Energy Candy from a Queen of the Kitchen

Meet my friend Bonnie!

She enters recipes like Energy Candy into the State Fair.

She took 2nd place in “Queen of the Kitchen” at the Colorado State Fair this month!

When I first heard about this illustrious award I thought, aren’t we all queens of our kitchens? They actually award other people this award? It’s true, it’s a serious award, an award bestowed upon expert home cooks at state fairs all over the country.

I entered the C & H Sugar Cupcake competition last year with my Orange Creamsicle Cupcake and realized State Fair competitions are serious stuff!

The Queen of the Kitchen competition is the cream of the crop competition involving food preservation and baking. Competitors must enter at least 12 of the divisions and place in ten. The divisions include;

Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Jellies
Preserves and Marmalades
Butters and Jams
Pickles and Relishes
Heritage (soaps, shampoos, lotions etc)
Nutritious Snacks
Yeast Breads
Baked Goods for Special Diets
Baked Foods from Natural Ingredient ( no processed flours etc)
Quick Breads
Round the World Baked Goods
Pies
Cakes
Cookies
Microwave Cookery
Baked Goods Made with Honey
Candy
Dried Foods

Bonnie entered at least one entry in all of the above categories totally 135 items submitted! Check out how she did…

1^st Place

Lavender Hand Lotion (Heritage)

Pear Butter (Butters and jams)

Blackberry Jam (Butters and Jams)

Apricot Butter ( Butters and jams)

Mushrooms (Veggies)

Trail Mix (Nutritious Snacks)

Beets, Small Whole (Veggies)

High Calcium Snacks (Nutritious Snacks)…these were cheese cups made from Romano Cheese, filled with dried fruits and nuts…really clever idea.

Chili Sauce (Pickles and Relishes)

Four Berry Jam ( Butters and Jams)

Granola (Nutritious Snacks)

Honey Oatmeal Cookies (Baked Goods made with Honey)

Pumpkin Bread (Microwave Cookery)

Chocolate Pressed Spritz (Cookies)

Carrot Cake (Cakes)

Scotch Shortbread (Cookies)

Granola Bars (Nutritious Snacks)

Baklava (Round the world Baked Goods)

White Bread (Yeast Breads)

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Special Diets)

Soda Bread (Round the World Baked Goods

Pickled Beets (Pickles and Relishes

2^nd Place

Apricot Jam (Butters and Jams)

Strawberry Preserves (Preserves and marmalades)

Yellow Cake, 2 layer iced (Cakes)

Fancy Packed Green Beans (Veggies)

Potica (Round the World Baked Goods)

Carrots (Veggies)

Strawberry Jam Drops (Microwave Cookery)

Chocolate 2 layer Cake, iced (Cakes)

Cherry Jam (Butters and Jams)

Cucumber Relish (Pickles and Relishes)

Watermelon Rind Pickles (Pickles and Relishes)

Mints (Candy)

Hand Soap (Heritage)

3^rd Place

Apple Jelly (Jellies)

Pear Butter (Butters and Jams)

Pecan Pie (Pies)

Energy Candy (Nutritious Snacks) – see recipe below

Blueberry Pie (Pies)

Stewed Tomatoes (Veggies)

Sauerkraut (Pickles and Relishes)

Tomato Catsup (Pickles and Relishes)

Peach Preserves (Preserves and Marmalades)

Caramels (Candy)

Banana Bread with nuts (Quick Breads)—There were 17 in this category…

Cinnamon Rolls (Yeast Breads)

Bread and Butter Pickles (Pickles and Relishes)

Peach Pie (Pie)

Berry Truffles (Candy)

Carrot Cake (Microwave Cookery)

Cornbread Muffins (Microwave Cookery)

Last year was the first year Bonnie competed in Queen of the Kitchen and she took second last year as well! I wish Bonnie best of luck next year as she tries again for top prize. She says she might not enter but as much as she likes to cook, can and bake, I’m not sure I believe her!

Bonnie was kind enough to share one of her award-winning recipes with me, Energy Candy!

Energy Candy

makes about 30 pieces

1 ½ c. old-fashioned oats

1 c. puffed rice cereal (not rice krispies)

1 c. dark raisins (I used 3/4 c. Craisins)

½ c. wheat germ

½ c. finely chopped dried apricots

2 T. sesame seeds

½ c. brown sugar

½ c. light corn syrup (I used dark)

1/2 c. honey (I used a 1/4 c.)

½ cup white chocolate chips

1/4 c. butter

I apologize for the pictures, I took them at night and as everyone knows the lighting at night is BAD, BAD, BAD! Please forgive me.

1. Line a 9-inch baking dish with foil. I used an 8 inch round dish. Grease with vegetable cook spray and set aside.

2. Mix the oats, puffed rice, craisins, wheat germ, apricots and sesame seeds in a large bowl until well combined.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, light corn syrup and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring, and boil for 1 full minute.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and the butter, stirring until smooth. My chocolate chips didn’t completely melt but it was OK because it still spread evenly.

5. Carefully pour the hot mixture over the dry mixture and stir with a spoon until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Spread the mixture to an even layer.

6. Let cool completely. When cool, invert onto a cutting board and cut into 1 ½ square pieces. Wrap the pieces in wax paper. Keep candies in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.