Jan Trometer was a first-time Make It With Malt-O-Meal® contest participant this year, and she won first place at the Iowa State Fair!

When Jan read about the contest, a particular family recipe immediately came to mind. The winning recipe, Crispy Cheese Bites, is both simple and sassy. She mixes hot sauce, cheddar cheese, butter and flour with Malt-O-Meal® Crispy Rice. The “dough” is formed into balls and, after just a short time in the oven, creates some tasty, cheesy snacks.

Jan runs a family farm with her husband and in her spare time enjoys gardening, horses and her grandchildren.

Runner up at the Iowa fair was Anita Van Gundy for her delectable treat, Coco Roos® Chocolate Almond Pie.  With a healthful approach to sweet treats, Janine Knop won third place with Wealth-O-Health Granola Goodies that include THREE popular Malt-O-Meal® cereal varieties.

Jan Trometer with her 1st place ribbons

Iowa State Fair Winning Recipes:

Jan Trometer, 1st place, 2010 Iowa State Fair

Crispy Cheese Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/2 teaspoon Tabasco®
2 cups flour
2 cups Malt-O-Meal® Crispy Rice cereal

Directions:

Mix butter and cheese together with hands like you would for pie crust. Add Tabasco®, flour and cereal. Mix until well blended. Form into balls. Chill until ready to bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes depending on size of balls. Good to eat either hot out of oven or at room temperature.

Anita Van Gundy, 2nd Place, Iowa State Fair
Coco Roos® Chocolate Almond Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/4 cups crushed Coco Roos® Malt-O-Meal® brand cereal
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
6 T butter

Mix together and press into a 9 inch pie plate

Filling:

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
3/4 cup pasteurized egg product
8 oz. cream cheese
3 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate

In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy, add vanilla, almond flavoring and cream cheese. Beat well. Add chocolate and mix well. Pour into pie crust and chill for at least 4 hours.

Whipped topping:

1/2 pint whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring

Beat until soft peaks form. Put on top of pie and sprinkle with silvered almonds and chocolate curls.

Janine Knop, 3rd place, Iowa State Fair
Wealth-O-Health Granola Goodies

Ingredients:

1 cup Malt-O-Meal® Honey Graham Squares®
1/2 cup Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites®
1/2 cup Malt-O-Meal® Crispy Rice
3 Tbsp. Chopped Pecans
2 Tbsp. flax seed
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
1/2 C. old fashioned oatmeal
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. apricot preserves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the first 7 ingredients (the dry ingredients). Melt together the butter, honey, peanut butter and apricot preserves and pour over the dry ingredients. Put this mixture into a baking pan and bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool. Delicious eaten alone or served with yogurt, ice cream, or fresh fruit.

Fancheon Resler is a long-time state fair recipes contest competitor and a local baking and cooking legend in her Indiana hometown of Bluffton. She got her inspiration for this year’s winning recipe, Chocolate Raspberry Pizza, from a chocolate fountain and Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites® Cereal.

Fancheon is a retired English teacher who enjoys yoga and master gardening. Her love of baking seems to run in the family, since this year’s second place winner, Kenda Friend, is Fancheon’s daughter!

Kenda tells us she learned everything she knows ab out the kitchen from her mother. “I love competing with my mom,” she says. “It makes the contest that much more fun!” They keep their creations a secret from each other. When Fancheon learned of her daughter’s Peanutty Cocoa Dyno-Bites® Crispy Log, she thought it would win.

Our third place winner at the Indiana State Fair, Mary Margaret Jones, offers a savory take on cereal recipes with her Touch of Greece Spinach Cheese Bites that incorporate Malt-O-Meal® Crispy Rice cereal.

Fancheon Resler, Kenda Friend and Mary Margaret Jones showcase their awarding winning creations

Indiana State Fair Winning Recipes:

Fancheon Resler, 1st place, 2010 Indiana State Fair

Chocolate-Raspberry Pizza

Crust:

4 cups mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
4 cups Malt-O-Meal Coco Dyno-Bites

Topping:

6 ounces premier white chocolate chips
1 pint fresh red raspberries
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup Malt-O-Meal Coco Dyno-Bites
Chocolate mint sprigs for garnish

Directions:

In 2-quart glass measuring cup or bowl, combine marshmallows, butter and chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add Coco Dyno-Bites® and combine well. Scrape out onto greased 12-inch serving tray or pizza pan; with buttered fingers, spread evenly and press for crust.

Melt white chips 30 seconds at a time until melted; stir until smooth and spread over chocolate crust. Arrange raspberries over chocolate. Melt milk chocolate chips in microwave as for white chips; drizzle over raspberries. While chocolate is still soft, sprinkle with Coco Dyno-Bites®. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before cutting into slices to serve. Refrigerate leftovers. Yields: 16 servings.

Kenda Friend, 2nd Place, Indiana State Fair
Peanutty Cocoa Dyno-Bites® Crispy Log

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1 2/3 cups peanut butter baking chips (typically 1 10 ounce bag)
6 cups Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites® cereal
1 12-oz container of chocolate frosting

Directions:

Line 15x10x1 inch baking pan with foil; grease lightly. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt marshmallows, margarine and peanut butter chips, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add cereal, stir until evenly coated. Press mixture evenly into greased foil lined pan. Spread frosting over cereal mixture to within 1 inch of edges.

Starting with longest side, roll up jelly roll fashion, peeling foil away from cereal mixture. Wrap roll in foil and store in refrigerator, seam side down for 1 hour or until firm.  Cut into 1/2 inch slices to serve.

Makes approximately 15 slices.

Mary Margaret Jones, 3rd Place, Indiana State Fair
Touch of Greece Spinach Cheese Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup Malt-O-Meal® Crispy Rice cereal
1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
1 (9 oz.) package of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
3 eggs
1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into nonstick mini-muffin tin cups that have been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until set and starting to brown.

At the Wisconsin State Fair, Susan Nekich of Milwaukee was our blue ribbon winner! She creatively made pork tenderloin medallions encrusted in Malt-O-Meal® Cinnamon Toasters® cereal! She served them over a sweet potato bake and a granola-like layer, both of which also featured Cinnamon Toasters. Susan is a 56-year-old medical assistant who recently took up running and who will soon run her first 5k race!

Meanwhile, Rebekah Radewahn’s Mocha & Coconut Cream Tart took second place honors, combining Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites® with coconut filling and a delicious whipped cream topping.

Beth Campbell came in third with a decadent chocolaty treat, also made with Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites® and including raspberry cream filling.

Susan Nekich, Rebekah Radewahn and Beth Campbell pose with their winning creations.

Wisconsin State Fair Winning Recipes:

Susan Nekich of Milwaukee, 1st place, 2010 Wisconsin State Fair

Tropical Cinnamon Toasters® Sweet Potato Bake with Crusted Pork Medallions

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Toasters “Granola”:
2 cups coarsely crumbled Malt-O-Meal Cinnamon Toasters® cereal
1/2 cups melted butter
1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cups shredded coconut

Sweet Potato Bake:
4 sweet potatoes
2 ripe bananas, skins on
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup butter, divided
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 cups Malt-O-Meal Cinnamon Toasters® cereal
1 small can crushed pineapple with juice

Pork Medallions:
1 1/2 cups crushed Malt-O-Meal Cinnamon Toasters® Cereal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry sage
2 eggs, beaten
1 pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp cooking oil

Combine all “granola” ingredients.  Spread on parchment lined baking pan. Bake @ 350 for 10-15 min. until crispy; set aside. Pierce sweet potatoes with fork and bake at 350 F until tender. Roast bananas with skins on for the last 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and bananas. Mash (or puree) to desired consistency.  Add syrup and 1/2 cup butter to mixture. Add cinnamon, pie spice and salt. Spread half of mixture into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking oil. Sprinkle half of granola mixture over potatoes. Spoon rest of sweet potato mixture over granola. Top with remaining granola mixture; set aside. For “Pork Medallions,” combine all dry ingredient. Dip tenderloin in egg then dredge in dry ingredients. Brown over high heat in oil on all sides. Transfer to shallow baking pan and bake at 350 F until internal temperature is 155 to 160°. Let rest.  Cut into medallions and serve on top of sweet potato bake.

Rebekah Radewahn, Wauwatosa, WI. 2rd Place, Wisconsin State Fair

Mocha and Coconut Cream Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup finely crushed Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dino-Bites® cereal
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
6 tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
3/4 tsp instant coffee crystals

Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
5 tbs. instant coffee crystals
2 tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs. whipping cream
6 tbs. cream of coconut
4 large egg yolks

Topping:
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup cream of coconut
2 tbs. powdered sugar
Sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions:

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor. Process until moist clumps form.  Press dough into the bottom and up sides of a 9” diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze crust until firm, about 10 minutes.  Place crust on a baking sheet.  Bake crust for about 20 minutes, or until set.  Cool completely.

Meanwhile, for the filling:
Whisk sugar, coffee crystals and corn starch together until no corn starch lumps remain.  Gradually whisk in cream, then cream of coconut (coffee crystals will not dissolve completely). Mix in egg yolks.  Whisk over a medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 8 minutes. Cool in pan, whisk occasionally. Spread filling into prepared crust. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.  Recipe can be made up to this point and refrigerated for 1 day.

For topping:
Beat whipping cream, cream of coconut and powdered sugar in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe decoratively over filling. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Beth Campbell, Belleville, WI 3rd Place, Wisconsin State Fair 2010

Mom’s Chocolate Raspberry Dream

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Malt-O-Meal® Cocoa Dyno-Bites®, crushed
2 tbs. sugar
6 tbs. butter, melted
2 cup (12 oz) Semisweet Chocolate Chips
6 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1 tsp raspberry extract

Chocolate butter cream frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbs. baking cocoa
3-4 tbs. milk
1 tsp raspberry extract

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine crushed Cocoa Dyno-Bites® and sugar; stir in butter.  Press onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a greased 9” spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate: stir until smooth. Cool. In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolk, cream and raspberry extract: beat well. Gradually stir a third of the cream mixture into melted chocolate until blended. Gradually stir in remaining cream mixture. Pour into crust.

Place pan on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until crust is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen: Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

For frosting:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter.  Combine confectioner’s sugar, cocoa and raspberry extract: Add to butter  with enough milk to achieve frosting consistency. Pipe into center of dessert. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 12-16 servings

An elaborate dish took first place in the Make it with Malt-O-Meal® recipe contest at the Ohio State Fair. The winner, Lisa Alessandro, combined ground beef and pork with crushed Blueberry MuffinTops® cereal, along with dried blueberries, water chestnuts, and spices to create Sweet and Sour Meatballs. She topped this with a sauce made from blueberry-pomegranate and pineapple juices, and served the meatballs over coconut rice. Wow! The judges were very impressed with Lisa’s creativity and their taste buds agreed!

When not cooking or winning recipe contests, Lisa is an office manager at a food service company. She enjoys horse racing, gardening and reading, not to mention watching the Food Network™!

Taking home the red ribbon for second place was Vicky Victor who made Mini Muffin Cakes with Tootie Fruities®.  These tasty morsels are topped with a sweet lemony glaze for an award winning finish.

Coming in third was a kid-friendly creation from Catherine Blackwood who made Malt-O-Meal® Lollipops.  This recipe calls for any of Malt-O-Meal’s 25 delicious cereal varieties so it can be personalized for your family’s favorites!

Lisa Alessandro takes top honors at the Ohio State Fair with her Blueberry MuffinTops® Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Coconut Rice.

Ohio State Fair Winning Recipes:

Lisa Alessandro of Groveport, Ohio: 1st Place 2010 Ohio State Fair

Blueberry Muffin Tops® Sweet n’ Sour Meatballs with Coconut Rice

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2/3 cup Blueberry Muffin Top Cereal, crushed into crumbs
2 Tbsp. Lemon Rosemary Crusting
1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried blueberries, chopped
2 large green onions, white part and some green, minced
4 tsp. beef bouillon granules
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 small can pineapple tidbits (reserve 1/4 cup juice for sauce)

Sauce:
1 cup water
1/2 cup blueberry pomegranate juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice (from tidbits)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. water

In large bowl, combine ground beef, pork, water chestnuts, blueberries, green onion, cereal, lemon rosemary crusting, and beef bouillon and mix lightly. Combine eggs and Worcestershire sauce and lightly beat together; add to meat mixture. Form into 1 1/2-inch meat balls. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet and brown meatballs in batches. Remove from heat and keep warm. Drain excess oil from pan and add first 6 sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch and salt in small bowl with water and add to sauce. Return to boil and let thicken slightly. Add meatballs back to skillet with sliced green pepper and pineapple bits. Let simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Serve dish with coconut rice.

Coconut Rice:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. ginger power
1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
¼ cup unsweetened grated coconut

Add butter, ginger, coconut milk, water, salt and rice to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let rice stand covered, in the pot, off heat for 10 minutes. Add unsweetened coconut, incorporating it as you fluff rice with fork. Serve with meatballs.

Vicky Victor of London, Ohio: 2nd Place Ohio State Fair, 2010

Tootie Fruities Mini Muffin Cakes

Ingredients:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup finely crushed Tootie Fruities Cereal
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Icing:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a blender. Combine one egg at a time, then gradually pour in olive oil and milk. Pulse until emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds. Whisk one cup of flour, the baking powder, salt, in a small bowl.  Add to blender in 2 batches, pulse lightly until blended. Scrape down the sides if needed. Lightly dust and oil pan with crushed cereal and shake off excess. Pour into a 12 cup mini cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees  for 22-25 minutes,  test, take out of the oven and cool for ten minutes. Bake the second batch. Cool.
Whisk confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle icing over cakes.

Makes 24

Catherine L Blackwood of Columbus Franklin, Ohio: 3rd Place, Ohio State Fair 2010

Malt-O-Meal® Lollipops

Ingredients:
1 bag (16 oz) large marshmallows (about 24)
1/4cup butter or margarine
1 bag (16oz) Malt-O-Meal® cereal of your choice

Creamy vanilla glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. water or 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

-Or-

Chocolate Dip:
11 oz package Chocolate Chips, melted

Decorate as desired: Gumdrops, M & M’s, Sprinkles.

Directions:

Butter 15x10x1 inch pan. In large microwavable bowl, microwave marshmallows and butter on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until mixture is smooth. Stir in cereal. Using a buttered back of spoons or hands, press mixture firmly into pan. Cool 2 to 3 hours before cutting into shapes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients with spoon until smooth and spreadable. Cut into shapes with 2 1/2 to 3 inch cookie cutters that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Insert a wooden stick about 1 inch into bottom of each shape.  Reshape cutouts as needed. Decorate with glaze and other items such as gumdrops etc. or dip in melted chocolate.

Makes 24