Cooks win over judges at Dixie Classic Fair with their family- and budget-friendly dishes CHEAP AND TASTY

Just as the recession has challenged household budgets, the Budget Meals contest at the Dixie Classic Fair challenged cooks to rein in expenses while still turning out a tasty, ribbon-worthy dish.

The contest, sponsored by the Winston-Salem Journal, required contestants to make an entrée to serve four or more people for $10 or less, excluding such items as flour, salt and oil used in small quantities. And they had to prove it by submitting store receipts along with their recipes. The contest did draw its share of the usual dollar-stretching casseroles, but those were in the minority. Most of the cooks rose to the challenge, producing savory pies, chili, pastas and even salad.

Perhaps it isn't surprising that more than a quarter of the 24 contestants turned to vegetarian dishes to help keep costs under control. Two of those vegetarian dishes ended up at the top of the list of favorites, taking first and second place.

Beth Tucker of Kernersville submitted a No-Meat Tex-Mex Meal, a spicy rice and bean dish. It was one of the prettiest dishes of the bunch with its garnish of fresh chiles out of her garden.

As excited as Tucker was to have won, she was even more excited about telling her friends and family. "They all tell me I can't cook, and they said there was no way I could win," she said with a laugh. "You know the episode in The Andy Griffith Show about (kerosene) pickles? Well, that's just like me."

Tucker, the secretary of the Forsyth County Cattlemen's Association, might have been expected to submit a beef dish. But her Tex-Mex casserole is one thing she knows how to do well, and she stuck with a sure thing.

Besides, she said, you can take any kind of meat and add it to the dish. "It's really versatile," she said.

Tucker has won fair contests for her hay, among other things, but she has never entered a cooking contest before. "But I'm a competitive person," she said. "I like a challenge."

Chris Cutler of Pfafftown took second place, using spaghetti squash. The squash, which pulls apart into long strands that resemble spaghetti, was the base for his Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca. This classic Italian sauce is spicy and piquant with capers, olives and red-pepper flakes.

"I just love spaghetti squash," he said. "I had made puttanesca with regular pasta before but not with spaghetti squash."

Cutler thanked his wife for finding the recipe online. Mary Cutler, who entered stuffed peppers with beans and corn, came upon the puttanesca recipe while looking for a recipe of her own.

Carolyn Webster had no trouble finding the recipe for her third-place dish, Country Captain. This is a braised chicken dish flavored with curry, currants and almonds.

Though she had made it many times before, she did have to tweak the recipe when she realized that chicken breasts would push her over the $10 limit. Instead, she chose bone-in, skin-on thighs. Judges thought that was a smart move because the thighs are much more likely to stay moist and juicy throughout the cooking.

Though Webster had the recipe in hand long before the contest, she said she came to the decision to use it in a roundabout way.

She had some other ideas, but once she went shopping she realized that all of them cost too much. "People must have been staring at me in the grocery store, because I'd go get all this stuff and then put it back," she said. "I think they probably thought I couldn't afford all my groceries that week."

No-Meat Tex-Mex Meal

First place by Beth Tucker of Kernersville.

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups uncooked regular rice

1 16-ounce can refried beans

1 14.5-ounce can corn, drained

1 3.8-ounce can black olives, drained

Juice of ½ lime

1 16-ounce jar salsa, choice of mild, medium or hot

1 8-ounce package shredded cheese, Mexican blend or other

Sour cream, optional

Tortilla chips, optional

1. Mix chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin and salt together. Cook rice according to package directions, but add the seasoning mixture to the cooking water at the beginning.

2. Meanwhile, grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Mix rice with beans, corn, olives, lime juice and salsa. Spread evenly in pan and bake about 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

4. Top dish with cheese. If desired, serve with sour cream and tortilla chips.

Makes 8 servings.

Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca

Second place by Chris Cutler of Pfafftown, who said that this recipe came from cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com.

1 spaghetti squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

18 ounces fresh tomatoes, diced (or a 16-ounce can)

⅓ 8-ounce can tomato sauce (about 2⅔ ounces)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1½ ounces chopped olives

1½ tablespoons capers with a bit of the brine from the jar

1 to 1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

3 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice stem end off squash to create a flat surface. Set squash flat-side down and slice in half lengthwise. (This will take some force, so use a sharp, heavy knife and proceed carefully.)

3. Scoop out seeds and debris and discard. (If desired, rinse and roast seeds for a snack.)

4. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or spray with cooking spray. Place squash cut side down on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake about 30 minutes or until tender, when a fork can puncture the skin without too much effort. Let cool slightly.

5. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add oil and onions and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions become transparent. Add garlic and sauté about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

6. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, olives, capers with brine, red-pepper flakes and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 20 minutes.

7. When the cooked squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to "rake" out the squash from the rind. It will separate and thread like spaghetti. Place squash in a serving bowl and top with sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Country Captain

Third place by Carolyn Webster.

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or other chicken pieces)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium sweet yellow onion, peeled and chopped

½ medium green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled)

1 26- to 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes, with liquid

3 tablespoons currants (1 ounce)

1 ounce slivered almonds, toasted

1. Wash and trim chicken thighs; pat dry. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan.

2. In a large skillet heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Add chicken to skillet and brown on all sides.

3. Remove chicken and add onion, bell pepper, garlic, curry powder and thyme to the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Stir over low heat to loosen any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and their liquid. Return chicken to pan, skin side up. Cover and cook slowly until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in currants during the last five minutes of cooking. Garnish with toasted almonds and serve with warm, crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

Makes 4 generous servings.

mhastings@wsjournal.com
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