Wild Bill’s Award Winning Chili

Guest Blogging over at Chef Michele’s Adventures

Here is my guest blog post:

When you are a married stay-at-home Dad of two growing boys and the family is living on one (small) paycheck you learn how to be frugal. Being frugal does not mean that a little competitive fun is out of the question, so when my wife informed me about the chili competition at her work, I just had to enter. Now I’d never entered any kind of cooking competition, so I had my work cut out for me.

I headed to the store with a shopping list, $10, and a dream. Shopping without a list is a no no on a tight budget, so I wrote my list and headed off to Wally World (Wal-mart for those of you that don not live in Oklahoma.) The $10 was for my chili fixin’s and a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper, (my wife has to have her Dr. Pepper.) And the dream was to pound my chest, make grunting noises, and loudly declare to the world that I am a winner, I AM A WINNER!

Here is my chili recipe:

• 1 med onion (chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 pounds ground chili meat
• 1 pound ground sausage
• 2 Table spoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 Table spoons minced garlic
• 1 10oz can milder or regular Rotel
• 1 15oz can Hunt’s seasoned diced tomato sauce for chili
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1 packet “Old Hammett Chili Seasoning” *
• 1 cup beef broth

Add chili meat, sausage, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and garlic to a BIG pot. Cook until meat is browned. Drain fat (got to watch our figures.) Return meat to pot, add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes. Serve and eat. For best flavor put in refrigerator over night.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is, and boy is it gooooood!

The next day my wife took my chili to work in our crock pot. I patiently waited for my wife to get home and when she walked in the door with an empty crock pot I started to well up with pride. She hugged me, then handed me an iPod Shuffle and told me I won 1st place. My $10 pot of chili landed me an iPod, appreciation from the wife, and the title of Chili Champion, not to shabby, if I do say so myself.

I want to thank Michele for letting me guest blog. Now I feel like a celebrity!

Previous/related:

• Passionate America: My Chili wins a second first place award!

• Passionate America: My old chili recipe
• Chef Michele’s Adventures: Guest Blogger #12 - Passionate America