The voting period for Pillsbury’s “You Be The Judge” will soon be over for me!  If you haven’t voted yet, please take a minute and go to www.BakeOff.com and vote for my “Asian-Spiced Cashew-Chicken Piadinis”--if I don’t win the online vote, I don’t get to compete at the Bake-Off, so I really need your help to get me there!! 


For months now, I’ve been in full Bake-Off mode!  For inspiration, Rich's mother, Bonnie, recently shared with me some great collector cookbooks from past Pillsbury Bake-Off contests.  The earliest one dates back to the 4th Pillsbury in 1953 and it only cost a quarter!  All are first edition and in perfect condition.  Back then, the contest was called the "Pillsbury Grand National."  Much has changed, but a lot is still the same--innovative home cooks creating intriguing, original recipes.



The inside cover of the 7th Bake-Off reads:

"...Dear Friend,
The 7th Bake-Off is over, but we'll never forget all of the excitement of the 100 contestants baking their prize-winning recipes.  It all happened in the big Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf in New York...97 women, 1 man and 2 teen-aged boys baking at 100 ranges, with just about that many reporters and photographers peeking over their shoulders.  The TV cameras and mikes were there, too, bringing the scene right into millions of homes all over America.

Now, the famous prize-winning recipes that contestants baked that day are yours to enjoy.  In this cookbook, we bring you all 100 of the recipes from Pillsbury's Grand National.  We've tested and tasted all of the food in our Home Service Center kitchen...and you'll find the recipes easy to follow, for we've written them up in our practical, simple recipe style...”

The 1st Prize Winner that year was “...a no-knead sweet roll innovation with a simple way to fill, twist, and curl the dough...”Ring-A-Lings’ by Mrs. Henry Jorgensen of Portland, Oregon.”  She said:  “In my seventh try at the Grand National, I won $25,000 with my filbert-filled sweet roll idea I worked out in my own kitchen.  This prize money will guarantee my son’s education!”

Other winners that year included “Regency Ribbon Cake” and “Apple Dimplings.”

Though a bit grainy, this time lapsed video shows the set up of 100 mini-kitchens at the last Pillsbury Bake-Off...



...and some past winners from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contests through the years!



You have until Thursday, August 20th at Noon Central Time! Then, the polls will close on my challenge and we’ll have to wait until October for the results.  I would love to be a part of his great contest and put my mark on this little piece of Americana.  With your help, I’m on my way!


www.BakeOff.com

those little cookbooks are cool! the videos are neat, too, especially the second one. almost made me tear up!