Baked Potato Soup

Hi Everyone! I'm back again with a (not so exciting) new post...which you're probably asking "what's with the Baked Potato soup?" After all these weeks of absence, you would think I would come back with some exquisite, and amazing food to show off....hey, but just look at the gorgeous 'hand stitched' Italian table cloth (never used), the antique silver plated soup spoon, and the Italian napkin...all these things handed down to my daughter from her sweet M-in-law from Italy...except for the soup spoon which an entire set inherited from my Hungarian aunt (Mariska)


This is truly an amazing comforting soup...'for the soul'...just look at the crispy yummy bacon bits, and the chunky pieces of 2 boiled potatoes, which was an addition to the homemade vegetable broth that it was boiled in, and added 2 peeled leftover baked potatoes...all mixed together in the blender, heated up and added 1/2 cup sour cream at the end. You can substitute Greek yogurt instead! Creamy soups are so easy to make...all you need is a blender, food processor, or even a 'hand held immersion blender/mixer) and your creativity!

I missed so much opportunity to be posting so many different foods that I actually made in the last weeks that just flew by...not photographing anything...could also have had the chance to do a few Restaurant Reviews...(no photos)...well, could've...would've...should've...all have gone by, not focusing on it. I admit, I do regret procrastinating, and feeling 'down in the dumps' (no excuse)...can't take everything to 'heart' that we have no control over!

As you know, I'm a huge Pinterest fan...love, love, finding some awesome things on Pinterest...especially foods, fashion, home décor, and travel...my oh, my...the amazing places we could go to...just have the $$$!
Well, as you may, or may not know, but I have a board on Pinterest called #soup love where I found this most gorgeous and yummy Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup and decided that I want to make it, just did not have 6 slices of bacon...only 3~ I did not follow their recipe all the way thru...so I made it my own...next time I will follow through the step-by-step recipe. When you see a photo on Pinterest, just click on the photo and it will lead you to the 'source' and most likely you will find the recipe, or the 'link' that it came from. In this case, I did find the source; which is called...
Tasty Kitchen...you will find the step-by-step recipe for this amazing soup!
Here's the recipe and my adaptation in blue:

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 4 whole Extra Large Baked Potatoes Or 8 Regular Baked Potatoes (I used 2 med. leftover baked potatoes and 2 med. peeled, and diced potatoes boiled in 2 cups of 'homemade veg. broth)
• 6 slices Bacon, Diced (I used 3 slices of bacon)
• 6 Tablespoons Butter (no butter used)
• ½ whole Onion, Chopped (1 med. onion chopped)
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ⅓ cups All-purpose Flour (2 Tbsp. all-purp. flour)
• 4 cups Chicken Stock (2 cups homemade vegetable stock)
• ½ teaspoons Sea Salt (or To Taste)
• 2 teaspoons Ground Pepper, Or To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I used 3 Tbsp. olive oil)
• 3 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (no cheese)
• 4 whole Scallions (Green Onions), Sliced (no scallions) used sprig of parsley
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt (1/2 cup sour cream)

Preparation Instructions

Scoop the white insides out of the baked potato skins. Roughly chop the white insides and set them aside. Chop potato skins and set aside.
In a large stock pot brown the diced bacon over medium heat. Once it’s crispy, remove bacon from the pan and drain off the grease.
Add 4 tablespoons butter to the brown bits at the bottom of the stock pot. Add onion and continue to cook over medium heat until onion is caramelized. Add minced garlic and flour. Stir flour until absorbed by the butter and cooked, about 1-2 minutes.
While stirring, slowly add chicken stock to the flour mixture to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer then turn heat to low. Add the insides of the diced baked potato. Add sea salt and pepper. Cover pot and continue to cook over low heat.
In a large saute pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and heat until all of the butter is melted. Add the chopped potato skins and fry them until crisp and heated through.
Add 1/2 of the crumbled bacon, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 2/3 of the scallions and Greek yogurt into the pot of soup. Stir well and continue to cook over low heat until heated through and cheese is melted.
Serve soup topped with remaining bacon, cheddar cheese, scallions and crisp potato skins.
 

OK...now that this recipe is out of the way...I'd like to share with you our typical S. Florida cloudy skies...so close that you can almost touch it...followed by a super storm immediately after the clouds, lasting for about an hour and followed by sunshine, or again more storms!

A typical Sunday afternoon...4:00PM; returning from the PGA Mall w/family...going over the Southern Blvd. bridge in West Palm Beach...stopped at the red light on the bridge, when suddenly realizing the huge rain cloud hovering over our heads.

Got out of the Jeep...so did other people, to snap photos of the storm cloud!

You would think this is a 'black and white' photo...but it's not; it is actually the grey color that it was taken with color!

Ten minutes later at my destination...on the beach! The clouds look like they could just 'devour you'...a bit 'scary'!

Another 10 more minutes later; have you every seen clouds like that?...as they say..."this is South Florida"...indeed it is...a 'typical S. Florida weather'! (just an hour earlier, it was sunny, with a few scattered clouds)

Have a beautiful week, my dear friends! (readers, followers, and all!) ...xoxo

 

Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

As you can see, there are two Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down cakes on this photo; don't be fooled, on the left, is the page of the Food Network magazine, and on the right is my actual cake! I must say, I have never...well, almost never made a cake the turned out almost identical as the picture from a magazine or book...and I'm also proud to share the 'source' where the recipe comes from originally. Most food blogger...and I do say MOST are not willing to share the source of their recipes even if they adapted it from a source...which is even better because you get to take your own 'twist' on it, and share that as well.

Although in the 1970's we all just wrote down on little index cards recipes that we exchanged with one-another, and who knew where they originated from...some of them were 'hand-me-downs' and some were clippings from magazines, but virtually no one knew the actual source! In the 90's, when I got my first computer in 1995 and had the Windows 95, my neighbor, who was more advanced with computer knowledge even a few years prior, suggested that I should type up all my hand written recipes and create a file where I could easily find them. I spent hours and hours typing (good thing I took typing in high school) ...so I didn't have to peck with my index finger...lol!

Well, since then I got rid of most of my handwritten recipes...and I kind of feel bad about that!

Fast forward, here we are in 2014 with some pretty advanced cameras, and we are not only blogging about food, but taking some amazing food photos, as well! I do admit one thing, the only way we can mention that our recipes are original...and I do mean original creation, is that from memory, remembering a certain 'staple dish' with the ingredients we already kept in our memories; but than, we just have to remember the measurements...that is how our mothers and grandmothers cooked...a pinch here, and a dash, or just 'eyeballing' the liquid measurements. When it came to baking...they would pull out an old ratty cookbook, or a yellowed piece of handwritten paper when it came to baking...am I correct, or not?

All I can tell you that this is the best Pineapple-Upside-Down Cake you've ever had in your life...that is, if you LOVE bacon like most of us do. Forget about the calories, the fat, and cholesterol, just for once, and splurge a little! I got so hooked on the bacon dish and dessert creations just from that Food Network magazine; the bacon issue, that I plan to study it well, to make more recipes from it!

Especially, when you can buy a package of a very good quality bacon, and get the 2nd package for FREE...you certainly have a bargain for sure! Our local Publix Supermarket always, but always has the 'buy one'...and 'get one free' of so many different products every week, that you'd be amazed how much you can save!

Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
recipe, courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 7 fresh pineapple rings (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes; remove to paper towels. Finely chop and set aside.
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the skillet. Add 4 tablespoons butter and melt over low heat. Pour into a 9-inch-round cake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter mixture.
Place a pineapple ring in the middle of the pan, then arrange the remaining rings around the outside, overlapping them slightly if necessary. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the chopped bacon in the middle of the rings and between them.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the remaining 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the batter is smooth, about 15 more seconds. Fold in the remaining chopped bacon.
Spread the batter over the pineapple in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a platter. Let cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Always use the freshest and ripest pineapple you can find...these were already pre-cut into logs, and I sliced them about 1/2 inch slices.

Fry 6 slices of bacon in a large skillet, on medium heat, and lay them on paper towel to soak up the excess grease.

On top of the stove, add the light brow sugar, the butter, and reserved bacon fat and let the melt down. Swoosh the pan to smooth it out. ( I used a Le Creuset enameled large cast iron skillet..
('thrift find' from Goodwill) a few years ago, for $3.99...don't even try to find one in such perfect brand new condition today...and forget about the old price!

Lay the pineapple slices carefully over the brown sugar mixture...you can overlap them slightly if they don't fit right. (You can use a cast iron skillet, or a heavy duty skillet. Cake pan also works well, but you have to transfer the brown sugar mixture from the skillet that you melted the sugar in)

Chop the bacon really fine...chances are, you may have a small amount left over!

Fill the holes of the pineapple slices, and all the empty spaces around them.

With an electric hand mixer, or stand-up mixer, mix the cake ingredients according to the recipe!
With a rubber spatula, carefully spread the batter on top of the pineapple slices.

The batter should look smooth, and spread all the way to cover the pineapple pieces.

Here's the finished result...perfectly baked, golden brown. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes then with a dull knife loosen around the edges. Place a large platter over the top, and carefully turn it upside-down. Wait at least one hour before cutting it. ( my cake was done in about 50 minutes) May not need 1 hr. to bake according to your oven.

Just to refresh your memory, after one hour of resting the cake...can't wait to cut into it...and share!
Moist, delicious, sweet and savory...hope you will try this! xo

Spaghetti Carbonara

I have made Spaghetti Carbonara lots of times, and even have a vegetarian version posted on my blog...Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara... but none compares to this easy version with less eggs, and not spicy, so the little ones could eat it without having to worry that the chilly pepper flakes burns their tongue and mouth.
Just can't seem to put down the food Network magazine; the Bacon issue, and keep finding some interesting and delicious things to make!

I even bought some outrageously good bacon...Boar's Head brand, which is mad in Canada. The price is a little more expensive, but the way it cooks up so crispy, and super crunchy delicious. Even the smell when cooking it was so much nicer than the ordinary brand. I highly recommend it! I haven't cooked much this past week, we had company...from Ohio; my nephew, wife and two little boys. Ate out, a couple times, which was easier on both me and my daughter.

Getting off the subject...I was going to post on April 1st. about 'April's fools day'...but I realized I cannot come up with things that would not be so funny, and maybe offensive. Just heard on AOL news about a woman who called her daughter and announced about a 'school shooting' happening and the daughter called 911. Imagine all the police cars storming the high school building, and turns out to be 'false alarm' April Fool's prank! Well, she ended up in jail; no doubt scaring everyone! This is a very dangerous kind of joke...what was she thinking?

 SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
from: Food Network magazine

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup cognac or brandy (optional)
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground pepper

  Directions

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the bacon, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, jalapenos and 1/4 cup water in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the bacon crisps, about 12 minutes. Discard the garlic. Add the cognac, if desired, and cook until it evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside 1/4 cup bacon mixture for garnish.
  Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water as the label directs. Mix the eggs, cheeses, parsley and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
  Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the pasta and toss until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture, then quickly pour over the pasta and toss to gently cook the eggs and make a creamy sauce. Garnish with the reserved bacon mixture and more parmesan.
  Per serving: Calories 888; Fat 50 g (Saturated 18 g); Cholesterol 219 mg; Sodium 1,223 mg; Carbohydrate 65 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 35 g

 

Apple-Bacon Galette

Gabby, enjoying a slice of the Apple-Bacon Galette...bacon pieces with maple glaze... already eaten!

Glorious Bacon...who doesn't love bacon? In this day-and-age, we're all trying to cut down on fatty foods; but cutting down on bacon, is the hardest thing to do. Do not even go out for 'breakfast', if you're going to skip bacon!


 Breakfast is so complete with a side of couple slices of bacon...crispy, crunchy and beautiful bacon!

 

What is there not to like about American Bacon? ...is it because it's 'pork'...or is it because it's fatty?...actually when you fry or bake it real crispy, you release all the fat grease and that's when you enjoy the best part about the yummy crispy bacon.
Of course, you cansubstitute turkey bacon, which is less calories and fat and you get to enjoy all the benefits of bacon inspired creations.

If you love bacon, I really suggest you check out the March issue of Food Network magazine...it's all about BACON; which is the Bacon Issue!

For the recipe, which the only adaptation I made was...I sprinkled Turbinado sugar on top of the galette, before I baked it! Click here, to get the recipe>>APPLE-BACON GALETTE

 

  

 

 

 

Bacon-and-Egg Muffins

Just think; you can make these fabulous muffins for breakfast...bacon, lightly scrambled eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese, all rolled into one!

There's about a dozen version of the Bacon-and-Eggs Muffins recipe online, but I found this to be the best, from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. This is what I call a 'hearty' breakfast, or 'snack'
treat. Here's the recipe, just click to view and print it!

Have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend! xo
Bacon-and-Egg Muffins

Easy Frittata with Vegetables and Bacon...also an Award!

I'm not trying to cover up, or making excuses for not posting a fabulous dessert...my favorite quote..."it is what it is"..."what you see is what you get"...well, it holds true. I'm quite a frugal person, but that does not mean I'm "cheap" I like to get good quality produce, small amount of meats, seafood, and the freshest and best eggs possible.

 I have been buying the 18 carton Egg-Land's Best at Costco's and I always have more than enough. I don't bake enough, and I don't eat enough eggs, so when I have a lot left over, I end up making a frittata on top of the stove, and finish it off in the oven, to melt and brown the top with the cheese on it, but this time I didn't have any cheese...but did still have the organic bacon, so I cooked that separately, to sprinkle on the top. Leftover eggs are always nice hard boiled too, to make egg salad with it.

You probably also didn't know...which some of the 7 things about me, is that I love iced tea better than hot tea. The only time I drink hot tea, when the temperature drops below 65 degrees F. outside! Strange, but true! Also, I love Lipton fresh brewed tea. I literally make a pitcher of fresh tea for iced tea, which both my son and I love. He comes over to my place, at lunch time (works from home)...runs on the beach, and when he returns. he practically drinks the entire pitcher of ice tea with fresh lemon slices, and sweetened with "blue agave" syrup. So that's my little secret with the iced tea!

What you see on the forefront on the left, is little chunks of cooked potato, and little diced pieces of zucchini,
chopped onions, peppers, and diced fresh tomatoes, and beautiful sliced tomatoes  from that glorious bag of fresh tomatoes that I buy for $1.00 when they have it at my favorite local produce market!

Easy Frittata with Vegetables and Bacon

In a nonstick skillet, add 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, and saute 1 medium chopped onion, 2 medium potatoes diced small,1 zucchini diced small, 1 green pepper diced. When vegetables are almost tender, add 1 chopped tomato. Add salt and pepper, and cook until all the veggies are nice and fairly tender.
At this point, you can continue, or put into a plastic container, and save for the next day to continue the frittata.

You can cook up the bacon ahead of time, as well.
Cook 3 or 4 slices of organic, or any other bacon of your choice till crisp. On a double folded paper towel, let the bacon absorb the grease, when cool, you can place it in a small baggie, and refrigerate it.

You can proceed to warm the vegetables the next day, or proceed to continue after everything is cooked, on the same day.

Beat 8 large eggs lightly, chop the cooked bacon coarsely, or you can eliminate it, since the eggs are being cooked without the bacon.

Pour the eggs into the skillet, on top of the vegetables. Let it cook for a minute or two without disturbing it, and gently pull a little with a spatula to let the eggs set, but do not scramble it.

When the frittata is done, you could see the edges nicely set and the rest of the eggs are still moist, no runny parts, it is done, and ready to be served.
Add chopped bacon separately on top on each serving, or serve plain.

At this time you can reheat the cooked bacon in the toaster oven, or regula oven and toast your bread; actually on bake, at 350 degrees F. till  bacon heats up and gets crispy, and bread gets nice and golden.

Just look at the nice solid portion you can serve, not falling apart. Yields, 4 servings.

Scatter the bite size pieces over the top, yumm, nice and crispy, and enjoy!












I received an awards from two amazing food bloggers... that I have received as well back in May of this year.

Such an honor to receive this award, from a talented food blogger, who has been so kind to me in this short time that I had a pleasure to meet her. Remember the wonderful and really amazing watermelon knife? Well, I was the lucky winner of Vicki's givaway for that. Vicki is the author of At Home with Vicki Bensinger, In Home Culinary Classes Thank you Vicki for honoring me with the Versatile Blogger Award!

The next amazing food blogger is a dear friend of mine whom I met and became friends with the first week she just started her blog about 1year ago. She make all the pretty rainbow color cakes, and cupcakes. No wonder Joanna's blog is ChicGorgeous. Thank you Jo for honoring me with this wonderful award, as well!

I have already followed the rules from before, and paid it forward to 15 bloggers...did the 7 things about me, so there's nothing new since.
Please feel free to take the award to keep for yourself, or pass it on. You all deserve it...each and every blogger!

Blogging is not an easy task, and I don't mean that you are not "computer savvy"...it's just that when you prepare a post, as in foods, it is quite a project to cook, or bake, photograph it properly, and post the recipe, and also prepare a new post. It takes time, and energy, and to promote it. Makes no difference how many posts you do in a week, they all take up hours of your time.
Take care, and have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo

Hungarian Cottage Cheese Noodles...and a Book Giveaway!

We have an old Hungarian tradition, that I remember from childhood, that my grandmother used to make, at least once a week called "túrós tészta (csusza)"...cottage cheese noodles! My mom used to make it, and my aunt, and sister, as well. The only difference is that my mom would make it with homemade noodles, and use fresh "farmers cottage cheese" and farmers sour cream, and real bacon, which could be considered "organic" bacon without "nitrates" added that we could actually buy these days, in Whole Foods Market.

Now, I don't have a step-by-step directions for this delicious and satisfying dish, that you can serve, with or without the crispy bacon bits, if you want it meatless...but oh, my! those organic uncured crispy bacon bits really, really add some extra flavor.

Hungarian Cottage Cheese Noodles
hand me down "oral" recipe from my mom

1 lb. wide egg noodles
1lb. small curd cottage cheese, or farmer cheese
(dry cottage cheese "Friendship" brand)
1 lb. sour cream
1/4 lb unsalted butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of bacon (I used organic uncured)

Boil noodles till done, set aside. Cook bacon till crispy. Set aside on double paper towel to soak up
the excess grease, and chop coarse. Set aside.

Spray a casserole with cooking spray. As soon as
you drain the pasta, put it back into the pot, add the butter or margarine, half of the cottage cheese, half the amount of the sour cream, and mix together. (also, you can fold in half the chopped bacon.)
Top with the rest of the bacon, and bake in a 350 degree F. pre-heated oven for about 25-35 minutes, till it gets nice and crispy on the top.

To serve, spoon extra cottage cheese and a spoon of sour cream, and serve...Serves 4-6

note: this is so delicious, even the little ones love this dish, and look forward to having this. My daughter and I make this this at least once a week!

...and now, for the Book Giveaway!

Signed by the author!

Here's a yummy cucumber sandwich photo, and recipe!

1 cucumber sliced in half lenghtwise, seeds removed, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 Tablespoon butter, and room temperature
6 white rolls cut in half
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill

In a bow, combine the cucumber and salt. Divide the cucumber mixture evenly among the roll halves, and
sprinkle with the dill. Makes 12

Pineapple, Strawberry, and Banana Salad

1 pineapple cut into small chunks
5 bananas sliced
1 pound strawberries, stems removed, cut into thirds, or halves

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and serve immediately. Or, if you want to prepare the salad ahead of time, cut the pineapple and strawberries, and wait until the last minute to slice the bananas, so they don't turn brown.
Serves 12

Classic Tomato, Basil and Garlic Topping

7 to 8 plum or heirloom tomatoes roughly chopped
10 basil leaves finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl, and stir well. Let the topping sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavor to develop. Makes about 3 cups

Butternut Squash and Barley Soup

1 Turkey wing
1 large butternut squash. peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 inch chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
5 parsley sprigs
6 sage leaves, plus 1 Tablespoon finely chopped sage
1 1/2 cups barley
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place the turkey wing, squash, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, and whole sage in a large soup pot with 16 cups (1 gallon) of water, and place over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Add the barley, and cook for another 45 minutes. Just before serving, add the salt, pepper, and chopped sage, and stir. Serves 16

Mussels in Beer

5 pounds mussels debearded
1 bottle dark beer
1 head garlic, peeled and sliced
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons coarsley ground black pepper
1 loaf crusty bread

Place all the ingredients except the pread in a pot. Place the pot over high flame, and cook covered for 2 minutes. Give the pot a shake, and cook 3 minutes more, until all mussels open. If any refuse to open, discard them. Serve straight from the pot with a loaf of crusty bread. Serves 8

OK, so you get the "picture?"...I mean, you get the idea what I'm giving away, a nice 176 page of appetizers, brunches, main meals for a crowd, and lots of recipes, and picture illustrations! Great book, great thrift find, and a great giveaway gift.

You don't have to do a thing, just let me know if you would like to receive this book...if you don't follow my blog, you do not qualify, to win this. I'm also on twitter, and facebook...but not really acitve, so you are not obligated to follow me there!
I will ship anywhere in the U.S. and Canada...sorry for excluding all the other countries this time!

The winner will be determined at Random.org generated number, and you have till Monday, September 12, 11:00PM Eastern Standard time to let me know, and comment on my blog!
I will announce the winner, on Tuesday, September 13. 2011.

I know I love this book, have not really looked at it much, I just keep piling up on the thrift finds, one after, another...only to re-donate them. (I cannot imagine having a huge library of cookbooks...been there, done that!) Now, I really am "downsizing"...I don't want to go into a long "song and dance" story, but if you had to move 3 times in the last 6 years (#1. due to hurricane damage #2. help daughter w/her sm. business venture,( which she sold since)
#3. change job/location) you would downsize too. First things that had to go was my huge cookbook collection, Bon Appetit magazine and Gourmet magazine collection. As the saying goes,
"you can't take it with you" when you die, of course...and neither when you are alive, so thank God I'm alive, and well, and thanking God every day for the "small things in life."
Enjoy your weekend, and hug your loved ones!
Hugs, from me to you, as well!

Remembering those who died at the World Trade Center...as well as those who gave their lives to save others.
May God give those who lost their loved ones comfort, and blessings! ...God Bless us all, and God Bless the United States of America!



True Random Number Generator


...and the winner is: Nami-Just One Cookbook

Min: 1

Max:  41

Result:

14

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations, Nami! I hop you will enjoy the book. I will contact you for your address to ship to!
Thanks, to all for participating, I appreciate you kind comments. I will have other books for a giveaway, I get such nice cookbooks, and I just can't keep them all. At the price that I'm able to buy it (which is practically free)...and excellent usefool books, I'm happy to pass it on and just pay for the shipping cost!

Also, I wanted to mention that I forgot to check the Random.org number generator last night and this morning I checked it at 11:00AM, so at this time I had 41 comments...and yes Becky, and Gina, you were not too late, I did include you in the total numbers!