Score Big with these Champion Game Day Recipes from Creative Arts Cooking Contests

The end of the football season is about more than just football. It's also about celebrating with your favorite game day foods! Sure - nachos, chicken wings, and delivery pizza can get the job done, but when you want to take your game to the next level, you might need help from the best. Best of Show, that is. Straight from the pages of our new State Fair of Texas Best of Show Cookbook Vol. 1, here are five game day recipes for you to try this year. Even if your team doesn't end up winning on Sunday, you'll still feel like a champion in the kitchen. Don't forget to pick up your copy of the Best of Show Cookbook here for more winning recipes like these.

PECAN SMOKED CILANTRO SALSA

By John Dunkin
From Dallas, TX
2020 Best of Show, 1st Place - Tex-Mex

Ingredients
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 lg. white onion
2 jalapeños (1 seeded, 1 not)
5 lg. tomatoes

2 limes (juice of both, zest of 1)
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper

Start smoker using pecan wood. While waiting for the smoker to reach temperature, dice onions and jalapeños and chop garlic and cilantro. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon cumin on top of onions. Put all together on a large baking sheet and place on smoker once it reaches 150°. Remove cilantro after about 8 minutes and remove the rest from the grill after an additional 10 minutes. Chop tomatoes, removing seeds. Juice and zest the limes and combine with rest in a food processor, being careful to not over-emulsify. Stir in salt and pepper. Refrigerate and serve.

FANTASTIC STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI

by Juliana Black
From Garland, TX
2020 Best of Show, 1st Place - Jammin' with Jelly

Ingredients
⅓ c. strawberry jam or fruit spread
4-6 oz. white rum
2 T. fresh squeezed lime juice
1-1½ c. crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Enjoy.

PULLED PORK TACOS WITH ZESTY MEXICAN COLESLAW

by Lynda Sanders
from Trophy Club, TX
2018 Best of Show, 1st Place - Tex-Mex Contest

Ingredients for Pulled Pork Tacos:
2 T. cooking oil
2 to 3 lb. pork shoulder or butt roast
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
12 oz. stout beer or chicken stock

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high to high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper generously. Sprinkle pork with chile powder and cumin. Sear pork roast for 2 to 4 minutes per side until browned; add beer or stock. Cover and slowly cook pork until tender, 3 to 4 hours. When done, cool; shred pork with 2 forks and set aside. To Serve: Use fresh flour tortillas. Place pulled pork in tortilla top with Zesty Coleslaw. Serve with jalapeños, if desired.

Ingredients for Mexican Coleslaw:

1 (14-oz.) bag coleslaw mix
½ c. red pepper, diced
½ c. black beans, rinsed & drained
½ c. grilled corn ½ c. minced cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeds removed & finely diced
¾ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. sour cream
½ pkg. taco seasoning
2 T. lime juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine coleslaw mix, red pepper, black beans, grilled corn, cilantro, and jalapeño. In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, taco seasoning, and lime juice. Add mayonnaise mixture to coleslaw mixture; stir to combine. Top Pulled Pork Tacos with this spicy mix.

TEXAS CRUST-LESS QUICHE

by Dianne Sheridan
from Allen, TX
2012 Best of Show, Tex-Mex

Ingredients
½ c. onion, chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 green bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp. pepper
1½ c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
10 to 14 oz. chorizo
4 lg. eggs
Jalapeño jelly
1 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream

Sauté onion and pepper until tender. Add chorizo, cook until sausage is done, turning frequently in the pan. Spread chorizo mixture in the bottom of a deep-dish pie pan. Let cool for 10 minutes. Beat 4 eggs, milk, and heavy cream together until blended. Add salt and pepper to the milk mixture. Set aside. Cover top of chorizo mixture with cheese. Pour milk mixture over cheese. Bake in 425° oven 20-25 minutes until the center is set. Cool slightly. Dollop with jalapeño jelly for garnish.

CRAN-APPLE DESSERT PIZZA

by Pamela Woodberry
from Dallas, TX
2012 Best of Show, Pizza Bake

Ingredients for the crust:
½ c. vegetable oil
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. unbleached flour
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. butter

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 375°. Combine oil and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder, salt, and flour and stir until completely blended. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes until dough stiffens. Lightly grease a square of parchment paper with butter, place dough in the center of parchment, and press from the center outward with your fingertips to form a 12-inch diameter crust. Slide parchment and crust onto the pizza stone and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove parchment from crust and cool before adding topping.

Ingredients for the cheese filling:
1 tsp. vanilla
4 oz. mascarpone cheese
3 T. powdered sugar

Whisk mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; set aside.

Ingredients for the topping:
1 T. unsalted butter
3 honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced, and tossed in 1 T. lemon juice
¾ c. brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ c. dried cranberries
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. instant espresso powder
1 T. caramel sauce
1 T. almond butter
½ tsp. vanilla
½ c. sour cream
½ c. white chocolate morsels
½ c. toasted chopped pecans

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet, add apples and brown sugar, and cook 2-3 minutes until apples are tender-crisp. Stir in cranberries, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, espresso, caramel, and almond butter. Continue to cook for 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Stir in vanilla and sour cream, remove from heat, strain, reserve liquid, place fruit in a large mixing bowl, and cool 5-10 minutes. If the liquid is runny, return to skillet and heat until slightly thickened, then cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Spread cheese mixture evenly on crust; arrange apples and cranberries on top of cheese mixture; sprinkle pecans and chocolate morsels evenly onto fruit topping. Drizzle reserved liquid over pizza.

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