Judges take their turn with the secret ingredients

Our contestants didn't have a choice. I gave them the challenge ingredient combinations and that's what they had to work with.

But when it came time to ask our judges if they wanted to get in the game, I let them pick the weekly ingredients they wanted to work with.

A handful of judges gave it a go and I found it interesting that they each picked different mystery baskets. My challenge recipe and one developed by Q7 Ranch's Katie Bloomfield will be included in our Cook of the Week Challenge special section that publishes on Nov. 21.

— Deborah Pankey