Posted by National Beef Cook-off on September 25, 2009 at 11:19:48:
Mary Hawkes of Prescott, Ariz., Brings Home the 'Best of Beef' $25,000 Grand Prize...
Mary Hawkes of Prescott, Ariz., Brings Home the 'Best of Beef' $25,000 Grand
Prize in 28th National Beef Cook-Off(R)
Sonoma Steaks with Vegetables Bocconcini Wowed Judges with "Sonoma Style"
Flair
SONOMA, Calif., Sept. 24 With her recipe for Sonoma Steaks
with Vegetables Bocconcini, amateur home cook Mary Hawkes of Prescott, Ariz.,
won the 28th National Beef Cook-Off(R) $25,000 "Best of Beef" grand prize,
topping recipes from 14 other finalists. The competition awarded $70,000 in
total prize money.
This year's Cook-Off "Sonoma Style" theme focused on fresh, flavorful
ingredients paired with nutrient-rich beef cuts. The winning Sonoma Steaks
with Vegetables Bocconcini recipe featured grilled beef top loin steaks,
zucchini, yellow bell pepper and red grape tomatoes tossed with herb-marinated
fresh mozzarella balls. In addition, the dish is an excellent source of
protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc; and a good source
of iron.
Each contestant prepared their recipe for evaluation by a judging panel of
local and national food journalists. Criteria included: taste, appearance,
convenient preparation and nutritional balance. The judges raved about
Hawkes' recipe because of its overall simplicity, her efficient use of
ingredients, and the mellow flavor and texture of the mozzarella balls
partnered with the smoky grilled steak and vegetables.
The 2009 judges included: Michael Bauer, executive food and wine editor, The
San Francisco Chronicle; Amy Sherman, cookbook author and blogger,
CookingWithAmy.com; Betsy Wray, editor in chief, Cooking Club magazine; Jackie
Plant, food and nutrition director, Woman's Day magazine; and Niesha Lofing,
food and family writer, The Sacramento Bee.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to be named the winner of this year's Cook-Off," said
Hawkes. "The Sonoma Style theme really inspired me to look at new ways to
pair my favorite cut of beef with garden-fresh vegetables."
Funded by the Beef Checkoff Program, the National Beef Cook-Off showcases
Americans' love of beef. The Cook-Off promotes beef consumption by reaching
consumers with appealing beef recipes that deliver on taste, health and
convenience.
"We're delighted to name Mary Hawkes and her Sonoma Steaks with Vegetables
Bocconcini recipe as the grand prize winner," said Sherry Hill, National Beef
Cook-Off program manager. "All of our finalists' recipes were exceptional;
perfect examples of how to combine fresh ingredients and nutritious beef in
innovative ways."
In addition to the "Best of Beef" Grand Prize, six cash prizes were awarded in
three categories.
The winner in each category received $10,000. This year's category winners
are:
-- Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef Recipes ($10,000
prize): Kristina Vanni - Hollywood, Calif.
-- Teens Cooking with Beef ($10,000 prize): Morgan Hanrahan - Olympia,
Wash.
-- Lean Beef in Nutrient Rich One-Dish Meals ($10,000 prize): Elizabeth
Bennett - Mill Creek, Wash.
The runner-up in each category received $5,000. This year's runner-up winners
are:
-- Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef Recipes ($5,000
prize): Deborah Biggs - Omaha, Neb.
-- Teens Cooking with Beef ($5,000 prize): Erin Ozment - Purcell, Okla.
-- Lean Beef in Nutrient Rich One-Dish Meals ($5,000 prize): Fran Fehling
-
Staten Island, N.Y.
To view this year's winning recipes visit: www.BeefCookOff.org.
National Beef Cook-Off(R) Chef Challenge
In a separate Cook-Off event, six professional chefs from the San Francisco
Bay Area and Sacramento counties competed head-to-head, showcasing their
original beef dishes that portrayed "Sonoma Style" cooking.
The chef challenge was held on September 21, 2009 at Sally Tomatoes Event
Center in neighboring Rohnert Park. The chefs competed for prizes totaling
$5,000. The grand prize winner was Carlo Cavallo, executive chef &
proprietor, Meritage Restaurant in Sonoma, Calif. He received an all-expenses
paid trip to the December 2009 Texas A&M University "Beef 101 Seminar."
Erica Holland-Toll, executive chef, Ducca Restaurant in San Francisco, was
honored with the People's Choice Award, receiving one paid registration to the
2009 Culinary Institute of America's Worlds of Flavor International Conference
& Festival. Four additional first place winners each received $500 in cash
prizes.
Details of all chef challenge winners can be found at: www.BeefCookOff.org.
About the National Beef Cook-Off
The National Beef Cook-Off(R) is a Beef Checkoff Program that began in 1974 as
an annual contest and changed to a biennial contest in 1993. The Cook-Off is
managed and coordinated by the American National CattleWomen, Inc.
During its 35-year history, the Cook-Off has received accolades and the
support of many notable culinary experts. The National Beef Cook-Off(R) is
considered to be among the top three cooking contests in the nation.
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