A few weeks ago, Meghan and I received a letter from the Jolly Green Giant letting us know that we had not won their Klondike Rose Potato contest.  I was disappointed, my sadness only slightly lifted by the Jolly Green Giant magnet they sent as a consolation prize.  Meghan and I have discussed this, and we've agreed to share custody of the magnet. 

This is the second time this year that I've entered a recipe contest, and also the second time I've lost.  Each time I was surprised, sure that my entry was that perfect combination of tasty and clever that would instantly win over any judge.  But it was no big deal, entering those contests was really just a warm up for the big show, The Pillsbury Bake-Off.  Sure, there are a lot of entrants, and yes, the stakes are higher but it can't hurt to try.  I mean, the prize is ONE MILLION DOLLARS.  That's worth trying.

I want the limited edition "Bake-Off" apron.  I want to win the money.  I want to get an all new kitchen.  I want confetti to shower down around me and land in my carefully feathered hair.  I want to be just like this lady:

She won in 2006 for creating and making this recipe: Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing.

After the last contest, I printed out the list of eligible ingredients and have been working on a recipe for about a year.  It is a non-dairy ice cream, it uses Splenda, the required ingredients and has a crumbly topping.  In an age of calorie-watching and food allergies, I thought this recipe might just rise to the top of the pile.  So, imagine my surprise when I learned that THEY HAVE NEW INGREDIENT LISTS EVERY BAKE-OFF.  I'm back to the drawing board and the deadline is less than two months away.  I've thought of a few ideas and will start the great recipe experiment this weekend to see if any have potential.

My friend Meghan says that I've turned into The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio and that's okay with me because the operative word in there is WINNER.