#TheNewSouthwest #CookbookSpotlight {Cookbook Review & Giveaway}

The New Southwest: Classic Flavors With A Modern Twist

Author: Meagan Micozzi

Publisher: Hippocrene

Hard Cover 230 pages

Meagan Micozzi's The New Southwest is a fun, bright, and colorful cookbook that celebrates the festive, and oftentimes fiery ingredients, of the American Southwest.  The recipes are easy enough for beginner cooks but also unique enough to satisfy the adventurous spirit of a seasoned cook.  I found myself drawn to the happy nature of the recipes, as well as the charming personality of the author Meagan Micozzi.  If you are a fan of happy and cheerful food then you'll want to grab ahold of this brand new cookbook. 

Twelve Chapters  

The Southwestern Pantry | Building Blocks | Condiments | Breakfast | Drinks | Appetizers & Snacks | Breads | Side Dishes | Main Courses | From the Grill | Desserts | A "Christmas-Style" Extra

Recipes I've Tried

Mushroom & Shallot Migas

Pinto Bean Breakfast Patty Melts

Recipes I'd Like To Try

Sunday Salsa|Coconut Crunch Muffins|Apple, Cheddar & Chorizo Breakfast Pizza|Breakfast Toastadas with Cumin-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes|Tequila Sunrise|Texas Rose|Black Bean & Corn Quesaditas|Cheesy Beer Bread|Sage & Honey Skillet Biscuits|Adobo Potato Gratin|Fideo Burritos|Chipotle-Spiced Grilled Cheese Sandwiches|Chicken Tinga Potpie|Fancified Frito Pie

And now... here's how to win your very own copy of The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi!

 ***The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight Giveaway!***

How to enter:

1. Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know what your favorite Southwestern dish is.

2. There are tons of optional extra entries in the rafflecopter widget!

Hippocrene will be supplying 14 copies of The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi for this giveaway, in conjunction with The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight. Contest is open to anybody with a shipping address in the USA. Submissions will be accepted via the rafflecopter widget through 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, November 3, 2013. Fourteen winners will be chosen by random draw, verified, and be notified by email (from Heather at girlichef) within 48 hours of the close of this contest. The winner should respond within 24 hours of notification, or a new winner will be drawn in their place. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Author Notes: Meagan Micozzi was born in New Jersey, raised in Washington, D.C. and educated in New England. In 2011 she launched Scarletta Bakes, a blog devoted to her adventures in southwestern cooking. Micozzi's recipes have been featured on The Huffington Post, The Kitchn, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Scarletta Bakes was named a Site We Love by Saveur. Micozzi resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. You can visit her at scarlettabakes.com.

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef. 


Note: I received a copy of this cookbook from the publisher as part of a Cookbook Spotlight event, however I received no monetary compensation to review it. As always, my thoughts, feedback and experiences cooking from it are entirely my own. 

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef.

To see 14 other food bloggers thoughts, reviews, and recipes they've tested from the book, click on the "cookbook spotlight button" to the left!
- See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/AdoboPotatoesGratin-TheNewSouthwest-CookbookReview.html#more

Cauliflower with Ginger, Garlic, and Green Chiles...and The Sucré Winner!

I had my first experience at an Indian restaurant the other day and it's literally been on my mind ever since.  Although I tried a variety of dishes, I found that what I really enjoyed most were all the vegetarian dishes (the crispy pakora, the creamy saag paneer, the comforting dal, and a really delicious vegetable aloo dish with potatoes and green beans).  I'm craving another visit! 

Until then, I've vowed to try my hand at a few more Indian vegetable dishes at home, starting with this cauliflower dish.  This is a tasty little dish of toasty cauliflower loaded with spicy Indian flavor.  Cumin, mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, green chiles, and cayenne pepper really come together to make for one spicy dish.  In fact, my chiles were quite hot and I found that I had to turn on the exhaust to alleviate my coughing.  The aromas from this dish reminded me of the Indian restaurant and made me feel like I was capturing the essence of it at home in my kitchen.  I can't wait to explore a little more.

Cauliflower with Ginger, Garlic, and Green Chiles

Adapted from Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

by Madhur Jaffrey

Serves 3-4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine shreds

1 pound (4 cups) cauliflower florets

1-3 fresh green chiles, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garam masala (*I omitted)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

Using a nonstick skillet or wok, add the oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, put in the cumin and mustard seeds.  As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop (this just takes a few seconds), put in the garlic, ginger, cauliflower, and green chiles, all at the same time.  Stir and fry for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cauliflower has turned somewhat brown.  Now put in the salt, black pepper, garam masala (if using), and cayenne and give the florets a good toss.  Put in 1/4 cup water and cover the wok/skillet immediately.  Cook for 2 minutes and serve.

And, finally, the winner of the Sucré giveaway was Teresa of A Blog About Food.  Teresa will receive the Sucré Signature Macaron Collection!!  Congratulations Teresa!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the contest!

Theme: Meat-Free But Flavorful

Sucré (A Sweets Boutique) Giveaway!!

Sucré Sweet Boutiques and Confection Studio are located in New Orleans, Louisiana and offer the definitive dessert and confection experience.  They have a wide array of offerings, including their award winning French macarons, artisan chocolates, toffee, pecans, and also regional specialties like king cake.  Chef Tariq uses only the finest ingredients, local if possible, to craft his one of a kind delights.

The Sucré King Cake is a signature buttery danish pastry sweetened by cinnamon and raw cane sugar, then folded with a light layer of creole cream cheese.  It has been voted a "favorite" by the Times Picayune and also voted "best" by the Washington Post.  Sounds like a winner to me!

After browsing through the collection of sweets I became enamored with all their chocolate offerings, especially this Caramel + Brown Butter Collection.  Avery chocolates, filled with a butter-soft caramel milk chocolate ganache, paired with our brown butter filled Meuniére chocolates make for a sinfully delicious collection.  Add in the chocolate almond toffee and dark chocolate caramel cookies and I'm totally in!

I'm also slightly obsessed with their aritsan chocolate bars, namely this Salted Pretzel Chocolate Bar. It's hard to beat the sweet and salty combination of creamy Swiss milk chocolate studded with pretzels sticks.

However, in the end it was these absolutely gorgeous and colorful macarons that won me over!  Don't they look irresistible?  Delicate little French macaron cookies filled with luscious mousseline.  Available in wonderful flavors such as pecan, chocolate, salted caramel, almond, pistachio, strawberry, hazelnut, and bananas foster. The picture above is Sucré's Signature Macaron Collection and one lucky reader will win their very own box!

Would you like a chance to win this gorgeous box of macarons?  All you need to do is visit the Sucré website, and tell me which treat you'd most like to try, then leave a comment below, along with your contact information (email address).  The contest ends this Saturday, March 2nd at midnight EST.  A winner will be drawn randomly (via random number generator) and announced on Sunday, March 3rd.  This drawing is open to U.S. residents only!

Muy Bueno Cookbook Review and Giveaway!!

Muy Bueno

Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor

Authors: Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Veronica Gonzalez-Smith, 

& Evangelina Soza

Publisher: Hippocrene

Softcover: 288 pages

Chapters Include: Introduction - Glossary of Chiles - Tamales - Breads - Salsas - Drinks - Aquas y Paletas - Appetizers - Soups - Entrees - Sides - Desserts- Gracias - Spanish Recipe Index - and Recipe Index

The Muy Bueno cookbook is honestly one of the prettiest cookbooks I've seen in some time.  You can literally get lost in the beautiful pictures and stories that are shared in this book.  During my journey with this cookbook I tried several recipes, and they were all terrific, but it was the sentiment of the book that really captured my heart. This book is so much more than recipes.  It's the tale of three generations of women spending time together in the kitchen and bonding through food.  It's a testament to the wonderful memories you can create in the kitchen.

Here is a recap of the dishes I tried from Muy Bueno:

Mushroom, Jalapeno and Cilantro Salsa

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Potatoes

Mexican Chorizo and Cheese

Adapted from Muy Bueno

Serves 6

5 ounces Mexican chorizo, casings removed

1/2 cup sliced white onion (1/2-inch strips)

1/2 cup silver/blanco tequila

12 ounces quesadilla or asadero cheese, shredded (I used monterey jack)

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (I used green onion)

6 corn or flour tortillas, warmed

Preheat oven to 350F.  In an oven-safe skillet (cast iron is perfect), cook the chorizo on your stovetop until almost done, about 15 minutes (mine was done in about 8 minutes).  Drain excess fat.  Add the onion to the chorizo and cook until browned.  Remove pan from the heat.

Carefully add the tequila.  Return to heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 seconds or until most of the tequila has dissipated.  Remove from heat.

Stir in the cheese and combine well.  Place skillet in the oven and bake uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and slightly golden brown on top.  Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.  Serve with corn or flour tortillas.

*If you need to double the recipe, do not double the tequila, use only 1/2 cup.

These are the recipes I'd like to try:  Red Chile & Pork Tamales - Cranberry Margarita - La Llorona - Albondigas - Chicken Tinga - Ham and Avocado Torta - Old Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal - Jalapenos with Soy Sauce - and Vangie's Famous Thanksgiving Stuffing

GIVEAWAY

Hippocrene has generously offered one of my readers the chance to win their very own copy of the newly released Muy Bueno: Three Generations of Authentic Flavor cookbook (US shipping addresses only, please).  All you need to do is leave a comment letting me know that you're interested in winning a copy of the book! It's as easy as that!!  The giveaway will run until Saturday, October 6th at midnight (EST).  The winner of the book will be drawn via random number generator and announced on Sunday, October 7th.

*Visit the Muy Bueno Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-off Announcement page for more chances to win a copy of the book.  Simply scroll down to week three and click on the links to each participant for additional chances to win a copy of this cookbook.  

Thanks to Heather at girlichef, and to the publisher Hippocrene, for the opportunity to review this book!  This post is part of the Muy Bueno Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef 

Eggland's Best Pink Party and Giveaway!

Pictured Above: My Daughter and My Mom, the best sous chefs

About a month ago I was invited to be part of "Eggland's Best Double Dozen" to help raise awareness and funding for the fight against breast cancer.  Eggland's Best offered to sponsor a brunch/pink party for up to 15 of my friends and also to donate $100 to Susan G. Komen For The Cure in my name.  I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to host a brunch, but was overjoyed that my little blog had a chance to help such a good cause, such as Susan G. Komen For The Cure.  I jumped on the opportunity.

 I love Eggland's Best Eggs, and prefer to use them if at all possible, so I was thrilled to receive my goody box filled with kitchen gadgets, ramekins, a cute little plush egg for the kids, and loads of coupons for a free dozen.  I cashed in coupons for a few dozen eggs right away and set about making this Mexican Fried Potato Skillet and these fantastic Breakfast Tacos.

Soon it came time to plan a menu for my Eggland's Best Brunch & Pink Party and wow did I have a hard time deciding what to serve.  In the end, I knew that I wanted the food to be as PINK as possible and I also knew that I wanted everything to be able to be served at room temperature and still be delicious.  Finally I was able to narrow things down and this is what I came up with. (Recipes will be shared sometime in the next week).

BRUNCH AND PINK PARTY MENU

Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Exotic Fruit Salad with Passion Fruit Dressing

Cardamom and Cinnamon Buns

Strawberry Sheetcake

(Closewise from top: Exotic Fruit Salad with Passion Fruit Dressing, Cardamom and Cinnamon Buns, Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs, and Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders)

And for dessert a beautifully rich and dense Strawberry Sheetcake that was very pretty in pink!

The guests and I had lots of fun celebrating women and all things pink.  It was a wonderful opportunity and I'm so glad to have been chosen.  I want to give a big thank you to Eggland's Best for allowing me to host such a wonderful event.  I also want to take this time to urge you to think about Breast Cancer Awareness, both for yourself and others.

From now until November 15, Eggland's Best will be stamping all of their farm-fresh eggs with the Susan G. Komen Pink Ribbon Running stamp in support of breast cancer awareness. Additionally Eggland's Best will be donating $50,000 to support Susan G. Komen in their pledge to end breast cancer forever.  You can read about it on their site HERE. 

My friends: Tara, Megan & Joy

The folks at Eggland's Best are so great they agreed to host a giveaway for one of my readers!

GIVEAWAY
Open to US residents only 

One lucky reader will receive the following:

• 2 Free EB Dozen Coupons (Any variety - classic, cage-free, or organic)
• 1 Free EB Hard Cooked & Peeled Variety Coupon
• 4 EB Ramekins
• 1 EB Apron
• 1 EB Whisk
• 1 EB Spatula
• 1 EB Egg Timer
• 1 EB Eco Bag
• 1 EB Plush Egg

In order to qualify for the giveaway:

• Please share an inspiring comment OR comment on how you have helped to raise awareness or funding for breast cancer.
• For an additional chance to win, please LIKE Eggland's Best on Facebook and leave a comment here on this post to let me know that you did.
• The giveaway will be open until Friday, September 30th at midnight EST.

Disclosure:   Eggland’s Best provided me with VIP coupons, a gift card, information and a prize pack for a giveaway

Popsicle of the Week: Rhubarb ......and a fun giveaway!!

I hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day weekend! We spent the day relaxing and enjoyed a very tasty steak dinner, which we followed up with these tasty Rhubarb popsicles! Let me just go ahead and say that these rhubarb popsicles have been my favorite, so far. They were tart, sweet, and SO CREAMY! In fact, the consistency of the Rhubarb popsicle was like ice cream.

As soon as I saw the recipe for Rhubarb popsicles I was hooked. It was one of those recipes that stand out and stick with you until you get around to making it. When I spotted the first of the rhubarb at the market, you can bet I snagged it. I was on a popsicle mission.

Rhubarb Popsicles
Adapted from Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski
*Makes 10-12 ice pops
1-1/2 pounds rhubarb
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
pinch of salt

Trim the rhubarb stalks and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Pour the rhubarb mixture into a blender or food processor and process until very smooth. If using conventional ice pop molds, divide the mixture among the molds. Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. If using sticks, insert them into the molds when the pops are partially frozen, after about 1 hour, then continue to freeze until solid, at least 3 more hours.

Notes/Results: If you like rhubarb, then you will love this creamy popsicle. I do want to mention that this popsicle is very thick and therefore pretty darn hard to remove from the popsicle mold. I knew it was probably a little too thick to pour into the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, so I used my old-fashioned popsicle molds. I had to carefully remove them from the mold with a butter knife. They were well worth the extra step, but next time I will use the paper dixie cups as molds so that I can simply tear the paper cup away. Even though they were a little tricky to remove from the mold, there will definitely be a next time! I really liked this popsicle and found it unique and fun!

And now for the giveaway......................................................
One lucky reader is going to receive a copy of Shelly Kaldunski's new book Ice Pops! All you need to do is leave a comment on this post, letting me know your favorite popsicle flavor! If you are a new reader, be sure to leave an email or way for me to contact you.


Sorry, the giveaway is only open to U.S. Residents.

Giveaway will run until next Sunday, May 16th at midnight EST. Winner will be selected by the random number generator and announced on Monday, May 17th. Good luck everyone! This is a really fun book.

Winner of the Lush Giveaway!!

The winner of the Lush giveaway is.......................................


Krista over at Krista's Kitchen!! If you haven't had the chance, please head over and check out Krista's site. She is a sweetheart and has wonderful recipes!!

Congratulations Krista! I hope you and your girls enjoy the products:D

A Lush Giveaway, Awards and Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is going to be a busy post, so let's start with the food first. To congratulate my neighbors on the birth of their first grandchild, I made Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever. I figured a chocolate sheet cake was a sure bet. Everyone usually likes chocolate, right? I also like the fact that this cake serves 24, which was perfect for my neighbors because they have seven children, six of which still live with them and are under the age of eighteen. I wanted to make sure that everyone in the family was able to have some. (Note: I omitted the nuts in this recipe because most children aren't a fan).

The cake uses ingredients I always have on hand and was easy peasy to throw together. I even had enough batter left to fill a small ramekin for my daughter (a devoted chocolate fan). I tasted a bite of the cake and it was rich, chocolatey and moist. The cake is rich enough that you can satisfy your chocolate craving with a very small piece. Of course, if you really want to indulge, plop a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and call it a day. This is a great recipe for a large family or any other get together.

I am submitting this cake to Foodie Fans of the Pioneer Woman for their bi-monthly roundup of PW's recipes. Tomorrow's roundup promises to be a sweet one since we are celebrating desserts this time around. You can find the recipe for the chocolate sheet cake HERE on the Pioneer Woman's website.

I was very honored to receive two awards this week. Thank you to Sam of My Carolina Kitchen for giving me the Honest Scrap Award. Thank you also to Kathleen of Gonna Want Seconds for this beautiful Sunshine Award. I adore reading both of your blogs! In the interest of keeping this post from becoming a book, I would like to pass these awards on to all of you!



Onto the giveaway! I've mentioned before that I love my job at Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. I discovered the company as a consumer while traveling with my husband one summer and went broke buying everything in the store. Next to cooking, Lush is my second love. I love their products and so do my family and friends. When a store opened up in my local mall I ran for the opportunity to work there.

Lush is a UK-based company that has spread worldwide. All the products are handmade with fresh organic, fair-trade ingredients, based on natural ingredients, such as cocoa butter, essential oils, fruits and vegetables. The products are made with little or no preservatives and for this reason have expiration dates. The products are tested on humans, never animals. There are so many fun things, that it was hard to pick what to give away!

I wish I could make the giveaway available to everyone, but for now I will have to limit it to the US only. I am, however, looking into having items ship worldwide for the next giveaway.

I chose four items that are all related to food in one way or another:

First up is Helping Hands Hand Cream. Since we all spend so much time in the kitchen working with our hands and washing dishes, this is the perfect cream for us. This cream is packed with nourishing shea butter, soothing chamomile water, honey, and lavender. Our most popular hand cream. NOTE: The item pictured below is only 1.5 ozs. I am giving away the large sized 3.5oz hand cream.

Next, is a Blackberry Bath Bomb. Drop this purple, blackberry and frankincense scented bath bomb into your bath and relax.

Third on the list is a Creamy Candy Bubble Bar. I'm sure you're all familiar with liquid bubble bath, but this is a solid bubble bath with no preservatives at all. Simply break the bar in half and crumble one half under running water for a candy scented bubble bath!

And finally, a luxurious Melting Marshmallow Moments Bath Melt made to look like a cute little pink cupcake. The bath melts are one of my favorite products, much like a bath where you are being dipped in lotion. Cut the pink cupcake look-alike in half, toss one half in a warm bath and say MMM. This melt is packed with moisturizing cocoa butter, marshmallow powder, and almond oils. Great for dry skin.


The giveaway is open to all US Residents. The winner will receive all four products. To enter, simply leave a comment telling me which of these four products sounds the best to you. Your comments will help me when it comes time for another giveaway. Contest ends Friday, March 26th at midnight EST. Winner will be chosen with the random number generator on Saturday, March 27th.

I encourage everyone who is eligible to enter the contest, men included. These products make great gifts!

Final Oikos Greek Yogurt Post & Strawberry Pretzel Salad for My Girl Paula

I want to start off by announcing the winner of the "Pitch Your Own Food Network Show" contest. Congratulations Pam of Sidewalk Shoes! Pam is the random winner of three Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics products: Ocean Salt (an exfoliating scrub for face & body), Lemony Flutter (a lemony cuticle cream), and Up You Gets (a citrusy shower aromatherapy product). Pam's concept for a food network show was to feature a selected herb for each show, making an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Great idea Pam!

Secondly, this week's My Girl Paula recipe is Strawberry Pretzel Salad. This salad is somewhat like a pie. It is made with a pretzel crust, a cream cheese layer, and topped with strawberries and strawberry jello. This is a recipe that I have ate before and enjoyed, especially in the summertime. It is a good dish to take to a summer potluck. Paula's version also includes crushed pineapple, but I didn't have any so I left it out. We enjoyed this recipe for it's salty and sweet flavors. You can find the recipe here.

Lastly, this is my last week of posting recipes for Oikos Greek Yogurt. A big thanks to Kristina at Stonyfield for sending me such a generous pack of coupons! I was able to try my hand at a variety of recipes. The first week I made Martha's Date Bran Muffins and Tyler's Greek Yogurt. The second week, I made the Food Network's Almost-Famous frozen yogurt. The following week, I made an Apple-Walnut Turkey Sandwich , using the Greek yogurt in place of mayo as a sandwich dressing. Last week, I made these decadent looking Loaded Mashed Potatoes , using the Greek yogurt to replace the sour cream.

This week I have two recipes for you! You simply can't feature Greek yogurt and not do a smoothie recipe. It just wouldn't be right! As a tribute to summer, I have chosen two of my favorite summertime fruits, the peach and the raspberry, and combined them into one smoothie; The Peach Melba Smoothie. It was super delicious, unique, and healthy.

Peach Melba Smoothie - courtesy of Recipezaar, adapted by me
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen peaches
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 frozen banana (optional)

Whisk in a blender and serve.

This smoothie was thick, like a milkshake, creamy, refreshing, cold and best of all....different from the same old strawberry-banana smoothie. You can even add a tablespoon of wheat germ if you like.
I did try one more recipe with the Greek yogurt that is really unique! At work, we have face masks made with yogurt. Yogurt is terrific for your skin as it smoothes, pampers, moisturizes and tightens your skin. It will remove traces of dirt, pollution and makeup from pores. You can use plain yogurt, or even blueberry, strawberry or honey. It all depends on your skin type. Any fruit, such as blueberries or strawberries acts as an antioxidant removing dead skin and revealing new and glowing skin. Here is a basic recipe for a face mask using Greek yogurt, or even regular yogurt:

Dry Skin - 1 Cup yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey (honey brightens skin and retains moisture)

Oily Skin- 1 Cup yogurt
Couple drops of lemon (acid cuts excess oil on skin)

* Leave the mask on for about 30 minutes and rinse off!

Now onto the giveaway!!! Kristina at Stonyfield offered to share more coupons and goodies with a winner!
The winner will receive:
2 FREE 16 OZ. OIKOS COUPONS
4 FREE 5.3 OZ OIKOS COUPONS
$4 WORTH OF STONYFIELD COUPONS
OIKOS SPATULA & RECIPE CARD SET

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite way to use Greek Yogurt! It's that simple. If you have never used Greek Yogurt, then pick a way that you would like to use it. Giveaway is open to all! Comments will close this Friday at midnight and winner will be pulled in a random drawing, which will be announced this Saturday morning! Good luck : )

WAYNE'S BEEF MACARONI AND CHEESE, AWARDS, AND CONTEST/GIVEAWAY

Do you have a specific style of cooking? If you wanted to be The Next Food Network Star, what would your pitch be? For example, Giada cooks Italian, Rachel does 30 minutes, Bobby does grilling/southwestern cuisine, Paula does butter, and both Tyler and Ina cook classic dishes with great style. There are so many styles of cooking. You can be be healthy, vegetarian or vegan, kosher, gluten-free, or just plain eat raw food. Have you ever thought about which style of cooking best describes you? Call me crazy, but I enjoy asking myself these types of questions! It's not like I'm signing up to be the next food network star, but it gives me something to think about. So, just for fun, I decided to have another giveaway in the form of a contest.

Here are the contest guidelines:

Leave a comment describing your style of cooking. Pretend you won The Next Food Network Star and come up with a name for your new Food Network show. You also have to tell us what your "signature dish" would be. Feel free to have as many entries as you like, the more the merrier. They can be funny or serious, either way it doesn't matter since it's just for fun.

The contest will end next Saturday, the 29th at midnight. On Sunday, August 30th, I will post all the results/ideas of each participant and we will all vote for our favorite!! The winner with the most votes will receive these bestselling goodies from LUSH FRESH HANDMADE COSMETICS!!The first product is called Lemony Flutter, which is a lemony scented cuticle butter for use on all rough patches: elbows, knees, and heels. It is a Shea butter base infused with lemon, mango, avocado and flax seed oils and let me tell you....a little goes a long way!! Great for cooks, nurses, or anyone who washes and uses their hands a lot!

The second product is Ocean Salt, which is just plain awesome! It is an exfoliating scrub that smells like a margarita and is safe for the face and body! It has a sea salt base, with grapefruit and lime oils, and vodka. Feels terrific and makes your skin clean and super soft.

The third product is an Up You Gets Emotibomb for use in the shower. Stick this little guy on the shower floor, or on the soap shelf, and inhale the fresh citrus scent that will hopefully help wake you up! Just like a bath bomb, but for the shower instead.

Have fun!! I'm looking forward to see some very creative and funny ideas : )

Now, onto the food and then some award announcements!! I made this casserole from Paula Deen's Lady & Sons, Too cookbook. It would feed an army and is certainly a very filling dish. Extremely easy to throw together and one that everyone will like. Great for big crowds!! Fresh out of the oven it qualifies as good, but the next day it is even better. You could certainly cut back on the meat, using one pound instead of two. Additionally, you can also cut back on the cheese, there are so many other flavors you just wouldn't miss it. This dish made the hubby very happy because it is just simple and "normal" food (with tons of meat)!! Sometimes the hubby gets tired of trying new recipes and likes plain and simple. Who could blame him??

Wayne's Beef Macaroni and Cheese - adapted from The Lady & Sons by Paula Deen
One 1-pound box elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used about 5 garlic cloves)
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups canned crush tomatoes (about one 28 oz. can or 2 14 oz. cans)
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon each dried basil, cumin, and dried oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
2-3 cup grated Cheddar cheese (I love cheese and I think this quantity is just too much

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Heat the oil in a skillet; add the peppers, onion, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the ground beef and saute until browned. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and the basil, cumin, and oregano. In a large bowl (and I do mean very large), combine the macaroni and the beef mixture. Spread this mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Ground turkey or chicken can be used in place of beef, if desired.

This was a great, easy, and tasty casserole that we have all probably made and loved over time.

Now onto the awards......

I received this award from Libby of Cooking with Libby. Libby is a great blogging friend that I met in the My Girl Paula group. Thanks Libby!


I also received this award from Joanne of Eats Well With Others. Joanne is another great blogging friend that I met through the Tyler Florence Fridays group! Thanks Joanne.



This last award requires that it be passed on to 7 bloggers and that each person list 7 personality traits about themselves.

Here goes mine:
1) Loyal/Dedicated -I love my family and friends and would do anything/stand up for them no matter what.
2) Curious-Full of questions
3)Passionate/Extreme- I really like something/someone or I really don't. Not a lot of in between with me.
4)Real/Honest - I don't like to put on airs or be "politically correct". I think we should all be okay with being who we are as long as we are kind about it.
5)Forgetful/Somewhat Oblivious - *ahem* ask my husband about this. I have a tendency to look for things that are right in front of my face, or hit parked cars, or write checks from the wrong account *ahem*. I'm hopeful this will all change, but not holding my breath.
6)Anxious/Nervous- This probably feeds the forgetfulness and obliviousness (is that a word?) I mentioned above. I'm constantly thinking about to-do lists and what needs to be done.
7)Bad Temper - Assume being happy is a 1 and being very angry is a 10. I'm super laid back until I get to about a 7 on the scale. It takes A LOT for me to start getting to an 8. I feel sorry for the person who is around me when I'm a 10! Once that happens I'm angry the rest of the day and can't shake it off. I've been told this improves with age, but I'm finding it to be quite the opposite~

Here is a list of the 7 bloggers that I am passing this second award to:
1) Beth of The Seventh Level of Boredom
2) Kristin of Sogkonnite Living
3) Libby of Cooking with Libby
4) Glennis of Can't Believe We Ate
5) Arlene at The Food of Love
6) Debby at A Feast For the Eyes
7) Coleen of Coleen's Recipes

Don't forget about the contest/giveaway!! I'm really excited to see what great and creative ideas you can come up with : )

See ya tomorrow for a Creative Thursdays!! It's gonna be a delicious, super quick, and extremely easy recipe from another foodie friend.

The Winner of the Lush Giveaway is.........

Congrats to Arlene at The Food of Love! Arlene is the winner of the Lush product giveaway. I will be sending Arlene a message so that she can collect her prize. Arlene has a great shrimp and mushroom ravioli dish over on her blog right now, go check out : )

Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing. I really enjoyed reading the comments about your first "trials" in the kitchen. Sounds like pasta is a popular choice!! Here is what Arlene had to say about one of her first dishes in the kitchen:

I love pasta, too, but it isn't the first "dish" I remember cooking. No, that would be toasted mozzarella. Yes, I did say toasted and I didn't mean on a sandwich. When mom wasn't around, I would spear a big hunk of mozzarella on her big fork and hold it over the gas flame until it got nice, blistery char marks--yes, and made a mess, which I'd clean up after devouring the melted cheese.

Well, I think most of us will agree that any kind of cheese, especially melted, is also a good reason to get into the kitchen! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories.

Post # 101 - Tyler's Penne Pasta with Baby Artichokes, Olives, and Peas ** plus a LUSH Giveaway!!!**

Ever since I can remember, pasta has been my favorite thing to eat. I love all kinds of pasta: spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad, etc. Pasta was also the first thing I learned how to cook. What kind of pasta did I cook? Kraft macaroni and cheese in the blue box. It was the cheesiest after all!! Since then I have cooked so many pots of pasta, but it was my love for pasta that got me in the kitchen in the first place. Was there something that you loved that got you into the kitchen? Do you remember the first thing you ever cooked?? I'll be asking you again later.


For my 101st post, I decided to cook a pasta dish from Tyler Florence. I've had my eye on this recipe for Penne Pasta for a long time. I had to adapt the recipe slightly. I used canned artichokes hearts instead of fresh. I also used a spoonful of tomato paste instead of chopped tomato. Additionally, I left out the peas because I didn't have any. The pasta was very bright from the lemon and very fresh tasting with the artichokes, lemon and olives. The tomato paste created a pretty color and a nice tomato flavor. I really enjoyed this as a light lunch. I think it could even be eaten cold as a pasta salad.


Now onto the giveaway!! I have a part-time job at one of the most fun places up at the mall.....LUSH FRESH HANDMADE COSMETICS. Everything is handmade up in Canada and shipped to us fresh. We have all sorts of goodies: bath bombs, bubble bars, solid shampoo bars, lotions, skincare, fresh face masks, handmade soaps, etc. This giveaway is for two products!! One of our BESTSELLING bath bombs......SEX BOMB (see below). Drop this bath bomb into the bath for a jasmine scented bath and enjoy the light pink colored water!!The second part of the giveaway is for one bar of extra-virgin olive oil soap. This soap is great in the shower or great by the kitchen sink. It has a very gentle lather and a very light floral scent which comes from the fresh EVOO. This is a great and moisturizing soap.

Remember earlier when I asked you about the first thing you ever cooked? Please leave a comment sharing the first dish you ever made. I'm really excited to see all the different answers.

Each comment will receive one entry into the giveaway. The giveaway will go on for one week, ending at midnight next Friday. I will announce the winner next Saturday and mail them their prize. I will do the giveaway the the old-fashioned way. All names will go into a hat and one will be chosen by this little guy below. He plays fair, I promise : )

This is my entry this week for Tyler Florence Fridays. Head on over there to see what everyone else is cooking up.