If you're looking for a fun and delicious party idea, this dairy recipe is it! Natalie Lester of Williford,Arkansas (Sharp County) placed second in the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest with Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Parfaits.
Served in a small mason jar, tied with a pretty ribbon, it would be perfect for any party.
As we watched Natalie prepare this recipe, it is obvious that she mastered whipping cream. If you follow her recipe directions, you too can be successful!
Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Parfaits
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups pretzels,crushed
1 cup pecans,chopped
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter,melted
4 cups strawberries,diced
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese,softened
2 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
Whipped Cream: The most important step before you begin to make homemade whipped cream is to make sure everything is really cold. Place the beater and the bowl of the mixer in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Also place the heavy whipping cream, in the freezer at the same time. Place the cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on low at first. until all the ingredients are fully mixed. Then turn the mixer on medium speed. Medium speed is key to making the best homemade whipped cream. Whip the cream until almost stiff peaks form. The best way to tell if it is ready, is when the beaters are lifted out of the cream you can see little peaks that do not fall right away. If yo mix too much you will make butter. The best whipped cream is right before it gets to the butter stage.
For remainder of the dish: Mix together crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, brown sugar and melted butter. Spread on a large baking sheet with sides and bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and then break it into small pieces. Beat together softened cream cheese,remainder of granulated sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream mixture. Now layer in the jar as follows: pretzel mixture, strawberries, cream cheese mixture and sprinkle a little more of the pretzel mixture on top.
The Main Dish category winner of the 2016 Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest is Christen Talley of El Dorado (Union County). Christen told us that she selected the recipe and modified it slightly because she wanted to use dairy products in a recipe that wasn't a dessert.
As we watched her prepare Cajun Corn and Crab Bisque last week during the contest in Little Rock, it was obvious that she developed a variety of culinary skills, especially her knife skills. Watching young people develop life skills and supporting them through volunteer activities like the Dairy Foods Contest is a rewarding experience for me. The other positive of being invited to judge the contest is the tasting of a lot of great dairy foods!
Cajun Corn and Crab Bisque
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 medium onion,diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
1/2 cup carrots, diced or grated
2 cloves garlic,diced
2 cans chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn (frozen)
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
6 green onions,diced (divided in half)
8 oz. cream cheese
2 pounds lump crabmeat
1 teaspoon liquid crab boil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions;
In a large pot, melt butter. Add flour and brown lightly. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook until vegetables are soft. Stir in garlic at the very end to keep it from overcooking. When vegetables are soft, stir in chicken stock,bay leaves, Cajun seasoning and corn. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Reduce the heat and slowly stir in heavy cream,milk, and cream cheese. Add in half the green onions (retain half for garnish) and allow to return to almost boiling. Once heated through and cream cheese is completely melted, combine into bisque. Add liquid crab boil, salt and pepper to taste. Fold in crabmeat (if you stir too much, the crab falls apart). Serve immediately garnished with diced green onion.
I can't think of a better way to kick-off June Dairy Month than getting to taste delicious recipes made with a variety of dairy products at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest in Little Rock. It truly is a dairy paradise of good eating!
Recipes are judged on the use of dairy products, originality,the availability of ingredients and preparation and serving technique. It's always fun and rewarding to observe the contestants, who can range in age from 9 to 19, preparing their recipes for the contest. As a Farm Bureau member I take pride in the programs that support the development of our young people because it's obvious that each one has learned a variety of life-long skills by participating in this contest.
Congratulations to this year's winner of the Party Idea category Emma Williams of Searcy (White County). She described her recipe as a mixture of all the foods she loves. When you taste this pie, you will definitely agree it's a bit of dairy paradise!
Paradise Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients:
Crust:
20 pecan shortbread cookies (crushed)
1 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup butter (melted)
Filling:
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large banana (sliced)
Topping:
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple (drained)
11/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut
Directions:
Crust: Mix cookie crumbs, 1 cup coconut and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and blend well.
Press into a pie plate to make crust. Bake at 10 minutes at 325 degrees or until lightly browned.
Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine milk and vanilla pudding and whisk until stiffened. Fold in 1 cup coconut and sour cream until blended. Set aside. Arrange sliced bananas on the bottom of cooled crust. Cover with pudding mixture; Set aside.
Topping: Combine whipping cream in a bowl and beat until stiff. Add sugar and continue to beat until mixed. Fold drained pineapple and prepared whipping cream together, spoon over the pudding mixture of the pie and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
