48Th Pillsbury Bake-Off' Contest Grand Prize Winner Announced

The grand prize winner of the 48 th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest has been named! After rigorous testing of thousands of entries, four stood out as the best of the best, with the grand prize awarded to Amy Nelson from Zionville, N.C. for her Bejeweled Cranberry-Orange Rolls and her inspiration behind the recipe.

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Amy Nelson, the 48 th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest grand prize winner is a first-time Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest finalist and category winner in the Cozy Breakfast category. Amy found inspiration for her winning recipe in memories of cooking with her mother.

"I feel blessed beyond belief to be a Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest grand prize winner," said Amy Nelson, 48th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest grand prize winner. "I have so many memories about family and food, especially when it comes to my mama. She loved Pillsbury Orange Rolls, so when I saw those on the list of eligible products, I knew it was a recipe that was meant to be. I just added a filling inspired by a family favorite cranberry salad that Mama always made, and it was a perfect match!"

As part of Pillsbury's partnership with Food Network, Amy Nelson learned that she was the Grand Prize winner during an appearance on Food Network's Emmy-nominated The Kitchen on February 24 th. She will also be featured in Food Network Magazine and receive a kitchen makeover from GE Appliances and $50,000 in cash.

As an evolution of the beloved Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, this year home cooks were asked to share how they use Pillsbury in a family favorite recipe along with the story behind their recipe. Judges considered both the recipe and the story behind it in their judging. Contestants submitted their original recipe using Pillsbury refrigerated dough, along with their inspiration, in any of the following categories: Cozy Breakfasts, Appetizers for Any Party, Dinners with Heart, and No-Fuss Desserts.

In January, Pillsbury narrowed down the entries to four category winners and each winner received a trip to New York City to appear on The Kitchen, in addition to appearing in Food Network Magazine, receiving a suite of GE Appliances and $5,000 in cash. Below are this year's category winners.

• Appetizers for Any Party Category Winner: Joanne Tucker from Tampa, Fla. for her Toasted Spinach Pesto Ravioli
• Dinners with Heart Category Winner: Sarah Campbell from Palm Bay, Fla. for her Oktoberfest Pizza
• No-Fuss Desserts Category Winner: Sandy Reiter from San Mateo, Calif. for her Cookies and Cream Caramel Layer Bars

In addition to the category winners and grand prize winner, Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest sponsor GE Appliances and special award presenter Meijer announced their award winners.

• Meijer Award Winner: Shari Seiner from Salt Lake City, Utah for her Bacon-Cinnamon Breakfast Twist
• GE Appliances "good things, for life" Award Winner: Anne-Marie Bilella from Monroe, Ga. for her Mediterranean Breakfast Buns

"We were thrilled to see the variety of recipes that were submitted into this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest and the important role these recipes play in peoples' lives," said Joanna Hargus, Senior Marketing Manager for Pillsbury. "It was wonderful to see our Pillsbury home cooks receive a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the opportunity to share their heartwarming stories and memories alongside some of Food Network's most inspirational stars."

Since its inception in 1949, the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest has been about inspiring home cooks everywhere to share their recipes and celebrating the stories behind them. Over the years, the Contest has grown and changed to reflect what's happening in real homes across the country.

This year's Contest sponsors speak to both the heritage of the contest as well as the changing preferences of home cooks. Since 1949, Sponsor GE Appliances has provided thousands of ranges for the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, enabling contestants to cook their cherished recipes with the latest technology, including induction cooktops and true European convection ovens. The Truvia brand, a proud first-time sponsor, created zero- and reduced-calorie products with natural sweetness from the stevia leaf to help home cooks reduce sugar and calories without sacrificing the sweetness of their family-favorite recipes..

To hear more about Amy's win check out A TasteOf General Mills Blog and to learn more about the 48 th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, visit www.BakeOff.com or on social media at, Facebook and Instagram.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Progresso Soup, Larabar, Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. General Mills is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. For more information visit www.generalmills.com

About GE Appliances

GE Appliances, a Haier company, makes moments that matter for our owners through our passion for making great appliances and providing unparalleled services. Owners have more choices than ever before under the Hotpoint, GE, Haier, GE Caf, GE Profile and Monogram brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners and water filtration systems. A leader in WiFi-connected technology, owners can monitor and maintain our connected suite of appliances from virtually anywhere, making owners' lives easier while improving their daily routines. For more information visitwww.geappliances.com/our-company.

About the Truvia brand

Sweetness is meant to be enjoyed. That's why the Truvia brand created a family of zero- and reduced-calorie sweeteners that reduce sugar and calories, not sweetness. Truvia Natural Sweetener, made with the best tasting part of the stevia leaf, is No. 1 in its category of zero-calorie natural sweeteners in the U.S. and is also available to consumers in Europe and Canada. The Truvia Sugar Blends combine stevia sweetener with sugar or brown sugar for use in most baked goods where sugar provides important functionality beyond sweetness, such as texture, moistness, volume and browning. For more information, visit www.Truvia.com.

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SOURCE General Mills

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