- Five Michigan contestants compete for top prize in Pillsbury Bake-off.
- Michigan contestants recipes range from sweet to savory.
Sausage and Blue Cheese Crescent Cups, Creamy Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes and Glazed Hawaiian Braid.
Those are just a few of the recipes that landed five Michigan women finalist slots in the prestigious 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off, considered one the most elite cooking contests for amateur cooks. The women — Amy Andrews of Macomb Township, Brenda Washnock of Negaunee, Cindy Nerat of Menominee, Jennifer Parrott of Rockford and Klaren Gerhart of Bloomfield Hills — will compete Monday in Nashville, Tenn., with 95 other contestants for a chance at the $1-million grand prize.
Contestants could enter in four categories: Simply Sweet Treats, Michigan Savory Snacks & Sides, Weekend Breakfast Wows and Amazing Doable Dinners. Recipes needed to include certain brand name products from a specific list.
"It feels pretty good," says Washnock, 53. "They choose from a lot of recipes so it's flattering."
Her recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Waffle Melt is a finalist in the Weekend Breakfast Wows category. She said she started entering cooking contests just three years ago. This is the first time one of her four recipes entered in the Pillsbury Bake-Off was a finalist.
"I enjoy contests," Washnock said, "and doing a live one is fun and challenging."
Gerhart, 65, of Bloomfield Hills said she nailed her recipe for Creamy Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes (in the Simply Sweet Treats category) with just a few tries.
"When I was growing up my mother taught me how to make scratch cakes, and we always added vinegar to the batter," Gerhart said. "I just found that with the chocolate chip cookie dough I was able to add vinegar and a little water ... so the cookie dough turned into cake batter."
She said she entered the contest many times over the years and that being a contestant was on her bucket list. When she got the news about being a finalist, Gerhart said she did a little dancing, despite having a bad hip.
"I had hip replacement surgery scheduled for Oct. 29, which I just confirmed an hour before I found out about being a finalist," she said. "I postponed it for two weeks."
To determine this year's big winner, Pillsbury is asking the public for help. On Monday, Carla Hall from ABC's "The Chew" will host the awards show and announce the winners in the four categories. People can then go to www.bakeoff.com to vote for their favorite recipe from those four. Public voting will run through Dec. 2. Those votes will be combined with judges' scores to determine the $1-million grand prize winner, who'll be revealed Dec. 3 on "The Chew."
Contact Susan Selasky: 313-222-6432 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanMariecooks.
Toffee and Almond Fudge Cookie Cups
Makes: 48 cookie cups / Preparation time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Nonstick cooking spray
2 packages Pillsbury Ready to Bake refrigerated sugar cookies
¼ cup milk chocolate toffee bits
1 can (14 ounces) Eagle Brand fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Jif Creamy Almond Butter
½ teaspoon Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ cup sliced almonds, finely chopped
1 can whipped cream topping (in aerosol can)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat 48 nonstick mini muffin cups with Crisco Original nonstick cooking spray.
Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the toffee bits evenly over cookie dough rounds. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen with tip of knife; carefully remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk and almond butter over medium heat about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool 2 minutes. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon condensed milk mixture into each cookie cup.
In small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons toffee bits and the almonds. To serve, top each cup with about 1 tablespoon whipped cream topping and about ¼ teaspoon almond mixture.
From Amy Andrews, Macomb. Tested by Pillsbury.
140 calories (39% from fat), 6 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 18 grams carbohydrates, 1 grams protein, 60 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.
Jalapeño Cheddar Waffle Melts
Makes: 5 / Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Fork into a melty cheddar center in these savory waffles. Toppers of salsa, sour cream and onion make a fiesta of flavors.
1 can Pillsbury Grands Jr. Golden Layers refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits)
1 teaspoon Watkins chili powder
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup pickled sliced jalapeño chiles, drained
½ cup chunky-style salsa
½ cup sour cream
4 medium green onions with tops, chopped (about ¼ cup)
Heat a waffle maker. (Waffle makers without a nonstick coating may need to be sprayed with Crisco Original nonstick cooking spray before biscuit is added.)
Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Press or roll each biscuit to form 5-inch round. Sprinkle chili powder evenly over biscuits. Place 1 biscuit, chili powder side up, on waffle maker. Sprinkle 1 rounded tablespoon cheese evenly over biscuit; top with 4 to 5 jalapeño chile slices. Sprinkle 1 rounded tablespoon cheese evenly over jalapeño chile slices; top with another biscuit round, chili powder side down. Close lid of waffle maker.
Cook about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove waffle. Repeat with remaining biscuits, cheese and jalapeño chile slices.
Serve waffle melts topped with salsa, sour cream and green onions.
From Brenda Washnock, Negaunee.
Tested by Pillsbury.
360 calories (50% from fat), 20 grams fat (10 grams sat. fat), 33 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 1,200 mg sodium, 35 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.
Glazed Hawaiian Braid
Serves: 12 / Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Unfold, cut and fold crusty French loaf around sweet Italian mascarpone cheese with a few tropical extras … a weekend wow.
¾ cup coconut, toasted
½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped
½ cup mascarpone cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Watkins Pure Orange Extract
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated crusty French loaf
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line large cookie sheet with Reynolds parchment paper. In small bowl, mix ¼ cup of the coconut and 2 tablespoons of the macadamia nuts; set aside.
In medium bowl, mix mascarpone cheese, ½ cup of the powdered sugar and the orange extract until well blended. Stir in pineapple, remaining ½ cup coconut and remaining macadamia nuts.
Carefully unroll dough on work surface; press to form 12-by-10-inch rectangle. Fold dough rectangle into thirds; transfer to cookie sheet. Unfold dough rectangle. Spread mascarpone mixture down center of dough in 4-inch-wide strip to within ½ inch of short ends. Using kitchen scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough to within ½ inch of filling. Fold strips of dough diagonally over filling, alternating from side to side, stretching dough as needed.
Bake 22 to 32 minutes or until tops of strips are golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix remaining ½ cup powdered sugar and 4 to 5 teaspoons of the reserved pineapple juice until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over braid; sprinkle with reserved coconut mixture. Serve warm.
From Cindy Nerat, Menominee. Tested by Pillsbury.
220 calories (41% from fat), 10 grams fat (5 grams sat. fat), 28 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 170 mg sodium, 28 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.
Sausage and Blue Cheese Crescent Cups
Makes: 24 appetizers / Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Make-a-meal appetizers are cheesy two-bite pleasers with an extra kick of flavor.
Nonstick cooking spray
1 box (9 ounces) Green Giant Steamers frozen chopped spinach
½ pound bulk spicy pork sausage
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
¼ teaspoon Watkins crushed rosemary
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1¼ cups crumbled blue cheese (5 ounces)
½ cup red pepper jelly (from one 10-ounce jar)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with Crisco Original nonstick cooking spray. Microwave frozen spinach as directed on box, 3 to 4 minutes to thaw. Drain well; squeeze dry with paper towels.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Add spinach, onion and rosemary. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent.
Unroll dough on work surface. With pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into 24 squares. Press 1 square in bottom and up side of each muffin cup. Spoon ½ teaspoon blue cheese into each cup; top with 1 tablespoon sausage mixture. Spoon remaining blue cheese over sausage mixture in each cup.
Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Gently remove from pan to serving plate.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir jelly until smooth. Top each cup with 1 teaspoon jelly. Serve warm.
From Jennifer Parrott, Rockford. Tested by Pillsbury. Analysis per 1 appetizer.
90 calories (45% from fat), 4.5 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 9 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 230 mg sodium, 10 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.
Creamy Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes: 12 cupcakes / Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Chocolate and peanut butter team up in this gluten-free cupcake delight!
1 container Pillsbury Gluten Free refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon Watkins Original Double Strength vanilla extract
½ cup water
¾ cup Jif creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated or powder sugar
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Line 12 regular-size muffin cups with Reynolds baking cups.
In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add cocoa, vinegar, vanilla and ½ cup water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Spoon about ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup, filling about 2/3 full.
In a small bowl, beat peanut butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes or until well blended; stir in chocolate chips. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded tablespoonful peanut butter mixture in center of each muffin cup.
Bake 23 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake around edges comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store in covered container.
From Klaren Gerhart, Bloomfield Hills. Tested by Pillsbury. Analysis per 1 cupcake.
310 calories (49% from fat), 17 grams fat (6 grams sat. fat), 34 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 200 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.
