Recipe makes Top Chef contest semifinals

With her Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches, Megan Crandall of Gardnerville baked herself into the semifinals of the Bravo TV Quickfire Quaker Oats competition.

She made the Top 10 out of the hundreds of submitted recipes from across the country, but Crandall, 24, was notified Monday she was eliminated from the competition.

Crandall held the No. 7 spot when voting ended on Friday. The top three finalists were to be invited to New York City for a chance on the popular program "Top Chef."

Crandall, who has Down syndrome, lives with her parents Terri and Gerry Crandall and inherited her mother's love of cooking.

She is a devoted "Top Chef" fan and watches episode reruns.

Terri Crandall loves to enter cooking contests and found one for her daughter.

"We made up the recipe together," Terri said. "I never, never dreamed we would make it this far."

Megan Crandall works two days a week as an aide at Minden Montessori and Terri works two days at Cafe Girasole.

"Not too many things get in Megan's way," her mother said.

She graduated from Douglas High School in 2002 and is active in the Special Olympics, competing in swimming and bowling.

She took culinary arts and has attended cooking classes in Reno with her parents.

The Crandalls tweaked an old family favorite and came up with the new recipe.

Crandall said she prefers to bake.

"I like making good stuff like cake and cookies and brownies," she said. "I like doing a good job."

Megan has never been to New York City and was looking forward to the possibility.

"I was shocked when they said I made the semifinals," she said. "Even if I don't win, I'll be happy. It's been a lot of fun."