HOW TO MAKE A BLUE RIBBON RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack over waxed paper. , For sauce, combine the sugar, butter and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts., Poke holes in the top of the warm cake; spoon 1/4 cup sauce over cake. Let stand until sauce is absorbed. Repeat twice. Poke holes into sides of cake; brush remaining sauce over sides. Cool completely.

Steps:

• GET ALL OF THIS GOING BEFORE FILLING THE JARS.
• Wash 7 quart jars in hot, soapy water (or dishwasher), rinse and fill with hot water; set aside.
• Fill canning kettle half-full with hottest tap water; set on burner over high heat.
• In a medium saucepan, fit lids and rings together, cover with water, bring to a simmer.
• In a large saucepan, bring water, vinegar and salt to boil; turn off the heat; set aside.
• FILL JARS: place a layer of dill at the bottom of each jar, along with one garlic clove (if used), then TIGHTLY load the cukes into the jar to the NECK of the jar (depending on size you may get two nice layers with a few small cukes in the top--)---squeeze cukes into the jar tightly--uniform size helps; add a few TINY spriglets of dill at the top, too, and another garlic clove if desired.
• Once jars are loaded, pour in the brine leaving half-inch head space in each jar.
• Add lid and ring to each jar, tightening evenly.
• Place jars into canner with water JUST to the necks of the jars.
• Bring water ALMOST to a boil (about 15 minutes--depending on how fast it heats up).
• Remove jars, set on a dish towel on the kitchen counter, cover with another dish towel & let cool.
• Check for seal (indented lid), label jars or lids, store in cool dark cellar or cupboard.
• NOTES: When washing/scrubbing cukes, sort them into piles by size. This really helps make your jars look nicer, if you have uniform sizes (and this impresses the judges too!). And makes for easier packing, too.