One Treasured Comfort Food Dish Wins $10,000 Grand Prize In The Creamette® Pasta Comfort Food Recipe And Essay Contest

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- What makes you feel cozy and comforted while satisfying your craving for home? Christine's Simple Dinner Party Pasta, that's what. Today, Creamette® Pasta is thrilled to announce Christine C. from Pasadena, CA as the Grand Prize Winner of the Creamette Pasta Comfort Food Recipe and Essay Contest. After taking part in a nationwide online vote, Christine's dish stood out against the competition and claimed the top prize of $10,000 while the nine runners-up each received $500 for their comfort food dishes.

Inspired by her mother, Christine learned how to prepare traditional comfort food dishes at an early age. Her winning recipe combines hearty vegetables like kale and carrots, roasted chicken, garlic and zesty parmesan cheese with traditional Creamette Penne Rigate for a truly satisfying, heart-warming dish.

"Creamette Pasta has always been a staple in my family's cooking so I am thrilled I was given the opportunity to share one of my favorite dishes in honor of their 100^th anniversary," said winner, Christine C. "Being named as the Grand Prize Winner will truly make this a recipe my family and I will continue to treasure for generations to come."

The nine runners-up are:

• Susan M., Springfield, IL – Twice Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Ann N., White Bear Township, MN – Dilled Ranch Vegetable Pasta Salad
• Mellissa C., Massillon, OH – Spicy Ring of Fire Shrimp Pasta
• Nicole S., Bristol, IN – Pan Spaghetti
• Roxanne C., Albany, CA – Fiesta Mac 'N Cheese Soup
• Felice B., Raleigh, NC – Creamy Tuna Porcini Noodle Casserole
• Susan S., Edina, MN – Hungarian Goulash
• Kim V., Caldwell, NJ – Mom's Homestyle Italian Ring Soup
• Cheryl L., Hagerstown, MD – Penne Palooza

"Creamette would like to congratulate Christine and thank our nine runners-up for participating in this year's Comfort Food Recipe and Essay Contest and extend a special thank you to everyone who entered," said David Heimbecker, Senior Director of Marketing, New World Pasta Company. "All of the wonderful entries we received are a testament to Creamette Pasta's celebrated place in Midwestern family meals. We can't think of a better way to toast to the next 100 years of Creamette than by enjoying our winner's delicious recipe."

About the Contest

This past spring, in honor of the brand's 100^th Anniversary, Creamette Pasta challenged pasta fans to share their favorite comfort food recipe made with Creamette Pasta along with an original essay of 100 words or less explaining what makes the recipe so comforting. Treasured hot dish recipes from all over the Midwest region were judged based on overall appeal, relevance of the essay to the "comfort food" theme and creative use of Creamette Pasta. Ten finalists participated in a nationwide online vote in July where one winner was crowned the Grand Prize Winner. For complete details and Official Rules, visit www.creamette.com.

About New World Pasta Company

New World Pasta Company, headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, provides pasta meal solutions for every family member's taste and diet.  We have something for your whole family, from the whole grain goodness of Ronzoni® Healthy Harvest® and fiber-enriched Ronzoni® Smart Taste® to regional classic, white pasta brands.

New World Pasta has achieved a loyal following over the years with regional brands such as Ronzoni®, Creamette®, San Giorgio®, American Beauty®, Prince®, Skinner®, No Yolks® and Light 'n Fluffy®.  For more information please visit www.newworldpasta.com.

New World Pasta, part of the division Ebro Foods North America, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ebro Foods, S.A.; a leading Spanish food group, with interests in rice and pasta products.  It is the world leader in the rice sector and is the world's number two pasta manufacturer.

Ebro Foods' other subsidiary in the United States, Riviana Foods Inc., is headquartered in Houston, Texas, is the largest processor, marketer and distributor of rice in the United States and has such well-known brands as Mahatma®, Carolina®, Success®, Minute®, Adolphus®, Comet®, Blue Ribbon® and Gourmet House®. 

SOURCE New World Pasta Company