The Clearwater Legion Riders invited the public to come in last Sunday and vote for their favorite chili in their annual chili cook-off fundraiser.

 

A good crowd streamed in to try the delicious recipes from the six crockpots filled with steaming chili, each with its own unique ingredients. 

 

Once the votes were tabulated first place was awarded to Mel Weisse with her “Mel’s Chili” recipe. Second place was won by Karen and Jeff Olson for their “Organic Chili;” they grew most of the ingredients themselves. Both recipes were variations of traditional hamburger chili.

 

The night before the cook-off saw Weisse at the Clearwater Legion participating in its weekly meat raffle. Her mission was to win the hamburger needed to make her chili; in between rounds she ran over to Coborn’s to purchase the rest of the ingredients.

 

Hamburger won and mission accomplished, Weisse headed home and whipped up her now first place winning chili.

 

Weisse and the Olsons will next bring their award-winning creations to Maple Lake to compete in the 10th District’s sixth annual chili cook-off Feb. 23. Each club in the district holds their own cook-off and the top two winners are then entered in the district cook-off.

 

Along with bragging rights, the chili cook-off started as a way for the Legion Riders from different organizations to get to know one another. The winner of the event each year receives a traveling trophy and hosts the next year’s event at their legion.

 

Clearwater has won the cook-off twice in previous years and is ready to win the title back.

 

Proceeds raised from the local and district cook-offs go to better the lives of local veterans.