Rachael’s "10 Ingredient Challenge" put her viewers' culinary skills and imaginations to the test. Each recipe had to include a combination of some of the following ingredients: Beef, rosemary, puff pastry, dried apricots, mint, ricotta cheese, mushrooms, blueberries, bacon and green beans.

Hundreds upon hundreds of submissions from coast-to-coast came pouring into the studio. And after much deliberation, the list finally was narrowed down to three lucky finalists:

Dinah Surh from Staten Island, New York wowed everyone with her recipes for Korean Skirt Steak With Blueberry Glaze, Korean String Bean Pancakes, and her Blueberry & Apricot Cannoli Puffs.

"This is so thrilling," says Dinah. "I love to cook new Korean food with an American twist. My biggest inspiration is my mother. She taught me all of my favorite Korean recipes."

Mother and daughter team, Myra and Branden Christopher, whipped up Pinwheel Steak With Mushroom Pate & Wine Sauce, French Green Beans With Blueberry Dressing and Apricot Mint Puff Pastries With Honey & Mint Sauce in their kitchen in Fairway, Kansas.

"It was really Branden’s idea [to enter]," Myra explains. “She’s a little zany. And she said, ‘Mom, let’s do it’ and I thought this’ll be a lot of fun."

Carole Reed from Tampa, Florida came up with a creative way to submit her recipes for Seared Strip Steaks With Blueberry Mushroom Pan Sauce, Herb-Roasted Potato Salad With Italian Cheese Dressing, Apricot Herb Green Beans With Bacon and Blueberry Cream Soup With Puff Pastry Croutons.

"I really wanted to do a regular sort of video but I don't have a video camera. And since I'm putting my husband through college, we're a bit short on cash,” she says. "So, I had to get a little bit creative with my digital camera. I had so much fun! I couldn't believe that I was actually one of the ones that actually got to go to New York and cook with Rachael!"

Upon arriving at the studio, Rachael puts the finalists to a new test: A 30-minute, three-ingredient challenge! They whip up meals on the spot using heirloom tomatoes, apple cider and corn for a panel of judges comprised of some of New York City’s hottest chefs: Adam Perry Lang, chef and co-owner of Daisy May’s BBQ; Sue Torres, executive chef at Suenos and Los Dados (where she is also a co-owner); and Chris Santos, chef and owner of Stanton Social. After much deliberation, the judges reach a verdict…

And the winner is: Dinah Surh! She'll be off to the Iberostar Paradiso Maya Hotel in Cancun courtesy of FunJet and Delta Airlines.