By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A “Pinto Bean Casserole” and “Cheesesteak Pizza” captured top honors in the 2008 Morgan County Beef Cookoff.
Sponsored by Morgan County Cattlewomen, the annual event was staged at Sparkman Civic Center in Hartselle with 41 entries competing. The senior division had 33 entries while the remaining eight entries competed in a junior division.
The pinto bean casserole received rave reviews from all of the judges. It was entered in the senior division by Kali Auen, a senior at West Morgan High School. To commemorate the achievement, she received a $75 cash prize and qualified to compete in the State Beef Cookoff in Montgomery on Jan. 10, 2009.
In addition to ground beef, ingredients in the prize-winning recipe included pinto beans, cream of chic- ken soup, salsa and tomatoes, topped off with a mixture of corn meal, flour, egg and milk.
Other senior division winners were Allison Hogan, a freshman at Falkville High School; second place. “Cheesy Cornbread Taco Bake;” Brittaney Dean, a junior at Priceville High School, third place, “Seven Layer Siesta Dip:” Terrance Hannon, a freshman at Decatur High School, fourth place, “Taco Bake;” and Samantha Blankenship, a freshman at Falkville High School, fifth place, “Meatloaf Surprise.” They received cash prizes in the amounts of $60, $45, $30 and $15, respectively.
“Cheesesteak Pizza,” the top dish in the junior division, was entered by Brandi Favors, an eighth grader at Danville Middle School. She received a $50 cash prize and also qualified to compete in the State Beef Cookoff in Montgomery next January.
Other junior division winners were Tiana Drinkard, an eighth grader at Falkville High School, second place,”Shepherd’s Pie;” and Emily Widner, a sixth grader at Danville Middle School, “Western Mac Casserole.” They received cash prizes in the amounts of $35 and $20, respectively.
Crow thanked the contestants, their parents, the judges, Cattlewomen volunteers and Sparkman Civic Center personnel for their support and assistance.
The entries were judged by Faye Walker, Carol Jane White and Sharon Fisher, all of Hartselle, Leasle Maze of Eva, Victor Melonas of Decatur and Steve Amos of Trinity.
The event concluded with a tasting fair.