Bringing National Recipe Contests to Grassroots America...
These colorful and creative cookies are like mini fruit pies. They’re aptly named Raspberry Berets. They get me singing the Prince song of the same name every time. They are crowd-pleasing and easy to make! You start with a delicious cookie shell made with butter, granulated and powdered sugars, baking soda, salt, and flour. Fresh out of the oven (while still in the tins) you re-press the cups…
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…
French macarons are made easy with this fantastic recipe from Marianne Carlson. She won “best overall cookie” honors with it at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. That means the judges like this cookie better than hundreds of others, 453 to…
Peachy Creamy Party Pies: if you love mini size desserts or simple sweet treats you can make in minutes, look no further than these state fair winning tiny pies. They won a blue ribbon and 1st place back at the…
Make this blue ribbon winning chocolate chiffon cake and you will have a divine dessert on your hands. Gwendolyn Swenson won “grand cake of the of fair” honors with it at the 2014 Minnesota State Fair. Cake flour and whipped egg…
This chicken chili is a winner every time. It is super easy to make, incredibly flavorful, and is totally adaptable to your preferences. You can add more veggies, more garlic, less chili powder, or even make it a turkey or…
Shortbread cookies make great holiday gifts. They’re easy to make and everyone loves their melt-in-your-mouth texture. They also are easily morphed into various flavors and colors, perfect for the holidays. I started with pistachio shortbread. Softened butter, powdered sugar, flour, and…
This is some winning eggnog! Simply combine two cans of coconut milk, two cans evaporated milk, one can sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups rum, and a touch of salt, and you’ll have a blue-ribbon-worthy batch of Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog.…
If you want a flavorful bread that wows people and is easy to make, bake this blue ribbon fresh herb olive nut bread. From fresh garlic, shallots, and chives, to basil, dill weed, and oregano, this bread incorporates them all,…
A long time coming, we’ve finally replicated this tea ring recipe, a state fair blue ribbon winning yeast bread you’re going to love. Tea rings are so classic! And so visually appealing, as in YUM to look at. This Chocolate Coconut…
We caught up with blue ribbon baker Karen Cope this week at the Minnesota State Fair. She brought samples of her favorite recipe of late: Monster Cookies! We took a taste and can definitely attest to their deliciousness. I grew up…