Wow! I made it an entire week posting on Instagram! If you know me well, you will also be surprised. It's not that I'm not a doer; I just get overwhelmed by the details and eventually drown once the excitement of a new project wears off. But this time around, I am determined to make it stick.
I found some valuable items on Etsy to help keep me on track (But also, my husband asks me 47 times a day if I've made a post or worked on my blog, which is helpful). The first is this prewritten list 365 Days of Content Ideas For Instagram by the everdayeditshop; it has been a lifesaver not having to come up with ideas! The second is this digital social media calendar by CreativeJamCo. I love this calendar because I can keep track of what I'm posting and when, and it also has a business planning section where you can write your goals for your business. In this section, you can keep your social media information and track your posts' performance monthly. I especially love that I can use it on my iPad in Notability. Now I'm not dragging around a notebook and flipping through a thousand pages trying to find where I wrote my last post idea or a note!
Game changer!
I didn't realize how much fun I would have coming up with all the content for my Instagram page. I learned how to edit videos and add music. I am hosting a giveaway and gained nine new followers!
My last post for the week was to share my favorite recipe. I decided to film the whole process, which turned out pretty well. Still, I nearly lost my mind when attempting to figure out how to correctly set up the tripod and angle my phone. I was sweating profusely and cussing like a sailor. I accidentally snapped a piece of it off and had to walk away several times. But I finished it, and it came out delicious, as always! This recipe from the ThatSavageLife blog is the best chili I've ever had. It makes a HUGE number of servings, so I have halved most of the recipe (minus the meat because I want it to be THICK. This can be made in a crockpot, set on low for 8 hours, but I cook it in my Instant Pot for ease. So without further ado, here is my adaptation of:
The Last Chili Recipe You Will Ever Need
1 pound ground beef
1 pound HOT breakfast sausage
1 pound regular breakfast sausage
1 ( 15 ounces) can mild chili beans with juice
1 (15 ounces) can dark red kidney beans with juice
1 can (28 ounces) of pureed tomatoes (I use fire roasted)
1/2 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1 small can mild green chilies
3 cubes beef bouillon
3 strips bacon fried crispy and chopped
1/4 instant coffee powder
2 teaspoons Special Dark Cocoa powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Cholula)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (More to taste)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Instructions:
In a pressure cooker, turn on saute mode and cook bacon until crispy. Take out and set aside.
Cook celery, peppers, onion, and garlic until tender using the bacon grease.
Add beef and sausage, cook, until done, and drain off the grease.
Add pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and undrained chili beans and kidney beans
Add chopped bacon pieces, bouillon, and instant coffee powder. Season with chili powder (both), Worcestershire sauce, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and cocoa. Stir and allow to cook in the pressure cooker for one hour. Let the pressure release naturally. Once it's finished, you can add whatever toppings you like! I enjoy mine with fresh onions, cheese, and a little bit of mustard on top!
Let me know if you try this recipe out. I'd love to see what you think! I hope you have a great week, and I can't wait to share next week's adventures with you!