Holmes County HERALD - Thursday, july 22, 2021 PAGE 5

*42 peanut butter & jelly beat. 1 cup sour cream CROCKPOT WILD – 10 minutes Sponsors for these events Wrap a slice of bacon RICE PILAF IN THE KITCHEN *7 quarter pound sticks un- are quite a broad range. around each chicken breasts 2 cups uncooked wild rice WITH salted butter – 5 minutes Everyone from Heinz - place in slow cooker. Mix 1 small onion, chopped *6 lbs. 9 oz. cabbage – 9 Ketchup to Old Navy the other ingredients and 2 (14 oz.) cans chicken minutes wants to get in on the ac- pour over chicken. Cover broth *46 ears of corn – 12 min- tion. My favorite sponsor and cook on Low for 8 hours. 2 (4 oz.) cans sliced mush- utes was Pepto-Bismol. Makes delicious gravy to rooms, undrained LeeAnn 1 small jar diced pimiento, *4 (32 oz.) bowls mayon- This week’s recipes don’t serve over rice. naise – 8 minutes have to so with speed, but undrained *17 peeled bananas – 2 the slow cooker and no CROCKPOT CAJUN Spray inside of slow cook- Competitive minutes more than 5 ingredients. POT ROAST er with Pam. Combine all *13 raw eggs – 1 second Hope you enjoy them and 2 lb. boneless chuck roast ingredients plus ½ cup water Eating *3 whole lemons (seeds & save yourself some time 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper to taste; peel) – 15.3 seconds in the kitchen. Thanks for 1 onion, chopped mix well. Cover and cook People often ask me utes *100 yards of spaghetti – reading. 1 (14 oz.) can diced toma- on High for 4 hours or Low how I think of something *1 ½ gallons chili – 10 12 .2 seconds toes with garlic for 8 hours. to write about each week. minutes There are “big names” CROCKPOT SOUR 1 tsp. Tabasco *Lee Ann Fleming is a Some weeks are easier than *6.5 lbs. crawfish – 10 in the world of competi- CREAM BACON Sprinkle Cajun seasoning Holmes County native, others. Often an event will minutes tive eating. When you CHICKEN on roast and rub to coat well. food columnist and has happen that interests me *6 lbs. Spam – 12 minutes see these names – Joey 8 slices bacon Place in crockpot and top garnered fame for her reci- and I want to further inves- *46 dozen oysters – 10 Chestnut, Sonya Thomas, 8 chicken breasts with onion. Add tomatoes, pes featured in the film, tigate. minutes , Eater X 2 cans Roasted Garlic Tabasco, and salt and pepper The Help. Fleming can be After the busy Fourth of *11 lbs. cheesecake – 9 Tim and - you Cream of Chicken Soup to taste. Cook on Low for 8 reached at lafkitchen@ July celebration at my house, minutes know they are the ones to ½ cup flour hours. hughes.net. I served several family mem- bers brunch on the following Sunday. The conversation at Lilly Jones is the daughter of former Lexington resident of Bethy Edwards Jones and Walker Jones of Collierville, Tennessee. th the table turned to the annual She is the granddaughter of Maria Edwards and the late Dan Edwards of Lexington, Mississippi. She is a rising 9 grader at 4th of July Eating Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis. Contest. As soon as we had Lilly wrote and won the Personal Essay entry in The Tall Tales and True Stories category that was published in the 2021 edi- eaten, everyone assembled tion of the Stuck in the Middle school magazine. in the den to watch this mo- mentous occasion. I have seen the catfish eat- ing contest in Belzoni at the A Heart that’s Broken Catfish Festival, but that was the extent of my experience By Lilly Jones concerning competitive eat- ing. There is an International Running up and down the court because your heart will not be able because I was nervous it would not Confederation of Competi- at my 4 th grade basketball game, to handle it." My heart figuratively work. Once we arrived, I suddenly tive Eating that is the gov- I could feel my heart pounding sank. Tears began to flood my pale became calm and was excited to erning body for the MLE through my chest. Slowly, I began blue eyes and I could not hold them get my heart fixed. I walked in the (). The MLE oversees about 80 to gasp for air and my eyes were back. Then, I heard him say, "There room and they handed me a gown events every year. Many are blanking. I lost sense of where I might be a surgery we can do to and socks to change into. As I televised and have generated was and started crying. I felt help- temporarily fix this problem." took off my shoes, my feet froze hours of original program- less. On the court, my head began Returning to school, I quickly from the cold hospital floor and I ming. ESPN broadcasts the to pound because I could not get wiped away the salty tears drip- could smell the bleach cleaner that 4th of July hot dog eating contests every year. This is oxygen in or out of me. Pulled im- ping down my face and tried my wafted throughout the hospital as what we were watching and mediately out of the game, I tried best to hold myself together. As they sanitized rooms. Terrified for I had no idea what I had been to explain what was wrong, but I I was sitting in class, the moment the surgery, I walked back into the missing. The broadcast has could barely breathe. This was one from the doctor's office came back preparation room and picked out more viewers than any Ma- of the first times my heart had into my head and made me tear the laughing gas smell I would fall jor League baseball game in the . affected me in sports and sadly, it up. Worried by the sight of my asleep to. There was purple plum, Steve confessed during would not be my last. Once I could tears, my friend asked me what exotic berry, bubbly bubble gum, watching the competition breathe again, I explained that I was wrong. I wiped away my tears and mint chocolate chip. I chose that he had participated in a did not know what happened but and said, "At my appointment, my bubbly bubble gum. Starting to get hot dog eating contest when that I had a heart condition called doctor told me I might have to tired from the laughing gas, I fell he played football at Mis- sissippi State. It was not Tetralogy of Fallot that has been quit basketball because my heart into a long doze, which lasted 7 timed, just who could eat with me my entire life, which would is not doing well." She asked me hours. the most. At that time, all stay with me forever. to explain my heart story and I As I woke up, I felt water rise up athletes lived in the athletic After my incident, my mom de- said, "I was born with a murmur through my body and about to dorm and were fed quite cided it was time to pay a visit to and hole in my heart. The condition spew from my mouth. My body was well in the dining room. Each night they were served my heart doctor. My head began is called Tetralogy of Fallot and I aching in pain and my head was a late- night snack. On this to pound and I felt as if something have two components of it. When pounding harder than my heart. I one occasion it turned into a bad was going to happen. It was I was 6 months old they repaired spent the next three days in the hot dog eating contest. His an early weekday morning. Once the hole; when I was 6, they put hospital recovering and the doctor roommate won with a grand we arrived, we checked in and I in a pig valve, and now the valve is told me I would have a couple years total of 15! After looking into this put on the hospital gown for the not working as well because I have before the valve needed replacing. “sport” I could not believe MRI, which hospitals use to check grown. I have had tons of tiny sur- Finally, it was time to go home. I what people eat for compe- inside of people. Inching inside geries to help my heart, but I think was thrilled. On the way home, I tition. I wanted to include the machine, I watched my sight my heart is going to need a new thought about how I would be able some of my favorites. recede from the world and it made valve soon." My friend, May, who play sports without getting tired *65 hard boiled eggs – 6 minutes 40 seconds me think about what was about to gave me a hug, told me everything as quickly. I then remembered that *68 hot dogs – 10 minutes happen, which worried me. I calmed was going to work out in the end. this condition may make me have *8.1 lbs Vienna sausage – myself in the machine and decided She walked me to class. Finally, I to stop doing the things I love, but 10 minutes to take a nap. Scared after the arrived home and my mom told me it teaches me that I have to make *47 grilled cheese sand- MRI, I was bracing myself to meet we were doing the surgery. life-changing decisions that have wiches – 10 minutes *103 – with the doctor. He stated, "Sad- Finally, it was time for my pro- made me more responsible. It also 8 minutes ly, the valve is not holding as long cedure. I woke up bright and early taught me to stay strong no mat- *13.23 lbs jellied cranber- as we would have liked it to. We and headed to the hospital. On the ter what because being strong in ry sauce – 8 minutes might have to look into not play- way, I looked at the empty streets adversity inspires others who are *48 glazed doughnuts – 8 ing basketball and other sports to try and keep my mind off of it facing difficult times. minutes *2.76 lbs. bologna – 6 min-