2016 First Place NC State Fair: Faye Smith, Fayetteville

1 small loaf French bread

6 eggs

1 ½ cups half and half

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. cinnamon, divided

½ tsp. nutmeg, divided

1 stick butter, melted and divided

½ cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. corn syrup

½ cup chopped pecans

Slice bread into ½ inch slices. Spray a 9 x 9 baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange bread slices into 2 rows, overlapping slightly.

Mix eggs, half and half, granulated sugar, vanilla, ¼ tsp. cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until well blended.

Pour egg mixture over bread, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the remaining ingredients of melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and remaining cinnamon and nutmeg. Add pecans and mix well. Sprinkle topping over the bread mixture.

Bake 45 minutes or until puffed, golden brown center is set. Serves 6-8

2016 Second Place  NC State Fair: Paula Edwards, Wilson

Serves 12

Total time approx. 1 hour

In a large stock pot boil 12 cups of water with ¼ cup chicken seasoning of choice.

4 cups flour

2 ½ tsp. salt

1 ½ cup milk

6 eggs

3 cups cooked chicken breast

2 cups dried cranberries, diced

1 cup shelled pistachio pieces

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. In a small bowl whisk milk and eggs. Add milk mixture to the flour mixture and blend thoroughly.

The water and seasoning in the pot should be at a low boil as you begin dropping the dough. Push spaetzli dough through a large holed colander into heated broth.  This can also be achieved by using two spoons working the dough off one spoon bits at a time, the larger the bits, the larger the dumplings. Stir occasionally while adding spaetzle dough.  The dough will immediately form dumplings. As you continue to make dumplings, those in the pot are cooking. Every so often stir them so the new dumplings are not creating a “pile.” Therefore, by the time you are finished forming the dumplings they are cooked. At this point, just turn them off and add cooked chicken and let it cool a bit, before adding the pistachios and cranberries. The consistency of the broth will also thicken.

Five minutes before serving, add prepared cranberries and pistachios.

2016 NC State Fair Third Place: Gayle Braley, Apex

1 pound bulk pork sausage

8 hard-boiled eggs

½ cup fine breadcrumbs

Divide sausage into 8 portions; shape into patties. Place one hard-boiled egg on each patty, shaping the sausage mixture around the egg until completely covered. Roll each sausage covered egg in breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Scotch Eggs can be eaten cold or warm. Great breakfast, picnic, camping food or use as an appetizer with a warm mustard dip.  Serves 8