KIKKOMAN GIVEAWAY!

Whether you want to make this fabulous apple-soy-brined grilled turkey with apple jack cream gravy or some other recipe using Kikkoman products, you need to enter this giveaway.

There will be two prizes:
PRIZE #1:  two full-size Kikkoman products from The Rogers Group, the co-sponsor of this giveaway.
PRIZE #2:   a Kikkoman reusable grocery bag, 

adorable rubber ducky

 and coupon for one free Kikkoman product, from me.

First-place winner (first name drawn) will have choice of one of the two prizes.  Both winners will be selected by random drawing.  Any US resident may enter, no need to be a blogger.  Deadline for entering is Thursday, November 18.

1.  Mandatory entry:  Leave me a comment , any comment at all.  Include your email address!

Extra (optional) entries:
2.  Follow my blog or subscribe to my feed, then leave me a comment telling me what you did.

3.  Follow me on TWITTER, then leave me a comment telling me what you did.

4.  Like me on FACEBOOK, then leave me a comment telling me what you did.

5.  Leave me extra comments, as many as you like.  Each comment counts as one chance.  I would love to hear what you will do with the prizes, how you use soy sauce, what you think of my turkey/gravy recipe, or anything else you can think of.

Apologies to other readers, but this contest is open to US residents only.

Remember, deadline is Thursday, November 18, and your time starts.....NOW!

WINNER OF $70 GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCED

Thanks to Random.org, picking a winner for the CSN $70 giveaway was effortless, unbiased and quick. As comments were received, each was assigned a number beginning with 1.  In all, there were 50 entries. I plugged the 50 into the random number generator at Random.org and instantly the number 23 came up. When I checked my master list, I saw that #23 had been assigned to Emily (EMSFS). Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all of you who entered.

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 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.

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!

BRANSON GREAT AMERICAN PIE SHOW RECIPES

You can see some videos and get all the finalist recipes at the Pie Show official website.

One of the judges of the Pie Show, Emily, also has a food blog, where you can read her comments on the pies and see her photos. If you click on the pie title(s), it will take you to the Taste of Home website and the recipe. Emily was kind enough to visit my blog to tell me she wants to make my pie and that it was one of her favorites.

You can also go right to the Taste of Home website for all the recipes.

Let me know if you have trouble with any of the links.

THE BRANSON GREAT AMERICAN PIE SHOW

I'm back from Branson, and I didn't win. Here are the 4 top pies:

1. Sour Cream Peach Pie -$2,500 + 4 days, 3 nights in Branson for 2.
2. Mixed Nut and Fig Pie - $1,000
3. Dreamy Creamy Peanut Butter Pie - $500
4. Vermont Maple Oatmeal Pie - $250

Of course I'm disappointed, as are the other 8 contestants who did not win prize money. What we did win was the trip to Branson, including airfare and meals, a signed copy of Al Roker's best-selling Grilling Cookbook, an apron with Taste of Home Cooking School on it, free entry into the Taste of Home Cooking School, a gift bag, free tickets to Branson shows of our choice on Friday and Saturday evenings, and a Finalist Medal. They told us there were 1200 entries for this pie contest, and we had the top 12 recipes.

Taste of Home has never had an on-site pie baking contest before, and they are hoping to make this an annual event in Branson with the Branson Chamber of Commerce. I'm sure it will get better every year. For this first time, there were a lot of mixups, inconsistencies, errors and last-minute switches. Needless to say, the contestants were in a state of confusion.

My recipe was the only one using a food processor. Each station had a KA mixer, but I needed a food processor. Unfortunately, they didn't have one, so they tried to borrow one. It was a GE and it was from about 30 years ago. That was problem #1. The processor had a chute coming out the side and when I put the almonds in, they went all over the floor. We did finally solve that problem, then the next problem was the microplane grater. They brought me a coarse grater that had dull blades (yes they do get dull). Then they brought me a regular fine grater. Neither of these was able to extract any zest out of the limes. Finally, they brought me a microplane fine grater. There was no oven thermometer to check the calibration of the ovens (which were off by 10 degrees I later found out). My recipe called for a 1-1/2 quart pot, and they gave me a 4-quart pot. I needed a hand mixer, and, again, they gave me a borrowed one about 30 years old. It had vents in the top -- seen any of those lately? It was filthy dirty. When I started to beat the topping with it, oil and lint spewed out of the vents into my topping. The TOH rep told me not to worry about it, no one would know. The pie plate they provided was a straight edged deep dish pie plate, and I needed a standard fluted edge. They finally brought me disposable pie plates, which I didn't want to use but had no choice. The TOH reps came around to all the cooking stations and repeatedly told us not to worry about presentation. We were supposed to finish our pies, then cut them into pieces for the 10 judges. At the last minute, they told us to put the pies on a presentation table so the judges could see them before they were cut. We were marked on presentation. But the real kiss of death was my placement in the judging. They put me first. Never go first or last. The first pie is always scored low because the judges haven't seen any of the others yet. By the time they get to the last pie, they're all filled up with nuts, berries, etc. and can't even taste the last one. I knew when they put me first it was over.

Contests are luck of the draw. And I drew all the short straws on this one. But I learned a lot. Next time (if there is a next time), I'll be sure to bring ALL my own equipment. But the placement in the judging is something that cannot be controlled. My hubby told me to keep submitting this pie, because it's a winner. And when he tells me that, it spurs me on, because he is not a dessert eater. He really loves this pie.

It was a fun time in Branson. I met some wonderful people that I would love to see again (several have submitted recipes to the Pillsbury Bake -Off Contest and just might be there next year.) The Chamber provided "Velcro Buddies" for each of the finalists. They stuck to us like velcro and took care of all our last-minute needs. My Velcro buddy, Kitty, was wonderfully kind, thoughtful and delightful to be with. She introduced me to Janet Lennon, took me to the Landing (an outdoor mall), and to the Branson Five and Ten Cent store, and just made sure that I was ok. All in all, it was a fun time and a great learning experience that I'll never forget.

JUDY'S KITCHEN FIRST EVER CONTEST!

Pomegranates are in the superfood category. They have multiple health benefits and we should all be eating them. But did you ever try to open a pomegranate? I did. It's one thing to peel and eat and it's another to try to extract juice. I've tried several different methods and IMHO it's best to just buy the juice. Yes, it's pricey. But think about all the work involved. It's worth it.

POMWonderful has something to say about it:

"POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is the only pomegranate juice backed by $25 million in medical research. Actually, we are the only pomegranate juice backed by any medical research at all.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the role of pomegranates in promoting heart health, prostate health, and proper erectile function. But while these results are promising, keep in mind that all of the research has been done on POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice. Our juice comes from a unique pomegranate variety (the Wonderful), which is grown in a unique location (California), and which is juiced with proprietary technology (ours!). No other pomegranate juice can claim these distinctions, and no other brand has been clinically tested."

Click on the link above to find out more about POMWonderful's health benefits and to get recipes and other information. Check out the fun videos that will make you laugh. You can even vote for one.

But now, about the contest: POMWonderful is giving away 1 case of six 8 oz. bottles to one lucky winner. Here's all you have to do:

1. Write a blogpost about the contest, mentioning and linking to my blog and mentioning POMWonderful.

2. Send me a post comment stating what you would do with the case of 6 bottles of POMWonderful OR send me an original recipe using POMWonderful.

3. Visit one other blog (not mentioned on my links) and tell them about the contest and my blog, and tell me in your post comment who it was.

Winner will be the most original entry. In case of no original entries, winner will be drawn at random. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 4, Midnight.
And here's more good news: POMWonderful may be giving away more freebies later! Let's all get healthy in the new year. Happy blogging. Did I mention that today is my birthday?

BETTY CROCKER BAKE LIFE SWEETER WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The results are in, and I didn't win the popular vote or the grand prize. Thanks to everyone who voted for me. I was surprised with the grand prize winner: the cinnamon swirl cookie. It kind of resembles a cinnamon bun, and they're supposed to taste like snickerdoodles. I bet they're good. The popular vote went to the Chocolate Peanut Butter Dreams cookie, which looks like an easy and good recipe. Well, all 15 recipes are winners; they all look interesting, and I can't wait for next year to try again. (Hope they discontinue this voting stuff though; it's a pain for all concerned.) Thanks again.

BETTY CROCKER BAKE LIFE SWEETER FINALIST RECIPES ARE ONLINE!

Betty Crocker has a cookie recipe contest every year. They pick 15 finalists and then publish the 15 recipes online, where the public can vote for their favorite. Unfortunately, it isn't really a "vote for the best recipe" contest; it becomes a "who knows the most people they can get to vote for them" contest. Well, the recipes are online, and I am one of the finalists this year.

My recipe is "pumpkin streusel cheesecake bars." If you would like to vote, here is the info:

1. Go to bettycrocker.com.
2. Scroll down till you see the yellow cupcake. There is a square to the left of it that is for
Bake Life Sweeter voting. Click on the link.
3. Register (if you aren't already registered). It only takes a few minutes and it doesn't cost
anything. Once you've registered, the recipes will come up and you can vote.
4. If you don't see the Bake Life Sweeter voting square, it might be because of your anti-virus
program. You will have to temporarily disable it, then put it back on after you've finished.
5. You can vote once per day until April 16.

I never expected to be a finalist, so I'm certainly not expecting to win. I do appreciate any votes I may receive and I hope some of you will try making this recipe. Pumpkin and cheesecake are two of my favorites, and this recipe is easy and delicious. It also freezes well and will keep in the freezer for several months. I'm off to try my hand at some scones now that I will hopefully post later.

ANOTHER CONTEST WIN!

I was notified yesterday that I'm one of 15 finalists in the Betty Crocker Bake Life Sweeter cookie mix contest. My winning submission was "Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars." In mid-March, all recipes will be online and you'll have an opportunity to vote for your favorite. If my recipe gets the most votes, I'll win an extra $500. I'll keep you posted when it's time to vote. As a finalist, the school of my choice will receive 1,000 boxtops. I'll be donating the boxtops to
St. Paul Education Center. They were quite thrilled to learn of it. I don't expect to win the Grand Prize for this submission, but I'm thrilled to be a finalist and hope I can get the popular vote. The judges will determine the Grand Prize winner and their decision will be based on creativity and taste.

MY FIRST CONTEST WIN!

After entering countless recipes in various contests since May of this year, I received a notice today from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine that I have won honorable mention in their March 2008 Prize Tested Recipes Contests. My winning submission was Blueberry Pepper Sauce with Chipotle Chile Chicken, and the category was frozen fruits to the rescue. My prize money was only $50 for honorable mention, but I was so happy to finally have won something. BTW, I have entered 8 muffin recipes in betterrecipes.com muffin contest which has now ended. All of my recipes have been tested and have been given 5 stars, the highest rating. The winner will be announced at the end of November.