Giveaway #11: The Mixer Bible : Over 300 Recipes for Your Stand Mixer

So, I think I changed what my giveaway was going to be for this week's "Christmas In The Kitchen Series" about 12 times. There are so many fabulous recipe books out there---how can one choose?!

But after reading several comments in the past from my reader friends how the Kitchenaid Mixers were your favorite kitchen item, I figured this one might be one that some of you would enjoy trying to win.

What's funny is, after it arrived, I thought, Hmmmm.....maybe I should keep this one for myself! haha. But it's all about the spirit of giving so one of my lucky readers will win a copy of The Mixer Bible: Over 300 Recipes for Your Stand Mixer.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER

1) Leave a comment telling me what is your favorite recipe book? Be sure to leave your first name & email/blog address.

After that, here are other ways to enter: (Please, make sure that you submit extra comments if you do these.)

2) Either subscribe to my email newsletter or become a follower. (If you are already, thank you and you get that 2nd entry)

3) Follow me on Twitter. (If you are already, thank you and you get that 3rd entry)

4) Blog/Tweet about the giveaway.

There are now a total of 4 entries per person! (Please be sure to leave separate entries for each one.)

Entry is open to US residents only through 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009. Winners will be chosen using random.org and contacted by email. If you're the winner, you'll have 48 hours to respond or an alternate will be chosen.

Good luck to all of you who enter!

Christmas In The Kitchen Series: Annual Baking Fest & Recipes

This is a series my fellow blogger friends and I were doing for two weeks. (This is the second and final week.) We are sharing recipes and also doing giveaways. Here are their blogs--I'll update with their giveaway links and their recipes/traditions when they are posted today:

(Please note: You must put the giveaway entries for these on their blogs to be counted.)

Moms By Heart- Cookie Cutters Giveaway HERE
Coupon Gal - A Christmas Story DVD Giveaway HERE (I love that movie!)
A Thrifty Mom - 20 Coupon Inserts Giveaway to Help w/ Baking Costs HERE
Give Me Neither -Matching Set of Aprons Giveaway HERE
Couponing For 4 - Non-stick Cake-scicle Pan Giveaway HERE (looks so cool!)

A couple of years ago, my sister, BIL and I were supposed to go downtown Chicago to the Christkindlmarket. They had already scheduled the day off but as it got closer, they were predicting cold and rainy weather. We decided that instead, we'd bake cookies. Lots of them! My kitchen was filled with ingredients and plans of so many different recipes. About halfway through I realized...I had been way too ambition!

We were all exhausted and there was so much left to do. Each year, I learn a little bit more about how much is too much! :) Unfortunately this year, I had to do most of the baking myself. But, partway through, my almost 3 year old son decided to join me. We had so much fun together, despite how much work was involved. Here he is after enjoying the spoon from the brownie batter: (and being a goof when I said, "Smile Big!")




What do I do with everything when I'm done? My hubby works for a smaller company so I make each of his co-workers their own little "goodie bag" of treats. They are all so sweet in that they'll take it home to share with their spouses and family. I also try to reserve a plate to take over to our librarians. But they are projecting very cold temperatures today so I'm thinking it might not happen.

Every year I look forward to the annual baking fest. I'll have to plan better next year so I can make sure my family can join me again. But it was fun having one-on-one time with my son. Here's what we ended up with:



Brownies, Rice Krispies Treats, Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal/Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Covered Pretzels, "People Puppy Chow" and Cupcakes. I had planned on making Peanut Butter Blossoms but ran out of energy. So those will go in tomorrow or Friday. :) Here's the recipe for those:

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 Cup of Shortening
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup granulated Sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
Sugar (to roll them in)
48 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped

Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of sugar. Add egg milk and vanilla. Beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bakes 10-12 minutes (or until brown) in an oven at 375 degrees. Top each cookie immediately with an unwrapped chocolate piece, pressing down firmly so that cookie cracks around the edge. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cool.

This recipe came from an insert in the December 2009 Food TV Magazine. But it's been around for years.

People Puppy Chow

Melt together 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 stick of butter in a medium saucepan. You'll have to stir frequently or it will burn on you quick. I'd recommend keeping it on a low to medium heat. Once melted, pour over Crispix cereal. (1-12oz. box) Stir the cereal mixture (gently or you'll break them) until all the cereal is covered. Immediately put it into a brown paper bag that's been filled with 1/2 bag (1lb.) of powdered sugar. Close up the bag and shake it until the sugar covers the cereal.

This recipe was given to me years ago by a co-worker but it's been around for years.

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

I usually use the Baker's white chocolate squares. Follow melting directions on bag. You simply just add the pretzels to the chocolate and cover them. But I wanted to share a tip my BIL taught me. Use two forks to hold onto the ends of them after the pretzels are covered. This allows the chocolate to drain from the holes in the pretzels.

I have to add that the Rice Krispies Treats that I made---I used the caramel & vanilla marshmallows that just came out. They gave them just a touch of caramel flavor and were actually pretty good. There should be instructions for how to make these on most marshmallow bags or on the back of cereal box.

Everything else, I took the shortcut route this year and used pre-made mixes. :) It's the only way I could get everything done by myself. But next year, I might see if my friends want to do a cookie exchange and each make a few dozen cookies to swap. I've always wanted to do that.

Here's hoping you are able to get in some baking time this year, too!

Christmas In The Kitchen - With 6 Bloggers!!

There I was wiped out over Cyber Monday and then I got an email from Moms By Heart asking if I'd like to join her, and those on copy, for some baking fun and giveaways. To which my mind said, "Hallelujah!! A cool way to break away from the deal postings!"

So today and next Thursday, you have the opportunity to join me and 5 of my bloggy friends in some baking fun. What are we up to? Well, each of us is going to do a baking/cooking related giveaway each week. So that equals 12 giveaways for you to sign-up for!

We are each also going to share one of our favorite recipes or a tradition or something along those lines.

So where can you find these fabulous giveaways and recipes? Aside from my postings, check out my blog friends at: (I'll switch these to the direct link to their giveaways as I see their postings go up today.)

Moms By Heart - Her tradition and Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter Giveaway HERE.

Coupon Gal - Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe HERE and Muffin Pan and Baking Cups Giveaway to help make your own HERE.

Couponing For 4 - Pumpkin Muffin Recipe HERE and Giveaway for Make It Fast, Cook It Slow Recipe Book HERE.

Give Me Neither - Gooseberry Patch A Christmas Cookie Jar giveaway HERE.

A Thrifty Mom -She shares some Christmas memories and she's giving away 20 Coupon Inserts to help with the cost of your baking needs HERE.

NOTE: Make sure that if you are entering their giveaways, that you put your entries on their postings and not mine. I just want to make sure your entries in those giveaways are counted.

And moving along to my recipe and Holiday Memories...

When I think of baking for Christmas, I immediately jump to my Grandmother's Sugar Cookie Recipe. Now, it's probably from a book. Or, it could be her own. I have no idea. (so forgive me for not crediting any source) But oh I loved the smell of her cookies baking in the oven. What a great day for me when they started making those Sugar Cookie Candles! Memories would come flashing back when I'd burn them. (I had to quit because they made me too hungry!)

I make these year-round but during Christmas, I'll add sprinkles to jazz them up a bit. I plan on making these this next week with my son. He'll have a blast rolling them into balls and flattening them. I'll have to post some pics for you to see.

So this is the recipe that I use: (And no...it's not a healthy version by far!!)

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Oil
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
4 Cups Flour
1 Tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 Tsp. Salt

"Cream" the butter, oil, eggs & both sugars. (In other words, stir them all together.) Sift the "dry" ingredients together in a separate bowl. Then stir them into the first mixture. Add vanilla.

Next roll the "dough" into balls. Then roll them into some granulated sugar.

You'll then grease a cookie sheet and place the sugar-covered balls onto it. Take a glass that's been lightly dipped in sugar and press down on the cookies gently to flatten them. (I usually lightly spray a glass with cooking spray to make the sugar stick to it.)

Bake in an oven that's 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, or until they look done.

Let them cool and then enjoy! I love to dip them in my hot chocolate (while others love them with coffee.) Every time I make these cookies I feel so close to my Grandmother. I just hope by passing on the recipe to my kids, that they'll have the same fond memories of baking as I do and I'll continue to share stories of my "Nana" with them during our baking time.

So this is my first baking tradition and recipe. I'll have another one for you next week. I'm going to post my baking giveaway in a separate posting. So don't miss it!

Thanks to my blog friends for this fun two-week series! Stay tuned for my baking giveaway here shortly...