The summer is here, and along with it will bring hot weather and more opportunities for cook outs and time with friends and family. This is the perfect opportunity to try out some of these recipes from the Creative Arts Cooking Competiton at the State Fair of Texas.

MINI CHEESEBALL BITES ON A STICK
Dianne Ragain
Sunnyvale, TX
2nd Place–Fair Concoctions
Ingredients:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
¾ c. chopped green onions
¾ c. chopped Craisins
¾ c. pecan bits
2 T. mayonnaise
¾ c. smokey bacon bits
Pretzel sticks
Triskets (minis)
Mix together cream cheese, green onions, Craisins (chopped), pecan bits and mayonnaise; stir until well combined. Refrigerate 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and using a 1-inch scoop, scoop into balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Take each ball and cover with bacon bits. Arrange on individual small serving bowls and Insert pretzel sticks. Surround with miniature crackers (of choice) and serve.

GRILLED POLYNESIAN SALMON SALAD
Eva Giles
Mesquite, TX
2nd Place–Ports of Call Contest
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh salmon filet
6 T. salt
4 T. sugar
2 T. cilantro, finely chopped
Salad:
2 med./lg. tomatoes, cut into sm. cubes
½ lg. red, orange, yellow bell peppers, cut into sm. cubes
¼ c. onion, finely diced
¼ c. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 T. tamari sauce
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
5 T. cilantro, chopped
Rinse salmon, pat dry with paper towels and place on parchment paper. Mix salt, sugar and cilantro and place on each side of salmon. Wrap salmon in parchment paper and place in refrigerator to marinate at least 12 hours. Remove wrap from salmon, rinse off excess seasoning with cold water. Drain on paper towels and cut into chunks. Grill or fry salmon. Drain on paper towels and set aside. In a large bowl mix together salmon, vegetables, liquid Ingredients and dry seasonings. Toss thoroughly.

CORN CHOWDER SALAD
Sara Smith
Arlington, TX
2nd Place–Farm to Fork
Ingredients:
4 slices thick bacon, cut crosswise Into ½ pieces
3 T. bacon grease
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
8 ears of corn, kernels removed
½ lg. red onion, thinly sliced
¼ c. cider vinegar
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
½ c. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper
In large skillet, cook bacon over moderately low heat, stirring a few times until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and transfer to drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add potatoes and cook over moderate heat until they start to brown and almost tender. Add diced red peppers and cook until peppers and potatoes are tender. Add corn kernels and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes until corn is tender crisp. Transfer all vegetables to large bowl. Stir in onion, cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, cilantro and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

RICOTTA ORANGE POUND CAKE
Brenda Simpson
Irving, TX
1st Place–Cooking with Cheese
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. cake. Flour
2½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¾ c. butter, room temp.
1 ½ c. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 ½ c. granulated sugar
1 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 med. orange, zested
2 T. fresh orange juice
2 T. orange Triple Sec
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend well. In bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, ricotta cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and orange Triple Sec until Just mixed. Add dry ingredients ½ cup at a time until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and wrap cake in plastic wrap. Yield: 8-10 servings.

MILK & CEREAL ICE CREAM POPS
Denese Johnson
Chico, TX
3rd Place–Fair Concoctions
Ingredients:
2 lg. bananas
2 c. Greek yogurt
1 c. strawberry milk
2 c. fruity cereal, divided
1 (12-oz.) pkg. white chocolate chips
2 T. coconut oil
Peel and put both bananas in bowl of a stand mixer. Using paddle attachment mash bananas on low speed. Slowly mix in Greek yogurt and strawberry milk until blended. Stir In one cup of cereal and fill 12 ice cream pop molds and freeze until firm. Remove from forms dip top half into melted chocolate and sprinkle with remaining cereal. To prepare chocolate, combine it with coconut oil and melt in microwave stirring until smooth. Makes 12.