GIVEAWAY: Win a Pillsbury Bake-Off prize pack

This year marks the 45th showing of the world-famous Pillsbury Bake-Off.  Home cooks like you submit original recipes using Pillsbury products for a chance to compete for the grand prize of one million dollars.

Pillsbury is accepting recipes through 4/18/11 in four categories including "Breakfast & Brunches," "Entertaining Appetizers," "Dinner Made Easy," and, my favorite, "Sweet Treats."  Official rules and all the legal details can be found at bakeoff.com, including the list of Pillsbury products that must be included in your final recipe.

The Bake-Off is open to US residents age 18 or older who are truly amateur cooks.  Those who get paid to make food aren't eligible (which, unfortunately, disqualifies me this year) so everyone is competing on a level playing field.  I've entered the Bake-Off in past years and, though I've never made it to the finals, I do enjoy the wide variety of qualifying products.  Entrants must use at least two Pillsbury products in their recipe - one each from two lists - and those lists include items ranging from basic butter, herbs and flour to convenience foods such as brownie mixes and prepared biscuits. 

In 1949, Pillsbury held their first Bake-Off.  The second prize that first year went to a Miss Laura Rott from Illinois.  I mention the second-place winner rather than the grand prize winner because Miss Rott's recipe for Mint Surprise Cookies has been a family tradition of ours every Christmas since the 1950s.  Every year for Christmas the ladies of the family gather to make cookies, and every year we make Miss Rott's Starlight Mint Surprises.  The Pillsbury Bake-Off holds a special place in my heart thanks to this recipe; it's not Christmas without those cookies! 

Mom making the Starlight cookies in 2010

So, maybe you've decided to give this Bake-Off a shot.  If you're thinking about entering, you'll need some inspiration, right?
Thanks to Pillsbury, I'm giving away one prize pack to a randomly selected reader.  The winner will receive one apron with Pillsbury's famous Dough-Boy decorating the front, a cookbook with 100 winning Bake-Off recipes, and a notepad and pen to jot down recipe ideas.

To enter, just leave a comment on this entry with your first name, last initial, and tell me about your favorite cookie!  I'll use a random number generator to select the winning post on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011. 



note: I was provided a Bake-Off prize pack as shown above by Pillsbury in order to facilitate this review.  My opinions are my own.  A randomly-chosen winner will receive an identical prize pack.  No purchase necessary.