This recipe was the Midas Touch! It won me 25k! My feet still haven’t touched the ground! The reality of it hasn’t sunk in! The thrill of all of this amazing contest competition is exhilarating, and you run on steam that you never thought you had! I created this recipe for the 2013 California Dole Cook-Off~~since I totally love global foods~~particularly, spices~~I decided to do something with Dole’s fabulous product, which was a requirement, of course, of the recipe, and combine it with the North African spice called Harissa!

Well, it all came together as a result of things that I had that day in my pantry and refrigerator~~keep in mind I’d dreamed about this recipe, swirling thoughts in my head, flavors coming together, and ingredients popping up in my mind, for weeks~~that’s how my brain works with the creation of new dishes! So, here it is just in time for the July 4th celebration~~Harissa Veal Meatball Fruit Kabobs with Greek Yogurt Mint Sauce & Crumbled Goat Cheese.

