The Gratitude Project - Day 16 & 17

We've been busy birds the past couple of days, so here is a cluster of grateful thoughts.

Friday
I am so grateful there has been a clear improvement in my cooking over the last year (still a long way to go).  I tried my sister-in-law's (Ellen's) fantastic Quinoa Chili recipe which turned out great and scored the nod of approval from the hub.  Yeah!  (Below is the recipe - don't thank me, thank Ellen).

Quinoa Chili

2 cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained (or whatever beans you like. I use one can kidney and one can black)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoon salt

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water

1 cup frozen corn

1 can tomato sauce (about 2 cups)

1 cup water

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until tender. Add salt, garlic, green pepper and spices; sauté for 5-10 minutes. Add rinsed quinoa and stir in. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water to onion/quinoa mixture. Simmer together 20 minutes. Add beans to the pot and simmer another 15 minutes. Serve with sliced avocados, cilantro, scallions or whatever else you like to put on chili.

Saturday

Grateful for peppered bacon perfection.  Grateful to have found a pianist for our last minute duet we were asked to sing on Sunday.  Grateful for stellar neighbors who are so good to us.  Grateful for gorgeous weather in mid-November.  Grateful to wake up to a good laugh when I went outside and found that we had been "forked" by the ladies in our neighborhood who had a Twilight party before they all went to the movie together.  Daphne thought the forks were the coolest thing that's happened since whole milk. :)