Sonoma, Here Sarah Comes!

In the world of contest cooking there is a handful of "biggies" that most contesters strive to attend. One of these contests is the National Beef Cook-Off which is held every two years. This year will be the 28th time this contest has been held. The contest selects the best beef recipe in all the US. I've been submitting entries to National Beef for probably 12 years now and have never been selected as a finalist. This year is no different -- for me. However, it's completely a different story for my daughter!!!

Yesterday our phone rang with news that Sarah has been selected as one of 5 teen finalists for the 2009 National Beef Cook-Off in Sonoma, CA!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!? She will be competing not only against the four other teens but 10 adults as well. In the teen division there will be one $5,000 2nd place prize and one $10,000 first place prize. Then, overall one of the 15 finalists will be chosen as the grand prize winner and will bring home $25,000!!!

Right now we cannot release any information about her recipe, but as soon as we are given the "okay" to do so, we'll be sure to let everyone know. Suffice it to say that she'll be making her recipe TONS of times between now and Sept. 23.

Because she's a minor the contest is paying for her and one parent to fly to San Francisco, hotel for four days and three nights, plus food and other expenses. Kevin was actually scheduled to be giving a paper presentation in Florida during this time, but he's arranging for another author to present the paper all three of us can be there to watch our little girl in her very first cook-off!

To say Sarah is on Cloud 9 would be the understatement of the year! We couldn't be more proud of her!!!!