Midwest Living 3rd Annual Recipe Contest Winners

The third annual Best of the Midwest® Recipe Contest drew stacks of entries. Our 9 favorites include easy dinners, tasty cakes and one rock-star bar cookie.

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Salted Caramel, Chocolate and Peanut Cracker-Stack Bars

These fantastic potluck bars come from Patrice Hurd of Bemidji, Minnesota. She won the grand prize in a Best of the Midwest® Recipe Contest. Patrice says they're a twist on her grandmother's cracker bars. They cut beautifully and brim with salty-sweet-nutty-chocolately flavor.Salted Caramel, Chocolate and Peanut Cracker-Stack Bars

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Roasted Cherry Tomato Chutney on Squash

Annie France of Mission, Kansas, invented this beautiful summer dish. Juicy cherry tomatoes are roasted and served over spaghetti squash with herbs and mozzarella balls. Annie says she serves it as a side dish, but we think it would make a fantastic meatless main.Roasted Cherry Tomato Chutney on Squash

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Peach Cordial Mini Bundt Cakes

The memory of a childhood orchard trip inspired Melinsa Murphey of Olathe, Kansas, to create this recipe. The cakes are moist and sweet and quite generously proportioned, so you may want to serve a half-cake to each person (or bake them in muffin cups instead).Peach Cordial Mini Bundt Cakes

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Very Cherry Hazelnut Coffee Cake

David Dahlman of Chatsworth, California, says this yeasty coffee cake reminds him of the old-fashioned, down-to-earth treats on his grandmother's farm table. It takes time because it's a yeast-leavened dough, but there's no kneading required.Very Cherry Hazelnut Coffee Cake

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Italian Dinner Soup

Gail Gladding-Pullara of Oregon, Wisconsin, created this simple, crowd-pleasing soup. "My family loves this recipe," she says. "It's easy and tastes like you've been cooking for hours."Italian Dinner Soup

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Walleye Wild Rice Cakes with Wasabi Dressing

Cindi Rockwell of Berkley, Michigan, was a finalist in our recipe contest for these hearty fish cakes with a zippy wasabi dressing. Cindi says the recipe, which has two signature Minnesota ingredients, was inspired by the resort her grandparents owned there.Walleye Wild Rice Cakes with Wasabi Dressing

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Meat and Potato Pizza

Chalk this recipe up as an occasional indulgence. It's topped with a totally mouth-watering combo of thin-sliced potatoes, bacon, sausage and a delectable garlic-rosemary butter. The recipe comes from Hidemi Walsh of Plainfield, Indiana.Meat and Potato Pizza

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Jen's White Burger

This sandwich looks a bit plain, but appearances can be deceiving. It's packed with flavor. Mustard, herbs and lemon zest season the meat, which is topped with wine-poached pears, sharp cheddar and pepper jelly. The recipe comes from Jen Smallwood of Portsmouth, Virginia.Jen's White Burger

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Spinach-Mushroom-Sausage Pierogi Bake

You don't get much easier than this recipe from Jan Valdez of Chicago! Saute a few ingredients, stir in cream cheese to make a sauce, and dump it all over frozen pierogis in a casserole dish. (You don't even need to thaw the pierogis!) Spinach-Mushroom-Sausage Pierogi Bake

Midwest Living 3rd Annual Recipe Contest Winners

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Salted Caramel, Chocolate and Peanut Cracker-Stack Bars