I know we are all on pins and needles waiting for the announcement of the 2014 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.  We don’t know the details yet, but we do know that the lucky finalists will compete this year in Nashville.  While we are waiting, I thought I would give you all a glimpse behind the scenes of the experience at the 2013 contest in Las Vegas.

I also thought this would be a great time to showcase the winning recipe, “Loaded Potato Pinwheels.”  When I first took a bite of this million dollar dish my first thought was “this is football food!”  These bite-sized appetizers are easy to make and definitely a crowd pleaser.  I’m guessing there will be a lot of people making Glori Spriggs’ recipe for the Super Bowl this year!

Let’s talk a little bit about the 2013 contest.  I don’t know if it was the sparkly glitz of Vegas, but I have to say this was one of the most exciting contests in years!  There was a certain electricity in the air.   Throughout the event I was snapping photos and shooting videos.  I have compiled it all here to give you an inside peek into the experience.  For many of you this will evoke memories of the contest, and for others, I hope it gets you excited to enter and compete this year!

Let’s start with a warm welcome from the Cooking Contest Central members in attendance.

The day of the contest always begins with the iconic “Grand March.”  This is when all 100 contestants line up and parade on to the competition floor.  The energy in the room could light up The Strip!

The contest has very specific time limits, so no one can “start their ovens” until the announcer calls out the official “Ready, Set, Make!”  Take a look at those tiny kitchen spaces.  A small countertop, miniature pantry and range.  That’s it!

Now comes the most important part – the cooking!  Here you can see two CCC members, Naylet LaRochelle and Julie Beckwith hard at work in their kitchens.  Remember, there will be lights, cameras, video equipment and celebrity guests distracting you along the way.  It’s good to practice your recipe knowing there will be interruptions!

Then comes the moment when your recipe leaves your hands and gets passed on to the top secret judging room.  If you notice there are heaps of paperwork to fill out.  This million dollars is serious business, folks!

Didn’t I tell you this contest was fun!  After the cooking period ended, several contests were ready to celebrate.  The result?  Instant dance party!

Several nail-biting hours later, the moment we were all waiting for.  The announcement of the $1,000,000 winner!  The ballroom was filled with screams of joy and buckets of confetti as Glori Spriggs was crowned the 2013 Grand Prize Winner.

Moments after the big announcement, the winner is whisked off to a press conference in an adjacent ballroom.

We had the opportunity to interview Glori about her winning recipe and the Bake-Off experience.  I had a chance to chat with her briefly after the press conference and tell her a little bit about our community here at Cooking Contest Central.  I am proud to say that Glori is now a member of CCC and she can’t wait to get her creative juices flowing once again and enter more contests!

If you haven’t tried Glori’s winning recipe yet, I highly recommend adding it to your Super Bowl snacks menu.  It is sure to be a hit!

Please follow the link below to view or print the recipe:

Loaded Potato Pinwheels