As Valentines Day approaches I've been thinking back to my first date with my then to-be Husband.  Since we are Foodies it probably won't surprise you to learn that we cooked on our first date.  In fact, we cooked chili and it was his idea.  This said, it’s fitting that this weekend, just before Valentines Day, we made chili.

Many things have changed since we made chili on that first date.  For one, we no longer live in Buffalo, NY which means we have access to a much wider range of food.  Yet, perhaps for sentimental reasons, we still make the same basic recipe we made nearly 20 years ago on our first date. The "recipe" uses a chili mix called “Carol Shelby's Chili Kit”  which contains a “secret” blend of spices to produce a Texas flavored chili.  Amazingly this chili kit is not only still available but we've been able to find it throughout the past 20 years in Buffalo, Houston and now California.  We make a custom version of the chili that includes ground beef, ground turkey (a recent poke at a healthier chili), diced tomatoes, and kidney beans.  We also cook the chili a lot longer than the mixes suggested 15 minutes.  Still, the chili tastes much better the second day. 

Once the chili is prepared another series of traditions begins.  The chili must be accompanied by Round Yellow Corn Chips, cheddar cheese, and beer!  The corn chips are used to scoop out chili, although we also use a spoon it’s not as much fun.  The cheddar cheese gets sprinkled on top and the beer - well that one’s probably pretty clear it washes down the chili and cools off the palate.  After a meal or two of chili this way the tradition then progresses one step further with the addition of elbow macaronis - and yes they must be elbows left over penne simply will not do.  Why add macaroni?  Well, when you make a double batch of chili but only have two people to share it you can quickly become tired of chili.  Adding the macaroni transforms the chili into a somewhat different dish which means I can handle eating it a few more days.

It’s funny how traditions become traditions.  We don't make chili very much anymore but every time we do I remember back to that first date and get just a little teary eyed (ok so maybe the half dozen onions we put in the chili help) thinking just how important cooking and food has been in my life....

Hope ya’ll enjoy Valentines Day!