Recipe to Riches…eat NOW…then vote!!!

So here’s the thing…everyone needs to eat! Like…right away!

Then…you have until Sunday to vote for your favourite dish because the thing is…the last finalist for Recipes to Riches was chosen Wednesday night…so, that leaves you until Sunday to vote for your favourite recipe. The winning entry will walk away with the grand prize of TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS and they’re counting on your votes!!!

Luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to test each entry and here’s my run down:

First week…the Mini Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate cups by Jesse Meredith. I ate EVERY SINGLE ONE directly from the freezer with a massive smile on my face. They combined my three favourite things…chocolate, cheesecake and raspberries! Such a treat and definitely worth a vote if you’re a lover of desserts as I am. The chocolate was perfect, the cheesecake was perfect…the raspberry was perfect. I have no idea what they taste like if you actually followed the instructions and let them defrost for a few minutes…but straight from the freezer, trust me…PERFECT!

Second week…Jammin’ Jamaican Lobster Bisque by Winslow Taylor, which was holy freaking awesome happiness! Honestly, it tasted like something you’d order in a restaurant and totally cleared out my sinuses! I loved the butternut squash and coconut flavours and while I could probably have enjoyed a few extra pieces of lobster, it was honestly super delicious! The hotness surprised me…but for someone who’s not a lover of hot food, it truly was enjoyable and the tastes came right through the hot!

Third week…Grandpas Acadian Meat Pie by Alcide Desveaux. This was AMAZING! Trust me here…flaky pastry, moist pork and chicken in the middle. It tasted wonderful and served with a salad, was the perfect meal for my family. My kids quite enjoyed it as well (I’m sure they would have enjoyed the first two as well but, well…I didn’t let them have any cheesecake…and the bisque was a single serving!) This was an absolutely easy…toss in the oven and serve your kids a great meal…delicious supper!

Fourth week…Italian Lollipops by Elisa Hendricks. I hate to admit, these weren’t my fav. Made with Friulano cheese and Mortadella, then breaded with cornmeal, parmesan and parsley…myself and Spider-Man were super excited to try them but sadly, a little disappointed. The cheese was great…the breading was great…but the meat inside didn’t quite cut it for me. But PLEASE don’t go by what I’m saying as not everything I like would be something you’d like! (For reference…I’m not a fan of Sushi…and everyone thinks I’m nuts!!) Honestly, try them yourself and see what you think!

Fifth week…Mexi Mac ‘n’ Cheese Bites by Cyra Belbin. So…here’s the thing, picture someone taking the best creamy mac and cheese you ever had in your life…and then add jalapeno peppers to spice it up to just the right amount of heat…then add a crispy wheat and corn bread on the outside making them perfect bite sized pieces of…OMG THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!! Everyone has to try these! PLUS, the woman who made them is from Newfoundland and lives in my neighbourhood which essentially means that we’re living parallel lives except for the fact that she can cook…and I can’t!

My final opinion and vote (but again, try everything yourself this weekend and vote for the one YOU love best)…well, when this all started, I was pretty sure I was voting for the Mini Cheesecakes…but then, the Lobster Bisque captured my attention…even though they were totally different! Then…Grandpas meat pie had me in a three-way tie as I loved the way it made an easy and delicious meal…but honestly, I love dessert so I was back to sneaking cheesecake out of the freezer and swaying my vote to dessert. And then…the mac ‘n’ cheese bites won. For me, they were something entirely new…absolutely delicious…awesome, fabulous, bite-sized pieces of joy.

Head out and pick up all of the products available at Atlantic Superstore, nofrills, Dominion and Save Easy locations in Atlantic Canada. Then, vote for your favourite recipe by visiting www.cbc.ca/recipetoriches until March 30th @11:59pm. Then, watch Recipe to Riches on CBC, Wednesday, April 2 at 9pm ET to see who walks away with $250,000!!!

Disclaimer: Thanks to President’s Choice for dropping off these treats to me every week! It was a pleasure to be involved. Opinions are my own.