Chilli Night

I've always loved cooking. Whether it's baking flapjacks with my grandparents or cooking dinner for when my family got back from work. All I'd need is some music or a podcast and I'd happily work away.

When I used to have chilli, it was nothing special. I'd cook the minced beef and add the contents of the jar, mixing well before serving with some boil in the bag rice. A simple meal, which would usually include saving some of the Chilli con Carne to have the next day.

It was always enjoyable enough, quick to make and I had no complaints with the dish.

My partner of almost seven years, knowing in our early years of the relationship that I enjoyed the dish, would tell me about their chilli night they would have every Saturday. They'd done it for years, easily becoming a tradition for the family. He would tell me about the ingredients they use, how they would serve it up, and how it's his favourite meal throughout the week.

On multiple occasions did he tell me I'd have to have him make their version for me to try, just knowing I'd love it and enjoy it far more than chilli in a jar.

Oh just how right he was...

The first time he cooked it for me, he did the majority of the work while I grabbed ingredients he asked me to pass to him. Acting as the chef's assistant while we laughed and chatted away.

When we sat down to eat, I was surprised at just how different it tasted, how one mouthful held far more taste than an entire jar of what I had before.

Since that day, I have learnt to create the meal, the family recipe shared with the newest addition to the point I now know it by memory. When my partner spent the weekends with me, we worked to keep the tradition going until he moved in with us. Now every Saturday will forever be Chilli Night. (And I love that!)

The only downside to the dish was having to make it every time. We would get a little lazy and find it too much effort, only able to get off our butts and cook once we were starving.

Which brings us to the beautiful world of meal prepping...

With some time, additions, and practice, with under £20 worth of ingredients, we make 9 lots of chilli, all with plenty to serve two people!

Once it's in the plastic containers, we leave it to cool before popping the lids on and putting them into the freezer.

This is what made our Chilli night even better!

All we have to do is take the chilli out in the morning, or the night before, allow it to defrost before reheating it in a pan while the other prepares and cooks the microwave rice.

Served in pasta bowls, with some grated cheese on top (we highly suggest mozzarella!) and enjoy! You still get all the same incredible flavours from the day you made it, cooked for you that night in less than five minutes.

I love spending that hour to hour and a half cooking the chilli, it's fun to do with my partner, and it's routine for us to make a big batch every two months now.

Plus, now I've started a little herb garden, we get the joy of adding homegrown ingredients into the dish!

What was one household's Saturday tradition, was soon handed down to their children. We plan to continue our Saturday tradition when we have enough money to buy our own house, and should we one day have some children of our own? Well, they'll be sure to have their favourite meal week too.