Get some inspiration from past winners

Need some inspiration for creating a winning fair recipe?

Here are a few winners from last year’s competition to give you a place to start.

More information about the prize-money contests (and all of the traditional fair categories) at this year’s Spokane Interstate Fair are available in an exhibitor’s guide. The guides can be found online at www.spokanecountry.org/fair, at Spokane city and county library branches, at the Liberty Lake and Coeur d’Alene library branches, or at the fair office, 404 N. Havana St.

The deadline for entries is Aug. 8. The fair will be Sept. 8 through 17. For more information, call 477-2772.

Double Chocolate Cookies

From the 2005 Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship

1 bag (11 1/2 ounces) 60-percent bittersweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 bag (12-ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts

In a double boiler over hot water, melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter. In a large bowl with electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs and sugar until thick; stir in chocolate mixture. In small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture. Gently mix in semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts. On a sheet of plastic wrap, form dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches long. Wrap tightly; refrigerate at least one 1 hour or until firm. (Dough may be frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding with recipe.) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap dough; with a sharp knife, cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 1/2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is still soft. Cool on baking sheet; store in airtight tin for up to 1 week.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Approximate nutrition per cookie: 233 calories, 14 grams fat, (7 grams saturated, 50 percent fat calories), 3 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 34 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 18 milligrams sodium.

One-Dish Cinnamon Swirl Batter Cake

From Fleischmann’s Yeast

For the batter:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 envelopes quick-rise yeast

1 cup milk (very warm, 120 to 130 degrees)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2 eggs

Nonstick cooking spray

For the cinnamon mixture:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir batter ingredients – flour through eggs – together in a medium bowl. Pour batter into 8-by-8-inch baking pan that has been prepared with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside while preparing the cinnamon mixture topping.

To prepare the cinnamon mixture, combine ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir until uniform.

Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over batter and using fingers, poke topping thoroughly into batter mixture. Allow mixture to rest uncovered at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Bake by placing in cold oven; set temperature to 350 degrees; set timer for 30 minutes. Batter is fully baked when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and drizzle with icing.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract in a small bowl or measuring cup; stir until uniform.

Yield: 9 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 467 calories, 16 grams fat (9 grams saturated, 30 percent fat calories), 7.7 grams protein, 74 grams carbohydrate, 86 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 310 milligrams sodium.

Sunnydogs

“Spam Kid Chef of the Year” grand prize recipe, 2005. From Cynthia Coombs, Utah State Fair

1 (12-ounce) can Spam Classic

1 1/2 cups complete buttermilk pancake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup water

18 popsicle sticks, short kebab sticks or toothpicks

Vegetable or light olive oil

Honey, maple syrup or applesauce, for dipping

Cut Spam width-wise into 6 sections (1/2 inch pieces). Cut each section into thirds. In bowl, combine pancake mix, eggs, applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon. Slowly add water and stir until combined. Place Spam pieces into batter and coat evenly. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil over medium heat. Remove Spam from batter with a fork and let the excess batter drip off the spam pieces. Place Spam into skillet and cook until golden brown and batter is cooked through, turning once. Repeat with additional Spam and pancake batter. To serve, insert popsicle sticks into Spam and serve with honey, maple syrup or applesauce for dipping.

Yield: 18 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.