4-H Fair cooking

Well, we survived the day. It is a good feeling to have made it through. I started this blog the other day when I typed out their recipes, and uploaded their pictures last night--so here is the quick 2 minute run down of the results. T got a state fair blue on the chocolate mallow drops and a red on the poppy seed bread because he overmixed it a little. G got a state fair blue on both of his recipes, which are shown below. The photography went well--they got 3 blues apeice, and both will be able to take to the state fair--I hope to post their pictures later this week. T gets to take his geology box to the state fair as well, and G got a blue on his geology display too. Both boys got a red on their chairs, which we fully expected (though they were still hoping for a better ribbon). D and I, however got blues on our chairs--and so far the boys have had at least 1/2 dozen people tell them how cool they were and ask if they took orders! They were proud of that! I am not sure how I will herd 3 kids through this process next year! EEK! Well, off to pizza and the old movies! By the way, it is only 92 degrees today and my friend Kayla and I were discussing how cool it felt today while we sat watching kids at the pool! And that's no joke--felt like a cold front for sure! We're praying for a little rain tonight!


Chocolate Mallow Drops
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups flour
½ cup baking cocoa
½ tsp soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans
18-22 large marshmallows, halved
Frosting:
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or 2 squares chocolate bar (1 oz each)
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips or 1 sqaure chocolate bar(1 oz)
2 cups powdered sugar
3-6 Tbsp brewed coffee

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in pecans.
Drop by rounded Tbsp 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 6 minutes. Press a marshmallow half, cut side down, onto each cookie. Bake 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows are softened. Remove to wire rack to cool. In microwave, melt butter and chocolate, stir until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar. Add enough coffee to achieve spreading consistency. Transfer frosting to a pastry bag or ziplock; cut a small hole in one corner of the bag. Pipe over cookies in a zigzag design. Yield: about 3 dozen

Poppy Seed Bread
2 ¼ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp almond flavor
1 ½ tsp butter flavor
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ Tbsp poppy seed
1 ½ cup milk

Beat first 5 ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to the first mixture alternating with milk. Bake at 350 for 1 hour in 2 greased loaf pans. May frost with the following mixture: ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup orange juice, ½ tsp almond flavor, ½ tsp butter flavor, and ½ tsp vanilla.

Peanut Butter Blondies
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup softened butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter chips
Frosting
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup baking cocoa
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter chips

Cream peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chips. Spread into greased 13 X 9 inch pan. Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes or until a pick comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on wire rack For frosting, mix butter, cocoa, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in a small bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chips. Cut into bars. Yield: 2 dozen

Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread
4 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ c vegetable oil
2 ½ c sugar, divided
2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine oil and 1 ½ cups sugar. Add buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill 2 greased 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan about 1/3 full. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. Sprinkle ½ over batter. Top with remaining batter and then cinnamon sugar. Swirl batter with a knife. May sprinkle with a couple Tbsp nuts if desired. Bake at 350 for 45-55 min, until tests done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing.