This is it!  The announcement of our February Members-Only “Breakfast and Brunch” recipe contest winner!

Drumroll please…

Congratulations to Ally Phillips for her “Buttermilk Blueberry ‘Scookies’ with Mixed Berry Sauce!”

What is a ‘scookie’ you might ask?  It is the genius hybrid of a scone and a cookie.  (Our judges said this is totally the new cronut!)

Let’s hear from our winner and find out more about how she came up with this creative recipe.

How did you come up with your winning recipe?

My middle son, Andrew, went to and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point.  My bestie WP Mom, Lin, who’s son, Drew, was also in the class of 2003, and I developed this ‘mom love affair’ via thousands of emails over the course of the next about ten years. Lin and I went through so so so much together, happy times and many many dark scary times, over the course of our sons’ grueling work through West Point and as both of our boys (brave officer soldiers) were both twice deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. During the course of these 10+ years, Lin and I saw each other face-to-face only three times–when Andrew married, when Drew married and when Lin came to stay with me in Colorado for a WP Moms long long weekend. Of course, Lin knows I love to cook, and I wanted to pamper her with special things–these ‘scookies’ were just one of the recipes that have her name written all over them. Whether we were having morning coffee with scookies, wine in the evening or just late night jammies and reminiscing, we were so blessed, relieved and thankful to have our boys home–safe on American soil–still both soldiers serving in the United States Army & Army Reserves. (Note: As of this writing, Drew is back in Iraq.)

What other recipes do you like to make for breakfast or brunch?

Probably one of my most favorite and easiest recipes to make for brunch is Shakshuka. I do individual skillet servings and serve with lots of wonderful crusty hot bread. The recipe for my version of Shakshuka, which I first experienced as ‘street food’ in Jerusalem, is in my new cookbook, Ally’s Kitchen~A Passport for Adventurous Palates!

Do you have any plans for the prize and bonus prize money?  

I am ecstatic to win the Le Creuset!  These products, which I also coveted (and drooled over!) while recently at the International Housewares Association Show in Chicago, are just fabulous for cooking. I have one piece, and now that piece is going to have siblings!! Yeeehawww!  Believe me, my Le Creuset pieces will be written into my will–yes, they’re that special! And, the bonus money, will be a nice excursion to The Fresh Market! 

Do you have an award-winning tips or recipe contest advice?

Do I have award-winning tips and recipe contest advice!  Yes, I’ve written so many blogs about this, and it is more skill and strategy than luck, on my website. Cooking competitions are more than just coming up with something that your family loves to eat, you have to have know the territory. Live cooking competitions are vastly different from online/paper entry contests. Different companies have different requirements.  To get some great advice, just check out my winning tips at www.allyskitchen.com. Maybe you’ll pick up a few ideas! 

Please follow the link below to view or print the recipe:

Buttermilk Blueberry Scone Cookies (Scookies) with Mixed Berry Sauce