Two Limestone County students Saturday won second place in the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association state beef cook-off.

Clements High School junior Megan Lovell competed on behalf of the culinary arts class at Limestone County Career Tech Center and East Limestone seventh-grader Victoria Hamilton competed with guidance from Dr. Rene Noojin, advisor for East Limestone Family Career and Community Leaders of America club.

The girls were first-time competitors. Lovell placed second in the Senior North Division with beef stir fry and vegetables and Hamilton placed second in the Junior North Division with taco pie.

“It was a great experience to learn how to be a better chef,” Lovell said.

Both students won first place in the January county cook-off in their age divisions before competing at the state level.

Daveen Stanford, secretary of Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association, said although the local cattlemen’s association has had winners in the past, both students placing makes for a record.

“We’ve sent contestants down there for years and years and had some place but this is the first time that both of our contestants placed,” she said. “It was pretty cool that both of them got second. We definitely try to support our youth anyway we can.”

The road to state

Lovell’s teacher Sheila Lightfoot said she chose Lovell for the cook-off because Lovell seemed interested in cooking and she thought she would have the time to put into competing.

Together, the two decided on the beef stir-fry recipe and it went well.

Lovell won $125 and a trophy. She said given the chance, she would like to compete again next year.

Hamilton said she doesn’t cook regularly at home, but her mother often makes the taco pie.

“She’s been making it as long as I can remember and I really liked it,” she said.

Hamilton chose to compete in the cook-off because she wanted to get more involved with FCCLA and thought this was a good way to start.

“When I won in county, I looked at my competition’s food and it didn’t look very appealing so I thought I would win,” she said. “Then at state, the competition was different — the other dishes were decorated and mine was just garnished with lettuce. I hoped I would get an award but I didn’t think I actually would.”

Noojin said there was no coaxing to get Hamilton to compete.

“She takes on things and doesn’t have to be motivated — she motivates herself to do stuff,” she said. “All I had to do was give her the opportunity to do this and she took advantage of it.”

Hamilton plans to compete again next year but she’s aiming for more than first place.

“I shoot for the stars. I want to win Best of Show next year,” she said.

Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association

Stanford said the cattlemen’s association supplies the judges and prepares food for the contestants and teachers at the county cook-off to encourage the consumption of beef.

“We try to promote beef in our county because the more beef people eat, the more money they spend and the cows and calves at the stockyard bring more money so it creates bigger demand for beef,” she said. “That’s the only way livestock producers are paid — when they sell animals.”

As far as the statewide competition this year, Stanford said everyone in the association is happy for Lovell and Hamilton.

“We’re proud of them and we want our county to know how well they did,” she said.

Recipes

Taco pie by Victoria Hamilton

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 bag crushed corn chips

1 tube crescent rolls

¾ cup sour cream

1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garnishes:

Shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped tomato

Chopped lettuce

Taco sauce

Hot sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook and drain ground beef and add taco seasoning according to packet.

Grease a square, or round, deep baking dish.

Press crescent rolls out and line them against the bottom and sides of the dish to create a crust.

Layer ingredients in this order:

2 cups crushed corn ships

Ground beef

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

Rest of the corn chips

Cook in oven about 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Beef stir-fry and vegetables by Megan Lovell

Ingredients:

4 oz. broccoli

4 oz. green bell pepper (sliced)

4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms (stemmed and sliced; throw away stems)

12 oz. flank steak (sliced in thin 2-inch strips)

Vegetable oil as needed

Sesame oil to taste

Minced garlic to taste

Minced ginger to taste

4 oz. oyster sauce (or, to taste)

Method:

Cut broccoli into small florets, peel and slice the stem. Cook just until done. Stop the cooking by shocking the broccoli in ice water, drain well. Cut into bite-size pieces about 1/2-inch wide by 1-inch long.

Stir fry steak, in oil, in a wok, or a hot sauté pan. When it is nearly fully cooked, add the mushrooms, and cook one minute more. Add the pepper and cook one more minute.

Add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil and oyster sauce. Toss and cook for another minute.

Add cooked broccoli. Toss all together until all is well mixed and hot.

Serve warm, with rice.