If you make great chili and want to show off your cooking skills, or just make a big pot of chili for a great cause, then you’re invited to compete in the Hennessey Friends of the Library’s Chili Cookoff this Saturday, Jan. 27.

Again this year there will be door prizes and the event will be open to the public from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Hennessey High School cafeteria.

Costs to taste, and be eligible for the door prizes, are: adults, $6; children under 12, $3; and an immediate family pass, $15.

How to Enter Your Chili

Entrants should text Jan Griffin (405-853-1332) in advance to sign up for a table.

“Chili‘RoundtheWorld” is the theme for this year’s event and chili-makers/ contestants may want to decorate their tables using that theme, said planners.

Awards will be given for People’s Choice, Cook’s Choice, Top Dollar and Best Decorated Table.

Previous Winners

Last year’s first place winners were: Peoples’ Choice, Diamond M Cattle (Matousek Girls); Cook’s Choice, Hennessey Lions Club (Dagan Hardin); Top Dollar, Clif Vogt, and Best Decorated Table, Molly Bonham.

Winning chili chefs aren’t required to give away their secret recipe, or ingredients. However, one year a top chef said she’d included a can of Campbell’s tomato soup and another winner confided using Wolf Brand Chili with beans after burning the first batch made from scratch.

Contestants have won with chili with and without beans and entered using chicken instead of beef; used a beef roast instead of ground beef and many years ago one competitor used buffalo meat.

Or that’s what he said it was.

To Donate Prizes

Contact any member of the Hennessey Friends of the Library, or staff at the public library, if you have prizes to donate and are unable to attend the event.

For additional information, contact Cathy Howard (405-853-6212).