Am I In The Wrong?

WeberWho

Our church next Sunday invited a choir group to come out and sing during next weeks worship. It will be roughly 30 people in the choir group. After our service we will be holding a potluck. A lady from the church is serving two roasters full of two different types of chili and is looking for someone to make a third. She mentioned this during the service this morning. I started to rub my hands together in anticipation of making chili as I knew this would drive my wife nuts. She leans over and whispers, "Absolutely not! You can't. I'm not letting you!" The lady in charge also asked for help with salads and sides for the chili. 

So people start leaving church and I wonder over to the sign up sheet for potluck. I noticed no one has signed up for the chili and there were hardly anyone left in church to sign up for it. My wife reminds me that I'm not allowed to sign up for chili. She goes, "You can't make your chili. You're going to make her look bad if everyone eats your chili over hers. You can't. Absolutely not. Your chili will outshine her chili and it won't make us look good."

So I did exactly what my wife said not to do...... I signed up for chili. 

I was thinking of smoking and making over the top chili. Is that going too far? Her chili could absolutely crush my chili and I could have tons of leftovers. 

Do I make some real basic chili or bring in chili that I would normally cook at home? I have no intentions of outshining her as her chili could be way better than mine. My wife isn't convinced. 

Your thoughts?

JohnInCarolina

When I opened this thread and started reading, based on the title I thought for sure you were going to tell us you were planning on putting in some beans.

DoubleEgger

I think you should have listened to your wife. 

DoubleEgger

Kevin’s chili… just because 

WeberWho

JohnInCarolina said:

When I opened this thread and started reading, based on the title I thought for sure you were going to tell us you were planning on putting in some beans.

Definitely beans. We aren't making spaghetti sauce!

WeberWho

DoubleEgger said:

I think you should have listened to your wife. 

That's no fun! 

I figured I'd make some cornbread but that was already signed up for and pretty much everything else was signed up for already. Chili was pretty much the only thing left. It would be little different if I was the first person to sign up but I was one of the last people in church and she even asked during our church service if someone could help with the additional chili. No one signed up to help with the chili. 

DoubleEgger

WeberWho said:

DoubleEgger said:

I think you should have listened to your wife. 

That's no fun! 

I figured I'd make some cornbread but that was already signed up for and pretty much everything else was signed up for already. Chili was pretty much the only thing left. It would be little different if I was the first person to sign up but I was one of the last people in church and she even asked during our church service if someone could help with the additional chili. No one signed up to help with the chili. 

caliking

please know that i say this in the best possible way... its not always about you. 

If the goal is to showcase your best chili, then that's what you should do. If the goal is to help your church out, and not show up another congregation member, then you know what to do. 

Be a mensch. If necessary, let the other lady walk away with the "your chili was better than that guy's" kudos. You will have other opportunities.

My $0.02.

PS - caliqueen often tells me similar things. We all choose our own battles

Ragingirishman2

You are doing work for God, how can that be wrong. 😑 

RRP

 Good for you!!! Make us all proud!!!

Back for the 13 years of the Peoria Eggfest I always included a Dutch oven with my chili. My wife once remarked that I had a following year after year like a fish monger with hundreds of hungry cats!

WeberWho

DoubleEgger said:

WeberWho said:

DoubleEgger said:

I think you should have listened to your wife. 

That's no fun! 

I figured I'd make some cornbread but that was already signed up for and pretty much everything else was signed up for already. Chili was pretty much the only thing left. It would be little different if I was the first person to sign up but I was one of the last people in church and she even asked during our church service if someone could help with the additional chili. No one signed up to help with the chili. 

That's actually pretty funny. 

The only things left on the sign up sheet were toppings for chili which my wife signed up for. Which left chili that no one else was going to sign up for. I guess I can say I was forced to make chili. 

WeberWho

caliking said:

please know that i say this in the best possible way... its not always about you. 

If the goal is to showcase your best chili, then that's what you should do. If the goal is to help your church out, and not show up another congregation member, then you know what to do. 

Be a mensch. If necessary, let the other lady walk away with the "your chili was better than that guy's" kudos. You will have other opportunities.

My $0.02.

PS - caliqueen often tells me similar things. We all choose our own battles

I really do 100% agree with this comment. I really have no intentions of showcasing any type of chili. The issue lays is that is how I would make chili at home. I'd throw it in my smoker and do over the top chili. That's pretty basic for anyone who owns a grill/smoker. Unless I make it on the stove but honestly it's just easier on the grill/smoker on my end. 

I was honestly surprised no one was willing to help make chili even after she asked the congregation. So I figured I'd at least help out that way but I don't want to overstep my boundaries but at the same time this is how I would make chili at home or anyone that would come over for dinner. Not much of a win/win given the circumstances. 

fishlessman

You could always just make a panora bread chicken type chili with chick peas. Not everyone likes heat and smoke

GrateEggspectations

Something I’ve started doing is hickory smoking my chili for a bit at the end, while it simmers and the sauce thickens. 

Buckwoody Egger

My vote is always do your best.  That can be your best effort at a chili geared for the audience instead of chili for the annual cook-off with prizes. Over the top is great because it’s all in the smoker. 

Some people may shock you and like hers better anyway. Especially with toppings at play. Be happy to share your recipe and methods if people like yours or ask. The assumption about chili humiliation for the other cook (and alienating you socially) assumes they are unable to be gracious.  It also robs them of the opportunity to be gracious or learn something new by talking chili with you. 

kl8ton

I think you should make over the top chili and the Salado egg fest brisket chili just in case one of them doesn't "turn out." 

johnmitchell

Make sure you put a warning sign on the sliced onion toppings 😉

caliking

fishlessman said:

You could always just make a panora bread chicken type chili with chick peas. Not everyone likes heat and smoke

Agree. Not everyone digs smoke flavor like we do. 

Battleborn

WeberWho said:

caliking said:

please know that i say this in the best possible way... its not always about you. 

If the goal is to showcase your best chili, then that's what you should do. If the goal is to help your church out, and not show up another congregation member, then you know what to do. 

Be a mensch. If necessary, let the other lady walk away with the "your chili was better than that guy's" kudos. You will have other opportunities.

My $0.02.

PS - caliqueen often tells me similar things. We all choose our own battles

I really do 100% agree with this comment. I really have no intentions of showcasing any type of chili. The issue lays is that is how I would make chili at home. I'd throw it in my smoker and do over the top chili. That's pretty basic for anyone who owns a grill/smoker. Unless I make it on the stove but honestly it's just easier on the grill/smoker on my end. 

I was honestly surprised no one was willing to help make chili even after she asked the congregation. So I figured I'd at least help out that way but I don't want to overstep my boundaries but at the same time this is how I would make chili at home or anyone that would come over for dinner. Not much of a win/win given the circumstances. 

I, like you, have a problem with listening to my wife. She has the same problem though. 

I say make the chili, your best or something different. Your intention is not to go out and “beat” hers. She asked, you stepped up to help. If yours is better, oh well. 

DoubleEgger

johnmitchell said:

Make sure you put a warning sign on the sliced onion toppings 😉

You have to have a level of trust with these things that I normally don’t have. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna177088

ColtsFan

Go hard or don’t go at all. 

Destroy her!

dbCooper

When a woman says "don't do that", typically you can get away with doing it with only minor consequences.  However, when a woman says “Just do what you want,” do not, under any circumstances do what you want.

Good luck with the chili and kudos for volunteering.

Corv

You should post your recipe here if it's that good.

As for doing what your wife asks, that probably depends on your relationship and myriad other associated issues which only you know. So no advice on that one. Besides, that lady's chili might turn out to be way better than yours....

WeberWho

Corv said:

You should post your recipe here if it's that good.

As for doing what your wife asks, that probably depends on your relationship and myriad other associated issues which only you know. So no advice on that one. Besides, that lady's chili might turn out to be way better than yours....

That was kind of my point. I have no idea how good her chili is. Like I mentioned above that I could be bringing a bunch of chili home with me. I hope it's better than mine. 

paqman

dbCooper said:

When a woman says "don't do that", typically you can get away with doing it with only minor consequences.  However, when a woman says “Just do what you want,” do not, under any circumstances do what you want.

Good luck with the chili and kudos for volunteering.

It is funny because it is truuuuuue! 😂🤣

lkapigian

WeberWho said:

JohnInCarolina said:

When I opened this thread and started reading, based on the title I thought for sure you were going to tell us you were planning on putting in some beans.

Definitely beans. We aren't making spaghetti sauce!

Do It !!! Then, if the lady makes real chili she wins by default 

Canugghead

paqman said:

dbCooper said:

When a woman says "don't do that", typically you can get away with doing it with only minor consequences.  However, when a woman says “Just do what you want,” do not, under any circumstances do what you want.

Good luck with the chili and kudos for volunteering.

It is funny because it is truuuuuue! 😂🤣

Learned that from all your Amazoid purchases eh?

Canugghead

Learned about and roasted some Jerusalem artichoke for the first time, pretty good. Just sayin' 

Botch

The last place I worked had a chili cookoff to raise money for the Group christmas party, they asked for donated chilis and let people sample as many bowls as they wanted at maybe $3 a bowl.  I brought in a large crockpot with the label "Botch's Smoked Brisket Chili", figured it'd all get eaten.  
At the end of the workday went down to the conf room to get my crockpot, they'd all been removed.  Found out they were all in the 1st-floor galley, unplugged.  Lifted the lid and it looked like, at most, two bowls were sampled.  I had paid $40-45 for the brisket and ingredients, made $6 for a christmas party I didn't go to, and had a mostly-full crockpot with room-temp chili, which I didn't dare eat    (I did still have about 1/3 of the brisket, unsliced at home).  
I didn't do it the next year.    

lkapigian

Botch said:

The last place I worked had a chili cookoff to raise money for the Group christmas party, they asked for donated chilis and let people sample as many bowls as they wanted at maybe $3 a bowl.  I brought in a large crockpot with the label "Botch's Smoked Brisket Chili", figured it'd all get eaten.  
At the end of the workday went down to the conf room to get my crockpot, they'd all been removed.  Found out they were all in the 1st-floor galley, unplugged.  Lifted the lid and it looked like, at most, two bowls were sampled.  I had paid $40-45 for the brisket and ingredients, made $6 for a christmas party I didn't go to, and had a mostly-full crockpot with room-temp chili, which I didn't dare eat    (I did still have about 1/3 of the brisket, unsliced at home).  
I didn't do it the next year.    

With the PH 5< of the chili and Salt 1.5% ish , it won’t go bad , unless there were beans in it

StillH2OEgger

The only reason I'd ever considering returning to church is for the potlucks that I miss so dearly. Good on you for stepping up when others would not. I say bring the good stuff, but also know that in Minnesota many people think a little black pepper or mint-chip ice cream is too spicy and/or exotic, so your chili rival will likely have plenty of folks (perhaps misguided) who prefer her chili anyway, even if it is underwhelming.