Chili

   Tomorrow there is a Relief Society (woman's group) meeting at church. We will be learning how to work with a genealogy computer program to record family history. I asked Elisabeth, who is one of the leaders of the RS if there was anything I could do to help.
   As a matter of fact, there was. Elisabeth ask if I had a good recipe for a vegetarian chili. Without even thinking, I said that I did. She then asked if I had a crock pot. Of course. Doesn't everyone living in this part of the country?
   "Good," she said. "Please make a batch. What ingredients do you need?"
   Realization came over me. I had just volunteered to cook for others to eat. Not just friends of mine. I got nervous. I'm a pretty good cook, but I'm not Martha Stewart or Rachael Ray. I like what I make but then I have pretty strange taste in food. What if no one likes the chili I brought?
   It was too late to back out. Elisabeth had already turned and left to go home.
   Once I got home I found the recipe that I had. I hadn't written down the changes I usually make to the recipe, but I knew them by heart. I use red or pinto beans instead of kidney beans. I sent a text to Elisabeth and then promptly forgot about it.
  Until yesterday. I realized I didn't know when the ingredients were going to be delivered. I also had to make sure that I got it started early enough so it would be cooked by the time the meeting started. I could start it early in the afternoon. That should give it enough time. I just hoped the beans wouldn't get mushy. I'd never made it in a crock pot before. Usually I cook it on the stove. It takes about 45 minutes. Elisabeth sent me a message. She would deliver the ingredients Wednesday night.
   I didn't ask her to buy any seasonings. I had plenty of those and I also had chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. That set off another tiny spate of worry. What if no one would eat it because it was too spicy? Chipotle peppers are not the spiciest ones, but they do have a bit of a bite.
   Then I took hold of myself. I like this chili. If no one else eats it then I will. If no one else likes it then I will bring it home and eat it myself. One of the nice things about leftover chili is that it is very flexible. I can make a burrito out of it. I can pour it over corn chips and have nachos. I've even been known to make a chili omelet for a meal.
  I relaxed. It didn't matter if no one else eats it, it just means more leftovers for me.