When members and guests arrived in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church for a chili cooking contest, many of these folks were carrying crock pots of chili they had prepared for a cook-off. In fact, there were 17 super cooks vying for honors.

The judges tasted and tasted and finally made a decision naming Lydia Garland as the winner with her EZ 7 Can Chili.

Salads and assorted breads were served along with the chili and this was followed with assorted homemade desserts.

Bobbie Collins, Bonnie Young and Dot Brannock were among those assisting in setting up the chili tables while Linda Denny beat a pot with a heavy spoon to announce that dinner was served.

Later, the group enjoyed an evening of Music Mix.

Recipes were collected so you can choose from these the next time your family calls for chili.

Please enjoy.

EZ 7 Can Chili

(Lydia Garland)

2 pounds ground beef

3 cans Campbell’s Minestrone soup (occasionally hard to find - best try is Wal-Mart.)

2 cans Ranch Style Texas barbecue beans, drained

1 can Rotel green chilies and tomatoes

1 large can (28-oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

Brown beef and drain. Add remainder of recipe and heat thoroughly. Can be served with shredded cheese, onions or sour cream.

Deidre’s Chili

(Deidre Rogers)

1 pound hot sausage

1 pound ground beef

1 can pintos

1 can dark kidney beans

1 large can baked beans with brown sugar (Bush’s)

1 packet chili seasoning mix

2 cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and onion

1 can select harvest zesty tomato bisque

1 small jar chili master roasted tomato

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 packet Lipton onion soup mix

1 packet beefy onion soup mix

Brown the two meats together and drain any excess fats. Put into crock pot with remaining ingredients and mix together. Simmer in crock pot on low for approximately 3 hours.

Chili Beans

(Bonnie Young)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3 cans kidney beans

3 cans tomato sauce

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 tablespoon chili powder, may use more if desired

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 clove garlic, minced

dash red pepper flakes

In a skillet brown the ground beef, crumble and break up with a fork. Drain off the fat. Return the ground beef to a Dutch oven and stir in the flour. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Chili Crockpot

(Bobbie Collins)

1 pound hamburger, browned

1 can whole tomatoes

1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pintos, or use leftovers

2 packages chili seasoning mix

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon basil

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups water

Dash Texas Pete, optional

Mix all ingredients in crockpot, cook on low heat for 6-12 hours. Continue adding chili powder, salt, pepper, Texas Pete and onion as needed to taste, add sugar.

Chili Quick:

Use previous recipe. Omit tomato paste and water. Follow instructions on chili seasoning packet and add other ingredients as desired. Cook in crock pot on medium heat for 30 minutes. Do not boil. Both should be served with cornbread.

Peach- Blueberry Cobbler

(Sandra Redman)

3 cups fresh peaches

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

Peel peaches and slice; put in 9-inch baking dish. Put blueberries on top of peaches and drizzle lemon juice on top. Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour, baking powder and nutmeg together. Add alternately with milk to cream mixture. Pour batter over fruit. Mix sugar, salt and cornstarch well and sprinkle over batter. Then pour boiling water over the top. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

(Hilda Brannock)

Don’t preheat the oven for this scrumptious pound cake. It gets its start in a cold oven. To add a light dusting of powdered sugar, spoon a few tablespoons into a wire-mesh strainer and gently shake over the cake’s surface.

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup evaporated milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears. Sift together flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan. Place pan in a cold oven; set oven temperature at 300 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Contact Eleanor Powell at epowell@mtairynews.com or call 719-1933.