FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 2011

Spam cooking competition recognizes adult and kid chefs
at Mountain State Fair

FLETCHER -- Adults and children alike put on their chef’s hats Saturday afternoon at the N.C. Mountain State Fair for the Spam State Fair Recipe Contest.
Donna A. Maynor of Buncombe County and Faith Brookshire, 9, of Transylvania County won first place in the adult and kid categories respectively. Maynor’s recipe for “Slammin’ Spam Brunch Bake” earned her $150 in prize money, while Brookshire took home $60 for her “Spam Breakfast Burrito” recipe.
Elizabeth Gates of Buncombe County earned second-place honors and $50 in the adult category with her “Knock Your Socks Off Spam” recipe. Third place and $25 went to Sharon Gates of Buncombe County for her “Spam Studded Cheesy Drop Biscuits.”

Second place in the kids category went to Kaley Cross, 13, of Buncombe County for her “Mamaw’s Manley Muffins” recipe. The third-place winner was 14-year-old Jenna Ross, of Buncombe County, for her “Lip Smacker Gravy” recipe. Cross took home a cash prize of $30 and Ross took home $10.
Honorable mention in the adult category went to Debbi Bender of Henderson County for her “Spam Bacon Breakfast Soufflé.” In the kids competition, two honorable mentions were awarded. Nora Herron,9, of Buncombe County was recognized for her entrée, “Nora’s Pepper Breakfast.” Lillie Davis,13, of Henderson County was recognized for her recipe for “Spam and Pineapple Biscuits with Butter Sauce.”
Contestants were required to enter a breakfast dish with at least one 12-ounce can of any variety Spam. Judging was based on taste, ease of preparation and presentation. First-place winners advance to the national competition where winners can take home a grand prize valued at $3,000 for adults and $2,000 for kids.
Following are the winning recipes. Maynor’s recipe is listed first:

Slammin’ Spam Brunch Bake

12-ounce can of Spam, chopped and diced
15-ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups of shredded cheese (suggested: Mexican 4-cheese blend)
¼ chopped sweet bell pepper
8 eggs
Sliced bread with crust removed
1 1/2 cups of milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Grease or spray a 9 x 13 casserole baking dish. Place bread in baking dish with the crust removed, 2 slices deep. Place diced Spam over bread. Place drained pineapple over Spam. Place cheddar cheese over the top of ingredients. Sprinkle pepper over cheese. In a separate bowl mix eggs, milk salt and pepper; whip well. Pour egg mixture over layer ingredients. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until puffy and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Dish can be prepared the night before. Set out in the morning one hour before baking.

Breakfast Spam Burrito

1 can bacon Spam (coarsely grated)
8 flour tortillas
8 eggs scrambled
1 can chopped green chilies (drained, rinsed and squeezed out)
8-ounce carton of sour cream
1 can of cheddar cheese soup
½ medium size onion chopped and sautéed
½ bell pepper chopped and sautéed
1 small bag of 4 cheeses shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine cheddar cheese soup, sour cream and chopped green chilies. Divide mixture in half. Using one half of the mixture gently fold in scrambled eggs, grated Spam, sautéed onions and sautéed bell peppers. Fill the tortillas and roll and place in a 3x9” microwavable dish. Spread remaining soup mixture on top. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

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