Chili and Chex Mix

During the winter, one of my favorite foods to eat would be either some kind of soup or chili. When I met Patrick's parents for the first time, his mom made a huge batch of this chili and I became obsessed with it! Ever since then, I've made it over and over again! 

Patrick's Mom's Chili

1 lb. sausage

1 lb. ground chuck

1 large onion, chopped

4-6 stalks celery, chopped

1 large can tomato juice (I use spicy V8 juice)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 14 oz. can tomatoes, don't drain

2 cans kidney beans

2 tablespoons chili powder (I don't measure it-just pour it in, baby!)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Brown the meat together

Chop up the celery and the onion (I forgot the onion, so I used onion powder) and brown with the meats

Add in the kidney beans

Then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste

Pour in the tomato juice

Add your spices and let the chili simmer for several hours

Once the chili has simmered for several hours, then serve with sour cream and cheese! (I forgot to take a picture of the finished product but it's super yummy!)

Last week, I also decided to make some chex mix. I had no idea that Patrick doesn't like chex mix, so I was glad I could take it over to Kathryn's house to have some help finishing it off at her birthday party!

Chex Mix (recipe from www.chex.com)

3 cups corn chex cereal

3 cups rice chex cereal

3 cups wheat chex cereal

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup pretzels

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Melt butter in oven heated to 250 degrees.

 Add in seasonings and worcestershire sauce to butter

Stir in cereal mixture and bake for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes and then allow mix to cool on paper towels.

Enjoy!