Jessica Laughlin and Dave Ferfes might live together, but they don’t make chili together. Saturday afternoon, while preparing their secret recipes for the Cookin’ for Coach Chili Cook-Off, the two laughed while competing against each other. Yet, it was obvious there were smoky undertones of a serious clash as both vied for the title with their green chili.

“I’m the master of green chili in this household and he wanted to take me on,” Laughlin said without hesitation.

Her recipe is aptly called Chili Chili Bang Bang; Laughlin said her significant other might want to sleep with one eye open in the immediate future. But Ferfes wasn’t intimidated while putting the final touches on his concoction, Dave’s Green.

“The couch is comfortable,” he said with a chuckle.

Chili chefs gathered at the Park County Fairgrounds for the competition, which was a benefit for Tyler England, who suffered life-threatening injuries in a Sept. 19 rollover. 

Laughlin and Ferfes both bow to George Laughlin and his undefeated “Jorge’s Swollar & Hollar.” George’s recipe is approved by the U.S. Library of Congress. 

“It’s an old, old recipe book — the very finest. I mean, it’s not Betty Crocker or anything ...,” he said.

While the bean-free recipe uses basic chili ingredients described in the vintage cookbook from the hallowed halls of the library, the secret is George’s homemade sauce.

“It’s not salsa, all you need is a couple drops,” he said while offering a single-drip taste test.

He calls it “Habanero smoke,” but it’s not the habaneros that are smoking in the process, rather your tongue the second the sauce hits its surface. Beads of sweat on your forehead soon follow — a heavenly reaction for those who love wicked heat.

While some preferred to cook outside, Trent and Tracy Bailey worked on their seared pork green chili and an open-class, three-bean red chili in the kitchen at Homesteader Hall.

“We’re brand new to this; it’s our first one,” Tracy said.

They were preparing their recipes with mostly local products. They raised the beef and picked the tomatillo peppers from their own garden. Other ingredients are from local vendors who participate in the farmers’ market.

Cooking is a way to bring happiness to friends and family, Trent said.

“We love feeding people. We love the bond it builds and we love seeing their faces as they eat,” he said.

Despite the lack of competitive cooking experience, they wanted to join in the fun to support England, who faces financially devastating hospital bills.

“We got to know Tyler at the [Field of Dreams] softball tournament,” Tracy said. “He is just such a great guy and whatever we can do to help him out, we’re gonna do it.

“This is a great community event,” she said. “We wanted to be a part of it — all of us coming together to help one of our own.”

England spent 10 days in a coma after the crash just north of Ralston, which occurred as he was driving home from the charity softball tournament. Friends and family rushed to his side after he was life-flighted to Billings for treatment. His brother, Christopher, had just deployed to Japan with the Marines, but was allowed to take leave to be there for Tyler. 

“Christopher was sitting with him when he opened his eyes for the first time,” said Heath Worstell, teammate with Tyler on the Misfits softball team. “Tyler gave him two thumbs up,” Worstell said, fighting back tears.

England was recently transferred to the University of Utah Nielsen Rehab Hospital, where he is making great strides. The family sent Worstell a video from the center of Tyler walking up stairs “without a lot of assistance.”

Worstell hopes Tyler will be at the next Field of Dreams tournament. “One hundred percent he’ll be there,” he said.

England set a video to those participating in the cook-off from his hospital bed in Utah. 

“I love you,” he started his message. “I can’t tell you how touched I am. It means so much to me that I have so much support there. I can’t wait to get back to show you how well I’m doing. I’m going to keep working hard to get back soon.”

Many wiped tears from their eyes as the video played, Laughlin said. 

“When we get back together it will be a good time,” England said before signing off.

There is a one-day, one-pitch charity softball tournament organized by Joe Cates scheduled for Saturday at Homesteader Park. Several teams are registered to play and the public is invited to attend. There will be a silent auction and concessions as well as shirts, hats and stickers featuring the phrase Rub Dirt On It — the rallying cry for Tyler’s supporters.

There is a Facebook page dedicated to England called “Rubbing Dirt On It — Tyler England” and a GoFundMe account can be accessed at gofund.me/315353d2. They are almost to the goal of $30,000, with more than $20,500 donated as of Monday morning. Those wishing to make an in-person donation can do so at Pinnacle Bank.

It’s unknown how Ferfes fared this past weekend after upsetting his significant other and winning first place in the Green Chili division. It was tough, but a well-placed source said Jessica secretly admitted to her mother that Dave’s Green was the better chili Saturday.

George Laughlin took the Red Chili trophy. The mother and daughter team of Martha and Tiffany Wutzke won the Open division for their Wutzke Girls’ chili, and Kate Kysar’s & Adrienne Harvey’s Home Team chili won the People’s Choice award.

“Our event was a huge success,” Kelly said. “The community came to donate and support Tyler. And boy did they.”