Cookin’ to Build, an all-you-can-eat chili and soup cook-off event hosted by and benefiting Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity, will take place this year on Saturday, Nov. 2, on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Nov. 2 marks the weekend after this season’s final Murfreesboro Saturday Market.

The rain-or-shine event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., though people who have painted their own bowls prior to the event get in at 10:30 a.m., according to Megan Hutchings, Community Outreach Coordinator for Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity.

“We advise people to get there early because the food and the bowls go very quickly,” she said. “It’s kind of crazy and exciting that first hour just trying to get everybody in, and making sure they have their bowl and can start sampling.”

Up until Oct 15, those who wish to paint their own bowls can do so at Color Me Mine at The Avenue, Hutchings said. Participants pay $30 to paint a bowl, and that will also get them into the event. All bowls will be ready for pickup at the event, and there will be plenty of extra painted bowls for attendees to select even if they don’t paint their own.

“People have been collecting the bowls for many years,” Hutchings said. “We started having the event in 2008, so for 16 years.”

About 30 cooking teams will be set up around the square during Cookin’ to Build. Each cooking team gets to choose what soup, stew or chili they will make, and then individuals will go around the Square and have samples of all the different dishes.

“Some of the teams are very secretive, especially if they are using a family recipe,” Hutchings said. “And then some teams will share their recipes.”

The team called Hammer Down, affiliated with the Hammer Down for Habitat event—another fundraiser for the local Habitat for Humanity—makes a Zuppa Toscana, and they are always happy to share the recipe.

“Many teams come back every year. Some mix it up each year and some make the same thing every year. Oakland Archery always makes a creamy tomato basil, and they were our winners last year. And, each team that participates will have a special thing that goes with their soup, whether it is a certain side dish, or croutons, crackers or bread—this helps people remember their particular booth when they vote.”

“We give out a Golden Bowl award to the winner about a week after the cook-off,” Hutchings said. “We have just one winner each year. Some have won a few times . . . . It is a friendly competition for sure.”

Melissa Cross, marketing and development director for Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, said there is a fierce and ongoing competition between the Murfreesboro Noon Rotary Club, Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Smyrna.

Cookin’ to Build will also feature live entertainment, with two bands coming this year—Memory Train and Mountain Ridge Five.

All funds raised from Cookin’ to Build support the Habitat mission of providing affordable homes in Rutherford County, Hutchings said.

This is the 35th anniversary year of Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, which was founded in 1989 and is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.

“When we started out, we were just building a few homes a year, but now we are building 10 to 12 homes a year, and we are building home number 202 right now,” Cross said. “We started Legacy Pointe subdivision in 2019, since it was getting so hard to buy property here because it is so expensive, and people are building houses here that are $400,000. So now we have this wonderful property off of Halls Hill Pike that is 18 acres and will eventually be 76 homes. We have 38 completed homes there right now.”

Each family who gets a Habitat home goes through a financial literacy and home ownership program for 50 weeks. They learn how to manage their money, budget and make good purchasing choices. Habitat homeowners buy their homes through the program, but when buying through Habitat, the Habitat mortgage will not be more than 30 percent of their monthly income. The mortgage payment is typically around $900 a month, Cross said.

“The wonderful thing is they are buying their home, so they are building wealth equity,” she added. “Our homes are efficient, and so the utility bills are small. We make it affordable, and they are beautiful homes. They are really lovely bungalow-style homes. We do mostly one-level homes and some two-level homes for larger families.”

Follow Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity’ s Facebook page for more information and home tips. Find tickets to the 2024 Cookin’ to Build on Eventbrite or paint a bowl and purchase tickets at Color Me Mine, located at The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy.

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Sponsors for Cookin’ to Build Include:

Diamond: Atmos Energy, Nissan, Old National Bank, Color Me Mine

Golden: Redstone Federal Credit Union, Ascension Saint Thomas, Volunteer State Bank

Silver: Premiere Fence, Knights of Columbus, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Miller-Loughry, Redeemer Classical Academy, Dana Womack State Farm Agent, Republic Bank, The Murfreesboro Pulse

Bronze: FCM Cares, Phoenix Boats, Heritage South, Tractor Supply Company, Lawyers Land & Title, First Bank, Wilson Bank and Trust, Vann Go Luxury Restrooms.

Water bottles provided by Murfreesboro Kiwanis Club

Root beer floats courtesy of Dana Womack with State Farm

Dessert from DoubleTree by Hilton

Tea provided by Zaxby’s

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Hammer Down for Habitat Presents:

ZUPPA TOSCANA
(“soup in the style of Tuscany”), an Italian soup made with Italian sausage, crushed red peppers, diced onion, bacon, garlic purée, chicken bouillon, heavy cream and potatoes

Makes: 6–8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp. crushed red peppers
1 large diced yellow onion
4 tbsp. bacon pieces
2 tsp. garlic purée (or minced)
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon (or equal chicken base)
1 cup heavy cream
2 pounds sliced Russet potatoes (about 5 large potatoes)
¼ of a bunch of fresh kale

DIRECTIONS

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft/translucent.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Stir in the sausage. Skim off most of the fat from the sausage that floats onto the surface using a large spoon.
6. Add the heavy cream and cook just until thoroughly heated.
7. Add the fresh kale and stir in to allow the leaves to soften slightly.