Only The Best Is Served Here

“The Cooking Contest Cookbook” By Joyce and Don Compagna (Simon & Schuster, $15)

Most folks have probably heard of the Pillsbury Bake-Off, but how about the Martini & Rossi Asti State of Dessert Recipe Contest?

Or the Churny Feta Cheese Recipe Contest?

Or the Wesson “Wait Till You Taste My Fried Chicken” Recipe Contest?

Those are just some of the estimated 6,000 recipe contests held each year in the United States.

More than 100 of those prize-winning recipes are compiled in “The Cooking Contest Cookbook.” Included among the tasty creations for appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, pizza, meat and seafood entrees, side dishes, bread and desserts are entries from a couple of local women: Spokane resident Betty Noel’s Oatmeal Squares Snacker-Jax and Coeur d’Alene resident Suzan Ward’s Olivita Crostini.

The book, created by the editors of “The Cooking Contest Newsletter,” also includes tips on entering and winning cooking contests.

Since all the recipes were dreamed up by home cooks, not professional chefs, just about every one can be made quickly and with everyday ingredients. The only thing that would’ve made “The Cooking Contest Cookbook” even better would have been photos of the finished creations.

Betty Noel’s Oatmeal Squares Snacker-Jax

(From the Eighth Quaker Oatmeal “Bake It Better with Oats” Recipe Contest)

1 (16-ounce) box Quaker oatmeal squares cereal (regular or cinnamon)

1-1/2 cups roasted Spanish peanuts

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.

In a 13x9-inch baking pan, combine the oatmeal squares and peanuts.

In a small saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and molasses, add salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Stir well. Boil two minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda; mix well. Immediately pour over the cereal mixture; stir with a wooden spoon to evenly coat all pieces with the syrup mixture.

Bake one hour, or until browned, stirring every 20 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spreading the mixture in an even layer. Let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces. Store, tightly covered, at room temperature.

Yield: 10 cups.

Nutrition per cup: 339 calories, 20 grams fat (53 percent fat calories), 7 grams protein, 36 grams carbohydrate, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 133 milligrams sodium.

Suzan Ward’s Olivita Crostini (

From the Woman’s Day/Steel Packaging Council’s Fashionable Foods Recipe Contest)

1 (4-1/2-ounce) can chopped black olives

1/2 cup finely chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

1 crusty French baguette

In a medium bowl, stir together the black and green olives, Parmesan, butter, oil, and garlic until well blended. Stir in the Monterey Jack and parsley.

Preheat the broiler.

Cut the baguette into 25 thin slices. Arrange the bread slices on baking sheets and spread some olive mixture on each. Broil three to four minutes or until the bread is toasted at the edges and the olivita is bubbly.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition per serving: 264 calories, 23 grams fat (78 percent fat calories), 8 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 826 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 826 milligrams sodium.