SUMMERFIELD, N.C. -
A recipe for sesame crouton Thai chicken salad could be worth $1 million for a Summerfield woman who was chosen as one of 100 finalists in the annual Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.
Katie Long, a stay-at-home mother of four, submitted five entries for the contest -- four cookie recipes and the chicken salad recipe -- and was surprised to find out the entrée made the cut.
"Oh, I was shocked," she said Tuesday. "I was in the house with the babies and my husband was out. After they called and I hung up, I was jumping up and down going, 'I'm in the bake-off! I'm in the bake-off!'"
Her recipe was deemed one of the best out of tens of thousands of entries from across the country.
Long and the other 99 finalists will travel to Florida in April for the official bake-off, where they'll have to make their recipes and present the dishes to the judges. The winner is awarded $1 million.
"We've got four kids, and my 2-year-old has Down Syndrome, so we have a lot of needs with him," she said. "That million dollars would go a long way. It's a lot of diapers, a lot of house renovations and something fun in there."
Win or lose, all Long can do now is practice her kitchen skills and hope for the best.
"I'm nervous, definitely nervous, but I'm excited, really excited," she said.
Katie Long, a stay-at-home mother of four, submitted five entries for the contest -- four cookie recipes and the chicken salad recipe -- and was surprised to find out the entrée made the cut.
"Oh, I was shocked," she said Tuesday. "I was in the house with the babies and my husband was out. After they called and I hung up, I was jumping up and down going, 'I'm in the bake-off! I'm in the bake-off!'"
Her recipe was deemed one of the best out of tens of thousands of entries from across the country.
Long and the other 99 finalists will travel to Florida in April for the official bake-off, where they'll have to make their recipes and present the dishes to the judges. The winner is awarded $1 million.
"We've got four kids, and my 2-year-old has Down Syndrome, so we have a lot of needs with him," she said. "That million dollars would go a long way. It's a lot of diapers, a lot of house renovations and something fun in there."
Win or lose, all Long can do now is practice her kitchen skills and hope for the best.
"I'm nervous, definitely nervous, but I'm excited, really excited," she said.
