In my inbox.

-JAY

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Be a Winner with this Easy Holiday Recipe;
then Win $1 Million with a Recipe of Your Own

Short on time for laying out a party spread that’ll wow your holiday guests?

“The secret to creating something memorable is often as simple as pairing unexpected flavors that really hit it off,” says Dave Hirschkop, owner of Dave’s Gourmet (www.davesgourmet.com), maker of award-winning sauces.

“It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated,” he says. “If you mate ingredients that have chemistry, you’ll blow your guests away.”

If you’ve already created that blow-em-away recipe – the sauce that’s the hit at every gathering – it could win you up to $1million in royalties in Dave’s Gourmet Recipe Challenge.

And if you haven’t, Hirschkop has a gift for you: His Easy Holiday Dip will make short work of party-pleasing.

Easy Holiday Dip

1 ½ cups roasted red peppers (from jar or canned)

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon paprika (I like smoked but any will do)

Salt and pepper to taste

Put everything into a food processor and pulse until smooth, creamy and delicious.

Serve with fresh-cut veggies (carrot sticks, celery, you know the drill folks) pretzels or pita chips.

For you chile heads, add a couple drops of your favorite Dave’s Gourmet hot sauce and make that dip rip!

Dave’s Gourmet Recipe Challenge

And now about that recipe contest. Dave’s Gourmet is looking for a winner to add to its product line, and guess who’ll get the royalties for six years? That’s right – you. Up to $1 million. Hey, it’s only fair if your name’s on the label.

Payday starts immediately with a $2,000 advance.

Just submit for your original recipe for a sauce, salsa or dip by Dec. 31 at www.davesgourmet.com. Dave’s team will test the recipes and choose semifinalists, who’ll be taste-tested by a Dave’s Gourmet panel. Finalists will be notified Jan. 12-14. The winner (or winners) will be chosen by food professionals attending the Fancy Foods Show in San Francisco. They’ll be notified Jan. 18.

Isn’t it about time your killer sauce paid off? Dave thinks it is.

In My Inbox.

-JAY

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CELEBRATE TAX DAY AT CALIFORNIA TORTILLA

East Coast Chain to Give Away Free Chips and Queso with Purchase on Monday, April 18^th

ROCKVILLE, MD –Along with mailboxes and post offices across the country, East Coast quick-casual chain California Tortilla is a Tax Day destination with its offering of free chips and queso to all Caltort customers on Monday, April 18^th.

“Whether you want to celebrate or commiserate your tax return, there is no better way to do it than with free chips and queso.” said Stacey Kane, Director of Marketing for California Tortilla.

Customers can choose instead to enjoy California Tortilla’s signature salsa, which is made in small batches throughout the day with fresh 100% roma tomatoes.

California Tortilla has always thrived on enhancing customers’ dining experience with engaging activities in each of their locations.  Every Monday night, customers get to spin the “Mystery Prize Wheel,” for discounts, or if they’re really lucky, free food. Their promotional calendar includes longtime favorites like Pop Tart Day and Free Tacos on Election Day.

CALIFORNIA TORTILLA TO CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO BY CATERING PARTY FOR DESERVING FAN

Cal Tort hosts contest to celebrate the anniversary of the largest sales day in history

ROCKVILLE, MD – To celebrate the anniversary of Cinco de Mayo 2010, California Tortilla’s largest sales day in history, the eatery is rewarding a deserving fan with a free catering party for up to 100 guests.  To enter, fans have to convey to California Tortilla how they will make use of their delicious winnings, and the public will vote to select the lucky winner.  Submissions are due by April 14^th, and the top three entries will be posted on California Tortilla’s Website for public voting through April 30^th.  The entrant that receives the most votes will be announced on May 1^st.

The contest comes on the heels of California Tortilla’s newly launched catering call center – 855-CALTORT. Customers can get all their catering needs covered in one 5 minute phone call including Taco, Fajita or Burrito Parties.

Fans are encouraged to use any creative method of their choice to enter, such as making a video, writing a poem, penning a song or even orchestrating a flash mob. To participate, entries can be emailed to spunky@californiatortilla.com or mailed to Cal Tort World HQ, 20 Courthouse Sq. Ste. 206, Rockville, MD 20852 between now and April 14th.

Just what is California Tortilla? A quick-casual, Mexican restaurant with can’t-find-them-anywhere-else, award-winning, critically-acclaimed, outrageously-popular burritos, bursting quesadillas, fabulous salads, the freshest ingredients, spunky cashiers and so much more.  Check out our website www.californiatortilla.com for the entire scoop.

Where can I find California Tortilla? We’re EVERYWHERE!  Go to www.californiatortilla.com, for a listing of all our locations.

For more information, please call 301-545-0035 or visit our website, www.californiatortilla.com. Do you get the feeling that we want you to visit our website?

In my inbox.

-JAY
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CREATE THE DUPONT CIRCLE EMPANADA

THE DUPONADA!

Using ingredients from Dupont Circle’s FRESHFARM Market come up with an empanada that will represent our neighborhood!

You may develop a recipe or simply list your preferred ingredients; please limit your recipe to four main ingredients per entry. Drop the recipe at Panas, 2029 P St. NW, or email your entry to order@panasgourmet.com, subject Duponada.

The deadline for entries is September 24th . On Sunday October 3rd , a panel of distinguished food writer/bloggers will select the TOP THREE entries.

During the week of Oct 4-8, the top three recipes will be served at Panas, Gourmet Empanadas, where customers will vote for their favorite.

The winning recipe will be announced at Panas Gourmet Empanadas on Sunday, October 10. The Duponada will be added to the menu at Panas and proceeds from its sale will go to benefit the Dupont Circle Citizens Association.

NAME:______________________________________________

Email:_________________________________________________

Phone:_________________________________________________

THE RECIPE/MAIN INGREDIENTS I SUGGEST FOR THE DUPONADA ARE (limit 4):

Update:

Enter Your Big (or big-ish) Vegetable in the Biggest Vegetable Contest!

Is that a five pound melon sitting in your garden? What about a foot long zucchini? A football sized pumpkin? Why aren’t you entering your vegetables in the DC State Fair Biggest Vegetable Contest, sponsored by Washington Gardener? More…
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In My Inbox.
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-JAY

DC Picklers – Show Us Your Best Pickle

Green beans. Cucumbers. Beets. Is there anything that isn’t improved with a good pickling brine?

Well it’s time for DC picklers to show us what you’ve got. Do you have a delicious bread and butter pickle recipe that’s wowed your friends? Do you pickle your own onions to serve on sandwiches? Do you make your own kimchi? Enter your sour, salty, and/or sweet pickled creations in the DC State Fair Home-Made Pickle contest. Many thanks to GLiTTARAZZi, a DC-based social and gossip blog, for sponsoring. The winner will win a $50 gift certificate to 19th.

You can enter the DC State Fair Home Made Pickle Contest here. While we’d love to know if your pickled items were grown in the District, it’s not a requirement of the contest. The deadline for entries is Thursday, August 26, so get your pickles going today!

In My Inbox.

Come to the DC State Fair Kick-Off Shindig and Homebrew Contest – August 27! (Click there for the active links.)

dcstatefair | August 18, 2010 at 4:03 am | Categories: dc state fair | URL: http://wp.me/pZQTt-2z

Thanks to The Black Squirrel for sponsoring the DC State Fair Homebrew Contest!
What: DC Homebrewers Contest
When: Friday, Aug. 27, 7:30 – 10 pm
Where: 1314 Kenyon St. NW

To Enter: Fill out this entry form by August 23.

DC’s become a paradise for beer lovers in the past few years, and we had to give DC homebrewers the chance to prove who brews the best brew at the DC State Fair.

Join us on August 27th from 7:30 to 10:00 pm at 1314 Kenyon St. NW for a kick-off party and homebrew contest, sponsored by The Black Squirrel (the fabulous neighborhood beer bar in Adams Morgan). The judging begins at 8:00 pm sharp – you won’t want to miss it!

If that’s not enough for you, Fat Man After Dark, another fair sponsor, will be broadcasting live from the Contest.

Do you have a passion for homebrewing? There’s still time to submit your beer to the contest, so enter now. The deadline for homebrew entries is August 23.

Good luck to all the homebrewers out there! We know you’ll make the District proud.

More info on this contest is avilable in this Modern Domestic post.

-JAY

Inside the heart of every baker lies the soul of a diva. A competitor. A little voice that says “my cupcakes are the best.” Or maybe that’s just some of us.

The winner of the cupcake contest will win fame, glory, and a delicious prize box of treats from Treet.

I just don’t have the time to work on it this week.  How about you? $20,000 prize!

-JAY

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Who will win the Cooking Light Ultimate Reader Recipe contest? It could be you! Enter your favorite recipe using one or more of our sponsor products and your recipe could appear in Cooking Light! Grand Prize winner will receive $20,000 and six other winners will each receive $500!

Simply enter your contact information and recipe below for your chance to win!

NO PURCHASE REQUIRED. Purchasing does not improve your chances of winning. Contest begins March 16, 2010 12:01:00 AM and ends June 15, 2010 11:59:59 PM. Open to all legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, age 21 or older at time of entry. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Void outside the U.S., in Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply. See Official Rules for details and conditions.

I made the finals in the “So, You Think You Can Grill?” contest (June 13th).  This is my first cooking competition.

Also, check out these recipe contests and cooking contests (Safeway BBQ in DC is listed). You know you can do amazing things with Fillo.

-JAY