Rita Mitchell wins grand prize in Carolina Eats Holiday Homestyle Recipe Sweepstakes

Rita Mitchell of Anderson is headed to Bob Burnett’s Appliance & Bedding Center in Spartanburg to claim her $500 gift certificate as the grand prize winner in the Carolina Eats Holiday Homestyle Recipe Sweepstakes presented by Ingles.

Mitchell’s name was drawn at random among the sweepstakes’ four finalists that included Kyle Burnett of Chesnee, Brenda Watts of Gaffney and Azilenn Turner of Greenville.

Mitchell said she had already been thinking about how she would use the $500 gift certificate should she win – a new freezer.

Each of the sweepstakes finalists had a chance to prepare their recipe in a recorded segment for Your Carolina alongside Ingles Chef Jasmin Queen and Your Carolina’s Jamarcus Gaston. In addition to a shot at the grand prize, each sweepstakes finalist received a $250 Ingles gift card.

“Even if you don’t win the grand prize, you’re still a winner,” Queen said.

Mitchell submitted her aunt’s recipe for Strawberry Bread in the Carolina Eats sweepstakes. She bakes several loaves each holiday season and gives them to friends and family.

This recipe makes enough to fill six small loaf pans, but you can cut the recipe to make a smaller quantity, Mitchell says. But if baking in a larger pan, make sure the middle gets done, she says.

Strawberry Bread

Bread Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs beaten
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups thawed frozen sliced strawberries
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp reserved strawberry liquid

Bread Directions:

• Sift together in large bowl: flour, sugar, salt, soda and cinnamon
• In another bowl combine, mixing well, eggs, oil, 2 cups strawberries (reserve 2 tbsp liquid) and pecans
• Make well in the center of dry ingredients
• All liquid mixture, stirring just enough to moisten ingredients
• Pour into 6 greased 6x3x2 loaf pans
• Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes
• Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes before removing from pans

Glaze Directions:

• Mix until smooth powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and strawberry liquid
• Pour over bread after you remove from oven

Freezes well if you want to make ahead

Here are links to stories and videos for each Carolina Eats Winning Game Day Recipe Sweepstakes finalist:

Rita Mitchell’s Strawberry Bread makes the Carolina Eats Recipe Sweepstakes finals

Brenda Watts’ Pulled Pork Pumpkin Cornbread Torta is a Carolina Eats Sweepstakes finalist

Kyle Burnett’s No Bake Lemon Cheesecake is a Carolina Eats Sweepstakes finalist

Azilenn Turner’s Tomato Pie is a finalist in the Carolina Eats Holiday Homestyle Recipe Sweepstakes