Red Robin cookbook features Amherst recipe

Tonawanda resident Brian Coppola, 9, has his burger recipe featured in Red Robin's "50 Gourmet Burger Creations." He submitted his entry at the Amherst location, 4080 Maple Road.

Brian's recipe, Big B's Pollo Pesto Burger, which is made with chicken, was chosen from 16,000 recipes entered nationwide.

"My burger deserves to win cause it is so delicious," Brian said of his entry. "Also, there are many people who love to eat burgers, but don't eat beef. I think ground chicken tastes better than ground turkey."

Proceeds from the cookbook sponsors the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and National Missing Children's Day, on May 25. The annual event recognizes that although many are recovered quickly, almost 800,000 children are reported missing each year.

In addition to recipes, the book has tips about child safety.

The youth's cookbook features 50 recipes that were submitted in "The Next Gourmet Burger Kids Contest." The cookbook will be sold at Red Robin restaurants nationwide, and online at www.redrobin. com for $5 plus tax through July 15 while supplies last.

"We are honored to support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children through the sale of 'The Next Gourmet Burger Kids Contest Cookbook because of the tremendous work it does to support kids and families," said Eric Houseman, Red Robin president and chief operating officer.

Each gourmet burger included in the cookbook was selected because of its "inventive ingredients and fun flavors."

In August, Red Robin and NCMEC will ask for help creating America's next gourmet burger through its second annual "The Next Gourmet Burger Kids Recipe Contest." From Aug. 13 to Sept. 16, youths ages 6 through 12 can visit Red Robin restaurants and submit an original gourmet burger creation and a 100-word statement on why their burger deserves to be America's next gourmet burger. Select gourmet burger recipes will be published in a second kids' cookbook that will be sold at Red Robin restaurants in 2008 to benefit NCMEC.