Tag: Blue Ribbon Group recipe

Homemade Twix Shortbread Cookies

We admittedly got a bit addicted to these Homemade Twix Shortbread Cookies. I personally grew up a fan of Twix, the caramel and milk chocolate cookie bars…and the peanut butter version. A variation on this recipe won “best new entrant” at the 2014 L.A. County Fair. We used the recipe Nellie won with as our inspiration for our own version.

We ended up making these cookies a second way also, as creative thumbprint cookies.

They turned out tasty both ways, but the thumbprint version did a bit better holding the caramel center.

Baking Tips/Tricks:

The top tip for making these homemade Twix shortbread cookies is to make the indents deep in the cookie dough, as they spread out and puff up quite a bit when you bake them. We didn’t do this in the first version but wished we had.

For the caramel, be sure to use a low shallow pan inside a larger one when you are turning the sweetened condensed milk to caramel. While you can buy premade caramel or dulce de leche, this simple version is oh so yum and easy if you have the right pans. Another option for the caramel filling, is to boil the whole can of sweetened condensed milk, unopened for two hours. This has become my go-to way since it requires less attention to detail.

Once you taste the richness and perfect texture of these cookies, you will go crazy for them too. The recipe makes a pretty large batch…about 40 cookies. The quantity is enough, so plenty to share with others, if they last that long.

If you’re looking for more candy-bar inspired sweet treats, check out our Butterfinger blue ribbon winning cookies.

Enjoy!

-Cyndi

2024 Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Special Contests

2024 Minnesota State Fair Special Contests To Feature New Fresh Salsa, Nutty Cookie, Mighty Muffin Recipe Contests

Minneapolis-St Paul, MN – July 22, 2024 – With over 75 baking and cooking categories at the Minnesota State Fair this year, home cooks and bakers will have many ways to win in the kitchen, including $1,000 in prizes in Blue Ribbon Group special contests and awards. The annual and much beloved tradition of blue ribbon baking and cooking returns!

There’s a new Fresh Salsa contest thanks to Bushel Boy Farms, a Nutty Cookie contest from the Blue Ribbon Group, and a Mighty Muffin contest from 3 Cricketeers. The general/classic baking categories (divided into “classes”), range from 28 types of bread and 21 types of cookies, to 12 different kinds of cakes, and 3 pie flavors, plus international and gluten-free baking divisions. Let the games, er… Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Special Contests BEGIN!

Register by Tue July 30, 2024, 4:30pm; All Special Contests & All Baking Categories Take Place Sat Aug 17, 2024

Rally time is now! Look for these new special contests, each with $100 to $200 for first place, plus runner-up prizes and special awards. Registration is now open. It closes Tue , 2024, 4:30pm CT. All contests happen Sat August 17, 2024, drop off 9:30am to 1pm, Creative Activities Building. Winners announced Thu August 22, 2024. Having trouble finding what you need to participate? Drop us a line here.

Bushel Boy Farms “Fresh Salsa Recipe Rally”

Make a fresh-tasting, crowd-pleasing salsa with premium, locally grown Bushel Boy Farms tomatoes as the star ingredient. Bushel Boy’s tomatoes are grown right here in Owatonna, Minnesota at their high-tech greenhouses and picked at perfect ripeness. Combine them with other ingredients for a masterful and award-winning homemade salsa (refrigerated, not processed/canned). Present with your favorite chips for dipping. $350 in prizes await the top 3 winners, plus bonus prizes for canned salsas (Class 1245 & 1246). Find recipe inspiration @BushelBoyFarms on Instagram & Facebook.

Join Bushel Boy Farms to celebrate opening day of the fair, Thu August 22, 2024. They will take over the Cambria Kitchen to showcase fresh tomato creations and salsa contest winners, plus offer complimentary samples and other giveaways throughout the day.

Blue Ribbon Group “Nutty Cookie Contest”

Come compete in the “Nutty Cookie Contest” from the Blue Ribbon Group. We want a creative variety of nut-centric winning cookies. Make your tasty treats with your favorite nuts, from peanuts and pistachios to almonds and cashews. Any nut goes and any type tracks. They can be classic or creative: think biscotti, nut clusters, butter pecan shortbread, monster cookies, and more. Wow the judges with your outstanding cookie, how it looks and what they experience biting into it. A unique mix of cookies will win. Prizes are $200, $100 and $50 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, respectively. Find inspiration @BlueRibbonFoodies on Instagram & Facebook.

Join us Sun August 25 at the fair for our Nutty Tarts & Treats event (Cambria Kitchen, Creative Activities Building). In the meantime, find a fantastic sample recipe to make here.

Mighty Muffin Recipe Contest

Make your 3 Cricketeers Mighty Muffin entry with 3C’s Pure Cricket Powder (1/4 cup or more) and additional ingredients known to give you power and energy, such as nuts, seeds, oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate. Awards: $100 (1st Place), $75 (2nd Place), $50 (3rd Place). Find their online store at 3 Cricketeers. Use code StateFair2024 for free shipping on your first order. Share your creative process by posting on Facebook or Instagram. Tag #3cricketeers

Join 3 Cricketeers on Fri August 23 for a day of demos and free tastings (Cambria Kitchen, Creative Activities Building).

Special thanks to our prize partner and all-around amazing baking company:

Key Contest Dates to Remember

Competitors Register by Tue July 30, 2024, 4:30pm
Drop Off Day Sat Aug 17, 20, 9:30am to 1pm
View Winner Displays & Recipe Demos Aug 22 to Sep 2 in Creative Activities Building

First Time Participant or Need a Refresher?

All registration goes through the Minnesota State Fair competition department. Registration is free! Once you’re signed up, there is no obligation if you later can’t participate. Go to the Competitions/Creative Activities/Baked Products section at MNStateFair.org to sign up (under the Participants tab).

Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Special Contests: Quick-start tips:

Find all baking rules, regs, open classes, and cool special contests here and be sure to download the Creative Activities/Baked Goods Premium Book Section. Jump to pages 12-14 for the special contests, page by page.
Sign up for the Competition Department email list here and be sure to choose “Creative Activities” as your email list.
Create your online account here (then be sure your registration clears and is confirmed by email).
For step-by-step guidance: go here (for a written tutorial) or here (for a video) For FAQ (frequently asked questions) go here.

Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Special Contests: Resources are aplenty, but if you still have questions, never hesitate to ask. The state fair competition office can be reached 651-288-4417 or competition@mnstatefair.org. We are available too, at statefairteam@blueribbongroup.net.

Mini Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecakes make great after-dinner desserts.

Their size is small enough so you don’t feel like you are over indulging. At the same time, their richness and creaminess will easily satisfy your sweet tooth. With the paper liners, they transport easily and work well at parties as easy-to-pass-around desserts.

You’ll love the texture and tang of these mini cheesecakes. You can credit that to the sour cream or Greek yogurt. Another great thing about them is how easy they are to make. There are just three ingredients in the crust: graham crackers, butter and brown sugar. In seconds you are half-way done making this dessert.

The filling has just four core ingredients (cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla), plus whatever flavoring(s) and food color(s) you choose. And that’s the added beauty of this recipe. You can flavor your mini cheesecakes in so many different ways. With all the extracts and compatible ingredients, the options are endless. I’ve made many coconut versions with this coconut extract from Frontier-Co-op, plus a lot with citrus extracts. Key lime anyone? Chocolate is another go-to. And think of all the fruits you could feature. Any berry would work, or banana, or even mango. You could go the cookie/candy path, with crushed Oreos, Reese’s peanut butter cups, or Snickers.

For this version and because of my state fair love, I did cotton candy mini cheesecakes. I’ve been in love with cotton candy as a flavor since my first taste at the since closed, Izzy’s Ice Cream. In fact, I confess to not liking cotton candy itself, at all! But put cotton candy flavoring in something creamy and I’m all in. One of my favorite products to use is Amoretti’s cotton candy “artisan flavor.” It gives the cheesecake almost a raspberry meets cotton candy.

I hope you get to enjoy these soon!

-Cyndi

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes: Any time I come across a recipe for something I grew up baking with my mom, I’m filled with warm fuzzies and food cravings. Lots of no-bake cookies and “strike-it-rich” cakes come to mind. Imagine my delight then, when I bought this Guittard Chocolate Cookbook.

I was blasted to the past with these “Black Bottom Cupcakes.” They were a go-to treat in my family, bigtime. I was thrilled to make them again after all these years.

This “cake-meets-cheesecake” dessert is so absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t even wait until they fully cooled to dig into one. It is definitely a winning recipe!

Warm, melted chocolate chips inside a tangy cream cheese filling, all surrounded by a rich and tender chocolate cupcake. There’s something about this ingredient combination that is marvelous. As a bonus, these cupcakes are incredibly easy to make!

Easy Bake

Once you prep the batter, divvy it up in a lined cupcake tin.

Whip up the cream cheese filling. Add that on top of the chocolate batter.

After about 20 minutes in the oven, you get your Black Bottom Cupcakes.

Thank you Guittard for taking me and my taste buds back in time. This one is blue ribbon worthy for sure! Their recipe was my inspiration, but I changed a few things. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and added almond extract. I also upped all the amounts of cocoa, cream cheese, and chocolate chips. Coffee creamer came in handy when I didn’t have whole milk. Plus I made a few other minor tweaks.

Black Bottom Cupcakes is a forgiving (translate: very easy) recipe, so it is a fun one to make with kids. Grab your ingredients and get baking!

-Cyndi

p.s. The Guittard Chocolate Cookbook is filled with fabulous recipes. I give it a thumbs up and hope you buy it. Here’s a link.

Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies

Next time a flavor craving for “buffalo chicken wings” hits you, make these Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies.

They are basically baby-sized savory pies packed with diced chicken, cheddar cheese, and spicy red hot sauce. A bleu cheese crumble topping and celery garnish bring home the buffalo chicken theme. You can tailor them to your preferred heat level with how much sauce you use. You can also easily make these gluten-free by using Gluten-Free Bisquick.

Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies – Step by Step

The recipe comes from Betty Crocker. Thank you BETTY! Here’s how incredibly and impossibly easy they are to make. Get your ingredients set out. Mix the chicken, buffalo sauce, and ground pepper.

Add the cheese.

Mix it up and set it aside. You’ll use this “filling” in a few seconds.

In a separate medium bowl, combine Bisquick, milk, and eggs.

Take a muffin pan prepped with cooking spray. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each cup.

Add 1/4 cup chicken mixture to each cup.

Add another tablespoon of batter to each cup.

Bake them in a pre-heated 375-degree F oven for about 25-30 minutes. The tip of inserting a toothpick in the center applies here. If it comes out clean, it’s fully baked.

Once your savory buffalo chicken mini pies are out of the oven, add your finishing touches (like bleu cheese and celery), and you have a fantastic party food on your hands.

On a closing note, we ran a Bisquick recipe contest many years back. Thanks to that, we have numerous award-winning Bisquick recipes on our site. One of my favorites is this savory pie. Want more? Simply search for Bisquick in the search bar, from anywhere on our site. You’ll find fun recipes ranging from savory crackers and biscuits, to hand pies and zucchini fries. Wow! You will want to try all of them.

-Cyndi

Homemade Caramel Corn

Homemade Caramel Corn: Lean how to make it with this special recipe.

Caramel corn and state fairs go hand in hand. In fact, Cracker Jack’s, the molasses-coated peanut/popcorn treat debuted at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Next time you have a hankering for this sweet snack, use this easy go-to recipe. It calls for just 6 ingredients. Add some salted peanuts and you’ll have homemade Cracker Jack’s, a snack the whole family will love.

And if you’re looking for another quintessential state fair recipe, try your hand at these homemade corndogs.

-Cyndi

Almond Joy Cookie Bars

These Almond Joy Cookie Bars will bring utter joy to any almond, chocolate, or coconut lover. With three decadent layers, these bars are thick, dense and delicious!

Thanks to almond extract, whole toasted almonds, and sliced toasted almonds, these sensational sweet treats burst with almond flavor. The shredded coconut filling, chocolate, and almonds altogether give them an addictive texture that’s crunchy, chewy, and rich, all at the same time. AND…they are super easy to make.

3 Easy Pieces

Making these Almond Joy Cookie Bars, only takes three main stages. You par-bake a lush cookie crust made simply with butter, corn syrup, egg yolk, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Next you mix shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk with almond extract, then bake that mixture on top of the cookie crust as the filling. Check out the gooey good look of the filling (image below).
You finish these fabulous treats with whole almonds, melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, and sliced almonds.

Top Preparation Tip

Using parchment to line your pan will make removing the bars from the pan and cutting them easy peasy. Once they’re chilled, all you need to do is lift them out by the parchment edges. Here’s a shot of the bars once they’ve chilled. This time I made them, I didn’t add the almond slices until just before serving. Just look at how is golden brown the crust is and how jammed the bars are with almonds.

Blue Ribbon Winning Sweet Treat

Recipe credit goes to Tammy Michalec of Leesville who won a KARO best recipe contest at her local fair, the South Carolina State Fair with this recipe.

Want More Almond Joyfulness?

Hey all you almond, coconut and chocolate lovers! If you love this recipe, be sure not to miss our Mounds of Joy Cake also. In January 2021, it was one of our #1 most popular recipe on the site.

Enjoy!

Cyndi