Pillsbury Bake-Off winner announced

Are Mini Ice-Cream Cookie Cups worth $1 million? You decide. They won the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off, announced Wednesday. The cookie cups competed against three other recipes in the final round; each of these recipes is here.

There were local winners, too. Laura Stanke of Maple Grove (who works at the Star Tribune as art director of marketing promotions) won the GE Imagination at Work award. Her recipe for Pepperoni-Pesto Popovers (in last week's Taste section) was recognized as the most inventive of the 100 recipes in the finals. Stanke will receive a GE Profile Induction Free-Standing Range, plus her choice of $1,700 worth of additional GE kitchen appliances (a total award worth $5,000).

Just over the border, Heather Halonie of Webster, Wis., won the Crisco Is Cooking award for her Turkey Club Sandwich Ring with Avocado Aioli, for the best dish using at least one tablespoon of Crisco cooking oil.

Intrigued by the contest? The next one will be held in two years.