Annual Chili Cook-Off Contest

Homemade Red Kidney Bean Chili Stew

     Amazingly, the winners of the Annual Chili Cook-Off Contest have been men while Reverend Herb Essig, better known as “Father Herb” was still around St. Pius X.  When one thinks of a "BallyKissAngel" community named after the BBC soap opera sitcom, an English-Irish-Scottish Catholic community comes to mind…just like St. Pius X Catholic Parish in the Village of Lombard, County of DuPage, otherwise known also as “Camelot” in Illinois, U.S.A. 

     For three (3) years, I volunteered to cook, stir, taste, and serve Chili con Carne, chili dogs, and sloppy joe burgers with the Catholic Council of Women at the Social Center for St. Pius X throughout the years, especially for the Annual Chili Cook-Off Contest and Catholic Women fundraiser.  CCW gathered the People of Pius X to cook off their best chili con carne recipe to make chili hot dogs and sloppy joe chili burger, always sponsored and promoted by a solid Texan Linnea Warda, Carol, Rosa and others who slaved to make the Annual Chili Cook-Off Contest a celebrity show at the Social Center for the catholic school community.  Here’s a solid Atomic Canuck Chili Recipe for ten (10) servings

• 2 pounds lean ground beef 
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon seasoned pepper
• 2 (4 ounce) cans mushroom pieces, drained
• 1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
• 2 (15.25 ounce) cans kidney beans with liquid
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno chile peppers, diced
• 1/4 cup Canadian beer
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
• hot sauce
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce

Directions1.     In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef together with onion, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and seasoned pepper. Drain off the fat, and place the mixture into a slow cooker. 2.     Stir mushrooms, baked beans, kidney beans with liquid, tomato paste, sugar, carrots, celery, peppers, beer, and barbeque sauce into the slow cooker. Season with hot sauce and more crushed red pepper. 3.     Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours.  Yields 10 servings.