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More than 60 people from throughout La Crosse County attended the 2008 June Dairy Days recipe contest sponsored by the La Crosse County Association for Home & Community Education on Friday, May 30.

The annual contest was held at the Senior Citizen’s Center in West Salem. Judges for the “dips and spreads” contest included Heather Quackenboss, Sara Ashbeck and Clair Bissen.

Prizes for the contestants were provided by the June Dairy Days Committee, Dairy Promotions Board, Dairy Farmers of America and Logistics Health. Winners selected and their recipes are as follows:

FIRST PLACE: Chipped Beef Dip by Blanche Tryggestad, West Salem

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 clove garlic minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1/4 cup half and half or milk

1 2.5-ounce package dried beef, chopped

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In one-quart casserole dish combine green onion, garlic and butter. Microwave at high 30 to 60 seconds or until butter melts. Add cream cheese, microwave on high 45 seconds to one and half minutes or until cream cheese is softened. Mix in remaining ingredients. Chill at least two hours or overnight.

SECOND PLACE: Mexican Layered Dip by Ruth Monski, Holmen

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, fat free

2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix

1 cup salsa, thick and chunky style

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely shredded “Mexican 4 cheese”

1 cup finely shredded lettuce

4 or 5 sliced black olives

Soften the cream cheese and mix in the taco seasoning. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto a serving plate or pie plate. Layer the remaining ingredients over the cream cheese in the order listed. Cover and refrigerate at lease one hour before serving. Serve with “scooper tortilla chips.”

If salsa is juicy, drain some of the juice off before putting on that layer or it will pool around the edge.

THIRD PLACE: Delightful Dip by Kathy Herbrand, Onalaska

2 tablespoons softened cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 package dry ranch dressing mix (not the dip variety)

1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped radishes

1/2 cup chopped carrot

Mix all ingredients together. Serve with Pillsbury dinner rolls or French bread, baked in a form loaf. Use the temperature on the can and bake for 55 minutes. Slice bread and serve.

FOURTH PLACE: Cheese Delight by Mary Ann Rogers, West Salem

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix

1 tablespoon milk

Blend all together. Refrigerate and allow flavors to meld overnight. Serve with crackers.

FIFTH PLACE: Low-calorie Cottage Cheese Dip by Lois Hess, La Crosse

3/4 cup low-fat small-curd cottage cheese

1/4 cup fat free cream cheese

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning

Place all ingredients into blender; blend until smooth. Place in a small bowl; garnish with parsley flakes. Serve with raw vegetables such as carrots and celery.

SIXTH PLACE: Smoky Cheese Ball by Inez Severson, Holmen

2 cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese, at room temperature

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup margarine, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoon steak sauce

1 cup chopped nuts

Combine cheese, margarine, milk and steak sauce in a bowl. Beat till fluffy. Cover and chill for four to 24 hours. Shape mixture into a ball, roll in nuts. Serve with assorted crackers or French bread slices. Makes three and a half cups of spread.

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