Hey CF, Chew On This!

If you've ever stopped by my apartment on a random Wednesday night (or read the little author's bio attached to this blog, for that matter), you might already know that I am a HUGE fan of Bravo's Top Chef. Seriously. I have every single season of that show -- and most of the spin offs -- downloaded or saved onto multiple mediums: my computer, my iPad, DVR, DVD. I'm such a huge fan, in fact, that my father once gave me a Top Chef trivia game to play in the hospital, which I did until people started refusing to visit me for fear of being quizzed about Marcel from Season 2. Obsessed? I prefer to consider myself "culinarily invested."

Because, of course, CFers love food.

So imagine my excitement when I learned through an announcement from my local CFF chapter that NY's very own amazing Susan Torres will be competing in this season of Top Chef Masters to benefit none other than . . . wait for it . . . The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!!! Holy amazing coming together of my two favorite things, right? The new season starts on Wednesday, July 25, on Bravo. Please tune in (as if you really needed another reason)!

Of course, some of us watch food and some of us actually MAKE it. I'm definitely not talented in the latter department, but for those of you who are, I received an email today that might just get you cookin' up your own kind of magic.

Yep, CFChef is back, and this time it's going holiday style!

CFChef is an educational and networking website sponsored by our good friends and partners at Abbott Pharmaceuticals. Their new WINTER HOLIDAY contest is seeking new CF-friendly recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, and other winter favorites. This is YOUR chance to share your awesome skills with the community.

WHEN: Contest opens July 20 and runs until September 14.
WHERE: Go to www.chef4CF.com to enter and for full contest information.
WHAT: All your favorite CF recipes. Entries will be judged by a registered CF dietician, who will select winners based on nutritional value, ease of preparation, and the story behind the meal.
WHY: Because who better to help educate and share with the CF community than all of you?
WHO: Anyone touched by CF can enter.

So there you have it: two more reasons why food can help keep us healthy, bring us together, and make us smile. As for me, I'm just excited to be a part of this incredible community as we continue to cook up a cure for this deadly disease. And in the meantime, CF, I have two words for you, little monster:

Bite me.