HURLBURT FIELD —Rachel Ruiz has turned a lifelong cooking hobby into a chance at $1 million.
Her recipe for Spicy Tortilla Breakfast Empanadas earned her a semifinalist spot in the 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
“The first time I heard about (the contest) is probably when I was a kid, because it’s the biggest contest around,” said Ruiz, a stay-at-home mom of two young boys at Hurlburt Field.
She said her recipe was inspired by her husband’s favorite breakfast: migas, a Tex-Mex dish of tortillas, eggs and salsa.
“I thought, what would be better than to have migas and have them be portable?” Ruiz said.
“It’s kind of like a little migas pie. It’s got the crunchy crust, but it’s got the delicious, gooey, cheesy migas on the inside.”
Pillsbury has narrowed down thousands of recipes to just 60 semifinalist entries in each category. Ruiz’s empanadas fall under Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts.
Now Ruiz needs votes to get her to the final round, which will be in November in Las Vegas. She hopes Northwest Florida and its military community will rally around her.
“Oh gosh, yes I am. That would be wonderful,” Ruiz said. “It’s a contest I would very much like to win.”
CAST YOUR VOTE: Check out Rachel Ruiz’s recipe and vote for it at www.bakeoff.com. You’ll find it under Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts. Voting ends at noon Sept. 26.