Foodie Friday: Sweet Potato Bean Chili

If you don't know this about me yet, I am a huge foodie! My family started a pizza chain before I was born and then later on my parents opened a restaurant in Wichita Falls Texas. I spent a lot of time at the restaurant as well as in the kitchen cooking with my parents. I am always trying to create or adapt recipes to suit Josh and my taste. He is an onion hater, like an onion hater to the point that he will tell our server at a restaurant he is allergic to guarantee they will not put them in his food, kind of onion hater. This was a heartbreaking thing for me to learn as we first started dating because my base for 99% of my recipes started with onions and garlic. However, I learned to change my cooking methods to cater to his taste, while still allowing me get flavor in my food.

Cooking has always been something I have been confident doing. I am always proud of what I cook and I absolutely love to cook for others. Most other aspects of my life I am very timid when it comes to putting myself out there for judgement, but with cooking I do not feel that way.

I am going to try and share my favorite recipe that I made during the week on Friday's. I hope you enjoy & please share if you tried it and liked it or made any yummy changes.

My friends, family and I are always sharing recipes and I am constantly on Pinterest looking for great ideas. My sweet friend Carrie posted a picture of a Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili the other day that looked absolutely scrumptious. She sent me the recipe and I changed it up quite a bit because my pantry did not have most of what it called for, as well as I am a huge weenie when it comes to anything spicy.

Here is my recipe for a Sweet Potato Bean Chili

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 large onion (if you have a husband that will eat them I would add it!)

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons chili powder

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 dash of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chicken stock

1 beer (preferably a good yummy dark beer)

2 15 oz canned beans, rinsed (I used kidney and pinto but any would be delicious)

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1. Heat oil in pot over medium high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add stock and beer and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Add beans and tomatoes and increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

I served this with some cornbread that I squeezed about 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup in the batter. Oh so yummy!! It was even better for lunch the next day. =)

Baby Love

A few things that make me ooze with happiness about my little Pax:

Baby babble. I love his high pitched gasps, squeals and the dimpled smile I get when I talk to him. I know he is trying to say that I am the funniest and most awesome mama in the world.

The little peach haired, squishy tiny ears. Attached to the best round head ever (thanks to the c-section.) And although cradle cap isn't the most attractive thing, I love the monk inspired hairstyle he is rockin. Bald on the top with a thin layer of soft brown hairs all along the bottom.
Oh the belly button... or as Harper would say "butt butt". He has an outie which I have never thought to love before but now it is something that makes me smile. Best belly button ever!
Rolls on rolls on rolls. This boy is no stranger to loving him some milk. I can not imagine what it will be like when he starts on solids. He has a few chins, Michelin man arms and legs and I am pretty sure he has a neck somewhere...it has not made it's debut quite yet.

That mouth. Everything about that mouth is perfect. From the smiles, squeals, pouty faces to cries, he really knows how to make everything cute with those sweet little lips.
Last but not least his little button nose. It is round and it is perfect. I am pretty sure I kiss it a million times a day.

That is all. Nothing more. Basically I am in love with this little baby boy. Happy Monday!!

Dear Harper,

My dearest Harper,

This week has by far been the hardest week of my entire life. You are a sick little girl and it is breaking my heart. I have taken you to the doctor three times in four days and more and more things keep popping up. First it was the flu. Then it was the stomach flu along with an ear infection. Now it is RSV bronchiolitis along with the ear infection. You are having to do breathing treatments because you have not been receiving enough oxygen to your body because of this virus, and you absolutely hate them.

What I wanted to tell you was that I love you more than I thought it was humanly possible to love someone or something. To see your tears, your sad sleepy eyes and not having seen your smile in days is tearing me apart. I know this is not a major illness or anything that is life threatening but I can not imagine my life without you. You have taught me to be a better person and you have changed my entire perspective on life. I may not dress as "stylish" as I used to but all I want is to play with you around the house in our cozies. I may not vacation as often as I used to but I am so sad when I am not with you every day. I may not bring home a paycheck to help contribute to the bills but I would give up all the money in the world to simply spend time with you.

You have also made me love your dad more than I thought I could love my spouse. To see him care for you, play with you, and be an amazing example of what a husband should be to a wife makes me fall deeper and deeper in love with him every day.

I do not want you to grow up too fast. I want you to enjoy who you are, what you can do, and the things around you at every moment. It is easy to get wrapped up in what may be next but please stay a little girl as long as you can. I look forward to continuing our relationship as you grow. I can only hope you love me half as much as I love you. I can only pray that you grow up to have a relationship with me as I do with my mom. I know that she has taught me how to love, how to be selfless, and how to be the best mother that I can be. Thank you for being my daughter. I hope you feel better soon. Just know that your dad and I will be there for you with all the cuddles, kisses, hugs, and shoulders to cry on, and a listening ear for your entire life.

With all my heart,
mama