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RECIPE ROUNDUP
Holiday Recipe Contest
By Shannon Oelrich
Sponsored by Pioneer Brand
I’m proud, once again, to introduce you to the winners of our annual
Holiday Recipe Contest. Each of these women found a creative and delicious way
to use Pioneer Brand products in an original recipe, perfect for holiday entertaining.
Our grand-prizewinning recipe is from Susan Riley, who was a runner-up in the
two previous contests. She was beginning to get that “always a bridesmaid”
feeling, but this year she came out in front. I hope you’ll try her easy
but elegant Holiday Hazelnut Raspberry Chocolate Linzertorte. Chocolate with
the tart taste of raspberries and the nutty flavor of hazelnuts is a winning
combination.
I want to thank all of our testers, who cooked, ate and gained a few pounds
to find our winners. Thanks also to our sponsor, Pioneer Brand, and the folks
in their Research and Development kitchen who assessed and tested recipes as
well. Happy holidays!
GRAND PRIZEWINNER:
Susan Riley, Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative
Susan got her degree in food and nutrition from Oklahoma State University but
never pursued a career in that field. She married an Air Force man and started
moving around. But she loves to experiment with food and has entered many contests;
she was a finalist in the 2005 Southern Living Cook-Off and won the 2006 Mix
It Up with Betty! Cookie Mix Recipe Contest.
Susan says that of her three kids— Katherine (15), Zachary (13) and Jennifer
(8)—son Zachary is the one who’ll try anything she cooks up. He
especially likes it when she combines berries and chocolate, so this is one
of his favorites.
HOLIDAY HAZELNUT RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE LINZERTORTE
1 1/2 cups
chopped hazelnuts
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups Pioneer Original Biscuit & Baking Mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast hazelnuts 8 minutes on cookie sheet. Let
cool. Chop nuts very finely. (I use a food processor.) Set nuts aside.
In medium bowl, cream sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium for 2
minutes. Add 1 egg and vanilla and beat to combine well. Add biscuit mix, hazelnuts,
cinnamon and cloves. Beat on medium until dough forms. Roll out half of dough
between two sheets of waxed paper until it is a 9-inch circle. Place on cookie
sheet, with paper still on, and refrigerate. Press other half of dough into
bottom and sides of a greased (or sprayed) 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Bake crust for 15 minutes.
Take crust out of oven and spread bottom of crust with jam. Sprinkle chocolate
chips evenly over top. Remove other half of crust from refrigerator and remove
top layer of waxed paper. Cut in 1/2-inch wide strips (I use a pizza cutter).
Pull strips off waxed paper and, using a metal spatula, lay strips in a lattice
pattern (crisscrossed but not woven) on top of torte. (If some crust is left,
bake and eat as a yummy cookie.)
Beat remaining egg and brush on top of crust (some egg will be left). Bake
20 minutes or until browned. Cool completely or eat warm. May be served with
whipped cream or ice cream. Raspberries and chocolate curls may be used as a
garnish. Powdered sugar may be sifted over top, if desired. Makes 8-12 servings.
RUNNER-UP:
Joni Todasco, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Joni had never had bread pudding until a trip to San Antonio’s La Cantera
resort. She vowed then and there to learn to make it. She found that Pioneer
pancakes make the perfect base for her rich custard, and almonds and cranberries
give the dish that holiday touch she was looking for.
A former deli owner, Joni loves to cook for her family. She, her husband, 8-year-old
daughter and 19-month-old son live near Johnson City, just down the road from
Pedernales Falls State Park, which Joni says is “a great place to raise
a family.”
CRANBERRY-ALMOND BREAD PUDDING
Bread Pudding
1 package (6 ounces) Pioneer Complete Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup almond slivers
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups milk, scalded
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make pancake mix as directed on package. Make
four large pancakes, using up all batter. Tear them into bite-size pieces and
put them in a well-buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar,
cinnamon, dried cranberries and almonds.
In mixing bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt; then add milk. Mix and pour
over dish. Let soak for 10 minutes. Bake 50-60 minutes, until knife inserted
comes out clean. Serve warm or cold with Vanilla Crème Sauce.
Vanilla Crème Sauce
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In 1-quart saucepan, beat powdered sugar and butter until creamy. Stir in whipping
cream and vanilla. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly until thickened. Chill
1 hour.
RUNNER-UP:
Donna Deteau, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
Donna, who was a runner-up in last year’s contest, wanted to develop
a recipe that was creamy and crunchy to go with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
She went through five versions of her casserole before hitting on the perfect
combination.
The finance director for the Children’s Advocacy Center in Bastrop, Donna
works with a group that’s as close as family. They say they all gained
10-20 pounds for this contest, as they had to eat all of Donna’s “experiments.”
Donna lives in Paige with her two cats and two dogs.
DOUBLE CORN CASSEROLE
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter (divided)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 package (16 ounces) frozen corn, thawed and drained
1-2 jalapeños, minced (optional)
1 package (2.75 ounces) Pioneer Country Gravy Mix
2 1/2 cups half-and-half or whole milk (divided)
2 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (divided)
2 egg whites, whipped stiff
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package (6 ounces) Pioneer Yellow Cornbread or Sweet Yellow Corn Muffin Mix
3/4 cup hot or mild jalapeño jelly (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large cast iron or ovenproof skillet, sauté
in 1/2 cup butter over medium heat onion, bell pepper, carrot and salt for 5
minutes or until crisp-tender. Add garlic, corn and jalapeños and cook
2 minutes.
Mix Pioneer Country Gravy Mix with 2 cups half-and-half or milk, whisking to
blend, and add to skillet. Bring to boil and then turn off heat. Add 11/2 cups
cheese and stir until combined. Fold in whipped egg whites. Adjust seasonings.
In small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter to boil. Add cornbread
mix and stir until blended. Add 1 cup cheese. Drop cornbread mixture by teaspoons
on top of corn mixture (leaving space between dollops). Bake for 30 minutes
or until cornbread is lightly browned on top. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before
serving.
Heat jelly in microwave and drizzle over casserole, if desired. Serves 8-10.
RUNNER-UP:
Dallas Kennedy, Bryan Texas Utilities
Dallas was looking to make a dish with Tex-Mex spiciness that was healthy without
sacrificing taste. This dish is a great combination of flavors and textures,
with its crunchy cornbread topping and spicy filling. Plus, she added some ground
flax seeds for their health benefits.
You might not expect someone with a background in human and veterinary immunology
to also be a great cook, but Dallas isn’t your ordinary person. She’s
got interests as varied as organic gardening, edible landscaping, building koi
ponds, teaching, editing and writing. She lives in Bryan with so many animals
that she says her vet gives her a “herd discount.”
CORNBREAD-CRUSTED TEXAS TURKEY
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1-2 pounds roast turkey, cubed
1 package (1.25 ounces) Pioneer Taco Seasoning (divided)
1 package (6 ounces) Pioneer Yellow Cornbread Mix
1 cup Pioneer Buttermilk Biscuit & Baking Mix
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup finely ground flaxseed meal
2 eggs, well-beaten
1/4 cup 2 percent milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large, heavy skillet, heat olive oil. When
a water droplet sizzles in oil, add onions, celery and red bell pepper and sauté
until browned. Add corn kernels and tomatoes, bring to a boil and then remove
from heat. Add turkey and taco seasoning (reserving 1 tablespoon of seasoning).
Allow mixture to stand for about 5 minutes, stirring once before pouring it
into a pie or quiche dish. (It is important that the meat mixture fills the
dish no more than half full, which allows room for the cornbread crust.) Once
filled, spray the exposed sides of the dish with cooking spray to prevent the
cornbread crust from sticking.
In medium bowl, combine cornbread mix, baking mix, the reserved tablespoon
of taco seasoning, baking powder, baking soda and flaxseed meal and mix well.
Add eggs and milk and stir to combine. Spread gently on top of turkey mixture.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Note: To make flaxseed meal, grind flaxseeds in a clean coffee-bean grinder.
RUNNER-UP:
P.J. Jones, Navarro County Electric Cooperative
P.J.’s niece told her about a recipe for enchiladas that used gravy in
it, so she set out to create some of her own. She worked this up on the first
try, and liked it so much that she made a pan for herself and her husband, a
pan for her 91-year-old mother, and one more for that same niece. One taster
happily described these as “truck-stop enchiladas,” those elusive,
rich and spicy creations one usually finds only while on the road.
Originally from San Diego, P.J. has called Texas home for 37 years. The Joneses
live outside Corsicana.
TURKEY ENCHILADAS
6 cups shredded, cooked turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (19 ounces) chili without beans
1 package (1.61 ounces) Pioneer Brown Gravy Mix
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Sour cream (optional)
Sliced avocado (optional)
Put turkey in a large mixing bowl. In skillet, sauté onion and garlic
in butter until clear. Mix with turkey and set aside.
In saucepan, prepare gravy per directions on package. Stir in chili and enchilada
sauce. Heat until warm, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a small baking dish near the stovetop. Dip
tortilla in gravy mixture and lay in baking dish, fill with turkey, and roll
up; repeat for each tortilla, putting rolled tortillas side by side. Pour remaining
gravy mixture over enchiladas. Top with mixed cheeses. Bake for 30-45 minutes
or until sauce is bubbling. Serve with sour cream and avocado slices, if desired.
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RECIPE CONTEST
The recipe contest topic for April is Make It with Soup. Submit
favorite recipes that use canned or packaged soup as an ingredient. Send your
recipes to Home Cooking, 2550 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704. You may also fax them
to (512) 486-6254, e-mail them to recipes@texas-ec.org,
or submit online at www.texascooppower.com.
Please include your name, address and phone number, as well as the name of
your electric co-op. The deadline is December 10. The top winner
will receive a copy of 60 Years of Home Cooking and a Texas-shaped
trivet. Runners-up will also receive a prize.
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