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"  On Tuesday, March 27, Christina Verrelli of Devon, PA, went home with $1 million for her winning recipe in the 45th annual Pillsbury Bake-Off. The grand prize was awarded to her on a live episode of The Martha Stewart Show by none other than Martha Stewart herself. Verrelli beat out 99 other finalists with her Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream, which was inspired by a favorite hometown food \u2014 sweet donuts with dipping sauces. Developing the recipe reminded her of what it felt like to roll dough in her grandmother&amp;#039;s kitchen. Lynn Blanchard, Test Kitchen Director of Better Homes and Gardens, who was one of the judges, had the same sentiment. &amp;quot;It was truly reminiscent of the crispy pie crust my grandmother used to make,&amp;quot; said Blanchard. More From Delish: 12 Perfect Pumpkin Recipes So what does it take to make a $1 million-worthy recipe? First, you have to use two or more of the designated products listed on the Pillsbury site. That includes a wide range, from Pillsbury Refrigerated Cresent Dinner Rolls to Jif Peanut Butter. But even more specifically, there is a minimum required quantity for each ingredient used. In the case of the peanut butter, your recipe must have at least a 1/4 cup. Verrelli&amp;#039;s recipe used several of the brands, including two cans of Pillsbury\u00AE Crescent Recipe Creations\u00AE refrigerated seamless dough sheet and five tablespoons of Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour. In some ways the contest is a little bit like an episode of Iron Chef, only rather than one ingredient featured in each dish, you need to juggle a few. And the more the better. The other things to keep in mind: taste, appearance, creativity, and consumer appeal. Judges look for excellence in all four of those categories. More From Delish: 10 Stellar Ravioli Recipes The Pillsbury Bake-Off didn&amp;#039;t always carry a million dollar purse. In 1949, the first winner took home $50,000 and was awarded the prize by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The rules changed as more products came to market. In the early 1950s, only a single ingredient was required \u2014 Pillsbury&amp;#039;s BEST Flour. Most of the dishes entered were scratch cakes, yeast and quick breads, pies, and cookies. Nowadays, with the expanded recipe categories, desserts are not the only focus. Contestants can enter their recipes into four categories: Breakfast &amp;amp;amp; Brunches, Entertaining Appetizers, Dinner Made Easy, and Sweet Treats. Verrelli&amp;#039;s recipe, while both sweet and savory, landed her the top spot in the Sweet Treats category. Do you think you have a recipe worth $1 million? The next bake-off isn&amp;#039;t until 2014 \u2014 that means there is plenty of time to get your recipe just right. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/food/news/a38993/2012-pillsbury-bake-off-winner-awarded-1-million/>