Make these blue-ribbon recipes at home

Becky Copp has won awards at the Cumberland County Fair for her dill and bread and butter pickles, like these photographed at her house in Gray. *Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer*

BECKY COPP’S PRIZE-WINNING DILL PICKLES

Makes 4 quarts

4 pounds fresh cucumbers

8 heads of fresh dill

6 tablespoons pickling salt

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 quart water

1 quart white vinegar

Wash cucumbers using cold water and cut lengthwise into spears. Combine salt, water, vinegar and mustard in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Place dill heads evenly into the clean canning jars. Pack cucumber spears into the jars on top of the dill. Ladle pickling liquid on top of cucumbers in jar leaving 1/2-inch space on top. Place lids on jars with rings and process in boiling canner for 10-15 minutes. Remove from canner and let cool. You will hear the “pop” of a proper seal while jars are cooling. *For crispier pickles, after cutting into spears, cover them in ice and place them in the refrigerator for about two hours. Drain the water and proceed.

ALISON HYNES’ AWARD-WINNING APPLE PIE

6-8 apples

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon diced butter

2 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

1/3 to 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel and core apples (I like to use a variety) and place in bowl. Add next six ingredients to the bowl and toss together. For crust, mix flour and salt in another bowl, cut in shortening and add water. Mix until all incorporated. Knead two to three times. Split dough in half. Roll out one half on lightly floured sheet. Line bottom of pie plate. Add apple mixture. Roll out other half. Place, seal and vent on top of filling. Brush top with water. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until golden and juices running.

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