If you plan to enter cakes, cookies, jams or pickles in this year’s Delaware State Fair you must submit your entry applications by June 1. You do this by going on-line to www.delawarestatefair.com/fair/ and clicking on Competitive Exhibits.
This site will provide you with the forms and information that you’ll need to enter exhibits in the Fair. You’ll also find the information for the daily contests here.
We’ve made some changes for the daily Culinary Contests this year — adding new contests — and you’ll see that most of these do not require advance registration. In other words, this year you will be able to enter the following contests by bringing in your entry (with the recipe) at the designated time each day: Apple Extrava-ganza, Chocolate Temp-tation, Chili versus Chowder, Bigger-Better Burger, Kids Using Cake Mix, Favorite Blue Ribbon Casserole, Fifer’s Peach Dessert, Some-like-it Hot Homemade Salsa, Grand Bar Cookie and “Wild” Men and Women Cooking.
Additionally you’ll notice that the monetary awards for some of these competitions have also increased. So — what possible reason can you have for not entering?
Because we want to encourage children as well as adults to share their culinary talents with Fair goers, one of the new contests that has been added is Kids Using Cake Mix. With summer vacation rapidly app-roaching, the children — or grandchildren — in your life will have lots of time to try out new recipes to enter in this competition. This column suggests some recipes that you might want to share with them to get them started.
By the way, it is OK for you to prepare and enjoy these recipes, too.
Lemon
supreme bars
1 (18-ounce) lemon supreme cake mix
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
Confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. Empty cake mix into large bowl of a mixer and stir in sugar; form a well in center of dry mix. Pour water, oil, extract and beaten eggs into well and mix (by hand) to thoroughly incorporate and blend all ingredients. Stir in nuts to mix throughout the batter. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into thin, finger-like bars. Combine bars (a few at a time) and small amount of confectioners sugar in a plastic bag or container with lid and gently shake to coat bars with sugar.
Chocolate
macaroon squares
1 (18.25-ounce) box dark chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup, butter, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine dry cake mix, softened butter and one egg in a large mixer bowl and beat on low speed just until crumbly. Press onto bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine condensed milk, one egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl; beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the coconut, nuts and chocolate morsels. Spread mixture evenly over chocolate base in pan. Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan or wire rack. Cut in small squares. Store in air-tight container.
Blueberry Crunch
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 pint fresh blueberries, washed and dried
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Spread pineapple evenly over bottom of pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pineapple. Top evenly with blueberries and sprinkle brown sugar over all. Drizzle melted butter evenly over top and sprinkle with pecans. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Serve slightly warm topped with Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream.
Milford, Del. —
