This is just a quick quick post — I’ll be back for real much later tonight — to express how excited I am to be the host of this week’s Blogger Secret Ingredient contest!! HUGE thanks to Biz at Biggest Diabetic Loser for bestowing this honor upon me :-).
In case you’re not familiar with the BSI contest, I am going to announce a (not so) secret ingredient, and you get to create an original recipe starring that ingredient. You can enter the contest by (1) posting the recipe and photos on your blog and emailing the link to me at talesofexpansion@gmail.com OR (2) if you don’t have a blog, by emailing the recipe and photos to me to post for you. The deadline for this contest is this Sunday, February 1, 2009. I will announce the winner of the contest (and of a marvelous to-be-determined prize) on Monday, February 2.
I’m still trying to come up with a good prize, but in the meantime, I wanted to give you all a heads up on the ingredient. So, enough rambling. The ingredient is …
DATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We all love dates (especially Medjool, mmmm) as snacks just as they are, but I’m looking for creative and innovative ways to work them into more substantial meals and side dishes. (And if you don’t know what a date is, allow Wikipedia to help you.) So put your cooking caps on, and let’s see what you can come up with!
Entries:
I’ll be keeping a running list of submissions here as the contest goes on so we can all keep track.
- Submitted 1/27 by ttfn300 at Tri to Cook: Butternut Squash & Date Puree
- Submitted 1/28 by Meghann at The Inner Workings of a College Graduate: Perfectly Portioned for One Roasted Eggplant, Date, & Kale Curry
- Submitted 1/29 by Denise at Denise’s Kitchen: Pork Candy (aka Stuffed Dates with Goat Cheese & Prosciutto
- Submitted 1/31 by Brandi at Bran Appétit: Barley Date Pudding
- Submitted 2/1 by Kate: Mystery Date Muffins
- Submitted 2/1 by Emily at Sheila Moon/Big Swingin’ Cycles Team: Powdered Sugar Coated Date, Walnut, & Butter Balls
- Submitted 2/1 by Vani at Fit for Free: Whole-Wheat Coffee Cake Muffins with Date-Nut Streusel
- Submitted 2/1 by Victoria at The Idle Loaf: Banana Date Coffee Cake
- Submitted 2/1 by Kath at Kath Eats Real Food: Blue Cheese, Date, & Pecan Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Submitted 2/1 by Tina at Carrots ‘N’ Cake: Oatmeal Date Cookies
- Submitted 2/1 by Biz at Biggest Diabetic Loser: Date Wontons
- Submitted 2/1 by Andrea at Bella Eats: Peanut Butter Date Blondies
- Submitted 2/1 by my mom: Date, Feta, & Toasted Nut Stuffed Butternut Squash
Tales of Expansion: Baby Butternut Edition 
Oh, good idea! I’ll spread the word on my dinner post tonight!
LikeLike
What an honor!!!! Call me if you need an unofficial taste-tester. 🙂
LikeLike
DATES?! I JUST bought some. I need to work on that =]
LikeLike
aw man, i am out of town for the rest of the week, so I won’t get to try something new. but i did post a butternut puree sweetened with dates awhile back…
http://blogurl.info/8tc3
LikeLike
Oh I love dates! I am going to hace to think about this one. 😀
LikeLike
I am SO excited about dates!!!! YAY!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Check out my blog! I have a recipe for you! 🙂
LikeLike
How in the world do people have recipes in already?! I’ve got to get cracka lackin!
LikeLike
Hi Sarah — It’s Emily’s friend Denise 🙂 I have a post from about a year ago on appetizers that includes a recipe for Pork Candy (a.k.a. Stuffed Dates with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto). Here you go!
http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2008/02/23/best-supporting-meal/
LikeLike
So exciting! It’s like blogger Iron Chef 🙂
LikeLike
my entry is posted!
LikeLike
where it is posted would help!
http://cxteam.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Sarah – the link to the recipe isn’t working. have a look!
LikeLike
Sarah – I posted my recipe tonight! Can’t wait for the results!!! 🙂
LikeLike