Love. It is not in the air.

Love: it is not in the air. The air is frigid and threatening snow, and that is not conducive to any kind of love that I know. Except maybe the love of snow, which does indeed have its place. It is edging close to Valentine's Day, and pink hearts and sweet chocolates dance before our eyes everywhere from grocery store shelves to TV commercials. But that is not love.

Love is the every day. It's the hard. It's the I don't want to do this right now but I'm going to because I love you. For me, it's the food. It's the meals I plan and execute. It's the bodies I nourish. I guess food is my love language, or at least one of them. Love is that the boxed or take-out meals would be so much easier and in some cases cheaper, but I'll make you something from scratch because it's healthier, and your health matters to me, because I love you.

So I guess one could say that my time in the kitchen is a labor of love. I do love food, too, though, so I guess it's love in more ways than one.

At any rate, Happy Valentine's Day. Let it bring you the ones you love the most.

Monday: This is the day we will celebrate, since Tuesday is a sports night. My love of 14.5 years loves tacos, so that's what I will make. I will follow it with a chocolate cake because my husband loves chocolate. More than most. More than even the hardest core chocolate lover. Every year I try to out-chocolate him. Every year I fail.

Tuesday: Sports night. This requires something easy, or a crockpot, or a time bake. Or two of the above. Since the air is cold, I think Chili would work.

Chili Grande

1 lb ground beef (lean), or ground turkey
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cans chili beans (such as bush's, mild or hot depending on preference)
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 packet or 1/4 cup taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in the pot of a crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours, on high 4 hours, or on low 4 hours followed by high 2 hours. I love this recipe because there's no need to brown the meat first.

Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of sliced green onions. Or, serve it over freshly made cornbread. My favorite is the one right off the Quaker White Cornmeal container. It's easy and tasty!

Wednesday: If my husband can have his favorite, then I can have mine: grilled steak, baked sweet potatoes, steamed edamame (and, since I'm training for a half iron man, nothing for dessert) ... I have to say, these colors look so good on the plate. You should try it. Do it. Then comment on how impressed you are with yourself, and how impressed your family is with you.

Thursday: Another sports night. Easy peasy, nothing greasy. Croque Monsieur, salad, sweet potato fries

Friday: Shrimp Avocado Tacos (yeah, yeah, I know this is the second taco listing for the week, but I have some avocados that need to be used and shrimp sounds really good. Deal with it, or make your own dang menu! JK)

Saturday: Pizza night