Start Your Ovens 2012 giveaway

I am a huge fan of regional cookbooks, especially when the recipes give insight into the place and people who cook and eat these dishes. Last year I held a contest to give away a copy of  “Start Your Ovens, Cooking the Way it Ought'a Be," a collection by the Junior League of Bristol VA/TN. Bristol Motor Speedway owner and philanthropist Bruton Smith underwrote the second printing of this book.

I sought an obtained permission from the Junior League of Bristol to reprint some of the recipes and to give away a copy of the book. And again this year, this promotion is strictly for fun and aimed at highlighting delicious local recipes. I’ll give away a copy of Start Your Ovens, in celebration of the Junior League’s efforts and to coincide with the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

This book appeals to race fans, food enthusiasts and anyone who loves to collect cookbooks that tell the story of a region. It is chock full of recipes from famous NASCAR drivers and their spouses, local restaurants and historical observations about Bristol Motor Speedway: The World’s Fastest Half Mile.
To enter for the prize giveaway, you can do the following:

** Leave a comment on this post asking to be registered;

** Go to Google Friend Connect and add me, then leave a comment on this post saying you have added me;

** Follow me on Twitter (@FineKettleFood), then leave a comment on this post saying you are following me;

** Follow me on Twitter (@FineKettleFood) and retweet this post with the hashtag #startyourovens; or

** Like my food page on Facebook (Fine Kettle Food) and post on the page to be entered.

You will be entered once for each action -- just be sure to post and let me know.
The contest will end Aug. 31 and I will draw for a winner who will receive a copy of the book by mail. And check out some of the great recipes from the book, tagged on this blog under "Start Your Ovens."

More chances soon to win 'Start Your Ovens' book

Earlier this year, I hosted a cookbook giveaway for "Start Your Ovens: Cooking the Way it Ought'a Be." It's the official cookbook of the Bristol Motor Speedway and a service project by the Junior League of Bristol TN/VA.

I am going to give away additional copies of the book soon. Look for details in posts on this blog. You can read more about the book and recipes I have already featured here.

Start Your Ovens contest winner

I got some help from my youngest son this afternoon to draw for the winner in the cookbook giveaway. Shelia Bates won a copy of Start Your Ovens, Cooking the Way it Ought’a Be. It’s the official cookbook of Bristol Motor Speedway, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. A disclaimer on the winner: I worked with Shelia for many years when I was a reporter and editor at The Coalfield Progress in Norton, Va. When I read the slip of paper my son pulled, my husband asked if it was a fix. Ha! You can’t argue with a 10-year-old who pulled the entries blind from a cereal bowl. Shelia will receive a copy of the cookbook (which is dynamite, by the way.) Many thanks to Shelia and to all who entered the contest. I appreciate you reading the food blog and offering your ideas. Anyone who wants to order their own copy of the cookbook should contact the Junior League of Bristol TN/VA by e-mail at info@jlbristol.org or by mail at Junior League of Bristol, Tn/Va, P.O. Box 1599, Bristol, VA 24203-1599 If purchased from the Junior League of Bristol, one dollar from the sale of each book goes to Speedway Children’s Charities, a non-profit group that funds all kinds of important needs in the region. For a full list of the recipes I featured, click here.

Supreme Ham Sandwiches

If you love to grill out and want a new twist on an old favorite, this is a fun recipe from "Start Your Ovens: Cooking the Way it Ought'a Be," the official cookbook of the Bristol Motor Speedway.

The book suggests packing these sandwiches in a cooler and warming them over hot coals on race day. What a fun way to grill a meal at the track or in the backyard! I love the addition of poppyseeds to the sauce. My mom would toss poppyseeds in with buttered noodles -- yum!

Supreme Ham Sandwiches

Mustard poppy seed sauce
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 ½ teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the sauce: Combine butter, onion, prepared mustard, poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mix well.

Sandwiches

8 large hamburger buns, split
12 ounces shaved or sliced cooked ham
8 slices Swiss cheese

For the sandwiches: Spread the sauce on the cut sides of the buns. Layer the bun bottoms with the ham and cheese. Top with the bun tops. Wrap each sandwich individually in foil. Heat at 400 degrees foe 10 minutes. Serve hot.

May prepare the sandwiches several hours in advance and store in the refrigerator. Heat just before serving. Yield: 8 sandwiches.

Start Your Ovens: Broccoli Salad Supreme

This is the first recipe I wanted to try after skimming through “Start Your Ovens: Cooking the Way it Ought’a Be.” The recipe is similar to other broccoli salad recipes I have seen and enjoyed – broccoli, raisins, onions and a dressing made from mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. But the addition of roasted, salted cashews makes this version stand out. The nuts give the dish additional crunch and a memorable richness.

I hope you try some of the recipes from this wonderful book.

To make Broccoli Salad Supreme, here’s what you will need:

1 large bunch broccoli
I red onion, chopped
1 cup cashews
8-10 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
½ cup raisins
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 to ½ cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons vinegar

Discard the tough ends of the broccoli stems. Slice the remaining stems into bite-sized pieces; separate the florets into bite-sized portions. Combine the broccoli, onion, cashews, bacon and raisins in a bowl and toss gently.

Combine the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and mix well.

Add to the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Chill, covered for 6 to 10 hours. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

I did make some modifications to this recipe (big surprise, huh?). I used both broccoli and cauliflower, and I used dried cranberries instead of raisins. Readers of this blog know I am a firm believer in using what you have on hand! I also substituted plain yogurt for half of the mayonnaise – it’s much lower in fat, but still gives a creamy consistency.

The verdict? This recipe is one of the best salad ideas I have tried and a new favorite to share. One other note: The recipe says the cashews are optional. Wrong. Their crunch and richness makes this dish.

Start Your Ovens cookbook giveaway

I am a longtime cookbook collector who always has an eye out for great local recipes. While meeting a friend for coffee in Bristol, I spied this collection by the Junior League of Bristol, Va/Tn: “Start Your Ovens, Cooking the Way it Ought'a Be.” I bought two copies, gave them away as gifts, then bought more.

Thank you to the Junior League of Bristol for putting it together. Many thanks also to track owner and philanthropist Bruton Smith, who underwrote the second printing of this book.

Please note, I sought and obtained permission from the Junior League of Bristol to reprint some of the recipes and to give away a copy of the book. This promotion is strictly for fun and aimed at highlighting delicious local recipes. I’ll give away a copy of Start Your Ovens, in celebration of the Junior League’s efforts and to coincide with the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

This book appeals to race fans, food enthusiasts and anyone who loves to collect cookbooks that tell the story of a region. It is chock full of recipes from famous NASCAR drivers and their spouses, local restaurants and historical observations about Bristol Motor Speedway: The World’s Fastest Half Mile.

To enter for the prize giveaway, you can do the following:

** Leave a comment on this post asking to be registered;

** Go to Google Friend Connect and add me, then leave a comment on this post saying you have added me;

** Follow me on Twitter, then leave a comment on this post saying you are following me;

** Follow me on Twitter and RT this post with the hashtag #startyourovens; or

**Try one of the recipes from the book and leave a comment on this post letting me know the results.

You will be entered once for each action -- just be sure to post and let me know.

I will post recipes from the cookbook each week through the end of August. The contest will end Aug. 31 and I will draw for a winner who will receive a copy of the book by mail.