Every year, home cooks test their culinary mettle in Utah State Fair recipe contests. For the winners, it can be pretty lucrative.
Heather Merrill of Tooele took home a $150 gift card from the King Arthur Great Cake Contest and $100 from Make It With Malt-O-Meal for her two first-place wins.
Merrill said she enjoys competing because "it makes me be creative and think of things I wouldn't have made, because I'm using products I wouldn't have used."
For the sponsors such as SPAM, Hidden Valley Ranch or the Utah Cattlewomen, it's like having a whole bunch of minitest kitchens creating new ways to use your product.
Kristina Fox made 10 different batches of brownies at home to perfect her Sassy Orange Brownies, which took the $200 first-place prize in Utah's Big Brownie Bake-off on Sept. 12. Fox works as an adviser at Salt Lake Community College, so she brought the various brownie versions to work for students to taste-test.
"I really like the flavor of chocolate and orange together," Fox said. "I was trying to use unique ingredients and to be creative with the presentation."
Orange and chocolate seemed to be a winning flavor pairing this year. Double Orange Chocolate Cupcakes took the blue ribbon for Kirsten Zimmerman at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship.
Carol Bartholomew took home a total of $350 by winning first place in the Governor's Pie Contest, second place in the Beef For Breakfast Contest and third place in Fleischmann's Bake For the Cure Contest.
Bartholomew, a school teacher, has a tradition of giving each of her students $5 of her prize money to spend on a personal service project. The kids write essays about how they spent the money, which has included feeding homeless pets, making cookies for a neighbor, making a quilt for a homeless shelter and raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"It's become so successful with the students," she said. She's been entering fair contests since 1987.
"Contests are a little intimidating, because you're having someone taste and judge your personal creation," Bartholomew said. "I've walked away empty-handed many times, I've learned not to take it personally. You have to just enter as a learning experience."
The Kress family of West Jordan has made competition a family affair for the past five or six years. Last year, they took home six prize ribbons among four family members. This year mother Naomi Kress won the Lindsay Olive competition, and third place in the Make It With Malt-O-Meal contest. Husband Kip Kress took second place in the Great American SPAM Championship, and daughter Sarah Kress won the children's division of Utah's Big Brownie Bake-Off.
Jeanine Mower Anderson of Bountiful usually takes home between $150 and $400 in prizes. She's competed the past 15 years. "But for the first couple years, I didn't win anything. It took about two years to learn what I needed to do."
Her advice: "Take stuff that you see on TV that's hard and simplify it. Your average food company is looking for a recipe that people will cook themselves at home — something that's easy but looks hard."
One of the most challenging contests is the Utah Beef Council's Mystery Bag Dutch Oven Cook-Off. The contestants are given a "mystery bag" of ingredients from which they have to create and cook a main dish and two side dishes. All the cooking is done in Dutch ovens, with hot coals as the heat source. Brian and Lisa Blodgett were this year's winning team.
In some contests this year, there were only four or five entries, so the odds of winning something are good, even if it's just a company-logo apron.
But overall nationally, fair entries have increased, said Beth Betcher of the Blue Ribbon Group, which coordinates cooking contests at state fairs across the country.
In in the early part of the decade, it was decreasing, she said. "I think it has a lot to do with the economy. People don't have the money to go on vacation, so they go to the local fair, and they are baking and cooking with their kids, and getting involved in the local community. The home values are really coming back."
SASSY ORANGE BROWNIES with TANGY ORANGE BALSAMIC FROSTING
Nonstick cooking spray or butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Extra Brut, 100 Percent Cacao)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Zest of 1 orange
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or butter square 8-by-8-inch glass pan.
In a large heat-proof bowl over double boiler, or simmering pan of water, melt butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add brown and granulated sugar and stir together. Remove from heat. In a small separate bowl, combine egg and pumpkin. Temper pumpkin mixture by stirring in a little of the warm chocolate mixture. Then combine it with the rest of the chocolate mixture. Add vanilla extract. Stir in flour until combined. Mix in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and orange zest.
Pour mixture into prepared pan, smoothing out batter. Place in oven 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Tangy Orange Balsamic Frosting:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Peel from 1/2 orange, in large strips
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
Orange zest from 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon plus 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Simmer balsamic vinegar, orange peel and brown sugar in small pan, until it reduces in volume and forms a syrup. Take 1 1/2 teaspoons of this balsamic reduction for the frosting; store remainder for future use.
In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, butter, and orange zest from half an orange. Add juice and vanilla. Stir in 1/2 cup at a time of the powdered sugar, until mixture is smooth.
Divide frosting evenly in two bowls. In one bowl, add 2 teaspoons cocoa powder and stir until combined. In second bowl, add yellow and red food coloring to turn frosting orange. Frost brownies in 1-inch horizontal stripes, alternating between the 2 frostings. Run a blunt knife through layers of frosting several times to make decorative peaks. Cut into 9 large brownies or 12 smaller brownies.
— Kristina Fox of Salt Lake City, Big Brownie Bake-off
STRAWBERRY CRUNCH STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Malt-O-Meal Strawberry Cream Mini Spooners Cereal
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
8 slices Texas toast-style bread
Butter
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Set aside. Crush cereal into fine crumbs in a sandwich bag. Combine softened cream cheese and strawberry jam until well-blended. Add 1/4 cup cereal crumbs to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until blended. Place remaining cereal crumbs into a shallow bowl.
Spoon and spread cream cheese mixture onto one slice of bread. Top with another slice of bread.
Dip one side of bread into egg mixture, then dip into cereal crumbs. Place into heated, buttered skillet. Cook until golden brown, dip other side of bread into egg mixture and dip into cereal crumbs. Cook until golden brown.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with strawberry or maple syrup.
Makes about 4 French toast sandwiches.
— Heather Merrill, Tooele, Make It With Malt-O-Meal
FRESH FROM THE GARDEN SPICE CAKE
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 1/4 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch pan or 2 round cake pans. In medium bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, water and vanilla. Add in zucchini, carrots and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until well-blended. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. add to egg mixture. Mix until well blended. Add in nuts if using. Pour batter into greased and floured cake pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted in middle. Let cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
— Heather Merrill of Tooele, King Arthur Great Cakes Contest
SWEET MUSTARD GLAZED PORK ROAST
1 boneless pork loin roast, about 2-2 1/2 pounds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider
1/3 cup whole grain garlic mustard
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash roast and pat dry. Rub the salt and pepper onto all sides of the roast. Place in a foil-lined 9-by-13-inch roasting pan. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Place the roast in the pan.
Combine remaining ingredients. Roast about 30 minutes. Brush with mustard mixture every 15 minutes until done. Pork should be roasted to 165 degrees. Serves 6-8.
— Jeanine Mower Anderson of Bountiful, Pork Recipe Contest
KIDS HIDDEN VALLEY VEGGIE LASAGNA
1 package oven-ready lasagna (divide into 4 equal piles)
9 tablespoons or three 1-ounce packages of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and Dip (divided)
2 cups melted butter
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups whole milk
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 15-ounce package ricotta cheese
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
2 cups finely chopped carrots
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped spinach
Over medium heat, in a medium size pan, mix butter, half and half, milk, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of the dressing mix. Cook over medium heat about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, whisk in cornstarch and cook 5-10 minutes, until moderately thick.
Remove and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, ricotta cheese, 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Add in 3 remaining tablespoons of the dressing mix. Set aside.
To layer the lasagna, spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of baking pan. Then layer 1 pile of uncooked sheets, 1?3 of ricotta mixture, half of the vegetables, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 cup sauce. Next layer 1 pile of uncooked sheets, 1?3 of ricotta mixture, 1 1/2 cups sauce.
Then layer 1 pile of uncooked sheets, remaining ricotta mixture and vegetables, remaining sauce and mozzarella.
Cover pan with heavy duty foil. Bake about 55-60 minutes until bubbly. Remove foil and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting Serves 12.
— Jane McQuade of South Weber, Hidden Valley Fresh Taste For the Family Contest
STEAK OMELET PIE
12 ounces sirloin steak
1/2 cup salsa or chili sauce
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
Tomato slices
Parsley
Brown the sirloin steak in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the salsa along with the steak into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese; set aside. In a blender, combine eggs and sour cream. Cover and process until smooth. Pour over cheese. Bake at 375 degrees or 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let sit 5 minute before cutting. Garnish with tomato and parsley if desired. Serves 6-8.
— Jimmie Huckins of Salt Lake City, Beef Is For Breakfast Contest
DOUBLE ORANGE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1 1/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cup water
1 3-ounce package orange Jell-O
1 cup heavy whipping cream
In a large bowl, sift together the first 5 ingredients, set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and sour cream. Alternate mixing in the sifted dry ingredients and the water. Pour into cupcake lined pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until done.
Make a filling by mixing together Jell-O and cream until stiff peaks form.
Place the filling in a pastry bag with a small round tip. Insert the tip of the bag into the middle of the cupcake, and squeeze the filling into the cupcake. The cupcake will puff up when it's full.
Orange Chocolate Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons orange extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
Cream cheese and butter. Add cocoa powder and extracts. Gradually mix in sugar. Add orange juice. Mix well. Frost cupcakes.
— Kirsten Zimmerman of Orem, Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship
SPAMAKOPITA MINI PIES
8 sheets frozen filo dough
1 can light SPAM, finely chopped
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 8-ounce package pre-chopped onions
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 tablespoons liquid egg substitute
8-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
In a medium-size bowl, mix together the spinach, onions, dill weed and Italian seasoning. Add egg substitute to spinach mixture. Add the oil and cheeses. Separate mixture into 4 portions.
Grease a baking sheet that's large enough to fit the length of the filo. On a large surface, lay out one sheet of the filo, then brush with butter. Repeat the process for all 4 sections.
Place one portion of filling along the length of the dough. Leave at little room at the end of dough.
Roll up filo carefully, jelly-roll style. Pinch the ends and place the 4 portions on baking sheet. Score portions for slicing, so pastry won't crumble when cut.
Bake at 225 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cut all the way through portion lines. Increase heat to 250 degrees. Bake an additional 25-40 minutes or until light golden brown on top.
Can be served hot, room temperature or cold. Keep unused portions refrigerated. Makes 16-24 pieces.
— Jeanine Mower Anderson of Bountiful, Great American SPAM Championship
CRAB AND LINDSAY OLIVE SALAD EXTRAORDINAIRE
Dressing:
1/4 avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Salad:
8 ounces frozen imitation crab meat, thawed and shredded
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1/4 cup green olives, sliced
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 3/4 avocados, diced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Stir in dressing. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
— Naomi Kress of West Jordan, Lindsay Olive Salad Lovers Challenge
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
1 large onion
2-3 celery stalks
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
2 small jalapeno peppers
2-3 carrots
1 large butternut squash
2-3 sweet apples
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut up all veggies and apples into small chunks. In a large stew pot, place 1/4 cup butter and add veggies, except squash. Cook on medium heat until onions are clear. Add squash and apples. Simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth. Mix water and Cultured Buttermilk Blend and add to soup mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Blend soup in food processor. Garnish with sour cream.
— Esther May of Salt Lake City, SACO Foods Soup It Up
CHERRY-BERRY ALMOND PIE
Almond-Flavored Pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup solid, butter-flavor shortening
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift together flour, salt and sugar. Cut shortening into flour mixture; set aside. In small bowl, beat together ice water, egg, white vinegar, and almond extract. Sprinkle this liquid over flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, fluffing with a fork, just until flour mixture holds together. Roll out onto floured surface; cut to size for a 9-or 10-inch pan. Place in pie plate and crimp edges. Pierce crust surface with fork; bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Cool thoroughly.
Cream layer:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Whip together cream cheese, sugar and almond extract. Fold in whipped cream. Spread all but 2?3 cup into bottom of cooled crust. Save remainder for garnish. Chill.
Cherry-Berry Layer:
2 cups pitted, frozen cherries, thawed and drained (reserve liquid)
2/3 cup frozen triple berries mix of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, thawed and drained (reserve liquid)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
Dash salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
In heavy, 3-quart pan, add fruit liquids and enough water to make 1 cup. Add cornstarch, sugar and salt; stir to dissolve. Cook over low heat, stirring, until mixture is thick and clear. Fold in fruit and extracts. Cool well. Pour over cream layer of pie. Garnish with remaining cream mixture. Serves 6-8.
— Carol Bartholomew of Salt Lake City, Governor's Pie Contest
FLAX SEED WHEAT BREAD
3 3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
3 packages Fleischmann's RapidRise yeast
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons wheat gluten
2 tablespoons dough enhancer
1 cup ground flax seed
5 cups whole wheat flour
5-6 1/2 cups white flour
Heat water to almost boiling and pour into large bowl. Add sugar, molasses, salt and butter; stir to dissolve and melt. Add 3 cups wheat flour, eggs, dough enhancer, gluten, yeast and flax seed.
Beat well with mixer. Add the rest of the wheat flour while mixing dough with mixer. Add enough white flour until you have a soft dough.
Pour out dough onto a counter and knead in enough flour to make the dough smooth and elastic for 5-10 minutes. Place in a clean, greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk (about 45 minutes). Punch down, shape into loaves and put into a greased bread pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. While bread dough is rising, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake bread for 35 minutes. Remove from pans and rub tops of the loaves with butter. Cool on a rack and place in plastic bags.
— Sharlet E. Braman of West Jordan, Fleischmann's Bake For the Cure
COCONUT CREAM CHEESE DINNER ROLLS
1 package Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups flaked coconut, divided
4 ounces cream cheese, softened or room temperature
In a mixer bowl (with bread hook attachment), combine yeast, water and sugar. Let yeast foam for about 7-10 minutes. Add salt, flour, oil and 1 cup coconut. On a medium to medium high speed, mix the dough about 5 minutes until it forms a ball on the hook.
Mix remaining coconut and cream cheese until combined.
To form a dinner roll, flatten about 4 tablespoons of dough and fill the middle with a tablespoon of the coconut cream cheese filling. Form it into a ball and place on a greased baking sheet. Let rolls rise in a warm place about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Rub butter on the tops.
— Felicia Chan of Salt Lake City, Fleischmann's Bake For the Cure
e-mail: vphillips@desnews.com