Choctaw County’s Anne Lanier brought home the bacon and $150 by winning the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Heritage Cooking Contest in Montgomery Sept. 6.

Her Bacon Pimento Cheese Bites were among 34 dishes prepared by contestants who previously won their county contests, qualifying them for the state competition hosted by the Federation Women’s Leadership Division. Entries were required to have bacon as one of the top three ingredients.

“I’ve never entered any kind of cooking contest before,” Lanier said. “I was really, really surprised. I enjoyed seeing the various presentations and how creative the ladies were with bacon.”

Lanier’s winning recipe featured phyllo shells filled with pimento cheese, topped with Captain Rodney’s Boucan Glaze and crowned with bacon. She describes the flavor as cheesy with a sweet, spicy, salty, bacon taste. She said her recipe is an adaptation of a casserole she tried months ago, adding that finding a recipe where bacon was among the top three ingredients was a challenge.

Coosa County’s Pinky Reichert won second place and $100 for her Mini BLTs. Monroe County’s Dora Rider placed third and received $50 for her Sweet and Savory Bacon Crackers.

Women’s Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood said the annual contest spotlights food produced by Alabama farmers. Bacon appetizers are a great way to share delicious recipes for football tailgating activities, fall family events and holidays, she noted.

About 120 attendees sampled savory bacon dishes and listened to Martha Hawkins, founder of Martha’s Place, a Montgomery restaurant and catering service, during the event.

Access recipes at AlfaFarmers.org.