The 2023 N.C. State Fair ended its 11-day run with a strong final weekendthat pushed total attendance to 926,425. Other fair highlights included a new auction record forthe Livestock Sale of Champions and strong participation for Smithfield Foods Hunger ReliefDay and competitive entries.
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John Tyler Moore of Durham wrapped up the State Fair’s Home Chef Challenge serieswith a first-place win for his Brunch Balls recipe in the Nahunta Pork Center’s Not Your Mama’s Sausage Balls Challenge. Moore won the opening day contest, too. He took home $500 prize for the win.Second place and a $300 prize went to Jill Moore of Chapel Hill for her Flaming Lime Sausage Balls. Third place and $200 went to Kimberly Howell of Raleigh for her for her Slap Yo Sweet Mama – Pineapple Jalapeno Sausage Balls recipe.The winning recipe follows:
Mother of four Kim Cooper of Carolina Beach earned a blue ribbon and a $500 prize in the Let's Get Cheesy: Mac-n-Cheese Challenge with her family recipe for Mema’s Mac & Cheese.Jessica Williams of Raleigh took second place and won $300 for her loaded seafood mac andcheese. Allison Wylie of Garner took third place and won $200 for her Korean fried chicken macand cheese.The winning recipe follows:Mema’s Mac & CheeseIngredients:
Sarah Hester of Knightdale won the N.C. State Fair’s Home Chef Challenge titled the “Summer Salad of the South: Kickin’ Chicken Salad Challenge” presented by House of Raeford Farms. Hester’s Curry Chicken Salad earned $500 in prize money. This is the first year Hester has competed in the fair’s cooking competitions, and she also won this year’s “Make-Ahead Lunch” challenge.Lisa Brescia of Cary placed second, earning $300 for her “Thai Meets Indi Curry Salad.” Third place and $200 went to Pamela Cash of Youngsville for her traditional chicken salad.
Savannah Ranson of Raleigh placed first in the Carnitas Street Taco Challengepresented by Smithfield Foods. Her Blue Corn Carnitas Street Tacos won her the blue ribbon anda prize of $500.Chelsie Rose Troxel of Angier won the second-place price and $300 with her Sweet CarnitaTacos. Aisha Barnes of Wake Forest won third place with her Carnitas Recipe, and was also thewinner of $200.The winning recipe follows:Blue Corn Carnitas Street TacosIngredients:Carnitas:
Registered Dietitian Sarah Hester of Knightdale took home the blue ribbon and a$500 prize in the MREs in ’23: Make-Ahead Lunch Challenge presented by Wegmans with arecipe for sweet potato beef taco skillet.Amy Zimmerman of Raleigh took second place and won $300 for her chicken and rice bowl.Aaminah Hasan of Durham took third place and won $200 for her Mason jar miso soup.The winning recipe follows:Sweet potato beef taco skilletMakes 2-4 servingsIngredients:
Taylor Weber of Raleigh placed first in the Cast Iron Chicken Pot Pie Challenge with her Spicy Green Chili and Sweet Corn Skillet Chicken Pot Pie. This was her first win at the Home Chef Challenge, and she took home $500 as a reward.Bob Brescia of Cary won the second-place price and $300 with South of the Border ChickenSkillet Pie. Third place and $200 went to Julie Truelove of Raleigh with her ThanksgivingChicken Potpie.The winning recipe follows:FillingIngredients:
Shenita Arvia Pelham of Raleigh earned the top spot and $500 in prize money in the State Fair’s “Down Home Dessert: Banana Pudding Challenge” presented by Ambetter Health of North Carolina. Pelham, a native of Biscoe, served up her “Boozie Banana Pudding Cheesecake” for the win.Julia Truelove of Raleigh placed second, earning $300 for her “Taste of New Orleans Banana Pudding.” Third place and $200 went to Aasiyah Maryam of Durham for her “Classic Banana Pudding with Banana Infused Praline Ice Cream.”The winning recipe follows:
Habeebah Hasan of Durham placed first and won $500 in the N.C. State Fair LusciousLayer Cake Home Chef Challenge with her strawberry lemonade-inspired triple layer cake. This was Hasan’s first time competing in the cooking challenges at the fair. She is also a preschool teacher for Bright Horizons.Second place and a $300 prize went to Somie Baxley of Raleigh for her Midnight Hazelnut Dream Cake. Third place and $200 went to Heidi Lin of New Hill for her Dark Chocolate Bourbon SaltedCaramel Espresso Layer Cake.
Domino Ireland of Raleigh placed first in Boozy Bites: Appetizers with SPIRIT! Challenge with his Spicy Sabrosa Shrimp Ceviche with Tequila Blanco by Weldon Mills. He took home $500 for his creation.Savannah Ranson of Raleigh won the second-place price and $300 with her DrunkenLemongrass Chicken Wings with Thai Tea-ni Sauce. Third place went to Haylley Johnson fromChapel Hill with her Bourbon Brie Bananza.The winning recipe follows:Ingredients: