Midwest Living 1st Annual Cook-Off Winning Recipes

By Produced by Diana Mcmillen with Colleen Weeden; food photographer Andy Lyons
June 01, 2012
Try the 11 top recipes from the first annual Best of the Midwest Recipe Contest.
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Recipe contest winner: Caramel and Chocolate Kettle-Corn Crispie Bars

Selected from hundreds of entries, 11 finalists competed for a grand prize of $10,000 in our live cook-off at Branson, Missouri's, Silver Dollar City theme park in December 2010. Check out the winning recipes, and get your best dish ready to compete in this year's contest-details to be announced soon!The $10,000 winner, chosen by a panel of five experts: Caramel and Chocolate Kettle-Corn Crispie Bars. Judy Reynolds of Bloomington, Indiana, started with a Hoosier staple--popcorn--and stirred together these sweet-salty snack bars. Homemade caramel sauce helps makes them a standout.Caramel and Chocolate Kettle Corn Crispie BarsDownload a printable cookbook with all prizewinning recipes

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Beef Short Ribs with Cranberry-Port Gravy

Short ribs slow cook to mouthwatering tenderness in this meaty main dish spiked with cranberry sauce and rosemary from Diane Sparrow of Osage. It won the People's Choice Award from the audience at the Silver Dollar City cook-off.Beef Short Ribs with Cranberry-Port Gravy

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The BMC 2

Jill Drury of Chicago brings sweet-salt tastes to her bacon-topped BMC2 muffin. Jill, a pharmacist, used a scientific-formula approach to name her creation based on its ingredients: bacon, maple syrup and cinnamon (squared).The BMC 2

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Cider-Brined Coho Salmon with Dijon Cream

Freshwater salmon soaks up the flavor of cider-tarragon marinade created by Sally Sibthorpe of Shelby Township, Michigan. She finishes the elegant main dish with a cream sauce scented with aniselike tarragon.Cider-Brined Coho Salmon with Dijon Cream

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Kiwi Summer Limeade Pie

Refreshing and creamy, this make-ahead pie from Susan Meier of Omaha combines tropical flavors with macadamia nuts and kiwifruit. It's good any time of year.Kiwi Summer Limeade Pie

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BLT Chicken Sliders

If you haven't embraced chicken burgers yet, this mini burger will change your mind. Barbara Estabrook of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, grills white cheddar sliders and crowns them with bacon and her cranberry ketchup.BLT Chicken Sliders

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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

The famous St. Louis dessert gets a makeover from Emily Hobbs of Springfield, Missouri. She adds pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the moist cake.Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

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Stuffed Cheesesteaks

This amazing steak sandwich is the creation of Karen Gibson of Cincinnati. The unusual flavor combo? A mix that includes a little chocolate, cinnamon and allspice.Stuffed Cheesesteaks

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Strawberry-Coconut Thumbprints

Linda Roberts of Rapid City, South Dakota, tops her buttery cream cheese, coconut coated cookie with fruit jam.Strawberry-Coconut Thumbprints

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Orange-Glazed Sweet Potato Breakfast Braid

Cathy Wiechert of Mound, Minnesota, created a moist morning bread with a mellow blend of spices, citrus peel and raisins. It bakes to a gorgeous gold.Orange-Glazed Sweet Potato Breakfast Braid

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Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce

Joann Gough-Stallbaumer of Topeka uses Kansas top sirloin steak and a horseradish-mayo dipping sauce in her prizewinning recipe.Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce

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By Produced by Diana Mcmillen with Colleen Weeden; food photographer Andy Lyons