Tuesday at the Table

You know you're in for a good time when the name of the band is "The Stray Dogs." Better yet when the local high school principal is one of the lead singers. Actually, the event was a fundraiser for my coworker's son's senior grad night party. A bunch of us from work had met up at Big E Ales/Ellersick Brewing Co., a local brew-pub in our town - you know, to support the cause and all. Funny how even when the music is too loud to talk, the table is a great place when shared with {laughing, texting, singing} good friends.

I didn't come home with any new foodie tidbits, but did find some new tasty brew, and went hunting for my coworker's chili recipe, which I thought had beer in it. (See the connection there?) Well, it doesn't, but it is still our favorite chili these days, so I asked her if I could share her recipe.

                        Montana Gourmet Chili
(Recipe from Colleen Collins, originally from Joyce Jensen, Butte MT.) 

  1 lb.  ground beef
  1 lb.  pork sausage
  1 lb.  bacon cut up
  1 can  sliced mushrooms -- (4 oz.)
  1 large  onion diced
  1 green pepper diced
  4 cans  chili beans -- (15 oz.)
  1 quart  tomato juice
  2 cans  diced tomatoes -- (15 oz.)
  ½ t. salt
  1 t.  garlic powder
  1 t.  pepper
  1 t.  oregano
  1 t.  ground cloves
  1 t.  cinnamon
  1 t.  chili powder
  1 t.  cumin
  1 T.  sugar

Fry beef, pork, onion, and green pepper.  Fry bacon separately.  Drain fat from both.  In
8 qt. pan, mix all ingredients.  Simmer 2-3 hours.

And just in case you're not into the major pork in the above recipe, here's another tasty {Cooking Light} chili that daughter dear shared with me that does have that bottle of beer - Beef and Beer Chili.

Either way, I think you'll enjoy.