Winter approaches

As mentioned the other day, we moved kitchens again. This is a biannual event. I kinda have a love/hate thing goin' on with this practice. I hate having to move everything, but I love how clean and neat the place is that it gets moved to. The other hate thing is the decision making process of how will I arrange the drawers and cabinets this time? I must take photos for reference, and then remember where I filed them...it'll never happen.

These Mexican plates came from my friend Tommy, who didn't know my taste when she bought them, but they are perfect here on my shelf with my other Mexican stuff. I finally bought some plate easels and now don't have to worry so much that they will fall off the shelf and break.

I love the cleaned up kitchen. I must thank Dave for this. He scrubbed every cabinet, including washing off the disgusting top of the refrigerator. Don't go looking at yours, it's just as bad.

Refrigerator immaculata. I really love Gladware containers, and took everything that was in a plastic bag and transferred it to Gladware. On the right top shelf is the yummy bean dinner recipe at the end of this post.

Do we have enought condiments? I buy those salad dressings in hope that they will be delicious and will save time but once I taste them I am underwhelmed. Making my own is always better. The other night I grabbed Rose's Lime Juice (instead of my usual Key Lime Juice) and mixed it with olive oil for a tremendously fresh tasting vinagrette. Yummamente

The vast wasteland of our freezer. A few pounds of hamburger and some frozen peas (Aged 6 months....) I discovered I had purchased three pounds of coffee and really must start using it up.
This is why a kitchen move can be a good thing.

A picture of Fat Mel, a reminder of my days as Ms. Rotunda of Northern Illinois. I am holding my quilt Streetdance, before it got shot for slides. Laura Wasilowski kindly took the picture. This was around 2002, I think.

Now for the recipe. I first had this meal at my mother's house when I was about 31. She was out when I came for a visit and I left before she got back. My brother was heating it up on the stove and it smelled so good I sat down and ate a bowl with him. It has no name, so I am in need of one and will take suggestions.

Place clever recipe title here

Italian sausage links, cooked and cut into chunks.
Homemade meat balls, with an Italian bent. This would only be if you have them on hand of course, like from leftover pasta dinners the night before. Mine were discovered, again aged well, in the freezer downstairs.

A jar of pasta sauce, any variety but preferably spicy and chunky. Add more tomato sauce if necessary.

Three cans of beans, like Cannelini, Great Northern, Garbanzo, white kidney or whatever, drained and rinsed.

Lots of chili pepper flakes. I tossed in some chunks of green and red peppers, sauteed, and some onions and garlic, also sauteed.

Serve with salad and red wine. (or forget it and just have the salad and wine). This is what we call stickum to-um ribums food. MY ribs are carrying a little too much at the moment, but I couldn't resist a second helping. Dave inhales this kind of meal and now has lunch ready and maybe a mid afternoon bowl waiting. Which is good, because I have to dye all day again today.
I work for you.