<p>Shannon Lancaster serves her award-winning "Them There Beans" to members of Hermiston Boy Scout Troop 679 during Saturday's Dutch Oven Cook-Off at The Chuckwagon Cafe.</p>

Local youth groups will receive almost $1,500 thanks to the Chuckwagon Cafes ninth annual Dutch Oven Cook-Off on Saturday.

The annual event gives cooks a chance to enter recipes prepared in a Dutch oven, a thick, often cast iron, cooking pot set above coals. Cooks can enter as many dishes as desired into the competition, and attendees donate $4 for a taster plate to receive a sample of each dish.

The attendees then vote on their favorites, and the dish with the most votes takes home the title. Saturdays offerings includes jambalaya, corn bread and pork loin steak, all cooked in Dutch ovens.

This year, Shannon Lancaster, of Irrigon, won the Peoples Choice award for her Them There Beans recipe, and Larry Ross, of Hermiston, garnered honorable mention for his Tamale Pie. Lancaster received $100 and bragging rights for her win; Ross received a $50 gift certificate to the Chuckwagon Cafe.

But the cook-off also has another purpose: raising money for local youth groups. This year, Hermiston Boy Scout Troop 679, Umatilla High School junior class, Umatilla Booster Club and the Umatilla boys and girls track teams all raised money during the event through plate charges, auctions and concessions.

The Umatilla student programs also received a $250 donation from the Walmart Distribution Center Transportation Division during the event.

It was a full day, and were already planning next years, Chuckwagon Cafe owner Cathy Stolz said Saturday. Next year is our 10th year. Its going to be even bigger and better.

For more information on the Chuckwagon or the annual cook-off, visit www.chuckwagoncafe.net.