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(Many Paths)
An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
 
 
 
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Chili Cook-Off Emphasizes Healthy Ingredients
 
 
by Shondiin Silversmith - Navajo Times
 
credits: photo by Shondiin Silversmith - Navajo Times
 
Bluff, UT. When it comes to chili, these women knew what to do as they put their personal recipes to the ultimate test during the Utah Navajo Fair Chili Cook-off on Sept. 13.

Teresa Yazzie, Shirlee Bedonie, Annie Oldman and Ophelia Holiday brought their cooking skills and ingredients to prove to the judges they have the best chili recipes around.

First place went to Yazzie from White Cone, Ariz., a four-time competitor who finally took home the top prize by wowing the judge's tastes buds with her tropical salsa.

"I wanted to make something different," Yazzie said. She entered two recipes and both were salsas, eggplant and tropical.

Her tropical salsa was a mixture of cilantro, tomatoes, mangos, onions, avocados, and cherry peppers. Her eggplant had jalape–o peppers and yellow peppers with cherry tomatoes.

Yazzie brought in a total of 423 points that earned her a cash prize of $500.

"It felt really good because I've always been in second place," Yazzie said. "I enjoy what I do."

"I like to challenge myself," Yazzie added.

Lena Guerito, chili cook-off coordinator, said the chili cook-off is showing off the contestant's culinary skills, promoting healthy cooking, practicing sanitation and providing a variety of new healthy recipes to the public.

"There are just so many things you can do with chili. We're trying to inspire using more veggies in the recipe," Guerito added.

"They're very creative in their various ways of making chili," Guerito said of the contestants, and that's what makes the cook-off so good because you get to taste their recipes. "I always look for the more creative and traditional foods."

Creative indeed because some of the contestants added ingredients one wouldn't normally find in chili, like peaches, watermelon and mangos.

Each of the contestants was scored on a five-point system in three different categories that featured several subcategories.

Judge Kimbro Talk said what he enjoyed most about this competition was when the contestants took the time to explain what they were making and the steps need to create their dishes.

All the contestants were judged on personal hygiene, chili and workstation cleanup.

Within the chili categories the judges were looking at the appearance, aroma, taste, originality, what they used to cook the chili and the recipes provided.

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  Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.  
 
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