By Maggie Edwards 

Laughter, cheer and the sweet smell of fresh fruit floated through the Alabama Farmers Federation home office in Montgomery Sept. 5 during the annual Heritage Cooking Contest. 

The contest featured 25 noncongealed fruit salad recipes from competitors across the state. Tuscaloosa County’s Cindy Landers scored first place with Strawberry Crack Salad, a dish she’s only crafted a handful of times.

“I’m just so excited and surprised to win,” said Landers, a retired teacher. “I love trying recipes and creating new things. My inspiration for this came from my husband Mark’s love of strawberries and pecans.”

The Landerses raise cattle and hay in Northport, where Mark also dabbles in growing pecans.

“We had an abundance of pecans from the farm that he’s been shelling, cracking and freezing,” Landers said. “He appreciates the land and what comes from it. That’s why I was glad to share our farm-fresh product with others.” 

The group of judges agreed the flavor of slightly salty pretzels, crunch of Alabama pecans and fresh strawberries stood out among the other tasty options.

As the winner, Landers received $150 from the Federation Women’s Leadership Division. Second place was Montgomery County’s Katie Hicks. She earned $100 with Sue Sue’s Fruit Salad, while Lee County’s Mary Richburg earned third place and $50 for Mango Avocado Salad with Blueberries. 

Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Janet Johnson entertained the crowd with a spunky presentation on kitchen tips and tricks. She’s a regional Extension agent who specializes in food safety and quality. 

The Federation’s Kim Earwood commended the exquisite entries.

“This event is always special,” said Earwood, who leads the Federation Women’s Leadership Division. “Seeing the contestants come together to celebrate each other is such a rewarding moment for me and the entire State Women’s Leadership Committee. Each dish was delicious, but at the end of the day, this is about building camaraderie among women in agriculture.” 

Strawberry Crack Salad 

By Cindy Landers, Tuscaloosa County 

Ingredients 

2-3 cups strawberries
1 cup pretzels, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces whipped topping

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 F. Wash and dice strawberries. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine pretzels and pecans with brown sugar and butter. Spread parchment paper on a cookie sheet with edges. Bake 7 to 9 minutes. Take out of oven and cool. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar together until fluffy. Gently fold in whipped topping. Right before serving, fold in strawberries and pecan-pretzel mixture. Enjoy!