Evangeline Parish 4-H Cookery contest

Turkey Enchilada Skillet, Blueberry Pecan Bread Pudding and Rice Cooker Jalapeno Rice were just a few of the winning recipes at the 4-H Rice, Sweet Potato, Pecan, Poultry and Bento Cookery Contest.
Contest judge Mary Soileau of St. Landry said, “I like judging and tasting all the different dishes the kids bring. They all do a great job.”
The annual cookery contest was held January 11 at the Ville Platte Civic Center. More than 50 dishes were entered in the event.
This was Soileau’s second time to judge a 4-H cookery contest. She said a deviled egg dish entered at the Cotton Festival cookery contest was her one of favorite recipes from the previous event.
“You don’t expect bacon to be an ingredient in deviled eggs, but those had bacon and they were great,” Soileau said.
“I went back for seconds,” she added laughing.
Soileau’s husband, Scott, also served as a judge at the event, and it was his first time to rate recipes at the contest.
“We both liked the chicken pasta salad,” he said. “All of it was good. It was hard to decide.”
Judge Shelia Miller has served as a judge at the event for many years. This year she judged the Rice Category, and dishes like Jalapeno Rice, Mexican Soup and Cherry Rice Jubilee were her favorites during this year’s contest.
“I enjoy the dishes — there are such interesting recipes,” she said. “The bento box bunny was precious.”
Miller said she and her husband, Kermit Miller, owner of Jack Miller’s Food Products, usually judge the poultry contest because that is the cookery category the family business sponsors each year.
The Pecan Contest was sponsored by Paul and Tammy Fontenot of Paul’s Meat Market, and the Rice Contest was sponsored by the Evangeline Parish Rice Growers’ Association. The Sweet Potato Cookery was sponsored by LJ Farms.
Kim Deville, assistant extension agent/4-H Youth Development, said, “The contestants are definitely keeping up with food trends.
“The bread pudding in the pecan category was very good. I want the recipe.”
Parish level winners in the contest were as follows:
Poultry Cookery Contest: Chicken Division – Mia Jones, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th grade, with Chicken Pasta Salad; and Processed Poultry – Benjamin Fontenot, Sacred Heart 7th grade, with Turkey Enchilada Skillet.
Pecan Cookery Contest: Candy Division – Iyana Freeman, Ville Platte High 10th grade, with Turtles; Dessert Division – Katherine Fontenot, Sacred Heart 4th grade, with Blueberry Pecan Bread Pudding; and Other Pecan Dishes – Mia Jones, Sacred Heart 5th grade, with Bacon Pecan Cheese Log.
Sweet Potato Cookery Contest: Dessert – Benjamin Fontenot, Sacred Heart 7th grade, with Sweet Potato Cupcakes; and Other Sweet Potato Dishes – Benjamin Fontenot, Sacred Heart 7th grade, with Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Rice Cookery Contest: Rice Main Dish – Ellen Deshotel, Vidrine 5th grade, with Mexican Chicken Soup; Rice Side Dish – Aliesse Veillon, Sacred Heart 4th grade, with Rice Cooker Jalapeno Rice; and Rice Dessert – Iyana Freeman, Ville Platte High 10th, with Rice Cereal Bites.
Bento Cookery Contest: Bento Box – Olivia Guillory, Mamou High School 8th grade, with Bento Bunny.
Forty-eight other dishes were awarded blue, red, or white ribbons.
All parish winners will represent Evangeline Parish in the Area Cookery Contests to be held later this spring in Alexandria and Crowley.