It's the most wonderful time of the year!

No...I am not blogging about Christmas in early September....that would be strange! I am blogging about the beginning of FALL!!!!!!!! I love this time of the year - for so very many reasons and I would like to share some of the tops of my fall charts with you!  These are in an order that makes sense for one leading to another...not order of importance.

1- College Football, I love watching College football with family and friends. This past weekend my son and I were able to go to watch the Cornhuskers first home game, thanks to my brother-in-law for getting his hands on some tickets! Tailgating, great food, Husker beat down...awesome times.  Had I not been at the game I would have enjoyed watching it on TV with family and friends while eating Chili!

2- Chili - I make the world's greatest Chili...(in my mind) ... Lots of Beans!

1-lb. of Ground beef - Get some thing a little fatty 80/20
1 - medium onion - diced
3-6 cloves of garlic - chopped
1- red bell pepper - diced
15 oz can of Bush's Chili Beans in sauce
16 oz can of Bush's Chili Magic - chili starter
15 oz can of Black Beans - drained
15 oz can of Dark Red Kidney beans  -drained
1 - Habanero pepper finely chopped (optional- only if you like hot chili)
46 oz can of Campbell's Tomato Juice
2 T - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Spices to use to your taste -
Salt
Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Cayenne Pepper

Put olive oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, peppers, and ground beef. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Continue to cook until onion and peppers become soft and hamburger is 80% done, then add chopped garlic. Cook until the rest of the meat is browned out. Drain fat and oil. Add all of the beans, hamburger mix, and tomato juice to stock pot. Season to taste...bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer until half time, stirring occasionally!
You can make a vegan alternative by not using hamburger ... Just add an extra can of beans, I used navy beans!

Garnishes -
Sour Cream
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Frito's orignal corn chips

3 - Pro Football- Nothing better than coming home from church on Sunday crawling back into bed with Renee and watching afternoon games before going to ILA on Sunday nights. Following favorite players (and even some I don't like) for fantasy football stats.

4 - High School Football - I enjoy going to games for our kid's school. Caleb plays in the band, Faith sits with her friends. I get to talk about football with friends and parents. My co-worker is the head coach for the cheerleaders - (most of them I have worked in drama with) so I like to root for them and use my big drama voice to cheer with them.

5 - Drama - It is time for One Act competition! I love working with young students, encouraging them in their gifts and seeing how far they can grow and be pushed to put on a wonderful show!

6- Weather/ bonfires - The cooler weather is fantastic.... especially when enjoying a bonfires/ fire-pit with friends and family. S'mores and conversations around a the dancing flames, smelling like a fire when you go back inside....love it!

7- Sweet treats! This is the best time of the year for certain types of sweets/ treats!
        * Candy Corn and Dry Roasted Peanuts

        * Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

        * Caramel Apple Suckers
 

    * Pumpkin- anything!!!!! Bread, cookies, muffins, bagels , Eisenstein Bagel Bros. smear!

8- Relief for Caleb and Renee- one other thing the weather allows (when the first freeze comes) is relief for Renee and Caleb from the onslaught of allergies and pollen they have been dealing with the past months!

I LOVE FALL!