Deborah Prescott | Daily Press Alexandria Palzewicz, Isabelle Van Brocklin, and Becky Keuhl hold up their prize ribbons and gifts after winning first, third and second. The main ingredient was chicken this year.

ESCANABA — Ladies Day at the Upper Peninsula State Fair has always been a day of delectable delights. Now that the fair is over, the award-winning recipes from this year’s competitive cooks have officially been released.

Enjoy these recipes featuring this year’s special ingredient: chicken.

First Place

Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich with ­Pickled Vegetables (Banh Mi)

Entered by Alexandria Palzewicz

Serves four

“The recipe is my local Midwest take on a dish I prepared at a restaurant I worked at in Seattle, Stateside. I also work now as the Upper Peninsula Local Food Coordinator, therefore, I choose to use as many local ingredients from the U.P.” — Palzewicz

Pickles (make ahead):

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 T. salt

1 T. maple syrup

4 carrots

4 radishes

Bring vinegar, water, salt and maple syrup to a boil. While the liquid heats up, slice carrots and radishes thin. Add veggies to boiling liquid and remove from heat. Let cool.

Chicken:

pork fat

1/2 chicken

salt

pepper

1 cup water

1 oz. soy sauce

1 oz. maple syrup

Maggi (can be replaced with soy sauce or fish sauce)

Heat skillet to medium-high heat and add pork fat. Wash the chicken and season it with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Add one cup of water. Let chicken simmer on stove for 10 minutes, occasionally basting with a ladle. Check the internal temperature of the chicken for 160 degrees. Let the chicken cool and tear it into large but approachable pieces. Add soy sauce, maggi, and maple syrup to cast iron pan and reduce for three minutes. Drizzle over chicken.

“Chicken liver pate is a classic component of a Banh Mi, and no one makes it better than my mom! She couldn’t make anything this year so it’s my way of keeping her included.”— Palzewicz

Pate recipe (by Barb Palzewicz):

– chicken livers

– onion

– Miracle Whip

– salt

– pepper

Cook chicken livers, then blend with onion, Miracle Whip, salt and pepper.

Sandwich assembly:

– Slice and toast a baguette.

– Put 2 T. chicken liver pate on bottom.

– Spread mayo on top.

– Layer chicken, pickles, cucumbers, jalapeno, scallion, cilantro and mint.

Second Place

Hearty Chicken Soup

Entered by Becky Kuehl

1 roasting chicken

2 celery stalks

1 large onion, cut up

1 cup peas

1 cup corn

4 carrots

2 cans large chicken broth or stock

5 bouillon cubes

3 cups water

1 t. salt

3/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 bag (12 oz.) home style egg noodles or make your own

Boil chicken, and skim off the fat. Once cooled, take chicken off the bone and cut into small bite-size pieces.

Boil carrots, onion, celery, peas, and corn. Put carrots in first! Add chicken broth. Add seasonings and bring to boil (15 minutes).

Cook for one hour. Boil egg noodles in soup at the end.

Third Place

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Entered by Isabelle Van Brocklin

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. cream cheese

6 cans of chicken

1/2 bottle of Frank’s RedHot

1 bottle of ranch dressing

1 bag of sharp cheddar cheese

Materials:

1 pot

1 crock pot

1 stirring, scooping spoon

Combine cream cheese and chicken together in a pot. Stir occasionally on medium heat until the cream cheese has melted.

Stir in ranch dressing and Frank’s RedHot once the cream cheese has melted.

Add sharp cheddar cheese to the pot and stir in until completely melted.

Once everything is combined, take the pot off the stove and pour the dip into a crock pot. Put on low heat.

Serve. It’s best with Scoops Tortilla Chips.