HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
Wednesday

Chili Con Carne (recipe in the comments)
Southern-style company corn bread
Carrots and celery
MARGARITAS

Iced and/or sugared spice cookies
Tea
Oh yeah, CANDY!
______________________________________________________________
It should have been obvious from the beginning that M and I were destined to be married. Both our families served chili for Halloween dinner every year. We departed menu there (J had French bread and salad, M had corn bread with carrots and celery), but the entree unites us and we have eaten chili every Halloween that we have lived together (going on 12 years now!). We solve the menu diversions by making J's mom's chili and M's mom's sides (somehow we added the margaritas ourselves - smart, eh?).

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Moderate
Chopping: Onion, garlic, pepper
Time: About an hour (we made the cookies yesterday)
Make ahead: You can make everything ahead and reheat. I often make the chili to the point of adding the beans and do that part last minute.

Reaction
J: "Is there a more Halloween-y meal?"
M: "The best chili in the universe and you can trust me because I've been ALL OVER the universe."
Mn: "A tradition waiting to happen."