The nights have cooled, the leaves are changing and the toy sections in the stores have doubled in size.   It seems we have officially entered the last quarter of the year and the last three months in this decade!


While there is so much to love about autumn, being in the kitchen whipping up all the comfort foods is right there at the top of my list.  Soups, stews and slow cooked meals in the oven are among my favorites to make.  I put together a quick batch of chili over the weekend and the sizzle as the onion and bell pepper hit the pan nearly made me giddy.  It's amazing how many emotions are tied into cooking.  Certain aromas can take us down memory lane like nobodies business.


The wonderful thing about this kind of cooking is that it doesn't take much to throw it together.  All it takes are a few fresh ingredients, a little bit of prep work and an hour or two of cook time and you have something warm and satisfying on the table for your family to enjoy.  Add to it a fresh loaf of sourdough or french bread and you'll have them lingering at the table.


Here's my quick and easy take on Family Style Chili Beans.

Ingredients

One pound of ground meat (beef, turkey or sausage work fine)
Two 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I use pinto and kidney but black beans work great, too.)
Two 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 cup of instant rice
1/2 onion chopped coarsely
1 bell pepper chopped coarsely (any color will work)
2 or 3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 TBSP chili powder (to taste)
2 TBSP olive oil
Shredded Cheese for topping

Start by adding the oil to a dutch oven or sturdy soup pot along with the onions and bell pepper.  Cook until tender and add meat to brown (salt and pepper to taste) along with garlic.  Once the meat is browned drain any fat and return to the pot.  Add rinsed and drained beans and tomatoes including juice, along with two cans of water.  Add seasonings and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat and let simmer for 30 minutes minimum but up to an hour.  Add uncooked minute rice during last five minutes and cover with lid.  Serve in deep bowls and top with cheddar cheese.  Let cool a bit and enjoy!

XO, Patty

Here's a quick video tutorial for cooking Family Style Chili Beans.

It's that time of year when most of the garden has started to wane and the only plants left blooming are those flowers that can tolerate temperatures in the 90's and low 100's.  One of my favorite summer blooms that can do just that are zinnias.


Every spring I start several packs of seeds knowing that the time will come when all of the showy perennials will succumb to our Southern California heat and the garden will need a punch of color to carry me through until things perk back up in fall.


This year I reserved a few seeds to sow directly in the ground amongst my pumpkin vines and tomato plants in true cottage style.  It has been fun to see them pop up here and there in my little potager.  Not only do they look pretty but the pollinators love them and my veggies love the pollinators, so it is a definite win, win situation.


About the only drawback to planting zinnias is that they can be prone to powdery mildew so make sure you allow plenty of airflow to help hold it off as long as possible.  And be sure to discard the entire zinnia plant when you see signs of white on the leaves as it will spread to other zinnias in the area.


Given the fact that the seeds are inexpensive (even six packs of zinnia plants from the garden store only cost a few dollars), I know I will continue to plant them year after year.

What are some of your favorite heat tolerant cottage flowers?

xo, Patty

Here's the latest video of my cottage garden if you'd like to see the full tour...