Fair recipe contests available

    The Houlton State Agricultural Fair will be holding cooking contests throughout the July 4th holiday week. Recipes must be cooked as submitted.
State of Maine
Two Crusted Pie Contests
    Apple and blueberry pie contest should meet the following requirements: The pie must be a two-crusted pie. Recipes must be cooked as submitted; there can not be any other fruit in these pies; recipe must accompany the entry and pies are judged on appearance, preparation and taste.
    The appearance should cover overall eye appeal, uniformity of shape and color, and appearance of the crust. The crust and filling will be judged separately. Flavor and consistency will be judged. Preparation will be determined from the written recipe. Other things considered will be ease of preparing the recipe and how clearly the recipe ingredients and instructions are written.
Houlton Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr
GETTING READY —Workers from Smokey’s Greater Shows were busy Monday evening putting the finishing touches on the midway rides in time for Wednesday’s opening of the Houlton Agricultural Fair.
    Scoring will be as follows: 30 points for overall appearance; 30 points for crust flavor, color and texture; 30 points for filling — flavor and consistency and 10 points for ease of recipe preparation.
    First prize will be $100; second, $50 and third, $25. Please have your pies at the exhibit hall at least an hour before contest time. All pies must be in a disposable pie plate.
    The blueberry pie contest is Sunday at 4 p.m. and the apple pie contest is Friday at 4 p.m. Contests will be held at the Exhibit Hall.
Kids Chocolate
Chip Cookie Contest
    The Kids Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest is open to children 12 years of age and under. First prize is $25; second, $15 and third, $10.
    The cookie entries need to meet the following criteria: entry must include eight chocolate chip cookies from the same batch; cookies will be judged on taste, appearance and texture; and the following recipe must be used by all entrants:
Ingredients:
1 1/8C all purpose flour
3/8 C packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt 1 egg
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C (6 oz pkg) chocolate chips
3/8 C granulated sugar
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add egg and beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet.
    BAKE in preheated 375 degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for two minutes. remove to wire racks to cool completely.
    Please bring in cookies at least an hour before contest time. The contest will be today at 3 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall.
Kids 12 & Under
Cooking Contest
    This cooking contest is open to Children 12 years of age and younger. First prize will be awarded $25; second, $15 and third, $10.
    Bring in six bars on a plate. The recipe below must be used:
Thimble Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup butter
1/4 Cup of brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 egg white
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
1/2 Cup jam or jelly
    Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; cream butter, gradually add sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat well. Stir in vanilla, add flour and stir until combines. Roll mixture into balls the size of a walnut. Roll balls in unbeaten egg whites, Then in chopped walnuts .
    Make a dent in the top of the cookies and place on a greased cookie sheet, and bake five minutes. Remove and re-dent the tops of the cookies. Then continue baking until done – another 5 to 10 minutes. They should be slightly brown. Fill the dent with a teaspoon of jam or jelly while they’re hot and remove to a rack or plate to cool.
    The contest is Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall.
    A 13-17 year old cooking contest will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. First prize is $15; second, $15 and third, $10.
    Youth will make the following squares:
Luscious Lemon Squares
Ingredients:
1 Cup soft butter
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 Cup of flour
Dash of salt
2 Cups of sugar
4 eggs, beaten
6 Tbsp lemon juice
Combine butter, powdered sugar, 2 cups flour and salt in bowl; mix well. Press mixture into 9×13 inch pan, Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until well browned; cool slightly.
    Combine remaining flour and sugar in bowl; mix in eggs and lemon juice. Pour onto crust. Bake 25 minutes longer or until set. Cool sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares Bring in six squares on a disposable plate.
Houlton Farms Dairy
Cooking Contest
    Those participating in the Houlton Farms Dairy Cooking Contest will bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars. Preperation time is 15 minutes. Baking will take 40 minutes and chilling another four hours.Bring in 6 slices of cake on a plate.
    First prize is $40; second is $30 and third is $20.
Ingredients:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/3 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 Cup Houlton Farms Dairy
butter  – softened
3(8oz) packages cream cheese – softened
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 Cup Houlton Farms Dairy sour cream
1/2 Tsp of vanilla extract
1(12oz) package chocolate chips mini morsels — divided
    Beat first 3 ingredients at medium low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until well blended and crumbly. Pat mixture into a lightly greased 13×9 inch pan.
    Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
    Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla and one cup chocolate morsels, beating just until blended. Pour over baked crust.
    Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack.
    Microwave remaining chocolate morsels in a two-cup glass measuring cup on high one minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly, drizzle over cheesecake. Cover and chill at least 4 hours; cut into bars.
    Contest is Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall.
Cinnamon Rolls
    Another cooking contest is for homemade cinnamon rolls. Bring in recipe on a 3×5 recipe card, with no name or address on the card. Bring in six cinnamon rolls on a disposable plate.
    The contest is Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at the Exhibit Hall.
Homemade Biscuit Contest
    The homemade biscuit contest is Saturday at 3p.m. at the Exhibit Hall. Bring in six biscuits in a disposal container. Bring in the recipe on a 3×5 recipe card, with no name or address on card. First prize is $30; second is $10 and third is $10.
Homemade Potato
Salad Contest
    The homemade potato salad contest is Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Exhibit Hall. Bring in the recipe on a 3×5 recipe card, with no name or address on card. First prize, $30; second, $10 and third, $10.
New England
Baked Bean Contest
    Bake traditional baked beans and bring them in a disposable container or crock pot for judging with the recipe and empty dried bean bag or receipt. Bring in recipe on a 3×5 recipe card. Contest is Saturday at 5:30p.m.
    First prize is $50; second, $30 and third, $20.