Recipe enthusiasts from across the country put their culinary skills to the test and created over 1,000 original recipes with pecans, walnuts or almonds for the 3rd annual "My Fresh Twist" recipe contest. After several rounds of judging, Fisher nuts and celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli are proud to announce the winning recipe - Banana Orange Flaugnarde with Toasted Walnut Caramel Citrus Sauce, submitted by Susan Bickta of Kutztown, PA. 

Fisher invited consumers to submit original recipes featuring nuts at www.myfreshtwist.com for a chance to win a grand prize trip for two to New York City to meet Guarnaschelli.  A panel of judges selected the top twenty finalists, and from there Fisher fans had the opportunity to vote for their favorites online. Chef Guarnaschelli then selected the winning recipe from the top three fan favorites. Recipes were judged based on their originality, taste, visual appeal and integration of nuts.

"Susan really impressed me with her tropical twist on a traditional clafouti," said Guarnaschelli. "The use of the bananas and orange zest, instead of the traditional flaugnarde fruits, took this dessert to the next level and really showcased Susan's creativity. I also loved that she topped the dish with a unique caramel, citrus sauce to complement the toasted walnuts."

Flaugnarde is a baked French dessert with a thick, flan-like batter that can be served either warm or cold. Similar to clafoutis, which is traditionally made with sweet, black cherries, a flaugnarde can be made with peaches, plums, berries, apples, pears, or other fruits.

"It is quite an honor to be selected as the winner, especially knowing that Chef Alex helped pick the winning recipe," said "My Fresh Twist" recipe contest winner, Susan Bickta, "My sister and my 92 year old mother are my biggest cheerleaders so they were thrilled to hear the exciting news."