KC-area cook wins Pillsbury Bake-Off hosted by Donna Kelce. Here’s the winning recipe

An Independence woman has won the $50,000 grand prize in the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, hosted this year by a home baker familiar to Kansas City Chiefs fans — Donna Kelce.

Judges chose home cook Julie McIntire’s tangy appetizer: Mini Beef Wellingtons with Smoked Gouda Dipping Sauce.

McIntire, a kitchen and bath designer, has entered the famous contest a few times. She was a finalist in 2012, when her Salmon Crescent Sushi Rolls won most innovative recipe. She won $5,000 in GE appliances that year.

This year she was inspired by the woman who has become one of the most famous moms in the NFL, McIntire told The Star.

The theme of this year’s 52nd competition was “Holiday Family Favorites.”

McIntire said serving spinach casserole was a holiday tradition in her family when she was growing up.

“I decided to give it an updated twist and was inspired by my Mama Kelce’s Bake-Off connection,” she said. “I knew the recipe needed to be more hearty to feed big appetites, so I combined it with an experience I had in my 20s, when I made a Beef Wellington recipe for a December party.”

Beef Wellington is a luxurious English dish, a beef tenderloin surrounded by layers of pâté, a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms and ham, then wrapped in pastry and baked. It can be a tricky preparation for professionals, let alone home cooks.

“It turned out delicious, but it didn’t exactly look like the picture on the magazine cover,” McIntire said. “That’s why I thought it would be fun to turn the Beef Wellington idea into less intimidating appetizers.

“I substituted the spinach casserole for the mushroom mixture normally found in Beef Wellingtons. Instead of putting the regular cheddar cheese in the spinach casserole, I decided to go with a cheese dipping sauce and replace the cheddar with smoked gouda.

“The smoky flavor filled in for the prosciutto — commonly found in Beef Wellingtons — I chose not to use.”

And since, after all, this is the Pillsbury Bake-Off, McIntire wrapped the beef in Pillsbury Crescent Dough.

Kelce revealed last year that the holiday dinner rolls loved so much by her sons — Travis of the Chiefs and former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce — are based on the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest winner, Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs.

McIntire said her recipe “would be great for holiday parties and to serve while watching the game.”

Here’s the recipe, which is also published at Pillsbury.com/Bake-Off-Contest.

Ingredients

▪ 3/4 lb beef tenderloin, cut into 24 (1-inch) pieces

▪ 1/2 teaspoon salt

▪ 1/4 teaspoon pepper

▪ 1 tablespoon olive oil

▪ 5 oz (1 1/4 cups) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain

▪ 2 tablespoons sour cream

▪ 1 tablespoon dry onion soup mix (from 1-oz package)

▪ 2 tablespoons saltine cracker crumbs (about three 2x2-inch squares)

▪ 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Dough Sheet

▪ 1 egg, slightly beaten

Dipping sauce

▪ 4 oz smoked gouda cheese, shredded (1 cup)

▪ 1 teaspoon dry onion soup mix (from 1-oz package)

▪ 3/4 cup sour cream

▪ 2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

▪ Dash pepper

Garnish, if desired

6 (4-inch) thyme sprigs

Step 1: Heat oven to 375°F. Line 18x13-inch sheet pan with cooking parchment paper.

Step 2: Season beef with salt and pepper. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Sear beef in oil 1 minute, turning to brown sides. Remove beef from skillet; set aside. Save skillet and drippings for dipping sauce.

Step 3: In small bowl, mix spinach, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 tablespoon onion soup mix, and the cracker crumbs; set aside.

Step 4: Unroll dough sheet on work surface. Press or roll into 13 1/2- by 9-inch rectangle. Using pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough lengthwise into 4 rows, then cut crosswise into 6 rows to make 24 pieces.

Step 5: To form each wellington, place 1 teaspoon of the spinach mixture onto center of each dough piece. Top with 1 piece of beef; press in lightly. Pull up 2 opposite corners of dough stretching slightly; pinch together. Repeat with 2 remaining corners, pressing all seams to seal. Place on sheet pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Brush wellingtons lightly with egg.

Step 6: Bake 17 to 19 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 7: Meanwhile, heat skillet with drippings over medium-low heat. Cook cheese and 1 teaspoon onion soup mix in drippings 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

Stir in 3/4 cup sour cream and 2 1/2 teaspoons oil. Continue cooking 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is well blended. Remove from heat; place in small serving bowl. Sprinkle with dash of pepper.

Serve appetizers and bowl of dipping sauce on large platter. Garnish with thyme.

Tips:

▪ Avoid using bigger pieces of beef, since overfilling will cause the dough to tear. Using a nonstick skillet makes the beef easy to turn during such a quick sear. Since the beef will continue to cook in the oven, it’s important to get it in and out of the skillet quickly.

▪ The crackers can be placed in a resealable bag and crushed with the bottom of a measuring cup. This mixture will go on the crescent dough before you add the beef, preventing the warm beef from touching the dough, which could make it soggy. It forms a flavorful protective layer.

▪ To store leftover mini beef Wellingtons, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 1 month. The cheese sauce can be refrigerated separately in a sealed, lidded container. We do not recommend freezing the cheese sauce.

Lisa Gutierrez

The Kansas City Star

816-562-6832

Lisa Gutierrez has been a reporter for The Kansas City Star since 2000. She learned journalism at the University of Kansas, her alma mater. She writes about pop culture, local celebrities, trends and life in the metro through its people. Oh, and dogs. You can reach her at lgutierrez@kcstar.com or follow her on Twitter - @LisaGinKC.