Make It with Malt-O-Meal Contest Winner, Mary Volcko submitted this 1^st place WINNER in the 2009 New York State Fair

Ingredients

• 4 pieces chicken breast, bone in with skin on
• 6 cups Malt-O-Meal Colossal Crunch cereal, lightly crushed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 3 links chicken sausage, apple/maple flavored
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 large apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh bread cubes or pieces
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash chicken breasts and pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Sauté onion and celery in oil in a skillet until tender and clear.
3. Remove casings from sausage and crumble into skillet. Sauté until lightly browned. Stir in pepper flakes.
4. Place crushed Malt-O-Meal colossal crunch cereal in bowl and toss with sausage mixture, chopped apple, bread cubes, poultry seasoning and sage.
5. Sprinkle stock over stuffing mixture and toss.
6. Make a pocket underneath the chicken skin and stuff with stuffing mixture. Repeat for each chicken breast.
7. Place remaining stuffing in bottom of baking dish. Place chicken on top. Combine syrup and melted butter and brush top of chicken. Season with additional salt and pepper.
8. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake chicken until golden and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Chicken:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup Malt-O-Meal Honey & Oat Blenders cereal
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°
2. Crush cereal and mix in parmesan cheese
3. Coat chicken breasts in cornstarch then dip into beaten egg
4. Finally, roll chicken in cereal mixture
5. Place on greased pan and sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done and serve with peach salsa and wild rice.

Peach Salsa:

• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 cup peaches, chopped
• ¼ tsp salt

Combine all salsa ingredients in a medium size bowl, mix and serve cold.

Makes 6 servings (about 5 cups)

No hominy here, but this puffy, golden casserole is full of homey flavor. Serve it with some cooked greens or a salad on the side, and you’ve got a great dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 (15-ouonce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup water
• 3/4 cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and water; bring to a boil. Gradually stir in cereal and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow 2-quart baking dish.3. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and cayenne; gradually stir in the cooled cereal mixture and the cheese. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and bake until puffy and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Serve these crisp-crusted, savory cakes with salsa – or hamburger-style, on a bun with ketchup, pickles, and onions. Shape them into small cakes for an appetizer, or larger patties for a heartier portion. You can make the mixture up to 6 hours ahead, if you like; just cover and store it in the refrigerator, and shape the patties just before cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 2/3 cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/5 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mash beans with a potato masher or fork until they are mostly smooth, with some chunks remaining.
2. Add cereal, egg, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, garlic, salt, and cumin; blend well. Let stand 15 minutes to firm, then shape mixture into 6 (4-inch) patties, or 12 (2-inch) football-shaped cakes.
3. In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add patties or cakes and cook, turning once, until well browned, about 3 minutes per side.

Makes 4 servings

Halving the peppers before stuffing them may not be traditional, but it makes them cook much more quickly and evenly. Since the filling’s flavors are mild, use a strong-flavored cheese such as sharp cheddar, provolone, or feta. You can substitute ¾ cup of any cooked chopped leafy green for the spinach too – try turnip greens or chard. A leftover pepper half makes a nice snack; just reheat it in a foil-covered baking dish at 300°F just until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 evenly-shaped bell peppers, any color, halved and seeded (leave stems intact)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 cup shredded strong-flavored cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat the broiler; oil a broiler pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
2. Broil the peppers cut-side down 5 inches from the heat, turning occasionally, until softened and lightly blistered all over, 3-5 minutes. Remove and let cool; reduce the oven heat to 375°F.
3. Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Add water, then gradually stir in cereal until well absorbed. Add tomato sauce and spinach; heat through. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Stir in cheese, then mound about 1/3 cup of the mixture into each pepper half. Place filled pepper halves filling-side-up in the broiler pan, cover with foil and back 25 minutes; remove foil, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and continue baking until cooked through and just beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes more.

Makes 6 servings

No crust needed for this quick-to-fix, tasty egg-and-cheese pie. Use this recipe as a starting point – you can substitute any greens for the spinach, and almost any combination of cheeses. Stir in a handful of chopped fresh herbs if you have them. The quiche is best hot out of the oven, but also good served cold or at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bunch spinach, well rinsed, trimmed and chopped, or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1/3 cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, Colby or Jack cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook, stirring until wilted (or, if using frozen spinach, until heated through). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, cereal, salt, and pepper; stir in spinach mixture and cheese. Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake until just firm in center and lightly browned along the edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings, or 12 appetizer servings

You can save time (and steps 1 and 2) when making these savory meat-filled pastries by using store-bought piecrust dough; you’ll need dough for two single-crust pies. Just combine the crusts into a single ball, and shape it into a log as direct in step 5.

Ingredients

• CRUST
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup lard or solid vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into pea-size pieces
• ½ cup ice-cold water, plus more if needed
• FILLING:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• ¼ cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• ½ cup water
• 1 large tomato, cored and chopped, or 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• ¼ cup chopped green olives
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. To make crust, in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in the lard or shortening, working quickly, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Drizzle the water over and blend it into the flour mixture, until the dough begins to hold together (if it doesn’t, work in another tablespoon or so of water). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes. (To make dough ahead of time, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before using.)
3. Meanwhile, prepare filling: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring to break up meat, until no longer pink. Stir in tomato, olives, raisins, oregano, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. In a small bowl or cup measure, whisk cereal and water together to make a slurry. Gradually pour into bubbling beef mixture, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. To assemble empanadas, preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 2 baking sheets. In a small bowl, beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water together and set aside.
6. Roll dough into a log and cut it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch circle.
7. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling on the top halves of each dough circle, leaving ½-inch border. Moisten the edges with a little water, then fold each circle over and seal, crimping the edges with the tines of a fork. Brush the filled empanadas with the egg mixture, and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings

A delicious variation on the traditional all-cheese or meat filling! If you’re in a hurry, you can make the chiles without the batter coating; just skip steps 6 and 7 and just brush the filled chiles with oil and bake them as directed.

Ingredients

• 4 poblano chiles
• 2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 large egg, separated
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat broiler. Line broiler pan with foil.
2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Gradually stir in cereal and cook, stirring, until thickened, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Broil the chiles on a broiler pan until well blistered on all sides, about 2 minutes. Place in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic to allow chiles to steam. Lower the oven heat to 400°F.
4. When cool enough to handle, pull the skins off the chiles, being careful not to remove the stems. Slit the chiles lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds, leaving stems intact; discard seeds.
5. Mix the cheese with the cooled cereal mixture, and shape into 4 "logs," to fit inside each chile. Carefully stuff each chile with the cereal mixture, pressing sides to close.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until it forms frothy white peaks, about 4 minutes. Gently whisk in egg yolk, then sprinkle in and which in flour.
7. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Dip chiles carefully in beaten egg mixture to coat on all sides, then place seam-side-down in skillet. Cook, turning once gently, until golden on both sides, 3 minutes.
8. Place chiles in the broiler pan and back until the filling is soft and runny, 8-10 minutes

Makes 8 servings (8 cups sauce, plus 16 meatballs)

Serve this Italian favorite over spaghetti. It also makes great meatball sandwiches, served with crusty hero rolls. It tastes even better a day later; make it ahead if you can and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup Original Malt-O-Meal ® hot cereal, uncooked
• ¼ cup milk or water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Directions

1. In a large bowl, lightly combine the beef, egg, parsley, cheese, cereal, milk or water, garlic, and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes to moisten evenly. Shape mixture into 16 meatballs.
2. In a large nonstick saucepan or deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs, turning as needed, until well browned on all sides, 7-8 minutes. Transfer to plate.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of any oil remaining in the pan. Add tomatoes and meatballs; bring to just below boiling. Reduce the heat to low; partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are tender, at least 2 hours.

Makes 8 servings

This family favorite tastes even better if you’re able to find "meatball mix"—a mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal—in your supermarket. Just use 1½ pounds of the mixture instead of the beef and pork.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef (10% or less fat)
• ½ pound ground pork
• 2/3 cup Original Malt-O-Meal® hot cereal, uncooked
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup low-fat (1%) milk
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup ketchup

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 5×9-inch loaf pan.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, cereal, eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend in the cooled onion mixture.
4. Spread the mixture into the pan, using a fork to loosen the meat from the sides of the pan. Spread the ketchup over the top. Bake until the meat is cooked through and the center of the loaf registers 160°F on a meat thermometer, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing.