Runners Gonna Run

I'm going to need you to cue up the theme from Rocky while you read this. Got it?  Good.

Last Saturday, we strapped on our sneakers and hit the pavement for a 5K.  And we ran.  RAN.  Let me just go ahead and tell you that I don't do that.  Don't.  Like, eva. But I did it on Saturday.

And I did it largely (Ok, let's try almost completely) because my sister was right beside me the whole way telling me that we could do it.  Crazy thing: we could.  And did.  Nothing stopped us.

Not the cold.
Who needs to feel their fingers? 

Not the fact that I needed to pee about a quarter mile in.
Really, every tree and overgrown area looked like prime real estate to me. 

Not even all those voices in our own minds telling us to stop, that we couldn't, that it was OK if we didn't.
Because, really, it would have been OK if we didn't.  

But we did.

There is no part of me that liked running.  There is no part of me that thinks running is all that much fun or a good time or something I just can't do without.  But, I will tell you this: when I got to that finish line, and I knew that I had not stopped running from the time I had started until I had reached 3.1 miles, it was the best feeling ever.

Like, eva.

My legs may have felt like they could no longer support my body weight, and I may have had a strong urge to hurl, but I was also enveloped with such euphoria that it's pretty hard to put it into words.  I felt so good.  And I don't think that word is too simple to use here.  It. Felt. Good.

I grinned all day.  That is, until that euphoria wore off and the tops of my legs began to hurt so badly I could barely bend them to sit down.  Getting in and out of the car that night was quite the challenge and the way I backed into all my evening's seating choices looked much like it did when I was extremely pregnant.

But that's how it goes.  Or so I've been told.  Apparently, the way to avoid feeling like that is to run more.  More, they say!  More often.  Longer distances.  More.

Meh, we'll see.

I think I'll give it a go.  Why not?  It seems I've already shown that I can.

-Jess

Baby, It's Cold Outside...so eat chili!

It's crazy cold right now.  And nothing goes with crazy cold like the warm goodness of chili. There are about one million (give or take a thousand) chili recipes readily available via the internet, Pinterest or your mama.

When I went looking for one the other day I got a tad overwhelmed by all the choices.  I'm not really a multiple choice kind of gal. Too many options is not good for me--no matter what I'm trying to choose.  Just ask my husband about my panic at trying to navigate the lengthy Made-to-Order Menu at Sheetz.  

Full.  Mental.  Meltdown.  Seriously, it gets ugly, folks.

But back to chili.  

After spending far too much time looking through too many online recipes and perfectly wonderful blogs about the yummy goodness that is your basic chili recipe, I decided to go rogue and create my own.  I took some things I liked from several I'd seen, some things I already had on hand, and the rest I got from raiding the canned veggie aisle.  Yes, canned.  And preferably pre-seasoned.  I live for ease.  Live. For. It. 

The result was really stinking good.  The only bad thing?  We could have fed a small army.  The recipe below is just as I made it.   If you're don't need a large quantity, or don't do so well with leftovers, just cut it back some.  

*Recipe notes at bottom 

Jessica's Slow Cooker Chili 

(When you make up your own, you name gets to go in the title.  

It's the little things.) 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey meat, browned & drained
• Medium Onion
• 1.5 Tablespoons Chili powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon Black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 Oz. can Mild Rotel, drained
• 15 Oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 15 Oz. can corn, drained
• 15 Oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
• 29 Oz. can tomato sauce (I used Hunt's Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
• 14.5 Oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (I used Del Monte Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
• 16 Oz. can chili beans in mild sauce, NOT drained
• 6 Oz. tomato paste (I used Contadina brand with Roasted Garlic) 
• 1/2 a 14.5 can of Beef Broth 

Combine everything into your slow cooker and give it a good stir.  Let it heat on Low for 6-8 hours.  Eat up!!  

Notes:

• This chili is not overly "meaty" and could easily go all-veggie.  In fact, I think that's how I will make it next time.  
• Speaking of the meat, the beef broth gives it a heartier flavor, which is nice seeing as ground turkey can be rather, well, bland.  
• There is absolutely no reason to add salt.  Do not do it.  'Kay?
• Confession:  My spice measurements may be a tad off.  Or I could have lied completely.  Basically, I shake those little containers until I like what I see.  Feel free to do the same.  

I hope you enjoy!! 

Sorry there's no picture.  But I'm pretty sure most of you know what chili looks like.  I will have a post coming up in a few days about stuffed sweet potatoes.  Complete with a picture to make your mouth water.  

-Jessica