Kevin Costner and Michael Jackson, get out of my dreamscape!

For whatever reason I had a fitful sleep last night full of battle-filled dreams.  And whom was I battling?  Kevin Costner and Michael Jackson.  Odd.  I remember hearing a talk once in New York by a dream specialist from Princeton (the science aspect, not the psychological aspect) who shed light on several interesting facts about dreams.  Apparently, the reason we are able to comprehend the passage of time in movies and stories that do not follow a direct, linear pattern (with cuts, etc.) is due to our ability to dream.  Also, you may have noticed that the only interesting dreams are our own...so I'm sorry for that little Costner-Jackson business before :).  This dream expert fellow also negated a few dream rumors such as dying in dreams.  No, you don't die if you do in your dreams, nor do most people dream in black and white, and yes, animals (at least mammals) dream as well.  I have always been a person who remembers my dreams.  I don't know what this says about me, other than I often awaken during my REM cycles.  

I have heard that if you take your vitamins in the evening it will cause you to have more vivid dreams due to certain B-vitamins.  Who knows if that's true but I did have a very b-vitamin rich dinner last night, the details of which I am about to relate.  Worry not-this dish does not have a history of passing on strange and terrible dreams featuring stars of decades past...

MY FIANCÉ'S CHILI

(note:  the correct nomenclature of this dish is under much dispute: it is not actually a chili at all in that it contains no chili powder, but it's so close to a chili and so tasty that it stays within such a limiting classification as 'chili'.)

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb. ground lean beef or turkey

1 can tomato sauce

1 can kidney beans

1/4 wine (last night I used shiraz...I've used just about any dry wine for this dish)

large dollop of sour cream

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 bunch Kale or chard, cleaned and cut into bite size bits.

s&p

So here we go:

In a large sauté pan (or stockpot works as well...) heat oil over med-high heat.  

Sauté onions for 2 minutes.  Add garlic.  Cook until onion is translucent.  

Salt and pepper meat generously.  Add meat to onion mixture.  Break up clumps of meat, cook until browned.  

lower heat to med.  Add tomato sauce and kidney beans.  Stir to combine.  

Add wine.  Lower heat to low, simmer for at least 10 min 

(no matter what this dish will be better in the following days, but it's still delicious directly following preparation.)  

Add Kale/chard.  Stir in to wilt.  Add Rice and sour cream. 

Enjoy!

We like it with last night's Limey Avocado salad and some sangiovese...