OCTOBER ENDS WITH RAIN. WND AND COLD..LET'S STAY HOME

The month of October seems to have gone by
so quickly this year....
I cannot say the weather has felt like
those perfect autumn days, but...
you can actually feel cooler afternoons....
it is such a pleasant sight to see the leaves
begin to fall..... 

I only purchased one pumpkin this year and have

really enjoyed seeing it every day while

spending time by the pool...

And, I have so enjoyed my velvet pumpkins this year....
I think the blue ones are my all time favorites...

Now, this was a rare find....

this darling hand carved Pilgrim couple

which I found on Etsy

Strong storms were moving in on this Friday night,
so it was the perfect time to make Mother's chili...

Perfectly adorned with a dollop of sour cream and cheddar

I love this plate...and, I miss PIER ONE.....
the fact that they no longer exist makes
me treasure the plates I have all the more

A sweet ending of Carrot Cake with a lemon glaze

I am transitioning into Thanksgiving
and these are the linens I will be using

I love this neutral look as a compliment to my
woodland Thanksgiving china

I plan to treasure the days of November....

We will be hosting the Atlanta family this year and am so
looking forward to this...

These have been wonderful days,,,
Autumn is such a short season and
how wonderful to reflect and remember

CHILI MAC DINNER FOR A FALL KICKOFF

Good Morning Loves..
welcome back to Estelle's kitchen....
This season, plans are underway to celebrate
the Southern Harvest favorites....
serving delicious food is the perfect way to
showcase the splendor of the season~

Fall dinners are a bit hardy and offer comfort to those you love
after a day of school and work....let's make it pretty and delicious....
tonight on the menu is a spicy Chili Mac, Cornbread Muffins and Custard Pie!

What could be better than preparing a big pot of chili
in your favorite cast iron stockpot...
let the flavors marry as it simmers away for the afternoon.....

I am thrilled when I run across Blue Runner beans....
my parents would buy a case of these when
we would revisit New Orleans and shop at
Schwegmann's grocery....

Hearty and Spicy...
it's dining with design....

It's always great for your chili dinners to offer toppings
of shredded cheese, green onions, and sour cream!

Hot cornbread muffins are always served to 
accompany a bowl of chili...

and, who doesn't love a Custard Pie?

Let your autumn table settings inspire you to channel the season
and impress your guests at your next gathering!

 

 

DARN GOOD CHILI AND JALAPENO CORNBREAD...LET'S STAY HOME

Hello all you Kindred Spirits....
Winter did indeed arrive in Texas on January 2, 2022!
We actually had a night down in the teens, with
a cold wind blowing through the night air...
and a day of sunshine, but just barely above freezing!
So, it was a day to spend indoors and finish
putting away the Christmas décor and pack the tree
away for another year!

This is the time to hibernate and create a cozy
corner made for an afternoon of reading a good book,
sipping on hot tea and wrapping up in a cozy throw......

This is the Winter look on the Windsor chair.....

A small plate of sugar cookies and a slice of citrus....
I'm in heaven.......how perfect for Winter.......

To me, there is nothing more warm and cozy,
then a pot of chili simmering on the stove,
along with cornbread baking in the oven!
Call it pure comfort at home......

Sunday dinner is always about making it easy....
Making a box of Jiffy Cornbread into mini-muffins,
some topped with Jalapeno's extra special!

Dressing up a package of Bear Creek Darn Good Chili taste
homemade with seasoned ground chuck and lots of peppers and spices!

Garnished with sour cream, cheese and fresh green onions!
Oh boy....warms your heart and your tummy!

We're going to make 2022 a great year....y'all stay warm out there.......
thanks for stopping by today!

THE CHILI COOK-OFF

It was THE day of the CHILI COOK OFF!

We have been somewhat 

"adopted" by the beautiful friends

of Greg and Jenn's and all of their gatherings!

Last year, we attended their Progressive Dinner

and were now invited to the Chili Cook-Off!

Oh honey.....did the house smell good

with Greg's amazing

White Chicken Chili simmering away.....

it was so good to see the BoBo!

I am so proud of him....

he is a marvelous chef!

Their neighborhood transports you to a mountain

retreat feeling....all the homes are centered around

the winding lake which feeds into the Trinity River.

This is their sweet neighbors home which

is a custom built modern....Mark and Jamie,

who were hosting this fun event!

I will tell you, this is not a view

you have very often around here!

These views are just lovely....

a very unique house for sure!

I just love how they designed their kitchen.

This area is being hand built by both of them.

Mark plans to build a brewery house up there.

I believe there was a total of ten entries...

crockpots were hot and ready for tasting,

along with cornbread, onions, cheese, sour cream, crackers and Frito's!

This neighbor owns a bar/eating establishment in Fort Worth...

he made a Hatch Chili Stew....SPICY and DELICIOUS!

This is Miss Kennedy...

I voted her CUTEST KID EVER!

She gave me a science lesson on the care of turtles

found in the lake...she's one smart cookie!

This is EMMA....

who is a frail 16 years old!

She loves being carried all snug as a bug in her custom pouch!

Jamie is giving everyone tasting and voting instructions....

she is amazing...personality plus!

Some of the lovely neighborhood gang visiting with each other.....

Fun times.....

The taste testing was so much fun...and.....very filling!

Most everyone made a Frito pie after the contest was over...

me included!

First prize was the GOLDEN PLUNGER!

Mark's chili was voted first prize!

This was just a blast.....I think they plan to make this

an annual event....it's good to note

Mark's chili has been the winner twice!!!!

TURKEY CHILI

Well loves....
we are working our way toward
the Thanksgiving Day of 2016.
How the autumn sailed by, didn't it?
The Thanksgiving menu shopping will be underway
along with sprucing up the outdoors!
I am going to have this spicy Turkey Chili
in the crockpot to welcome
everyone home!
I wish you all a beautiful November weekend! 

TURKEY CHILI

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 pound ground turkey        

1 medium sized onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium sized green bell pepper, chopped

5 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

1 (16 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, undrained

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sea Salt to taste

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Tortilla chips

Enjoy!

In a large skillet, sauté onions, garlic, chopped plum tomatoes and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.

Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with cheddar cheese and sour cream and don’t forget the cornbread!