8/16/13

Fair Time (and a few recipes!)

Nothing caps off the end of summer quite like a good old-fashioned county fair. Suzanne and I decided to make our way to the Bear Lake County fair this year and it did not disappoint!

I have so many memories of the county fair when I was younger. It was one of my favorite times of year. In fact, my cousin and I would often have a countdown to the fair just like we did Christmas. I mean, how often did you get a free pass to shove yourself full of sugar, run wild, ride carnival rides, and go to the rodeo? For some small town girls who didn't really have access to amusement parks, it was awesome.

The fair usually starts with a parade in Montpelier. We headed over to see the floats and familiar faces.

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We were excited to see our favorite float again! Still as pretty as when we saw it on the 4th.

Man, did we (the kids) get a lot of loot! I think that was the most candy I've seen hauled away from a parade. I'm glad my baby is too small for candy so I'm not tempted to keep some.

The next morning we got up early to see our nieces show their pigs in the 4-H livestock show. This brought back memories for me. Our dad has raised pigs for quite a few years and I raised a pig for 4-H one year (yes...only one....). I still remember the being involved in pig 4-H and trying to work with my pig over the summer so that I could show it for the fair. I actually had a good time doing 4-H and showing my animal. Although, I didn't do as well as our nieces!

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They are in the middle showing their pigs. Hattie's pig (on the left with the braid's) got Grand Champion Market Swine and Macey (on the right with the bun) got Reserve Champion Showmanship. We were proud aunties, and our dad was glowing with pride. Raising animals is a lot of hard work. Good job girls!

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We came back later to see the exhibits and ride some rides. Look at this amazing quilt! So well done. I love seeing what people in the community have submitted. There are so many talented people out there!

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Waiting in line for tickets! For several years, there hasn't been a carnival at the fair. It was so nice to see the rides and all the people of the community out to have fun.

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We went at the perfect time. The rodeo was still going and it wasn't too dark yet so there weren't lines for the rides. 

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What a pretty sunset! There has been quite a few forest fires in the area so the air was smokey. 

As we were walking around the booths, we got whiffs of some of the best smelling food; cotton candy, doughnuts, cinnamon almonds, navajo tacos. It all smelled so good! 

Of course, one of our favorite parts of the fair is the food. By no means is fair food fancy, but it's so comforting and fun to munch on while you are walking around. Just in case you missed the fair this year, we wanted to share some of our favorite fair recipes!

I don't know why, but most fair food is fried. So settle back (and loosen your belt) for some good old fried food.

Navajo Tacos are one of our favorites and are so easy to make. We also made these for our family reunion earlier this year. We love that they are customizable to what you want to put on them. They are a hit with big crowds. 

Navajo Tacos
makes 8 tacos

Indian Fry Bread:

4 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
3 Tbs powdered milk
1 tsp salt
enough water for it to come together (about 1 3/4 cups)
oil for frying (we used canola)

Taco meat:

1 lb hamburger, browned
1 1/2 Tbs taco seasoning
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tbs water

Toppings (pick and choose as you like):

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
lettuce
salsa
pico de gallo
olives
guacamole
hot sauce
beans 

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First, sift the flour into a large bowl.

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Add the baking powder, powdered milk, and salt.

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Slowly add water while gently stirring. Keep adding water until the dough comes together and is sticky. Be careful not to over mix.

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I added a little oil to the bottom of the bowl so it was easy to remove. Cover and let dough rest for about 30 minutes.

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While the dough is resting, brown the hamburger and drain any excess fat. Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and water and keep warm until it is ready to serve.

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After the resting time is up, divide dough into 8 portions and roll each portion until it is about 1/8 thick. It doesn't have to be a perfect circle. Just as long as it's rolled out!

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Fry at 400º until it is a light brown color on the bottom, then flip it over and fry until the bottom looks like the top. We used our parents' fryer but you could also use a pot on the stove, just use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil.
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Pile high with your choice of toppings! And don't think you are limited to the list above; I'm sure there are plenty of other toppings that will be great on the tacos! Untitled
Doesn't that look great?

One of our dad's favorite treats is scones. We're not talking about these types of scones, we're talking about the fried kind. Basically, it is just fried dough. If we ever have left over fried dough from the tacos, we like to eat it with butter and honey. But what's even better is raspberry honey butter. It's pretty famous around these parts (a famous restaurant in Brigham City serves it with their rolls and people go nuts). It is delicious on rolls, as well.

Raspberry Honey Butter (recipe from Lion House)
makes about 1 cup
print this recipe

1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined and serve.

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But...I think we've saved the best for last.

When I think back to the Bear Lake County Fair growing up, I remember doughnuts. Lots and lots of doughnuts. People go crazy over these things! One year, I worked in the 4-H food booth and got to see how they were made. Let me tell you, they are the easiest doughnuts to make! If you're feeling a little homesick for the fair, whip these up and you'll be taken back to good times with greasy plates and sticky fingers.

Easy Fair Doughnuts
makes 8 doughnuts
print this recipe

Doughnuts:

1 can refrigerated biscuits (we used Pillsbury Grands)
oil for frying

Glaze:

2-3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

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Heat oil in a fryer or pot to 400º. In a large bowl, whisk together ingredients for glaze. Set aside.

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Bust open the can of biscuits. (Does that scare any one else like it scares me??) Take each biscuit and make a hole with your fingers. Stretch it open a little. Set aside and do this to each biscuit.

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Fry each doughnut until a golden brown. Be careful not to overcrowd your pot. I wouldn't put any more than two doughnuts in to fry.

Let cool a little until you can handle the doughnuts then dip both sides in the glaze. Set on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet so excess glaze can drip off. We also covered some of the doughnuts in cinnamon and sugar but whatever topping you would like is totally up to you!

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There you have it! I told you they were easy. Too easy. And possibly dangerous.

Thanks for the good times and food, Bear Lake County Fair! A pleasure as always.

-Candice


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