Want to run NYC Marathon? Asics NYC Marathon Bib #giveaway

What is your biggest accomplishment? Mine was running my first marathon, at one of the most prestigious races - the 2013 NYC Marathon. I had no idea how fortunate I was when my name was drawn at the 2013 lottery. I had to hear over and over again how "lucky" I was, while others questioned if my blog helped (that made me laugh as I am, nor will ever be that big of a blogger). While I know luck was involved, I really felt like it was meant to be my first.

I signed up for the lottery with a lot of wine educed encouragement from my friend Darlynn. Two months later, I received the notification that I would be running running the 2013 NYC Marathon. A few months after that, I crossed the finish line in Central Park, to become a marathoner in my favorite city.

It was an amazing cold and wet day. Coming across the Queensboro bridge into Manhattan to find a sea of thousands of spectators was the most amazing experience of my life - regardless of how tired I was at mile 16 after crossing very high bridges. I smiled the entire time and I would never trade that experience. It is my dream to run NYC again and one day, I hope to run it with my future husband and/or best friend.

For those who wish to run NYC and didn't get in this year, here is your chance. Asics is hosting an amazing contest, giving away two official entries into the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon along with an ASICS gift pack valued at $500 to each winner. Speaking of Asics gear, I just received the Asics Gel Nimbus 16 Lite Show for review (they glow in the dark!). I am looking forward to reporting back on them in a few weeks!

Two Grand Prize Winners
Two lucky individuals will each win one official entry into the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon. Winners will also receive an ASICS gift pack including ASICS shoes and apparel valued at $500 retail.

Sweepstakes Dates
The Sweepstakes beings at 12:00:01 AM ET on Sunday July 13, 2014 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on Friday August 1, 2014. Be sure and share with your running partner because two winners are going to win.

Click here to enter the contest and best of luck!

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2014 runDisney Medals

Here is a full listing of the remaining 2014 runDisney medals.

2014 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend medals, November 14-16 2014

Here are the very anticipated inaugural Avengers Half Marathon weekend medals. The 5K and kids medals feature the Hulk and other Avengers. The Half Marathon medal has the Avengers logo. To be honest, I was expecting a little more out of the half medal but before I judge it, I am interested to see what it looks like in person. All events are sold out for this weekend.

runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, November 7-8 2014

I must admit, I am really jealous over the Wine and Dine Half Marathon medal and I am kicking myself right now for not signing up before it sold out. While it is an anniversary medal (it spins!), I didn't expect this race to sell out so quickly. Depending on how much we spend on the honeymoon, I may try to run this with a charity group. The Jingle Jungle 5K and Kids Races are still open for registration.

runDisney Tower of Terror 10 miler weekend, October 3-4 2014

Hello glow in the dark Halloween lovelies! While I have ran the Tower of Terror 10 miler, the Happy Haunted 5K is the only runDisney race I haven't completed in FL. And the medal glows in the dark. I will be in Europe during this event so I couldn't sign up when it was time to register. There 5K and 10 miler are both sold out but there is still room for the kids races.

2014 Disneyland Half Marathon / Dumbo Double Dare, August 28-31, 2014

I really really really wanted to go out to California this year and get my coast to coast medal while running the Dumbo Double Dare. Yet this event is 3 weeks before our wedding and I could not justify it financially. Dumbo Double Dare is always a quick sell out and I know this race will be in my future. How cute are the medals this year!? My friend Tara is a HUGE Lilo and Stitch fan and will croak when she sees these. All events are sold out for this weekend.

Disney Fit Challenge, September 26-28 2014

And finally, the Disney Fit Challenge, which is not a runDisney event, will take place the weekend of my wedding, September 26-28, testing athletes speed, strength, skill, endurance, balance and power. This event is still open for registration.

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Breakfast Sushi with Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Frappe #MyGoodLife

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyGoodLife #CollectiveBias

I made a super easy breakfast sushi and a vanilla caramel macchiato frappe, which we devoured. Before I tell you about the recipe, I wanted to make mention as to why I haven't been as active on my blog. My life has been pretty nuts over the last few months - but in a positive way. We have had multiple family gatherings, birthdays, bridal showers, friends weddings, bacherlorette parties and coming up this weekend, a family reunion in Maine! Plus our wedding is less than 2 months away.


For the first time in 3 years, I took an unconscious week off from blogging. This had a lot to do with my bacherlorette party, which I returned home from on Sunday. The girls took me on a cruise and we had an amazing time. I reflected many times over the trip how lucky I am to have these beautiful ladies in my life. My abs literally hurt from laughing so much over 3 days. This was truly what I needed.

When we got home yesterday, I literally unpacked my suitcase just to repack it. My family and I leave on Thursday for our family reunion in Maine. My uncles house is my favorite place on earth and I look forward to sharing our memories with you when we get home next week.  I am really sad that my fiance will not be joining us this year. He started a new job 6 months ago and due to the destination wedding and Europe honeymoon, he doesn't have the extra time off. I told him not to worry, I will eat all the lobster for him :)

So back to the breakfast sushi and Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Frappe! When we woke up the day after returning back from my bacherlorette party, I wanted something easy yet delicious. This hit both of those categories and was a lot of fun.

Breakfast Sushi
STOUFFER'S® Morning Classics, 8-9 oz. (sausage & egg scramble)
Flour Burrito Wrap
Hot Sauce of choice for dipping (alternatively you can use syrup)

Heat the STOUFFER'S® breakfast scramble according to directions on package. Meanwhile warm up your burrito wrap on a hot skillet, flipping every 30 seconds - careful not to let it burn or get crispy. Once the scramble has cooked, fill your wrap up and roll - searing the edge where the shell ends. Cut like a sushi roll and serve with hot sauce or syrup.

Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Frappe
1 tablespoon NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® Liquid Coffee Creamer Classic Vanilla
1 tablespoon NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® Liquid Coffee Creamer Caramel Macchiato
1 serving NESCAFÉ® TASTER'S CHOICE® Instant Coffee
Whipped cream for topping

Prepare the NESCAFÉ® TASTER'S CHOICE® according to package instructions. Let it cool slightly. In a blender, mix the creamers, coffee and 10 ice cubes. Blend until frothy. Top with whipped topping.

I found all of the products mentioned above at Walmart Supercenter in Brandon, FL. FYI The Stouffers was a bit hard to locate as it was not in the breakfast section of the freezer, instead it was located with the rest of the Stouffers products. 

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Personalized Bacherlorette Cruise Items on a Budget

THREE DAYS UNTIL WE SET SAIL! #CRUISINGCARNIVAL

Anyone who has had the chance to travel with me knows how crazy I am when it comes to trip planning. I literally go on vacation with an agenda, broken down by day and hour (clothing options included). While it drives my fiance crazy, I have friends who appreciate it.

If you saw my honeymoon themed bridal shower post, you are already aware of how creative my wedding party is. Once we decided (after some coercion from me) on a cruise for the bacherlorette party (on the Carnival Sensation), the planning began at full speed and they let me help vs keeping everything a secret.

Cover-ups were purchased from Amazon & Sears - U.S. Polo Assn. Women's Striped Cover Up with Braided Sholder Straps, theirs in navy and mine in pink. The ones from Sears were $10 and Amazon was $16. Luckily, only two were purchased at the higher price. I purchased beach towels from Target for $5 each and had my future mother in law embroider our names on the bottom of them.

We got hats and bags, personalizing them with iron-on and stick-on letters. The bags were $2 each and since Keri was unsure of how the material would handle the iron on letters, she purchased an extra as a tester. She used low heat and a damp cloth between the iron and bag - they came out great. The captain  hats were were on clearance at the time for $2 each. The brims are plastic so we were able to just stick the letters on. We wanted to put Capt. Bride for mine, Brides Mates for my wedding party and Brides Crew for Catherine but we didn't have enough letters. Bride and Mates were the final product.

Before the cruise was even booked, we bought Anchor Necklaces from Forever 21 for less than $6.00 each. They didn't have enough for all of us to match, so we got half red and half navy.

I know there are other surprises but here is the hull for now. Keri also got cups from Etsy but I have not seen them in person. She paid $8 each for the personalized cups. From the photos she sent me, I can tell they have our names and an anchor on them.

The total we spent for personalized bacherlotette cruise items are:
Embroidered Towels: $30
Beach Cover Ups: $80
Captain Hats w/ lettering: $16
Personalized Anchor Bags: $14
Anchor necklaces: $24

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Loews Don CeSar Hotel celebrates National Ice Cream Month with Sundae Brunch #recipe

My friend Jennifer writes about national food holiday's, posting a minimum of one recipe a day (sometimes up to 3, depending on the day!). I have enjoyed following her journey over the past 8 months and love all the different daily food holidays. Food holiday's are fun.....but what about an entire month dedicated to one food? July is National Ice Cream Month and Loews Don CeSar in St Pete Beach is celebrating in a big way with a new dessert, only available this month called "Sundae Brunch".

View from the Sea Porch Restaurant at Loews Don Cesar

Chef Kenny Hunsberger of Don CeSars Sea Porch Restaurant created a unique twist on the classic ice cream sundae. Featuring Praline Pecan Waffles, Candied Bacon Dust, Bourbon Maple Syrup, Mascarpone and Java Ice Cream. During my visit to Don CeSar last month, I was introduced to "bacon dust" - you have to try it for yourself - #amazing.

The Sundae Brunch dessert is offered daily in The Sea Porch Restaurant for just $10 each. For information on the Sea Porch and other Loews Don CeSar dining options visit www.loewshotels.com/doncesar. Make sure you take advantage of their seasonal room rates, starting from $219 per night. Recipe

Loews Don CeSar Sundae Brunch Recipe
Praline Pecans
2 cup Pecans
1⁄2 cup Light Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
Combine all ingredients and spread evenly on a silpat or baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until pecans are dry and crystalized.

Candied Bacon Dust
12 strips Thin Sliced Bacon
1⁄4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1⁄4 tsp Black Pepper
Lay bacon slices on a silpat or baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Combine brown sugar and pepper and thoroughly coat each slice of bacon. Bake at 300 degrees until bacon is crisp. Cool completely before removing from pan. Place bacon in a food processor or spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.

Bourbon Maple Syrup
2 cups Maple Syrup
1⁄2 cup Bourbon
2 Tbsp Butter
Place syrup and bourbon in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Waffle Batter
2 each Eggs
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1-3/4 cup milk
1⁄2 cup Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder
1⁄4 tsp Salt
1⁄2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Preheat Waffle Iron. Beat eggs in a large bowl with hand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spray preheated waffle iron with nonstick spray. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. Sprinkle liberally with ground praline pecans before closing. Cook until golden brown.

To Assemble
Place 1⁄4 waffle in center of plate. Top with one scoop of your favorite coffee ice cream. Place a spoonful of Mascarpone atop the ice cream and top with another 1⁄4 waffle. Drizzle entire dish with the bourbon maple syrup and sprinkle liberally with bacon dust.

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Italian Wedding Soup Recipe, al fresco and Columbia Crest Winery Trip #giveaway

Although I live in FL and it's nearly 100 degrees out, it has also been raining nearly everyday this week - and rain makes me crave comfort food.

 I took on the challenge to Wine & Dine Better with Columbia Crest & al fresco sausage. Italian Wedding Soup was the first thing that came to mind. I love using al fresco's sweet chicken sausage in place of traditional pork sausage. Plus it is pre-cooked, so this meal is under 30 minutes to complete.

Ingredients
1 package al fresco sweet Italian sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 diced vidalia onion
3 diced carrots
2 stalks diced celery
2 boxes chicken stock
1/4 cup Columbia Crest Unoaked Chardonnay
1 cup uncooked Orzo Pasta
A few handfulls of baby spinach

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add the chicken stock and wine and bringing to a boil. Add Orzo and cook for 10 minutes. Add the sliced chicken sausage and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to your preference. Add the fresh spinach during the last minute of cooking, careful not to over cook it. Serve with a glass of cold Columbia Crest Unoaked Chardonnay.

Now for the giveaway(s). I am giving away quite a few prizes.....including the goodies shown above.
 a Rafflecopter giveaway
Grand Prize:
al fresco coupons for (2) free products
al fresco trivet
al fresco spatula
grilling brush
Columbia Crest wine opener and bottle stopper
Runner Up Prizes:
5 readers will win coupons for free al fresco products

All Expense Paid Trip to Columbia Crest Winery
Would you like a chance to win an ALL-EXPENSE PAID trip to the Columbia Crest Winery in Washington State? All you have to do is ‘Like’ al fresco on Facebook and submit the required form as directed!

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Energy on the go with Life Choice Nutrition Bars #BarNutrition

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone #BarNutrition #CollectiveBias

This past few months have been go-go-go for me and it wont get any better until October. On top of the extremely busy professional and personal life I am leading, Gabe and I are also back to marathon training. We have the Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon in January and I am 99% sure I will sign up for the 2015 Goofy Challenge at Disney (back to back consecutive Half & Full Marathon). High Protein snacks are playing a big part in our day to day lives. 

My normal breakfast consists of eating a protein bar or drinking a protein shake. It's quick, easy, filling and nutritious. When I leaned Life Choice Bars (exclusively found at Walmart) had a energy bar with protein, I had to try it out. Not only were the bars great (something rarely found in protein bars), they gave me the boost I need in the morning. I know one thing for certain - these bars will be accompanying me on the bacherlorette cruise next week!

The Life Choice energy bar is the perfect balance of protein, vitamins and minerals to get you through the morning or long workout. 7g of protein, 10g of whole grains, 4g of fiber and 9g of total fat, packed with an energy punch. I wish I had these with me during the 2013 NYC Marathon or the 2014 Dopey Challenge.

Just thinking about the amount of races I did from November 2013-March 2014 makes my head spin. In November, I had the NYC Marathon, runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon and Womens Half Marathon. In January, I ran the Dopey Challenge, 48.6 miles over 4 days (5K, 10K, Half, Full). In February I ran the runDisney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge, 19.3 miles over 2 days (Half, Full) & the Royal Family 5K the day before the challenge began. Finally in March, I ran the Sarasota Half Marathon relay. I have not ran anything past 3 miles since that day in March but that is about to change now that we are about to start training again.

You can find the Life Choice bars at your local Walmart, in the cereal aisle. I found them very easily at both the Tampa and Port Orange Walmart locations (seen below).

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2015 #PrincessHalf Weekend Registration Opens Today

At noon today, runDisney will open registration up for the 2015 Princess Half Marathon weekend. This is a fantastic running event which celebrates runners of all ages, sizes and speed at the place where "dream come true!".

The prices for the weekends events are as follows:
Disney Princess Enchanted 10K presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals $105
Disney Princess Half Marathon presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals $170
Disney Glass Slipper Challenge presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals $295
Disney Princess 5K presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals $50

2014 runDisney Princess Half Marathon

This will be the second year for the super popular Glass Slipper Challenge - 2 days of running with princesses - starting with the Disney Princess Enchanted 10K on Saturday and ending with the Disney Princess Half Marathon. All finishing participants will receive medals for both events, along with a special finishers medal to celebrate their multi-race achievement.

2014 Princess Half Marathon Weekend Medals (L-R Princess Half Marathon, Glass Slipper Challenge, Enchanted 10K and Royal Family 5K).

Check out my reviews from last years races and events during Princess Half Marathon Weekend:
Royal Family 5K
Enchanted 10K
Princess Half Marathon
Glass Slipper
Pasta in the Park
Race Retreat.

2014 runDisney Enchanted 10K

I have heard rumors of both the Kids races and Family Fun Run 5K being Frozen themed. Again - this is a rumor but if this is true, I expect to see a lot of Olaf's, Anna's and Elsas out there. The 2012 runDisney Royal Family 5K was my very first race. If you were considering signing up for your first race, this is the one I strongly suggest.

Disney Princess 5K 2014

In case you were wondering, Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland® Resort Early registration begins in a few weeks: Tuesday, August 6, 2014 at Noon Eastern Time. Those who complete both the Princess Half Marathon and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon will receive a special pink Coast to Coast medal!

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Cigar City Brewing comes to Carnival Cruise Lines

Nothing goes better together than sunshine, a boat and amazing beer and yesterday marked a huge day for Tampa's beer golden child - Cigar City Brewing. The very popular brewery who was named the 4th best brewery in the world by ratebeer.com will now be available on the Fun Ship. On July 13th, all of the 13 Florida based Carnival Cruise Ships will carry Cigar City Florida Cracker Belgian-Style White Ale and Cigar City Invasion Pale Ale. We leave on my bacherlorette cruise in 10 days and I will be consuming a few of Florida Crackers while relaxing at the pool.

We attended a private function aboard the Carnival Legend for the Cigar City / Carnival partnership announcement. This ship was amazing and I hope to visit the Carnival Legend again before she leaves Tampa and heads to Sydney. Once on board, we headed to the Red Frog Pub for some live music, appetizers and of course Cigar City Beer. This partnership makes perfect sense with the increasing popularity of craft beer. Last year, Florida's 66 small breweries produced 130,000 barrels (4.03 million gallons) of craft-brewed beer for an economic impact of $875.8 million, ranking the state 12th in the nation.

Carnival's Vice President of Beverage Operations Eddie Allen and Cigar City Brewing's National Sales Manager Joe Burns 

Carnival Cruise Lines has 13 Florida-based ships where you will find Cigar City Brewing, sailing three- to eight-day itineraries to the Caribbean, Mexico and The Bahamas. From Miami: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Glory, Carnival Victory and Carnival Splendor; From Port Canaveral: Carnival Sensation, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Liberty; From Fort Lauderdale: Carnival Freedom; From Tampa: Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend; From Jacksonville: Carnival Fascination.

PS - this marked my 700th post! I couldn't think of a better 700th :) 

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Hyatt Good Taste Series Culinary Competition, Florida Caribbean bracket #GoodTasteTampa

A few weeks ago, I had the honor to judge the Florida/Caribbean bracket of Hyatt’s inaugural Good Taste Series Culinary Competition at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay.  This competition featured 11 up-and-coming chefs from Hyatt hotels across Florida and the Caribbean competed for a chance to move onto Hyatt's National Good Taste competition in Hawaii. This was an amazing experience.

Guided by Hyatt’s global food and beverage philosophy: Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served., each competitor used local ingredients, regional influences and healthy options to prepare three plates: one breakfast item, a lunch or dinner entrée and a kid’s meal. 11 chefs, 3 courses = 33 dishes. I tried each one of these beautifully presented dishes and I am not responsible if you end up licking your screen after reading this post.

BREAKFAST

I must admit - I am not a breakfast person. Not that I dislike breakfast, I do love a great brunch. However, I find myself opting for a fast protein shake in the morning vs. a hearty sit down meal. My game face went on instantly when I learned we would start with 11 breakfast dishes, 10 of which contained eggs (belly, I am sorry). Thank goodness for the talented chefs who participated in the event. To this day, I have no idea how I made it through course one and I still cannot eat a runny egg.

Top Left: Free Range Pork Tamale by Donald Ellison, Hyatt Regency Miami
Top Right: Broiled Eggs, Bacon Marmalade, French Toast Croutons, Baked Farmers Vegetable by Abhay Nair, Hyatt Regency Trinadad
Bottom Left: "Scotch Egg": Rosy Tomorrow's Farm Egg, Scott Bonnet Sausage, Florida Calloloo Emulsion, Plantain 'Maxim' by Noel Willhite, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point
Bottom Right: Pulled Pork Hash and Eggs with Grilled Crostini, Peach Chutney and Fruit Ceviche by Peter Zemaitis, Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa (my favorite breakfast dish of the day)

Top Left: Roasted Poblano Pepper Stuffed with Chorizo, Corn and Black Beans Hash, Refried Pinto Beans, Chipotle Lime Hollandaise, Sunny Side Up Egg by Michael Chong, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
Top Right: Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Florida Whiskey Maple Syrup and Candied Pecans, Macerated Florida Peaches by Eric McBride, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Bottom Left: Baked Egg White Benedict, Gulf Blue Crab, Manchego Spinach, Corn, Canadian Bacon, Red Eye Hollandaise by Ian Goldman, Hyatt Regency Sarasota
Bottom Right: Blue Foot Puff, Organic Pork Sausage, Local Poached Egg by Cary Roy, Hyatt Regency Clearwater

Top Left: Corn Bread and Jalapeno Waffle with Crispy Organic Chicken, Collard Greens and Poached Egg with Yellow Heirloom Tomato Sauce by James Monahan, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville 
Top Right: Abuelita's Sweet Potato Hash, Sweet Potatoes, Green Peppers, Cilantro, Thyme and Cuban Soffrito by George Parra, Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
Bottom Left: Florida Breakfast Strata: Roasted Potato, Sweet Pepper, Asparagus and Gouda Cheese, Strata Heirloom Tomato Relish and Avocado Crema, Brioch Toast with Blueberry Lavender Jam by Raul Reveron, Hyatt Regency Orlando International 

LUNCH/DINNER

We did not take a break between breakfast and lunch. I was texting my Mom during this short transition, telling her there was no way I was going to make it through another 22 dishes. She kept responding that my life must be so hard, lol. The only comparison I have to my mental state at this point is running a full Marathon. While I had 11 dishes down, we had 22 to go and this was a chance to eat dishes from multiple talented chefs. Time to get with the program belly!

Top Left: Cumin Spiced Glazed Lamb Chops, Peppered Polenta, Emulsion of Carrot and Green Pea, Garden Vegetables by Abhay Nair, Hyatt Regency Trinadad
Top Right: Tri Colored Ceviches: Ecuadorian: Whole Shrimp Ceviche in a Concase Tomato Spicy Citrus Sauce with Chives and Malanga Chips; Mexican: Mahi Ceviche Strips, Green and Red Jalapeno, Cilantro, Hass Avocado and Tomatillo with Julienne Corned Chips; Peruvian: Diced Grouper Ceviche, Aji Amarillo Leche de Tigre, Peppers and Onions with Cancha Serrana by Donald Ellison, Hyatt Regency Miami
Bottom Left: Florida Chowder: St Augustine Royal Red Shrimp, Cedar Creek Clams, Heart of Palm "Scallops" Young Coconut "Calamari", Coconut Bacon Dashi, Black Garlic, Pablano, Yellow Carrot by Noel Willhite, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point (and in my opinion, the winning dish of the day - WOW)
Bottom Right: BBQ Key West Pink Shrimp, Roasted Mango Jalapeno Salsa, White Cheddar Hominy Grit Cake by Peter Zemaitis, Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa

Top Left: Spiced Diver Scallops, Thai Jumbo Lump Crab Salad, Roasted Peanut, Confited Shitake Mushrooms, Crispy Five Spice Bacon, Chili Vinaigrette, Green Onion Strings by Michael Chong, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
Top Right: Pork Parquetta, Cheddar Grits, Local Red Mustard Greens and a Red Wine Reduction by Eric McBride, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Bottom Left: Mote Marine Sturgeon 2 Way: Seared Sturgeon, Forbidden Black Rice, Citrus Vanilla Scented Foam, Surgeon Caviar, Broken Tomato Meringues by Ian Goldman, Hyatt Regency Sarasota
Bottom Right: Olive Oil Poached Local Hog Nose, Veracruz Style, Olive Ricotta, Cured Pork Jowl by Cary Roy, Hyatt Regency Clearwater

Top Left: Fried Green Tomato and Crab Cake "Sandwich", Roasted Tomato Jam, Mango Salsa, Baby Mustard Green Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette by James Monahan, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville 
Top Right: Paiche with Coconut Saffron and Heirloom Tomato Salad, Lime Dressing by George Parra, Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
Bottom Left: Coriander-Fennel Crusted Petite Filet of Beef and Pickled Royal Red Canaveral Shrimp, Sweet Plantain Spheres, Blood Orange Sabayon, Balsamic Reduction by Raul Reveron, Hyatt Regency Orlando International 

FOR KIDS BY KIDS

22 dishes to down, 11 to go. That is what I had to keep telling myself at this point. We were 2/3 the way through this amazing culinary journey. The kids menu was the talk of the day among the judges. What were they going to present us with? How many chicken fingers would we see? Towards the end of this course, my psycho phone died and some of my photos didn't save (oddly enough, ones that were deleted were not the last ones I took).

Top Left: Quinoa and Caramelized Apple Slider with Swiss Cheese on a Whole Grain Roll, Fruit Pearl Salsa and Honey Roasted Clusters of Seeds and Nuts by Abhay Nair, Hyatt Regency Trinadad
Top Right: Kid's Mock Sushi: Bean Sprout and Grilled Chicken, Spinach Wrap with Shrimp and Mango, Lemon-Ponzu Papaya Sauce by Donald Ellison, Hyatt Regency Miami
Bottom Left: Banana Waffle: Gluten Free, Whipped Strawberry Yogurt "Push Pop" (think Flintstones Pop), Fresh Fruit by Noel Willhite, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point
Bottom Right: Skewered Grape and Peanut Butter Powder, Peanut Butter Stick and Blueberry Gelee, Liquid Blueberry Ravioli with Peanut Butter Powder by Eric McBride, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (my favorite kids dish)

Top Left: Organic Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese Pops: Cheddar and Mozzarella, Hidden Serving of Vegetables, House Made Ketchup by Ian Goldman, Hyatt Regency Sarasota

Top Right: Make a Wish "Peanut Butter and Jelly" Cake by Cary Roy, Hyatt Regency Clearwater

Bottom Left: 7 Grain Whole Wheat French Toast, Strawberry-Blood Orange Compote, Peanut Butter Honey Syrup by James Monahan, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville

Bottom Right:  Cornflake Crusted Chicken Asparagus Bites: Baked Chicken Wrapped Asparagus Spears, Cornflake Crusted with Carrot Ribbons, accompanied by Honey Mustard, Sweet & Sour Ketchup and Blueberry BBQ by Raul Reveron, Hyatt Regency Orlando International 

Photos missing from the Kids for Kids by Kids section:

Kids Chicken and Waffle Slider, Maple Celoute, Grilled Fruit Skewers by Peter Zemaitis, Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa

Cheesy Turkey and Spinach Empanadas, House Mada Marinara, Crisp Kale Chips by Michael Chong, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay

"Fish Sticks" Plantain Crunch, Mahi, Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Mango-Banana Salsa by George Parra, Hyatt Regency Coral Gables

AND THE WINNER IS:

Congrats to Chef Noel Willhite of Hyatt Regency Coconut Point who was crowned the winner of the Florida-Caribbean bracket of Hyatt’s inaugural Good Taste Series Competition. He will advance to the national competition, taking place on November 4, 2014, at the Andaz Wailea Maui. Along with advancing to Hawaii, Chef Noel Willhite, received a Shun knife, a year subscription to the food magazine or cookbook of his choice, a $500 American Express gift card and an all-expense paid trip to the national competition. The final winner at the national competition will receive an additional week of vacation, paid travel and accommodations to the Hyatt destination of choice within the U.S., Canada or Caribbean as well as bragging rights until next year’s challenge.

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