MINNEAPOLIS, MN – General Mills is inviting creative Latina cooks to share some of their very special recipes by participating in a new online cooking contest: La Receta De Mi Cocina (My Kitchen’s Recipe).
“La Receta De Mi Cocina is a contest that celebrates creativity and tradition in the kitchen,” said Ursula Mejia-Melgar, editor of Que Rica Vida, General Mills’ popular Spanish-language lifestyle magazine and website. “The winning recipes will not necessarily be complex or time consuming; more likely, they will be modernized versions of much-loved traditional dishes, redesigned for the busy Latina mom who loves to cook. Recipes can range from main courses and side dishes to desserts, with each entry using at least one of Que Rica Vida’s 14 priority brands, plus additional ingredients and serving ideas.”
The 14 QRV priority brands include Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Bisquick, Yoplait, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper, Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, Nature Valley, Progresso, Tostino’s Pizza Rolls, Fiber One, GoGurt and Lucky Charms.
Three grand finalists will be selected at the conclusion of the contest, which ends Jan. 31, 2010. One of the final three will be named Grand Prize Winner by a panel of professionals from General Mills’ iconic Betty Crocker Kitchens. The lucky winner will receive a complete dining room makeover including a new dining room table, dining chairs and area rug, plus an elegant set of china and silverware for eight. In addition, the Grand Prize winner will receive a trip to General Mills headquarters in Minneapolis, where they will receive a personal tour of the famous Betty Crocker Kitchens, and its Cocina Hispana, in the company of Executive Chef Adriana Amione. The second and third finalists will each be awarded checks for $500.
“Que Rica Vida not only is interested in recipes entries, but also in knowing what our consumers think about them,” Mejia-Melgar said. “That’s why we’ve created the monthly ‘People’s Choice Award,’ which will take place the first three months of the contest.”
Each month, visitors to the website will be invited to vote for the recipe they feel best meets contest judging criteria for taste, creativity and ease of preparation. Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, three monthly “People’s Choice” winners will receive Que Rica Vida gift baskets valued at approximately $100, each. Monthly winners remain eligible for the Grand Prize awards, she said.