The National Cornbread Festival is encouraging folks across the county to fire up their ovens, pull out their most perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet and make some cornbread. It’s time to enter the National Cornbread Cook-Off sponsored by Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron.
Ten lucky finalists will compete to win the first prize of $4,000 and a FiveStar stainless steel gas range (a $2,500 value) by preparing their creations under the big Cook-Off tent on April 23, 2005, during the National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, Tenn.
To enter, just submit an original Main Dish recipe, prepared with at least one package of Martha Whiteâ Cornbread Mix, and cooked in Lodge Cast Iron cookware. Complete contest rules are available online at either www.marthawhite.com or www.lodgemfg.com, or by mail to: Official Rules, National Cornbread Cook-Off 2005, 209 7th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219.
Send mail-in entries to National Cornbread Cook-Off 2005, 209 7th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219.
All entries must include your complete name, mailing or street address, city, state and zip code, and daytime phone number. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by Feb. 28 and received by March 7. E-mail entries must by received by midnight Central Standard Time Feb. 28. Ten finalists will be chosen from all entries and final judging will be April 23 in South Pittsburg.
Recipes will be judged on the basis of taste, creativity, appetizing appearance, ease of preparation and appropriate use of the product.
The Cook-Off grand champion will win a $4,000 prize and a 30-inch FiveStar® stainless steel gas range (a $2500 value) from the FiveStar Division of Brown Stove Works, Inc., of Cleveland, Tenn.
The second prize winner takes home $500 and the third receives $300. The remaining seven finalists each win $100. All finalists will receive a $500 travel allowance and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron. The ten finalists will be required to provide their own ingredients and cooking equipment for the competition.
You have to enter to win, so get out your Lodge cast iron cookware and Martha White cornbread mix and stir up a winning recipe.
“Remember, your entry has to be an original main dish. Just think about what your family likes to eat with cornbread and combine it all together in a cast iron skillet,” advised Linda Carman, the Martha White cornbread expert. “The best recipes usually use basic ingredients put together in a creative way.”
Last year, Valerie Holt of Cartersville, Ga., won with the Crescent City Skillet, a combination of spicy sausage and shrimp in a rich creamy cheese sauce baked under a crispy topping of Martha White Cornbread Creations Mix.
