Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

GIVEAWAY - Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar

                                        

Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar Giveaway!
Sara is my newest best friend! Sara represents Garofalo & Partida Agave Nectar, and she sent me this HUGE box of goodies one day! I almost felt guilty trying all the little bottles of Tequila, Vodka, and Gin.  But wait! That wasn't all! She also sent me a big bag of Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta too. I'll show you the picture of all the things she sent, but then you'd feel left out. So, please, don't feel bad, because we're having a.......

GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to Sara, she's going to drop ship TWO (2) winners, a big bag of Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta, AND a bottle of their awesome Partida Agave Nectar! We ate the pasta with homemade sauce and mushrooms. It was awesome! The pasta holds its shape and is very elegant on the plate.


John is in LOVE with the Partida Agave Nectar! Even though it's great for a Margarita, he's been using it as a sweetener in his tea and coffee too. It's 100% organic, so he really feels good about that. I've used it in baking, which is comparable to honey in texture and volume, although much sweeter. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of those gallon jugs some day. Good for Margaritas AND baking!

Garofalo
Garofalo has been making pasta for over 200 years and today produces the Signature line from its headquarters near the world-renowned ruins of Pompeii. Garofalo’s Signature line of pastas combines decades of knowledge of the art and skill of traditional Neapolitan pasta making with the efficiencies of today’s technology to create top quality pasta products. Their specialty cuts include; Schiaffoni, Pappardelle and Calamarata. Long cuts, short cuts and whole wheat pasta. They make lots more, so go check out their website and see what else they have to offer! Also, I heard that Costco carries the product in some of their stores, so you'll be able to get it there as well.

Calamarata
The shape of this specialty cut calls to mind calamari rings and is perfect when paired with heavy sauces that can stand up to Calamarata’s heft.Sauce Pairing Suggestion: Cream sauce with porcini mushrooms. Like I said, the pasta rings are big almost like Calamari, and very elegant. Something you would definitely serve to company!

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Check out Garofalo's tips & tricks for "The Secret To Perfect Pasta". Lots of good info here; How long do I cook pasta for? Do I rinse my pasta? What so you suggest I pair the pasta with? Recipes & links to more recipes!!!

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Partida Agave Nectar Partida Tequila from 100% blue agave combined with 100% Organic Partida Agave Nectar provides the pure, natural agave taste found in the partida Margarita. Agave Nectar is a natural sweetener made from 100% agave extracted from the heart of the blue agave plant. Because agave nectar has a low glycemic index, it is absorbed slowly into the body which prevents spikes in blood sugar levels. Partida nectar is sweeter than sugar by as much as 2/3 so less is needed for sweetening, meaning less calories. It is also less viscous than honey, making it more versatile. The sweet, natural flavor of agave nectar is great for baking, sweetening beverages and a multitude of other uses in addition to making the Partida Margarita, the best Margarita ever!

The Partida Agave Nectar Margarita

• 1 1/2 ounces Partida Tequila (Blanco, Reposado or Anejo)
• 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice (the juice of one whole lime)
• 3/4 ounces Partida Agave Nectar (to taste)
• 3/4 ounces pure water
• Shake all ingredients with ice in standard bar shaker. Taste. Add additional lime juice if you prefer more tartness; add more agave nectar for more sweetness. Serve in glass on rocks. No garnish, no salt.

The Giveaway Rules
Don't you just hate rules? I do too, but to make sure everything goes along smoothly, there has to be some guidelines. Tell me what kind of pasta sauce is your favorite? Do you make your own? Or do you buy it in a jar, then doctor it up? 

Sorry, US entries only this time please! They're drop-shipping the box, so we have to keep it in the country. One entry, no duplicate comments allowed, and it has to be on this post. I'll use Mr. Random Generator (totally legit) to pick the winning numbers and email you if your number comes up. I will choose TWO (2) winners. They'll each get a box with Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta & a bottle of Partida Agave Nectar. I'll announce it right here on my blog like I always do.

Deadline for comments is Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 at midnight EST. Good luck to  everyone!

SALMONELLA & PISTACHIOS - Another recall!

                               

STOP EATING THOSE PISTACHIOS!
The FDA has announced another recall, this time for Pistachios, and anything containing pistachios. Don't eat any more of them, including trail bars, granola, energy bars and especially Pistachio Cake!

CONTINUE READING......

RECIPES, WINNERS & ARTICLES Round-Up

                                        

Week Ending - Today!
Here's my latest recipes. articles and giveaway winner posts for the week ending...um...Monday, March 30th. Lots of ooey, gooey things like Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, and my absolute favorite in the whole wide world, Coconut Cake with Coconut Frosting! Yes, Kerri & Erika, here it is! My secret weapon...I mean recipe! I've also included a few of my favorite things because spring is here, and Easter is coming! The Lemon Meringue Pie is to-die-for, as is the French Lemon Tart. Oh, and try the Blueberry Muffins, my other, other Easter brunch favorite!

                                                                 

Last Call for Examiner Referrals. The deadline for referrals is tomorrow by midnight MT. Email me if you have questions. My ID # is 4208 when you get ready to apply! It's easy, seems like everyone gets in!

                                                                        

And finally, I did an article for The Daily Tiffin, and did it here as well on Kids in the Kitchen. You'll get to see my two granddaughters up-close in the kitchen!

                                                                       

Recipes Galore!

• Popular Lemon Dessert Recipes for Spring
• Top 10 Cookie Recipes
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
• Best Blueberry Muffin Recipe Evah!
• Coconut Cake & Buttercream Frosting Recipes

                                               

Last Call for Alcohol...I mean Examiner!

• LAST CALL for Examiner Referrals! (Deadline 3/31)
• Cupcake Cookbooks - Kids in the Kitchen
• Best Kitchen Gadgets & Small Appliances
• Dessert Express Cookbook & Winner!

Finally, and I really do mean finally...I'm including my Grown-Up Macaroni & Cheese Recipe one more time because I can. And, it really is so good, that I'm gonna make it again tomorrow night for supper...again!

                                                                

LAST CALL for Examiner Referrals!

                                                     

Examiner Referral Deadline
Just wanted to remind everyone that was interested in writing for the EXAMINER - March 31st is the deadline for referrals. If you need more info about this, click here and read all about it. This is especially appealing for all you Food Bloggers, as you can use your old material and photos from your own blogs. Instant content! Everyone that I've referred has been approved, so either it's really that easy, or they're really that good! I like to think it's the latter, that we Food Bloggers have what they want!

If you have any questions before filling out the application, email me and I'll talk you through it. Just be sure to use my number #4208 when applying. Thanks again for the interest! See you on the flip side!

RECIPE UPDATES - New & Improved!

                                 

Hi Everyone!
I'm trying to update my email list for the future weekly newsletter. I'd like to tie all my foodie groups together in a more "professional" manner, so you're not groping to find everything I do.

As some of you might know, I started writing for Examiner.com. over a month ago. And while most of you already subscribe to my feeds and email updates for Spatulas & Corkscrews and Suite101, I noticed that many of you don't know this feature exists with Examiner. In other words, you're missing a ton of recipes, etc!

When you click here, you'll see a "Subscribe to Email" button at the top, right next to my mug shot! Each time I post a recipe, you'll get an email letting you know what I've been up to! If you've already signed up, I thank you very much for hanging in there with me and supporting my addiction for all things delicious! Big things are happening, and I want you to be part of them!

Love you guys! XO

Cupcake Cookbooks - Kids in the Kitchen

                                         

      

Do your kids like to help you in the kitchen? Do they like to cook and bake and make a mess right along side you? I have four grandkids, and they all like to help in the kitchen. Their mommies (our daughters) grew up in our bakery and catering business. For years, this was all that they knew. In a way, they were born into it - it's in their blood! As a side note, our two sons also stayed in foodservice after they left the nest! So, it really is a family thing!

It was inevitable that when our daughters grew up and had kids of their own, they too, would live, breathe and dream about frosted cupcakes in a yummy, fun-filled kitchen. Our grandkids really had no choice but to love their parents' culinary talents. What kid wouldn't love a house filled with good things coming out of the oven? But it doesn't stop there. The kids actually love to create their own dishes and strange concoctions. We would never think to eat some of it put before us, but we pretend to take a nibble, say "mmmm, good", then spit it out in a napkin when they weren't looking!

                                                

They also love to "play bakery", and have menus made up ahead of time with special offerings that not only leave me speechless, but queasy as well! At the age of 5, our son used to come along to the bakery with us between his daycare and pastry chef gig. He would put on an apron that was 5 times too big for him, and we must have tied it around his waist 4 times and hike it up over his chest. He'd have to stand on a 5 gallon bucket just to see over the counter. But he loved to mimic us - that 's what kids do - and "play bakery". One day in particular, he was at his usual perch on the bucket with his snow boots on, when all of a sudden we heard a yell and a squeal. The lid wasn't on securely, and his weight had shifted to one side, caving in the lid sideways. We rushed to find him standing knee deep in a brand new, full 5 gallon bucket of eclair filling!

It's been a while since we had little ones around, but when we go visit, they always ask Opa to make cookies with them, or Nana to help them decorate cupcakes. When our kids were young, we had very little in the way of resources or cookbooks for them. Not that we needed cookbooks for kids, but it would have been fun for them to have their own baking books and recipe journals.

                                                                   

Times have changed, and today's kids have plenty of cookbook choices available to them. They make great gifts for grandparents that want to cook and bake along with them. You can even buy a decorating set with bags, tips, a spatula, sprinkles and icing colors to go with the book. Wrap it all up with a baking sheet and kid-sized apron and you've got the perfect gift for the little baker in your family! My granddaughter picked out these cute Wilton Silly Feet silicone cupcake liners for me one day. They're the most adorable things! When it came time to actually give them to me, she protested. She wanted to keep them for herself!

                                                                   

Here's a list of my favorite kid-friendly cupcake cookbooks on the book store shelves today - for the new generation of up-and-coming bakers and cake decorators in your life!

Super-Duper Cupcakes: Kids' Creations from the Cupcake Caboose by Elaine Cohen
This 96 page cupcake book is geared towards kids ages 9-12. They are super-cute and very colorful. Become a "Cupcake Artist" with the easy recipes and super-duper designs!

 

Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella
A total how-to cupcake book with great photos, plenty of recipes for cake and frostings, decorating tips and loads of ideas for kids and adults. From kids birthday parties to elegant dinner parties, you're sure to find this book is just what you're looking for!

Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss and Christie Matheson
Not technically a cupcake book, this is the craziest looking book of them all! It has cake and frosting recipes, mini cakes, cupcakes, brownies and more to decorate. Some of the techniques may be over a young child's head, but with supervision from Nana & Opa, they should be able to complete something they feel good about. If anything, it's a great picture book full of fun and colorful creations that even a non-reader will enjoy!

Hello, Cupcake! by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack
This cupcake book is full of playful designs and fun ideas for cupcakes that look like spaghetti and meatballs, TV dinners, penguins, panda and Westies! Hello, Cupcake makes these cupcakes adorable readily available candy store finds like; candy, gum, licorice, twizzlers, jelly beans, sprinkles and smarties just to name a few. Highly Recommended!

WINNER! Dessert Express Cookbook Giveaway!

Congratulations!
The early bird gets the worm this time! I've given away a lot of things, but I don't think Mr Random Generator has ever picked number ONE before! That's a new one for me. And I mean really, what's the chance of that happening? No one EVER picks number ONE!

So, Who is NUMERO UNO?
Well, that would be PEARL! She's number one, #1. Pearl has been a faithful follower of mine for quite some time now, always comments on everything I write, no matter what time of night I post it! She has a blog called Fresh & Pure. Go take a look and see what she's all about, what makes her tick. She has a really neat recipe for Honey Vanilla Ice Cream w/ Roasted Peanuts that I would love to try... if I had a freezer!

This is Pearl's Comment
I have two cookbooks in my collection - one from Food & Wine and the other one is one that I got at Costco (can't recall the name at the moment). I would LOVE a cookbook that focuses on sweets! Even if I don't make anything from it, at least I can look at the pretty photos! Hehe.
Posted by: Pearl | March 19, 2009 at 10:23 PM

And the Proof!
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

1

Timestamp: 2009-03-26 03:02:03 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Everyone, let's congratulate Pearl! I'll be emailing you to get your address!

In the meantime...go check out my newest recipe for the BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS evah! They're quick and easy AND good!

                                                                  

Recipes, Giveaways & Articles Round-Up

                                       


I'VE GOT LOTS OF RECIPES and book reviews to share with all of you this week. I know this is a Tuesday, and I normally do a round-up from Sunday-Sunday. But, Spring has sprung, and I'm slightly off this week. My cheese slid off my cracker, and I got a little lost in my 9 day week!

                                                      

And don't worry, I haven't forgotten Dorie. I just broke up with her for a few weeks to get this new writing gig off the ground. Remember the "Dear Dorie Letter"
I wrote? Anyway....this is for MY week ending 3/23 ;-)

                                                       

RECIPES

• Ever Had a Hot Weiner?
• How to Make Hot Weiners
• NY System Hot Weiner Sauce Recipes
• Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe
• Gourmet Grown-Up Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
• Make a Reuben Sandwich with Corned Beef Leftovers

                                                                                                                                 


ARTICLES & GIVEAWAYS

• Sophia's Tuscan Grille
• Zeppole for St. Joseph's Day
• Dessert Express Cookbook Review
  
• King Arthur Cookbook & Flour Giveaway
• Why I Love King Arthur Flour So Much!

                                                                     

DESSERT EXPRESS Cookbook Giveaway Reminder!

DESSERT EXPRESS
Just a quick reminder that the giveaway for the cookbook, Dessert Express: 100 Sweet Treats You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less ends tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at midnight EST.  Don't miss out on this awesome book.


To enter, go back to the original post and leave your comment there! Good luck to all!


And if you didn't get to say congrats to Elyse on the King Arthur giveaway, you can do that here, or slip on over to her blog Confectionery Creations and say Hi!

KING ARTHUR Cookbook & Flour - WINNER!

                                   
CONGRATULATIONS!
I just know there's going to be a very happy winner! We had 73 people enter this giveaway.  King Arthur's newest cookbook, "King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking", AND a 5 pound bag of their awesome Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour will be on its way soon to a new kitchen! Mr. Random Generator picked number 56. I went through the comments and found out that number 56 belongs to....drum roll please....Elyse from Confectionary Creations!

How About This for a GUSHY Comment?
Here's Elyse's comment, her timestamp, and proof that Mr. Generator was on the job! All the comments were awesome, and the winner was picked at random. But, after you read Elyse's comment, you'll all have to admit, that hers was one of the gushiest ever! Like I said, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the comment, but if anyone should win based on gushy-ness, it would have to be Elyse! King Arthur is gonna love this one!

"Oh man, I don't have to push myself to go into gushy mode about KA. I love their products, their recipes, and their website. I have their cake flour, AP flour, bread flour, and regular whole wheat flour in my pantry. I have about 50 of their recipes downloaded in my "to bake" file, and of course, I subscribe to "Baker's Banter." KA is just an amazing company. That turned pretty gushy, pretty fast, but it's all true. KA is awesome! (P.S. love the healthy Irish Soda Bread recipe!!)"
Posted by: Elyse | March 17, 2009 at 11:13 PM

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

56

Timestamp: 2009-03-23 03:52:22 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Thank You King Arthur!
Congrats to Elyse! Thanks so much to King Arthur Flour Company for being so generous with their products. This was a very nice giveaway, and I'm very sure we'll be seeing some of Elyse's goodies popping up on the web REAL soon! For those of you who didn't win, what can I say? Go check out King Arthur's website and poke around. I'm sure you'll be adding cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and baking products to your shopping basket in no time!

                              

                                                

These are Elyse's Ninja Cookies. You can find the recipe for the uber-chocolate cookies there!