Notable Competitions/Wins:

2003

Riverside County Orange Blossom Festival

• First Place/Grand Prize Winner: Shrimp in Orange Chipotle Cream Sauce with Citrus Rice

2005

GMA/Emeril’s Comfort for the Coast Recipe Contest

•  Finalist: Monday Meatloaf

2007

GMA/Emeril’s Best Burger Ever Recipe Contest

•  Finalist: Honey Peppered Pork Burger with Fresh Peach Relish

Country Woman Magazine Meatless Main Dishes

•   Runner-up: Thai Tofu Lettuce Wraps

2008

High Liner Foods/Fisher Boy Dream Kitchen Recipe Contest

•   $10,000 Grand Prize Winner: Southwestern-Style Fish Cakes with Mango Avocado Salsa

43rd Pillsbury Bake-off, Dallas, Texas (Competition for $1,000,000)

•   Finalist: Upside Down Caramel Apple Biscuits

Tofurky Leftover Recipe Contest

• 1st Place (Apple Iphone winner): Curried Tofurky Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Almonds

Country Woman Magazine’s Best Beef Roundup Contest

• $500 Grand Prize: Steak with Chipotle-Lime Chimichurri  

Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown (Competition for $25,000)

• Finalist: Hot & Spicy Competition: Killer Baja Chile Rellenos Mariscos and Paniolo Steak                                                

2009

Oceanspray Cranberry’s Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest (Competition for $25,000)

• Finalist: Cranberry Blue Shortbread with Caramelized Onion and Cranberry Jam

2010

44th Pillsbury Bake-off, Orlando, Florida (Competition for $1,000,000)

• Finalist: Herb Chicken Sliders with Raspberry Mustard

Gorton’s Recipe Renovation Contest

•  2nd Place Winner: Baja Black Bean Salmon Cakes with Avocado Mango Salsa

Star Olive Oil Taste of the Mediterranean Recipe Contest

• Grand Prize Winner (Culinary Adventure Tour to Spain): Rosemary Scented Feta and Olive Oil Shortbread with Savory Date Jam

Ragu’ Recipe for a Good Start Contest (Cook-off, New York, NY)

• Fan Favorite 1st Place Winner ($1000 All-Clad Cookware Set) and Finalist for Cook-off Event: Chicken with Artichokes and Creamy Polenta

Cheese Champions

• Finalist (two recipes): Pecan Goat Cheese Shortbread with Spiced Fig Jam; and Caramelized Onion Galette with Gruyère and Goat Cheese

2011

The Pioneer Woman/Bush’s Grillin’ Beans Cookout Contest:

• Winner, Beef: Sweet Pepper Harissa Crusted Cowboy Steaks

2012

The Gilroy Garlic Festival Cookoff

• Grand Prize Winner:Garlic Braised Pork Belly with Caramelized Onion & Fig Agrodolce and Creamy Polenta

Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest

• Finalist: Lemony Chicken, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Roulades with Wilted Spinach and Arugula