While you're trying to decide between Aunt Bessie's fruitcake and Grandma's Christmas pudding (side note: never go with fruitcake), think about some friendly yuletide competition offered at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix Chocolate Dessert Recipe Contest.
The winner's recipe will be featured on the Compass Grill's February menu--an accolade that's sure to quiet your mother-in-law's disapproval.The contest is presented by Copper Square Kitchen, the Hyatt's off-premise catering arm, which serves at venues such as the Phoenix Art Museum, Desert Botanical Gardens and the Heard Museum.
Find out how to enter after the jump.
The contest will run until January 6th and entries can be submitted by snail mail or email. Three top recipes will be selected to compete in a live bake-off to be held at the Hyatt Regency. Recipes will be judged on the three criteria of taste, presentation and creativity by a panel of judges from Ollie Cakes, Urban Cookies, and Classic Cakes and Confections.
In addition to having the winning recipe featured on the February menu and highlighted on the Valentine's Day menu, the chocolate connoisseur with the best recipe will receive dinner for six at the Compass and three rooms for the night.
For those who simply couldn't pick just one chocolate creation to submit, the good news is you can submit as many recipes as you'd like. All submissions must include standard measurements, complete instructions, cooking time and temperatures, number of servings, size of pans and any special utensils or cookware and a photo.
And of course, recipes have to be your own. Paula Deen's coffee cream-filled cupcakes, though delicious, do not count.
For more information including the official rules check out the Copper Square Kitchen website.