By By Lisa Tindell
news editor
Five students gathered in the kitchens of the Family and Consumer Science Classroom Saturday for the second annual Brewton Fire Department’s Beef Cook-off event.
Weaver, along with other firefighters with the Brewton Fire Department, presented a series of demonstrations and informational lectures to students in the Family and Consumer Science Classes leading up to the event.
Lisa Lovelady, instructor for the class, said the involvement of the Brewton Fire Department has given a new meaning to the event.
Lovelady said 15 students showed an interest in participating in this year’s cook-off, but only five participants were chosen to prepare their dishes for the judges.
Chosen to participate in the cook-off event this year were Elizabeth Benjamin, Trevor Diercks, Brittany Jones, Shane Thomas and David Wilson.
Judges in the event were members of the Brewton Fire Department including Weaver, Kevin Baggett, Dylan Byrd and Ricky Quates.
Winners in this year’s competition were: First place: Shane Thomas; second place — Trevor Diercks; third place - Brittany Jones. Honorable mentions were Elisabeth Benjamin and David Wilson.
Recipes for dishes prepared by participants follow in the order of placement by judges.
Cowboy Steak and Veggie Soup
First Place, by Shane Thomas
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak (1 inch thick)
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp. oil
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans ready-to-serve beef broth
1 (16 oz.) jar chunky-style salsa or picante
1 (1 lb.) pkg. frozen green beans, potatoes, onions and red peppers
1 (15.5 oz.) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup torn fresh spinach
Fresh basil, parsley or cilantro springs to use as garnish, if desired
Cut beef into 1/2-inch thick strips. Cut strips into 1-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine beef, basil, salt, pepper, garlic and oil. Toss to coat.
Heat Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef mixture; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in beans. Cook 4-5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in spinach. Garnish each serving of soup with fresh basil, if desired.
Tater Tot Hot Dish
Second Place, by Trevor Diercks
2 pounds ground beef
2 cans beef gravy
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 to 2 cans kitchen sliced green beans
32 oz. bag frozen tater tots
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together gravy and soup in a large bowl. Season ground beef with salt and pepper and brown in a skillet. Drain off grease and stir beef into gravy mixture. Fold drained green beans into gravy/beef mixture.
Be careful not to break green beans. Pour evenly into sprayed 9×13 baking dish. Layer top with tight rows of tater tots.
Bake for 45 minutes or until tater tots are crispy and dish is bubbly hot. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Soup on Fire
Third Place, by Brittany Jones
Ground beef
Carrots
Cut potatoes
Cut corn
String beans
Tomato soup
Regular picked tomatoes
Sausages, if desired
Sweet peas
Four easy steps: Brown the ground beef. Mix tomato soup with ground beef after the meat has been strained. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Steam tomatoes and sausage.
Add all other items and let the soup cook for at least 30 to 40 minutes.
Sweet Sloppy Joes
Honorable Mention, by Elizabeth Benjamin
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
4 sesame seed hamburger buns, toasted
Cook first three ingredients in a large skillet until beef is browned, stirring until it crumbles; drain. Stir in soup and next six ingredients. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes stirring often. Serve on toasted buns.
Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Honorable Mention, by David Wilson
2 cups beef stock
3 3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
6 cups rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 pounds ground sirloin
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 cups tomato sauce
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 teaspoons ground cumin
8-10 long, mild to medium chile peppers
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil with extra for drizzling
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, smoked cheddar or pepper jack cheese.
Preheat griddle or grill pan. Seed chile peppers. Drizzle peppers with oil and grill over medium high to high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until tender. Transfer peppers to a broiler pan or baking sheet, hollow side up. Heat beef stock, water and butter to a full boil. Add rice, reduce heat and cover pot. Cook 20 minutes, until tender and liquids are absorbed. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, 2 or 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and Worcestshire sauce. Cook together 5 to 7 minutes, until veggies are just tender. Add tomato sauce, cloves, cumin and parsley. Bring mixture up to a bubble and reduce heat to low. Combine cooked rice with meat mixture. Pile beef and tomato rice into peppers, mounding them up in the center of each pepper. Top liberally with grated cheese and melt cheese under broiler 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.
Note: You can also choose to make the stuffed peppers in their entirety, then freeze and microwave when ready to serve.
Cook 12 to 15 minutes on high. Reheat with loose plastic over the dish to keep peppers from splattering. If you do not have a carousel microwave, rotate peppers once during reheating.
Winners of the cook-off were recognized during the Brewton City Council meeting Tuesday, with Weaver making presentations of plaques on behalf of the Brewton Fire Department.