Are you "man enough" for my white chili?

(We'll just see about that!)

I was wondering -- Do you ever get bored with the same ol' pinto-bean/hamburger/tomato-based chili? I do. My guys do. That's why we "invented" our brand of WHITE CHILI.

Start with a pork roast. I just toss mine in the crockpot during the summer. (And yes, it is still frozen... it's called "not planning ahead"...)

I season it with just a tiny little bit of kosher salt & some fresh-ground black pepper.

When it's done, I take it out to cool.

I chop it into bite-size pieces & remove excess fat.

Pour a little milk over it and roast in the oven until it's a little crispy & brown. (Yup -- kinda like carnitas...)

I hope you didn't pour off the drippings from that slowcooker!

I toss my beans & appropriate amount of water to cook.

When the beans are starting to soften, I add my other ingredients.

My two must-haves are green enchilada sauce

and lotsa garlic.

I often sauté an onion (this time I was out, so I just used dried) and add a little fresh cilantro. (Didn't have any of that, this time, either... like I said, plan ahead!) Sometimes we've been known to kick-it-up-a-notch by adding fire-roasted green chiles!

I simmer this for a bit to get those flavors dancin' & singin' together.

My favorite garnish is a sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese. (Sour cream would add a creamy dimension, if you're into that sorta thing...)

 My boys love some sliced black olives on theirs.
Hubs likes his with a side of warm tortilla chips.

I'm linking this post to

just another baby quilt...

My cousin & his wife just had their first baby last week. She is an adorable cherub!

I'd been wishing to try a little "whole-cloth" quilting +  I had some new designs I needed to use = o.p.p.o.r.t.u.n.i.t.y.

I chose these animal designs for their simplistic nature.

I embroidered 9 animals on my peach fabric. (I had to wait until sweet girlie was born to find out her name in order to embroider it on the bottom corner...) I chose my colors from the fabric I decided on for backing.

After the embroidery was finished I used templates to draw my starting circles for the beginning of my "echo" quilting. Next I tacked on the batting & backing. I set up my machine with a slightly lengthened stitch.

When the binding was finished, I tossed the quilt into the washer & dryer for their magic touch. Now it's time for the "photo shoot". 



(really ♥ed that turquoise goat!)



(No, the stitching isn't blurred... )