BY ANN CIPPERLY
Jackie Henderson, left, won first place honors for her chocolate brownie cheesecake, and Mary Richburg received second place for her Cheesecake for Two at the 48th annual Heritage Cooking Contest. A division of Alabama Farmers Federation, the Women’s Leadership Committee participates in the contest with a different category every year, which spotlights Alabama commodities and agricultural products.
Aromas of fresh garden vegetables simmering on the stove top were a warm welcome for members of the Women’s Leadership Committee at the home of Penny Walters for the 48th annual Heritage Cooking Contest. The former restaurant owner was preparing a southern cuisine dinner for the group, with the desserts being the winning cheesecake entries in the cooking contest.
A division of Alabama Farmers Federation, the Women’s Leadership Committee participates in the contest with a different category every year, which spotlights Alabama commodities and agricultural products. Along with the cooking contest, other items judged included wreaths, quilts and pillows.
In the cheesecake cooking contest, Jackie Henderson won first place honors for her chocolate brownie cheesecake, and Mary Richburg received second place for her Cheesecake for Two. Jackie will compete with other county winners at the state contest in Montgomery this fall.
While both cheesecakes were perfectly baked, delicious and attractive, Henderson received more points on originality with the chocolate brownie base. The dessert is easily assembled using a boxed brownie mix, with the creamy cheesecake spread on the top for baking.
Mary’s classic “cheesecake for two” was creamy and richly flavored with a graham cracker crust. An abundance of fresh sliced strawberries crowned the baked confection for a yummy finish.
After the cheesecakes were judged, the ladies savored the southern dinner together with garden fresh vegetables and grilled chicken. Walters, who is a member of the women’s group, was the previous owner of Walters’ Gas and Grill. She is currently catering and enjoying time with family.
Following the dinner, the winners were announced in the other contests.
In the sewing and craft competition, Walters’ farm-themed wreath was the winner of the Alabama Commodity Wreath Contest; Henderson received second, Mary received third, and Elizabeth Ham received honorable mention. In the Commodity Themed Lap Blanket Contest, Henderson received first place and Mary second place. Henderson also won the Quilted Pillow Covers competition.
A member of the Women’s Leadership Committee for 17 years, Henderson said she loves cooking for her three children, four grandchildren and great-grandson. She was lunchroom manager at Beulah School for 37 years. For the contest, Henderson tested cheesecake recipes on family, staff at church and others. They were voted delicious.
Mary, who serves as chairman of the Women’s Leadership Committee, and her husband, Mahlon, have a hay production and registered Angus and SimAngus cattle operation. Mary said she enjoys canning and freezing vegetables in the summer months.
The Richburgs both taught in Auburn City Schools for 40 years. Mahlon taught agriscience at Auburn Junior High and Auburn High School, while Mary was an elementary school teacher and guidance counselor. They have two children: George and Katie.
The Women’s Division was organized to promote agricultural products and commodities, as well as to provide an opportunity for women to participate in policy making.
The local Women’s Leadership Group donates to various charities, including BigHouse, Battered Women Shelter and the Veterans’ Association. They keep a project going all the time.
Along with winning cheesecake recipes, a sampling of slider recipes is included from the state contest last fall in Montgomery. Add the cheesecake and slider recipes to enhance your summer menus.
Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake
Jackie Henderson
First Place
1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13×9-inch pan size)
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare brownie batter as directed on pkg.; pour into 13×9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until top is shiny and center is almost set.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Gently pour over brownie layer in pan. (Filling will come almost to the top of the pan.)
Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen sides; cool. Refrigerate 4 hours.
Melt chocolate squares as directed on the package; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
Balance your food choices throughout the day so you can enjoy a serving of this rich and indulgent cheesecake with your loved ones.
Cheesecake for Two
Mary Richburg
Second Place
Crust:
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Filling:
Two 8-oz. boxes cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (3.5 oz. or 99 grams) granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
Sour cream topping:
½ cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Fruit topping:
Strawberry syrup
¼ to ½ cup fresh strawberries sliced
Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Make the crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Press into bottom of a 6-inch springform pan.
Bake for 8 minutes. Crust will look underbaked and feel soft to touch when removed from oven but will firm up as it cools. Place on wire rack to cool slightly while making filling.
Make the filling: Beat cream cheese on medium in bowl of a stand mixer until soft and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Reduce mixer to low and add eggs one at a time, adding the next egg after previous one is fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition. With the mixer on low, add cream and vanilla all at once and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bottom and sides of bowl once more and beat on medium for an additional 30 seconds.
Assemble for baking: Pour filling over crust and smooth top using an offset spatula. Tightly wrap bottom of springform pan with two layers of aluminum foil. Place springform pan in center of a 9×13-inch cake pan or roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan until water reaches halfway up the sides of springform pan.
Bake cheesecake for 90 minutes, or until the edges of cheesecake are set but center still wobbles slightly. Check cheesecake at 60 minutes. The outer edges of cheesecake should be starting to set. If edges are completely set, check for doneness again in 5 or 10 minutes.
If top of cheesecake is starting to brown too much, tent the top of pan with a loose sheet of aluminum foil.
Once cheesecake is done, turn off oven. Open oven door just a crack, propping it open with a heatproof cooking utensil like a wooden spoon. Leave cheesecake in water bath for 30 minutes. Then, remove cheesecake from oven and place on a wire rack. Run a knife or offset spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on wire rack.
Make sour cream topping: Once cheesecake is completely cool, make sour cream glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and sugar for the topping.
Pour topping over cheesecake and use an offset spatula to smooth it across the cheesecake’s top.
Chill the cheesecake: Cover top of the springform pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cheesecake is firm, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
To serve, unlatch springform pan and lift sides of pan away from the bottom. Place cheesecake on a serving plate. Pour strawberry sauce over top of cheesecake, letting it run down sides. Add sliced fresh strawberries to top and around the bottom if desired. Use a hot knife to slice and serve. Serve chilled from the refrigerator. Leftover cheesecake slices can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake
Another favorite cheesecake from Jackie Henderson
20 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
6 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, melted, cooled
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Line 13×9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each just until blended.
Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir chocolate into remaining batter; pour over crust. Top with spoonfuls of reserved plain batter; swirl with knife.
Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.
How to make chocolate curls:
Let additional square(s) of Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate come to room temperature. Carefully draw a vegetable peeler at an angle across the chocolate square to make curls.
Slider Recipes from State Heritage Cooking Contest 2022
Cranberry Orange Sliders
Rhonda Hughes, Jefferson County
2022 State First Place Winner in Heritage Cooking Contest
1 lb. deli ham
1 lb. deli turkey
Bacon
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
¼ cup orange marmalade
Lettuce
Mayonnaise
8 slider buns
Fry bacon; set aside. Slice open slider buns and begin to build with mayonnaise, orange marmalade, Swiss cheese, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, turkey and lettuce. Spread cranberry sauce on the top piece of bun before closing. Enjoy!
Easy Philly Cheese Sliders
Sandra Terry, Lawrence County
2022 State Third Place Winner in Heritage Cooking Contest
1 lb. shaved roast beef
2 Tbsp. olive oil
9 slices Provolone cheese
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion
4 Tbsp. butter, divided in half
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 dozen Sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls
2 Tbsp. topping
Topping:
1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix topping ingredients in small bowl, set aside. In skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter; add chopped vegetables, sauté until tender and set aside. In skillet over medium heat add 2 Tbsp. oil and shaved roast beef. Cook until heated through and lightly browned.
Carefully cut dinner rolls in half and place bottoms in glass dish; spread mayonnaise over rolls. Top with roast beef, layer provolone cheese over beef, sprinkle sauteed vegetables over cheese. Place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and add roll tops.
Mix topping with 2 Tbsp. of butter and brush over tops of rolls then return to oven for 5 minutes.
Teresa Ellis, Marshall County
6 slices bacon
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
2 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 ½ cups shredded Colby cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
12 Hawaiian rolls
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. green onion for garnish
Place bacon on a foil lined baking sheet. Put in oven and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 350 degrees.
Allow bacon to cool, then crumble. Lay aside.
Shred enough chicken for 2 cups. Place cream cheese, chicken broth and ranch dressing mix in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until cream cheese is melted, and mixture is smooth. Add bacon, chicken, 1/2 cup of cheese and onion to the cream cheese mixture.
Cut rolls in half. Place bottom half of rolls on a baking sheet. Spread chicken mixture over roll bottoms. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over chicken mixture. Place top half of rolls over the bottoms. Melt butter and stir in garlic. Brush over buns. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and green onions over the tops of rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and tops are browned. Cool slightly and cut into 12 sliders. Serve immediately.
Bacon Jam Cheeseburger Sliders
Donna Anders, Tuscaloosa County
Bacon Jam:
1 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove cooked bacon with slotted spoon to plate with paper towels to drain, then cut with kitchen scissors into fine pieces. Pour up bacon drippings.
In small skillet put 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings and 1 cup onion; cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and bacon to onion in pan and cook for 5 minutes stirring often to thicken for jam, add black pepper and remove from heat.
Cheeseburgers:
King’s Hawaiian rolls, cut in half to make a bottom and top for slider
3 small tomatoes for 12 slices (cherry or Roma)
1 1/4 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 7×11-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In mixing bowl, combine ground beef, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper; mix with hands until well combined. Press mixture evenly into greased baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes (leave oven on); drain grease off. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer beef from baking dish to paper towel lined cookie sheet to drain. One another cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, place bottom half of rolls. Cover with cooked beef. Add 1 Tbsp. bacon jam to top of each burger. Cut cheese slices to quarters, placing 1/4 slice on each burger. Add 12 tomato slices on top of cheese. Cover with roll top. Bake for 8 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with pickles and chips for a yummy way to feed a crowd at your next gathering.
Jenn Patrick’s Slider
Kasey Vickery, Etowah County
3 ½ lbs. chicken breast strips
King’s Hawaiian slider buns (24-pack)
1 pkg. dry au jus gravy mix
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1 stick butter
10-12 pepperoncini peppers, sliced
2 cups prepared slaw (slaw mix, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Wickle’s relish, 4
tsp. sugar)
Provolone cheese slices (12) cut into halves
Garnish: Long toothpicks with cherry and/or grape tomatoes, sweet peppers, pepperoncini peppers or slices
Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle both dry packets of mix on top of chicken. Top with stick of butter (sliced) and pepperoncini slices. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours until done.
Shred chicken with forks. Drizzle small amount of juice on inside of buns. Place shredded chicken on buns. Add slice of Provolone on chicken. Spoon slaw on top of cheese. Place top on bun.
Garnish: Use long toothpicks to spear grape tomato, sweet pepper, pepperoncini peppers for each slider and garnish tray with more of the tomatoes or peppers.
Makes 24 sliders.
Cuban Sliders
Debbie Kirkland, Dale County
2 pkgs. brioche or King’s Hawaiian dinner rolls
½ cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 lb. pulled pork (recipe below)
1/2 lb. honey cured deli ham
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese
Dill pickle chips, patted dry, enough for 2-3 per roll
Grease bottom and sides of 9×13-inch baking dish or disposable aluminum pan. Cut rolls in half. Arrange bottoms of rolls in baking dish. Mix melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and poppy seeds together in bowl. Brush half the mixture over bottom halves of rolls in baking dish.
Layer pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickle chips in this order and cover with tops of rolls. Brush remaining butter mixture over tops. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sliders covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and press down tops with a spatula to flatten. Bake until sliders are heated through, and top is crispy, about 15 minutes more.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:
3-4 lb. pork shoulder butt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
Cut meat into 4 to 6 equal-sized pieces. Trim fat as desired. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients and rub all over meat. Add chicken broth, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke to slow cooker and whisk together. Place meat in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Remove meat to bowl and shred with two forks. Serve with juices from slow cooker or favorite barbecue sauce.