Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Indulgent Times

** Disclaimer: I am writing this post on my Ipad and Blogger is not cooperating, so I aplogize if the pix are to large or anything else is caddywampus.**

Happy New Year, everyone! Wow, where has 2013 gone? But what a good year it was. For me, having the year bookended with LI contracts, one in January, one in December, was extra sweet.

I don't know about you, but I tend to let myself indulge between Thanksgiving and New Years. Then, by the time the calendar turns to January, I'm sick of eating. Sick of candies and cookies. Sick of my pants fitting just a little too snug. So then it's time to start eating right again and drop some of those unwanted pounds.

However, January doesn't come until tomorrow and our family has one last indulgent event of the season--my mother-in-law's birthday. Yep, she was born on New Years Eve, 91 years ago. Helen Obenhaus (sorry I don't have a pic) is not only the woman who introduced me to Ouray, Colorado, where her parents homesteaded in the 1920s and my books are set, she has also been all over the world, setting foot on every continent, all after the age of 60. Did you catch that? Every continent. Yes, she's the only person I know who has been to Antarctica.

So tonight, we will be celebrating her special day with some grilled steaks and who knows what indulgent dessert.

In the meantime, though, I allowed myself to indulge in one of my favorite dishes. One that is beyond easy, but I only allow myself to have it once a year, because otherwise I would be the size of the Goodyear blimp.

Frito Chili Pie is one of my most favorite things ever. (My brain is telling me we've discussed this recently, but not pinpointing anything, so I apologize if this post is repetitive) And you only need three, okay two, ingredients--Fritos and your favorite chili. (Number three would be shredded cheese)

And this takes easy peasy to a whole new level. 

Start with a bowl of Fritos.

Now heat up your favorite chili and  spoon it over the Fritos. You can top it all off with some shredded cheese, if you like. Stir it up and voila! Heaven in a bowl.

I love this stuff. Of course, it's hard to go wrong with Fritos, so why not find a way to make 'em a meal. :)

Is there something you absolutely love, but rarely allow yourself to have? Ooo...do tell.

Until next year, cheers, y'all!


22 comments:

  1. once a year?! but then I'm the size of a blimp so guess I can't say nothing! I've used Wolf turkey or lean beef before and 2% cheese..helps a little bit and I didn't notice any difference in the taste. my mom used to use velvetta for the cheese and add onion -she baked it all but I decided I'd rather use the shredded cheese and nuke the chili and onion then stir in the rest over fresh crunchy fritos and add a bt of fresh onion...also used baked tostitos a few times - not as sturdy but was still ok.

    ya'll I was flipping through a cookbook at work tonight(yes I like to multitask/goof off whatever you call it!) and there was a recipe that sounded totally weird - said to serve with eggs for breakfast and pork chops for dinner...but it was apples and potatoes cooked together with sugar and pieceso f bacon fried then onion cooked in the drippings - the bacon and nutmeg and butter went over the potato/apple stuff...any of ya'll heard of something like this?! my taste buds ain't sure what to think...
    Susanna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susanna, apples and onions fried together was an old time dish. They mentioned it in Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.... So this sounds like a variation of that, right?

      You know what? I bet it's good! I love apples and pork chops.... I wonder....

      Delete
    2. this was in one of the gooseberry patch cookbooks..dunno how I missed it in Farmer Boy but only read that one maybe once. has potatoes in it too.
      Susanna

      Delete
    3. I"ve had apples and porkchops - well diced apples cooked with pork loin - only got one serving then my german shepherd finished it off while I was walking the lab...it also had sauerkraut so that part I wasn't wild about
      Susanna

      Delete
    4. Susanna, I think I've seen something similar to that before and thought, "Hmmm...." Not sure how I feel about apples with my potatoes.

      Yeah, lots of folks bake their Frito Chili Pie. Mine is the lazy version. But by the time I mix it all up, it looks the same. If I were making a big pan for everyone, I'd probably bake it just long enough to melt the cheese. I love the Wolf Brand Turkey and Lean Beef chili, too. :)

      Delete
  2. btw I feel like I'm in Antarctica now..and it's only in the 30s here I think..sigh...guess I should rule out my marry a cowboy and live in Montana fantasy...
    Susanna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susanna, watch "The Last American Cowboy" series... it's on Netflix and Amazon Prime, I think. The winter, the cows, the calves, the hours.... Yeah, that Montana cowboy thing is a tough go! But God love them, they are a breed apart. Very cool!!!!

      Delete
    2. sigh..I prefer the romance novel version...maybe I should go back to the hunky vampire or werewolf fantasy - would probably do better with that than freezing my tush off...
      Susanna

      Delete
    3. I've been watching that series, Ruthy! It's awesome. It's really cool to watch an episode, and then gaze out the window at the ranch just north of us...the cattle and horses grazing...the wind blowing the snow down the 300' high hill across the pasture...

      Delete
    4. We are a tad on the chilly side today, aren't we, Susanna. Definitely not Montana cold though. Of course, the rancher's wife could stay inside in the kitchen where it's nice and warm. A rancher's got to stay well fed, you know. :)

      Delete
    5. Mindy I read a book a year or so ago where the heroine hides out on a ranch in Montana and cooks - she'd never cooked before but the cowboy's long-time housekeeper took off and he ended up hiring the heroine. think it was one of linda howard's and I stuck with the book mainly to read about her cooking adventures and she had some good ones! rest of the story wasn't my fave of hers but was worth it for the cooking part..even had a biscuit recipe at the end but trying to photocopy something on my ipad wasn't working(ebook) but thanks to here I have 2 recipes for biscuits now! :-)
      Susanna

      Delete
  3. Nom. Once I saw a kids' version of this but it was "taco salad in a Frito snack bag". You add the lettuce, cheese, taco meat and give the kids a fork and send 'em outside! Of course, that's a few more ingredients, but still... the idea...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, man kids would love that! Messy lunch in a bag!!!! Why don't I ever think of cool stuff like that????

      Delete
    2. my dad claimed that's the only real frito pie- have the bag of fritos open and chili and cheese and onion added. he also thought those little cereal boxes should hold milk right in the box..
      Susanna

      Delete
  4. Frito Pie! A Boy Scout favorite!

    And yes, in the bag, too. When you do it that way, we call them "walking tacos".

    Either way, they're delicious. I like mine with chopped onions under the cheese.

    And yes, it's a once a year or so treat :)

    My once a year treat? Oyster stew. New Year's Eve.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oyster stew? Do tell, Jan. What's in oyster stew?

      Delete
    2. Easy peasy. Buy some fresh oysters, onions, milk, cream and butter.

      Chop the oysters (ick factor here), mince about 1/4 cup onions.

      Melt 1/4 cup butter in the bottom of a large pot - about 3 quarts will do. Add the oysters and onions and cook until the onions are transparent.

      Add about 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup cream. Heat to almost boiling. Salt and pepper to taste.

      Remember in "On the Banks of Plum Creek" when Pa was caught in the blizzard and didn't make it home for Christmas? He was bringing home a can of oysters and a packet of oyster crackers for Christmas Eve oyster stew.

      Delete
  5. I have never heard of this but I'm going to give it a try! next time I make chili!!!
    And I'll definitely add the cheese. I don't each chips of any kind usually...so I guess this would be my decadent eat once in a blue moon dish for me. Though vegetarian chili would cut the calories some, right? (she asks hopefully.)

    Just got my Chatelaine magazine in the mail today and they have a picture of tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons. What a neat idea! I love grilled cheese with tomato soup so why not cheesy croutons swimming in it? Going to try this at lunch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooo...that does sound yummy, Kav. I like grilled cheese with tomato soup, too.

      And of course the vegetarian chili would cut some calories. But I wouldn't consider it low cal. :)

      Delete
  6. I'm a day late but had to say how much I LOVE chili cheese pie! I order it at Sonic when I get a craving but have also made it at home. Thanks for reminding me, Mindy!

    Happy new year!

    ReplyDelete