Quote for Today:  Beano® before and there will be no gas. I took it before dining at Skyline so I hope CJ is appreciative. TJ

I was awakened early again this morning for a few reasons. The first being a bright light flashing on our bedroom wall every ten seconds. The other culprits were the constantly whistling sound of what appeared to be an emergency vehicles siren, and never ending pounding of Jurassic Park type creatures crossing the living room floor.

The flashing light was due to the Hillsboro Lighthouse that was in operational mode for the first time during my presence here. The persistent siren was actually caused by gale force winds whipping through the hallways of our vacation retreat. Lastly, the herd of extinct animals in the house was actually CJ & my mother.  One thing I don’t comprehend is the fact that at 6’ 9” I tend to scare people when I approach them from behind because they can not hear me coming. CJ on the other hand, at 5’ nothing and one hundred pounds lighter than me on her heaviest days sounds like a T-Rex in a feeding frenzy.

With the roaring winds and overcast skies, sun and fun on the beach was not an option today. On days like this my first instinct is to go somewhere to eat. Armed with the knowledge that my father was hankering for a chili dog after two months of seafood indulgence, I suggested lunch at Skyline Chili on Federal Highway, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  http://skylinechili.com/

Skyline Chili was founded by Nicholas Lambrinides and his three sons in 1949. Nicholas had emigrated from Kastoria, Greece in 1912 at the age of thirty-three with a dream to use his relative’s recipes to open his own restaurant in America. The name Skyline came from the beautiful view of Cincinnati from the original restaurant’s windows.

Nicholas’s chili uses traditional Greek ingredients to flavor meat including chocolate, cloves, and cinnamon which produce a unique taste which is great on hot dogs and over pasta. Their famous three way chili is comprised of spaghetti, chili, and an enormous amount of shredded cheddar.

I am happy to say that everyone, including my father, enjoyed their experience at Skyline Chili. If you have never tried it, ask your local grocery store if they carry this wonderful product which is frozen or in cans. If you can’t find it you can source it from their website. My suggestion though is to go to one of their 100 locations which are mainly in Ohio, Kentucky, and Florida. Or better yet, try making it yourself. Here is a recipe from RecipeSouce.com with keyword Cincinnati Chili on their search engine.

Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients

Oil 1 tablespoon
Onion ½ cup (chopped)
Ground beef 2 pounds
Chili Powder ¼ cup
Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
Cumin 1 teaspoon
Allspice ¼ teaspoon
Cloves ¼ teaspoon (ground)
Bay leaf 1 leaf
Chocolate ½ ounce (unsweetened)
Beef broth 2 cans
Tomato sauce 1 can
Cider vinegar 2 tablespoons
Red pepper ¼ teaspoon (ground)
Spaghetti cooked – Cheddar cheese grated

Procedure

In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook stirring frequently until tender, about 6 minutes. Add beef in batches, if necessary, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add remaining ingredients except spaghetti and cheese. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 ½ hours stirring occasionally. Best if refrigerated overnight. Remove the bay leaf and reheat over medium heat. Serve over hot, drained spaghetti and top with cheddar cheese.

P.S. After having this big lunch, we journeyed to the horse track at the Isle® Casino Pompano Park, Pompano Beach, FL. New blog with  pictures of our adventure, will be posted later today.  We think you will find it amusing.

P.P.S. Note from CJ – Always, make sure the Beano® is taken well ahead of time!! TJ this means you! xoxo CJ

Saddle up, lock and load. CJ & TJ

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Note:  We are reposting today because of technical difficulties yesterday. In other words, our format was not up to our standards. CJ & TJ

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