Sandra Lee (right) and the category winners
44th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest category winners Niki Plourde (from left), Evelyn Henderson, Kellie White and Sue Compton celebrate being named the four category winners by host Sandra Lee during the awards ceremony held Monday, April 12, 2010, at the new Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek hotel. The grand prize winner will be announced live Wed., April 14, on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Tell me what you think about their recipes. See a $1 mlllion winner? Which one?
Salmon Pecan-Crusted Tartlets
Evelyn Henderson (Roseville CA):
Salmon Pecan-Crusted Tartlets
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish: 1:0
1 can (6 oz) premium skinless boneless pink salmon, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1/3 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals Pecan Cookie Pieces or Fisher Chef’s Naturals Chopped Pecans, finely chopped
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 dill weed sprig
2 lemon wedges
In large bowl, mix salmon, pickle, onion, mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon dill weed. Refrigerate.
Heat oven to 400°F. On work surface, unroll 1 pie crust. Sprinkle half of the pecans over crust; gently press into crust. Cut with 3-inch round cookie cutter into 10 rounds. In ungreased nonstick mini muffin pan, gently press each round, pecan side down, on bottom and up side of muffin cup, folding edge under and rounding to shape. Repeat with remaining crust.
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese into bottom of each cup. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon salmon mixture on cream cheese in each cup.
Bake 12 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool in pan on cooling rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to serving platter; cool 5 minutes. Garnish with dill weed sprig and lemon wedges. Serve warm.
20 tartlets
Tomato-Basil Eggs Alfredo in Bread Baskets
Niki Plourde (Gardner, MA):
Tomato-Basil Eggs Alfredo in Bread Baskets
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish: 25 minutes
1 medium tomato
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated original breadsticks (12 breadsticks)
1/4 cup basil pesto
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 EGGLAND’S BEST eggs
2 tablespoons half-and-half or milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Unsalted or Salted Butter
1/3 cup Alfredo pasta sauce (from 16-oz jar)
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Cut 6 thin slices from tomato; finely dice remaining tomato for garnish. Set aside.
Unroll dough; separate into 12 breadsticks. Shape each of 6 breadsticks into a coil; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Starting at center, press out each coil into 3 1/2-inch round. Twist remaining breadsticks; wrap 1 twisted breadstick around edge of each round to make 1/2-inch rim; press edges to seal.
Spread 1 rounded teaspoon of the pesto in bottom of each round; top with tomato slice. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat eggs and half-and-half with wire whisk until well blended. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the basil. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in skillet; add egg mixture. Cook 4 minutes, gently lifting cooked portions with spatula so that thin, uncooked portion can flow to bottom, until eggs are thickened but still slightly moist. Stir in pasta sauce.
Divide egg mixture evenly among bread baskets. Garnish with diced tomato and remaining 1/2 tablespoon basil.
6 servings
Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos
Kellie White (St. Louis MO):
Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Start to Finish: 40 minutes
1 lb tilapia fillets (about 4)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (2 to 3 limes)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
6 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Canola Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
Heat oven to 200°F. Cut each fish fillet lengthwise into 4 strips. In shallow glass dish, mix 7 tablespoons of the lime juice and garlic. Add fish; turn to coat. Let stand while preparing biscuits.
On work surface, mix flour and cornmeal. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Press both sides of each biscuit into flour mixture, then press or roll into 6- to 7-inch round.
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add 2 biscuit rounds; cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Place on cookie sheet; keep warm in oven. Cook remaining rounds, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to skillet for each batch. Wipe skillet clean.
Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and lime juice mixture, chiles, salt and pepper; cook about 5 minutes, turning fish once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
In small bowl, mix salsa, sour cream and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Using slotted spoon, remove fish and divide evenly among biscuit rounds. Top each with cabbage and 1 to 2 tablespoons salsa mixture. Fold biscuit rounds in half over filling. Serve with any remaining salsa mixture. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.
8 tacos
Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups
Sue Compton (Delanco NJ):
Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 45 minutes
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
4 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup Hershey’s® semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4 cup Smucker’s® Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
1 1/2 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
24 fresh raspberries
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Place 2 teaspoons of the sugar in small bowl. Dip end of wooden spoon handle in sugar; carefully press into center of each cookie to make 1-inch-wide indentation. Cool completely in pan, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix walnuts and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until smooth.
Run knife around edges of cups to loosen; gently remove from pan. Dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then into walnut mixture. Place walnut side up on cookie sheet with sides.
In another small microwavable bowl, microwave jam uncovered on High about 15 seconds until melted. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into each cup. Freeze cups about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Spoon ice cream into cups, using small cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon. Top each cup with fresh raspberry. Store in freezer; let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before serving.
24 tartlets.
The final four in action:
Niki Plourde
Sue Compton
Kellie White
Evelyn Henderson
