Neil Diamond's in the House!

I've got Neil Diamond to set the tone. September Morn's playing in the background.

I've got all the ingredients in place.

Browning the meat in red pepper oil and a bit of red wine. Oh, I wish you could smell the aroma.

The onions, pasilla peppers, red chili peppers, chipotles, garlic and chicken broth are boiling and filling the house with such a fragrant air. I'm a little sad thinking there's no one here to enjoy this waft of all these smells floating through the air with me.

Oops. Guess I'm not alone. Here comes Sparky to enjoy the smells with me. His favorite place is in the kitchen when I'm cooking. He's sort of like my cooking mascot.

Once the broth has boiled and simmered for a short time, it's time to puree' it in the blender. Then I add the meats and beans. This is what the finished product looks like. The broth was very thick, rich, creamy and SPICY! I didn't get a picture of the complete serving, but serve with a dallop of sour cream, pepper jack and/or swiss cheese and chopped cilantro.

No longer alone, friends came to join me for a tasting of the Smoky BBQ Chili. My good friends Nancy and Chris listening to my very engaging stories about what type of wild animal I would own if I could own one, what my favorite smell in the world was, and what movie(s) could I watch over and over again. Not necessarily "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy", but no doubt my friends were riveted nonetheless.

Sparky listening to my very engaging story thinking, "You'd better not bring a black panther in here. I'll have him for lunch!"

Sparky in his second favorite spot. My lap. My good friend Connie was sort of pushed aside by Sparky. But, then he eventually pushed me aside and wanted to be in Connie's lap next. What a lucky dog he is!

Nancy and Chris feeling very detoxified after the Smoky BBQ Chili which is spicy enough to sweat out even the evilest of toxins from one's body. Marianne's not picture here, but she joined us for dinner as well. We had a great time and will be fixing it up, feasting, chatting, watching movies, and just doing what friends do again very soon. Tomorrow I'll finish the book study of True Love.