Garden Guide Recipe Contest Winners

Enter the 2024 Garden Guide Recipe Contest!

Announcing the 2024 Garden Guide Recipe contest! This year, enter recipes that use PEARS. 

2023 Carrot Recipe Contest Winners

First Prize: Delectable Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
by Donna-Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts

Second Prize: Creamy, Crunchy Vegetable Bake
by Elizabeth Jahn, Lee Center, Illinois

Third Prize: Carrot Cups With Spinach Cream
by Karen Burkett, Colorado Springs, Colorado

2022 Peach Recipe Contest Winners

First Prize: Blackened Shrimp With Spicy Peach Mango Salsa
by Julie Love, Port St. Lucie, Florida

Second Prize: French Peaches
by Candy Barnhart, Makawao, Hawaii

Third Prize: Summer Peach and Gorgonzola Pizza
by Lisa Hall, Johnson City, Tennesee

2021 Tomato Recipe Contest Winners

First Prize: Tomato-Sesame Bagel Galette
by Kristin Powers, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Second Prize: Savory Summertime Tomato Bread Pudding
by Robert Kabakoff, Chicago, Illinois

Third Prize: Greek Salad-Style Stuffed Tomatoes
by Margee Berry, White Salmon, Washington

2020 Sweet Potato Recipe Contest Winners

First Prize: Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Spicy Crema
by Bonnie Aeschliman, Collierville, Tennessee

Second Prize: Savory Sweet Potato Flatbread
by Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

Third Prize: Maple Basil Sweet Potato, Pear, and Glazed Pecan Salad
by Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania

2019 Strawberries Recipe Contest Winners

First Prize: Strawberry Basil Bites
by Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

Second Prize: Strawberry Mango Salsa
by Andrea Lagos, Lynchburg, Virginia

Third Prize: Roasted Strawberry Basil Balsamic Salad
by Amy Blom, Fort Collins, Colorado

2018 Peas Recipe Contest Winners

Garden-fresh peas add a beautiful green hue and texture to pastas, pesto, and more!

First Prize: Peas and Egg Fried Recipe
by Jessica Gerschitz of Jericho, New York

Second Prize: Green Pea Walnut Pesto
by Frances Wilner of Salisbury, Maryland

Third Prize: Papa’s Sugar Pea and Veggie Medley
by John Hoffman of Carnegie, Pennsylvania

2017 Butternut Squash Recipe Contest Winners

Butternut squash lends a sweet flavor, moistness, heartiness, and nutrition to many recipes from cakes to dips to pastas!

First Prize: Aunt Carol’s Holiday Chiffon Spice Cake
by Darlene Bueger of Peoria, Arizona

Second Prize: Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Dip
by Shauna Havey of Roy, Utah

Third Prize: Butternut Squash With Penne and Sausage
by Sue Fine of Reisterstown, Maryland

2016 Apple Recipe Contest Winners

Our first prize winner is an easy and delicious recipe that’s perfect for lunch after apple picking or visiting your local farmers’ market.

First Prize: Smoked Turkey and Green Apple Panini
by Allison Zimmer of Hilton, New York

Second Prize: Nebraska Apple Cake
by Dorothy Rieke of Julian, Nebraska

Third Prize: Roman Apple Bundt Cake with Penuche Drizzle
by Lori McLain of Denton, Texas

2015 Potato Recipe Contest Winners

Who doesn’t love a hearty meal of potatoes? These recipes are all sure to satisfy your craving for this yummy staple. Our first prize winner is a fun twist on mashed potatoes.

First Prize: Stuffed Mashed Potatoes
by Gina Kleinmartin, Buffalo, New York

Second Prize: Hash Brown Roundup
by JoAnne Cameron, Comox, British Columbia

Third Prize: Eggless Potato Salad
by L. Jones-Hodge, Morrisville, North Carolina

2014 Berry Recipe Contest Winners

Our first-prize winner is a simple recipe that’s delicious as a side dish with pork, beef, or chicken. It can also be served on top of plain pasta.

First Prize: Blueberry-Kidney Bean Salad With Fresh Vegetables
by Oscar Righetti, Bracebridge, Ontario

Second Prize: Strawberry Walnut Bread With Strawberry Spread
by Katie Mae, Guilderland, New York

Third Prize: Celebration Pear-Berry Pie
by Amy Freeze, Avon Park, Florida

2013 Zucchini Recipe Contest Winners

Even if it’s not zucchini season (when we’re inundated with the harvest!), this vegetable is a staple in the grocery store. Here are some creative ways to eat zucchini:

First Prize: Zucchini Mock Crab Cakes
by Peter Scallantino, Dallastown, Pennsylvania

Second Prize: Apple Zucchini Slaw
by Barbara Dentoni, Felton, California
 

Third Prize: Lemon Zucchini Orzo Summer Soup
by Jessica Kleinbaum, Plant City, Florida

Honorable Mention: Hasty-Tasty Stuffed Zucchini
by Tyrrell Hunter, Brunswick, Maine

2012 Tomato Recipe Contest Winners

Though tomatoes are almost always in the grocery store, there’s nothing like a vine-fresh tomato off the plant. Here are some recipes using America’s favorite crop:

First Prize: Triple Tomato Tortellini Toss
by Roxanne Chan, Albany, California

Second Prize: Fire Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
by Kristen Thomas-Vaticano, Port St. Lucie, Florida

Third Prize: Tomato Spice Quick Bread
by Brenda Radella, Cranberry, Pennsylvania