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| 1st. Place.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
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| 2 nd. Place,
Apple Grape Pie
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Last weekend I competed in my first ever cooking competition. First of all, I did not win. Now that’s out of the way I can talk about the rest of it. It was a competition in which you were given one ingredient you were supposed to use in your entry. The rules stated that the entry could be a main dish, a side dish, or a dessert. The given ingredient was apple. I decided on a sweet and savory apple muffin. I really played it safe. I did not want to get too complicated before I was able to see how these things worked. I do not know the exact criteria for the judging. But, I know it was based on all the normal things like flavor, appearance (presentation), texture, creativity, etc…
I am including pictures of most, if not all, of the entries. I will denote the first and second place winners. I am completely mystified as to who took third. I guess after not hearing my own name my ears just shut down. I thought I had it all on my camera. But I am missing some names to some of the entries. I took pics of the names separate from the food. I am such an idiot sometimes! I fortunately was able to sample the winning entry. I got to taste it before the winners were announced. As soon as I tasted it I knew I was in trouble, and I knew everyone else was in trouble too! Good Job Emily!
This will not be my last competition. I really learned a lot just from being there and observing the other entries, entrants, and how the contest played out. It was a fun and extremely interesting experience!
I believe that the winner gets their recipe featured in Idaho Falls Magazine. I hope so, because I would not mind getting my hands on the winning recipe. I included my (losing) recipe in this post, just in case people are interested in what not to make. I am just kidding. I stand behind my muffins. My 15 year old even liked them! FYI, I did not make my own
dulce de leche. But, if you click on it you will get to a link of the brand I used. It is so good! I am surprised I did not win just because of it. I probably should have completely covered those muffins in the stuff! But then
La Salamandra would be the true and rightful winner!
Enough of that, what am I talking about, I did not even place! I promise I will be back though, Culinary Guns a Blazing!!!
Two names I could not put to a face:
Caramel Apple Topping
Krusty Apple Pudding Ala mode
There are some pics of entries w/o names I am sorry for that. If anyone reads this post and is aware of the actual entry names leave a comment, and I will fix it. Thanks!
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Sweet & Savory Harvest Apple Muffins (Mine)
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Apple Bars
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Tarts
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Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips
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Sweet Curry
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Apple Turnovers
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Carameled Apple Profiteroles
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Wassail Drink, Like Grandma Brought From the Old Country
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake
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Harvest Meatballs
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Fruit Salsa
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Cinnamon Chips
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| My Muffins, Recipe Follows: |
Sweet and Savory Harvest Muffins -1 c. chopped granny smith apples – ½ c. candied pecans (chopped) – 1 c. aged white cheddar cheese (cubed tiny) – ½ lb. bacon (cooked on paper towels in the microwave until crisp, about 10 minutes, crumble) -2 c. flour -1 Tbsp. baking powder – ½ tsp. salt – ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice – ¼ c. sugar – 2 Tbsp. brown sugar -1 egg -1 c. whole milk – 6 Tbsp. butter melted – ¼ c. dulce de leche Preheat oven to 400°. Sift together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar) into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, the milk, and the egg. Pour wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Add the apple, the pecans, the cheese, and the crumbled bacon. Stir to combine. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full with batter. Bake for ~25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Drizzle each muffin with 1 to 2 tsp. dulce de leche. EAT! Makes ~ 12 muffins. Great as a fall side dish or even a desert. Original Recipe
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| The Inside of My Muffins |
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| Harvest Festival Swag (So no one goes home a true loser.) Thanks for the goods! |
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| One last look at the winner! |
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Good for you for entering! I am sure none of the entries were losers…all of them look delicious!!!!! I hope you hawked your blog….
Your muffins look delicious! Maybe next year I will do it with you… Maybe.