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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

My First Giveaway!




This weekend I decided to go through some of the hundreds of cookbooks in my mom's collection to come up with some new recipes and ideas, mostly for thanksgiving.  When I got to her Paula Deen Collection, I came across 2 of Paula's very first cookbooks.  One was her very first, self published book that she gave to my mom when they were writing her show, Paula's Home Cooking and the other one was her 2nd cookbook that she signed to my mom just before the Food Network agreed to give her a series.   My mom favors these books more then, well, any other.


What I remember from that time was when they were filming the very first episode, Thanksgiving and mom brought home an entire Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake that was left over from filming (the food stylists were so nice, they made me and my sister some extra goodies!).   It wasn't anything anyone in our house ever had before and is now something I bring to my Aunts house every Thanksgiving.  Paula makes them in lots of different flavors but the pumpkin is my favorite.



If it wasn't for Paula Deen, don't think I would have learned how to cook so well (for my age, anyway) because when I have "cooking-block" aka what should I make today,  I still go back to her cookbooks and look for inspiration. 

So, since Thanksgiving is just around the corner I am giving away one of our The Lady & Sons autographed cookbooks signed by Paula!


The book on the left (with the Food Network sign) is after her show got signed and the book on the right is before it got signed! How cool!

Just let me know your favorite Thanksgiving recipe that either you make or someone brings to the feast in the comments to this post and I will pick someone at random!!

Contest closes Tuesday November 3rd  at 9 PM EST!!!! 

With love and cupcakes,
Cookteen

12 comments:

  1. My mom makes the nicest apple and cranberry stuffing with dried cranberries and mmm whenever I smell that it feels like thanksgiving alright. We're living in england at the moment though so i don't think you will want to send it here if i win, but good luck to whoever does!

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  2. Yum...thanksgiving....so many wonderful smells and recipes, how do I decide!!! Well, every year I have to have homemade cornbread stuffing; broccoli, rice and chesse; butternut squash; and pumpkin roll. Like you, I too love pumpkin!!! So I decided to send you my pumpkin roll recipe! Hope you enjoy!
    Pumpkin Roll
    3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1 cup white sugar
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
    1 cup pumpkin puree
    3 eggs
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
    1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
    1/4 cup butter
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup confectioners' sugar

    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 11X15 inch jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper.
    In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly.
    Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
    Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.
    Make the icing: In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
    When the cake has cooled 20 minutes, unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to 2 weeks in aluminum foil. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

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  3. My favorite Thanksgiving recipe is either my aunts cranberry sauce, a lower sugar version with some apple juice concentrate and golden raisins to up the sweetness. The other one is ratatouille, not exactly traditional on most Thanksgiving tables but one that has always been at ours. It also means our Thanksgiving is vegetarian friendly.

    -Robin

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  4. Your blog is so cute! My favorite recipe is for Chicken and Dressing. Some people might call it stuffing but at my house it's called dressing and it is one of my all time favorite foods!

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  5. My favorite thing about thanksgiving has got to be the green bean casserole I've recently made for the past two years... using fresh mushrooms and cheddar cheese makes all the difference! And by the way, good luck in the foodie fight!!

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  6. Thanks for a giveaway! It's a great find and your blog is really cute. My favorite Thanksgiving recipe is my mother's sweet potato crunch. Envision mashed sweet potatoes baked with brown sugar and topped with a crunchy, nutty streusel topping. It is out of this world, y'all. hehe.

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  7. ince I've now become an avid follower of your blog, and wish I had your talents at making one (which I feel like I should as a journalism major but I dont)...I do have SOME talent in the kitchen so I'm entering your contest. Andd cause I live for the food network

    Here's my 2 favorites!
    We always go to my aunts for Thanksgiving so since we don't make the whole meal--we make ourselves soup for lunch, usually festive, & bring dessert with us!
    This was last years combo (Black Bean Pumpkin Soup & Pumpkin Cheesecake) and it was great. Btw-I'm obsessed with all things pumpkin, too!
    Yes, I recognize these are both poor recipes for us, lactose intolerance, but load up on digestive advantage and make an exception!!

    Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

    3 15.5 oz. cans of Black Beans, rinsed & drained
    1 cup drained canned tomatoes (I use the whole can)
    1 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
    1/2 cup Minced Shallot
    4 Garlic Cloves, minced
    1 Tbsp. Plus 2 tsp. Ground Cumin
    1 tsp. Salt
    1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    1/2 Stick (1/4 cup) Unsalted Butter
    4 cup Vegetable Stock
    1 16 oz can of Pumpkin Puree
    1/2 cup Sherry Wine
    3 to 4 Tbsp. Sherry Vinegar

    In Food Processor, puree beans & tomatoes. Meanwhile, in soup pot, cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and butter over moderate heat. Stir until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Then add the bean puree, Broth, Pumpkin Puree, and Sherry wine. Stir until combined. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, stirring occasionally.
    Then Before you serve it, add the sherry vinegar and stir until its been heated.
    It's really good with sour cream


    Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

    2 pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
    ½ cup Sugar
    ½ tsp. Vanilla
    2 Egg
    ½ cup Canned Pumpkin
    ¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
    Dash Nutmeg
    ½ cup Cool Whip
    1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

    Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and mix until blended. Do not over beat after adding eggs. Remove 1 cup of batter and place in crust. Stir in pumpkin and spices to remaining batter. Pour into crust. Bake in 325 degree oven for 40 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Top with Cool Whip.

    Keep It Up! Seriously!!

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  8. I love Kraft's Double Layer Pumpkin pie recipe. It's amazing.

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  9. Great giveaway!! I found your blog on Bakerella's website under the comments. :) I love your blog's design!

    My favorite recipe is my mom's sweet potato casserole with roasted mini marshmallows on top. :)

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  10. My all time favorite thing for any holiday is my mom's festive looking jello salad - don't let the name fool you - this thing is more like dessert than Jello! You can find the recipe here:
    http://2hotdishes.blogspot.com/2008/09/moms-holiday-jello.html

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  11. I love my mom's stuffing recipe, made with whole wheat (yes, whole wheat and it's still great!) bread cubes, lots of sage and thyme, sauteed onions and olive oil.

    Cute blog

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  12. Grt blog and love the way you put step by step preparation pictures.
    I love Thanksgiving, at least for thanksgiving we are reminded to appreciate all our loved ones; cooking for our friends and family is without a question the best way to show our gratitude and love to them.
    My favorite dish for thanksgiving is none other than Roasted Turkey with Smoked Paprika which my cousins and I bake, we have so much fun cooking for thanksgiving. Can't wait for thanksgiving.
    Happy thanksgiving to you and your family!
    Have fun cooking and Baking!
    Cheers
    Thas

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