VALDOSTA — A Valdosta woman not only celebrated her 40th high school reunion this weekend, but she also captured the Grand Prize in the 40th anniversary Valdosta Daily Times Taste-off, becoming the lone person to have won four Grand Prizes.

Teresa Steinberg, a member of the Valdosta High School Class of 1968, teased that she was going to go out and buy herself a lottery ticket with the numbers 4-4-4.

Steinberg landed the top prize of $300 and a basket of gifts from Hahira merchants with Teresa’s Butter Pecan Cake in the contest Saturday at Valdosta Technical College.

“I was speechless,” she said shortly after her historic win. “I am tickled pink. This was such a blessing. I owe it all to the good Lord above.”

When Steinberg made the cake (along with another chocolate cake) for the birthday of their oldest son, Jamy, in April, her husband, James, said, “This is a Grand Prize winner. It’s better than your caramel cake, and that is top shelf.”

Steinberg used the pecans which came from Orchard Hill where their youngest son, Billy, lives, for the frosting.

“My grandchildren (Kayleigh, 8, Jake, 5, and Will, 6) and I picked them up,” she said. “I was teaching them the value of money.”

With the money she receives from her Grand Prize, she plans to buy a Kitchen Aid mixer and more cookbooks, including “Just Desserts,” the only cookbook by Paula Deen that she doesn’t own.

“Desserts and breads are my specialty,” she said. “I learned to cook from my grandmother, (the late) Gertrude Williams, and my mother, Irma Lou Sherwood.”

Steinberg also garnered a second place in meats with her Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Loin With Raisin-Mustard Chutney.

Grand Prize Runner-Up and winner of $200 was Debbi Hart with her Spinach-Asiago-Chicken Quiche in vegetables. Hart also landed a third place in appetizers with Pineapple-Apricot-Gorgonzola Crescent Appetizers.

Creative Design Winner and recipient of a gift of cookware from Belk’s was Jennifer Mills with the presentation of her Key Lime Tart With Raspberry Sauce.

Creative Design Runner-Up and winner of a beautiful gift from Valdosta Greenhouses was Monique Nagel of Mayday with the presentation of her Garlic-Herb Birds Nests.

Taresa Hancock of Adel captured first place and a basket of gifts from Summit Point merchants in the Cake Decorating contest celebrating the 40th Anniversary. Mark Starr was second place, Sam Malpass, third, and honorable mentions went to Joyce Ganas and Holly Malpass.

A mother and son team won two of the nine categories — Priscilla Greene of Adel captured first place in meats with her Stuffed Tuscan Chicken With Roasted Red Bell Pepper Remoulade while her 8-year-old son, Drew, took first place in the children’s category.