HP Hood Kicks Off Second Annual Holiday Recipe Contest

    CHELSEA, Mass., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Home cooks and bakers across New
 England, grab your spatulas! Today, HP Hood, the region's leading dairy
 products company, announced that it is now accepting entries for its second
 annual Holiday Recipe Contest.
     To enter the contest, participants are asked to submit their favorite
 original recipe using one or more Hood products, which include all
 varieties of Hood EggNog, Sour Cream, Cream and Instant Whipped Cream,
 online at Hood.com. The recipe entries will be judged by a panel of
 culinary experts from The Balsams Resort, based on taste, originality,
 clarity of recipe instructions and ease of preparation.
     One grand prize winner will receive a two-night, three-day vacation
 package for four at The Balsams Resort in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
 Five honorable-mention winners will each receive a $200 gift card.
     "We love hearing from our customers about the innovative ways they use
 Hood products in their home kitchens. Hood's Holiday Recipe Contest is an
 opportunity to thank the people of New England for making us a part of
 their everyday lives," said Lynne Bohan, Vice President of Public Relations
 for Hood. "Last year, we received more than 450 entries, and we can't wait
 to see the mouthwatering recipes our customers have created for this
 holiday season."
     The contest is open to U.S. residents of Connecticut, Maine,
 Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, and will
 run through December 31, 2006. More information about the contest and Hood
 recipe ideas can be found online at Hood.com.
     Last year's grand-prize winning entry, German's Style Extreme Chocolate
 Cupcakes with Pecan-White Chocolate Frosting submitted by Lesley Pew of
 Lynn, Mass., calls for Hood Sour Cream:
     German's Style Extreme Chocolate Cupcakes with Pecan-White Chocolate
     Frosting
     Makes 24 servings
 
     CUPCAKES:
      4 oz. (4 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate
      1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 oz.) unsalted butter
      1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
      1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
      1/2 cup brown sugar
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      3/4 teaspoon baking soda
      1/2 teaspoon baking powder
      2 tablespoons coffee powder
      1 cup hot water
      1/2 cup Hood Sour Cream
      2 eggs
      1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
 
     FROSTING:
      6 oz. white chocolate
      10 tablespoons butter, softened
      8 oz. cream cheese, softened
      1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
      2 cups confectioners' sugar
      1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
      1 cup chopped pecans
      1/4 cup light brown sugar
      1/4 teaspoon salt
 
     CUPCAKES:
      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
      Prepare 2 12-well cupcake pans by inserting a paper cupcake liner into
      each well.
      Melt the unsweetened baking chocolate and the butter in the top of a
      double boiler. Set aside and allow to cool somewhat while you mix the
      remaining ingredients.
      In a large bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, salt,
      baking soda and baking powder.
      In another bowl, dissolve the coffee powder in the hot water. Add the
      sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry
      ingredients and mix well.
      Pour the melted chocolate and butter into the batter and mix well. Divide
      the batter evenly between the wells in each of the cupcake pans
      (about 1/4 cup batter works well).
      Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until fork inserted into middle of one of the
      cupcakes comes out clean.
      Remove cupcakes to cooling racks and let cool completely before frosting.
 
     FROSTING:
      Finely chop the white chocolate. Melt it in a double boiler or in the
      microwave (do not allow to burn). Allow to cool somewhat.
      Beat together the butter and cream cheese until soft. Add the melted
      white chocolate and vanilla extract and combine well.
      Mix together the sugar, coconut, pecans, brown sugar and salt. Add to the
      white chocolate mixture and combine well.
 
     About Hood
     Hood was founded in 1846 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, by Harvey
 Perley Hood, and has become one of the largest branded dairy operators in
 the United States. Hood is the number-one dairy brand in New England, and
 Hood's portfolio of national and super-regional brands and franchise
 products includes Kemps, Crowley Foods, LACTAID, Nesquik, Coffee-mate,
 Stonyfield Farm Organic Milk, Arizona FRESH Iced Tea and others.
 
 

SOURCE HP Hood