Day 10 - Just What the Doctor Ordered

Woohoo! I'm super thrilled about expecting our 2nd baby, but this back pain has been insane and has put a real kink in my culinary contest efforts. My OB gave me a referral for physical therapy. I'm super excited because in the time it took for me to make 3 contest entries today, my back and bum are out of commission tonight!

So first up is my supper yummy "Glocal Pizza". I created and filmed it for Pizza Fusion. However it is not yet up on their voting site and I can not get anyone to respond to my inquiries. But that is for another paragraph (see further below). It is a super yummy organic pizza that can be made in your kitchen in the same time, if not quicker, than those processed pizza delivery guys! Please try it.. It will change your dependency on tomato sauce and it will thrill your taste-buds! Here is the video..

Next is my "Be Thankful Everyday Cupcakes/Muffins". The premise was to create a meal or dessert with mix starter. I used a pumpkin spice bread mix. I would love to get this country on pumpkin 365 days a year! Pumpkin is soo awesome.. Here is the recipe & photo..

And I also did a run through of my side dish for Paula. It is called "Isabelle's Mean Green". It is awesome. It will make your other side dishes cry in embarrassment. Everyone in this house loves it. You will be inclined to want to eat the whole thing.. it's okay, I won't tell. Recipe and video will be up tomorrow.

Day 9 - When Paula Doesn't Call, Make Lemonade

or rather, make some spicy hot mini corndogs...

Here is my recipe

Until tomorrow..

Day 8 - Day of Rest

Well I didn't exactly rest today, but I didn't do too much contest culinary related. Wrote a few recipes and edited my timeline for entering contests.. but that's about it.

Until tomorrow..

Day 7 - Get in the Chitchen and Make me a Smamich

Sorry, inside joke with my mum. Let's just say we saw a scrapbook page on display with that as the title. It doesn't take much to amuse us.

Dinner tonight was a contest entry. You had to incorporate All Bran or a similar healthy cereal into a quick, but healthy dinner. Yeah, right was my first thought. All Bran? I wouldn't eat that by choice for breakfast let alone be able to incorporate it into a dinner that I would serve my family. But then I thought if I thought it was impossible,then what better challenge?

My shtick is I usually tend to spice things up..and that's what I did with this one. There are lots of great spices and my go-to gal, Tabasco.

Like I said, I thought that any type of dinner with cereal..bran cereal, would taste like cardboard. But these are *awesome*! We had them tonight with spicy mustard dip and potato salad. They rock! Even my toddler who hates meat (much to my husband, the hunter's chagrin) devoured these.

I'm so proud that I was able to create a dish that is really tasty and healthy. You get a power punch of fiber and protein!

And here it is...

And of course, if you would take the time to vote for it.. I'd be so grateful :D

Until tomorrow..

Day 6 - Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

Aha, YouTube laughs when you are busy making plans..That is when you have a few hours on the last day of a contest week to upload the entries. With my MIL in town, it was too ambitious to try to do 4 Paula Deen videos plus my Bacardi 1.

Alas.. I have 3 out of 5 uploaded on YouTube.

And I have all 4 recipes written on the Paula Deen site.

I'm hoping I can enter the other 2 on the last week of desserts (which is 4 weeks and is the VERY last week of the contest.. If I haven't been called by then, I'll be sweatin' beads of cream cheese!)

Not sure how the Bacardi one will fare. If I had read the rules throughly, I would have understood that YouTube watchers vote - and they have till tomorrow to vote. So I waited till the day before?!? I would adore you forever if you would vote for me (Pink Pucker Frosty) and if you begged everyone in your email contact list to vote for me too. Alas, we shall see..

Few contest on tap this week..

So until tomorrow...

Day 5 - Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing

Let's just say I've spent the better part of the day dreaming and creating recipes when I was supposed to be on another task. Let's leave it at that, m'kay..

Today I created my:

Who You Callin' Mini Weenie Corndog with Hot Mayo for the Dude Food contest (couldn't find it in the rules that you had to be a testrone charged male to enter.. so we'll see..)

Spicy Sweet Brie appetizer. Sadness. Can't try this for myself till post baby. Ah the things we do for our children..

Thai Chicken Pizza. I *love* thai chicken pizza, but Utah has not discovered this joy. So folks, this one that will be used quite a bit in my own kitchen regardless of if I win the contest. My stomache says this is a winner, and that is that!

And a boring warm spinach chicken strawberry salad. It's so lackluster and boring I could cry. I have to rethink this one quite a bit.. It doesn't scream "ME" at all.. Sad.

Tonight I'll be doing my last test for the Paul Deen desserts - a naughty pumpkin empanda. This is a nod to one of my favorite movies, "The Waitress". Love the story and can't wait to try these in my mouth!

Until tomorrow..

Day 4 - Yum, yum, and yum

Let me just say if Ms. Paula Deen doesn't fall in love with my Chocolate Chipotle Empanada or my Mango Lime Empanada or my Triple Berry Chocolate Brownies.. Well then there is something wrong in Savannah! These are sooo good. And sooo easy! People, I can't wait to upload the recipes for you to try!

And today was quite busy, so the only other recipe I attempted is my Tropical Bellini.

Now just try to tell me that doesn't look like the most refreshing wine cocktail!!

Day 3 - And There Goes The Back

I'm in the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy. I have had an insane amount of back pain & round ligament issues that I never had with Isabelle. My money is on boy (we'll know in a few weeks).

I'm trying to slow down, but it really is not in my nature and I had A LOT of recipes I wanted to test today.

I tested so much that my back is out..again.. and there are still dirty dishes to clean. The downside to all the recipe testing.

Needless to say I was not chosen this week by Paula Deen, but there are 12 more contestants to be called in the coming weeks. I'm not discouraged, I just think Ms. Paula wanted to see my dessert recipes before she called my name!

I did submit my slow cooker recipe for French Onion Soup to Better Homes & Garden. It is SOO good.. And super easy! I'll post the recipe once I hear back on the winning results, but if you would like it now - just send me your email and I'll mail it your way!

I entered my chipotle hummus to Manjula's Kitchen. It is tasty variation of the norm! It's pictured here with some super tasty samosas (those are courtesy of my local Indian restaurant).

Today I also posted my recipe for "Scotchmallow Easter Bunnies" It's a spin on the traditional Rice Krispie treat. The whole recipe is here and if you could take a second to vote for me, I would appreciate it!

My back is out and the kitchen is full of dirty dishes.. so

Until tomorrow...

Day 2 - The Waiting Game

Although we are in the middle of the 4th week of Paula Deen's Philly contest, they will be announcing the winners from week 2, appetizers. I actually entered 3 recipes that week. I recreated tea sandwiches. I was really excited about them, but I did encounter numerous technical issues on their website. I have been assured that there were in fact considered, so today I sit waiting..waiting..waiting... If I'm not announced today as finalist, it is far from over,but I'm so excited I can barely sit still.

My mother is actually traveling in Savannah today with a good friend of hers. She promised to say a little prayer this morning for me. Will it be the extra good luck I need? We will know soon!

I created an Excel timesheet last night of all the culinary/liquor contests I am aware of and created my own timeline for them. There are SO many! It's funny to me to see which ones I'm drawn to. Of course the REALLY big prize money sticks out,but that is not the only factor for me.

For example, I found one that ends this month that is contest for "manly food". That just totally cracks me up. Luckily women can enter, and within seconds of reading their rules I decided I'd make a super spicy corndog or mini winer corndog.. with some surprises.. I just know Thomas is going to *love* testing those..

I'm not going to be able to enter every contest I find due to time restraints, but it is awesome to know that opportunity is out there for everyone!

Until tomorrow..

(unless I hear from Paula..)

Day 1 - What's Going On PussyCat

Current Contests

Paula Deen's "Real Women Of Philadelphia"

We are starting week 4, desserts. I have created 4 recipes to enter and I keep coming up with more. The hardest part of this contest has been to find time to film. Thomas is working M-F till the end of the month, so we are left with Sunday to film. Sunday is the day entries are due, so if there is a technical issue.. I'm screwed.

I do now have all my past entries (side dishes, appetizers, and entree) uploaded on to YouTube and you can also see the written recipes here.

There will be 4 more weeks - all categories are repeated. I honestly do feel like I have a good chance at becoming a finalist. Each week I've become more and more comfortable with jabbering in front of the camera. It has been hard to keep Isabelle quiet while we film. Hopefully Paula thinks toddlers yammering is adorable or I'm screwed.

Better Homes & Garden Monthly (Cranberry Sweets and Soup in a Slow Cooker)

For the cranberry sweets contest, I altered my well loved chipotle chocolate brownie recipe into a double chocolate cranberry brownie. First flop in awhile. I used 2 cups of frozen cranberries and well the juice made brownies too wet. After 45min, I threw in the towel. They did set up nicely overnight, but none the less I changed the recipe. It now has part frozen cranberries, part dry sweetened cranberries. (I'm not posting the recipe until the results are in because they don't have clear rules and I'm not sure if it's allowed.)

I still have to test my soup in a slow cooker recipe. It's going to be a variation on my ALL TIME FAVORITE, French Onion Soup. I'm actually really excited to try this. I love this soup and if I could make it with less effort, I just might break into dance and song!

yellow tail

I have my wine cocktail created. Just waiting for Thomas to pick up some sparkling yellow tail wine so I can test it. That is a bummer part of being preggers during part of this year. No liquor contest tasting for me. Ah well, at least the hubby and friends can give me feedback.

It's going to be a twist on the Bellini - with a new fruit! This one requires a photograph. Again I'll post the photograph and recipe after the results, as their rules are unclear.

Manjula's Kitchen

This month contest is based on chickpeas! I'm so excited. I love Indian food and I love hummus! My recipe has been created & tested. They also want a picture, so I'll get that done as soon as I can pickup some heavenly naan bread.

Star of the Bar

Another liquor contest, this one is for Bacardi Rum. I tested 3 recipes this past week with my husband and some friends. We had Choco Bananaberry Frosty, Hot Mango Madness, and Sour Pink Pucker. The latter one by a landslide. This contest requires a 90 sec YouTube video.. so we will be filming that this weekend as well. I wonder what the judges will think of a 2nd trimester barmaid?

Mixing Bowl

This contest is for a yummy dessert with Rice Krispie treats as the star. I'm going to be remaking my favorite See's candy, the Scotchmallow, with this one! Still working on the recipe, but should be trying it this Thursday. Pics will follow that day.

And that's it for now folks!

If anyone wants any of the recipes before I'm legally allowed to "publish", just drop me a line!

Until tomorrow...

Lucy.. You have some explain' to do..

Why?

When I was completing my BA in Humanities at ASU, I was bound and determined to become a great pastry chef. I rented an apartment literally right across the street from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. I saw my life full of flour, sugar, and tasty little treats. I didn't do it. I decided to work on my Master's in Library Science instead. My life became full of Dewey, patrons, and sometimes regret.

Then I married the most amazing man. He was almost the one that got away, and then I almost became the one that got away. We figured it out and said our vows. He supports every "Lucy" plan I create. He let me leave the very high paying corporate world and seek new ventures. Last time I checked I don't have a Business degree. For the first couple years of my seeking new ventures, all I found was new debt. Then I sought after new ventures to pay off this debt. I'm still there folks. Business degrees and common sense are underrated, just sayin'.

In that time I have created a successful little store on Etsy, allthingsbelle.etsy.com. But I still longed to be covered in flour and sugar. I created the Busy Izzy Bakery after my daughter, Isabelle, was born. There is no site link because there is no longer a shop at the site. It was going just great! I even got unasked for TV publicity my first month. But the restaurant that so awesomingly allowed me to use their kitchen in off hours was just too far. I couldn't keep up with my orders from my established shop, care for Isabelle and my husband, and still have time to create yummy baked goods. I closed up shop.

Then my mother emailed me a link about Paula Deen's, "Real Women of Philadelphia", Philly Cream Cheese contest. And I remembered. I remembered how bummed I was while my bakery was open that I couldn't enter culinary contests. Even though I wasn't professionally trained, by selling food I was considered a "professional", and unable to enter almost all the contests.

It hit me like a thunderbolt. I had time in the day to create new recipes, I could feed my family the recipe testers, and possibly win enough to pay off my debt. I could fulfill a number of dreams. I could possibly do this before our second child (that's due in October) was delivered.

I got started and got hooked within days. I've Twittered and Facebooked all my plans as if everyone was excited about it as me. And some were. Some wanted more info.

Thus the fabulous creation of the blog!

On this blog, I will keep you updated with contests I'm currently knee deep in, which ones I'm eying, my recipe success and failures. And hopefully with some news of winning a few along the way.

Do I really think I can win them all? Do I really think I can come up with 20K in prize money in a little over 5months? Ask me at different times of the day and you'll get different answers. What I can tell you is I have a dream. And dreams are always worth following..

I hope you enjoy my year long journey.

Today is Day 1.