You asked for it: 1960 bake-off grand winner remembered

By ANNE LONG

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 16, 2001

Dilly casserole bread, the grand prize winner in the 1960 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest, was submitted by Leona Schnuelle from Crab Orchard, Neb. Janice Lindstone writes that she was a home economist for the Pillsbury Co. in the early 1960s.

In 1961, several previous winners were invited to tour the new Pillsbury kitchens, and her name was drawn by lot to accompany Mrs. Schnuelle. Janice still has the thank-you note and a handkerchief with lace trim sent to her by Mrs. Schnuelle, a gracious woman who was kind to a "green home ec."

Dilly casserole bread has remained popular through the years, and we thank Janice for adding a personal touch.

Alice Miller asked for a muffin recipe made with orange juice and raisin bran cereal. Evelyn Winslow sends her recipe, which makes a dozen of these flavorful breakfast or brunch treats. Add chopped nuts, dates, raisins or the like for variety.

Evelyn Watts looked for years for a good sauerkraut relish recipe and shares it with us. Combine canned sauerkraut with chopped celery, bell pepper and green onions. Warm cider vinegar and sugar to dissolve the sugar and mix it with the vegetables and canola oil.

Ruby Vaughn's recipe is a similar one but uses no oil. You have two good choices, so give them both a try.

For: Elizabeth Ellis of St. Petersburg.

From: Janice Lindstone and Flo Perrino of Pinellas Park; Lois Rutter of Dunedin; Margaret Eizember of Sun City Center; Florence O'Brien of Beverly Hills; Norah Robitaille of Madeira Beach; Dorothy Miller of Sarasota; Madeleine O'Brien of Dunnellon; Sarah Osterholt, Miriam Williams and Jane Markowitz of St. Petersburg; Juanita Washington, Irene Repka and Fay Frances of Clearwater, and Evelyn Kenny, ImaGee Johnson and Thomas Butler of New Port Richey.

Recipe: Dilly casserole bread, 1960 Pillsbury Bake-Off grand prize winner.

Dilly Casserole Bread

2 to 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons sugar

2-3 teaspoons instant minced onion

2 teaspoons dill seed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 cup creamed cottage cheese

1 egg

2 teaspoons margarine or butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, if desired

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, onion, dill seed, 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda and yeast; mix well. In small saucepan, heat water, 1 tablespoon margarine and cottage cheese until very warm (120-130 degrees). Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in remaining 1 to 1 2/3 cups flour to form a stiff batter. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.

Generously grease 11/2- or 2-quart casserole. Stir down dough to remove all air bubbles. Turn into greased casserole. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover dough. Bake 30-40 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from casserole; cool on wire rack. Brush warm loaf with melted margarine; sprinkle with coarse salt. Yield: 18 servings (1 slice per serving).

For: Alice Miller of St. Petersburg.

From: Evelyn Winslow of Spring Hill.

Recipe: Orange bran brunch muffins.

Orange Bran Brunch Muffins

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup orange juice or milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In mixing bowl, combine egg, juice or milk, and oil. Stir in cereal; let stand 10 minutes.

In large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Add cereal mixture all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Pour into 12 muffin cups that have been greased and floured. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Note: Evelyn varies the recipe with the addition of chopped nuts, raisins, dates or whatever strikes her fancy.

For: Helen Zalay of Oldsmar.

From: Evelyn Watts of Hudson.

Recipe: Sauerkraut relish.

Evelyn's Sauerkraut Relish

1 29-ounce can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained well

1 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped green or red bell pepper

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup salad oil (Evelyn prefers canola oil)

In mixing bowl, combine sauerkraut, which has been rinsed and drained well, and chopped vegetables. Heat vinegar and sugar in small saucepan to dissolve sugar. Add to sauerkraut mixture with canola oil. Mix well and refrigerate in covered container at least one day before serving so flavors can blend. Makes at least 2 pints.

Excellent on hamburgers, hot dogs, smoked sausages, cold roast pork and the like. For easier serving, chop the kraut. Evelyn writes that Hunts makes a 10-ounce can of chopped kraut.

From: Ruby Vaughn of Palm Harbor.

Recipe: Sauerkraut relish.

Ruby's Sauerkraut Relish

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 16-ounce can sauerkraut

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 2-ounce jar chopped pimientos

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine vinegar and sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over remaining ingredients. Store in jar with tight lid. Keeps well in refrigerator for about three weeks.

Recipe requests

Mary Edling of Palm Harbor is looking for the recipe for a navy bean soup that can be made in a Crock-Pot.

Burnt sugar cake is the recipe Fern Noel of St. Petersburg would like to have. Fern made it years ago, but the recipe has been lost.

Jeanne Fischer of Spring Hill used to make white mountain cake in the 1940s and 1950s. The recipe was printed on the side of a cornstarch box and was made with egg whites (and cornstarch, of course). Jeanne used to bake the one-layer cake with fruit and sugar on the bottom of the pan to make an upside-down cake. Because the recipe for this wonderful white cake was always on the box, Jeanne neglected to save it. If you have it in your files, please send it for Jeanne.

You Asked For It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked For It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number with your letter. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

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