Kudos to everyone who managed to submit a recipe in the midst of holiday madness. It must have been because of your countless trips to Trader Joe's which was THE place to go for holiday treats. We picked our 3 winners who each get a gift certificate to Amazon.com.

Carnitas Fried Rice
We love this recipe not just because it is a super speedy rice, veggie and meat dish, but also highlights some of our favorite unique Trader Joe's ingredients: Pre-cooked carnitas, Asian Vegetables with Beijing Style Soy Sauce and the ever-popular frozen organic brown rice. Thank you, ryanross and congratulations! This recipe wins a $25 gift certificate to amazon.com.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast
Yum! We love the Cinnamon Swirl Bread and the Agave Maple Syrup AND we get to pick the dried fruit we want from the enormous Trader Joe's dried fruit and nut aisle? Awesome! Thanks TJsGirl -- enjoy the $10 amazon.com gift certificate.  

Baked acorn squash stuffed with apples and cranberries 
Inspired by a Trader Joe's employee, pqudadhe submitted this wonderful seasonal recipe which is a great way to cook and serve acorn squash if you never have before. Delicious and nutritious. This recipe takes 3rd place and wins a $10 amazon.com gift certificate.

Check out some of the other wonderful recipes submitted to the December 2009 recipe contest:

Apples and Oats Hearty Biscotti
Cindys Fruit and Nutty Winter Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad
Dilly Salmon Tortellini
Fat Free Spiced Apple Bread
Grecian Cous Cous
Holiday Roasted Red Pepper Appetizer
Mango and Black Bean Salsa
Muscle Minestrone Soup
O Stromboli
Orange Rum Punch
Potluck Friendly Lo Mein
Smoked Salmon Benedict
Spicy Ginger Mango Turkey Meatballs
Spinach Sesame Salad
Sweet Cherry Onion Relish
Vegan Pumpkin Apple Spice Flax Cake