Near East Searches for Savvy Home Chefs to Share Authentic Inspired Recipes!

Chicago (January 25, 2007) Calling all savvy home chefs! Near East, a leader in flavored grain side dishes, invites consumers to enter their most delicious, innovative culinary creations in the Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest for a chance to win cash prizes and a fabulous dinner for four! I’ve relied on the authentic taste of Near East couscous in my own restaurant since I opened in 2000, said Orfaly, one of Food and Wine Magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs in 2004 and executive chef/co-owner of Pigalle and Marco restaurants in Boston. Near East’s versatility and convenience make every recipe a winner! The Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest is a celebration of the brand’s 45th anniversary as a valued meal partner and a leader among packaged flavored grain side dishes. From February 1 through April 30, creative home chefs are invited to enter their tastiest recipes from savory side dishes, to inventive salads, to delectable global entrees using any of Near East’s natural rice or couscous varieties. Recipes will be judged on the basis of taste/appearance, convenience and creativity. To enter, visit http://www.neareast.com or submit entries by April 30, 2007, to: Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest P.O. Box 3305 Chicago, IL 60654 The Grand Prize winner will receive $2,000 cash, a year’s supply of Near East products, and a fabulous dinner for four valued at $300! Four first-prize winners will each receive $500 plus a year’s supply of Near East. In addition, all five winning recipes will be posted on the Near East web site during the month of July, where online visitors can vote for the recipe they would most likely serve family and friends. The recipe receiving the most votes will be awarded the People’s Choice Award earning an additional $500 prize! Don’t forget to follow these important rules when creating and submitting your entry: The recipe must be an original creation or a variation of an existing one that features four or more changes the judges deem significant. The recipe must be neatly written or typed. All recipes must include at least one (1) complete package of Near East product as an ingredient. All recipe entries must include no more than 10 ingredients (not including water, salt and ground black pepper). The recipe must include: entrant’s name, complete address and phone number, plus recipe name, a list of all ingredients with clear, complete directions (in standard U.S. measurements) describing how to prepare the recipe and the number of servings or yield. To request a list of contest winners after August 15, 2007, send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to: Near East Recipe Contest Winners, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago IL 60654. Winner information will be available on http://www.neareast.com . The family of Near East flavored grain side dishes includes more than 30 different flavors and varieties of rice pilafs, couscous, ethnic specialties, grains and pastas. Each variety is natural with no preservatives or artificial flavors; most are certified Kosher. Near East products can be found in the prepared rice section of your local grocery store. This elegant entree created by Marc Orfaly of Pigalle Restaurant in Boston is deceptively easy to make, and is a good example of what the judges are looking for in the 2007 Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest. Wine paring note: Orfaly suggests pairing this recipe with a dry Riesling wine. Pigalle’s Cod with Harissa Couscous! Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Standing Time: 5 minutes Ingredients: 1 pound cod or halibut filets (about inch thick) 1 medium lemon 1-1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth * 1(5.8 oz) package Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous 3 tablespoons currants 2 tablespoons butter 1 2 teaspoons harissa ** 2 tablespoons chopped tomato. 1. Place fish fillets on greased rack of broiler pan. Squeeze juice of lemon over fish. 2. Broil 4 inches from heat source until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. 3. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine broth, spice sack from package, currants, butter and harissa. Bring to a boil; whisk to blend. Stir in couscous. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in tomato. 4. Garnish fish with finely shredded lemon peel, if desired. Serve fish with couscous. Makes 4 Servings *1 package (5.8 oz.) Near East Whole Grain Blends Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil may be substituted. ** Harissa, a spicy seasoning sauce, can be found in ethnic sections of some supermarkets, and in specialty markets. If unavailable, substitute Asian red chili paste. Nutrition Information: 1/4 of recipe Calories 310, Calories From Fat 70, Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 65mg, Sodium 750mg, Total Carbohydrates 33g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 27g. All entries must be submitted by April 30th, 2007! Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest Official Rules No Purchase Necessary. 1. Here’s How it Works: Create and submit an original recipe that uses at least one (1) complete package Near East rice or couscous (including seasonings) as an ingredient. Recipe must be an original creation or a variation of an existing one that features four or more changes the judges deem significant. Recipes can contain no more than 10 ingredients (excluding water, salt and ground black pepper). 2. Two Ways to Enter: Online: Beginning February 1, 2007, through April 30, 2007, visit http://www.neareast.com and follow the online entry instructions. Enter as often as you like, provided each submitted recipe is different. Entries become the sole property of Sponsor and none will be returned. All online entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CDT) on April 30, 2007. Mail: In a stamped envelope, submit your neatly written or typed recipe and include your name, your complete mailing address and daytime phone number to: Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago, IL 60654. All mail-in entries must be postmarked by April 30, 2007, and received by May 14, 2007. 3. Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged under the supervision of an independent judging organization, whose decisions are final in all matters relating to this contest. Entries will be judged on Taste/Appearance (55%); Convenience (30%); and Creativity (15%). In the event of a tie, tied entries will be re-judged on the basis of Taste and Appearance. During the month of approximately July, 2007, the general public will have the opportunity to go online to review and vote on the winners recipes to determine a People’s Choice Award. Potential winners will be notified by mail and/or phone. The independent judging organization reserves the right to disqualify any entry that, in the sole opinion of the judges, refers, depicts or in any way reflects negatively upon the Sponsor, the promotion or any other person or entity. 4. Prizes: One (1) Grand Prize: $2,000, awarded in the form of a check, a one year supply of Near East products (24 boxes 12 of Rice Pilaf and 12 of Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous) and dinner for four (4) at a restaurant of Sponsor’s choice ($300 total). Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of Grand Prize: $2,360. Four (4) First Prizes: $500, awarded in the form of a check, and a one year supply of Near East Products. ARV of First Prize: $560. One (1) People’s Choice Award: $500, awarded in the form of a check. Total ARV of all Prizes: $5,100. Prizes consist of only those items specifically listed as part of the prize. Limit one prize per family/household. 5. Eligibility and Markets: Open only to residents of the 50 United States who are 18 years of age and older. Employees of Sponsor, their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advert
ising and promotion agencies and the immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each and those involved in the preparation of food or creation of recipes for pay are not eligible to enter. 6. General Rules: Void where prohibited. No transfer of prize by winners permitted. All federal, state and local taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of winners. All federal, state and local laws apply. Potential winners must sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release of Liability/Prize Acceptance Form within fourteen (14) days of attempted notification. Noncompliance within this time period may result in disqualification and an alternate may be selected. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and alternate may be selected. Potential winner must also consent to a reasonable number of public appearances. Sponsor reserves the right to: (a) use winner’s name and likeness and publish all entries submitted, (b) alter, amend, edit or change entries prior to publication and (c) use, publish, reproduce, alter, amend and copyright for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. Winners (and parent/legal guardian if winner is a minor) agree to release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor, its parent company, and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents, attorneys, other representatives, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies, harmless from and against any and all liability and damages resulting from acceptance of prize. By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of the judges. In the event of a dispute as to identity of an online entrant, entries will be deemed made by the name appearing on the entry form. Sponsor is not responsible for misdirected or undeliverable e-mail or for any technical problems, malfunctions of any telephone lines, computer systems, servers, providers, hardware/software, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmission or any combination thereof. Sponsor and its affiliated companies will not be responsible for lost, late, or misdirected entries or prize notices or for any typographical, or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the contest, or announcement of the prizes. In the event of any such error, or in the event of suspected or actual evidence of tampering with any portion of the contest, or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the contest, Sponsor reserves the right to request that the judges modify or terminate this contest in a manner deemed reasonable by the judges, at the judges sole discretion. Sponsor is not responsible for any liability for damage to any computer system resulting from participation in, accessing or downloading information in connection with this promotion. 7. Winner’s List: For the names of the winners, available after August 15, 2007, send a separate, stamped, self-addressed (#10) envelope, to: Near East Share Your Savvy Creations Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago, IL 60654 to be received by December 31, 2007. Winners also will be listed online at http://www.neareast.com .