I was going to share my favoritest chili recipe. I know I already shared the chicken chili, but this one has red meat, but it will have to wait.

I would like a mulligan. A do over. My day back. Yesterday sucked.

First, Stephen found out that one of his closest childhood friends very unexpectedly passed. He honestly scared the hell out of me, because he found out while I was napping and when he woke me up, after I told him that I didn't want to move because I was warm. He'd just gotten off the phone with his friend's mom, and I'm sure you guys can fill in the blanks.

During dinner we got a call from my dad and were told that our last remaining dog from childhood, Rascal, had passed last night. Rascal was 16 or 17 years old. He was such a character. Total goofball. He will be missed.

I had an idea that maybe some great prose would sprout and I'd at least be able to leave you guys with a thoughtful and meaningful ending to this very uncharacteristic post, but I don't have it.

I'm sorry guys, but I'll be back tomorrow with some happiness. For now I need to figure out if I need to change weekend plans.

Much love and happiness to all of you. Give those you love gigantic hugs.

So as any Mom knows, sometimes common foods get simple names. Other times we rename foods so that the kids will eat them because of association. Last week we had Cherry Cheese Blintzes, but Dev has no idea what a blintz is so I told him we were having cherry pancakes with icing. He was super excited for them and ate two of them! This is what Moms do. So when I wanted  to have Banana Fritters later that same week, I told him they were Iced Banana Donuts. He was excited.....until he ate one. He did not like the lemon icing. Oh well, at least he liked the banana fritter donut. :)  So here's what I am sharing with y'all today. I hope you enjoy.

This recipe is from a cookbook that my mother-in-law gave Steve and I when we were just starting out. It's called Pass the Plate. It's by an Episcopal church down in NC circa 1981. This particular recipe was submitted by Annie Kinsey Whitford.

I hope that everyone had a terrific Halloween. We sure did! Stephen and I are now enjoying candy. Not Dev's candy as I think he's probably taken a tally of his take, but Harrison's. He doesn't mind. :)

Here's all of us in our costumes.