MOLINE, Illinois-- Thursday, February 28 is National Chili Day, and the Good Morning Quad Cities crew picked the two finalists for our chili cook-off contest, sponsored by Fareway Food Stores.
Thursday during GMQC, we introduced you to Judy McKinley from Coyne Center, Illinois and Chad Miller from Bettendorf, Iowa. They each shared what made their recipes unique (see recipes below).
On News 8 at 11, we announced McKinely won the contest. She gets a $250 gift card from Fareway. Miller gets a $50 gift card.
Judy McKinley's Championship Chili:
1/2 lb.ground beef
1/2 lb.ground turkey
1 cup chopped onion
brown and drain
in large pot or slow cooker combine
1- 20 oz. can diced tomatoes
I sm can tomato paste
pepper and salt to taste
2 tab brown sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 cups water
I -16oz. can kidney beans (if desired)
2 tablespoons chili powder (or more to taste)
1 heaping teaspoon of celery salt
Add browned meat and onions and simmer in pot
for several hours or cook on low in slow cooker for 3 or 4 hours
Serve with sliced green onions and grated cheddar cheese as garnish (if desired) with crackers corn bread or crusty bread
What makes it so unique?: The brown sugar helps to tone down the acidity of the tomatoes and the different options make it appetizing for many tastes.
Chad Miller's Famous Chili:
1ea Mrs. Grimes No Salt Added Original Chili Beans 15 or 16 oz Can
1ea Mrs. Grimes Chili Beans Tex Mex 15 or 16 oz Can
1ea Mrs. Grimes Chili Beans Spicy Hot 15 or 16 oz Can
(1ea 15 or 16 oz can of red kidney beans can be substituted for one of the 3 above varieties if not available)
1ea 1.25-1.38 oz McCormick Chili seasoning mix envelope no salt added
1ea 15oz can tomato sauce no salt added
½ cup or ½ chopped onion (sweet white or purple skin)
2 pounds stew beef cut in small cubes (can substitute hamburger)
1ea 14oz can beef broth no salt added
1 pound Miller Family Farm sweet corn (frozen) or 1ea 15 oz can whole kernel corn no salt added
1 Tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons green chilies
¼ cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves
½ cup water
Combine all ingredients in crock pot, stir well, cover and cook on:
Low-10 hours or high 5 hours or
High 2.5 hours and low 5 hours
What makes it so unique?: My wife and I developed this recipe over a period of several years taking many recipes and trying them figuring out what worked and what didn't, talking to our mothers and grandmothers. When we make it at our house we put the beans in stainless steel cooking basket.
After cooking we keep 1/4 of the chili bean free for my wife and mix all the beans in the other 3/4 for me and my kids. We are also careful to use no salt added products and no garlic.