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Am I In The Wrong?

WeberWho
WeberWho Posts: 11,250
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?
"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

Minnesota
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Comments

  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 32,376
    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.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,899
    I think you should have listened to your wife. 
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,899
    Kevin’s chili… just because 


  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,250
    edited October 28
    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. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,899
    WeberWho 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. 

  • You are doing work for God, how can that be wrong. 😑 
    XL BGE
    Plainfield, IL.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,011
     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
    WeberWho Posts: 11,250
    WeberWho 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.  ;)
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,250
    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 :smile:

    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. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,372
    You could always just make a panora bread chicken type chili with chick peas. Not everyone likes heat and smoke
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Something I’ve started doing is hickory smoking my chili for a bit at the end, while it simmers and the sauce thickens. 
  • 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
    kl8ton Posts: 5,690
    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." 
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,742
    Make sure you put a warning sign on the sliced onion toppings 😉
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,838
    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. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,899
    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. 

  • Corv
    Corv Posts: 432
    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....
    Somewhere on the Colorado Front Range
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,250
    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. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,808
    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! 😂🤣

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,109
    WeberWho 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  =)
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 12,039
    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?
    canuckland
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 12,039
    Learned about and roasted some Jerusalem artichoke for the first time, pretty good. Just sayin'  ;)
    canuckland
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,173
    edited October 28
    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.    
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,109
    edited October 28
    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
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,829
    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.
    Stillwater, MN