Mother Nature provided a perfectly cool day for Lakevale’s 2016 Chili Bingo, held April 9. We had nearly 50 attendees and nine tasty varieties of chili. Each recipe had its own special flavors and ingredients including pumpkin, pineapple, and chocolate, just to name a few! Our first place winner was Mark Vineyard with his “Vote for” chili. Congratulations, Mark! Our round of bingo was very competitive with even a bit of trash talk! It was a great evening all around and we would like to thank everyone who came out to join their neighbors for this event. Who will claim the coveted chili pepper necklace next year? We would like to extend special thanks to Lakevale residents the DiMeglios for donating the hummingbird feeder prize. Please check out their beautiful shop Birdwatchers on Maple Avenue.

Stay tuned for the 2016 winning recipe. Meanwhile, to whet your appetite, here is 2015’s winning recipe:

 

Chocolate Stout Chili by Adam Nadel

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 3-4 lbs Mixed Meats (your choice, sausage, beef, pork etc)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin 
  • 3 tablespoons dried chipotle powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes 
  • 2 teaspoons basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon thyme 
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 1 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, with added puree 
  • 16 ounces chicken broth (the 14.5 ounce boxes from store will do)
  • 1 bottle of dark beer 
  • 1 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans (optional and not included at Chili Cook Off)

 

Directions

  1. Heat oil in large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Saute onions and garlic until onions are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
  3. Add ground beef, ground pork, and sausage.
  4. Saute, while breaking up the meats, for about 5 minutes.
  5. Drain fat.
  6. Add cumin, chipotle powder, crushed red pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, and cinnamon.
  7. Stir 2 minutes.
  8. Add semi-sweet chocolate, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, beer, and tomato paste.
  9. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  10. Add black beans and simmer 5 minutes before serving.