Grandma Sylvia's Delicious Chili Beans

I finally tried to make my Grandma's Chili Beans which are my favorite thing in the world to eat at her house. They remind me of summers spent watching "The Wonder Years," playing with fabric scraps making quilts, embroidering, and scrapbooking together. Basically, delightful childhood memories. Without further ado:

3 1/2 cups pinto beans
1 finely diced medium sized onion

1 1/2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1 mounded tbsp. minced garlic

1 lb. ground beef

1 can stewed tomatoes

4 tsp. of chili powder

1. Sort and rinse beans. Add beans, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic in large pot. Cover with water about two inches above the ingredients. Simmer on medium heat for 2 hours. *

2. Brown meat, season to taste. Do this step just before the beans are done.

3. Add meat and stewed tomatoes to the beans

4. In a separate dish, mix some of the bean juice with the chili powder to make a paste. Add to beans.... blend well.

5. Simmer on low heat for "a while" and serve.

* Be sure to check the water and make sure it isn't running low. I thought I could run to the grocery store...bad idea. I took it out on Aubrey which was also a bad idea!

I tried again, determined to make these beans ( albeit for dinner now instead of lunch). I screwed up again because I added 4 tablespoons of chili instead of 4 teaspoons. I wouldn't recommend this. Also, next time I would actually measure the salt...two shakes didn't do it.

Moral of the story? Pay attention and listen to your Grandma! I have a sneaky suspicion that even if I followed the instructions perfectly, they still wouldn't taste as great as they do while curled on the couch with a steamy mug and continuously turning down the offers for more ( knowing more is on the way anyway=).