For the Media
CHOCOLATE PROVES TO BE FAVORITE IN MARTHA WHITE® MUFFIN MIX CHALLENGE™
Grand Prize Winner Takes Home $5,000 for Decadent Chocolate Recipe
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 2010) – The popularity of chocolate proved to reign supreme in the second annual Martha White® Muffin Mix Challenge™ as Paula McHargue of Richmond, Ky., earned the Grand Prize for her “Sakes Alive” Chocolate Fudge Bars.
Paula McHargue fulfilled every chocolate lover’s fantasy with her fudge-filled cookie bars. “Sakes Alive” Chocolate Fudge Bars feature a buttery chocolate chip and oat topping and crust made from Martha White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix. The fudgy filling is made by melting chocolate chips in Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk. Pour the chocolate filling onto the prepared crust, top with several reserve spoonfuls of crust mixture to create a cookie topping, bake and get ready for a decadent taste experience.
With nineteen varieties of muffin mixes available in flavors like blueberry cheesecake, apple cinnamon, chocolate chocolate chip, banana nut and more, the scope of recipe entries was impressive. “We couldn’t be happier with the delicious recipes submitted for this year’s contest,” said Linda Carman, Martha White baking expert. “Once again, bakers proved to us just how many recipes can be created using a Martha White Muffin Mix.”
Bakers from across the United States, and as far away as Alaska, submitted recipes for the contest which called for original creations using at least one Martha White Muffin Mix. Preliminary judging narrowed down the more than 900 recipe entries to the top five finalists which then competed in an online vote. The online votes were combined with the preliminary judging scores to determine the delicious winner of this year’s contest.
The following four finalists each received $1,000 and a Martha White gift basket for their delicious recipes.
Blueberry Cheesecake Squares, submitted by Lisa Keys, is a rich, creamy treat. Lisa combined Martha White Blueberry Cheesecake Muffin Mix and butter to create a crisp bottom crust that is perfectly complemented by cheesecake filling. A swirl of blueberry preserves through the cheesecake completes the recipe and creates an impressive presentation.
Pamela Shank created a stylish new twist on a culinary classic with her Caramelized Banana Nut Upside-Down Cake. The easy-to-make caramelized topping is made of butter and brown sugar topped with pecans, bananas and some lemon juice. To make the moist cake layer, combine two packages of Martha White Banana Nut Muffin Mix, milk and melted butter. Bake in a cast iron or ovenproof skillet and turn out onto a cake plate to reveal the caramelized banana topping.
Gale Collier created a fresh new use for Martha White Muffin Mixes with her Blueberry French Toast with Fresh Blueberry Sauce. Using a Martha White Blueberry Muffin Mix, she made an egg-rich batter for dipping bread slices that gives traditional French toast a flavor boost. The easy-to-make blueberry sauce, accented with orange juice, finishes the recipe to perfection.
Golden Lemon Blueberry Coconut Tart entered by Gloria Bradley is a cool, creamy flavor sensation that is easy to make. Gloria used a Martha White Blueberry Muffin Mix and butter to make a crust that is pressed into a pie pan and baked. The delectable filling combines cream cheese with cream of coconut, a little fresh lemon juice and an egg. Baked and then cooled, the whole creation is topped off with billows of whipped topping and toasted coconut.
The third Martha White® Muffin Mix Challenge™ will begin with a call for entries in the fall of 2010. Be sure to visit www.marthawhite.com for information.
Grand Prize Winner
“Sakes Alive” Chocolate Fudge Bars
Paula McHargue – Richmond, Kentucky
Crisco® Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 (7.4 oz.) packages Martha White® Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg.
2. Stir in muffin mix. Stir in oats until well blended. Reserve one cup of mixture. Set aside. Pat remaining mixture into prepared pan with oiled hands.
3. Combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts. Quickly spread evenly over muffin mixture covering completely to edge of pan. Drop reserved oat mixture by teaspoonfuls over chocolate mixture. Spread slightly.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Makes 32 bars
First Prize Recipes
Blueberry Cheesecake Squares
Lisa Keys – Middlebury, Connecticut
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
2 (7 oz.) packages Martha White® Blueberry Cheesecake Muffin Mix
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (12 oz.) jar Smucker’s® Blueberry Preserves (1 cup)
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Stir together muffin mix and butter with a fork in large bowl until well blended. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium high speed until creamy. Beat in vanilla and eggs just until smooth. Pour over crust. Spread evenly. Dollop jam by teaspoonfuls over filling. Using a small sharp knife, swirl jam into cream cheese mixture to create a marbled effect.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Chill at least 1 hour. Cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 18 to 24 squares
Caramelized Banana Nut Upside-Down Cake
Pamela Shank – Parkersburg, West Virginia
Topping
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 large firm bananas, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cake
2 (7.6 oz.) packages Martha White® Banana Nut Muffin Mix
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast iron or other ovenproof skillet. Remove from heat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Sprinkle with pecans. Arrange banana slices over mixture in skillet, overlapping, if necessary. Drizzle with lemon juice.
2. Combine muffin mix, milk and 2 tablespoons butter in medium bowl. Stir just until blended. Pour batter over bananas.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Loosen edges with a small sharp knife. Carefully invert onto a heatproof serving platter. Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings
Blueberry French Toast with Fresh Blueberry Sauce
Gale Collier – Redmond, Oregon
Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
Batter
1 (7oz.) Martha White® Blueberry Muffin Mix
3 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
6 to 8 slices French bread, 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick
1. Heat oven to 200° F. Toss blueberries with cornstarch in medium saucepan. Stir in sugar, orange juice and water. Place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Reduce to low heat and keep warm.
2. Place muffin mix in shallow bowl or pie plate. Stir in eggs and enough milk to make a thin batter. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip bread into batter. Turn to coat other side. Place in skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and brown other side. Place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining bread, using butter as needed. Serve topped with blueberry sauce.
Makes 4 servings (2 slices each)
Golden Lemon Blueberry Coconut Tart
Gloria Bradley – Naperville, Illinois
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
Crust
1 (7-oz.) package Martha White® Blueberry Muffin Mix
3 tablespoons butter, softened
Filling
12-ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup cream of coconut (not coconut milk), stirred before measuring
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 large egg
Topping
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3/4 cup coconut, lightly toasted
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Coat bottom and sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with no-stick cooking spray. Combine muffin mix and butter in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Press crumbs in bottom and up sides of pan. Place pan on cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in cream of coconut, lemon juice, lemon peel and egg until smooth. Spread over crust.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until set and light golden brown on edges. Cool. Refrigerate 1 hour to cool completely.
4. Spread whipped topping over filling. Sprinkle with coconut. Chill until serving time. Carefully remove sides of pan. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 8 servings
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