Monday, December 7, 2009

TWO MORE CONTEST WINS AND ANOTHER AWARD

  • Better Homes and Gardens awarded me their top prize ($400) for my one-bite appetizer recipe this month. The recipe and photo are in the December issue, and I’m printing both below.

avocado pesto-stuffed tomatoes

Avocado Pesto-Stuffed Tomatoes
First-Place Winner in Better Homes & Gardens Dec. 2009 Prize Tested Recipes
Source: Judy’s Kitchen PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

30 cherry tomatoes (about 1-1/4 pints)

½ medium avocado, pitted, peeled and cut up

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. homemade or purchased basil pesto

1 tsp. lemon juice

Snipped fresh basil (optional)

Cut a thin slice from the top of each tomato. (If desired, cut a thin slice from bottom of tomatoes so they stand upright.) With a small spoon or small melon baller, carefully hollow out the tomatoes. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Invert tomatoes on the towels. Let stand 30 minutes to drain. Meanwhile, for filling, in a food processor bowl combine avocado, cream cheese, pesto and lemon juice. Cover; process until smooth. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or open star tip. Place tomatoes, open sides up, on a serving platter. Pipe filling into the tomato cups. Serve immediately or cover loosely and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving. Sprinkle with snipped basil before serving. Makes 30 appetizers.

  • Carlson Labs awarded me third place ($100) in their fish oil contest for my fish recipe, also printed below.

Trout%201

BAKED HONEY LIME TROUT WITH CILANTRO-MINT PESTO
Third-Place Winner in Carlson Labs 2009 Fish Oil Recipe Contest
Source: Judy’s Kitchen
PRINTABLE RECIPE

Honey-Lime Trout

3 Tbsp. olive oil or canola oil

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. finely grated lime zest

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 Trout fillets, skinned and boned, about ¼-1/3 lb. each

Non-stick cooking spray

Cilantro-Mint Pesto

2 cups fresh cilantro

½ cup fresh mint leaves

¼ cup slivered toasted almonds

2 tsp. peeled, grated ginger

1 tsp. lime juice

½ jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and chopped (or more if you like it hotter)

1 tsp. honey

¾ tsp. chopped garlic

¾ tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup Carlson Fish Oil

Optional Garnish: 1 (8 oz.) container plain Greek yogurt

Prepare marinade for fish: Combine marinade ingredients in large resealable plastic bag. Rinse fish under cold running water; pat dry with paper towels; add to marinade ingredients in bag. Reseal; massage to distribute ingredients; refrigerate 1/2hour – 2 hours.

In the meantime, prepare pesto: Combine all ingredients, except oil, in work bowl of food processor. Pulse till finely chopped. Add oil in a slow stream through food tube and pulse till well incorporated. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes; serve or refrigerate.

Bake fish: Heat oven to 400F. Spray a 9 x 12 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place fillets in pan; pour marinade over. Bake 15-20 minutes, or till fish flakes when pierced with fork. Serve with cilantro-mint pesto. Yield: 4 servings

  • Janice, of Serial Crafter, gave me the “Over the Top” award. Thanks so much, Janice; I truly appreciate each and every award I’ve received!

Overthe_top award from Janice, Serial Crafter (janicepattie.blogspot.com)

26 comments:

ann low said...

Congratulations on your contest wins. The recipes and presentations are great :D

Lea Ann said...

WOW look at you and a big CONGRATULATIONS! Both of these recipes look fabulous and I'm going to give them a try.

George Gaston said...

Judy, Congratulations! Those delectable bites are so full of flavor and seem easy to prepare. Great new appetizer to try ~ Thanks.

Yasmeen said...

Congrats Judy!Those are some fantastic winners :D

Valerie Gamine said...

Congratulations Judy! Your avocado pesto-stuffed mushrooms look scrumptious and perfect for vegetarians.
What a well deserved honor to be featured in Better Homes & Gardens. Bravo! :)

June said...

Congratulations on your contest wins Judy. Great recipes! By the way the Apple Frangipane Tarts are going on my "to do" list for sure. They look yummm!

stephchows said...

Congrats on the win!!!!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on all of your awards! The fish in the picture looks more like salmon than trout. Either way I love the sound of that recipe!!

Janice said...

Oh my goodness, my little award there pales into insignificance when you compare it to your major wins! Congratulations, those tomotoes look so delicious.

Linda said...

Congrats on your wins! The recipes look terrific and very deserving of the awards you received.

Lyndas recipe box said...

Congrats Judy, what an honor for you! I must say both recipes sound delicious...I'll give them a try soon!

teresa said...

go judy go! this is wonderful, they both look like winners to me!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Two contest wins.....way to go Judy. Congratulations. Both dishes are gorgeous - no wonder they were winners.
Sam

Barbara Bakes said...

How exciting! Congratulations! Do you have big plans on how to spend your winnings?

Reeni said...

Congratulations Judy!! That is so great. Your recipes look delicious. Love those tomatoes!

Juliana said...

Judy, that is amazing...congratulations on your wins...your sure deserve them :-) Both of the recipes look wonderful...delicious :-)

Judy said...

Barbara, No big plans here for my winnings.

Fresh Local and Best said...

Wow! Congratulations Judy! I'm going to have to try these award winning recipes now.

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Wowow,this is too fantastic a site for words and im following it from this moment on-am so glad o stopped by-thank u,am absolutely flattered it coming from u-thanx a ton......
u simple deserve all those awards-have to try my hand at all those gorgeous recipes,the cherry toms one rocks!!!
will be back soonnnnnn..........

Barbara said...

Judy..how exciting! Congratulations! Both recipes look delicious. I am so impressed.
(And congrats on your Over The Top award too.)

Foodiewife said...

How exciting for you, Judy! What a wonderful thing to be recognized in such from such a worthy magazine. You must be beaming!

chow and chatter said...

wow Judy congrats you really deserve this love Rebecca

Kim said...

What a great honor to win 1st prize in BH&G! They really do look great and so does the fish. Congrats!

angelinthekitchen said...

Congratulations!!! That's an amazing honor!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Well, you go! That's awesome!

While I don't like tomatoes that filling sounds terrific. I'll just have a bowl of it, please!

Congrats on you award as well!
~ingrid

Kerstin said...

Congrats Judy!! Both recipes look awesome!