Happy Day Marjorie! (and a recipe)

There's a birthday in the Doll House next door today, and I'm sneaking over to hang this garland while the birthday girl is out shopping (thank you Eren for the inspiration). Marjorie and I have been neighbors for almost nine years, but it wasn't until the birth of her daughter, one year after the birth of mine, that we became friends. Truth be told, we didn't have a lot in common at first, besides living in the same neighborhood and being new moms. Over the years, though, we have become very close, and the more time we spend together, the more we find we have in common, the better we understand our differences, and the more we rub off on each other. Marjorie will say she's learned a lot from me (OK, she calls herself my pupil), and while I've shared a few recipes and book recommendations, our influence on each other is more of a two way street than she may know. She has taught me to roll with the punches our kids deliver on a regular basis, to laugh when I feel like crying, to not sweat the small stuff, to be generous, to be more inclusive. Marjorie always invites me when she and her girlfriends get together, and my family has been invited to her family events, and I am deeply touched by this act of graciousness. Our daughters are friends, are sons are friends (sometimes frenemies), and even our husbands are friends. Our friendship goes to show that treasures lie in unexpected places, sometimes even in your own backyard.

In honor of Marjorie's special day, I'd like to share my super easy chicken chili recipe (she asked me to post this one the other day).

Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes

1 can broth (I use 1 can of water and 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bullion)

1 cup frozen corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until chicken is browned, but not cooked through. Combine chicken, garlic and onion with the rest of the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice, topped with shredded cheese and sour cream, if desired.

That's it! You can even make it without the chicken for a vegetarian chili. If you don't have a crock pot, you can make the chili on the stove top, just let it simmer for at least an hour. Enjoy!