Adam and I are a little obsessed with Shrek and Shrek 2. No, really. Our cake topper at our wedding was Shrek and Fiona. We cut the cake to “Accidentally In Love” from Shrek 2.
A period of time went by where we’d watch Shrek 2 almost every day! Don’t get me started on the crapstorm that was Shrek 3… ANYWAY, in Shrek 2, “Mongo” was the name of the enormous gingerbread cookie they baked to attack the castle.
So on Friday night, Adam made a fantastic suggestion. “Let’s go to the grocery store and get the stuff to make a REALLY good sandwich!” We are both fans of sandwiches in general, but sometimes there’s something special that makes a sandwich into something “really good”. We hit up the local Meijer store and got some fresh Italian bread, fresh roasted turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and good Swiss cheese.
Upon arriving home, we prepped the counter: cleaned and dried the cutting boards, sliced the bread, sliced the veggies, washed the lettuce, smushed up the avocado, and then Adam got building. First the turkey, then cheese, then avocado, lettuce, tomato, and then a little Smart Balance mayo on the top of the bread.
Upon closing it, we realized just how enormous this sandwich was. Compare this sandwich to the 2-liter of diet Pepsi that we happily consumed (yes, I know, its all chemicals and caffeine and crap, but I like it and I drink it.)
I felt a little like Homer Simpson looking at this thing… MMMMM….. sannnndddwicchhh….
We did not eat this whole thing in one sitting. We had small pieces with some baked Doritos (yes, I know, more chemicals. Again: delicious and enjoyable)
Yesterday, I made the best chili I’ve ever made. Seriously… ever.
Usually, I make a quick chili or chili mac on a work night. I make it on the stove top with ground beef, cans of stuff, and about a half hour of simmering. Yesterday though, I made weekend chili. It was slow, took patience, lots of seasoning, and… you just want the recipe don’t you?
Chili Con Carne y Frijoles
Ingredients
2 lbs. beef, cut into 1″ chunks (I used top round)
1 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with jalapeños, drained
1 6 oz. can diced jalapeños
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
2 14 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 14 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, place the meat, tomatoes, and peppers. Stir well. Add beans, spices, onion, and vinegar. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve and enjoy.
I’m a chili snob, as is Adam, and we both agreed that this was the best chili I’ve ever made. I may have just gotten the proportions right, or it may have been that I used stew meat instead of ground beef, but it was wonderful. The flavors were more complex than normal, and my toppings of cheese, sour cream, and avocado just made the good thing even better. Don’t forget to Spring the recipe!
I didn’t want to wait until lunch to have chili… so breakfast today was an omelet made with spinach, chili, cheese, and avocado… and that breakfast lasted almost 7 hours!
OH! You probably want to know who won the iHerb.com giveaway, don’t you? Before I get to that, don’t forget that if you visit iHerb and use the special discount code SIF006 at checkout, you will receive $5 off your first order!
Onto the winner… using Random.org:
Comment number 149, which was…..
MORGAN from Live, Love, Eat, and Play! Congratulations! Send me an email with your preferred contact email for iHerb to get ahold of you, and I’ll pass it on!
Thank you so much for your interest in the iHerb giveaway! The next contest revolves around Cute Food Saturday: In honor of CFS’s one year anniversary, I’d love to present a reader-created CFS full of cute food YOU’VE made! You’ve got about a month and a half to get thinking and creating, and the anniversary post will be a contest! Please email me submissions by February 25! Readers will be able to vote for the cutest food, and the winner will receive a special cute food prize! So get thinking!!! I’ve already gotten a few submissions, and they’re ADORABLE!!
Have a wonderful Sunday night and a happy Monday!
How amazing is your cake?!?! So cute So cute!!
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Oh my gosh Mara DH and I love Shrek too. It’s our favorite ride at Universal Orlando. Even funnier, I post a pic of my son biting a big Dagwood Sandwich last time we were there. It was a display, we were just messin’ around. I do so relate to your entire post, the sandwich, great chili and all. Oh and I used to do the chili mac thing when the kids were young!
redkathy´s last blog ..Creamy chicken, spinach stuffing, and number 100 – Woo Hoo
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Awww I love the song “Accidentally in Love”! So cute!
MarathonVal´s last blog ..I did it! (plus an Ode to Yoga)
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Holy sammie girl! That looks sensational!!!!!!!!!
When we were little, my dad use to make HUGE Muffalettas and this totally reminds me of them. Oh, how is something like a sandwich sooooo good!
The chili sounds pretty awesome too. Good weekend with such good eats. Love those!
Take care hun!
Lauren´s last blog ..The Last Weekend of January
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mmm that mongo sandwich looks soo delish!
My new last name is so similar to Shrek. When I subbed kindergarten the kids called me Mrs. Shrek! hahaha
I love the addition of avocado to the chili. I bet it was awesome.
Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat)´s last blog ..Two Boos Who are Sick
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I love a good sandwich! That one looks killer
More wedding pics – I love them!
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Hahah what an awesome cake topper!
I love that you guys share your love for something so intensely and included it in your ceremony!
Olga @ Healthing It´s last blog ..Super charge
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mmm that sandwich looks amazing! Yum!
Beth (Mackattack)´s last blog ..Running Fool
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LOVE the title of this post. LOVE the sandwich even more. I’m sending this link to Bill so he can sandwich swoon.
Rose´s last blog ..Complaining about stupid things is just stupid.
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Hi there, delicious chili. My name is Jenn and I would like to eat you
Love the sandwich, too!
I’m a huge fan of the Shrek movies, too! Your obsession sounds like mine with Harry Potter. Maybe I need to have Harry and Ginny on top of my cake…hm, I’m totally writing that down!
Miss you and can’t wait to see you!!! We’ll definitely need to check out some of the places you were talking about earlier this week!
Jenn (eating bender)´s last blog ..Jer-y Good Chocolate
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I’ve never seen Shrek!
A few years ago Johnny and I had the same sandwich idea – but at like 1am. We went to our 24 hour Jewel and made a HUGE sandwich. We took pics too (this was back before the food blog) and my piece is literally the size of my head. There’s something so fulfilling about a really good, properly made sandwich. We don’t eat them near enough.
Christina´s last blog ..Revisit: Taco Pie
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That sandwich looks awesome!!! YUM! I agree sometimes all you really need it a GOOD sandwich!!
Kelly B.´s last blog ..Technology Overload!
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OMG, you and your husband are just like mine and me!! We LOVE sandwiches, especially big ones!
Whenever we watch reruns of the Cosby show, we’re always drooling over Cliff’s sandwiches LOL. YUM!
That’s so funny that you mentioned Mongo from Shrek because my mom was just telling me the other day that that’s what the giant gingerbread’s name is. We have a (BIG) gray cat named Mongo that I named after the gray cat on Healthcliff (the cartoon).
Jenn
Jenn (www.j3nn.net)´s last blog ..Weekend Snoriers
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the shrek stuff is too cute! love the wedding topper idea, & i have been meaning to try some beef in chili! i need to get on that asap!
kate´s last blog ..Operation Unwind
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I love your cake topper, that’s so cute!!
And, I can’t wait to try your chili, I have yet to do chili in my crock pot, but that sounds so good right now!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
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Oh that cake! It’s fabulous.
I love when you post your wedding photos… you guys are so beautiful and happy!
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There is nothing like a REALLY GOOD chili recipe, especially when it’s cold and damp outside.
BODA weight loss
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yeah~ shrek is awesome!!! love your cute cake!!!
briliant!
coco´s last blog ..Catching up & Gua Sha session with a friend
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