MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- After reviewing thousands of tasty recipe entries, the representatives at Pillsbury recognized four category winners in the 49^th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest and awarded the Grand Prize to Melissa Jollands of Hudsonville, Michigan for her delicious, pub-style Dublin Cheeseboard-Stuffed Appetizer Bread recipe and the cherished memories that inspired it.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8476051-49th-pillsbury-bake-off-contest-grand-prize-winner-announced/

As a first-time Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest finalist, winner of the Appetizers for Any Party category, Melissa Jollands found inspiration for her Grand Prize recipe on a special trip to Ireland with her husband. The high-school sweethearts, were in Dublin celebrating two happy milestones: their 25th anniversary and first-ever vacation together. There she fell in love with Dublin's large spread of flavorful cheese and meat boards, served alongside the contrasting flavors and textures of dried fruit and warm bread.

"I am so excited and incredibly grateful to be named the Grand-Prize winner of the 49^th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest. I've always enjoyed creating family memories through food," said Jollands. "I saw Pillsbury's refrigerated French bread on the list of eligible Bake-Off products and began to think about baking the creamy honey goat cheese, Irish white cheddar and flavorful salami inside and how it would be the perfect opportunity to introduce the flavorful cheeseboard cuisine into my own family recipe, while revisiting those exceptional flavors and memories from Dublin."

As part of Pillsbury's partnership with Food Network, Melissa learned that she was the Grand-Prize winner on its hit show, The Kitchen. The episode aired on February 23 and includes Melissa's winner announcement complete with confetti cannons and the presentation of her Grand Prize. She will also receive $50,000 in cash, a suite of GE Appliances and will be featured in an upcoming issue of Food Network Magazine.

Created as a way to celebrate home cooks across America, the beloved Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest asks contestants nationwide to submit an original recipe using specific Pillsbury refrigerated dough products, along with the story or inspiration behind the recipe. In January, Pillsbury narrowed down the entries to four category winners.

Each winner received a trip to New York City to appear on The Kitchen, in addition to being included in Food Network Magazine, a suite of GE Appliances and $5,000 in cash. This year's category winners are:

• Cozy Weekend Breakfasts Category: Lauren Katz from Ashburn, Va. for her Cherry-Cream Cheese Crumb Cake Bombs
• Winning Weeknight Dinners Category: Andrea Espinoza from Stockton, Calif. for her Poblano Shrimp Flatbread
• Sweet + Simple Desserts Category: Joanna Crumley from Hubbard, Ore. for her REESE's™ Piece 'O' Bliss Fudge

In addition, Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest sponsor and special award presenter Meijer announced Jollands and her creamy Dublin Cheeseboard-Stuffed Appetizer Bread recipe as its Meijer Award Winner.

"We loved hearing all the stories and memories that Pillsbury inspires in homes across the country, and hope that by sharing these delicious recipes with families we can help to create new memories made by spending time together in the kitchen," said Ben Irby, Director of Business for Pillsbury.

Sponsor GE Appliances has provided thousands of ranges for the Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest over the existence of the contest, enabling contestants to cook their cherished recipes with the latest technology, including induction cooktops and true European convection ovens.

Since its inception in 1949, the Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest has been about inspiring home cooks everywhere to share their recipes and celebrate the stories behind them. Over the years, the contest has grown to reflect what's happening in real homes across the country. To learn more about Melissa's win and the 49^th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest, check out a Taste of General Mills Blog, www.BakeOff.com or Pillsbury's Facebook and Instagram channels.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Häagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, Blue and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2018 proforma net sales of U.S. $17.0 billion, including $1.3 billion from Blue Buffalo. In addition, General Mills' share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.1 billion.

About GE Appliances

GE Appliances, a Haier company, makes moments that matter for our owners through our passion for making great appliances and providing unparalleled services. Owners have more choices than ever before under the Hotpoint, GE®, Haier, Café™, GE Profile™ and Monogram® brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. A leader in WiFi-connected technology, owners can monitor and maintain our connected suite of appliances from virtually anywhere, making owners' lives easier while improving their daily routines. For more information, visit www.geappliances.com/our-company.

SOURCE General Mills