ABOUT KARRI

Hello and welcome...  
It is so nice that you stopped by

Blue Ribbon Favorites
 I'm thrilled you are here.

I'm Karri Perry...
Yes, it's true, my name really rhymes... 
 I get asked about my rhyming name every day, 
sometimes a few times a day... 
...it just depends on the day. 

This photo below is from when things were just 

getting started around 2009.

This is my family when this blog began in earnest.

Here we are in 2022… 

those kiddos grew!!

I probably fed them some delicious cakes and pies along the way. ;)

What is the Blue Ribbon Favorites BLOG all about? 

Well, Blue Ribbon Favorites is about all of the
 little things that I love so much from my everyday life. 
 Sometimes it will be about baking, crafts or holiday decorations
 and other times it will be about furniture makeovers
 or discovering the very best local and Midwestern destinations...

I love celebrating our life together,
 making the most of the big and the small moments 
 we discover along the way,
...finding a way to make the everyday special while
making memories and creating lasting family traditions.

The blog will always be about 
our adventures, hobbies, décor, 
celebrations and recipes
 I love most and enjoy dabbling in.

My decorating philosophy:

I believe that home is an extension of who you are.
 Making your home comfortable, 
beautiful, functional and authentically you is 
sometimes easier than you think.  
I'm a big believer in making the most of everything....  
I love visiting thrift shops, antique stores and flea markets
 for one-of-a-kind finds. 
 I usually have a number of projects "on deck"
  at any given time in our garage... 
there's nothing quite like transforming something old and 
worn out into something useful and beautiful.  

I prefer "new to me" over brand new, most of the time...
I like furniture and artwork that tells a story and has a history. 
  I've found that living well and enjoying life at home 
doesn't have to cost a fortune... 

This is the place we call home, a yellow colonial
 style home in the heart of the Midwest. 
We have (and continue to) lovingly update one room at a time.
  Our house was filled with many wonderful opportunities, 
mostly involving miles and miles of 1980's wallpaper...

I have tried to embrace each area of the house
 and have really worked to make it our own.
 We still have a little further to go...and while 
I am never short on ideas, in fact,
I often have the opposite problem of having far 
too many good ideas.
 (Oh, the agony of making the best decorating decisions)  
Paint chips, fabric swatches...there really can be
too many good choices sometimes.

I love to decorate for holidays and celebrations…

This includes wreath making, Christmas trees, staircases, hand-wired bows, 

tablescapes and so much more.

For a decor quote, please send an email 

(Blueribbonkitchen@aol.com)

Blue Ribbon Favorites ...

Why the name??

Winning the 2009 Ohio State Fair, first place and Best of Show!!
Peach pie

I LOVE a great recipe. 
 I often tweak even very excellent recipes...
I guess I believe that somehow
I can improve on everything...  
I especially love baking... 

(the inspiration for "Blue Ribbon Kitchen") 

Here I am at the 2013 county fair. 

This was a remarkable day, 

winning my 10th Best of Show ribbon... 

and my 60th first place ribbon.  

Competing at the fair has become 

a hobby over the years too.  

I've made so many wonderful friends there 

and met some exceptionally talented bakers and chefs.

2014 Update:  
What a fabulous summer we had. 
 I set a rather lofty goal for myself a few years ago. 

 I wondered...

"Could I possibly win the "first place" AND 
"best of show" 
ribbons for both the cake and pie divisions
in the same year.... ???" 

Well, you guessed it... 
I did win both divisions in the same year. 
 It was so much fun accomplishing what I had set out to do.

2015 Update:

In March 2015 I was selected as 

a winner of  NBC's TODAY Show Pi-Day contest...

So exciting...and quite an honor...

In the fall 2015, 

I had the privilege of teaching a baking

 class as part of the 

"Blue Ribbon Baking Team"

I taught along side a baking competitor...

 and dear friend...and his lovely wife, 

who created the successful OSUe  

Blue Ribbon Baking Series of Classes

offered by Ohio State University extension of Butler County.

At the 2015 fairs:

6 new blue ribbons were added this year

 for: carrot cake, apple pie, cherry pie, 

key lime pie, and strawberry jam and preserves!

If you are keeping track, 

the count is now:

 77 blue ribbons 

and 13 Best of Show ribbons.

...since 2007.

 2016:

In April, 2016, I was thrilled to be invited 

to be a speaker and presenter

at the Fine Foods Show of the 

Cincinnati Horticultural Society's 2016 Flower Show.

After a busy 2016 fair season, 

I'm happy to report 88 first-place finishes to date!!

including winning the

 2016 Gold Medal Flour Cookie Contest at the Ohio State Fair!

Fall 2016, 2017, and Spring & Fall 2018 I had the pleasure of presenting

 at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio.

If you have never been...I highly recommend it...

(if you love shopping, food and fun vintage finds)

it's a great time and there are 

a few blog posts detailing

all the fun the CL fairs have to offer.

2017 Update:

What an outstanding fair season 

with 11 first place

finishes...

including two Best of Shows!! 

Best of Show Yeast Breads and Quick Breads!!

The local fair brought me to 99 blue ribbons...

(so very close...)

Off to the 2017 Ohio State Fair...

I needed just one more win to reach

the 100 blue ribbons during my 10th year of baking.

...Could I do it??

 We did it!!

This is one very happy and very tired baker...

Win 100 with my favorite pecan pie!!

...and for good measure... 

I added an extra blue ribbon, 

reaching 101 wins with a 

Triple Berry Pie.  

Whew...that was a close one!

2018 Fair Season: 

I added 12 additional blue ribbons 3 Best of Show Ribbons!!

Best of Show: Ohio State Fair-Yeast Breads: Cheddar Cheese Bread

Best of Show Butler County Fair- Pie: Banana Cream Pie

Best of Show Butler County Fair-Preserves; Strawberry Jam

2019 Fair Season:

I earned 9 brand new blue ribbons and 2 Best of Show awards!

A Best of Show Pie at the Ohio State Fair: Blackberry Pie

Blackberry Jam Cake was awarded Best of Show at the Butler County Fair.

That brings us to 122 blue ribbons and 20 Best of Show wins.

 2021 Update:

I took two cookies to the fair and won two more blue ribbons!!

For the week:

11 Blue Ribbons:

Lemon Chiffon Cake

Pecan Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

Coconut Cream Pie

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Cheddar Cheese Bread

Banana Bread

Salted Caramel Turtle Bars

Cranberry-Orange Nutcrackers

Strawberry Preserves

Peanut Brittle

2 Best of Shows:

Cheddar Cheese Bread

Lemon Chiffon Cake

Total to date: 133 Blue Ribbons, 22 Best of Shows. (I’m not counting, are you counting?? )

Along with plenty of 2nd’s and 3rd’s and a 4th for a Chocolate Peanut Butter “Buckeye” Cake which won 1st place (2019) at the Ohio State Fair.

Here’s the best part… most of these recipes are on the blog for you to enjoy.

2022 Update:

This fair season marks my 15th year of competitive baking. Can you believe I’ve been at this for 15 years!?

A fabulous 7 brand new 1st Place blue ribbons were added, along with a beautiful collection of 2nd and 3rd Place ribbons too. The Ohio State Fair awarded the pretty Lemon Chiffon Cake with Strawberry Frosting a blue ribbon… she’s a beauty and has won first place every time she’s been entered, including Best of Show 2021-Butler County Fair. She’s a gem. (Recipe is on the blog)

Here’s a full list of the ribbon winners from this fair season.

Tally to date: 140 blue ribbons, 26 Best of Show wins.

1. Lemon Chiffon Cake-Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream; 1st-county

2. Lemon Chiffon-Strawberry Frosting; 1st place-Ohio State Fair-(Favorite Cake Class)

3. Jam Cake 2nd Place

4. Banana Pudding Cake 2nd Place

5. Strawberry Jam; 1st Place

6. Strawberry Preserves; 1st Place

7. Old fashioned sugar cream; 1st Place

8. Lemon Meringue; 1st Place

9. Cherry Hand Pies; 2nd Place

10. Blackberry Honey-Berry Pie; 2nd Place

11. Caramel Apple Pecan Pie; 2nd Place

12. Coconut Cream Pie; 2nd Place

13. Your Favorite Pie (any flavor) Raspberry-Rhubarb; Third Place

14. Light Rye Cheddar Yeast Bread 3rd-county

15. Asiago Rosemary Yeast Bread; 3rd,Ohio State Fair

16. Cornbread-cracked black pepper and fresh corn; 2nd Place, Ohio State Fair

17. Cranberry Orange Yeast Bread; 2nd Place, Ohio State Fair

18. Cranberry Orange Nutcracker Bar Cookies; 1st Place, county, 2nd Place, Ohio State Fair

19. Sugar Cookies; 2nd Place

20. Iced Oatmeal Cookies; 3rd Place

21. Peanut Brittle; 2nd Place

22. Chocolate Strawberry Fudge; 2nd Place

My takeaways:

I enjoy chatting with my fair friends and fellow baking competitors as much as the actual competition itself. It’s like a family reunion—seeing folks each year at the fair.

Good butter, while expensive is worth the price.

There’s always a lesson to be learned, new ways to improve, and new ingredients to consider. The recipes that came up just a little bit short are FULL of potential… and it will be my job to work toward making those blue ribbon winners too. My baking has improved over the years because I’ve listened to the judges comments and made adjustments… best feedback in the world. If you can accept feedback-even harsh criticism and not take it personally… that’s a fabulous skill set to own.

A good night’s rest and a yummy dinner with all the fixings (that someone else cooks-very key) can fill your soul… and help you get to the finish line.

The love and support of family and friends is priceless… this, I know for sure.

2023: We reached 151 blue ribbons!!

First-Places:

1. Peanut Brittle-also Best-of-Show

2. Yeast Coffee Cake-also Best-of-Show

3. Lemon meringue pie

5. Butterscotch Pie

6. Cinnamon Rolls

7. Chiffon Cake

8. Banana Bread

9. Coconut Cream Pie

Kentucky State Fair

10. Pumpkin Cake

11. Banana Muffins

and...that brings us to today...

Get all of the award-winning recipes 

here on the blog.

And...finally you can catch recipe

 segments on FOX19 in Cincinnati!!

I'll be on the first Thursday of every month!!

That's a little bit about me and my blog. 
Thank you so much for taking the time to read
 Blue Ribbon Kitchen.

I am so happy that you do!!

Wishing you the very best,

Karri