Nothing to cry about.

Yesterday was a really tough day. I cried during Morning Edition on my commute, I fought back tears during a health insurance update meeting, then let them flow into my leftover chili at the picnic tables at lunch with my workmates, then some more in the car on my way home, and again after I got home. While I have mentioned that I am well in touch with my emotional mechanizations, especially when it comes to periodic blubberings, this was neither welcomed or expected. Or at all possible to control.

There is something wrong and yet there is absolutely nothing wrong. My life is so right, I don’t even know how to adequately tell you.

Sure, hearing one more news report on the presidential campaigns could send a person wailing and begging for it to end. And learning that my medical coverage is about to change in a most uncomfortable and inconvenient way could make me sob in self-pity. But the chili I had at lunch was not sad at all. I made it and it was delicious. And heading to my comfortable abode after a long day usually makes me howl in joy. Being there is even better.

So I don’t know what that was/is about. And, for you ladies out there, I don’t think it was the usual suspect (though it could be an accomplice...)

For now, I’ll just move forward and try to keep a dry eye while I write out my recipe for that amazing chili I made. The idea to use andouille instead of my standard pulled pork or shredded beef was inspired.

Here's what you need:

1 pound of cured andouille sausage (about three links)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Hungarian wax pepper, chopped
1 cherry bomb pepper, chopped
2 pimiento peppers, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 32 oz. jar of tomato juice
1 cup of chicken stock
About 2 cups of water; more as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1 can of pinto beans, rinsed
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 cup of red wine
Big splash of balsamic vinegar

Here's what to do:

Remove the sausage from the casings and crumble into a skillet. It's already cooked, but sauteing it brings out the flavor and also crispifies it nicely. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic and cook on medium until vegetables are soft.

Transfer this mixture to a large saucepot and add the next 10 ingredients. Stir and simmer for about 1½-2 hours, stirring regularly and adding water to keep it liquefied.

Time to taste! At this point, I almost always find it wanting something, and add salt and pepper, plus a little red wine and balsamic vinegar. Example amounts are listed above.

Cook for another 20-30 minutes and serve. A little queso fresco makes a nice add.

 Oh, and that's what this was, by the way.