FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 2009
Salsa wins blueberry recipe contest at Mountain State Fair
Contact: Tamara Crain, Entries Coordinator
NC Mountain State Fair
(828) 687-1414
FLETCHER—Sharon Gates of Buncombe County walked in with a recipe for blueberry salsa at Thursday night’s “Anything Blueberry” recipe competition at the NC Mountain State Fair and walked out with a blue ribbon and a $125 dollar prize. Gates “Believe it or not Blueberry Salsa” was tops among 18 entries in the contest which was sponsored by the North Carolina Blueberry Association.
Placing second and winning a $75 prize was Susie Zuerner of Buncombe County. Zuerner placed for her recipe of Blueberry Cheesecake Bars. Finishing in Third Place was Donna Maynor, also of Buncombe County, for her Tarheel Tasties recipe. Maynor took home $25 for her efforts.
Entries in the contest were required to use at least one cup of blueberries (grown in North Carolina when available) and feature them as the main ingredient. Recipes were judged on taste, appearance, creativity, ease of preparation, and nutritional value.
For more information on cooking contests at the NC Mountain State Fair, visit www.mountainfair.org or call the WNC Ag Center at (828) 687-1414.
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First Place – Sharon Gates
Believe It Or Not Blueberry Salsa
1 ½ - cups NC blueberries
1/3 – cup crushed pineapple
2 – Tablespoons pineapple juice
1 – apple, diced
1 – teaspoon lime juice
1 – Tablespoon honey
1/3 – cup minced onion
1 – Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 – small tomato, chopped
½ - teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Serve with chips or crackers, or as a topping for meat or poultry.
Second Place – Susie Zuerner
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Crust:
1 2/3 – cups ground short bread cookies
1 – Tablespoon sugar
1 – Tablespoon butter
Place ground cookie crumbs in a bowl, add sugar, and stir until well mixed. Melt butter then pour in, mixing thoroughly. In 13” x 9” pan, spread cookie mixture on the bottom of the pan, pressing down mixture to all edges. Set aside.
Cookie filling:
5 – ounces blueberry spreadable fruit
1 – cup ground shortbread cookies
1 1/8 – sticks butter
¾ - cup sugar
1 – egg
1/3 – cup milk
¾ - cup shredded coconut
1 1/8 – cup ground almonds
Melt butter in sauce pan and add sugar. Beat egg and milk together, and then add to butter sugar mix. While stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Take off heat and add the blueberry spread, chopped almonds, coconut and stir in ground shortbread cookies. Mix thoroughly. Let cool slightly while preparing cheesecake mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cheesecake mixture:
1 ½ - cups fresh NC grown blueberries, rinsed and dried
2 – 8 ounces packages cream cheese
2 – eggs
2/3 – cup sugar
2 – teaspoons lemon juice
2 – teaspoons vanilla
Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar first, then eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Fold in whole blueberries. Spoon cheesecake mixture over crust. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares before serving. Garnish with whole blueberries.
Third Place – Donna Maynor
Tarheel Tasties
½ - cup brown sugar
½ - cup sugar
1 – teaspoon baking powder
3 – cups flour (plain)
1 – cup butter, softened
1 – egg, beaten
1 – teaspoon vanilla
¼ - teaspoon salt (optional)
1 – teaspoon cinnamon
½ - teaspoon orange rind
4 – cups North Carolina blueberries
½ - cup sugar
4 – teaspoons cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13” x 9” pan.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, both sugars, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well blended. Cut in butter and egg with pastry cutter or by hand. Mix until well blended. Press half of batter into bottom of greased pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reserve half of dough.
While this is baking, mix sugar, cornstarch, orange rind, and blueberries until mixed well. Pour over baked crust. Take remaining half of batter and pinch pieces off placing on top of blueberries. Do this with all remaining batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top of crust is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
