Hot Diggity Dog, The Bracelet.

Pastor Shane has bestowed a wonderful gesture upon us here at 2nd Cup of Crank. If you commented on Jan 4 or 5 about being in the drawing for the bracelet, you automatically get one, no drawing needed.

Hot diggity dog. You just got yourself an accountability resource!

Sorry I have to limit the gift to those two days, but these things don't grow on trees. If you'd like to order some, however, I can get you the address.

So if you still want one, email me this weekend at lindacrowatcomcastdotnet with your address, and I will send you one.

What's that I hear? No complaints!

Thanks, Pastor Shane. You're the best.

Champion White Fajita Chili with a Lid!

How can I keep this short??

It was the best of chili; it was the worst of chili.

Happily, mine was included among the best! Haha.

Yes, I did indeed win the 2009 Commonway Chili Cook-off in Memory of Chris Dennis (pictured far right) and to raise funds for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Chris, a member of our church, was in his early twenties when diagnosed with ALS. I met him when he helped me on the middle school ministry team. After a brave fight and with a heart ready to begin eternity with Jesus, Chris passed away last fall. He would have had another birthday about a week ago.

In his memory, Commonway held this event, and Chris's parents and brother, among others, judged the chili entries, of which there were about 17.

Several of you sent me chili recipes, which I appreciated SO MUCH, and I considered them all. I made five batches in the week preceding the event, and I finally settled on one that I believe is my own original concoction -er- recipe, although none of the ingredients is exactly unique to a dish like this (Mexican).

Oh, the excitement was thick Saturday night in the building as the organizers announced, "Judging will begin in two minutes; please step away from your chili NOW!"

It was just like Food Network!

In the pics, the guy who looks like a drunk Hawaiian Elvis is not really drunk; he's just a Hawaiian Elvis. Actually, he is a former high school classmate who gave his life to Jesus many years ago. He's an Ironman competitor and marathoner. He pushed Chris's wheelchair in the Indy Mini, and you will see this picture on Jim's monitor. And Jim, next time you enter a chili contest, don't talk smack, esp. if you're going to open a couple cans of HORMEL!

I want to tell you about my display because it's hard to read, and then you can see the pics and the recipe.

On the left panel, it says, "Oh the audacity of chili to be THIS good!" and the recipe is posted below that. In the middle, you will see my man Obama (NOT) and his famous "Yes We Can" quote, with the President apparently holding a white plastic spoon ready to dig into some chili. I added "Win this Chili Cook-off" under his "Yes we can!"

On the right, I have three tag lines: "Vote for Change [white chili vs. red chili]; "No pork in this recipe!" [as in economic stimulus package]; and "Natural Stimilus" [due to beans]. At the bottom is my pic and the caption, "I'm Linda Crow, and I approve of this shameless plea for votes." At the front of my table, I had small baggies full of peppermint Life Savers [for breath], Tums EX [for gas] and small bottles of water [to tame the tingle].

So that's it! Thanks so much. If you make this chili, please let me know if you like it. By the way, I think the fresh lime juice makes ALL the difference! PS: I have no clue why my bangs did the curtains-parting thing, unless it was somehow a lame attempt showcase the chili. But who has time for vanity when one's chili is about to win a contest? Was Aunt Bea vain? I should think not!

So I submitted the recipe to Taste of Home, as follows. (Check out how I've got the recipe lingo "down," like I do this all the time.)

Champion White Fajita Chili

In preparation for a chili cook-off, I created this original recipe which not only has beautiful color and just enough kick, but also distinct fajita and lime flavors. The experiments paid off, as this recipe took first place!

SERVINGS: 12

METHOD: Stove Top or Crock Pot

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 30 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 16 oz. packages of frozen fajita chicken breast strips thawed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cans Great Northern Beans
• 1 12-oz. package frozen Southwestern corn (corn chopped red and green peppers and onions)
• 2 10-oz cans diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 4-oz pasteurized processed cheese product cut into 1” cubes
• 1 c. chicken broth
• Juice of 1 or 2 limes

Directions:

Simmer all in a stock pot for 30 mins., or put into a crock pot and let simmer on low until thoroughly heated, about two hours.

Yield: Serves 12

Notes: I served with cornbread baked with pimientos, and served sour cream, cilantro and other Mexican toppings.

It's "Chili Day!" and Other Stuff

So today is the big Chili Cook-off that I've been preparing for all week, or what seems like from the mid 1990s until today.

I've made five different white chilis to find the perfect one, but the recipe I've finally chosen is actually an original concoction! Oh, I'm sure there's one out there similar to mine, but, you're LYING, so STOP SAYING THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OUT THERE LIKE IT.

I'm just a little proud that I made up a recipe, that's all.

I can't reveal the recipe yet (I will tomorrow) because someone might read it and steal it before the judging, and then there go my plans to build an international chili company and finally be able to afford a haircut from Nick Arrojo. Here you see Nick touching someone's hair which should be me.

If I had my own chili brand, I would definitely call it:

Because: chili for Jesus AND Indiana!

Someone asked me, "Hey, it's Spring. Isn't it a little weird to be having a chili cook-off in Spring?" I think it is, but we Hoosiers only recently jumped on the whole "Daylight Savings Time" debacle bandwagon, and since we just had to adjust our clocks AGAIN, some of us are confused and think it's Fall we're heading into. That's the only explanation I can come up with, and I'm pretty much right 100%.

So wish me luck! I'll take lots of photos. And sign lots of autographs. And get my own brand of chili. And get my own Food Network Show. And get a GREAT haircut.

Who knew chili would be my answer to everything??

PS: On the off-chance I don't win, I'll be in bed until the next time to set our clocks back an hour.