“Make It With Sugar” Contest Winners

Doris Galleske

1st Place cookies

Apricot Pinwheel Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar, divided

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 ½ cups finely chopped dried apricots or dates

2/3 cup water

1 Tbsp. hazelnut liqueur, optional

1 cup finely chopped pecans, optional

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, ½ cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a thick rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm or overnight.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the apricots, water, remaining sugar and, if desired, liqueur, bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook until liquid is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in pecans if desired; cool completely.

3. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 12-in x 9-in. rectangle. Evenly spread half of the apricot mixture over each rectangle to within ½ in. of edges. Roll up jellyroll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic wrap. *Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

4. Unwrap and cut into ¼-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

* To freeze: After wrapping in plastic wrap, place rolls in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Cut frozen roll into slices; bake frozen slices as directed, increasing baking time by 1-2 minuets.

Sandy Jerde

1st place cake

Frosted Banana cake

1 ½ cups banana, mashed, ripe

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¾ cup butter, softened

2 1/8 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Frosting

¼ butter, softened

1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 275° (yes 275° is correct… not a typo). Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream ¾ cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp. vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (it takes me 1 ¼ hours). Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

Joyce Sifers

1st place breads

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread

5 tbsp. nutella

3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. canola oil (divided)

3 tbsp. butter (softened)

½ cup brown sugar

3 or 4 medium ripe bananas (mashed)

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine nutella with 1 tsp oil, microwave for 30 seconds or until melted. Combine oil, butter, brown sugar and bananas in a large bowl, beat on med-high-speed until well blended. Add eggs, beat, and then add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk. Spread ½ mixture into 9x5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray and lightly dusted with flour. Top with nutella and butterscotch chips (coated chips in flour prevent them from sinking to the bottom of pan). Pour remaining batter on top & swirl together. Bake 350° for 55 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. (Check at 45 to 50 minute ovens vary).

Joyce Sifers

1st place other

Apple Sauce

Wash & peel enough apples to fill a 6 quart crock pot

Add 2-3 cups of water

Cook until soft

Stir in ½ to 1 ½ cups sugar depending on sweetness of apples.

Add cinnamon to taste

Put in sterilized jars, hot water bath for 25 to 30 minutes or you can place in bags or containers and freeze.

Jennifer Morken

1st place pie

Strawberry- Rhubarb Pie

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

6 tbsp. cold milk

1 ¼ cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

3 cups halved strawberries

2 cups rhubarb

2 tbsp. butter, cut up

2 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400° to make crust. Mix flour and salt. Measure oil and milk together- don’t stir. Add to flour. Make crust on wax paper.

To make filling, mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add fruit, stirring to coat.

Fill crust with filling. Scatter butter. Add top crust. Pinch edges and ventilate the top. Brush with milk. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake on cookie sheet for 50 minutes. Can cover edge with tinfoil if cooking too fast.

Allow to cool 1 hour before serving.

Jennifer Morken

1st place candy & People’s Choice

Pumpkin Spice Fudge

1cup walnuts

3 cups white sugar

1 cup butter

1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow crème

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Butter a 9x13 inch pan and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin, and spice; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat until mixture reaches 234 degrees F (118 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in white chips. When chips are melted, add marshmallow cream, nuts, and vanilla. Mix.

Immediately pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly. Cool at room temperature. Cut into squares, and store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.