Category: Giveaways
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Friday, November 6, 2015
Raising a Rock-Star Reader + Friday Show and Tell
Happy Friday, everyone! Before we get to the usual Show and Tell portion of our program, I have to tell you about my friend’s new book!
Amy Mascott (my friend!) and Allison McDonald are just published their new book Raising a Rock-Star Reader and it’s wonderful! I received an advanced copy and it is filled with all kinds of wonderful tips, recommendations and resources for getting your children to be great readers. Years I ago I had the chance to hear a lecture from a UC Berkeley professor who specialized in early education. She talked at length about why it is so beneficial to read to children from a very early age – the very act of hearing varied language and many words helps children’s brains develop in tremendous ways. It was fascinating and something I’ve thought about a lot as we’ve raised our children.
Anna and Cate are both rock-star readers (I am grateful every day for this) and will probably be as excited to read Amy and Allison’s book as I am. Owen is still a wee thing and the tips in this book are fabulous. I can’t wait to start implementing the ideas with all three of our kids!
Of course you know I love giveaways! So, let’s give away a copy of Amy and Allison’s book! To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment telling us your most favorite children’s book. That’s it! Comments must be posted by Midnight PT 11/13/15 and prize must be shipped within the U.S.
Congratulations to Amy and Allison for a job very well done on their wonderful book! Here’s to happy readers!
And, since it’s Friday, a few links to share!
- On Cool Mom Eats: Scrumptious side dishes made with frozen vegetables to make life easy.
- On Babble: Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes that are amaaaaaazing.
One last thing! Nate and I discovered Les Revenants (The Returned) on Netflix and it’s AWESOME. I’m always looking out for your TV watching. It’s because I care.
Okay, so, be sure to leave a comment to enter the giveaway above! And, as always, feel free to share whatever you want for Show and Tell!
I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team, which means they send me cool stuff from time to time. For the record, I would be addicted to Netflix in spite of said cool stuff.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:42 am 12 Comments
Categories: fab faves, Giveaways, netflix, show and tell, the goods Tags: babble, cool mom eats, giveaway, les revenants, netflix, raising a rock-star reader, show and tell, the returned |
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Thursday, October 29, 2015
Mary and Vincent Price’s Cookbook “A Treasury of Great Recipes” and Why Vintage Cookbooks Are the Best
I love vintage cookbooks. Like cutting boards, vintage cookbooks are fast becoming an obsession of mine. For example, when I visited Portland, OR last year, I ended up spending oodles of time (and an undisclosed amount of money!) in the cookbook section at Powell’s Books with my friend Deseree, pouring over the many old and out-of-print cookbooks that lined the shelves. Those books are so delightful for so many reasons, from fun inscriptions to interesting ingredients to vintage illustrations and photographs…I love it all!
Today I am channeling that love for older cookbooks with a really fun giveaway. Dover Publications has re-released a cookbook that has been out of print for quite some time. Of course I had to check it out…that kind of thing is right up my alley!
Coincidentally, during the spookiest time of year, the cookbook in question is written by the Master of Menace himself, Vincent Price, along with his wife Mary, a costume designer. Mary and Vincent Price published A Treasury of Great Recipes 50 years ago and Dover just released the anniversary edition. I have had so much fun reading through this book!
The 50th anniversary edition still has the same feel as the original publication, with all the original illustrations and photography, and includes a lovely retrospective written by their daughter Victoria Price, where you learn that Vincent Price’s grandfather invented cream of tartar baking powder, was the first person to patent extracts of vanilla, lemon and other flavorings, and also wrote many cookbooks. Food runs in the family! The cookbook follows the Price’s travels through Europe, Mexico and the United States and features the menus of restaurants they visited and loved, along with recipes from those menus. As both a food lover and a graphic designer, I especially love that the actual menus are reproduced in the book. The Prices also include many of their family’s recipes and, in true vintage cookbook fashion, there is a section dedicated to (can you guess?)…napkin folding! I just love this stuff! I told you I’m a vintage cookbook junkie!
While Vincent may have been a master at horror, he was also a master at sharing wonderful food with people. So, this Halloween week, we are giving away a copy of Vincent and Mary’s beautiful, classic book. Here is how to enter!Simply leave a comment, any comment, on this post! If you would like to share your favorite restaurant with us in your comment, that would be very fun and in the spirit of the book!Bonus entry: Like Dover Publications on Facebook. Leave a separate comment indicating you have done so.Bonus entry: Follow Dover Publications on Pinterest. Leave a separate comment indicating you have done so.Bonus entry: Tweet this post and giveaway using the hashtag #CookingwithVincent. Leave a separate comment with a link to your tweet.
One comment will be randomly selected to choose the winner. Comments must be posted by Midnight PT on Thursday 11/5/2015 and prize must be shipped to an address in the continental United States.The winner of the giveaway was Comment #18 Heather B, who said, “I had no idea this edition existed, I’ve been meaning to find a copy of the original for my cookbook collection forever.” I love that she knows the book and has been keeping an eye out for it! Congratulations, Heather! I know it’s not an original edition, but I know you’ll still love it!
To buy the book, visit Dover Publications and be sure to use the code WRAQ to get 25% of your purchase before 12/07/2015. If you have any cookbook lovers in your life (or you are one yourself!), this is a very fun book, I definitely recommend it!
Thank you to Dover Publications for sponsoring this post and giveaway!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:56 pm 22 Comments
Categories: Giveaways, the goods Tags: a treasury of great recipes, giveaway, sponsored, vincent and mary price, vincent price's cookbook |
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Thursday, August 27, 2015
Easy Peasy 3-Bean Salad for One!
The giveaway in this post is now closed. But there’s a recipe, so keep reading!
When it comes to my kids’ lunches, I try to do a decent job of feeding them a balanced meal. There’s not much sugar, always a protein of some kind, and definitely fresh fruit. The one area where I am lacking, however, is vegetables. Once in a while I throw in sliced cucumbers or carrot sticks, but more often than not I miss vegetables entirely.
Libby’s® recently contacted me about developing a quick and easy single serving recipe using Libby’s 4 oz. Vegetable Cups. To help with developing the recipe, Libby’s mailed our family a box of the vegetable cups to try out and experiment with. My daughter Anna, who loves trying food and cooking with me, was genuinely excited about the cups.
Anna: “Mom, what are these?”
Me: “Those are the veggie cups I am going to use for a recipe.”
Anna: “Ooooo! Can I have some green beans? Please?!”
Um, yes, she actually said that. And she actually liked the green beans! She liked the carrots, too, and she looooooved the corn. Anna is 100% supportive of me packing the Vegetable Cups in her lunches.
For the recipe I developed I decided to go with a super quick and easy 3-bean salad for one! This makes for a “fancy” after-school snack or even a quick side dish with dinner when life gets busy. And this recipe utilizes one of my favorite magical ingredients: Italian Dressing. Italian dressing has a way of making pretty much any recipe easier, including salads of all kinds.
In addition to today’s recipe, we also have a giveaway! Not only will the winner receive an assortment of Libby’s Vegetable Cups, but they will also be gifted with this ridiculously cute Amanda’s Kids’ Lunch Playset from Food52.com. I wish I could enter the giveaway, all three of my kids would love this playset! (Maybe I’ll just have to go buy it!)
To enter the giveaway, please do the following (comments must be posted by Midnight PT 9/3/15):Simply leave a comment on this post! That’s it!Bonus entry: Follow Libby’s on Pinterest (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Like Libby’s on Facebook (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Follow This Week for Dinner on Pinterest (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Like This Week for Dinner on Facebook (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)
The randomly-selected winner of this giveaway was comment #22 Kelly, who said, “What a great idea! My Mom used to make 3-bean salad, but I never thought about sending it in the kids’ lunches. Thanks for the recipe!”
And now for the recipe! It seriously took me less than 5 minutes to toss this salad together. It doesn’t get easier than that. Enjoy!
3-Bean Salad for OnePrep timeTotal timeAuthor: Jane MaynardServes: 1Ingredients- 1 Libby's 4-oz. Green Bean Vegetable Cup
- 1 tablespoon garbanzo beans
- 1 tablespoon kidney beans
- 1 teaspoon chopped red onion
- 2 teaspoons Italian dressing
Instructions- Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Voila! You're done!
NotesCost: Appx. $0.60/serving
This post was sponsored by Libby’s – payment was received for services rendered.Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:26 pm 39 Comments
Categories: featured recipes, Giveaways, side dishes, the goods Tags: bean salad, green beans, libby's, salads |
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Thursday, March 19, 2015
Friday Show and Tell
Happy Friday, everybody! Today I have a few links to share, but first we need to talk Tillamookies.
When I visited Tillamook last summer, we had the chance to sample a few ice cream products that weren’t yet released to market. I have been waiting for those two products to come out and one of them finally has! I would like to introduce to you the Tillamookie! What’s a Tillamookie? Why it’s an ice cream sandwich made with waffle cone cookies with a dark chocolate coating and Tillamook ice cream or gelato. They come in vanilla, chocolate hazelnut, mint chocolate chip and strawberry flavors and they are SO GOOD. I’m not just saying this because I met the cows where the cream came from. Seriously, best ice cream sandwiches ever.
Tillamook kindly mailed some samples to our family (yes, we did eat them right before dinner yesterday…the kids were delighted).
Tillamook is ready to mail Tillamookie samples to one of you lucky people, too! This may not be a high-retail-value giveaway, but it’s one of my all-time favorite giveaways yet! To enter, just do the following!*Leave a comment on this post! That’s it! If you want, tell us which flavor you think will be your favorite – vanilla, chocolate hazelnut, strawberry or mint chocolate chip. (Mine is strawberry!) It’s also our weekly show and tell post, so feel free to share anything you like!Bonus entry: Follow This Week for Dinner on Facebook (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Follow me on Instagram (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Follow me on Pinterest (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)Bonus entry: Follow Tillamook on Facebook (leave a separate comment indicating you follow)
*Comments must be posted by Thursday, 3/27/15 at Midnight PT. Prize must be shipped to an address in the continental United States. Winner will receive one box of each of the four flavors and will be randomly selected.The giveaway winner was Comment #3 Lindsay R, who said, “I love this giveaway. Especially if you give it away to me.”
Food link time!
This week on Babble:
And this week on Parade’s Community Table:
- 16 Wonderfully White Desserts for Spring! (or maybe your first day of spring is filled with snow, in which case white is still appropriate!)
Show and Tell time! I know I just turned the comment section into a giveaway entry extravaganza, but feel free to share whatever you want in the comments anyway – it will count as your freebie entry for the giveaway!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:50 pm 152 Comments
Categories: babble, Community Table, Giveaways, show and tell, the goods Tags: babble, community table, giveaway, tillamook, tillamookies, white desserts |
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Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Crispy Rosemary Roast Potatoes from ‘Brown Eggs and Jam Jars”
I am SUPER excited about today’s post. First off, I get to brag about one of my very lovely food blogging friends. Second, I get to share an AMAZING recipe with you. Third, I get to do a giveaway. So much goodness in one place!
Aimée Wimbush-Bourque is a friend I met through blogging that I am beyond grateful to know. She is lovely and talented and I am lucky to have her as one of my people. Her blog Simple Bites is wonderful and she is truly an inspiration to me. The woman pretty much makes everything from scratch. When you grow up on a homestead AND you’re a professional chef you tend to do that sort of thing. I know I will never be an “Aimée” myself, but one can always dream…and at least I try!
Aimée just published Brown Eggs and Jam Jars and I am so happy to share this beautiful cookbook with you today! (Congratulations, Aimée!) My friend Allison came over this morning and we made a couple of Aimée’s recipes from the book. It was such a lovely morning, spending time with a friend making recipes written by another friend. I’m feeling all aglow with cheesy friend-i-ness!
Today I get to share Aimée’s recipe for Crispy Rosemary Roast Potatoes with you. Holy HANNAH, people. So good. Allison and I basically ate the entire batch. (We won’t talk about how many potatoes that was!) The technique for cooking the potatoes coupled with a cornmeal coating made for truly perfect roast potatoes. Perfect and dangerous. I wasn’t kidding when I said Allison and I ate an ENTIRE BATCH. At 10:30 in the morning, mind you. SO GOOD.
Anyway, Aimée’s book is filled with similarly wonderful recipes and I highly recommend you buy the book immediately! Right after you enter today’s giveaway, of course!
We are giving away a copy of Aimée’s beautiful book to one lucky, randomly-selected winner! Simply leave a comment telling us your favorite thing to make from scratch and you’re entered! Aimée is all about going homemade, so I think chatting about our favorite from-scratch recipes is the perfect way to celebrate her book launch! So, to recap, to enter the giveaway please leave a comment telling us your favorite thing to cook/make/bake from scratch by Midnight PT on Wednesday 3/11/15. Prize needs to be shipped to a U.S. or Canadian address.
And with that I give you Aimée’s recipe for some of the best potatoes you’ll ever eat. Enjoy!
Crispy Rosemary Roast PotatoesThis recipe is from the book "Brown Eggs and Jam Jars" by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque and makes some of the best roast potatoes this side of anywhere!Author: Aimée Wimbush-BourqueServes: 6Ingredients- 2 pounds red potatoes (about 6-7 medium), peeled (Please note that I totally did NOT peel the potatoes, whoops! Sorry, Aimée! They still came out perfectly)
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup olive oil
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced, plus more chopped for garnish (I also forgot to mince the rosemary leaves...can you tell Allison and I were chatting while making the recipe? Again, everything tasted great.)
- 8 fresh garlic cloves, peeled
Instructions- Position a rack on the lowest level of the oven and preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
- Cut each potato in half, then in half again, until you have 4 evenly sized chunks per potato. Place in a medium pot with 1 teaspoon of the salt, cover with cold water and set over high heat. Bring potatoes to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and boil for 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Drain potatoes, then transfer to the bowl with cornmeal and toss gently to coat.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron pan or heavy skillet, heat olive oil over high heat. When small bubbles begin to rise (but before oil is smoking) and oil is very hot, add rosemary and garlic. Stir carefully with tongs for a minute to infuse the oil.
- Carefully add the cornmeal-crusted potatoes all at once to the hot oil and arrange them with your tongs so that they are evenly distributed around the pan. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven and turn each potato so the crispy side faces up. Roast for another 20-25 minutes or until golden all over.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary and a sprinkling of sea slat if desired. Serve at once.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE:
- Leftover Boiled Potato Problem Solved
- Roasted Garlic and Fingerling Potatoes
- Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes
EQUIPMENT I USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:
Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:49 pm 73 Comments
Categories: fab faves, featured recipes, Giveaways, Recipes, side dishes, the goods, way gourmet Tags: brown eggs and jam jars, cookbook review, cookbooks, potatoes, roast potatoes |
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Thursday, December 18, 2014
Beautiful Giveaway from TO THE MARKET
This giveaway is now closed. Thank you!
A few weeks ago I shared some of my favorite organizations that give back, one of them being TO THE MARKET | Survivor-made Goods (TTM). I learned about TTM at the AYA Summit with ONE this past October and was completely taken with the founder, Jane Mosbacher Morris, a woman dedicated to lifting survivors throughout the world. Jane was energetic, passionate, smart as whip and had a really cool first name, so obviously I fell in love with her.
TTM combines the powers of commerce and storytelling to empower the world’s most courageous survivor populations. TTM works with proud and passionate artisans who have overcome the perils of abuse, conflict and disease and they just launched their online marketplace, making their survivor-made goods available to anyone at any time!
I shared TTM with you on Giving Tuesday as a great gifting option for the holidays, which it obviously still is! (Seriously, if you get me this Sari Blanket for Christmas I’ll love you forever. Oh wait, this isn’t about me. Sorry about that. It’s just, well, that blanket!) In addition to TTM being a great place for you to shop for the holidays, TTM is hosting a giveaway here on the blog!
TO THE MARKET will be giving one lucky randomly-selected winner their choice of one of the All Across Africa baskets (you can see the baskets by clicking on this page). I have the navy/silver small basket and it is beautiful.
There are several ways to enter the giveaway! Comments must be posted by Midnight PT on 12/23/14.Leave a comment! Easy peasy! If you would like, please share with us something you love on the TO THE MARKET website!BONUS ENTRY: Sign up for the TO THE MARKET email list. Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your email address in the box on the very bottom right. Leave a separate comment telling us you subscribed to get the extra entry.BONUS ENTRY: Follow TO THE MARKET on Facebook. Leave a separate comment telling us you did so to get the extra entry.BONUS ENTRY: Follow TO THE MARKET on Instagram. Leave a separate comment telling us you did so to get the extra entry.
I am SO happy to be connected with TO THE MARKET and grateful I can share them with you, too! Thank you for showing them support and good luck with the giveaway!
The lucky winner of this giveaway was Sarah K from The Pajama Chef who said, “I love the Turquoise & Brass Horn Necklace.”
Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:31 pm 66 Comments
Categories: fab faves, Giveaways, the goods Tags: aya summit, gifts & giveaways, giving back, ONE, survivor made goods, to the market |
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Friday, December 12, 2014
Le Creuset and Dreamfarm Goodies!
This giveaway is now closed. Thank you!
Today we have a really fun giveaway package featuring two companies who’s products I use in my kitchen every day – Le Creuset and Dreamfarm! Gifts & Giveaways is all about sharing great gift ideas and then, you know, giving some of those awesome things away and that is exactly what we’re going to do today!
Before we get to the giveaway, here are a few gift ideas. These are my most favorite items from Le Creuset and Dreamfarm, the things that I use ALL the time in my kitchen:
- Le Creuset Butter Crock: One of my most favorite things in the kitchen ever. I know I’ve professed my love before. That love has not waned. I also give these as gifts myself fairly frequently.
- Le Creuset 3 1/2 QT. and 5 1/2 QT. Round French Ovens: I don’t use these every day, but it’s pretty close.
- Dreamfarm Levoon: Absolutely enamored with these measuring spoons with a built-in level.
- Dreamfarm Clongs: These are great tongs and I LOVE how they sit up off of the counter.
- Dreamfarm Garject: My most favorite garlic press ever.
- Dreamfarm Scizza: Nate isn’t as big a fan as I am of the scizza, but I love it. I use it all the time for pizza as well as for cutting up my kids’ waffles and pancakes. They are great kitchen scissors and I love how they can stand up on the counter – less mess!
Now that you have some ridiculously awesome gift ideas, I think it’s time for a giveaway. Brace yourself, it’s pretty great.
The Le Creuset and Dreamfarm Holiday Giveaway Set Includes:
- Cheese Fondue in Flame ($300 retail value! So, basically the awesomest fondue pot ever)
- Butter crock (because I will not rest until all humans own one)
- Clongs
- Levoon
- Garject Lite
- Smood
- Teafu
- Savel
- Supoon
To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this post! That’s it! Easy peasy! Comments must be posted by Midnight PT Thursday, 12/18/14 and prize must be shipped within the U.S.Good luck and happy shopping!The winner of this giveaway was Ellen (Comment #9), who said, “I’m feeling lucky…I hope I win!!!” Congratulations, Ellen!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:19 am 135 Comments
Categories: Giveaways, holidays, the goods Tags: dreamfarm, gift ideas, gifts & giveaways, le creuset |
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Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Shortbread + A Very Merry Giveaway!
The giveaway in this post is now closed, but keep reading to find out about some really cute Christmas dishes and to get the shortbread recipe!
This post is sponsored by Q Squared NYC. As always, all opinions are 100% my own, including the opinion that these cookies are awesome.
I am so happy it’s the holiday season! Well, I mean, now I am, after my annual early-December freak out last night over the stress that this month brings (my busiest work month, two birthdays and Christmas all wrapped up into one not-so-calm package). But now, with the freak out officially behind me, I am ready to dive into present wrapping and cookie baking!
I started the whole holiday baking shebang with these chocolate-dipped peppermint shortbread cookies. I’m a sucker for shortbread. No, really, I kind of can’t control myself around the stuff. I decided to give my favorite shortbread recipe a holiday twist by incorporating chocolate and peppermint. The twist worked beautifully. And now there are about 30 ridiculously-adorable and delicious cookies taunting me in my kitchen.
These cookies are peppermint perfection. Even though there is peppermint in every element of the cookie, the peppermint flavor is not overpowering. The shortbread, which has just a hint of peppermint, is then dipped in high-quality dark chocolate, also sporting that peppermint hint. Top it all off with crunchy peppermint pieces and you’ve got yourself a COOKIE, filled with flavors and textures that work together oh so nicely. And they look crazy cute!
In addition to these lovely cookies, I have some lovely dishes to share with you today, too! You all know how much I love Q Squared. Well, I love them even more now that their holiday dishes are out! When I put in my order for the Winter’s Eve collection, I knew the dishes would be cute but I was not prepared for how much I would love them once I saw the dishes in person. Serious love, people.
Today we are giving away a complete set of the Winter’s Eve collection from Q Squared! One randomly-selected winner will receive 1 large platter, 1 serving bowl, 6 dinner plates, 6 tapas plates and 1 coaster set. To enter, please do the following by midnight PT on Tuesday December 9, 2014 (prize must be shipped to a US address):Leave a comment on this post! Easy Peasy!Bonus entry: Like me on Instagram! (You need to leave a separate comment telling us you liked! If you previously liked, it still counts but be sure to leave the extra comment!)Bonus entry: Like Q Squared on Instagram! (You need to leave a separate comment telling us you liked! If you previously liked, it still counts but be sure to leave the extra comment!)Bonus entry: Like This Week for Dinner on Facebook! (You need to leave a separate comment telling us you liked! If you previously liked, it still counts but be sure to leave the extra comment!)Bonus entry: Like Q Squared on Facebook! (You need to leave a separate comment telling us you liked! If you previously liked, it still counts but be sure to leave the extra comment!)
Good luck with the giveaway – I wish you could all win!And now for the recipe!
Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint ShortbreadDelicious chocolate-dipped shortbread with just the right amount of peppermint.Author: Jane MaynardRecipe type: DessertServes: 25-30Ingredients- 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract, divided into ½ and ¼ teaspoons
- 1 cup high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ¼ cup broken peppermint pieces
Instructions- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Cream butter, brown sugar and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract together on medium-high speed in a stand mixer for about 3 minutes with the paddle attachment. Scrape down bowl.
- Add 1½ cups of the flour and a pinch of salt. Beat with paddle attachment on medium speed until fully incorporated.
- Set aside the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook.
- Add the rest of the flour (3/4 cup) and mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook, kneading the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface to about ½-inch thick. Using a ~2-inch sized cookie cutter, cut cookies and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Prick the tops of the cookies with a fork.
- Form leftover dough into a ball and roll back out to ½-inch thick and repeat process until you've cut all the dough into cookies.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes, until bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. (The time will vary depending on how thick you actually rolled out the dough. The thinner the cookie, the less cook time.)
- When cookies have cooled completely, in a small microwave-safe bowl cook chocolate chips and coconut oil on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir well until all chocolate has melted.
- Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and stir well.
- Dip each cookie partially into the chocolate then set on a cooling rack to let chocolate harden. Sprinkle with peppermint pieces immediately after dipping cookie.
- Place cookies in fridge to harden the chocolate, around 30-60 minutes. When the cookies return to room temperature, the chocolate will soften a smidge. The chocolate will be hard enough so that the cookies will be pretty and stackable (for packaging and giving!) but just soft enough that it's easy to bite through when eating the cookie. Store extras in the fridge.
- You will have extra melted chocolate. I like to have extra so it's easier for dipping. Just pour it over a bowl of ice cream or spread it on a silicone baking mat, sprinkle with peppermint pieces and put in the fridge for a quick peppermint bark. You need to put that chocolate to use!
Comment #4 ellen patton was the winner of this giveaway. Congratulations, Ellen!Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:50 pm 118 Comments
Categories: featured recipes, Giveaways, holidays, Recipes, sweet things, the goods Tags: baking, christmas, cookies, dishes, holidays, q squared, q squared nyc, shortbread, sponsored |
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Southwestern Corn Succotash Flatbreads {+ a Giveaway!}
The giveaway in this post is now closed, but keep reading for the succotash recipe!
This post is sponsored by Libby’s. All opinions are 100% my own, this recipe is delicious and there’s a sweet giveaway, so lots of goodness to be had!
I grew up on frozen corn. In fact, I don’t remember ever seeing canned corn in the house. I didn’t actually try canned corn until I was married, believe it or not, and I actually love it! Unlike frozen corn, I like how canned corn retains more of a crunch and has a nice sweet flavor. It’s one of my pantry staples for several recipes in my repertoire.
I have a new use for canned corn that I am especially loving: succotash! I was thinking about potential appetizers for Thanksgiving because I stink at Thanksgiving appetizers. I get so caught up in prepping the main meal that I forget to serve food earlier in the day. This recipe for corn succotash flatbreads is a perfect pre-Thanksgiving snack and I promise it’s easy to prepare.
I gave this particular succotash recipe a bit of a southwestern twist, replacing lima beans with black beans, adding tomatoes and bell peppers, as well as adding a bit of cumin and fresh cilantro. The corn is perfect for Thanksgiving but the cumin and cilantro offer a different flavor than any of the classic Thanksgiving foods you’ll be scarfing down later in the day. Just make sure you don’t fill up on succotash flatbreads – save room for turkey!
In addition to today’s recipe, Libby’s is offering up a great giveaway! One lucky, randomly-selected commenter will win a KitchenAid® 6-Quart Slow Cooker With Glass Lid plus an assortment of Libby’s products. I used Libby’s corn and black beans in today’s recipe and LOVE that they have organic canned goods! To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post! Prize must be shipped to a U.S. address and comments need to be posted by Midnight PT on 11/26/14.
One last thing, Libby’s is hosting its Cansgiving sweepstakes through November 19. Participants must post a photo of what they are thankful for on Twitter, Instagram or Libby’s Table Facebook page using the hashtag #Cansgiving for the chance to win a $350 grocery gift card toward their Thanksgiving meals. You can view the full rules at www.getbacktothetable.com/
cansgiving. Get commenting to enter the giveaway and here is the recipe!
Southwestern Corn Succotash FlatbreadsPrep timeCook timeTotal timeAn easy and delicious appetizer with a southwestern twist!Author: Jane MaynardServes: 3 cupsIngredients- ⅓ cup chopped red onion (about ¼ of an onion)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ of a red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 can corn
- ½ can black beans
- 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
- Chopped avocado (optional)
- Flatbread crackers
Instructions- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, which has been pushed through a garlic press, stir, then add corn and black beans and heat for a few minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, stir and cook for 1 minute to reduce some of the liquid.
- Reduce heat to medium again then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and cumin. Stir and heat for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
- Serve succotash on flatbread crackers, topping with fresh parmesan cheese or avocado if desired.
- You can serve right away or store in fridge and serve cold.
Comment #15 Jen Schulte was the winner of this giveaway. Congrats, Jen!Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:59 pm 67 Comments
Categories: featured recipes, Giveaways, Recipes, side dishes, simple side dishes, the goods Tags: appetizers, corn, libby's, sponsored, succotash |
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Monday, November 10, 2014
Gifts & Giveaways: 128 GB iPad Air 2!!!!!
Today’s Gifts & Giveaways post is pretty much completely and totally awesome. Are you ready? Brace yourself!
I have partnered up with some of my most favorite blogging friends (and in-real-life friends) EVER, Christine Koh (Boston Mamas), Audrey McClelland (Mom Generations), Allison Czarnecki (Petit Elefant), Heather Flett (Rookie Moms), Morgan Shanahan (The 818), Rachael Herrscher (Today’s Mama), and Sarah James (Whoorl), to offer one lucky follower a 128GB wi-fi iPad Air 2 ($699 value)!
Enter to win between November 10-21 via the Rafflecopter widget below; you have 8 entry options and of course we encourage you to enter all 8 ways to maximize your chance to win! Once the giveaway ends, the winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by email, with 48 hours to respond. Good luck!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:16 am 29 Comments
Categories: Giveaways Tags: gifts & giveaways, giveaway, iPad, iPad Air 2 |
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
