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Professional cooks, ministers, postal workers and others are preparing their secret recipes for this highly seasoned event that benefits Heaven Sent Community Ministries of Marlette.

Bring your taste buds, and your wallet, to Marlette First United Methodist Church, 3155 Main Street, this Friday from 5-7 p.m. Ð the same night as the Marlette Christmas Parade.

Churches, businesses, clubs, groups and individuals are invited to enter their favorite recipes. Residents will sample the entries, and vote for their favorites by putting money in the canisters. You can also purchase a chili dinner with beverages and desserts, chili to-go, and homemade bake goods such as cookies, cakes, brownies and more.

Last year's cook-up champion, Rev. Eric Kilmer from Our Savior Lutheran Church will defend his title with his (in)famous Road Kill Chili!

What's special about his chili? It's not the taste, he admits.

"I'm stuffing the ballot box with extra donations," said the Lutheran leader. "The voting system is you sample the chili and put a dollar in the can of the one you like...If you have a well-funded campaign, you can win with a real poor chili," he said with a smile.

"It's probably less about culinary skills than a big wallet. My chili's okay - so-so, but I have a lot of loving and supporting friends."

His chili may be average, but he's keeping the recipe close to the pulpit Ð so to speak.

"My road kill chili - everything about it is a total secret," the reverend declared. "If I was to tell you what was in it,I'd probably be arrested by the health department."

He added, "it's all for a very good cause. We're happy to be part of it."

One person who's hoping to unseat the Lutheran champion is Mike Hall, a cook at the Main Street Grill in Marlette.

"My wife and Pastor Dan (Bowman) bullied me into it," chuckled Hall.

"It's for the community. If I can help out, it's for a good cause. If the people like it, that's all the better."

Hall, a Detroit native who grew up in Texas, said, "It's basically a Yankee chili - kidney beans, ground beef, onions, pepper and special seasoning."

He won't divulge what the seasonings, because they're a family secret.

"No, sir. Can't give away what me mom taught me," Hall stated. However, he does offer this advice for making good chili: "Slow simmer for several hours." Hall will simmer his pot of beans and beef for 12 to 14 hours - "one of the cooking tricks" from his mom.

"She had me cooking since I was old enough to stand on a chair and reach the stove," he said.

Last year's cook-off raised around $3000 for Heaven Sent, said Gina Titus, director of the community ministry that operates a food pantry and thrift store downtown. They hope to do better this year, because the cook-off is the same night as the parade, and the church is along the parade route. They're hoping to sell chili to-go, hot chocolate, hot cider and more to parade watchers.

The proceeds will help Heaven Sent meet the tremendous need for its food pantry, which distributes approximately 300 boxes of food at its monthly distribution, plus another 10 to 20 "emergency food boxes each month for people that lost their jobs, or just found out about the pantry," said Titus.

"The need is just growing," she said.

There's still time to enter the cook-off. Call 989-635-0077. In addition to Kilmer and Hall, the entry list as of last week included Pastor Mike Hollenbeck from Grace Bible Church, Pastor Dan Bowman from First United Methodist Church, and workers at the Marlette Post Office.

Does Titus have a prediction for this year's winner? Not on your taste buds.

"I've had a few people give me a taste. I'm glad I'm not a judge. They're all so good," she said.