Hankerin' for Chili?
Host a Cook-Off!
There’s nothing like a bowl of spicy, delicious chili! Just ask Maxie Pierce, heroine of "Chili Con Carnage," book #1 in my new Chili Cook-Off mystery series. Maxie works as the Chili Chick (giant red chili costume complete with fishnet stockings and stilettoes), dancing in front of Texas Jack Pierce’s Hot Cha Chili Seasoning Palace at the Chili Showdown that travels from town to town.We’re not all lucky enough to be near the Showdown, but if you have a hankerin’ for chili and a taste for a little cook-off competition of your own, you can always host your own chili cook-off party. It’s easy and great fun!
Most chili cook-offs you read about are gigantic affairs designed to raise money for some worthy cause. Think of the same concept, but on a smaller scale.
1. Invite your friends and tell them to bring along a pot of their favorite chili. Suggest they bring it in a slow cooker, and make sure you have plenty of electrical strips so you can plug all those cookers in. Have them bring copies of their recipes, too. I guarantee, guests are going to want them!
2. It’s fun to keep each chef anonymous, so number each pot of chili.
3. You’ll also want to have an assortment of go-alongs: cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapenos, avocado, olives, onions. You’ll probably want to have some corn chips and cornbread, too. Both go great with chili! Crackers are as palate cleansers, and a good thing to munch between chili tastings.
4. If there are going to be kids at your party, remember, they won’t always eat chili. You’ll want some other foods around for them.
5. And don’t forget the drinks. I’m not a beer drinker, but I hear it goes great with chili. And it wouldn’t hurt to have some cold milk on hand, either. Dairy products help diffuse the spice of chili.
6. Decide on your chili categories ahead of time and print up voting ballots. You’ll probably want categories like Tastiest Chili, Most Unusual Chili, Spiciest Chili.
7. Give each guest a ballot and enough small bowls (two ounces is a good size) to sample each of the chilis. You’ll also want to have some regular size bowls around for those chilis that are a real hit that people want more of.
8. Tally up the ballots, declare your winners, and don’t forget about prizes. You can find printable chili certificates on the Internet and there are plenty of other things you can give as prizes, too: cute chili bowls, T-shirts, aprons.
It’s all great fun and your guests will end up with recipes to take home along with their memories. With any luck, unlike Maxie, there won’t be a helping of murder to go along with the chili!
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My Review: How do I love chili, let me count the ways...Seriously, I could eat chili every day of the week, so the concept of a mystery series based around a chili cook-off lures me in immediately. Each year I even attend the Vermont Chili Festival in Middlebury, VT, making this new series even more fun for me.
Maxie has been forced to team up with her half-sister Sylvia (who she's not exactly close to) to represent the family business at the Taos Chili Showdown following the disappearance of their father. Things become even worse for the squabbling siblings when the latest loser Maxie had a single date with, Roberto, turns up dead just hours after they publicly argue (she even whacks him with the chili from her Chili Chick costume). Normally you would think the victim died via poisoned chili, right? Wrong. He falls out of a Showdown judge/celebrity chef's trailer with one of Sylvia's chef's knives stuck in him, and Sylvia is arrested. Even though it's tempting to get Sylvia out of her hair and let her languish in jail for awhile, Maxie knows she needs to catch a killer and protect the family name and business.
Maxie is an edgy firecracker of a main character, and I can't wait to see the trouble she gets into on the Showdown tour. I'm also anxious to meet her dad, the infamous Texas Jack Pierce. I've always found that chili gets better with time, and I predict that this fun new series is going to continue to get stronger and stronger!
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.
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Giveaway
Please leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a paperback of Chili Con Carnage, US entries only per publisher's request, ending 10/4.
Book Details:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by Berkley Prime Crime
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Number of Pages: 296
BRAND NEW SERIES
Synopsis
Romance is supposed to be the spice of life. But Maxie Pierce is so done with bad relationships . . . well, almost. She just has to get rid of the latest loser, Roberto. Besides, she has more important things to worry about. Her dad, Texas Jack Pierce, king of the chili cook-off circuit, has been missing for nearly six weeks. In his place, she must team up with her irritating half sister, Sylvia, to promote the family business at the Taos Chili Showdown.
But when Maxie discovers Roberto’s body in a chef’s trailer–only hours after publicly breaking up with him–she suddenly finds she’s the one in the spotlight as the police pepper her with questions. Now this Chili Chick needs to kick up the search to catch the real killer and get back to finding her father.
About Kylie Logan
Kylie Logan has loved mysteries since she was a kid. Her dad was a Cleveland Police detective and he introduced her to Sherlock Holmes stories and gave her investigating experience when on his days off, they’d pile into the car and hit the streets to look for stolen cars. When he retired from the force, Dad became head of security for the Cleveland Public Library.
Kylie Logan has loved mysteries since she was a kid. Her dad was a Cleveland Police detective and he introduced her to Sherlock Holmes stories and gave her investigating experience when on his days off, they’d pile into the car and hit the streets to look for stolen cars. When he retired from the force, Dad became head of security for the Cleveland Public Library.
Crooks and books! Kylie comes by her love of mysteries honestly.
Kylie began her career writing historical romance and her book, “Devil’s Diamond,
” was nominated for a RITA award as historical romance of the year by Romance Writers of America. She’s also written contemporary romance (as Connie Lane
), young adult horror (as Zoe Daniels and Connie Laux) and she writes the popular Pepper Martin Mysteries as Casey Daniels.
” was nominated for a RITA award as historical romance of the year by Romance Writers of America. She’s also written contemporary romance (as Connie Lane), young adult horror (as Zoe Daniels and Connie Laux) and she writes the popular Pepper Martin Mysteries as Casey Daniels.Kylie is currently writing three different mystery series: the Button Box Mysteries(newest book is “Panic Button”), the League of Literary Ladies mysteries (“Mayhem at the Orient Express 
“) and now, the Chili Cook-Off mysteries. She can’t pass up an antique shop…there might be buttons in there! She can’t put down a classic book . . . even if she already knows the story. And she can’t say no to a good bowl of chili. Luckily, her husband is the world’s greatest chili maker.
(newest book is “Panic Button”), the League of Literary Ladies mysteries (“Mayhem at the Orient Express “) and now, the Chili Cook-Off mysteries. She can’t pass up an antique shop…there might be buttons in there! She can’t put down a classic book . . . even if she already knows the story. And she can’t say no to a good bowl of chili. Luckily, her husband is the world’s greatest chili maker.When she’s not writing, she’s usually with her family and their two dogs, Ernie, an adorable Airedale, and Oscar, a rescued Jack Russell who came for a short-term stay and ten years later, is still around. Kylie says that those of you who have ever met/lived with/had dealings with a Russell will certainly understand how knowing him has increased her propensity for murder.
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