Viva Las Bake-Off® Contest

LAS VEGAS and MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The iconic Pillsbury Bake-Off^® Contest awarded Glori Spriggs of Henderson, Nev. $1 million for her original recipe, Loaded Potato Pinwheels, late Monday evening. The grand prize winner was announced live from Las Vegas by contest host Padma Lakshmi. Tune in to "The Queen Latifah Show" on Thursday, November 14 to see Glori demonstrate her grand prize winning recipe.

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"Loaded Potato Pinwheels are a great, versatile appetizer," said Jann Atkins, Bake-Off^® Kitchens Manager. "They have a quick prep—minimal chopping—and look great on a party platter. I see these going fast at game day gatherings, holiday parties and potluck dinners, everywhere."

Made simply with seven ingredients, including Pillsbury^® Crescent Recipe Creations^® refrigerated seamless dough sheet and Green Giant^® Seasoned Steamers^™ frozen backyard grilled potatoes, and only 20 minutes of active prep time, this appetizer is a new twist on a family favorite. Of the 100 contest finalists, Glori travelled the shortest distance, less than 20 miles, to compete in the contest finals, but her recipe proved to go the distance with the judging panel.

"We chose Glori's recipe as the grand prize winner because it tastes great, and it's super easy for any home cook to make," said David Joachim, 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off^® Contest Judge, Food Writer and Cooking Editor. "It takes a few familiar flavors and presents them in a way that is portable, fresh and fun."

Glori's recipe also helped her score $10,000 in GE kitchen appliances. She competed against 99 other talented home cooks from around the U.S. in the country's premier cooking competition, sponsored by Pillsbury, Green Giant, The J.M. Smucker Company and GE Appliances, along with event partners Reynolds and Pyrex.

In addition to Glori, second prize winner Shelia Suhan of Scottdale, Penn. received $10,000 and $3,000 in GE kitchen appliances for her Easy Caprese Pizza Bake. Third prize winner Antoinette Leal of Ridgefield, Conn. received $5,000 and $2,000 in GE kitchen appliances for her Cherry Almond Brunch Tart.

Four additional sponsor awards were presented to individual finalists who have not won any other prizes:

Honey Sesame Bagels by Kellie White of Valley Park, Mo. was recognized as the most innovative recipe with the GE Imagination At Work Award and $5,000 in GE kitchen appliances.

The Jif^® Peanut Butter Award of $5,000 was given to Kim Doyle Wille of Carbondale, Colo. for her Thai Shrimp Pizza – the best recipe using at least 1/4 cup of Jif^® Peanut Butter.

Julie Beckwith of Crete, Ill. received the Crisco is Cooking™ Award which recognized her Upside Down Tomato Basil and Chicken Tartlets for being the best recipe using at least one tablespoon of Crisco^® Cooking Oil or one tablespoon of Crisco^® Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening. She received $5,000 for this award.

Eagle Brand^® Signature Recipe Award presented $5,000 to Karen Harris of Castle Rock, Colo. for her Bacon Corncakes with Warm Maple Cream. Karen won for having the best recipe using at least one 14-ounce can of Eagle Brand^® Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Throughout the year, the Bake-Off^® Kitchens accepted original recipe submissions that included at least two eligible ingredients and fit into one of three contest categories: Amazing Doable Dinners, Simple Sweets and Starters or Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts. The 60 best recipes in each category were selected and placed online for public voting. America's votes were tallied and on Monday, November 11, the 100 finalists (97 women and three men) who created the recipes that received the most votes convened in Las Vegas. Each finalist prepared his or her dish for judging. A panel of independent judges, consisting of food media and professionals, then selected the contest winner based on taste, appearance, creativity and consumer appeal.

Visit www.BakeOff.com for the $1 million recipe along with hundreds of other delicious contest recipes to try at home.

About Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi is known internationally as an actress, food expert, model and award-winning author who has recently wrapped her tenth season as host of Bravo's Emmy award winning "Top Chef". Known for her East meets West taste and aesthetic from her cooking as well as fine jewelry designs, she recently launched her first collection of dinnerware and stemware at Bloomingdale's department stores. In 2009, she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America and is highly involved in the women's health organization, having made great strides to bring awareness of this largely unknown disease that affects 10% of all women to the masses. She helped launch the first research center in the country for gynopathology as a joint effort between Harvard and MIT Medical School, giving the keynote address at its inception.

About the 46^th Pillsbury Bake-Off^® Contest Sponsors and Partners
General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2013 worldwide sales of US $17.8 billion. Pillsbury products have been trusted by families to make meal times special times for more than 130 years. Favorite Pillsbury products include refrigerated cookies, crescent dinner rolls, breads, biscuits, pie crusts and sweet rolls as well as frozen biscuits, pie crusts and breakfast items. For product information and great-tasting recipes, visit www.pillsbury.com. Log on to www.generalmills.com for company information.

Few companies enjoy a heritage as rich as that of Green Giant. It all started 110 years ago in 1903, when the Crosby family created the first cannery in the rich valley of Le Sueur, Minnesota, where glaciers carved out some of the richest soil in the world. For generations, Green Giant farmers have been growing the best quality vegetables and freezing them quickly to lock in the freshness. That's how we've made our vegetables deliciously unforgettable for years, and made Green Giant a trusted household brand. For more information and delicious recipes, please visit www.greengiant.com, www.greengiant.com/giantdifference

For more than 115 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that bring families together to share memorable meals and moments. Today, Smucker is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. The Company's wide variety of iconic brands and products include such trusted favorites as Smucker's® jams, jellies, preserves, fruit spreads and ice cream toppings; Jif® peanut butter; Crisco® oils, shortening and no-stick cooking sprays; Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk; and Pillsbury® baking mixes, ready-to-spread frosting and flour. For more information and delicious recipes, please visit www.smuckers.com, www.jif.com, www.crisco.com, www.eaglebrand.com and www.pillsburybaking.com.

GE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people's lives. GE Appliances' products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

Reynolds Consumer Products is a leading provider of quality household essentials that have been trusted for generations. Our Reynolds^® and Hefty^® brand products help with preparation, cooking, cleanup, and storage, making mealtime easier. Our namesake Reynolds^® products include the iconic Reynolds Wrap^® Aluminum Foil; Reynolds^® Parchment Paper, Oven Bags, Slow Cooker Liners, and Baking Cups; and Cut-Rite^® Wax Paper. The Hefty^® brand is best known for strong, dependable waste bags, but it's also a leader in slider bags, foam plates, and plastic cups. Our products are available in the U.S. at mass merchants, grocers, and other retail stores, and in approximately 90 countries throughout the world. For more information, visit ReynoldsKitchens.com and Hefty.com.

Loved for generations, experienced cooks and beginners alike have reached for Pyrex^® glassware products because they're durable, reliable, easy to use and affordable. We value our made in the USA heritage and are working hard to ensure we remain a mainstay in American kitchens for generations to come by dedicating ourselves to designing new favorites that help cooks feel successful and confident. For more information, please visit our website at www.worldkitchen.com/pyrex.

SOURCE Pillsbury