My Award-Winning Chili Recipe

Get my award-winning chili recipe right here. It is meaty and slightly spicy! My tasty homemade chili recipe took first place in a chili cook-off that was held in Jacksonville, Florida. The chili cook-off pitted about one dozen local chefs against each other in a friendly food competition. The points were tabulated, and my chili recipe won the bragging rights of the best award-winning chili ever! Hey! Who doesn't like this comfort food? Hey; I love chili!!

I am sharing with you today, the secret ingredient(s) to make my award-winning chili. If you are a great chef, you already know that it is OK to vary your personal recipe according to your audience's tastes!

So, you may opt to not include that one special ingredient; or you may opt to use more of certain spices.

After all, experimenting and customizing is the mark of a great chef!!! Great chefs know how to customize recipes to create their own delicious recipes for the best-ever chili recipe! I like to add a little extra zing with cayenne pepper, the chili spice barometer!

Come on in and sample some of my award-winning chili please. It is one of my spicy comfort foods that tastes oh so good! It is perfect for a Super Bowl chili cookoff!

Photo Credit: My award-winning chili made and photographed by JaguarJulie.

How Hot Do You Like Award-Winning Chili?
Please answer or spicy poll question! Do you like it mild, medium or hot?

1. Please make my chili as mild as you can!
2. Oh, I am a middle of the road.
3. Sock it to me spicy! Yeah man!

My Confession : I Truly Love This Comfort Food.
Call me a cayenne pepper enthusiast : I like it spicy!

"I sure do love making My Award-Winning Chili for friends and family. This is a recipe that is fun to make and fun to dress up with toppings of onions and cheese!"

My confession? Well, first of all cayenne pepper is that spice ingredient that can monitor the spicy level of your award-winning chili. Next, well I do have another special secret ingredient ... come on in and find out!

You know, there are so many different variables with the delicious ingredients that you put into award-winning chili! I can't think of another type of comfort food that can be so customized as this comfort food. Try a little bit of this, and a lot of that, and presto! You have your own award-winning chili recipe!

Chili is a great food for dressing up with toppings too to customize to your tastes. Chopped onions, cheese, jalapeno peppers -- you name it! Bring it along in a crock pot for tailgating, picnics, camping and other outings! And, why not consider some award-winning chili as an alternative food for the Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. You don't always want turkey and ham, you know? Make your chili the best ever with your delicious "secret" ingredients and toppings.

More and more, when we speak of toppings, it isn't just what you can put ON TOP of CHILI ... it is more and more what chili goes on top of as a hearty addition. For example, spaghetti or noodles or macaroni. People are substituting chili for their spaghetti sauces! For years, we've heard of chili as a hot dog additive ... now it is much more. What do you put it on top of?

Hope you get to try some award-winning chili -- yours! ;) And, what a perfect time for a chili cookoff > Super Bowl Sunday! Get a heads up on your Super Bowl chili recipes right here! --The Brand Ambassador JaguarJulie!

My Award-Winning Chili Recipe
This Batch Will Feed a Small Army! - You too can earn awards for competing in Chili Cookoffs!

Ladies and gentlemen, I just want to tell you that you can scale my award-winning recipe down in size as this particular batch was made to feed a small army! Usually chili is good for feeding armies or lots of people at work. My hubby mentioned that we were up as the chef of the week to feed the office staff on Friday. So, figuring out what to feed 10-12 people, I opted to prepare my award-winning chili along with a mixed green salad!

Ingredients for My Award-Winning Chili Recipe
Revealing that secret ingredient right here.

6.75 lbs. Ground Chuck - 80/20
2 - 28 oz. cans DelMonte Diced Tomatoes Garlic/Onion
3 - 15 oz. cans Joan of Arc Spicy Chili Beans
3 - 15 oz. cans Hunt Tomato Sauce
3 - Medium Vidalia Onions
2 pkgs. Lawry Chili Seasoning
1 pkg. Publix Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
1 - 12 oz. can Budweiser Select Beer *
Spice Islands Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Pepper -- season to taste
Lawry Garlic Salt -- season to taste
1 cup of water

*The secret ingredient!

First Step: Browning the Ground Meat for This Spicy Dish!
This is probably the most labor-intensive part!

This one frying pan held half of the ground chuck -- about 3.3 pounds. I had two frying pans going at one time to brown the ground chuck over a medium heat. You want to fry the meat until it loses its reddish pink color, being sure to stir the meat to help break up the pieces. After it is a uniform brownish-color, you will remove it from the heat and drain the oil from the pan.

You can make this as hot or as mild as you
like it by adding more or less cayenne pepper!

Preparation of the Ingredients for My Award-Winning Chili

While your ground chuck is browning, you can chop two of the onions [one of the onions will be saved for the topping] and add to your crockpot along with the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili beans, and spices. Since I was using two different crockpots, I divided up the ingredients proportionately between the two crockpots.

Once you have drained the ground chuck, you will add that on top of the other ingredients. I usually pour the beer on top and mix in as the final step to covering the crockpots, setting it to high. Once it starts to bubble, I turn in down a notch and let it simmer for a couple of hours.

Slow Cooking My Award-Winning Chili
In a Large Rival Crockpot - Can you smell my award-winning chili cooking?

Slow Cooking My Award-Winning Chili -- In Another Crockpot
There Was an Overflow! This is a good portion of award-winning chili for a family of 4

The Cost to Make My Award-Winning Chili Recipe
These ingredients were purchased from Publix

Serving up a Bowl of My Award-Winning Chili
I serve it with chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese.

The cost per person is approximately $4.00
which allows for the guys to have seconds!

Get a Start on Your Chili

Start with McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix. This handy little packet helps. Over the years, I've relied on McCormick Seasoning for a little help. Until you become a professional chef, try the chili seasoning in a packet!

There is everything right about using a little spice helper in a package. These are the primary spices and seasonings that I add to my chili. You can feel free to substitute your favorite brand of cayenne pepper -- which is the one ingredient that you can control to make a spicy chili recipe that will knock their socks off! Normally, I make mine about a 7.5 on the Richter Scale!

Get a Portable Crockpot!
Consider the Crock-Pot SCCPVL600S 6-Quart Oval Manual Portable Slow Stainless Steel Cooker. It is very handy to have a portable crockpot to take with you to tailgating or to that chili cookoff!

I appreciate the oval shape of the 6-quart oval stoneware. You can really see your chili cooking. You also have the high, low, and warm settings to control the cooking process.

The lid-mounted locking system is a must have for transporting your chili to the cookoff! It secures to keep your recipe sealed until you are ready to unveil. This measures 15 by 10 by 15 inches. What a great size!

Thanks for visiting!
So, what do you think of my recipe? Have you got a secret ingredient for your chili recipe -- oh? You don't want to share it. Well, that's OK! Go ahead and tell me about it anyhow. I love to share recipes and food tips!

History: My Award-Winning Chili Recipe was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on July 28, 2009. On December 12, 2010 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #28 overall. This was a top lens with 39 days on the Top 100 list. Lens #466 in the quest for Giant Squid 500 Club.

Jaguar Julie First Hand Experience of Super Bowl Week Activities

On Friday, February 4, 2005, my husband and I opted to take a "vacation" day to attend Friday's Super Bowl activities dowtown Jacksonville ! For him, it was a birthday holiday from work at Fuji Hunt. For me, I had to tear myself away, literally, from my online business as Jaguar Julie Designs both selling on eBay and Overstock. Quite a full time adventure, I might add ... but that's fodder for another article !!

We researched the best way to get downtown. It was decided we'd pay $5.00 for an all-day transit pass. The deal was that you find one of the authorized park and ride lots as advertised in the Times-Union. However, once we found our lot, there were several of us who got confused and parked on the wrong side of the shopping center. After a good 30 minute wait, I suggested to my husband that he was perhaps in the wrong area! You know, husbands don't usually succumb to taking or asking for directions well !

We ventured over to the other side of the shopping center and lo and behold !!! there was the trolley car and a few buses. Ambling up to the transit car at 12:30pm, we were abruptly told, "NO tickets until 2pm!!" "Say What???" asked my informed husband. "I read in the paper that the buses started at Noon!" Well, that was some misinformation. OK, we're off to a not so good start! We called our friends who were at another lot experiencing the same confusion. After hooking up, we all drove down to the Southbank area and opted to ride in the Tram. That was fun!!

Once we arrived at The Landing in downtown Jacksonville, we encountered a hopping place! I actually got a die-hard Eagles fan to hoot, holler, and growl at me because of my Jaguar garb! OK, that was fun . . . but my stomach was growling and I was hungry. We finally found a cool little spot, Mongo's, to have a Mongolian lunch. That was my first time for such a cool place! You fix a bowl of meats, fishes, spices, oils, vegies, and a separate bowl of sauces . . . then you proceed to a grill area and watch your food being grilled! I loved it !! Specially with all the jalapenos I added.

So, what was so special about this place?? Well, glad you asked. We were finishing up lunch and spotted an interview about to get underway out on the patio deck area. JOSH GRACIN . . . remember this country singer from American Idol ?? Well, I was one of those millions with speed dial who actually voted for this talented young Marine. I waited patiently with pen and paper in hand and then went up to the young man, introducing myself as "Jaguar Julie" who is one of your oldest fans and had speed dial . . . and would be attending your Pepsi Smash concert that evening. Now, I GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH. Yikes! You'd think I was a teeny bopper. I don't think I've ever gotten anyone's autograph before. OK, either a sheltered life or much too reserved???

Well . . . we continued to enjoy the goings on on the St. Johns River. Heading over to the stage area, we saw Tom Arnold, he looks better in person! Then, Bert Reynolds showed up with Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. After these 3 "gentlemen" were interviewed, they were squired past all us "admiring" FANS to be led over to the Adams Mark Hotel. Excuse me while I dis, dish the dirt, on Bert! OK, I'm not one for being rude or unfriendly [ Hello Bert, did you hear me calling your name? ] . . . but, Bert, stop with the plastic surgery already!! I didn't say this, but someone standing nearby said something about a Mask and I don't think they were talking about Jim Carrey's movie. I understood that a reporter was dogging you and you wanted NO INTERVIEWS, but you had admiring fans . . . I'm way too old to be shouting your name and waving! Did you forget your contacts? Time to retire!

Now Chris Rock, not much better! Has fame gone to your head??

OK, now it's time for Adam Sandler . . . I've always watched your movies, but wasn't necessarily an A+ fan. BUT, my opinion has changed based on your cordiality that you expressed on Friday at the Jacksonville Landing! You took time to acknowledge your fans, hey you even smiled and waved! Thank you!
Well . . . several hours passed, my tootsies were getting tired in my black fringed Durango cowboy boots. We bought two shirts from a licensed Super Bowl seller and one beer bottle holder. YIKES, our charge tab came to $102.00! Way too much for this merchandise! Hey you guys, that's pretty near price gouging . . . especially since I can buy things off eBay at better prices. Oh well, part of the NFL, SUPER BOWL experience.

Finally . . . it was time for the Pepsi Smash Concert !! at the new Jacksonville Arena. All in all, this was an enjoyable experience . . . once my husband surrendered two Monster batteries from his high-end FujiFilm digital camera to Victoria at the gate. We got to our seats, but I could have used binoculars or another Lasik touch up. So, we moved to the seats that my husband initially purchased. Once the concert got underway, we were definitely impressed by the talent of Josh Gracin. Next up was Chris Cagle . . . WHO?? I can't say that I've heard of him, but he did a great job with his performance! And mighty engaging with the audience. Then came Jo Dee Messina! "WOW," said my husband. "She looks like a biker girl." Well, that meant he found her hot and sexy. And, VERY TALENTED!!! I thoroughly enjoyed her singing and performing. For a little person, she sure could belt out the tunes. Last was Dwight Yoakum. I wasn't terribly impressed with this country singer . . . he's got to stop mumbling when he sings and talks. Unfortunately, we opted to leave near the end of his performance.

YIKES . . . my tootsies were soooo tired! We had to now search up our bus to take us to the park and ride lot. This was absolutely a most miserable time for me! As we trudged quite a walk to find the right bus waiting area, we had to wait on a good 3 buses before one pulled up. It was chilly, dark, and a long wait. This is one challenge for the SUPER BOWL COMMITTEE!! The Jacksonville Transit Authority needed to do a better job with the transportation! The lines were monstrous at Midnight! That made for more than a 12 hour day for us.

A final word . . . Pepsi was literally "throwing out" small red/white/blue squeeze balls on key chains as specialty give-a-ways at the Jacksonville Arena front door. The young people enlisted to perform this task were having way too much fun rifling these balls at old fogies such as myself! But, I did catch the two that were aimed my way, much to the surprise of the youngsters! ;-) This didn't negatively influence my opinion of Pepsi. Pepsi-Cola has always been my #1 choice over Coca-Cola. I love the way Pepsi-Cola tastes and have never acquired a taste for that syrupy sweet taste of Coke! Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, we'd drink Pepsi or often R.C. Cola -- Royal Crown Cola . . . which was the favorite of my grandparents!

Rating Super Bowl Ads - Bloggers Exercise Power

Bloggers' newest power: rating Super Bowl ads ... By John Boudreau, Market Researcher, Mercury News

"Everyone knows about the Super Bowl.

Now there's the Blog Bowl. What better sign that blogging has gone mainstream than this: The popular act of online journal writing by anyone with a PC or laptop is now part of the Super Bowl ad sweepstakes. Market research company Intelliseek will be monitoring the blogosphere for the buzz on Super Bowl ads to give their clients instant feedback on their ad extravaganzas. Intelliseek, a Cincinnati company that owns blogpulse.com, also will set up a panel of 50 to 100 bloggers to offer comments on ads during the game for its clients."

A convergence of factors -- the near-religious fervor in which Americans identify with, and talk about, their favorite products, the mass appeal of online communication and the buzz factor tied to Super Bowl ads -- has led marketing experts to focus more closely on what consumers are writing in blogs and on other Web forums . . . A well-read blog gives its creator, or those who post opinions on it, a global audience. 'Suddenly, instead of an audience of just a couple of colleagues, someone can have an audience of tens of thousands,' said Jonathan Carson, president and chief executive of BuzzMetrics, a word-of-mouth research company in New York."

"The Super Bowl, in a sense, becomes the ultimate buzz-platform, said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management . . . That's why companies are willing to pay a premium -- $2.4 million a 30-second spot -- to get their message across during Super Bowl commercial breaks, he said."

"Intelliseek's Blackshaw and others believe monitoring the blogosphere is a good way to measure whether a Super Bowl ad is a bust or buzz. For instance, Intelliseek declared the last Super Bowl a low-buzz ad event because most of the blog chatter was about Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction,' not about an innovative commercial." Read more about this.

Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida is the Host City for Super Bowl XXXIX!

Will you be attending and need some help with what to see or do in Jacksonville? Well, I can help you!

Check out the official website of Super Bowl XXXIX.