Every year, for at least the past seven years, the company I work for has celebrated Oktoberfest with a chili cook-off. Not only is this a great excuse to eat and drink beer at work, but all of the proceeds go to a charitable organization.

Here’s how it works. All of the people who want to participate in the chili cook-off put their name on a list. People who want to bring other types of food — such as crackers, cheese, and desserts — sign the sheet as well. However, only the chili and soup recipes are eligible for the 1st and 2nd place prizes.

Our company also orders Oktoberfest glasses, which are available for $5 apiece. If you want to drink beer during lunch, this glass is essential. And for another $5, you get to sample and vote on all of the different varieties of chili and soup (yes, even if you brought food… but hey, it’s for a good cause).

As an additional fundraising effort, we shoot crumpled up newspaper into a garbage can – five balls for $1. There’s typically a 1st and 2nd place prize for this contest, and it’s fun to see how competitive some people get “shooting hoops” after a couple of beers.

This is the 3rd year that I’ve entered my white chili in the cook-off. Three years ago, I tied for 1st place. Last year, I didn’t get a prize. But this year, my white chili was a huge hit, and it received the majority of votes by my co-workers and colleagues.

What’s my secret? Well, I believe that all really good recipes should be shared. So, the next time that you have the opportunity to enter a chili cook-off – or you just want to impress your family and friends with some yummy food on a cold day – you might consider the following recipe for white chili.

Boil 5 chicken breasts in chicken broth. Crumble/cut them up into a crock pot and add:

• 2 packets of white chili seasoning
• 2 cans (undrained) Great Northern beans
• 1/2 of a big block of Nice N Cheesy Queso Blanco (the Kroger version of Velvetta – lately I’ve noticed they only have the kind with jalapenos) cut into cubes
• 1/2 of a small jar of salsa (I use mild)
• 1/2 of a medium container of sour cream
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a container of chicken broth so that it isn’t too thick (but not too much broth so that it’s too thin)

Turn the crock pot on low. Once the cheese melts (between two and three hours), it’s ready to eat! Enjoy!!