5th Ward Chili Cook-off Winner wearing her Chacos

so about a week ago my roommates boyfriend was telling me about how he helped his roommate make some chili, and that he was pretty sure it was going to win the Ward Chili Cook-off this week. So me being an Andrus started telling him that mine would be better. I know I know... be humble. but I really was just kidding. I wasn't going to enter the cook-off. But after Tyleen helped talk up my game about being such a good cook I had to. Right?

So Sunday rolls around, and the guy I had been saying I could beat brings me the sign up sheet. I fill out the sheet with the following information

Name:

#1, Amy Andrus

The kind of Chili:

Better than Thomas' chili

I had to leave after I signed up, but apparently there was some serious trash talking going on. So its probably a good thing I wasn't there.  I told some people in the ward I don't care if I win, I just want to beat Thomas. 

So today is the day of the cook-off. I throw together some beans and chicken and salsa and some other ingredients together, and let it cook for a few hours while I go and play with my sister Katy, and her little girls. I mean look at this picture.... who wouldn't want to spend as much time with these two babies as they possibly can!!

my mom holding alyssa and hailey mae on the terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs this summer

There were 9 other entries to the competition. one of them being Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!! Some had Elk meat, navy beans and ham, wax beans, Grouse, some of them were really spicy, some were sweet. some had a lot of ingredients, and some were really simple. I was really impressed with how many different variations there were. And most of them were surprisingly good. 

The votes were cast, and then counted. and I ended up winning! I was so shocked! I felt bad about only wanting to beat Thomas, but the victory tasted good. Who doesn't like winning? Of course the first person I called was my mom to let her share in my victory, she after all taught me how to cook, I just have to make sure I have my chacos on in the kitchen!!