DATELINE -- Dallas -- Philip Potempa is reporting from Texas this week while on assignment.
Baking inspiration
It was four years ago that Sherry Klinedinst of South Bend first decided to enter the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.
She had been watching an episode of Oprah Winfrey's popular talk show in 2004 featuring an interview with Susan Conrad, of Findlay, Ohio, who had just returned from Hollywood where the 41st Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off had been held with Dick Clark announcing that Conrad's Oats 'n Honey Granola Pie had netted the $1 million grand prize.
"I figured if she could do it, so could I," said Klinedinst, who competed Monday morning with 99 other finalists at the 43rd Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Dallas, Texas.
Klinedinst had five hours to create three versions of her Creamy Smoked Salmon Cups recipe for Monday's judging.
The winners are announced at 8:30 CST this morning from the Regency Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel, the same chandelier-laden room where the air conditioning was cranked to the lowest possible chilly setting on Monday to compensate for the temporary kitchen stations, including 100 hot ovens and stove ranges used by the contestants for their recipe preparation.
By 9:40 a.m. Klinedinst already had plated the first version of her recipe and whisked it off to the judging room, where she also met with a Pillsbury attorney to sign the mandatory affidavit attesting that she was solely responsible for the recipe she was delivering.
While at her kitchen station, Klinedinst also visited with George and Sally Pillsbury, who have made it a tradition to meet each cooking contestant as they stroll through the ballroom escorted by a life-size waddling Pillsbury Dough Boy.
The other notable who stopped by Kinedinst's workstation was this year's celebrity hostess for the Pillsbury Bake-Off, Sandra Lee of Food Network fame, a cookbook author and host of the popular series "Semi-Homemade" which she describes using the philosophy "70 percent store-bought/ready-made products accompanied by 30 percent fresh and creative touches, allows cooks to take 100 percent of the credit."
"These look beautiful," said Lee, referring to Klinedinst's appetizers, which had just been removed from the oven.
Lee, whose TV trademark is wearing a color-coordinated outfit each week that matches each episode's ever-changing color scheme of appliances, dishes, food and even the background draperies on her show's set, also is announcing the prize winners at today's award ceremony.
Klinedinst also has a circle of close fans who have accompanied her to Dallas, including her friend Vickie Marshall of South Bend and Klinedinst's mother Sharon Klinedinst and her aunt Jeanie Poston, both of Walkerton.
Also competing from Indiana in this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off are Gloria Felts of Indianapolis with her Poblanos Florentine Casserole, Beverly Rossell of Morgantown, Ind., with her Fudgy Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, and Lisa Kramer of Madison, Ind., with her Cranberry-Pecan Crescent Sausage Wraps. And from our Illinois readership area, it's Annette Riva of Berwyn with her Buffalo Chicken Salad Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Monika Johnson of Chicago and her Orange Marmalade-Chorizo Pizza.
Guests of honor
Pillsbury's Bake-Off, now held every other year, also includes some famous special guests of honor who mingle with finalists and sample the recipes showcased. The first contest held in New York in 1949 included Eleanor Roosevelt in attendance. The following year, guests of honor were the would-be king of England, Edward, who abdicated and took on the title of Duke of Windsor, and his wife, the Duchess of Windsor, aka American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Other notable guests over the years have included actress Greer Garson in 1959 and Mamie Eisenhower in 1962. Even Ronald Reagan attended as a special celebrity guest at one of the earlier Bake-Offs, just as he was leaving his acting career to enter politics.
By the numbers
Of the 92 women and eight men competing in this year's 43rd Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off, the youngest contestant is 27, and the oldest is 72. There are 79 married contestants, and 78 is the number of grandchildren for all the finalists.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4325.
celebBirthdays
Actor Michael Ansara ("Buck Rogers in the 25th Century") is 86. Country singer Roy Clark is 75. Actress Claudia Cardinale ("The Pink Panther") is 69. Singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 64. Actress Lois Chiles ("Austin Powers") and TV producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason ("Designing Women") are 61. Actress Amy Wright is 58. Times and syndicated "Household Hints" columnist Heloise is 55. Actress Emma Thompson is 49. Singer Samantha Fox is 42. Guitarist Ed O'Brien of Radiohead is 40. Actor Danny Pino ("Cold Case") is 34. Actor Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up") is 26. Actress Emma Watson ("Harry Potter" movies) is 18.
