There’s no denying that Fall is settling in here in the upper midwest. The evening lows are dipping into the 40’s now and the only thing to do is accept the inevitable—the long, cold Minnesota winter is right on our doorstep.
One great thing about this part of the world in the autumn are the sunsets and the fall color. Both of these are really special in this part of the world. Each day the view changes and the colors become more vibrant, right up until everything is covered in snow. The French philosopher Albert Camus was spot on when he wrote, "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower".
I Keep Telling Myself, “We Signed Up For This”
The down and the dirty of our home renovation has officially begun this week. We’re having 1,200 square feet of maple hardwood flooring installed in the main level of the house.
Yesterday, the carpet and padding were removed and the subfloor was prepped to lay down the hardwood planks. It’s a very noisy and dusty state of affairs around our house but, thankfully, we have noise-cancelling earbuds and a nearly complete lower level to hang out and work in while the commotion is going on upstairs.
Navigating this renovation has drawn on a lot of skills acquired during the years I traveled. Learning how to organize your necessities, making “home” in whatever space you find yourself in, and dealing with the unexpected. When it all starts to feel like too much I just remind myself We actually signed up for this.
Next week the work will get even messier and more noisy so we've opted to stay in a hotel. This floor will really will look amazing when it’s done, around the middle of October.
Cincinnati Chili
It’s never officially fall until I make my first batch(s) of chili. My wife volunteered to organize her 40th high school class reunion and she asked me to make a few batches of my Cincinnati Chili for the event. This recipe has been honed and perfected over about a decade of trial and error.
Above is a glimpse of some of the dry spices I use. This particular style of chili isn’t very common in Minnesota, due to the dark chocolate and blend of spices it reminds me a little bit of a rich, savory Mexican mole sauce.
Here is the final result. I couldn’t resist saving a few portions for our son and I. All I can say is Estaba delicioso!
I'll share the recipe for anyone interested in giving it a try. This is really excellent over hot dogs as well. It's fairly easy to make, measuring out the spices are the most time consuming part of the whole ordeal.
Cincinnati Chili Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground (grassfed) beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 cans of beans (pinto/kidney and/or black) with liquid
6 ounces tomato paste
2 - 16 Oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 - 16 Oz can of tomato sauce
2 pounds spaghetti (If serving all at once.)
6 cups bright orange cheddar cheese, grated
One Thing Leads to Another
One final note. After I posted yesterday's blog, Our Last Normal Year I was invited to appear as a guest on the Art of AI podcast. It's a nice example of one thing leading to another. I couldn't be more grateful to still be asked to do these kinds of things.
