Everyone has a favorite comfort food, whether it’s macaroni and cheese, chili, or _ squash sandwiches?

That’s exactly what Austin Community College English Professor Anna Keah whipped up as a contestant on The Food Network’s “Ultimate Recipe Showdown.” Her mother invented the recipe, which is featured in the cookbook “Greek Food For Thought: Recipes For Body and Soul,” written by Keah and her sisters.

“Our parents, being from Greece, always emphasized cooking,” says Keah, whose passion for the hobby began at age 8.

Though The Food Network received 8,000 recipes, they tested only 4,000. Keah’s was selected and then made the 54 finalists. They flew her to Hollywood, where she stayed for four days with her sisters and other family members.

“It was very exciting to see what goes on behind the scenes at The Food Network,” she says. “I was a little nervous, but it was a lot of fun.”

The Food Network spotlighted three kitchens, where the final eight contestants prepared their dishes and then went before judges. Though Keah didn’t win the grand prize of $25,000, she’s not discouraged. She’s planning to enter again, as The Food Network is making “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” a regular program.

The episode aired Sunday, March 2, and repeats several times over the next week.