How will recipes be judged?

All entries must meet the requirements of the Recipe Category entered. Recipes not meeting contest entry criteria will be disqualified.  Entries must be the original recipe of the entrant.  Initial judging will be done by an independent judging agency and food professionals for appropriate use of two or more different eligible products in addition to the criteria outlined below for the finalist recipes: 

TasteAppearanceCreativityConsumer Appeal

Judges will disqualify previously published recipes, such as but not limited to those in cookbooks, in magazines, from food companies, on food or recipe websites and winners in cooking contests, unless the recipe features changes considered significant by the judges.  Finalists will be required to certify, on information or belief, that their recipes are their original creation and have not been published or publicized and have not won a cooking contest. Judges reserve the right to assign entries to the Recipe Category they deem appropriate. Final judging will be done by a panel of food experts. Decision of the judges is final in all matters relating to this Contest. 

How will finalists be selected?

Judges will select 20 recipes to be placed online at www.bakeoff.com during the summer of 2009 in pairs for a period of two weeks for each pair.  During each two-week period, consumers 18 years of age and older as of May 1, 2009 will be able to vote for their favorite of the two recipes.  Consumers will be able to vote only once per each pair of recipes.  The entrant from each of the ten pairs whose recipe receives the most votes will become a finalist.  In the event that entrant is unable to compete, the other entrant from that pair will become a finalist.  If that entrant is unable to compete, General Mills may choose to select an alternate(s) as provided below.  If your recipe is one of the 20 recipes selected to compete online, you will be notified on a rolling basis between May and August of 2009 and prior to the two-week period during which your recipe will be online.  Entrants whose recipes are selected to compete online but do not participate will not be eligible to be finalists.

Judges will select the remaining 90 recipes and the entrants whose recipes are selected by the Judges will become finalists.  General Mills will notify all finalists on or about September 1, 2009. General Mills may also select alternates.  Alternates will not be notified of their selection as alternates.