My Favorite Recipes

As part of the Colfax Art Drive, which was coordinated with Pullman’s Art Walk, Hill-Ray Plaza in Colfax hosted a Top Chef challenge.

Attendees at the event last Sunday enjoyed a buffet dinner which presented the creations of nine local chefs.

The Hill-Ray staff served at the buffet tables. An appetizer, three salads, two breads, three entrees, three vegetable/starch/vegetarian dishes, three desserts, plus basil lemonade and hibiscus flower red punch.

After diners were seated, servers came to the tables to explain how to vote.

Diners at our table started sampling and decided it would be difficult to decide how to rank each group of dishes 1-2-3. Bad news for us: We had to rank our top five favorites. This required thoughtful tasting and internal debate. Most of our table decided that we would act like grownups and not rank the desserts 1-2-3, but it was difficult.

In addition to wonderful food to eat, local artists Vicki Broeckel, Cheryl Lothspeich, and Janis Behymer displayed oil paintings as part of the Colfax Art Drive.

Chefs involved treated the diners to wonderful food and some interesting new flavors. Keith Rawls and Robert Kunze of FSA were difficult to contact, but the other chefs who had winning dishes were generous in sharing their recipes.

Warning: Be sure to check the number of servings and revise recipes if you are not cooking for 40 people!

Betty Edinger Recipes

HOG HEAVEN

POTATOES

tie for first place

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cooked

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. milk

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 c. cheddar cheese shredded

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and diced

green onion, diced

Mash potatoes with cream cheese, sour cream, milk, butter, and seasonings until smooth. Spread in 9x12 in pan and bake at 350 for 30 to 40 min.

Spread with the cheddar cheese and bacon and return to oven until cheese melts. Garnish with diced green onion before serving.

CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

tie for fifth place

1 9 in. uncooked pie shell

8 oz. cream cheese softened

4 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

12 oz. caramel ice cream topping

1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Cream cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. In small bowl mix 3 eggs with the caramel.

Spread cream cheese mixture in pie shell, top with pecans and pour caramel egg sauce over top. Bake for 35 to 40 min. or until set in 375 oven.

Larry Ellis Recipes

SPRING SALAD

tie for first place

Serves: approximately 50 1/2 cup servings

40 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

16 cups fresh broccoli, small florets only*

4 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped green onions

5 cups seedless green grapes, halved

5 cups seedless red grapes, halved

2 1/2 cups raisins

*or one three pound bag of fresh broccoli florets, stems trimmed

Dressing:

5 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup and 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 1/4 cups white sugar

Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper sheets and bake bacon in oven at 350 degrees F for approximately 7 minutes, or until evenly browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

In large bowl, toss together broccoli, green grapes, red grapes, onion, celery, raisins and bacon.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

DATE PUDDING

2nd place

Serves: approximately 40 1/2 cup servings

6 2/3 cups packed brown sugar, divided

4 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon butter or margarine

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups milk

4 1/2 cups chopped dates

3 1/4 cups chopped walnuts

Whipped cream

In a saucepan, add half of the brown sugar to the water and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add butter; set aside. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining brown sugar. Stir in milk until smooth. Add dates and walnuts.

Pour hot brown sugar syrup into two 9 x 13 baking dishes. Spoon batter over syrup. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of cake topping comes out clean. Serve warm with the whipped cream.

Pete Koerner’s Recipes

PULLED PORK

SLIDERS

3rd place

Serves: Many!

Cole Slaw

sliced cabbage

3 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon horseradish

Blend mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and horseradish. Stir into sliced cabbage.

Pulled Pork

Large pork roast, pork butt, pork shoulder, any cut you choose

Sweet Jorja’s rub, or stop by the Top Notch and ask Pete for his recipe

Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce

Small amount of cayenne, cumin, and sugar, if you’d like to alter the rub.

Rub meat with Sweet Jorja’s rub. Marinate with Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce. Let marinate 24 hours.

Wrap pork in aluminum foil. Bake pork roast at 350 degrees for 5 hours. When pork cools, pull pork apart. Blend with more barbecue sauce.

Pete’s Pulled Pork Sandwich

Heat pulled pork. Layer on a bun, put a thin layer of cole slaw on top, and serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Donna Holberg’s Recipe

Donna’s recipe didn’t place in the top five, but everyone at our table found it refreshing and delicious, an unexpected flavor treat.

WATERMELON SALAD WITH JALAPENO AND LIME

Serves 4

3 Tablespoons lime juice

2 Tablespoons olive or avocado oil

1/8 teaspoon lime zest

2 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced

1/4 cup basil or Thai basil, cut into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tablespoon white sugar

Whisk together lime juice, oil, sugar, and lime zest

Place watermelon cubes in single layer in large shallow dish. Pour lime juice mixture over watermelon, and gently toss to combine. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.

Place 5 jalapeno rings each in 4 shallow serving bowls. Mound 1/2 cup watermelon in center of each bowl. Divide marinade among bowls. Sprinkle with basil and salt; serve.