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Lorna McNamara recieves Best Over All for her “Chili-licious” chili.

2nd Place:  “Takes the Edge Off”, Peggy Renne

3rd Place: “Swamp Rat”, Scott Seeley

Donnie Abell recieves Best Named Chili for his chili “Flush and Flush Again”

2nd Place:  “Swamp Rat”, Scott Seeley

3rd Place: “Spontaneous Combustion”, Fire in the Hole Guy

Our host Fire in the Hole Guy with his “Spontaneous Combustion” takes Hottest chili, AGAIN… third year running!

2nd “Flush and Flush Again”, Donnie Abell

3rd “Mean Gene’s”, Gene Donoho

Congratulations to all!  What a fun night

“Thank you so much for all the effort you put into preparation for the event. Landscaping was delicious and crisp and the whole evening was very delightful. I think everyone enjoys the event and spreading it out was so nice. It really opened up the atmosphere and let people mingle more without rubbing elbows. 

You really know how to throw a party.” 

Tim McNinch

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Fall Fest Chili Cook-Off.  Last year’s event was a smashing blast topped off with a bonfire that lit the night sky.  Last year’s Overall Best was a tie between Kelly Dunphy and, two time winner, Rosie Donoho.  Rosie graciously let the traveling chili award go home with co-winner Kelly Dunphy.  It traveled to its 2007 resting place nestled amongst an obsessive collection of TV lamps and 1950’s nostalgia.  Tucked away in a cabinet of quirky curiosities, it stayed, awaiting its yearly resurrection from a sea of ceramic owls, turtles, and all sorts of shiny glass animals… 

Where will the Traveling Chili Award reside for 2008?  Who knows. 

This year’s cast of chili cookin’ characters includes: 

VETS:

“Fire in the Hole Guy”, a.k.a., Bud LeFevre, 

Ms. “Always better than Bud’s”, Kelly Dunphy,

Jim “Hambone” Brown,

Rosie “I’ll bring the whole family” Donoho, and her crazy husband,

“Mean Gene the Pepper Machine”,

Tasha, better known as “Nastasha and by the way, my garden’s better than Buds” Goral,

Peggy “ya know… (with head cocked and pointer finger slightly tipped to the right) Renne

Cindy “I’ve got an opinion on this craziness” Hicks, and

Connie “Don’t you dare swear” Schweiss,

NEWBIES:

Duane “you tree planting, wood choppin’, motorcycle ridin’ some beech” Hauck,

Lisa “quick, give me a brush” Kastello,

Lorna “Hand Me the Bed Pan” McNamara,

Karen “from the Sterling hood” Wolfe,

Bill “Wolfman” Wolfe,

Scott “little drummer boy” Seeley, and his lovely wife,

Deanna “I’m a motorcycle momma” Seeley.

Donnie “You Holy Jalepeno Popper Dude” Abell

Doug “Chili-Man” Farley and Bill

Anonymous

“The Bean-Counting Crowd” at Community State Bank

Bruce Keller

Tim

Rich Osmer

More to come as we get closer.  If you want to make a chili contact “Fire in the Hole Guy” Bud at 815-285-0014, distinctivegardens@comcast.net

2008 FFCCO FEATURES:

ART

Straight from the art kitchen of DHS Art teacher, Lisa Kastello, who has cooked up past DG projects like, “The Mural Project”, 2005, “Pinwheels for Peace”, 2005, and “Artificial Obsolescence and Hope”, 2006 comes the latest…

“Empty Bowls Project”.  Dixon High School students will offer hand-painted chili bowls in recognition of “World Food Day”.  Proceeds from bowl sales will benefit our local food pantry.  www.emptybowls.net  (Paper bowls for chili will be available free if you wish not to participate)

Student bowls from the “Empty Bowls Project”

MUSIC

Again, the house band, “Wrong Element”, featuring the wild grooves of band members, Tony Fiorini, Scott Seeley, Dave O’Bannion, and “Bossman” John on base will tickle your cochlea with their musical expertise. 

Trivia challenge:  Name the famous uncle of Dave O’Bannion, (hint- he was a florist in Chicago) and win a special prize from Bud!

SOMETHING NEW!

This year we’ve got a little surprise on the grounds.  A beautiful pavillion has been put up.

Thank you’s go out to Tom Prendergast and brew consuming associates. You know who you are! Can you say, Craig and Joan, “we’ve got a cooler of beer and tools, what are we building today” Melsner.  Bill “Wolfman” Wolfe and Kevin “Kevlar” Spratt were no slouches with the tools and brew either.  And don’t forget, Julie, “I’ve pulled the last weed of my life” Prendergast.  And our very own Jim “Jolly Green Giant” Brown, and Peggy “edge that bed” Renne.  Thank you all for such hard work.  The pavillion looks fantastic and the beer bottle recyclable guy loves your contributions too!  Power has been plunked all through out the grounds.  No more blowing circuits on chili day!  We’re ready for the biggest cook-off ever!

Don’t forget—  Write comments!! (directly below under Posted in 2008)  

The banter makes it!  We’ve got one already Ms. Dunphy!

Well it went right down to the wire.  This year’s 2007 Chili Cook Off Over All Best is a tie!  Kelly Dunphy’s “Better Than Bud’s Chili” and Rosie Donoho’s “Nana RoRo’s Chili” share the traveling chili award.  It will be living at Kelly’s house preferably in her TV light collection cabinet where it will be safe for another year.  Those two cookers made for a heated competition.  Congratulations to you both!

2007 Results

1st Place Best Over All Chili – Kelly Dunphy’s “Better Than Bud’s Chili” AND Rosie Donoho’s “Nana RoRo’s Chili”

2nd Place Best Over All Chili – Gene Donoho’s “Ancho Man Chili”

3rd Place Best Over All Chili – Jim Brown’s “Fruit and Nut Chili”

1st Place Hottest Chili – Bud LeFevre’s “Fire In The Hole” chili

2nd Place Hottest Chili – Gene Donoho’s “Ancho Man Chili”

3rd Place Hottest Chili – Tasha Goral’s “Tino’s Smokin’ Hot Tomatillo Chili”

1st Place Best Named Chili – Larry Dunphy’s “It Was a Dark and Chili Night…”

2nd Place Best Named Chili – Kelly Dunphy’s “Better Than Bud’s Chili”

3rd Place Best Named Chili – Bud LeFevre’s “Fire In The Hole” chili

Well, this blog is up because we have been getting numerous reports, and have witnessed personally, much chili banter between the contestants.  If you all have something to say then say it here. 

We really don’t know how much bribing and buying of chili votes has been occurring. There have been some serious pre-chili words and it has been reported that certain individuals are calling all friends to get their votes.

We have no idea what the outcome will be, but be sure that the buying of chili votes will not be condoned by the organizer’s of this free-for-all, even though we really have no say in it what so ever.

Click on the underlined comments link directly below this post to check out the banter.

Click on Kelly’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

2007 Better Than Bud’s Chili

1st Place Best Over All Chili

2nd Place Best Named Chili

Click on Bud’s name to leave a comment about his chili.

2007 Fire In The Hole Chili

1st Place Hottest Chili

3rd Place Best Named Chili

Click on Tasha’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

2007 Tino’s Smokin’ Hot Tomatillo Chili

3rd Place Hottest Chili

Click on Rosie’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

Nana RoRo’s Chili

1st Place Best Over All Chili

Click on Peggy’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

Click on Larry’s name to leave a comment about his chili.

It Was a Dark and Chili Night…

1st Place Best Named Chili

Click on Jim’s name to leave a comment about his chili.

Fruit and Nut Chili

3rd Place Best Over All Chili

Click on Gene’s name to leave a comment about his chili.

Ancho Man Chili

2nd Place Best Over All Chili

2nd Place Hottest Chili

Click on Cindy’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

Chili Sublime

Click on Aunt Connie’s name to leave a comment about her chili.

Holy Cow Chili