Tag: best recipe

Lemon Raspberry Chiffon Cake

Sticking with my nostalgia kick, I did a deep dive for another best-ever archived recipe and pulled up this one, for a luscious Lemon Raspberry Chiffon Cake.

Blue Ribbon Baking at its Best

This best cake winner originates at the New York State Fair (1999). Luana Impellizzeri won 1st place with it, The cake is one of many major wins for this longtime home baker.

Making this lemon raspberry chiffon cake is easier than it first looks. And it tastes out of this world. The lemon curd cooks up beautifully and adds richness to an already decadent cake. It’s also colorful, lush, and full of flavor.

The homemade whipped cream melts in your mouth. You’ll love how it pairs with both the raspberries and lemon filling. Enjoy!

Cyndi

Banana Bread

Banana bread was one of the first things I baked as a kid. Just thinking about a thick slice smeared with peanut butter gets me drooling every time. My mother always let me be the one to mash the bananas and I did so, by hand, with fervor and might. I still love that preparation step. And I especially love how the kitchen smells with a loaves in the oven.

Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of variations on classic banana bread. My go-to for many years was a recipe using applesauce instead of butter. I also loved the indulgent version that added chocolate chips. Bread for dessert; bring it on! And how about coconut? That is a favorite of mine. While others like walnuts or some other texture contrast, I most often prefer adding in coconut or doing any simple version, as long as its sensationally moist and banana-y bread.

So when this “Best of Show” quick bread recipe came in from the Indiana State Fair, I was all about trying it! You’ll love the texture and taste you get by using Greek yogurt. Use either vanilla or a banana flavor. The pudding mix is a wonderful enhancement as well.

Blue Ribbon Banana Bread – Best in Show

This blue ribbon winning banana bread recipe comes from Teresa Grissom. She won at the Indiana State Fair, Best of Show in the Quick Bread category (2016). Best of Show – for those not in the know – is when a person wins out of all the entries in its category. It means Teresa mastered the techniques needed to make her entry stand out from all the other banana breads. And her ingredient combination nailed it for best taste and texture. So… the bottom line is… this recipe is an award winner…and ready to be baked by you. So hit the kitchen and go bananas.

-Cyndi

Spicy Chicken Hand Pies

These Spicy Chicken Hand Pies are portable and packed with fantastic flavors. The savory chicken filling is seasoned with curry powder, allspice, jalapenos, onions, and garlic. Recipe credit goes to Pamela Woodberry, who says the savory pies are Jamaican-style, made with a recipe handed down from her mother. The aromas alone will make your mouth water. They did ours. Pamela won top honors at the 2013 State Fair of Texas with this culinary creation. It was a family-themed contest supported by the Bisquick baking brand.

We loved how Pam paired the spicy chicken hand pie with the sweetness of a fruit chutney dipping sauce. A beloved chutney of ours is Stonewall Kitchen’s mango chutney. Serve it with your favorite.

Spicy Chicken Hand Pies – Preparation Tips

Here are a few preparation tips for those of you making these spicy chicken hand pies:

If you don’t have Bisquick on hand, make you’re own with just four ingredients: flour, vegetable shortening, baking soda, and salt.
You can double or triple the homemade Bisquick mix to use for other recipes like these bruschetta-themed biscuits.
Got extra homemade mix? Refrigerate it. Put a date on it and use it within 3 months.
In a rush? Using a rotisserie chicken for the filling is a great time saver. Simply remove the skin and bones, then dice or shred the chicken.
If you’re hot for heat i.e. a big fan of spiciness, feel free to up the cayenne, curry powder, and jalapenos to fit your taste and tolerance.
You can freeze any leftover pies. Cover in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag, removing any extra air, and freeze.
To serve leftover pies, thaw in fridge, remove plastic wrap, and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Warm them in pre-heated 300 degree oven until heated all the way through, about 10 minutes. Shortcut version of this is to thaw and heat in microwave. However, the crust is much tastier with the oven method.

Definitely give this recipe a try. You will wow your friends and family with them!

-Crystal & Cyndi

Double Chocolate S’more Sandwich Cookies

Double Chocolate S’more Sandwich Cookies: S’more inspired treats are so much fun. So decadent. So delicious.

Barrie Linberg at the 2013 L.A. County Fair won a blue ribbon for these sandwich cookies; 1st place, Gold Medal Flour best cookie contest. The young baker grew up baking with her mother, who is also a blue ribbon baker.

Barrie named her creation “S’Mookies” for S’more cookies. She said they were inspired by cupcakes she saw on TV. She took the concept and morphed it into an entirely new recipe. Barrie’s Double Chocolate S’more Sandwich Cookies are a delight to bake and taste.

There is both cocoa and chocolate chips in the cookie dough. They end up soft and almost cake-like in texture, but also chewy. So delightful. Inside you have a rich marshmallow/vanilla cream and graham cracker crumb filling.

Wow. Don’t miss out on making these tantalizing treats.

-Cyndi

Caramel Apple Nachos with Nutty Dipping Sauce

Do you want the story behind these Caramel Apple Nachos with Nutty Dipping Sauce? Read on. I had the pleasure of assisting in judging the Stadium and State Fair Foods competition at the Minnesota State Fair in 2014. It was a blast! All of the entries were delicious, but this recipe really wowed me. The winner Lisa Silmser really hit it out of the ballpark! The apples were so crispy and I could not stop thinking about the nutty dipping sauce. I was excited to make this recipe for my family ASAP, and you will be too after seeing how easy these are to make!

The key to these crispy treats is to cut the apples very thinly. If you have a mandolin slicer, use it!

Preparing the apples is as simple as mixing together cinnamon and sugar, then coating the apple slices with it. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and they are ready to pop into the oven.

While the apples bake, mix together the nutty dipping sauce. It’s quick to make, so I let mine sit in the fridge while the apples finished up. I’ll admit that I repeatedly ate spoonfuls of it. I couldn’t resist! It’s that good! And make sure to save any extra dipping sauce. It’s also delicious with freshly sliced apples or even pretzels for the sweet/salty combination.

This Caramel Apple Nachos recipe is so delicious and so simple. You just have to try it! I have no doubt that it will wow you too!

And by the way, if you’re looking for more Minnesota State Fair winning recipes, search for them on our site.

-Crystal

Homemade Sea Salt Caramels

Homemade Sea Salt Caramels. These little sweet treats make terrific little gifts for friends and family. The creation was a blue ribbon winner at the San Diego County Fair back in 2013. They are a go-to recipe for any candy lover. Recipe credit goes to Nancy Flint. My niece Crystal made them and I am seriously drooling. The recipe is short and sweet and she put together a terrific “how to” so you can experience them yourself. Thanks to Karo Corn Syrup for supporting this recipe contest for the best bite-size sweet treats. Enjoy!

-Cyndi

Homemade Candy Made Easy

I now have a new favorite sweets recipe. These homemade sea salt caramels are so buttery they melt in your mouth. I was a little nervous at first about making them because I had never made any kind of candy. I was surprised at how easy this was. Be prepared with some patience–when waiting for the caramel to reach the right temperature–and then letting it cool. That said, they are totally worth the wait!

I like to get everything organized first, so all my key ingredients are at hand…

First, prep your pan (with oil/parchment) and cube your butter (3/4 cup).

Put 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup Karo corn syrup, 2 cups sugar and the butter in a large pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat and stir to melt the butter. This should take about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, stir often, and boil until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 248 degrees. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon sea salt.

Immediately pour into your prepared pan (great tip from the winner…don’t scrape the pot..it will prevent a smooth finish to the candy and be problematic in other ways).

Wait 5 minutes and then sprinkle the top of the caramel with the remaining 1-2 teaspoons sea salt. It’s important to wait the full 5 minutes, otherwise the sea salt will sink into the caramel.

Let the caramel stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

If you like a softer chew, keep your caramels at room temperature. I like mine a bit chewier, so I individually wrapped them and stored them in the fridge. Next time I will boil the caramel a tish warmer to try a firmer finish…just for fun. These were gone in no time, so I am looking forward to the next round already!

-Crystal

Blue Ribbon Baking at its Best

Blue Ribbon Banana Bread – Best in Show

Adaptable Recipe

Spicy Chicken Hand Pies – Preparation Tips

Homemade Candy Made Easy