Sunday, July 5, 2020

Summer Slow Cooker Carne con Chili by guest auther Victoria Hamilton #giveaway


 
Today we're delighted to have  our good friend Victoria Hamilton join us with a tangy summer recipe and a giveaway to celebrate the release of the latest in the Lady Anne Addison Historical Mystery series. LADY ANNE AND THE MENACING MYSTIC is out this Tuesday! And she's celebrating with a $20 USD Amazon gift card! So, be sure to leave a comment for a chance to  win.

Summer is a time for cookouts, fire pits, barbecues, and… when it’s really hot, salad. Lots and lots of salad: pasta salad, five bean salad, green salad, and some pretty weird concoctions like a Thai noodle salad featuring peanut butter. But sometimes you need something that can be prepared ahead of time, that’ll be ready for dinner, and yet isn’t a salad. Enter… the slow cooker! Perfect when you want a hot meal (and maybe some leftovers) but don’t want to heat up the kitchen. I have a variety of these nifty appliances… four, to be exact, one ginormous one I haven’t used for a while; it was good for big pot lucks or family gatherings. And then three more: A large casserole style (pork ribs do well in it! It holds a full rack.); a smaller casserole style that’s good for almost everything else (especially smothered pork chops… yum!); and a medium sized upright… I think it’s 5 quarts.
That’s what I’m using today. I’m making my foolproof potluck-worthy Chili con Carne, as we used to call it in my house, which is just chili with meat. I call this one Carne con Chili because… well, it has a lot of meat.


Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 yellow/orange/red pepper (* if you don’t like peppers, you can omit them, or use something like diced celery instead. In fact you can add the diced celery too, if you’re of a mind!)
1 cup sliced cremini or other type mushrooms (optional)
1 pound ground beef
8 – 10 ounces mild Italian sausage
1 splootch minced garlic (never heard of a splotch? About a heaping tsp, then! I use a jarred variety that is in oil… simpler than chopping my own.)
796 ml or 28 oz can stewed tomatoes (you can substitute any canned tomato)
156 ml or 5 oz can tomato paste
398 ml or 14 oz  can Heinz Light Red Kidney beans rinsed and drained… (or two cans) more about these later…
1 – 2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp Old Bay (optional)
1 Glurg Worcestershire sauce (never heard of a glurg? About 2 tsps.)
1 – 2 tsp brown sugar (optional)
Sneaky addition: I also use a tablespoon or two of Clubhouse Spicy Spaghetti seasoning blend… it adds an herbal flavour that I like, but it is not necessary.
Toppings: Green onion, sour cream and/or grated cheddar cheese. I serve with whole grain Tostitos chips, using them like a spoon… yum!!


Method:
1 – In a sauté pan or frying pan put a few turns of olive oil, then sauté the onions, peppers, and mushrooms until the onions are translucent. Transfer the sautéed veggies into the slow cooker.
2 – Put another turn or two of olive oil into the frying pan, and sauté the Italian sausage and ground beef until there is no pink left. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
*Note… you can sauté the veggies and meat the night before and keep them in containers in the fridge; the next day it is simplicity itself to just dump them in the slow cooker and proceed to #3…
3 – Open cans: I use stewed tomatoes (I prefer the depth of flavor in stewed tomatoes compared to just canned tomatoes) and cut them myself into pieces because I like control over the size of the tomato chunks. But there is no reason on earth you couldn’t use a can of diced tomatoes and just throw them in to save time. The tomato paste is non-negotiable; it gives a richness to the chilli that can’t be beat. Now, the kidney beans… I use Heinz Light Red kidney beans; I have to buy them on Amazon because our grocery stores don’t stock them! They are the tenderest beans I’ve ever eaten. If you think you don’t like red kidney beans, try these. You could add two cans of these beans if you wanted to extend the chili to feed more. Do rinse the beans in cold water before adding to the chili.
4 – Add these next 3 ingredients: chili powder, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce. Also add, if you are going to use it, the Clubhouse Spicy Spaghetti seasoning.
5 - Mix it all up, and put your slow cooker on high for 3 hours or so, then low for another couple of hours. Stir occasionally, but not too often. This is how I do it, but you could probably put it on low for the whole time and it would be fine… all of the ingredients are pre-cooked, after all. You have to know your slow cooker; some run hotter than others!
6 - Taste near the end! This is when you can add more Old Bay, or chili powder, and some salt and pepper. I don’t do salt near the beginning; close to the end of cooking time you can tell how much it needs. Quite likely, none. This is also when you add the brown sugar if you feel that the tomato taste is too sharp; this is definitely optional, and you may not feel it necessary.
Serve it up in a bowl with the toppings on the side! Set it out with a big bowl of the corn chips, or slices of fresh buttered bread.
Serves many… at least 6, maybe more. You’ll have leftovers… or plan-overs, as some cooks call them. This chili is dynamite reheated, or you can make chili dogs, or it would be so good on baked potatoes! It freezes pretty well too.






Enjoy!
~::~
GIVEAWAY! Comment here to be entered to win a $20 USD Amazon gift card. Tell me your go-to summer dish, or your tips for chili! Contest open to all commenters internationally. Please leave a first name and your email address ( youremailname (at) yourserver (dot) com ) in your comment!
~::~
Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic:
#4 in the bestselling Lady Anne Addison Historical Mystery series.
Fans of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries will love this all-new Lady Anne Addison Mystery from Victoria Hamilton . . .
While in Bath preparing for her upcoming marriage to Lord Darkefell, Lady Anne learns of a profoundly accurate mystic working in town whose uncanny predictions have stunned the gullible and the skeptical alike. Certain there’s a harmless rational explanation for the medium’s supposed otherworldly abilities, Anne’s tolerance turns to defiance when the seer’s dark pronouncements begin having a decidedly harmful affect on her friends—and a troubled local vicar takes his own life.
Convinced that the woman is orchestrating a devious scheme, Anne begins to suspect that she’s working in league with a shrewd newcomer who’s attached himself to many of the town’s wealthy widowers. As she navigates the swirling rumors of Bath society to confirm her suspicions and unmask the charlatans for what they are, she discovers that the treacherous conspirators are plotting to make her own future very dark—and very short-lived . . . 

Praise for the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries:
“If you are looking for a historical mystery with romance, suspense, and a suggestion of paranormal, then read Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark.” —Fallen Angel Reviews
“[Hamilton] excels at imbuing her realistic characters with subtle depths . . .” —American Library Association
“[The author] has set up a well-drawn Gothic horror setting here, so the atmosphere is fantastic, what with it being chilling, mysterious, and menacing all at once.” —Mrs. Giggles



Author Victoria Hamilton Biography

Victoria Hamilton is the national bestselling author of four mystery series: the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries; the Merry Muffin Mysteries; the Lady Anne Addison Historical Mysteries and the Gentlewoman's Guide Regency Mysteries.

Victoria loves to read, especially mystery novels, and enjoys good tea and cheap wine, the company of friends, and has a newfound appreciation for opera. She enjoys crocheting and beading, but a good book can tempt her away from almost anything… except writing!

She now happily writes about vintage kitchen collecting, muffin baking and dead bodies – among other mysterious topics - for publisher Beyond the Page.

Visit Victoria’s website and sign up for her newsletter! 


Victoria Hamilton Social Media Links
Gentlewoman’s Guide & Lady Anne Addison Historical Mystery Series: https://www.facebook.com/GentlewomansGuideMysteries/
Twitter: @MysteryVictoria https://twitter.com/MysteryVictoria


82 comments:

  1. A favourite summer dish is grilled chicken fresh off the bbq on a Caesar salad. Delish! Roswita roswita.hildebrandt (at) gmail (dot) com

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    Replies
    1. How do you grill your chicken, and is it chicken on the bone? I always have trouble with the timing of that...

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  2. A great summer dish is brats. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  3. Favorite summer dishes include fresh sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumbers in sour cream. When we can we grill hot dogs and hamburgers. My chili is simple: brown 1 lb hamburger, drain off fat, add 1 fifteen ounce can of tomato sauce, 1 pkg chili mix, 1 can chili beans and cook until heated through. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOVE tomatoes when they are local and fresh... a toasted sandwich with green onions... yum!

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  4. Here we do a lot of cold foods or meals you can make on the stove, to avoid heating up the house too much. Hamburgers, sandwiches, casserole (we make it in a pot on the stove, very rarely do we make something in a casserole dish).
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes for dinner just a bacon and tomato sandwich is delish!

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  5. I love my crockpot, and I use it all the time. I have to try this recipe, thank you for sharing! I love shrimp and kebobs done on the barbecue grill during the summer. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  6. Our go to summer dish is taco salad. It's easy to make a small batch for just hubby and myself or a larger batch to bring to a picnic. It's just onions, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, seasoned taco meat, taco cheese, noodles, and Western dressing.

    And I love my slow cooker use it at least once a week. We make a meal called Sr. Beef which is just a pork butt roast and 1 jar of pickles in the cooker on slow for 6-8 hours (until it's fork tender/falling apart) and then we use the Sr. Beef (even though it's pork... but you could use a beef roast) on tacos, on top of noodles or salad... or whatever else your imagination can think of!

    kimheniadis at gmail dot com

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  7. My favorite summer dish is salmon on the grill with grilled veggies. So tasty and lovely. Thanks. Anne. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. Bruschetta, chopped salad and smoked salmon are delightful, refreshing and cool for the hot summer. Ellie. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. OMG... LOVE Bruschetta... I shared my recipe here once... maybe last year?

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  9. In my wanderings for cool meals on hot days - I recently found Napa Cabbage wraps, you can fill it with anything you like :-) Ilona ilona(at)davisbunch(dot)net

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  10. My favorite summer to go dish is a pasta salad that I make. It’s refreshing on a hot summer day and can be used as a main dish or a side depending on what ingredients you use. Mine is never the same way twice cause it depends on what veggies are in season or on hand vernamgass@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pasta Salad is my go-to as well... I've started making a tortellini pasta salad... so good!

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  11. usually burgers on the grill with corn and potatoes grilled also. thanks for the chance. Lynn jlb12563@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, grilled potatoes sound good... I love potatoes.

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  12. Some unsweetened chocolate (powder or bar) adds a subtle depth to the flavor.
    "1 splootch minced garlic (never heard of a splotch?"
    Is it a splootch or a splotch? I want to get my terminology straight!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net
    Libby

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  13. My tips for chili cooking is to use a high quality lean ground beef so the the spices go into the meat and not the fat, and after you put everything in put the pot on simmer for awhile.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  14. My favorite summer side is potato salad!
    Sandy kittylady4@verizon.net

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  15. Oh my gosh that chili looks delicious! I love to use the slow cooker in summer and one of my family's favorites is green chili pork stew. I prefer it in winter, but my family wants it all year long.

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  16. I always add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to enhance flavor.

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  17. To thicken my chili I use Wheat Chex cereal
    My favorite summer recipe is for a fruit salad using melons, berries and grapes.
    jwisley(at)aol(dot)com

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  18. Your chili sounds very interesting! My secret ingredient is white vinegar! I like to use 3 or 4 different kinds of beans. Usually Kidney, Black and Pinto. Thanks for the chance! Alma almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)net

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  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  20. I love chicken salad in the summer.
    Jana turtle6422 at gmail dot com

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  21. I love making a broccoli & cheese casserole. Thanks for your great generosity. lindamay4852@yahoo.com

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  22. London broil is my go to summer dish. Leftovers are good as sandwiches or on salad.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  23. I never dreamed of adding bay seasoning, I need to try that!! Mmmmm!!
    lindalou64(@)live(dot) com

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  24. I love anything with kidney beans in it,so chili is always good. Taco salad (with kidney beans of course) or bbq chicken salad and sweet corn are also favorites. Plus lots of fruit and tomatoes. I live in Minnesota so I love when summer finally arrives.
    clugston.kathy@yahoo.com

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  25. Pasta salad is my go-to summer dish. Quick and easy to make. It has been a while since I've had chili, and I've never tried making it myself. Marla: mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  26. Cold tuna casserole celery onions noodles tuna mayonnaise thank you for the chance your chili sounds delicious. Donakutska7@gmail.com

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  27. I love chili any time of the year. Your recipe sounds amazing. I really like grilled vegetables, especially asparagus, on the grill. Thanks for the chance.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  28. I have the book on pre-order already!!!! Thanks for the giveaway and the great recipe!!!!!😍 My boyfriend hates beans, so I sustitute black olives in place of the beans in chili they are not salty and tend to take on the flavor of the chili.
    bcollin981(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. chinese chicken salad. or if we're feeling lazy, store bought ice cream.
    wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  30. We don't eat pork or beef, but plant based blts in the summer are great. Paired with potato salad, evrn better.
    browninggloria(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  31. Heirloom tomato and burrata salad is a summer favorite.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  32. I have been using the slow cooker a lot this year. I got a Ninja 4-in-1 a couple of Christmases ago and it's great because you can brown the meat or sauce the vegetables and then switch to slow cook. All chili is good chili! My granddaughter has just started making a killer chicken chili. Congrats on the release and thanks for the giveaway. Sally
    sallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. I must confess, I have never made chili from scratch - but this sounds great so maybe I'll get brave and try it. I'm really interested in your smothered pork chop recipe! My go-to meal in summer is anything that I can grill outside. Thank you for the giveaway! Cindy cindystamps(at)juno(dot)com

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  34. My favorite summer dish is simple. I use Oscar Meyer's turkey sliced that comes in a package. I usually put mayonnaise or honey mustard on the turkey. I have mashed potatoes and some apple sauce,too.
    MarionMPC[at]aol[dot]com

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  35. I always like to have ham and cheese sandwiches with apple juice. It is a refreshing meal and no cooking required.
    JoanEC128[at]aol[com]

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  36. My go-to summer dish is an orzo salad with cucumbers, chopped red onion, feta cheese, and chopped mint. I dress it with olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. My husband loves it. Thanks for the chance to win! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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  37. My choice for a summer meal is a hamburger or frankfurter on bread or a bun. I like to add ketchup,mustard ,relish and or a dill pickle. I usually toast the bun or bread.
    MarilynDKC[at]aol[dot]com

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  38. Wow...summer means fresh ripe fruit and melons...so anything along those lines. As for chili, my go to is California Chili powder. Fortunately, I am able to order online these days. everytime the adult children are here, they manage to get some to take home with them. As a child, my mom stretched the chili to feed all 7 of us young ‘uns, by fixing spaghetti or macaroni noodles, draining, and giving us our individual bowls with the chili on top of the noodles.

    I don’t add flavoring for my spaghetti sauce into my chili, but I add California chili into my spaghetti....

    LaFonRC(at)aol(dot)com.

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  39. This looks like an easy and delicious recipe for chili. Here's my tips for chili! Make a gigantic batch of chili and use it in many different ways. After you finish cooking the chili, divide it into meal size portions for your family and freeze half the batch after it has cooled. (That way you do not get over chili-fied all at once.) Keep several portions in the refrigerator to use that week. 1. Eat a bowl of chili with your preferred fixin's. 2.Fix a green salad and serve warmed chili on top. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. 3. Serve chili on top of macaroni or rice. 4. Spoon warmed chili on top of tortilla chips and fixin's for chili nachos. 5. Take a larger than lunch size individual bag of corn chips and split bag down the long side. Pour in some warmed chili and top with shredded cheese and onions. Mix well, and eat. Hey Ma. no dishes to wash! That old standard is Texas Chili Frito Pie. 6. Use chili on top of hot dogs 7. Make a chili dog casserole. In a greased casserole pan layer chopped hot dogs, chili, cheese, onions, mustard, ketchup, dill relish, kraut, etc. - whatever you like. Heat in oven until cooked and warmed through and enjoy!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  40. I like to make pasta salad. Rigatoni, black olives, marinated artichokes, blanched broccoli, diced meat (ham, salami, pepperoni, whatever you would like), diced mozzarella cheese, zesty Italian dressing, and whatever else I feel like throwing in. I usually refrigerate it overnight before serving.

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  41. Never like chili. It's just me so I fix what ever is easiest. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

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  42. The summer for us means lots of grilling and steak is number one. We also grill veggies along with them. Easy and so tasty. Corn grilled is another biggy. I love chili and have to have beans in it. Thanks for the recipe and the chance to win. kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  43. My go to summer dish is always fruit salad. Thanks for the chance to win!
    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

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  44. I love the fresh fruits and vegetables in the summer. Anything with zucchini

    kaye.killgore(at)comcast(net)

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  45. We grill chicken, pork, or steak kebabs and have it over salad with cut up fruit on the side. Light and refreshing.

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  46. Leslie:
    My summer go-to dish is my mashed potato salad.My tip for chili is to brown the hamburger, then pur it into a strainer to drain the grease. Rinse it with hot water.
    leslieannstevenson@yahoo.com

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  47. My go-tos in the summer are Chinese cole slaw or tuna pasta cold salad.

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  48. Forgot to give my email and to say I love your chili recipe—I’ve never made it in the crock pot. Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com

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  49. My go-to summer meal is chili dogs with Fritos because if someone isn't in the mood for a chili dog, they can have Frito pie instead or vice versa. And always there's watermelon for dessert.

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  50. Sounds delicious.dr(dot)oldsmobileaticloud(dot)com

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  51. I use beef and turkey mix to make it more healthy.

    dianemestrella at gmail dot com

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  52. I'm in assisted living now so I no longer cook.

    kpbarnett1941(at)aol(dot)com

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  53. My summer go-to meals have always included gazpacho, fresh fruit, cold salads with or without a protein in or on them, and lots of fresh veggies and herbs. I also use the slow-cooker and/or the IP once or twice a week. We grill when it's not too hot (today's heat index was 107 and now it's raining) and we love everything grilled: meats, corn on the cob, veggies and fruit like pineapple or peaches/nectarines,yum! When in doubt, a BLT with fresh tomatoes is always a hit. lola777_22 at hotmail dot com

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  54. I love a good chicken salad with apples, grapes, and pecans. Carol centraleast2 at gmail dto com

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  55. I don’t have a favorite go-to. We had chili over rice for dinner tonight!
    Dm _ Richards (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  56. Interesting recipe. I've never seen a chili recipe with Italian sausage before. Or any sausage. To be healthier now, I use about 3 cans (1 lb. dried) beans to 1 pound meat. I also love to add tons of toppings at the table, more pepper and onions, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, green olives, tortillas chips, etc.

    I don't have any special summer dishes though I do tend to eat more fruits and raw veggies since their at their peak then.


    Anne, acm05atjuno.com

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  57. We eat LOTS of taco salads during the summer. Easy to make and we love to have fresh, garden tomatoes on them!! bentleyboy22(at)comcast(dot)net

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  58. chicken sausages on grill with a salad jcook22@yahoo.com

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  59. Always bring a tricolor cold pasta with zesty Italian dressing. Thanks for the chance.
    Jess
    maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  60. I don’t have a go-to summer dish, unless ice cream counts! I don’t usually make chili but in the winter I sometimes make Cholent, which is a Jewish type of chili.
    Michelle meeshpsych@aol.com

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  61. I love tomatoes on bread.
    reginekarpel@gmail.com

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  62. I am looking forward to trying the recipe.

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  63. I like the recipe. I shall try it
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  64. Dmskrug3@hotmail.comJuly 6, 2020 at 1:20 PM

    Hubby smokes brisket often and has started putting it in chili (he also adds a bit of cocoa powder with all of the other spices). We eat a lot of chef, taco,and other salads in the summer. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3 at hotmail dot com

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  65. This recipe looks very good! I like the options you have put in. I like BLT's in the summer. It will be a bit before my tomatoes are ripe. Can't wait!
    Elaine
    ElaineE246 at msn dot com

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  66. Thank you all so very much for all of your tips and comments... I read each and every one, and will be using some of your hints in my cooking. I have chosen and emailed the winner, so... thanks again, everyone!

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