Winner of candy contest uses ‘cheesy’ secret ingredientLONG BEACH – As the judges made their way around the table in the conference room at the Chinook Observer office Thursday, they kept coming back to one offering, that of Melanie and Bill Grill’s “Cheese fudge.” The judges were impressed by the creaminess of the texture and its flavor – and then they found out what was inside.

“It’s Velveeta,” Melanie Grill said Friday after being informed that she won the contest. “I got the recipe off the TV. The fudge calls for Velveeta cheese and butter.”

Despite the somewhat unusual ingredient, Grill’s fudge, both chocolate and peanut butter, took top prize in the 5th annual Chinook Observer Holiday goodies contest – this was the first time for candy entries. Before this year it was a cookie contest.

Grill said that when she saw the recipe and took an interest in it, she didn’t think it odd to put such a thing in candy.

“No, I really didn’t,” she said. “I make a lot of dips, and when you melt that, it’s so creamy. I thought ‘oh my gosh!'”

Grill’s was one of 12 entries in the contest, which featured other holiday favorites like truffles, toffees and divinity.

Though she has been a cook for most of her life, Grill said she had no expectation of winning – she had never even entered a cooking contest before.

“I was just praying. I’m a cook, and I’ve cooked all my life and was just praying that it turned out,” she said.

Though having been born and raised on the Peninsula, Grill has spent most of her life in the Portland area, where she worked as a cook at Boeing. Her husband was a baker for Orowheat Bread for 45 years. Despite living in the city, Grill said she and her family – six kids in all – continued to visit the beach regularly. In fact, she said her grandkids used to think that the beach was hers. Grill is the daughter of Lillian Tinker, and a granddaughter of George Tinker, who was a founder of the city of Long Beach. Grill and her husband moved back to the Peninsula in May, where they have retired to Klipsan Beach.

The other entries that caught the judges delights Thursday were an Almond Roca made by Claire Schaubel of Ocean Park, which took second place, and an English Toffee made by Terry Lockhart, which took an honorable mention. Both candies had the good balance of flavor and crispiness for that type of candy. The third place winner, however, may have sealed the deal with its looks alone. “Merry Chris-mouse’s,” made by Mary Loghry, incorporated a Hershey’s Kiss for a face, with white frosting eyes, a body and tail made from a chocolate dipped cherry, and ears made from almond slivers.

With the successful turnout this year, it will be hard not to ask for candy recipes again next year too – though there has been some thought given to other holiday goodies as well. And that would be just fine for Grill, who said that if she were to enter again, she already knows what it would be – and yes, it has an unusual ingredient.

“I have another one called mashed potato candy,” she said.

First place winners – Bill and Melanie Grill, Ocean Park

“Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cheese Fudge”

1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 16-ounce boxes confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup chopped nuts

Lightly spray the bottom of a 9×2-inch square pan with a nonstick spray.

Over medium heat, in a saucepan, melt cheese and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and nuts. In a large bowl, sift together sugar and cocoa. Pour cheese mixture into sugar-cocoa mixture, stirring until completely mixed. Candy will be very stiff.

NOTE: I have found it is easier to do the final mixing with my hands. Using your hands, remove candy from bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, which you must use, I like to pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove excess oil. At this point, you may want to refrigerate until firm, depending on how quickly you want to serve it. 30 minutes will usually do the trick. Cut into squares.

For the most wonderful creamy, melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter fudge, simply leave out the cocoa and add 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Melt cheese and butter together, then add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Proceed as above.

Second Place Winner – Claire Schaubel, Ocean Park

“Almond Roca”

1/2 Pound Melted Butter

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons Water

2 Tablespoons Light Karo

Bring to boil and cook to hard crack stage. It will begin to turn brown. When it gets to the hard crack stage mix in 2 cups fine chopped almonds. Quick spread in buttered pan about 8 x 12. Pour 8 oz. Of chocolate chips on top. Let melt and spread. Sprinkle fine chopped nuts on top.

Third place winner – Mary Loghry, Ocean Park

“Merry Chris-Mouses”

You need Hershey’s Kisses for the head, maraschino cherries with stems for the body, and sliced almonds for the ears. White frosting for the eyes and nose.

1 package chocolate chips

2/3 bar of parowax

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler with wax. When melted dip cherries by stems into chocolate and attach a Hershey’s Kiss for the head. Put sliced almonds between head and body for ears.

The chocolate sets up very fast so you have to dip each ear in chocolate and quickly attach it to the mouse.

Make a small amount of white powdered sugar frosting and use for eyes and nose.

These are very easy to make and kids and adults alike love them because they are cute.

Honorable mention – Terry Lockhart, Long Beach

“English Toffee”

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups butter (only)

1/4 tsp salt

12-16 ounces chocolate chips

1 cup ground pecans or walnuts

Combine sugar, butter and salt in heavy three quart pan. Cook at medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter is melted. Continue to cook stirring constantly until mixture becomes a deep amber color (285 degrees soft crack). Pour into 9×13 buttered pan. While toffee is hot, sprinkle chocolate over top, let melt and spread evenly. Sprinkle nuts on top. Cool until set. Break into pieces.