Chili Cook-Off

Our Friends, Brad and Dana held their 1st Annual Chili Cook -Off and Pumpkin Carving Contest. 

 The little girls liked the whole idea of carving pumpkins but they did not like getting their hands slimy. Taylor was especially excited because this was the first year that she carved her pumpkin all by herself! I desperately tried to get Sean to bring his jigsaw to carve the pumpkins I even offered to clean it later but he did not think it was a good idea.

 Really, photos of people eating are just not all that great to look at so I chose to use the 'other' pictures instead. We had Dixie cups filled with each type of chili and a voting sheet to choose which chili was the crowd pleaser.

I made Chocolate Chipotle Chili

1 pound ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 cup chopped red pepper

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Chili powder

1 Tbsp Cocoa powder

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 cans kidney beans 

1 can black beans

2 cans dice tomatoes

1 can chicken broth

1/2 cup roasted chipotle salsa

bacon

1 cup chocolate chips

Brown ground beef, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Add seasoning and cooked bacon. Cook on low heat in the crock pot to enhance flavors. 1/2 hour before serving turn off heat and add 1 cup chocolate chips. Stir in chocolate chips and garnish with sour cream, or chives if desired. 

 I won the "That's Not Chili" award, even though it was the favorite among the women and children.
The best Chili award went to Dana for her White Chicken Chili.
I don't really like chili all that much but I am never one to turn down a competition.

Funny thing is the girls did not want to stick their hands in the pumpkins but they did not seem to mind dipping their hands in the bird bath then the sandbox getting the sand to stick. 

Libby told everyone that her mama bought her some new jeggings. Gotta love that girl and her sense of style. 

 Ruby had to micro manage the carving of her pumpkin.  We grew all of our pumpkins in our garden this year, I know very impressive. I'm thinking maybe a Charlie Brown Pumpkin Patch next fall!

We were hoping some of our friends with older children were going to be there but I think Taylor and Aaron loved being included with the adults and helping judge the chili, plus they made the coolest pumpkin, with the exception of Erik who had a significant amount of help carving 'his' pumpkin. I forgot to take pictures of the completed pumpkins ~ I will have to try to remember to do that before they rot.  

I love the smells of fall and the beautiful colors of all the leaves when the sun reflects off the trees. We had a beautiful drive home and enjoyed a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats before reading and sending the children off to bed!