DALLAS, TX — February 27, 1996, 2:44 p.m. EST Raleigh's Joyce Bowman has $10,000 worth of muffins. Of Quick Apple-Cranberry-Pear Muffins, to be exact.

Ten thousand dollars is what she won Tuesday as one of four national finalists in the annual Pillsbury Bake-off.

The finals were history-making. For the first time, a man baked his way to the million-dollar grand prize. Michael Wade of California devised a recipe for Macadamia Nut Pie that judges decreed the best.

For Bowman, it was her second time to get into the final round. She and 99 others got themselves to Dallas by way of their kitchen skills. For the past few days they have been sifting, stirring, whipping, folding, blending and mixing their collective way to the top of the culinary heap among non-professionals.

Entrants had to devise recipes using Pillsbury's food line products. Recipes have to fit four main categories: 30-Minute Main Dishes, Special Side Dishes and Simple Breads, Quick Treats and Snacks, or Special Occasion Desserts.

The Quick Apple-Cranberry-Pear Muffins were entered in the Quick Treats and Snacks section. Wade's pie was from the Special Occasion Desserts category