And the winner is… Leah Stacey of Montgomery, AL! Leah and her savory Bacon and Green Onion Breakfast Tart have come out on top of the Just A Pinch Rise ‘n’ Shine Breakfast Challenge. The Crew and I faced quite a challenge of our own in narrowing down all of the amazing recipes. Our contests just keep getting bigger, and we couldn’t be happier. So many recipes, so many delicious options!
Leah is no stranger to Just A Pinch contests; she received an Honorable Mention in the Family Holiday Traditions contest for her wonderful Mama’s Buttermilk Pie recipe. She continues to wow us with her creative twists on solid dishes. This delicious Bacon and Green Onion Breakfast Tart is no exception.
“I found this recipe a long time ago and changed it up a bit,” explains Leah. “It is very good and full of great flavor. I love the smokiness of the bacon and the tanginess of the cheese. It sounds fancy but it is really easy to make!”
In fact, Leah makes her tasty tart recipe even more accessible by offering up an optional alternative to using mascarpone cheese. If you’re unable to find the cheese at your grocery store, just combine four ounces of cream cheese, one tablespoon of sour cream and two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. You will have a delicious (and easy) substitution that still delivers on flavor.
The contest judging was a joy… but boy, was it tough! Each recipe finalist was sampled by the Crew and judged for presentation, ease of preparation, originality and flavor. As always, the judging was done blindly, without knowledge of who submitted which recipe. In the end, the winner was unanimous as were these deserving Honorable Mentions:
Lemon-Cream Brunch Croissants with Maple-Blueberry Syrup
“This can be made ahead for a delicious birthday brunch or for Mother’s day. It’s easy to make but a nicely complex flavor and texture combination.” – Jess Grearson, Falmouth, ME
Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
“This is a family favorite. It’s really for breakfast but it’s good enough for a dessert!” – Roberta Broussard, Pflugerville, TX
24 Hour Wine and Cheese Omelet
“It’s so easy to put together and ready to pop in the oven the morning.” – Susan Simons, Roy, WA
Surprise Monkey Bread
“This is very yummy and gooey! Great for breakfast or snack.” – Lisa Allen, Alabama
Giant Danish
“My husband loves the apple pie filling version and my favorite is strawberry. The beauty of this recipe is that any pie filling can be used and it always tastes great!” – Teresa Jacobson, Jacksonville, FL
Congratulations to all of these terrific cooks! We sure are looking forward to the upcoming “Rise ‘n’ Shine” Blue Ribbon Showcase where Leah will get to prepare her winning dish alongside me and the Crew in front of a live studio audience! It’s sure to be an extravaganza of breakfast goodies. As part of her Grand Prize, Leah will also receive a trip for two to Nashville, limo service, a night on the town and a $1,000 dream shopping spree at the Viking Kitchen Store… the ultimate cook’s playground.
Want a chance at winning? Be sure to enter your favorite recipes in the Just A Pinch “Grill & WIN!” contest. We’re accepting entries now and have the grill all fired-up and ready to go. Show us what you’ve got cookin’ and you could be the next winner!