In thumbing through this 1996 hardcover Pillsbury Bake Off cook book, I was tempted to keep it for myself. Of course there are plenty of dessert and sweet treat recipes, but there are also a surprising number of main dish, side, salad, soup, and sandwich prize winning recipes. The 352 page book has more than 350 of the most popular winning entries from every Bake Off from 1949 through 1996, the year of publication. Sprinkled throughout are stories about some of the winners and behind-the-scenes competition moments.

Other than the revised and updated version of this book in 2001, this is the only hardcover Bake Off cookbook (though there were dozens of soft cover digest size booklets devoted to individual contests). No tears, stains, writing, thumb wear, or other issues.