America's Best Recipes, State Fair Blue Ribbon Winners

Now here is a cookbook with exceptional recipes on every page. What would you expect, knowing that each is a blue ribbon winner at a State Fair across the country? Many of the recipes have been secret family recipes for generations.

You will find everything from Baking Soda Biscuits, Corn Bread, Chuck Wagon Beef Stew, Carrot Cake, Hush Puppies, Shoo Fly Pie and so much more.

This book was written in 1983 by Rosemary and Peter Hanley. I don't know if it is still in print, but well worth checking out used book stores to find it.

I love the Chuck Wagon Beef Stew. Mmmm, is it delicious! Maybe not quite as heart healthy as most of us eat these days, but well worth serving.

5 or 6 slices bacon, cut in half
2 pounds lean beef, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound small pearl onions
2 cloves garlic, finely shopped
1 can tomato paste
1 can beef broth (10 1/2 oz.)
1 cup dry red wine
6 carrots
6 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 red peppers, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
10 fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 bay leaves

In a large cast iron dutch oven, crisp the bacon and then remove, drain and reserve.

Shake the cubed beef with the flour in a plastic bag or other container. Brown the beef in bacon fat, adding more bacon fat if needed. Add onion, garlic, broth, sauce, and wine. Cook covered approximately one and a half hours. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for one hour more. Garnish with reserved bacon strips.

This recipe was a winner at the New York State Fair.