Beef Rouladen — Linda Romps, first place.

This magnificent German dish is perfect for celebrating Oktoberfest. Enjoy it with a stein of your favorite German beer for the full experience at home. This recipe was handed down through time from my ancestors.

— 2 1/2 lbs. sirloin tip steak, sliced 3/8″ thick

— 1 lb. bacon

— 1 bunch green onions

— 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

— 1 cored apple

— 1 sleeve saltine crackers

— salt

— pepper

— garlic powder

— water

— flour

— toothpicks

Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan. Set pan aside and reserve bacon fat. Grind in food processor or finely chop bacon, onions, apple and crackers. Mix in bowl. Pound meat until thin and as wide as possible with meat mallet. Put a scoop of filling on meat and roll up (like egg-roll) to cover filling and secure with ­toothpicks.

Heat reserved bacon fat, then sear meat-rolls to brown on all sides. Place meat in a covered roasting pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, then lightly dust with garlic powder. Add mushrooms to pan, fry to de-glaze pan. Pour over meat. Add water to pan to completely de-glaze pan and pour over meat until meat is about 3/4 covered.

Roast in covered roaster at 350 degrees about 2 1/2 to 3 hours until fork tender. Remove meat from pan then thicken gravy with a thin mixture of flour and water. Whisk until smooth. Cook until gravy is thickened. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or Swiss macaroni and cheese.

Beef Fried Rice — Alexandria Palzewicz, second place.

— 3 cups cooked rice

— 1 lb. browned beef

— 4 cloves garlic, minced

— 1 small onion, sliced thin

— 3 boiled eggs, marinated

— 1 carrot, diced

— 1 zucchini, sliced

— 1 corn cob, kernels

— 2 T. vegetable oil

— Herbs and nuts to garnish

Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Add beef, rice and onion. Add carrot, zucchini and corn. Add garlic. Fry till crisp. Garnish with herbs and peanuts.

Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Soup — Becky Kuehl, third place.

I used all fresh vegetables from the garden.

— 2 lbs. ground beef

— 1 onion, diced

— salt, pepper and spices

— 1 can V8 juice

— Garlic

— 1 small can tomato paste

— 2 cartons (24 oz.) of beef broth

— 4 cups diced vegetables

— 4 or 5 potatoes

— 3 sliced carrots

— 1 big can diced tomatoes

— 2 cups green beans

— 1 cup peas

— 1 cup corn

— 1 stalk celery

In large kettle brown, hamburger and onion, drain, return to kettle, add broth, add carrots first, for about 10 min., because they take the longest to cook, add rest of vegetables and spices (Lawry’s seasoned salt). Simmer 45 to 50 minutes or more. Add tomatoes.

Can use diced potatoes, carrots, celery… whatever you have from the garden in summer time. Can also use frozen.

Cooks note: I also par boil my diced potatoes before adding to soup. When you taste your soup – if it is a little acid just add about a teaspoon of sugar. You can also use Lipton dry soup mix for seasonings – be careful, as it can become too salty.