Posted by CCC/Pilgrim's Pride on July 11, 2007 at 13:27:34:
Tortilla-Crusted Chicken Rellenos Takes Grand Prize in Annual 'Winning Taste Recipe Contest(R)'
July 11, 2007: 10:30 AM EST
PITTSBURG, Texas, July 11 -- For the 19th consecutive year, healthy chicken dishes were sizzling award winners in the 2007 Winning Taste Recipe Contest(R) sponsored by Pilgrim's Pride Corporation. This year's winners included a wide range of flavors including Southwestern, Tuscan, Cajun, Mediterranean, and just plain "hot" to satisfy adventurous cooks across the country.
Participating cooks submitted original recipes using fresh chicken in five categories: appetizer/snack; main dish/entree; light eating; grilling; and quick and easy. Recipes were judged on taste, originality, ease of preparation and appearance. The winners share more than $50,000 in prizes.
The grand prize winner is Karen Gulkin, a mother of two from Simpsonville, S.C., who submitted a recipe for Tortilla-Crusted Chicken Rellenos with Cilantro Sauce. She had been looking to create a healthier adaptation of one of her favorite Mexican dishes, chili rellenos, when she created this prize- winning recipe.
"My husband, kids and entire family are huge supporters of my cooking. They are always willing to try my creations, be they good or not so good," said Ms. Gulkin, who had entered a few cooking contests over the years and was selected to go to the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 2004.
As the grand prize winner, she received an Active Gourmet Holidays(R) trip for four to Provence, France; a FireMagic(R) Grills Regal I Gourmet Portable Stainless Steel Barbeque grill; a SCANPAN(R) Fusion 5 31-piece Cookware Set; a J.A. Henckels(R) 23-piece Cutlery Selection, and a cash prize of $1,500.
Lisa Huff, a stay-at-home mom from Clive, Iowa, won first place for her Tuscan Chicken Spinach Spread. Ms. Huff loves to experiment in the kitchen and enters contests from time to time. She was also a Pillsbury Bake-off finalist in 2004 and 2006. Talana Watkins, a mother of three and part-time personal assistant from North Las Vegas, Nev., took second place with her recipe for Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls. Paul E. Bourdeau, an automotive technician from Stratford, Conn., took third place with his Hot 'n Saucy Barbecue Wings. Mary Kempton, a part-time nanny from Atlanta, Ga., took fourth place with her recipe for Cajun Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad. Gloria Pleasants, a pharmacist from Williamsburg, Va., took fifth place with her Mediterranean Chicken Salad Pitas.
The Winning Taste Recipe Contest was created in 1989 to promote and encourage creative cooking with fresh chicken. Over the years, the contest has rewarded winning cooks with more than $500,000 in cash and merchandise.
About Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation is the largest chicken company in the United States and Puerto Rico and the second-largest in Mexico. Pilgrim's Pride employs approximately 55,500 people and operates 37 chicken processing and 12 prepared-foods facilities, with major operations in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Mexico and Puerto Rico as well as other facilities in Arizona, Iowa, Mississippi, Ohio and Utah.
Pilgrim's Pride products are sold to foodservice, retail and frozen entree customers. The Company's primary distribution is through retailers, foodservice distributors and restaurants throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and in the Northern and Central regions of Mexico. For more information, please visit www.pilgrimspride.com.