This Is Our First Contest-Winning Recipe Ever
Updated: Nov. 20, 2019
These cookies are just as tasty today as they were back then.
Through the years, Taste of Home and our sister brands have crowned hundreds of winning recipes. (And a quick glance at our Contests page shows that we’re still hungry for your submissions!) But what was the very first contest-winning recipe? And does it still hold up today? We dug through our archives to find out.
Check out 100 of our best contest-winning desserts.
Our First Contest-Winning Recipe
Funnily enough, our first contest-winning recipe didn’t even run in Taste of Home. It ran in the December 1970 issue of Farm Wife News—a publication that you might know today as Country Woman. It was featured in a column called “Rural Recipe Roundups” that featured the best recipes submitted by farm wives throughout the country.
The inaugural winning recipe came from Ione Diekfuss of Muskego, Wisconsin. The avid cook and baker’s Brown Butter Refrigerator Cookies took home the top prize.
“The brown butter cookies are a favorite of ours,” she told Farm Wife News after she won. “I especially like them because they’re quick and easy to prepare. I can mix them up in a few minutes, and pop them into the refrigerator or freezer. Then when I’m ready to bake, I take them out, slice them, and zip—they’re in the oven.”
Recently, our Test Kitchen whipped up a batch of her winning treats and everyone agreed that they’re as tasty today as they were then. Plus, with just eight simple ingredients, they’re perfect for beginner bakers.
How to Make Original Brown Butter Cookies
Re-create this contest-winning favorite in your own kitchen. We suggest enjoying them fresh out of the oven with a mug of coffee or a glass of milk.
Yields: About 10-1/2 dozen
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, cubed
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Step 1: Brown the butter
You can’t make brown butter cookies without, well, brown butter! Start by heating the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, then heat for 7-9 minutes or until the butter is golden brown. Be careful not to let it burn. (If you’re struggling, check out our guide on how to brown butter.) Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the brown sugar until blended.
Step 2: Finish the dough
Transfer the butter and sugar mixture to a large bowl. Whisk in each of the eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Finish the dough by stirring in the pecans.
Step 3: Roll ’em up
Now it’s time to let the dough rest. This step really helps your cookies develop a strong, sweet flavor. You can learn more about chilling cookie dough here. Divide the dough into four portions, and roll each section into an 8-inch log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Slice and bake
Once the dough has chilled, cut each log into 1/4-inch slices. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375°F until the cookies are just set, about 5-7 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from the pans and placing cookies on wire racks.
Winnie’s Mini Rhubarb & Strawberry Pies
Every spring, we had strawberries and rhubarb on our farm outside Seattle. These fruity hand pies remind me of those times and of Grandma Winnie’s baking. —Shawn Carleton, San Diego, California 
Zucchini in Dill Cream Sauce
My husband and I were dairy farmers until we retired, so I always use fresh, real dairy products in my recipes. This creamy sauce combines all our favorite foods! —Josephine Vanden Heuvel, Hart, Michigan
Church Supper Spaghetti
Because this recipe feeds so many, I often take it to church dinners and potlucks. This colorful dish also comes in handy when we have lots of help to feed on our farm. —Verlyn Wilson, Wilkinson, Indiana
Best-Ever Fried Chicken
Crispy, juicy and perfectly seasoned, this really is the best fried chicken recipe, ever. Summer reunions and neighborly gatherings will never be the same. When I was growing up, my parents had a farm, and every year, Dad would hire teenage boys to help by haying time. They looked forward to coming because they knew they would be treated to some of Mom's deep fryer recipes, including this delicious fried chicken. —Lola Clifton, Vinton, Virginia
Speedy Salmon Patties
I combine seven easy ingredients for this salmon patty recipe. When I was a girl growing up on the farm, my mom often fixed these when we were late in the field. These salmon cakes are also tasty with chopped green peppers added to the mixture. —Bonnie Evans, Cameron, North Carolina
Strawberry Shortcake
I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington
Chili Skillet
Like most farmers, my husband loves a good hearty chili. With all the vegetables, cheese and meat in it, this dish makes a super supper—and it comes together in one skillet on top of the stove. I serve it frequently in fall and winter. —Katherine Brown, Fredericktown, Ohio
Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes
Mom always managed to put a delicious hearty meal on the table for us and for our farmhands. This all-in-one comforting pork chops recipe reminds me of home. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, MissouriCabbage and Beef Soup
When I was a little girl, I helped my parents work the fields of their small farm. Lunchtime was always a treat when Mother picked fresh vegetables from the garden and simmered them in her big soup pot. We loved making this delicious recipe. —Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina
Bake-Sale Lemon Bars
The recipe for these tangy lemon bars comes from my cousin Bernice, a farmer's wife famous for cooking up feasts. — Mildred Keller, Rockford, IllinoisHoney-Garlic Glazed Meatballs
My husband and I raise cattle on our farm here in southwestern Ontario, so it's no surprise that we're fond of these saucy meatballs. I know your family will like them, too. —Marion Foster, Kirkton, Ontario
Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Both my husband and I were raised on farms, and we prefer home cooking to eating out. That works out fine since I love trying new recipes! I've served this apple salsa as an appetizer and a snack. Plus, it's sweet enough to be a dessert. It's easy to transport besides. —Carolyn Brinkmeyer, Golden, ColoradoDeep-Dish Sausage Pizza
My grandma made the tastiest snacks for us when we stayed the night at her farm. Her wonderful pizza, hot from the oven, was covered with cheese and had fragrant herbs in the crust. Now this pizza is frequently a meal for my husband and me and our family. —Michele Madden, Washington Court House, Ohio
Caramel Crunch Apple Pie
I was raised on a small farm, the youngest of eight children and the only girl. My mom taught me how to make all kinds of pies from scratch, and this is one of my favorites. Caramels and apples are a delicious combination.Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine
As a cattle rancher, my husband's a big fan of beef. For him to comment on a poultry dish is rare. But he always tells me, "I love this casserole!" I first tasted it at a potluck; now, I fix it for my family (we have a 3-year-old daughter) once or twice a month, and I'm asked to take it to most every get-together. —Rochelle Brownlee, Big Timber, Montana
Oven Barbecued Chicken
Chicken and Sunday dinner belong together. During my married life on a dairy farm, I'd make this baked bbq chicken before church. — Esther Shank, Harrisonburg, VirginiaNutty Cheesecake Squares
I grew up on a farm and have had a lot of good recipes handed down to me. This is one of my favorite desserts to serve when guests come over or at family gatherings and church suppers. —Ruth Simon, Buffalo, New York
Potatoes Plus
On our busy farm, meals need to be ready fast. These herb-seasoned potatoes and vegetables wrapped in foil packets cook in only half an hour. They're excellent with steak or chicken. —Jill Jellett, Leduc, Alberta
Rhubarb Crumble
To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how well my strawberry rhubarb crumble keeps—we usually eat it all in a day! You can skip the apples and strawberries in the recipe, which I do sometimes. But they do make this quick, easy dessert extra good. —Linda Enslen, Schuler, AlbertaRanch Potato Casserole
We operate a busy fruit farm. I cook every day for my family, so I appreciate this dish for another reason—I can put it together a day ahead and bake it just before we're ready to eat. —Lydia Schnitzler, Kingsburg, California
Grandma's Sour Cream Raisin Pie
The aroma of this pie baking in my farm kitchen oven reminds me of my dear grandma who made this pretty pie for special occasions. —Beverly Medalen, Willow City, North Dakota
Oysters Rockefeller
My husband and I are oyster farmers, and this classic Oysters Rockefeller dish always delights our guests. It's deliciously simple! —Beth Walton, Eastham, Massachusetts
Rhubarb Citrus Punch
Rhubarb grows abundantly in our large farm garden. I'll make this punch for summertime gatherings or for special occasions with our extended family. —Ina Frey, St. Clemens, Ontario
Frosted Banana Bars
These bars are always a hit at potlucks in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They're so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don't last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska
Cheddar & Spinach Twice-Baked Potatoes
My husband is a rancher who loves a hearty potato dish, so consider these spuds with cheddar and spinach cowboy approved! My crowd never leaves leftovers. —Jody Augustyn, Loup City, NE
Cashew Cookies
Some merry dairy snacking is guaranteed when you pass out these cashew-packed goodies! I found the recipe years ago in a flier promoting dairy products. It's been this farm wife's standby ever since. —June Lindquist, Hammond, Wisconsin
Roast Pork and Potatoes
Meet the Cook: We used to raise our own hogs. This recipe was given me by a fellow farmer who also had pork on the dinner table a couple of times a week.
I'm a dietitian at the local VA hospital. Cooking, of course, is one of my top pastimes! My husband and I have four children and one grandson.
-Denise Collins, Chillicothe, OhioRuby Grape Pie
My wife, Paula, and I produce red and green seedless table grapes on our 75-acre vineyard. Our crop is wonderful eaten out-of-hand or in salads. Paula also uses them in this unusual and tasty pie.—Salvage Island Farm, Fred Smeds, Reedley, California
No-Knead Knot Rolls
My mom, Velma Perkins, loved to serve these light, golden rolls when I was growing up on our Iowa farm. They're extra nice since they require no kneading. The dough rises in the refrigerator overnight, so there's little last-minute fuss to serve fresh hot rolls with any meal. —Toni Hilscher, Omaha, NebraskaCream Cheese-Pineapple Pie
I've made this pie many times for friends, relatives, guests, church suppers and bazaars, and I'm always getting requests for the recipe. I've lived on farms all my life—we used to have a potato farm on Long Island, and now my son farms his own land and manages mine here in Delaware, growing soybeans and wheat. —Elizabeth Brown, Clayton, Delaware
Easy Pepper Steak
We live on the eastern edge of the Sand Hills here in Nebraska, where most folks are ranchers. This popular pepper steak recipe is tasty as well as colorful. —Carolyn Butterfield, Atkinson, Nebraska
Winning Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie
While being raised on a farm I often ate rhubarb, so it's natural for me to use it in a pie. I prefer to use lard for the flaky pie crust and thin, red rhubarb stalks for the filling. These two little secrets helped this recipe win top honors at the 2013 Iowa State Fair. —Marianne Carlson, Jefferson, Iowa
