Cooking to be Healthy and Wealthy

It’s back — the 2013 National Beef Cook-Off. And we’re calling on home cooks to get the creative juices flowing.

This year’s contest theme is “Making the Most of MyPlate*,” which will encourage delicious, healthy recipes from a variety of food groups. Entrants are asked to develop original and tasty beef-focused recipes that include broadly appealing ingredients from the fruit and vegetable, grain products and dairy products groups.

The contest runs from Jan. 15 to April 15, 2013. Home cooks can submit their best beef recipes online at www.beefcookoff.org for a chance to win $25,000 and a trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C.

*The MyPlate initiative is led by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion and is designed to help consumers make better food choices.