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Two Louisiana fund-raising cookbooks snag Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards Posted by Judy Walker, Food Editor, The Times-Picayune April 04, 2008 11:55AM Categories: Breaking News, Living: Food Two new Louisiana community cookbooks won top honors in the 18th annual Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards, which honors fund-raising cookbooks. The national second place winner is "Mardi Gras to Mistletoe," from the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. The national second place winner is "Mardi Gras to Mistletoe," from the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. Judges said the cookbook has a strong sense of community and pays tribute to the traditions and festivals celebrated in northwest Louisiana. In the regional awards, "Marshes To Mansions: Treasured Recipes of South Louisiana" from Lake Charles, was named the best community cookbook in the South. "The Bells Are Ringing: A Call To Table," a cookbook published by the Mission San Juan Capistrano Women's Guild in San Juan Capistrano, California, is the national first place winner. Proceeds from sales of the book benefit the preservation of the historic mission. "Plantations Tours & Tastes" by the Church Women of Prince George Winyah Parish in South Carolina is the third place national winner. These make-ahead recipes from "From Mardi Gras to Mistletoe" would be appropriate for our busy spring, full of festivals and guests. Brown rice chicken cranberry salad Makes 6 to 8 servings 4 cups cooked brown rice 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped 1 cup grape halves 1 bunch scallions, tirmmed and chopped (about 4) 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 cup mauonnaise 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Combine the rice, chicken, cranberries, grapes, scallions, almonds and thyme in a bowl and mix well. Combine the mayonnaise, honey, Dijon, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until thickened. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the rice mixture and toss to coat. Chill, covered, until serving time. Broccoli sausage pie Serves 12 4 refrigerator pie crusts 2 pounds spicy sausage 1 white onion, chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, hopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 drops Tabasco sauce 16 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 (6-ounce) jar mushrooms, drained 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, cooked and drained 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded Fit one of the pie crusts into each of two 9-inch pie plates and bake using the package directions. Cook the sausage, onion and bell peppers in a skillet, stirring until the sausage is crumbly and the vegetables are tender. Drain. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Fold in cream cheese and mushrooms. Stir in the broccoli and cheese. Spoon the mixture evenly into the baked pie shells and top with the remaining pie crusts, fluting the edges and cutting vents. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes longer. This pie freezes beautifully. Just skip the last 20 minutes of baking before freezing. Note: To lighten the dish, use turkey sausage and substitute Neufchatel cheese for the cream cheese. More community cookbook winners: Mid-Atlantic region: "Taste: A Collection of Contemporary and Traditional Kosher Recipes," produced by Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York. Midwest region: "A Signature Collection," created by New Albany Cooking with Friends in New Albany, Ohio. New England region: "Boston Uncommon," Junior League of Boston, Massachusetts. Southwest region: "Tastes & Treasures: A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona" by the Historical League, Inc. in Tempe, Arizona. West region: "Paradise Chocolate Fest Cookbook," produced by The Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley in Chico, California. Special merit award: "Starfish Cafe: Changing Lives One Recipe at a Time" from Union Mission, Inc. in Savannah, Georgia. Hall of Fame: The Ladies Philoptochos Society in Charleston, South Carolina earned their place in the Walter S. McIlhenny Hall of Fame by selling over 100,000 copies of their cookbook, "Popular Greek Recipes." Judges were Cathy Barber, food editor for the Dallas Morning News; Dale Curry, retired Times-Picayune food editor and food editor for New Orleans Magazine; Meryle Evans, culinary historian; Ann Harvey, freelance food editor; Jan Turner Hazard, freelance food writer; Jan Longone, curator of American Culinary History; William Rice, freelance food writer; and Tommy Simmons, food editor for The Advocate in Baton Rouge.