion powder
salt to taste
1 T. olive oil

*The Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice, formerly known as my secret ingredient, is so different from just a regular chili powder. It's the reason why you don't see cumin or a bunch of other spices listed in the recipe. Here are the ingredients in this one amazing spice: ancho chili pepper, tomato powder, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic, coriander, onions, red and green bell peppers, Tellichery black pepper, allspice, cilantro, and cloves. If you don't have a Penzeys store nearby, you can order online from the Penzeys Spices website.

Saute the chopped onion in the oil in a large saucepan until onion is soft. Add the ground beef, salt and minced garlic to the pan and brown until beef is cooked throughout. Drain the beef and return to the pan. Add the beer to the beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Simmer for longer if you want the tomatoes to cook down more. Add the tomato sauce, roasted peppers, and Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Add the cayenne pepper, onion powder and additional salt if necessary. (This is the stage where you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. This isn't like baking, so add whatever you want here.)

Once you have your chili seasoned just right, add the can of beans and the corn and just heat throughout. This can be served right away or put in a crockpot to stay warm for hours. It's even better heated and served the next day.

I usually set up a buffet style toppings bar with bowls of these toppings so everyone can add the toppings of their choice.

Toppings:
chopped onion
chopped jalapeno
fritos
oyster crackers
sour cream
grated cheese (I use Tillamook medium cheddar)

And if you really want a great frito pie, layer the bottom of the bowl with the fritos first, then chili, cheese, more fritos, and sour cream. Yummy! It doesn't get much better than that!

Okay, so this recipe probably doesn't qualify as one of our healthy, low fat recipes if we are topping with the cheese, fritos, and sour cream. But we can make an exception for the Super Bowl, right?

~LilSis

Posted under Food

Meow!  Did you get this adorable MAC Hello Kitty purse mirror before it vanished before our very eyes?

Hello Kitty Purse Mirror

No?  Too bad, it has sold on ebay for as much as $71 as of today!

What could be better than this cute mirror and the rest of the new MAC Hello Kitty collection?  If you missed out on some of these impossible-to-find items, how about a contest to win them?  You got it!  I got an email about this new Hello Kitty contest, and I entered it immediately.  You can enter once per day, up until March 31, 2009.

There are 120 instant win prizes, including brush sets, tote bags, t-shirts, bracelets, lipsticks, eyeshadows, makeup bags, plush dolls, purse mirrors (schwing!) and lipglass.  There are 8 Grand Prizes featuring all kinds of goodies, with the winners selected by March 25, 2009.  The complete MAC Hello Kitty contest rules are online.  If you missed out on the Hello Kitty items you wanted, don't snooze annd miss your chance to win them!

~BigSis

Posted under Beauty and Skin Care

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to enter into this giveaway!

This week's lucky winner wins all three of these beautiful Country Living books!

The winner was chosen randomly by random.org.

Congratulations to Patty, who left comment #7 !!

(Patty, I'll contact you via email for shipping instructions!)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

~LilSis

Posted under Home

Here we go again! Back. To. Square. One.

After eight weeks of having this boot on my foot, eight pounds have managed to creep back onto my body thighs! (Okay, I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing about the ding, dang boot; I promise that I won't mention it again.)

I worked so hard to get to where I was and now find myself back at square one starting over. It's not going to do me any good to bitch and whine, so I won't. I've managed to get through the disgusted and frustrated stages, so now I'm just mad and motivated, which, for me, is a good combination.

Now that I'm able to walk again, I have to crank up the cardio in order to give my metabolism a much needed kick in the pants! I'm not yet able do all the jumping required to do Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred like BigSis is doing now , but I hope to be able to do that soon.

In an attempt to lose two pounds a week, here's my plan for the next four weeks.

• Boost cardio to an hour and a half each morning. (Either walk, bike ride, or treadclimber at the gym)
• Start back to yoga classes three times a week.
• Add one spinning class a week.
• No Mexican Food or Chips and Guacamole, for now.
• Eat healthier snacks.
• Add a 30 minute bike ride after dinner each night.

I'm also making a more conscious effort to watch the calories. For the most part I eat pretty healthy, but sometimes, when in a hurry, I don't make the best choices for snacks. Most trainers will tell you that it is best to eat five small meals a day, which includes a mid morning and mid afternoon snack.

There really are a lot of choices for healthy snacks. I think the key is making sure that you have them on hand so you don't end up grabbing something unhealthy just because it's fast and easy. Check back in a few days for a list of my new favorite healthy snacks.

~LilSis

Posted under Fitness

~BigSis

Posted under Holidays

photo credit: stephcarter

A HUGE kudos to BigSis for completing that first round of P90X, for all the great advice on what to expect from this program, and for the terrific tips on how to stick to it. And since round one didn't kill her, she's actually moving on to round 2! 🙂

I hope her testimonial will encourage some of you to try the P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program. I know she was extremely happy with the results from round one! I wish that I could commit to trying P90X, but at this particular point in my life, I know it would be “almost” impossible for me and I don't want to set myself up to fail.

In my household, it's very rare that I find an hour a day to myself without interruptions. Right now, I've got a hubby that works from home half the day, who requires a lot of admin support from me and a 17 year old with an unique schedule that keeps him running in and out of the house at odd times during the day.

There's never a dull moment in our house!

I do manage to get to the gym twice a week for weight training and I go on my six mile walk four times a week, no matter what, so I essentially live in my workout gear at this point! Soon I am definitely going to buy myself some new womens tracksuits as it's long overdue! However, I haven't been able to get the yoga back into my routine.

Almost a year and a half ago, I started back to my yoga classes three times a week after being out with a foot injury. After getting back into my routine, I don't why, but somewhere along the way, I let the demands of my job and various other pressures interfere with my yoga practice. Gradually, I was only attending two classes a week, then one, and then none!

2010 was a very stressful year for us, “professionally” and it has definitely taken a toll on my body. When I needed it the most, I put other things first instead of listening to my body and realizing how much stress was affecting me. We all know our bodies and know what we need to do to feel our very best, for some, it's using Green Roads CBD. For me, yoga is the only thing that helps me feel better when I've got too much stress.

Stress affects different people in different ways, but these are my worst symptoms:

• Stomach problems
• Knots in my back
• Stiff neck
• Intense anxiety
• Worry
• Chronic insomnia

And we all know what stress does to cortisol levels and how that plays a factor in weight gain, especially “belly fat!” Yep, I've got that, too! 🙁

This article from Mayo Clinic on stress management confirms that stress symptoms can be affecting your health, even if you don't realize it. In the same article, Mayo Clinic lists the five top ways to help manage stress as:

• Physical activity
• Relaxation techniques
• Meditation
• Yoga
• tai chi

For my health and my sanity, I have to get back to my yoga practice. For those that may want to give yoga a try for the first time, this is a good Yoga 101 article from Lululemon Athletica. I love this poster with stories and inspirations from their community.

Even though I've been trying the past three weeks to get myself to class on Mondays and Fridays, something has gotten in the way every single time! I've even been tearing the daily practice pages out of my Yoga Journal magazines each month and putting them in sheet protectors in a cute three-ring binder to try to motivate me. But, I STILL have not been able to make myself find the time to do it at home. Thank goodness I am able to take advantage of resources like a psychologist for stress symptoms in the meantime whilst I try to motivate myself to get back into yoga and burn some of that stress off!

Just last week, I made a little time to sit down and read my February issue of Yoga Journal and that's where I learned about this 21 Day Challenge from Yoga Journal. There's also an excellent article in this issue called Get Back on the Mat, that's worth the read, if you're like me and have gotten away from your practice.

Even though the challenge officially started on January 10th, you can start at any time. I signed up yesterday and received my Day One email this morning. So, after helping hubby with some computer stuff for about three hours this morning; once he finally left, I got my mat out of my car, took my laptop to my room upstairs, locked the door, lit a lavender incense, and did Day One of this challenge. Ahhhhhh…

I didn't know what to expect since I'd never watched any of their yoga videos, but I was pleasantly surprised! Day One was a 45-minute Fun Flow vinyasa sequence taught by Elise Lorimer.

Extended Side Angle Pose (Photo Credit: Yoga Journal)

This sequence was fun and also happened to contain a couple of my favorite poses, like Bound Side Angle. (To modify and bind this Side Angle pose, you just slip the one arm off the foot, wrap under your bent knee and wrap the other arm around behind your back and clasp hands together.) This pose always helps take the tension out of my back, as does extended triangle, which I added at the end of the video.

Extended Triangle (Photo credit: Yoga Journal)

With this Challenge, you'll receive a daily email which has a link to each day's instructional video; a tip to help your practice; and a delicious, healthy recipe. You'll also find a link to the Challenge website, where you can listen to meditation and pranayama (yogic breathing) exercises, plus lessons on yoga philosophy. There's also a community chat page.

Another thing that's nice about this Challenge is that you can pick and choose which sequence you want to do, if for some reason you don't have time to do the one for that day. There are 15 minute, 20 minute, and 30 minute sequences to choose from, depending on how much time you have. The key is to do something EVERY DAY, even if it's just for 10-15 minutes.

While on the mat, I added a couple more of my favorite poses.

Camel

Camel Pose (Photo Credit: Yoga Journal)

and Plow.

Plow Pose (Photo Credit: Yoga Journal)

And, after just an hour, I feel noticeably better so I'm glad that I finally “Got Back on the Mat”!

I think this is just what I needed to kick my fanny into gear! I'm hoping that this Challenge kick starts me into doing a daily yoga practice even if there are days when I only have 15 minutes instead of an hour. Just a few poses and some deep breathing can do wonders for stress.

~LilSis

Posted under Fitness

When I say “40-Something Butt”, I'm talking about a butt that's 40+ years old, but I could also be talking about a butt that's 40+ inches around.  Either way, shopping for jeans can be as stressful as shopping for a swimsuit, and you know why?  For me, it's because I'm too stingy!  And cheap jeans usually means poor fit + crummy fabric = yukky looking bum.

I've realized that spending a little bit more for jeans is SO worth it.  Scrimp and save money on other things, but don't be cheap like the old me when it comes to jeans.  A well-made and perfectly-fitting pair of jeans will do MIRACLES for your rear view.  Trust me.  Go to a store that has a wide selection of quality jeans, and just try them on, even if you think you will absolutely not ever buy one single pair.  I promise that you will see an enormous difference, and will be sold as I was when I spent a couple of hours at Nordstrom's last year.  Did I think I would ever ever ever spend over $100 on a pair of ding dang blue jeans?  Oh, HELL no!  I'm way too cheap for that.  But I only had to look in the 360 degree mirror to see what that price tag brought to my bod.

An excellent pair of jeans will enhance your heinie, lengthen your legs, smooth out the line of your thighs, and flatter your hips.  No, I'm not smoking crack…these things can be achieved via a wise choice in jeans worn with a great pair of heels.  I think that when you're 20 years old and have never experienced pregnancy, decades of gravity, hormones and/or metabolism issues, you can get away with cheaper clothes.   Am I right?  Am I right? But when you're 40-something, you owe it to your wonderful body to clothe it strategically.  That means good jeans!  Wearing crappy old I-don't-care-what-my-butt-looks-like-cuz-I've-given-up jeans will age you as fast as the sun on your face!!  Don't do it!

I have a butt and a small waist, so most jeans will gape at the waist if they fit in the hips.  These are the jeans that I'm thrilled about wearing now.  Note that I had them hemmed a bit, even though I'm 5'7″ with pretty long legs (good jeans give you a very generous length), but no other alterations whatsoever were necessary.  They even fit in the waist!

• Joe's Jeans:  Rocker lean flare fit…my absolute favorites!  They're dark dark dark wash, and fit like they were made for me.  These are my dressiest jeans.  And mine don't have the bleachy light spots on them that you see in the photo below.  Oh, and that's not me in the photo, just in case you thought it was.  😉

Joe's Rocker Jeans

• Citizens of Humanity:  Ingrid #2 low waist flare style.  These are slightly more casual than my Joe's and are a tad lower in the rise.

Citizens of Humanity Ingrid Jeans

Keep in mind that the key is that you try on a BUNCH of brands and styles and colors til you find the perfect fit for you!  I promise it's out there.  And once you find it, your butt will do a little happy dance!

LilSis, you were my motivation to get my butt into a fabulous pair of jeans, so I have to ask you. What are your favorite jeans right now?  Do you have any tips for choosing the right pair, other than trying on everything and then examining the rear view?

~BigSis

Posted under Shopping

Ok, LilSis, let me wrap up my contribution to the Sister Showdown skin care extravaganza week!  I mentioned that keeping my skin clean clean clean is the key to my skin care regimen, so effective exfoliating products are super important.  Without a doubt, the queen of this category for me is Origins Modern Friction.

Origins Modern Friction

Oh my gravy, do I love this product!  Use this 2 or 3 times a week, and just see for yourself how smooth your skin feels.  The amazing thing is that it works so beautifully at removing what needs to be removed, but it's incredibly gentle and doesn't feel rough or scratchy in the least.  Origins calls it “Nature's gentle dermabrasion” and that is no exaggeration, in my opinion.  It's made with rice starch, lemon oil, and aloe, and it smells like peppermint and bergamot.  If you're skeptical about my glowing praise, do yourself a favor and go into an Origins store and see if they'll demo the product for you.  I betcha they will, and then you'll be sold!  For $37 you get 4 ounces, and it actually lasts longer than you might think.

Let's stay in Origins for my favorite mask Clear Improvement.

Origins Clear Improvement Mask

Ok, so it's not a gorgeously photogenic product.  This isn't a Barbie pink or mint green mask, nope, this is a serious mask that will launch a serious attack on the junk in your pores!  It's a clay mask with active charcoal, and it sweeps out your pores like nobody's business!  Apply this deep dark mask, let it dry, and remove it to reveal your glowing purified skin.  It's $21 for a 3.4 ounce tube.

That's it for me, LilSis!  Are there any scrubby little secrets in your skincare routine that you want to divulge?

~BigSis

Posted under Beauty and Skin Care

If the Bears had made it to the Super Bowl, we would definitely be having a huge party at our house today, but, since that's not the case, we'll be a little more low-key. The guys will still watch the game and I'll probably pay some attention just because the game is in my home town and old stompin' grounds, Arlington, Texas!

(It'll be interesting because no one expected snow in Texas, in February, but Jerry got his Super Bowl!) 🙂

I ran across this recipe while browsing Food Network's site for some Super Bowl snack ideas and I thought it sounded quick, easy, a little different; and I had some eggs I needed to boil, so I decided to give it a try. I tested this out on my guys and a few friends and it got a thumbs up from everyone! It's a little bit of a cross between a deviled egg and egg salad.

Deviled Dip
(adapted from Food Network)

8 hard boiled eggs
1/3 c. Vegenaise
1 T. mustard
3 T. dill relish
3 T. real bacon bits
1/2 t. Frank's Red Hot (plus a few extra dashes)
1/4 t. Paprika
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
dash of salt
chopped chives
sliced baguette bread

Peel the eggs, chop them, place into a bowl. Add the Vegenaise, (or mayo/miracle whip), and puree til smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until blended well. Serve on sliced baguette bread and garnish with chives or bacon bits.

For the guys, this is obviously just a snack, but for us girls, this definitely could be a very satisfying lunch!

(Note: Since I can't have dairy and I really wanted to try this, I substituted Vegenaise for the mayo and no one even noticed.) Shhhhh… 🙂

~LilSis

Posted under Food

When you hear the words “Marshmallow” and “Easter”, do you think of Peeps or maybe those super-sugary marshmallow eggs with the hard sugar shell?  I don't because I don't like either of those Easter candies.  To me, they're the Easter version of the hard-as-a-rock peanut butter taffy wrapped in black or orange paper that you got at Halloween as a kid, and tried to pawn off on your unsuspecting little brothers in exchange for their chocolate candy bars!

I have a new Easter marshmallow treat to share with you, and these also have white chocolate.  This project isn't quite as fancy and classy as the Easter Bird's Candy Nests that LilSis made yesterday, but they're pretty fun to make and I think kids would have a ball putting them together.

The key is to get yourself a candy mold like this.  It has bunny heads and bunny bases with feet and tails (bunny butts).

I got mine at my cake supply store, but you can find them online too.  I have bunches of these kinds of molds.  They're only about $2.50 each, and you can use them for chocolate, candy melts or even soaps.  Buy just one or two, and you'll be addicted to them.  You can customize candy for any kid's party theme and color scheme.  Wrapped up in foil papers, people will be shocked that you made these cute candies yourself.  I made little green frog chocolates for a kid's party once, and the kids were thrilled!

So back to this project.  Here's what you do:

• Melt some candy melts or chocolate wafers (I like the Guittard White Chocolate Wafers; they come in mint too).  I nuke them for 30 seconds, then stir, and repeat til all are melted.

• Pour the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle, and fill the cavities in the mold.  Once it's filled, tap the mold gently on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface.  Add more chocolate if needed.

• Refrigerate the mold for a few minutes until the shapes are set and cold.  Unmold.

• Now the fun part!  Use more melted chocolate to lightly coat large marshmallows, then immediately roll in shredded coconut.  Chill for a few minutes to set.

• Decorate the bunny faces if you like.  I used food markers, but they tended to slide around a little on the chocolate, so you'll probably come up with better ideas than BigSis-in-a-hurry did!

• Add a dab of melted chocolate to the bottom of the marshmallow and gently press onto the base.  Then, with a dab of melted chocolate, add the bunny face to the front of the marshmallow.

You just made a Marshmallow White Chocolate Easter Bunny!

~BigSis

Posted under Holidays