Amanda Kozak, Miss Georgia 2006, after winning her local preliminary Miss Valdosta, September 2005. Amanda later went on to be named 2nd Runner Up to Miss America 2007.
The finals for the Miss America Pageant are being held tonight in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Between 1993 and 2001, I attended the Pageant each year. While still living in Georgia, I served as a volunteer with the Miss America Organization, directing two local pageants, Miss Macon and Miss Valdosta. During that time I travelled and judged local and state pageants in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, New York, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming. More importantly, I met some of the brightest, smartest and talented people (contestants and volunteers) and my life is certainly the richer for it.
In years since being "active" in the pageant world, I still look forward to each September when a new Miss America is crowned. Thanks to social media, there is so much coverage of the week's activities, it's almost as good as being there.
Bacon Crackers
For my pageant buddies not in Atlantic City tonight, certainly they are now getting ready for pageant watching parties. It's not too late for a quick and easy appetizer. This recipe comes from Martha Hall Foose's A Southerly Course cookboook.
Bacon Crackers
makes 6 servings
¾ pound (about 16 slices) thinly sliced bacon
42 Rectangular butter crackers (such as Club or Captain’s or Waverly)
Heat the oven to 250°F. Slice the bacon slices into thirds crosswise. Wrap each cracker with a piece of bacon, overlapping as little as possible. Place the wrapped crackers ½ inch apart on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Bake 1½ hours or until the bacon constricts the center of each cracker and becomes crisp. Remove pan from the oven and allow the crackers to cool on the rack before eating.