Texas Chili Recipe from tomlet on eBaum's WORLD

The chili recipe has three "drops" where you'll add more ingredients as it's cooking. If you add them all at once or at the wrong times, it'll make the chili bitter or too acidy. For last night, I doubled this recipe.

Brown 2 lbs. of lean ground beef, drain, and add to pot. Add one 14.5 ounce can of beef broth and one 8 ounce can of salt free tomato sauce.

Add 1 habenero pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. It doesn't have to be a large pepper, habenero is insanely hot. After it's cut or cooked, make sure not to handle the pepper with your fingers. It'll burn your fingers or the oils will stick to you and you'll hurt yourself when you touch your face. Pepper spray has nothing on habenero oil.

When pot comes to a boil, add drop one.

Drop One:

1 Tablespoon of onion powder
2 Teaspoons of garlic powder
1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the pepper and crush the juice into the pot. I put the pepper in a strainer and crush it with a spoon. Try not to get the flesh of the pepper or the seeds in the pot. But if you get a little in, don't worry about it.

Drop Two:

2-1/2 Tablespoons light (or California) chili powder
2 Teaspoons cumin
1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
1/4 Teaspoon white pepper
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cube beef boullion
1/2 cube chicken boullion
1/2 Teaspoon brown sugar
1 pk Sazon Goya If you like your chili hotter, adjust the cayenne pepper. A little goes a long way.

I don't use bullion cubes, I use the "Better Than Boullion" paste.

The cubes work fine though. Continue simmering with lid on for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes add the last drop.

Drop 3:

2 Teaspoons Mexene Chili Powder
1 Teaspon cumin
Salt to taste

Mexene chili powder is kind of hard to find here in Nevada. It's much darker and hotter than regular chili powder.

It goes in last because it gets bitter if cooked too long. Cover and continue to simmer for at least 15 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes. It's ready to serve right away, but I like to thicken it up with cornstarch to make it a little less soupy. Mix a tablespoon or two of cornstarch with cool water and stir until it's smooth. Add the mixture to the chili and simmer while stirring for a few minutes.

A Scripture for Easter Sunday

Ephesians 1:18-23 (New International Version, �2011)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Betrayal - Poem

Since I have friends experiencing what I've experienced on more than one occasion, I thought I would write a poem to express my feelings in these matters.

Betrayal

She dances a new dance
And I don't know why
She follows a new tune
And that makes me cry
Sometimes I feel like
I just want to die
Things would be simpler that way

Memories of good times
And laughter and cheer
Tackling problems
Without any fear
Suddenly vanish
And won't reappear
I just can't be happy today

I knew it would happen
It's happened before
Love shows sweet promise
Then closes the door
I don't think I will even
Try anymore
Love makes a bitter sorbet

Betrayal is certain
So it seems to be
It's happened throughout
All of history
Cite Jesus, cite Ceasar
Cite Philoctetes
It always happens that way

All I can do now
Is trudge slowly on
From life I will remain
Aptly withdrawn
As I slowly heal from
What love always spawns
And hope things get better someday


Copyright � 2011 Cal Jennings

This 'n' That

First, an update on my mom. She just called from my sister's house. They let her out of the hospital today. They said she had a mild stroke, but nothing else seems to be going on at this time. She's planning on coming back here tomorrow.

Sharon and I took the kittens out to the garden today for their first look outside. I have some video of it converting at the moment so I can edit it and upload it to YouTube.

Things have been tough as far as trying to get my birth certificate and the contents of my stolen wallet replaced. It seems you have to have one form of the ID to replace another form of the ID which is next to impossible when all your ID has been stolen. To make things stranger, the bank sent me a letter saying that the problems were a bank mistake, so the case was dropped. Someone somewhere still has my ID, so that seems to be a little unusual.

No one has served the warrant on Sharon yet for her missing her court date. No one has even attempted to do so. The up side is that at least Sharon has a driver's license and can drive me to the store when I need to go for now.

I've been finding it incredibly difficult to breathe the last several days. I've heard the same from several people, so I assume it's the pollen in the air. I'm sure the extra particulates from the fallout don't help much either.

Whether or not these are the "end times," I sometimes find myself wishing that things would end soon. The lack of humanity in the world is very disturbing. It's all I can do to try to keep a small garden growing and weeded and it's not likely to provide all that I'll need. Between the heat and my physical problems, it's a wonder I can do anything at all.

I haven't had much reason to smile lately. I hope that sooner or later something gives me cause to do so. My face could use the exercise.

Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Is With Us All,

Cal-el

How Politicians Get Your Support

The two videos I'm about to post in this blog give examples of how politicians sway the voters and avoid the real issues. When someone asks a question, one of the most common ways to keep from addressing the issue is to give a reply that never really answers the question and most people won't want to admit that they didn't understand. "Did he say something? I'm not sure. I'd better not question it, though, or I might look stupid or offend someone. After all, the politician talked about progress, the flag, and patriotism and he's a poor man who made it big by his hard work. That stuff sounds real good." These myths have been perpetrated by politicians as long as I can remember. It was sometimes used by my relatives who were politicians, as much as I wish it weren't true.

This video shows another method that has been used in recent years as demonstrated by Lois... playing to people's fears.

We should all be familiar with this brand of politics most often used by the conservative Right, but also sometimes used by the Left. Playing to peoples' fears has become one of the most popular ways to manipulate voters. If politicians tell them that something's being done to protect them from an evil enemy, they'll give up anything, including their rights. They'll get people to vote against policies that would be for your betterment, such as health care, by shouting words and phrases like "death panels," "Communism," and "Socialism." It doesn't matter that people don't know anything about the issue or what Communism and Socialism mean. What matters is they sound scary. There are enough people who remember and believe the propaganda of the Cold War that even the mention of Communism or Socialism scares them. They scare the voters into submission getting them to give up their own bodily fluids, allow themselves to be put under camera surveillance, and allow their phones and cell phones to be tapped without cause, which seem to go against the 4th amendment.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Sure, these things can be used to protect people, but they can also be used, and are used, for other purposes which have nothing to do with protecting people. Why was the government allowed to do these things? Why, "for our own protection," of course.

When people are too scared to question what you do to them, you can get away with anything, and that's just what politicians want. The more they can keep voters scared of people of different religions, people with different skin color, people with different customs, or even people who wear their hair differently or dress differently than what people are accustomed to,

the easier they are to control. These are important things to consider for those who value the Constitution, freedom, and liberty. People should always consider these things before they jump on a bandwagon to fight for what a politician is telling them. Remember, in most cases, politicians are out for their own interests much more than they are for the interests of the voters. They care about getting votes, getting campaign donations, and padding their own pockets. They are often not looking out for the interests of the people who voted them into office. The best thing to do is research the facts and the voting records of the politician before deciding to cast your vote. Get information from as many sources as possible and not just sites that cater to a particular party or ideology. Don't rely on what sounds good and seems popular with the crowd, but consider the effects it will have on your life as well as the lives of others. Yes, it takes some work and you may read some things that you don't like, but it's the way to make better choices for people who will make and interpret the laws.

Texas Governor Rick Perry's Fine Improvements

We is Texuns an we uhpruve Ryan's meszurz. Are gud Govenur, Rick Perry, jus did thuh rite thing an fired a buncha teecherz an cops sos the corpruashunz kuld git thar tax brakes. Mah town alone dun laid off 125 teecherz an about 150 cops. Ah'm so proud! We iz doon are part. We don't need them commie libtard teecherz givin' are kids soshilist booklearnin. We's smart enuf! An who needz cops? Thay jes git in thuh way ov thuh profitz of are meth labs. We need ta git rid ov Soshil Sekurity an Madukare cause them people jes want handouts frum thuh govermint. We gota git rid ov Obamacare an itz deth panuls to.

The First Guess: Lotto Nation

The First Guess: Lotto Nation

Keith Olbermann addresses the thoughts behind our national insanity.

Multiply and Blogger

It seems that when I post into a group in Multiply, which I have to do because of privacy settings, the group posts post to Blogger. Does anyone know of a setting which can prevent this?

Easter

The time is coming when many Christians reminisce about the story of Jesus being imprisoned, beaten, hung on the cross, and dying. They will be internalizing the pain and suffering that he went through in order to fulfill prophecy and bring us salvation. How many, though, will be remembering his teachings and actions?

Yes, Jesus went through great torture and had a very painful, humiliating death. I know that violence sells, but let's think realistically here. If you were to make a great sacrifice for your fellow man though, would you want people to concentrate on your gruesome death or would you want them to remember how you lived and your efforts to teach them how to make life better for themselves and others? Would you want your friends to continually grieve over your death or would you want them to remember back on the good that you did?

Jesus was hated because he stood up for the poor, the downtrodden, and other outcasts of society and healed them... for free. He was hated for standing up to the rich and telling it to them straight, for exposing the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, and for driving out the money changers at the temple. He had compassion for the prostitutes and adulterers whom the religious wanted to stone to death. Jesus did these things, not only because his Father sent him to do it, but also because it was the right thing to do. He was aware enough to see what really drove man and to understand the depth of suffering that those who were less fortunate went through. Sadly, many don't consider these things during this period. Some also forget that it was his resurrection, in which he defeated death, that we are to remember.

Try to think about what you would like others to remember if you had made a great sacrifice for them and try to look upon your fellow man as Jesus instructed us to do. He asked that we not be greedy, that we treat others as we would like to be treated, not how they treated you, that we have compassion for others rather than jealousy over their possessions and their mates, that we give to the poor, that you heal the sick, that we not discriminate (Gentiles), that we be tolerant of other religions (Samaritans, who were part Jew and part Gentile but had another religion, and Greeks who worshiped many gods, for instance), and that we have love for all mankind as we love ourselves. Remember, he wouldn't even let Peter defend him when the guards came to take him to prison. When you're remembering him, don't you think he would want you to remember those things rather than his painful, humiliating death? Think about it.

Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Is With Us All,

Cal-el

Easter

The time is coming when many Christians reminisce about the story of Jesus being imprisoned, beaten, hung on the cross, and dying. They will be internalizing the pain and suffering that he went through in order to fulfill prophecy and bring us salvation. How many, though, will be remembering his teachings and actions?

Yes, Jesus went through great torture and had a very painful, humiliating death. I know that violence sells, but let's think realistically here. If you were to make a great sacrifice for your fellow man though, would you want people to concentrate on your gruesome death or would you want them to remember how you lived and your efforts to teach them how to make life better for themselves and others? Would you want your friends to continually grieve over your death or would you want them to remember back on the good that you did?

Jesus was hated because he stood up for the poor, the downtrodden, and other outcasts of society and healed them... for free. He was hated for standing up to the rich and telling it to them straight, for exposing the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, and for driving out the money changers at the temple. He had compassion for the prostitutes and adulterers whom the religious wanted to stone to death. Jesus did these things, not only because his Father sent him to do it, but also because it was the right thing to do. He was aware enough to see what really drove man and to understand the depth of suffering that those who were less fortunate went through. Sadly, many don't consider these things during this period. Some also forget that it was his resurrection, in which he defeated death, that we are to remember.

Try to think about what you would like others to remember if you had made a great sacrifice for them and try to look upon your fellow man as Jesus instructed us to do. He asked that we not be greedy, that we treat others as we would like to be treated, not how they treated you, that we have compassion for others rather than jealousy over their possessions and their mates, that we give to the poor, that you heal the sick, that we not discriminate (Gentiles), that we be tolerant of other religions (Samaritans, who were part Jew and part Gentile but had another religion, and Greeks who worshiped many gods, for instance), and that we have love for all mankind as we love ourselves. Remember, he wouldn't even let Peter defend him when the guards came to take him to prison. When you're remembering him, don't you think he would want you to remember those things rather than his painful, humiliating death? Think about it.

Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Is With Us All,

Cal-el

Easter

The time is coming when many Christians reminisce about the story of Jesus being imprisoned, beaten, hung on the cross, and dying. They will be internalizing the pain and suffering that he went through in order to fulfill prophecy and bring us salvation. How many, though, will be remembering his teachings and actions?

Yes, Jesus went through great torture and had a very painful, humiliating death. I know that violence sells, but let's think realistically here. If you were to make a great sacrifice for your fellow man though, would you want people to concentrate on your gruesome death or would you want them to remember how you lived and your efforts to teach them how to make life better for themselves and others? Would you want your friends to continually grieve over your death or would you want them to remember back on the good that you did?

Jesus was hated because he stood up for the poor, the downtrodden, and other outcasts of society and healed them... for free. He was hated for standing up to the rich and telling it to them straight, for exposing the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, and for driving out the money changers at the temple. He had compassion for the prostitutes and adulterers whom the religious wanted to stone to death. Jesus did these things, not only because his Father sent him to do it, but also because it was the right thing to do. He was aware enough to see what really drove man and to understand the depth of suffering that those who were less fortunate went through. Sadly, many don't consider these things during this period. Some also forget that it was his resurrection, in which he defeated death, that we are to remember.

Try to think about what you would like others to remember if you had made a great sacrifice for them and try to look upon your fellow man as Jesus instructed us to do. He asked that we not be greedy, that we treat others as we would like to be treated, not how they treated you, that we have compassion for others rather than jealousy over their possessions and their mates, that we give to the poor, that you heal the sick, that we not discriminate (Gentiles), that we be tolerant of other religions (Samaritans, who were part Jew and part Gentile but had another religion, and Greeks who worshiped many gods, for instance), and that we have love for all mankind as we love ourselves. Remember, he wouldn't even let Peter defend him when the guards came to take him to prison. When you're remembering him, don't you think he would want you to remember those things rather than his painful, humiliating death? Think about it.

Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Is With Us All,

Cal-el