Calling All Amateur Home Cooks! The Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Is Now Accepting Entries
Ladies and gentlemen, start your ovens! The 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest is open for entries, and and one lucky cook could win a cool $1 million with one simple recipe idea. Creative home bakers from across the country can enter online at www.bakeoff.com between now and April 18, 2011, for a chance at the grand prize during the contest finals which take place March 25-27,2012, at the Peabody Orlando Hotel in Florida.
Returning this year as part of the competition are well-known sponsors GE Appliances & Lighting, The J.M. Smucker Company, The Hershey Company, Land O’Lakes, Inc., and Fisher Nuts. There are also new brand sponsors joining the contest including McCormick & Company, Inc., Muir Glen and Progresso, adding additional eligible ingredients such as broth, breadcrumbs, soups, organic canned tomatoes, spices, herbs and extracts.
Cash, Prizes and Trips
The 45th Bake-Off Contest will award more than $1.1 million in cash, prizes and trips. There are four contest categories, and the judges will award the top recipe in each category a prize. One of the four category winners will win the $1 million grand prize and $10,000 in GE kitchen appliances. Combined retail value of Grand Prize is approximately $1,010,000.
The three remaining Recipe Category Winners each receive $5,000 and $3,000 in GE kitchen appliances. Combined retail value of each Category Prize is approximately $8,000.
Debbi Bracker, Carl Junction, Mo., won a finalist spot in the 44th Contest (2010) with her recipe for Mile High Peanut Butter Brownie Pie, shown here. Scroll down for a link to this recipe and several other recipes from past winners and finalists.
More prizes
Four additional awards will be presented to winners chosen from any of the recipe categories who have not already won another prize:
- The GE Imagination At Work Award recognizes the most innovative recipe, and its winner receives $5,000 in GE kitchen appliances. Retail value of GE Imagination At Work Award is approximately $5,000.
- The Jif Peanut Butter Award recognizes the finalist who has the best recipe using at least 1/4 cup of Jif Peanut Butter. The winner will receive $5,000.
- The Crisco is Cooking Award recognizes the finalist who has the best recipe using at least 1 tablespoon of Crisco Cooking Oil. The winner will receive $5,000.
- Eagle Brand Signature Recipe Award recognizes the finalist who has the best recipe using at least 1 – 14 ounce can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk. The winner will receive $5,000.
Each of the 100 finalists wins a trip to the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest finals, including airfare, a two-night stay at the Peabody Orlando Hotel in Florida, daily event-sponsored meals, a GE countertop microwave oven (estimated retail value of $200), and $125. Approximate retail value of each finalist package is $1,615.
Each finalist is eligible to win only one of the contest awards in addition to the finalist package.
Consumers can submit recipes in one of four recipe categories:
- The Breakfast & Brunches category includes casual brunch or weekend family breakfast ideas. For example, sweet rolls, pull-aparts, pastries, breakfast breads, egg dishes or breakfast sandwiches.
- In the Entertaining Appetizers category, entrants can submit appetizers and snacks to serve at casual gatherings with family and friends or for holiday entertaining. For example, bite size appetizers, tartlets, pinwheels, puffs, bruschetta or focaccia.
- The Dinner Made Easy™ category encourages home cooks to create easy to prepare main dishes that will delight your family. For example, pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, foldovers, casseroles, chilis, soups or savory pies.
- Quick and easy treats for anytime celebrations can be entered into the Sweet Treats category. For example, cookies, pies, tarts, brownies or bars.
If you need a little inspiration here are links to four winning recipes from Contest 44 of the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 2010.
Buffalo Chicken Crescent Puffs
Mile High Peanut Butter Brownie Pie
For more information and the complete Bake-Off contest details, visit www.bakeoff.com.
Considered one of America’s most prestigious cooking contests, the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest originated in 1949. The $1 million grand prize has been awarded since 1996. The last Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest was held April 2010 in Orlando, Florida. Sue Compton of Delanco, N.J., won the $1 million grand prize at the 44th contest with her Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups.
