News Watch 2007-10-15 (1)

ROSEANNE HARPER

VIDALIA ONION COMMITTEE PICKS RECIPE WINNERS

Vidalia, Ga. — The Vidalia Onion Committee has selected the winners of its first recipe contest, which retailers across the United States helped promote. Houston resident Kelly McWherter took the grand prize with her recipe for Sweet Vidalia Sliders. Second prize went to Pat Neaves of Lees Summit, Mo., for her Caramel Upside Down Cake, and third place went to Tony Sargent of St. Charles, Mo., for his Fried Vidalia Onion Potato Salad. McWherter told SN she thought of submitting a slider recipe because her family likes burgers, and she knew mini sandwiches were trendy. “I've been seeing mini sandwiches [sliders] in magazines for a while. I thought my recipe would be very timely,” McWherter said. Her recipe calls for Vidalia onions two ways: finely chopped Vidalias that are mixed with other ingredients and ground beef to make the mini patties, and sauteed Vidalias to top the sliders. McWherter and her family won a trip to Orlando, Fla. Second prize was $500 and third was $250. The committee's “Very Vidalia National Recipe Contest” was held in conjunction with a retail display contest that had some of the country's largest chains participating, Wendy Brannen, the committee's executive director, told SN earlier. “Everybody's entry showed such creativity. Very impressive,” Brannen said. About the recipe contest, Brannen said in a statement to the press that she was impressed by how many unique ways Vidalia onion lovers chose to utilize them.