Chili cooking team recruits a 'ringer'

If you're short a person on your team, you might as well recruit a "ringer".
And that seems to be what Steve Traen of Minneota did for his AgPlus Chili Cook-off team for an upcoming fundraiser for United Way.
There are three AgPlus leadership teams with three people to a team.
There were eight names drawn from a hat, so Traen's team of himself and AgPlus CEO Todd Ludwig needed one more person to fill out their team.
"I recruited Carey Doyscher for our team," Traen revealed with a laugh. "She's an employee here so I figured we might as well get her on our team."
Doyscher has been known for her chili cooking during the Johnny Tillemans Memorial Chili Cook-off held during Boxelder Bug Days each September. The cook-off was cancelled last fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however.
Doyscher has been a perennial winner of one of the categories at that event. She makes her chili during Bug Days alongside her husband, Pete, who also cooks his own recipe and often wins one of the awards given out each year.
Carey has been noted for experimenting with various meats in her chili at the Boxelder Bug Days competition. Over the years, the met in her chili has been turtle, elk, rabbit, venison, pheasant, goat and goose.
"It's going to be a fun time," Doyscher said. "I think it's a good morale boost for the employees."
The meat used in the Traen-Ludwig-Doyscher team is likely going to be venison with a few added smoked jalapenos to give it a little "kick", it was revealed.
The employees of the winning team allegedly get a day off from work.
Traen is Director of Service Businesses for AgPlus, while Doyscher works for AgPlus in Minneota in the seasonal greenhouse that is set to open on April 2.
Will Traen and Ludwig just sit back and relax while their "ringer" performs her magic on the cook stove?
"Maybe," Traen joked.
The three teams will hold a chili cooking contest on March 16 at the Agronomy Office in Ghent, March 17 at Tires Plus in Marshall, and March 18 at AgPlus in Canby. The cook-offs will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.
Patrons can purchase a ticket for $5 to sample all three chilis and then vote for the best one.