Posted by The Dallas Morning News, TX on April 15, 2008 at 12:22:00:
Pillsbury Bake-Off winner: A million-dollar cookie
11:10 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
By MICHAEL GRANBERRY / The Dallas Morning News
mgranberry@dallasnews.com
Carolyn Gurtz, a 59-year-old homemaker from Gaithersburg, Md., captured the $1 million grand prize Tuesday in the 43rd Pillsbury Bake-Off at the Fairmont Dallas Hotel.
Ms. Gurtz's winning recipe was a simple creation called Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies, which finished first in the Sweet Treats category, making her one of five contestants eligible for the grand prize.
Along with the grand prize, she won the Jif Peanut Butter Award and an additional $5,000 for having the best recipe using at least ¼ cup of Jif Peanut Butter.
"I'm speechless," she said, as she accepted the grand prize from emcee Sandra Lee, a TV personality on the Food Network. "For once in my life, I'm speechless."
Moments after being showered with confetti, Ms. Gurtz said, "Was I surprised? I was absolutely shocked. When I looked at all the other entries, I don't know how the judges picked just one."
Ms. Gurtz has two grown sons, ages 33 and 30. Her husband, Dennis Gurtz, is a financial planner, so, she said, he already has investment plans for the $1 million, which is dispersed in 20 annual payments of $50,000.
"But I had already promised some to my church," said Ms. Gurtz, who was wearing a turquoise pantsuit with matching shoes while confetti clung to her hair. "And, of course, I plan to give some to my grandson. He's only 1 ½ , but some day, he'll be going to college."
Ms. Gurtz figured she might have a winning creation when one of her sons kept coming back for more. "Mom, these are winners," he told her. But the capper came from her 14-year-old "mixed Golden Retriever," Tucker, a treasured pet she describes as "my biggest fan and harshest critic." Tucker could not get enough of those peanut-butter cookies.
The secret to having won, she said, was coming up with something "that appeals to people of all ages. Little kids, old people, anybody who likes cookies. They're crunchy and sweet on the outside, creamy on the inside."
Ms. Gurtz had entered the Bake-Off each year for the last 10 years but until 2008 had never been chosen as a finalist. She will have one more major celebrity moment, when The Today Show interviews her on Thursday.
The Dallas area fielded four contestants, but only one, Gwen Beauchamp, 54, of Lancaster, walked away a winner. Ms. Beauchamp, an information specialist at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, won America's Favorite Recipe Award – $5,000 cash – for Toffee-Banana Brownies.
Here is the winning recipe, plus Ms. Beauchamp's brownie recipe.
DOUBLE-DELIGHT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup powdered sugar
1 (16.5-ounce) package Pillsbury Create 'n Bake refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well chilled
Preheat oven to 375 F. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Pillsbury
Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
View larger More photos Photo store In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls.
Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls. On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Spray bottom of drinking glass with nonstick cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture. Flatten each ball to ¼ -inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into dough.
Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered. Makes 24 cookies.
PER COOKIE: Calories 150 Fat 7 g (1.5 g sat) No cholesterol Sodium 125 mg No fiber Carbohydrates 17 g Protein 3 g
SOURCE: Carolyn Gurtz, Gaithersburg, Md.
TOFFEE-BANANA BROWNIES
America's Favorite Recipe, 2008 Pillsbury Bake-Off
1 (19.5-ounce) box Pillsbury Traditional Fudge Brownie Mix
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water
3 Eggland's Best eggs
1 ½ cups toffee bits (divided use)
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
2 firm ripe medium bananas, cut into ¼ -inch pieces (2 cups)
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
Heat oven to 350 F. Generously spray 13x9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs 50 strokes with spoon. Add 1 cup of the toffee bits, the nuts and bananas; stir just until well blended. Pour into pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits over top.
Pillsbury
More photos Photo store Bake 38 to 48 minutes or until center is set when lightly touched, top is slightly dry and edges just start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. To serve, drizzle each brownie with caramel topping. Cover and refrigerate any remaining brownies. Makes 24 brownies.
PER BROWNIE: Calories 260 Fat 15 g (3 g sat) Cholesterol 105 mg Sodium 75 mg No fiber Carbohydrates 30 g Protein 2 g
SOURCE: Gwen Beauchamp, Lancaster