And the winner is..........

Sue Compton with her Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups!  I only talked to Sue briefly at the Bake-off when she was expressing concern as we were lined up for the Grand March that her ice cream would stay frozen correctly.  My guess is that it did just fine!


Congratulations to Sue!


My experience being a Pillsbury Bake-off Finalist..... well, it was simply amazing.  From the minute I found out until I was drowning my sorrow in the plethera of desserts offered for at the Awards Ceremony Dinner!  LOL


If have found a couple of other food bloggers who have wonderful photographs and recaps of the event from their point of view.


Carrots N Cake has quite a few posts about the event... worth looking at them at for some wonderful pictures of the event.  I'm including the link to the one that has me laughing and showing my dish to Ali Wentworth.(yes, that Ali Wentworth from OPRAH!).


Joy the Baker has a great post that includes a picture of my finished product (all the way on the bottom).  SO COOL!


In case you missed Oprah on Wednesday, here is the You Tube of the segment that aired.  Look to the left of the screen when they are talking to "Tony"..... that is me busily finishing my 3rd recipe! (I turned number 2 into the judges, but I'm all about feeding people and wanted to have a "sample" available!  LOL)


Here is a very interesting blog post from one of the judges.  I'm feeling very zen about their decision and I'm already anxiously awaiting the opening of the entry period for the 2012 Pillsbury Bake-off Contest!  :)

Hours Away!

We are less than 90 hours away from the 44th Pillsbury Bake-off Contest!  So many exciting things have happened to me over the last 7 months since I found out I was a finalist - I thought it I'd round up all the things one more time for my loyal following.  (I have an exciting guest post lined up for when I'm gone next week, so be sure and stay tuned for that!!)


It all started a year ago... on an innocent day when I happened along a post by HoneyB (you know HoneyB from Grumpy's Honeybunch fame!) about the Pillsbury Bake-off Contest.  I thought... hmmmmm... could I make up a recipe of my very own?  Could I do that?  So, I made a plan. I had an idea........ I got a sinus infection, and never got my my idea made.  But I thought.... what the heck and sent my burger idea off to Pillsbury anyway. 


Months went by - and I never really gave my  recipe much thought at all.  The Chickies and I had a wonderful summer.  And then... on the first day of September I had a phone call that changed it all...... I was a Bake-off Contest Finalist!  


First I got this wonderful little article in my local paper!  Then a bigger, local-ish paper ran an article.  I thought, WOW!  my 15 minutes is so cool!  THEN - this little piece ran on the FRONT PAGE OF THE LA TIMES.  Followed by the Seattle Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Tri-City Herald, and The Yakima Herald. 

There were a few radio interviews..... which were super fun and then we graduated to TV!  We had the fun times at KHQ  followed by the entertaining interview with KEPR-TV and Jordan's Adventures.

My adventure is going to be wrapping up soon with the actual Bake-off Contest at The Hilton Bonnet Creek.  We have received news that instead of announcing the winner at the Bake-off Contest, they will whisk away the 4-category winners to Chicago where the winner will be announced LIVE on Oprah's show Wednesday, April 14, 2010.  Set your DVR's NOW!  


Thank you for all your support and enthusiasm that you've shown me throughout this adventure.  Be sure to be my fan on Facebook (Hick Chick WA) where I will posting updates throughout the trip.  


Don't forget to check in for my guest, Miss Gina, who is going to tell us about her adventures in going vegan for Lent.

TV Debut!

I was on the KHQ-6 Saturday morning news with another Pillsbury Bake-off Finalist Joan Cossette.  It was great FUN, if not a little nerve-wracking for two minutes of time!  LOL  Here are few photos of the fun:

Here I was standing outside the studio waiting for the security to let us in.... we had to push a little button and wait for them to answer.  It was all very "James Bond".  Okay... not really - but you couldn't just open the door and go in!

Here is Joan and I in front of the giant orange wall in the KHQ-6 studios.  It was a very large orange wall!  Joan is the sweetest thing ever, even she did make me feel kinda short!  bwahahahahah

 I had to frantically assemble my recipe for the interview.... I washed the lettuce, sliced the tomatoes, and heated up the pre-made patties & red-onions in my hotel room!  That was something!

Caramelized Red Onion-Feta Burgers ready for their TV debut!

My "infamous" Chickies and I along with Joan and her cute, cute daughter!

 And here its.... the interview going LIVE!  I don't think they are going have a link of the actual interview, but it was so much fun!

Caramelized Red Onion-Feta Burgers

I took a couple of pictures today of my two practice runs of the Burger!

Caramelized Red-Onion Feta Burgers

It seems very fitting that this is also my 100th blog post.  My burger recipe that is taking me to the 44th Pillsbury Bake-off Contest this April in Orlando, FL.  I'm so excited I just might bust wide open! LOL


Caramelized Red-Onion Feta Burgers

Whirlwind!

Whew!  Did you feel that rush?  That was all the people who have been at my little ol' blog in the past 7 days - 2451 to date!  So, I want to welcome all those you of just happening by from one of the places the wonderful article, Kim Murphy of the LA Times wrote about me, has appeared.  All I can say is.... Thank you, Kim!  You did such a wonderful job catching my cooking enthusiasm, the "wry" looks my chickies throw me when I tell them what is for dinner, and the general hick-ness of my life!  I loved it! 

For the 17 of  you who come to my blog on a regular basis - LOL and haven't seen the articles yet here are some links:

From potluck queen to Pillsbury Bake-off Finalist 
This is the full article as it appeared on the front page of the 12/24 edition of the LA Times.  (Can you believe that - the front page, I'm still in shock about it!)

Pillsbury Bake-off fires up Grant County 'Hick Chick' cook
This is a version of the same article that appeared in the Seattle Times on 12/26.

'Hick Chick' reinvents burger for competition 
Here is the version that was in the Chicago Tribune on 12/27.  I hear rumors that it appeared on page 34.  I'm hoping to get a copy of this from relatives of friend.....

It was also in the Yakima Herald-Republic on Sunday.  They don't have it on their website though, but again - it was the same article!  LOL

I hope some of you that just discovered my little corner of the web will stick around.... I can't promise that'll be all that and bag of chips - but hey, ya never know!  I'm planning a chip and cheese fiesta on New Years Eve! 

More of My 15 Minutes

Yesterday I was lucky enough to have a really nice article on the front page of the Columbia Basin Herald. I'm soaking up my 15 minutes of fame and counting the days until April!

Paparazzi

Well, not really. But here is the very lovely article The South County Sun wrote about me. Look at my chickies - they definitely are the stars of the photo op!

Pillsbury Finalist List

Pillsbury has released the finalist list for the 44th Bake-off Contest. Check it out!

Million Dollar Plan

I have a plan. I'm going to win a million dollars. How you ask? How is po-dunky small town Susie going to get a million bucks?? Well.. I'm going to enter and win the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Seriously. I have plans for my million bucks.

I'm about to start a test run of a my winning recipe. You'll see it in a Pillsbury Bake-Off Winners recipe booklet at check stand near you!