Along with the new year, here are some new winning recipes from our Creative Arts Cooking competitions that will start your year right. Whether you are tired of holiday dishes or excited to try something new, these recipes will not disappoint, no matter what your tastebuds may be craving!
Sesame Ginger Stir-Fry and Wild Rice Salad With Chicken
Helen Fields
Paradise, TX
3rd Place–Speedy Dishes
Ingredients:
1 (12.5-oz.) stir-fry kit with sauce packet
4 tsp. rice vinegar
2 (10-oz.) steamable wild rice**
½ rotisserie chicken
Put vegetables from stir-fry kit into large bowl. Pick out any large vegetable pieces and slice into slivers; add back to bowl. Put sauce packet into a small bowl and stir in rice vinegar: set aside. Cook rice in microwave according to package direction. (The brand I used said cook on high 4 minutes, let sit 1 minute.) Pour hot cooked rice directly onto vegetables in bowl; let sit 2 minutes. Gently toss together with fork. Remove skin and bones from rotisserie chicken; save for use another time, or dispose of. Chop meat into small bite-sized pieces; add to ingredients in bowl. Toss salad together. Then drizzle sauce mixture over all; gently toss together again. Serve either warm or cold. (*Package includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, kale, carrots and peas. **Package includes brown and wild rice, a bit of carrot and green onion.)
Prairie Dog Cornbread
Judy Spencer-Creed
Euless, TX
2nd Place- Bread Baking
Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour 1 c. yellow cornmeal 4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. milk
3 T. melted bacon drippings
1 (8-oz.) can cream-style corn
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
Preheat oven to 400°. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar and set aside. In medium bowl, combine eggs, milk and bacon drippings and add to flour mixture. Stir in cream-style corn, cheddar cheese and jalapeno peppers and mix until just combined. Pour into 8 x -8-inch baking pan sprayed with baking spray. Bake 20-25 minutes. Test for doneness. Serve while hot with lots of butter.
Orange Ginger Cookies
Allison Caddel
Pittsburg, TX
1st Place- Cookies
Ingredients:
2 c. flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. ground ginger 1½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. salt
8 T. butter, melted
¼ c. molasses
½ c. white sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. fresh ginger, grated 1 T. orange zest, grated 1 lg. egg
½ c. ginger chips or crystallized ginger, minced
½ c. turbinado sugar or granulated sugar
Pinch Maldon salt
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt in medium bowl and mix thoroughly with whisk. Combine warm butter, molasses, sugars, fresh ginger, orange zest and egg in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture and ginger chips and stir until combined. Form dough into balls and roll into sugar and salt. Place onto lined or ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Garden Casserole
Jill Spears
Prosper, TX
1st Place- Farm to Fork
Ingredients:
2 Ibs. Eggplant peeled
5 tsp. salt, divided
¼ c. olive oil
2 c. onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 med. Zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick
S med. Tomatoes peeled & chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
¼ c. minced fresh parsley
¼ c. minced fresh basil
½ tsp. pepper
½ c. grated Romano cheese
1 c. plain bread crumbs
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cut eggplant into ½-inch thick slices; sprinkle both sides with 3 teaspoons salt. Place in a deep dish; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain and dry on paper towels. Cut into ½-inch cubes and saute in oil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add onions, garlic and zucchini; cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, celery, parsley, basil, pepper and remaining salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Romano cheese. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish. Combine crumbs and butter; sprinkle on top. Bake, uncovered, at 375° 15 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Chicken Taco Soup
Janice Lohrs
Nevada, TX
3rd Pace- Tex-Mex
Ingredients:
4 c. chicken broth
1 pkg. taco seasoning
8 T. tomato paste
2 lg. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (12-oz.) can frozen sweet corn
1(15-oz.) can black beans not drained
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained
1 med.-sized onion, diced
1 (10-oz.) can Rote! diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 (15-oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes
Toppings:
Chipotle cheese tortilla strips
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Whisk chicken broth, taco seasoning and tomato paste in slow cooker. Lay chicken breasts in the liquid and pour corn, beans, onion, Rotel tomatoes and fire roasted tomatoes into the slow cooker. Stir everything together and cook on high 5 hours or on low 7 hours. Remove chicken breasts. Shred them with a fork or hand mixer and stir back into the soup. Cook another 30 minutes until chicken is completely done. Serve hot with your favorite toppings like chipotle cheese tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream or cilantro. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.