I attempted to make chili tonight. A meal I have made hundreds of times.

I used dried kidney beans this time. Got them back in the spring when it was still chili weather and the market was totally out of canned beans.

Did the full, proper overnight soak of the beans.

Put everything together for the chili itself.

Damn near two hours later, the chili is burned and the beans ARE STILL CRUNCHY.

Learned the hard way that my particular chili recipe does NOT have enough liquid in it to properly cook the beans.

I’ve made other things with dried beans – but they were soups – a whole different universe.

But, tomorrow we will have chili. After I go to the store and get canned kidney beans.