Chili'sCooking

“Yes he is.. Chili36 is cooking this Saturday.. and I am psyched..

He may not win (the contest).. but hey.. I bet there is plenty of fun, fellowship and food.”

“Where, dang-it!?”

“Let me guess.. he's cooking chili?”

“ding, ding, ding,,,,Artex wins

I am cooking in the Mid South Regional Chili Championship at Parkers Cross Roads at exit 108 on I-40.

150 cooks will be there, all of whom are championship caliber

TD, might not win, but bygod I will be competitive”

“I know I-40, but which state? <G>”

“When's it start, Chili? That's not so far from where I live, and I've got the kids all day. They might like it.”

“Exit 108 is Hwy 22, directly UNDER Huntingdon, TN.. A place known as Parkers Crossroads.. (Jackson is exits 80-87)... (Nashville is exits 187 or so thru about 210).. so it is east of Jackson.. west of Nashville..”

“I just realized there's no way I'll be able to make it. I have a small project I have to build that day in preparation for my family's vacation.”

“I will be there.. too much fun.”

“Just got a batch of chili spices in from Pendery's in Dallas Texas.

I am ready!”

“This sounds like a lot of fun I will talk to the better half and see what I can do.”

“This is the year they have a civil war re-enactment there also. I will be a pretty big event.”

“chili...me, miss opie, and Mama Opie might show up...got a way for us to find you? cell or smoke signals?

you sell the chili...or free tasting?”

“What time does it start? I live east of Nashvile and I will have a 1.5 to 2 hr drive. I don't want to get there and find out that I missed it.”

“Free tasting Opie. I will be under a green EZ Up tent. I will have a Tennessee State Flag on it that has "1997 TN CASI [Chili Appreciation Society International] State Champ" and "1998 TN CASI State Champ" lettered on it.”

“Starts around 10 in the morning. Turn in for chili is either 1 or 2 (I will find out when I get there). Judging will probably take the best part of two and a half hours (with 150 cooks) and I expect the winners will be announced around 5.

In other words all day. I would say the best time to be there is before 1 and plan on staying at least until turn in. Not many chili cooks will give a sample until they turn in the judging cup. (Including yours truly).

Competition chili is pretty bold. For a more complete overview of contests, you can visit the CASI webpage.”

“oops try this CASI ”

“thank god it won't be a VOLS flag!”

“My good friend Larry Joe Oliver (a fine cook in his own right), from Andalusia, AL and who sports a tattoo of Big Al on his arm, won't let me put up the Vol flag. He still thinks I am a traitor for going there.”

“a friend from andalusia...wow, that's the next town up from Home.”

“Civil War reenactment? WooHOo!

We get to see Forrest kick Yankee butt again!”

“Yep bp, it was at the battle of Parkers Cross Roads (when surrounded) that he gave the command "Attack.......in both directions".”

“Ewker: I am definitely going. Hope to see you also!!..”

“What time does the Civil War reenactment start.”

“Not sure.. I SHOULD know.. but to be honest.. I don't

It gets a big write up in the paper every year, but this will be the first time i have ever went, and I am just going cos I tihnk Chili36 is a kewl dude.”

“I love good hot spicy chilie! With crackers of course, and cornbread!”

“who you calling crackers??”

“' Crackers',good band. They should move that 'Civil War' thing up to DC.”

“I didn't get to make it down there today, anyone heard how chili did”

“I didn't hear how he fared in the Chili competition, but I did hear from a reliable source that he is easy on the eyes and showed up with a female rider in tow....

Hmmmm...very interesting...more details, anyone? ;-)”

“Could be that cute chick from marketing he was talking about...”

“Marketing?? LOL, yeah, and I can just BET what SHE was marketing...LMBO”

“Chili finished somewhere between 23rd and 40th (they ranked the top 23 and identified the next 17) out of 113 cooks on Saturday.

Finished 7th out of 43 on Sunday.

Had an "apprentice" cook in tow. Not the one in marketing. This is the one that shows up and hangs out for a couple of weeks until we decide we don't like each other for another couple of months....LOL.

Met BP Baby (I was really impressed with her easy going manner, I would find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't like her) and Grunt (fine fellow whom I look forward to hiking with).

I think TD liked the rum punch! You might ask him about it. (If he remembers,,,,LMAO)”

“Rum Punch!?!?!

It's a good thing I didn't come then, especially with my kids. Hard to turn down rum punch, and my wife wouldn't have been there to drive.

Sounds like you did pretty good Chili, lack of cute chick from marketing notwithstanding.”

“Half a gallon of rum and a pint of bannana liquor in 2 gallons of punch......it had punch”

“Were you able to put what was left in the gas tank and drive home?”

“after the run on that stuff Saturday, there wasn't a lot left”

“I think it killed Towndog, he hasn't been heard from since!”

“Also, thanks for the kind words, Chili. It was great meeting you.”

“Rum punch, chili and cigars,,,,,maybe he exploded.

TownDawg and Grunt were judges on the final table. There had to sample 23 different entries.”

“Are you gonna share your recipe? I love chili, but haven't found one I'm satisfied with.”

“ok, well I normally don't give out the recipe, but what the heck...

2# of ground chuck, brown meat and drain well

Add:

1 1/2 cans (8 oz) unsalted tomato sauce
1 can Swansons beef broth
4 tsp Granulated Onion
2 tsp Granulated Garlic
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp beef bullion crystals
1 tsp chicken bullion crystals
16 oz. spring water

simmer 30 minutes

Mix the following

7 TBS of chili powder (Gebhardts is the best powder available in retail grocery stores, but I use a blend of Gebhardts, Fort Worth Light and San Antonio Red, that I order from Penderys in Dallas)

3 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt (if you use salted tomato sauce, do not add this much)
2 tsp arrow root

mix all together and add 4TB to chili after it has simmered 30 minutes.

keep lid on the pot at a low simmer, after another 30 minutes add the remainder of the mix

after another 30 minutes, sample and adjust for salt or pepper as needed

5 minutes before serving add 1 tsp brown sugar and 2 tsp ketchup (both of which will tame the heat)”

“I take it if you are giving out this recipe then the R&D went well.
I had a great time with a great bunch of folks. I am looking forward to hiking with them that is of course if TD did survive.”