Submit a Winning Dessert Recipe and Score a Free House, Hellish Commute

For those of us facing down the slim possibility of surviving in San Francisco long-term, a lifeline has arrived: An Antioch realtor is offering up a renovated Craftsman in Jackson for the low, low price of one killer dessert recipe. Where is Jackson, you ask? Yeah, we had to map it, too. It's in Amador County, about 130 miles east of San Francisco, and more than a two-hour drive (and that's with all-green roads in Google Maps). Realtor Erin Allard renovated the 1906 Craftsman, a four-bedroom with two bathrooms and a large basement. The maple floors were salvaged long ago from a roller-skating rink; "I resealed, sanded and vacuumed the floors on my hands and knees," she tells the Contra Costa Times. The home is valued at $390,000.

Recipes will be evaluated by food-industry judges, who will award points for categories including "Uniqueness," "Creativity," "Crowd appeal," and "Inspirational." (Now is not the time to show off your gluten-free carob brownie recipe, in other words.) The entry fee is $100, making it a cheaper option than the Dream House Raffle ... but you also have to move out of the Bay Area.

According to the official rules, the contest sponsors estimate that between 3,000 and 5,000 valid and complete entries will be submitted. If that comes to pass, Allard stands to gain potentially up to $500,000 for a $390,000 house.

You can enter more than once, as long as you keep sending in that $100 per entry, though it would be prudent to keep the bitter taste of desperation out of your recipe cache.

· Home Recipe Contest [Official Site]
· Best Dessert Wins Renovated Craftsman Home [Contra Costa Times]
· Contest Rules [Home Recipe Contest]