Happy Cinco de Mayo!

One of my favorite things to do for holidays is cook. Naturally another favorite thing to do is eat. Since I love Mexican food, actually almost all Latin American food, Cinco de Mayo has become one of my favorite holidays.

I'll use any excuse to make and eat Mexican food. Such an important holiday that changed not only Mexico but the United States as well deserves to be celebrated on both sides of that border which has become so controversial of late. Don't believe that battle in Puebla, Mexico had an impact on the United States? Google Cinco de Mayo and find out. Cinco de Mayo started in the morning of May 5, 1862. Can you think of anything else happening in 1862? Give a big gold star to that kid jumping up and down in the corner going, "Ooh! Ooh!" Yes, the War Between the States better known as the (capitalized, of course) Civil War.

I think we need a dish or several to commemorate the Battle of Gettysburg. That's where your research will lead you. My research will look for food.

So what's for dinner tonight? I took the easy - or was it desperate? - way out. I'm making chili. There was a bit more than half a pound of ground beef in the refrigerator. Tomorrow morning it would be dog food. Tomorrow afternoon it might be garbage. I had all my secret ingrdients except for beer and a gold Rolex (I never have the gold Rolex and rarely the beer).

I fried up the beef, shaking garlic powder, cumin, and oregano over the pan. Ground some black pepper over the whole thing and turned it and chopped it up with my spatula. The beef - minus the fat, there wasn't much - went into my crock pot. Then I added diced tomatoes. I realized as soon as I opened the can that I need new glasses. The tomatoes were Italian style. Instead of slitting my throat or making semi-Mexican lasagna, I added a little smoked paprika and one of my secret chili ingredients, cocoa powder. It wasn't just cocoa powder. I used my cocoa/ancho chile/cinnamon rub. The store-bought chili powder went in next. I stirred it up, covered it, and waited. While I was waiting, it started to smell good enough to eat. Then I realized there was no salt in my chili. I'm not bit on salt and the chili needed some more liquid so I shook in a few drops of soy sauce and added water. I'm waiting again.

Can you tell yet that I cook by taste? Actually, I cook by smell whenever I can. Cooking by taste can be fattening, leave me not hungry when the meal is ready, and leave a lot less for anyone else who happens to be eating with me.

It's been in the crock pot for close to three hours. I'm getting hungry. I should have put in a little molasses but I'm out. Maybe I could have added a bit of brown sugar but it's too late now. (I'm also nearly out of that, too.)

Think I'll chop some onion for my bowl. (Izzy wants to try some. No onion for her!) I'll be back after I have a taste.

Oooh! It was good! It was hot - both kinds of hot. Adding the Ancho to the chili powder might have been a little much, just a little.

I'm going to have more. Don't worry. I'll save some for Izzy. She won't get the onion on top.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!