Butterfinger Surprise Pie

You can bet your Butterfinger this chocolate cream pie will put a Twinkie in your eye!

This pie received a red ribbon at the Stoughton Fair, but still sold for $100 at the pie auction.

40 NILLA Wafers
5 Tbsp. butter, melted 
1 pkg. snack size Butterfinger candy bars 

2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

2 cups  cold milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

4 Hostess Twinkies

Milk chocolate 

Crush wafers; mix with butter until well blended. Press onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Crush 5 Butterfinger bars, set aside. Crush remaining candy bars.

Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk 2 min. Stir in half the COOL WHIP and larger portion of crushed candy pieces. Spread half of pudding mixture into cooled pie crust.

Slice Twinkies crosswise and arrange in a layer in pie. Top with remaining pudding mixture.

Spread remaining COOL WHIP on top of pie. Garnish with crushed Butterfingers (small portion) and melted milk chocolate.

Tropical Strawberry Pie

This pie was awarded Best in Class at the Stoughton Fair Pie Baking Contest in 2011. It sold at the auction for $130.

I found the recipe at Kraft Foods and made a minor adjustment to the crust.  

40 NILLA Wafers
5 Tbsp. butter, melted 
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 
1/4 cup sugar 
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided 
1 can  (8 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, drained 
3/4 cup boiling water 
1 pkg.  (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin 
1 cup ice cubes 
2 cups  sliced strawberries 

Crush wafers; mix with butter until well blended. Press onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP and pineapple; spread over crust. 

Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in ice until melted. Add strawberries; stir. Refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened; spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.

I also garnished it with a pineapple ring, kiwi slices and a whole strawberry.

It's time for pies!

Today was the day for the pie competition at the Stoughton Fair.

I began competing in this a number of years ago when my aunt-in-law suggested I give it a try.

For the contest, pies are made by area residents and brought to the fair on Saturday morning. Three judges spend three to four hours sampling and rating the pies, which can range in numbers from 60 to 100+. This year there were 109 pies in the contest. After a champion is selected, the pies sit on display until the afternoon auction.

The pie auction takes place at 3:30 p.m. Each pie is sold with half the money going to support the fair and the other half to the pie exhibitor.

The money is nice, but the contest is truly about supporting the fair and, of course, bragging rights for the year to come.

This year was my fifth year in the contest. I'm proud to say that from past years I am a two-time recipient of Best of Show (Grand Champion) with a third pie receiving Best in Class. This year my pies received a Best in Class award and red ribbon.

In honor of this fair time tradition, I've started a new tab on my blog. To easily access my winning and other delicious pie recipes, just go to the "Perfect Pies" tab on my blog.

Why Blue Moon is Best!

It is time once again for Progressive Dairyman’s Flavor Face-off in celebration of June Dairy Month. For those of you unfamiliar with the contest, it is an online showdown of ice cream flavors. Last year the contest was held amongst Progressive Dairyman staff members. This year it has broadened to include a few staff members (like me) and some great dairy bloggers.

I’m excited to participate and to represent the flavor Blue Moon. While I could have chosen one of my other favorite flavors like Babcock Hall’s Chocolate Peanut Butter or Cold Stone Creamery’s Cake Batter (with brownies and gummy bears), I believe Blue Moon is the best choice.

Many people are unfamiliar with this creamy frozen treat, but it is one that is hard to miss when you come across it. I have a hard time recalling exactly when I was first introduced to this fantastic flavor, but I do know where. I was at Mullen’s Dairy & Eatery in Watertown, Wis. The memory is a bit hazy, but I’m guessing I was either with my parents or grandparents on the way home from the Dodge County Fair. As I pondered which of the many flavors to select, someone suggested I try Blue Moon.

From the moment I saw the scoop of bright blue ice cream come out of the freezer I was mesmerized. This was much different from the usual browns and creams you usually see in the dairy case.

And the taste, well delicious, of course. I’m sure you’d like for me to describe to you what exactly it tastes like, but that is nearly impossible because no one really knows. Some people say it tastes like Froot Loops cereal, but since I’ve never had a bowl, I can’t really agree. But delicious is quite accurate.

What most intrigues me about Blue Moon is that it is hard to find. For a while, the only place I could get it was a Mullen’s and that was usually only once a year. Then an ice cream stand at the mall had it as an option. A number of years ago, Cedar Crest brought this enticing flavor to area grocery stores; and I recently had a scoop of it at the Babcock Hall Dairy Store.

Apparently Blue Moon is really only known (and available) in the Upper Midwest. As the midwest editor for Progressive Dairyman, it is part of my responsibility to share what is happening here with the rest of the country. I would wager the secret of Blue Moon fits that mold.

However, I can only spread the word with your help. Basically, I need your votes. In Round 1 of the Flavor Face-Off, Blue Moon is up against a tough competitor from the West Coast - Thrifty Chocolate Malted Crunch. Click here to read about this head-to-head challenge. Then cast your vote here. You have until June 14 to participate in Round 1 voting.

You’ll have the opportunity to vote for flavors in all of the eight first round brackets, so please read up on all your choices here before casting your ballot.

Thank you for your support!

This message was brought to you by Widy Writer and paid for by no one.

Etiquette lessons

I heard on the radio last week that it was National Etiquette Week. I was reminded of it as I sat down to many formal meals these two weeks. Thanks to the late Lyle Wallace I've been prepared for these since I was a freshman in high school.

Mr. Wallace was my agriculture instructor/FFA advisor. After attending the Made for Excellence conference with him and several other FFA members, Mr. Wallace decided we were in need of some etiquette lessons. Once a week, for the next several weeks he posted an etiquette tip on the chalkboard.

Here are a few lessons I remember and always follow:
• Don't eat until everyone at the table has been served.
• Pass and receive items with your outside arm.
• Always keep the salt and pepper together.

I learned a lot of things from Mr. Wallace in the 17 months I was able to spend with him. He was a tremendous mentor that left the world too soon.

Luckily, 17+ years around a family farm dinner table filled in one of the many lessons I didn't have the opportunity to receive from Mr. Wallace. Countless conversations there enables me to now sit at dinner tables where sometimes the discussion can be less than appetizing. For instance, the one I had last week concerning reproductive tracts in dairy cows.

Cheers to Mr. Wallace and farm families everywhere for remember manners are important no matter what the conversation topic may be.