KintlaLake's Slow-Cooker Chili

To the purist, this may not qualify as chili -- but the great thing about food is that it’s defined by those who enjoy it.

And this is chili.

Fresh tomatoes and fresh corn, as well as dried beans (soaked overnight, drained and cooked before adding to the chili), would make a good dish even better, but this is a relatively low-drag version of the recipe. Mix and match the jalapeño, serrano and habanero peppers, or use ground pork instead of chorizo, to adjust the chili's heat to taste and tolerance.

Ingredients
1 pound chorizo, browned & drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups tomato juice
6 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
3 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded & minced
1 habanero pepper, seeded & minced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation
Place all ingredients except the lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and black pepper into a slow-cooker -- a.k.a. Crock-Pot® -- and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Add the lime juice, cilantro, chili powder and cumin. Stir the ingredients thoroughly to combine.

Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Set the cooker to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours (or longer), stirring occasionally.

Note: The longer this chili is slow-cooked, the more the ingredients will sacrifice their textures, literally dissolving into the base. Reduce cooking time for a fresher, chunkier chili; or increase cooking time -- up to 24 hours -- for a smoother, earthier result that’s all about taste.

An hour or so before serving, check consistency and add more tomato juice if desired. Season to taste. Stir.

Spoon the chili into shallow bowls. Serves 4 to 6.

Serving suggestions
Dust the rim of the serving bowl with ground cayenne; top the chili with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream; garnish with cilantro leaves or a slice of lime. Fresh whole-grain bread is a must, as is a pint of substantial ale.

Refrigerator pickles

Out in our small garden, this year's crop of cucumbers has been a disappointment.

Two of the vines gave up early on, and I've yet to determine why. The remaining two plants, while not producing as we'd hoped, so far have yielded six healthy fruit.

Last night I made a batch of cold-pickling brine (water, white vinegar and salt). This morning I harvested the cucumbers, plus a handful of jalapeño peppers and some fresh dill. With the addition of a few store-bought ingredients (garlic cloves, black peppercorns and red-pepper flakes), today I put up three jars of refrigerator pickles.

Obviously, these pickles are ridiculously easy to make -- the hardest part is seeing them in the refrigerator every day while waiting for them to reach their full potential. Since we're still polishing off two jars from last year, I think we can wait.