For the Media
Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad Scores a Win at the 2009 National Cornbread Cook-Off
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. (June 2009) — Sonya Goergen of Moorhead, Minn., accepted the esteemed cast iron skillet crown as the grand prize winner of the 2009 National Cornbread Cook-Off with her Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad recipe.
The National Cornbread Cook-Off is held in conjunction with the
National Cornbread Festival® in South Pittsburg, Tenn., and is
sponsored by Martha White® and Lodge® Cast Iron.
As 10 finalists from around the country convened on the cooking stage on a dazzling Saturday afternoon, a record crowd of cornbread lovers watched in anticipation as the finalists recreated their winning dishes live on stage. Once the dishes were complete, an expert panel of judges, including food enthusiasts, television personalities and food editors, took on the difficult task of selecting the winners.
“Over the last 13 years, we have seen an amazing variety of unique recipes that showcase the perfect cooking relationship between cast iron and cornbread,” said Linda Carman, Martha White baking expert. “This year’s entries were no exception, and I truly enjoyed watching the 10 talented finalists prepare their dishes and be honored for their hard work and creative inspirations.” Entrants qualified for the contest by submitting an original, main dish recipe prepared with Martha White cornbread mix and cooked in Lodge Cast Iron cookware.
Sonya took her inspiration from a popular appetizer to create this year’s Grand Prize winning recipe—Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad. Just like Buffalo Hot Wings, a tried-and-true staple of cookouts and sporting events, Sonya’s recipe married the spiciness of the chicken with the coolness of blue cheese dressing. She translated that combination into her winning recipe by adding boneless Buffalo wings to cheesy cornbread and topping it with a salad that included celery, lettuce and blue cheese dressing. Her original main dish recipe earned the top prize of $5,000, a 30-inch FiveStar® stainless steel gas range from Brown Stove Works, Inc., of Cleveland, Tenn., and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron.
The second place winner, Gaynell Lawson of Maryville, Tenn., is no stranger to the winner’s circle. After taking home the grand prize in 2003, Gaynell impressed the judges again this year with her Black Olive Cornbread Wedges with Chorizo Tomato Gravy. She took a new spin on an old Southern tradition by combining Mexican chorizo sausage with tomato gravy for a Southwestern flair. The gravy is then spooned onto cornbread wedges enhanced with corn and olives. Gaynell took home a $1,000 cash prize.
Chorizo was also a key ingredient in the third place recipe. Jamie Martin of Madison, Ala., came up with a unique take on old fashioned dumplings to create Cilantro Lime Cornmeal Dumplings in Chorizo Chicken Soup. Her flavorful, Southwest-inspired soup featured fresh vegetables, but the star of the dish was unique dumplings made of cornmeal, cilantro and lime. Jamie was awarded $600 for her winning recipe.
Additional National Cornbread Cook-Off finalists included were Kim Brown of Henagar, Ala; Patricia Harmon of Baden, Pa.; Mary Beth Harris Murphree of Tyler, Texas; Erin Renouf Mylroie of Santa Clara, Utah; Rebecca Reece of Henderson, Nev.; Catherine Wilkinson of Dewey, Ariz.; Patricia Yielding of North Little Rock, Ark. They each took home $100 cash and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron.
The 14th annual National Cornbread Cook-Off will be held April 24, 2010, in conjunction with the National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, Tenn. Contest rules and entry requirements for the 2010 National Cornbread Cook-Off will be available after the first of the year at www.marthawhite.com.
A leading manufacturer of Southern baking mixes and ingredients, Martha White was founded in Nashville, Tenn., in 1899.
Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad
First Prize Winner
Sonya Goergen - Moorhead, Minn.
Ingredients
Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
Cornbread
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons Crisco Pure Olive Oil
1 (6.5 oz.) pkg. Martha White Yellow Cornbread Mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups fully cooked frozen boneless buffalo-style hot wings, thawed and diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salad
1/2 small head of lettuce, chopped
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2/3 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
Chopped cilantro
Directions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet with
no-stick cooking spray. Stir egg, milk and oil together.
Add cornbread mix, Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup blue cheese,
diced hot wings, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons
chopped cilantro. Stir until well blended. Pour mixture into
prepared skillet, spreading evenly. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until
golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool.
- Combine lettuce, celery, red onion and 1/2 cup cheese
crumbles. Toss with blue cheese dressing. Cut cornbread
into 8 wedges. Top each wedge with an even amount of
salad. Garnish with diced tomatoes and cilantro.
8 servings
For Ranch-Style Version: omit blue cheese from cornbread and salad; substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing.
Black Olive Cornbread Wedges with Chorizo Tomato Gravy
Second Prize Winner
Gaynell Lawson - Maryville, Tenn.
Ingredients
Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
Cornbread
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 (6.5 oz.) pkg. Martha White Yellow Cornbread Mix
2 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
Gravy
5 tablespoons butter, separated
1 cup diced onion
2 links (about 6 oz.) Mexican chorizo sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons Martha White All-Purpose Flour
2 cups milk
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Garnishes
Chopped green onion, diced avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes and/or sliced fresh limes
Directions
- Heat oven to 400° F. Spray 9-inch cast iron wedge pan*
generously with no-stick cooking spray. Place in oven 6 to 7
minutes or until hot. Beat egg in large bowl. Add buttermilk,
cornbread mix, 2 tablespoons melted butter, corn and olives.
Mix thoroughly. Pour evenly into wedges in hot pan. Bake for
20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven
and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch cast iron
skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until
translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Crumble chorizo in skillet.
Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until brown. Remove mixture to small
bowl. Set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towel.
- Return skillet to medium heat. Melt 3 tablespoons butter.
Add flour. Whisk until mixture is golden. Add milk, tomatoes
and paprika. Whisk about 3 minutes, or until thickened.
Add chorizo mixture to gravy.
- To serve, place a wedge of cornbread on each plate, top with
1/2 cup of chorizo tomato gravy. Garnish with green onion,
avocado, tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes and/or a squeeze
of lime juice.
8 servings
* Cornbread may be baked in 10-inch cast iron skillet sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into wedges.
Cilantro Lime Cornmeal Dumplings in Chorizo Chicken Soup
Third Prize Winner
Jamie Martin - Madison, Ala.
Ingredients
Soup
1 tablespoon Crisco Pure Canola Oil
3/4 lb fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed
3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1 poblano pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Crisco Canola Oil
1/4 cup Martha White All-Purpose Flour
1 (14.5 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular diced tomatoes)
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
Dumplings
1 (6.5 oz) package Martha White Yellow Cornbread mix
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Toppings
Sour cream, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro and/or lime wedges
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in cast iron 5-quart fryer, over medium
heat. Add chorizo. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, using back of a
spoon to break into pieces. Add chicken. Cook 2 minutes.
Add onion, celery, carrots, poblano pepper and salt.
Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic.
Cook for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in flour.
Cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir well,
making sure to scrape all of the bits off bottom of pot. Cover.
Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Uncover. Simmer 15 to 20
minutes.
- Stir together cornbread mix, lime peel, milk, sour cream and
cilantro in medium bowl. Mixture will be thick. Set aside 10
minutes to ensure liquid is absorbed into cornmeal. Drop by
tablespoonfuls into simmering soup. Cover and cook 8 to 10
minutes, or until puffed and firm.
- To serve, spoon a couple dumplings into each bowl and
ladle soup around the dumplings. Garnish with sour cream,
cilantro, avocado and/or a squeeze of lime juice.
6 servings
Crisco is a trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company.
FiveStar is a trademark of Brown Stove Works, Inc.
Lodge is a trademark of Lodge Manufacturing Company.
National Cornbread Festival is a trademark of The National
Cornbread Festival, Inc.