Butter up the Holidays recipe contest winners

I received a news release this week from the Northwest Dairy Farmers group, which sponsored the Butter Up the Holidays recipe contest in December. Sadly, no one from the Yakima Valley won the contest, but here are the winning recipes for your enjoyment, anyway, as they look delicious.

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Topping

Annette Huss, Camas, WA

Filling:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whole milk
2 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey
½ cup frozen peas

Biscuit Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and potatoes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Pour vegetables into a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In the same sauté pan melt 1/3 cup butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to a low simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute to thicken. Stir in diced chicken or turkey and the frozen peas. Add to the vegetables in the baking dish and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, soda, sugar and parsley. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender, or mix with fingers, until butter is in small pieces the size of peas. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough comes together. Roll dough into an 8x12-inch rectangle. Lift dough and place on top of hot chicken mixture. Brush with egg white.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-25 minutes unit golden brown.

Nutty Double Chocolate Carmel Tart

By Margee Berry, White Salmon, WA

Crust:
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs

Tart Filling:
¾ cup pecan halves, rough chopped
¾ cup blanched slivered almonds
¾ cup shelled pistachios, rough chopped
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup good quality white chocolate, chopped

For Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt semi sweet chocolate and 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until smooth; stir in graham cracker crumbs. Press mixture into bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with remove-able rim. Bake in center of oven until lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Cool pan on wire rack.

Change oven to 300 degrees.

For Tart Filling: Place all the nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile in a medium heavy saucepan melt brown sugar and butter over low heat stirring frequently until sugar is dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Boil without stirring until large bubbles form, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon cream, toasted nuts and almond extract. Spoon into baked crust.

In a small saucepan bring remaining cream to a slight boil over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in white chocolate until melted. Drizzle over tart. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 1 hour.

Sausage Star Scones with Mustard Butter

by Renata Stanko, Lebanon, Ore.

Makes 22 appetizers

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
½ cup cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 cup small diced cooked Kielbasa, or similar sausage
¼ cup finely chopped green onions or chives

Mustard Butter:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or work with your fingers until crumbly. Combine milk and egg and add to dough. Mix in sausage and onions. Knead briefly and shape into a ball.

On lightly floured surface roll or pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 2 ½-inch star cookie cutter and cut out scones. Reshape dough scraps to make more cut outs. Place stars on parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

To make the mustard butter stir together softened butter, mustard and parsley until well blended. Serve with warm scones.