Delicious Dishes by Debbie

At Nanns Table: My First Giveaway ...Valentines Tea for Two

2012-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

Check out my friend, Nancy's blog and you might win a really beautiful prize. Good Luck.

At Nanns Table: My First Giveaway ...Valentines Tea for Two: Hello Hello ....I am SO EXCITED to tell you about my FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY . And it is for ta da...... DARLING Valentines Tea Cups an...

Delicious Dishes By Debbie Has Been Voted The Sauciest Blogger of 2011

2012-01-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

Right before Christmas The Saucy Mama Cafe ran a big contest to have Facebook voters vote for their favorite Food Blog. Thanks to my great friends and fans of Delicious Dishes By Debbie we were fortunate enough to win this prestigious title. What an honor and privilege to be voted The Sauciest Blog of 20ll. The prize was this HUGE gift basket of some of the Saucy Mama's favorite things. It had so many really amazing things in the basket. Saucy Mama represents Barhyte Products.
A HUGE thanks goes out to Shannon Imlay for being the push behind voting for this blog. You can visit her blog Shannon's Shanonigins.

Shannon has a wonderful entertaining and food blog. It is beautiful. Shannon also has a Facebook page you can like.

These products include so many different varieties of mustard, cooking sauces, stuffed olives and so many wonderful products. In my basked were some jalapeno Stuffed Olives that were to DIE for. I haven't had the chance to try each and every thing yet, but I am working on it.

Not only did I receive some delicious food products, but I also received a beautiful dish towel, bright red colander and a Saucy Mama red stripped apron.

Thanks so much to all who voted for me and support Delicious Dishes By Debbie. I encourage you to become a friend of The Saucy Mama on FB and to follow them on Twitter. Go and check out The Saucy Mama website too. You can order these great items and try them for yourself. I have set up the links here on my blog and if you click on them you will go directly to their Facebook or Twitter pages and you can follow. They are running different contests throughout the year and you could be a winner of their products also.
Click on the Red highlighted words to go directly to that blog, website, twitter or facebook page.

Here is one of my recipes using their Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing.

Pacific Rim Ginger Bruschetta

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1can diced tomatoes (I used Hunts diced roasted garlic tomatoes)
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup of Saucy Mama
Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing

Chop bell pepper and onion into small chunks.

Heat skillet and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add peppers and onions.

Saute peppers and onions until soft.

Drain extra water off of the tomatoes and add tomatoes to peppers and onions.

Simmer for 5 minutes and add Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing.

Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until chutney is slightly thick.

Spoon over slices of baguette and bake for 5 - 6 minutes at 350 degrees.

It is also great to serve over a baked potato...

Give as a gift and make several....

Follow me (realwomanofphil) on Twitter and leave a comment.
Follow Saucy Mama on Facebook and leave a comment that you've done this.
Follow saucy Mama on Twitter and comment that you've done so.
Follow Barhyte Specialty Foods on Facebook and comment that you've done this.
Follow Barhyte Specialty Foods on Twitter and comment that you've done this.
You can find out more about Saucy Mama products by going to the Saucy Mama Cafe. Just click on their button on my page and it will direct you to the site.

Saucy Mama's 6 newest creations:

Apricot Ginger Mustard
Tarragon Lemon Mustard
Dijon Mustard
Sweet Heat Marinade
Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing
Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Thanks Saucy Mama!!Your products are awesome!!!

Shannon's Shanonigins: Freshwater Pearl Give-Away

2012-01-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

There is an amazing blog I want you to check out and the bonus is that you can sign up to win this wonderful gift set. PEARLS....wow, don't miss this one for sure.

Shannon's Shanonigins: Freshwater Pearl Give-Away: Happy 2012! I hope you all had a joyful, loving holiday season :) I thought it would be fun to start the new year off with a great give...

My Gluten Freedom: UPDATED Sneak Peek at the Big Launch Party

2012-01-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

I have some friends who require a Gluten free diet and I wanted to share this blog and giveaway with all of you. Check it out. I find it to be an exciting new blog that you will like if you are interested in Gluten Freedom.

My Gluten Freedom: UPDATED Sneak Peek at the Big Launch Party: If you are reading this, you are one lucky duck! It means you have a chance to get a leg up on the hundreds of dollars in gluten free giv...

Christmas Treasures in Our Hearts and On Our Plates

2011-12-29T13:29:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is already over and we are counting down until next year. I have to tell you that I still wasn't ready with all I had to do by Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I must admit that I could have done better in the gift department and I vow to do better this year. Every year I say, "I've had 365 days to prepare for this and I'm still not ready." Four of those days have already passed until next Christmas and I am already resolved to do better. One of my problems is that I can't wait to give the gifts I've purchased in advance and go ahead and break down and give them early. Then I am totally unprepared for Christmas. I vow not to do that this year. Now, about what was on our plates.....
Yummy!

Even though I wasn't totally prepared for that either, we ate well. I want to share some photos and a couple of delicious recipes that we made and hope that you might want to use them for your New Years Eve Party or a future event. On Christmas Eve, we always have a meal of finger foods, appetizers and goodies. It's not a formal sit-down dinner, but a buffet style free for all. Eating begins the minute they hit the door and finishes when they can't eat another bite.

One of the best things we ate were what we called Muffy Puffy's in the past. Now they would be called Shrimp Crostini. It's the very same thing, but an updated name. They are on the snowman plate pictured above. Here is my recipe and believe me, the family requests them each and every year.

Shrimp Crostini

Servings: 24 crostini
Cook Time: 10 min
Difficulty: Easy

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced green onion
24 medium fresh cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
24 toasted French bread rounds

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients except for bread. Spread shrimp mixture evenly over French bread rounds. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crispy and brown. Serve hot! Enjoy!

Of course no buffet is complete without an assortment of olives and other goodies to put on a cracker...

Even though Christmas is over this year, we will always have the great memories of an evening spent with family and the love that was shared by all.

The food was amazing, they company even better. As usual we had too much food to eat and had leftovers for a week. At this point, I have no desire for any more of this type of food...but give me a month or two and I'll be ready to have another party and find something to celebrate.

Now about what is in our hearts.....

The highlight of the year for us was two things. One, having my parents back in Florida for Christmas and the winter. They had been away for 6 years and not able to come back for the holidays. This was their first year back and I hope the first of many. There is nothing like having your mother and dad with you for the holidays.

Of course, if you've been following my blog, you know that the other highlight is our first grandchild, Jack. Even though he was too little to enjoy or participate, just having him here was such a blessing. He is our miracle child and we are totally in love with him. Having Matthew, Trisha and Marshall here and being able to be together is so important to me. On Christmas Day we were able to have more of our family here, my brother Mark and his wife Marie along with their children, Stephenie, Trevor (Stephenie's boyfriend) and Christian. Marie's mother and here sister and her family joined us as well. So Christmas was about the real treasures in our hearts. The birth of the most important baby ever born, Jesus Christ and celebrating that with our family.

May God bless you all and bring you a healthy and happy New Year. I vow to you to make this food blog one of the best that there is out there for your to enjoy this year. I already have some things in the works.

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

I Can't believe that Christmas is only a few days away. This year has brought so many changes. I am a new grandmother...Gammy for short and I am loving every minute of it. I can't wait for the day when baby Jack will want to eat Gammy's goodies and maybe even be interested in stirring the pot. At the least, I know he will want to lick the spoon just like his father did when he was a boy. Come to think of it, he still loves to lick the spoon. Here is a photo of my little bundle of pure love and joy!

I am having my annual Christmas Cookie/Candy Baking and Sharing Party this Sunday....I would love for some of you to send me some new recipes to try. I always stick with some of the same good recipes that my family loves and requests each and every year. It would be wonderful to incorporate some new goodies. Chocolate Chip Cookies, Buckeyes, Fudge, Divinity, Bourbon Balls, Date Nut Cookies, Mississippi Mud, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and Rice Crispy Treats are some of the all time favorites. Very traditional I know, but when you have men in your family, they seem to love the "tradition" of it all by eating their favorites and reminiscing of years past.

I'm going to post photos of the party and ALL of the goodies next week. Maybe we will be able to give you some great ideas. One of the best things about foodies, is that they like to share recipes with one another and love to experiment with new things.

I am posting a new recipe that a fellow blogger and amazing woman, Shannon Imlay, shared with me. Many of you know Shannon and are followers of her blog, Shannon's Shanonigins. I met Shannon through The Real Women of Philadelphia and we became instant friends. Shannon and I both went to visit a mutual friend, Nancy Judd, last February and had the best time ever. Shannon, Nancy and I cooked for two weeks...sharing recipes and lots and lots of calories. Nancy was an amazing hostess and showed us around her town and we hit all of the very best places. How would you like to make this very special cake? Isn't it beautiful? Shannon has agreed to share the recipe with all of us.

Here is the recipe for Shannon's
New Years Wishing Star Chocolate Mousse Cake

Tools
9 Inch Spring form pan
Electric mixer

Ingredients
7 ounces semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate
(chips, or chopped)
1/4 pound unsalted butter
7 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe Below

Instructions

1). Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2). Melt butter and chocolate together either in a double boiler, or in 30 second intervals in the microwave until melted, and combined. Stir in vanilla, set aside.

3). In large mixing bowl beat egg yolks and 3/4 cup of sugar until doubled in volume, pale yellow and thick enough to leave a ribbon on itself, this will take 3-5 minutes

4). Fold the egg yolk mixture into the melted chocolate mixture until combined

5). In separate clean mixing bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Once soft peaks form, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form.

6). Fold egg white mixture gently into chocolate mixture. Reserve 1/4 of the mixture for filling, cover the 1/4 chocolate mousse mixture and refrigerate.

7). Put 3/4 of the chocolate mousse mixture into a 9 inch spring form pan. You can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to make cleaning the pan easier. Cover and refrigerate 1/4 of the chocolate mousse.

8). Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes, do not over bake. When cake is done baking, let it cool completely

9).The cake will fall as it's cooling (like a souffle) take your 1/4 remaining chocolate mousse and fill the top of the cake

10). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let mousse set, you can let this set in the refrigerator overnight

11). Frost with Whipped Cream Frosting

Whipped Cream Frosting
2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Once soft peaks have formed, slowly add sugar, then vanilla until stiff peaks form. Once it has formed stiff peaks it is ready to use.

To Decorate your cake for New Years Eve I placed Glitter Stars at the 12,3,6, & 9 o'clock positions (these are not edible but can be easily removed. You could bake sugar cookie stars and sprinkle them with edible glitter.

Place edible pearls on hour positions

Place edible silver dragees in minute positions, make the clock hands out of silver dragees and place them at the midnight position.

Place seven (lucky) candles in the center of the clock face

Sprinkle cake with edible star glitter

Right before midnight, light the candles and have everyone make a wish for the New Year, count down from 5 and have everyone blow out the candles.

This is a nice family alternative to making a toast because it doesn't include alcohol and everyone can participate. I wish you a Happy New Year and hope all your wishes come true.
--

Shannon's Shanonigins: Thanksgiving Giveaway

2011-11-09T05:06:00.000-08:00

Shannon's Shanonigins: Thanksgiving Giveaway: I'm so excited to be celebrating my one year anniversary with this blog and I thought that called for a give-away. I can't tell y...

Sweet CHIC is my new favorite "treat" cookbook!

2011-08-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever just gotten a cookbook that you couldn't put down? Or one that you wanted to make almost every recipe in it? I just received a cookbook that is just that. It's called Sweet CHIC Stylish Treats to Dress Up For Any Occasion and I absolutely adore it. It is a book about stylish treats to dress up for any occasion and was written by Rachel Schifter Thebault. Don't know if you've heard of her, but trust me on this one.

Rachel Schifter Thebault, author of Sweet Chic: Stylish Treats to Dress Up for Any Occasion, is the founder of Tribeca Treats, and spent seven years as an investment banker before transforming her side hobby of making truffles for friends into a full-time career in confections. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she opened Tribeca Treats in 2007. The bakery has won honors from American Express OPEN and entrepreneur organizations, and is a pillar of the Tribeca community. A sought-after speaker and panelist, she has also taught cooking and baking to children. She currently lives in Tribeca (and travels the globe) with her husband and their two daughters.

This wonderful book will help you to transform a regular dessert into a masterpiece without all the hard work that you would usually have to do. Rachel has already done the hard work and has given you the keys to looking like a professional chef from home. Rachel begins with the basics and takes you all the way to being a polished baker.

There are three sections of this cookbook. Section one is all about cookies, section two is about cakes and my favorite is section three, confections. I especially enjoyed the recipe for Ballpark Bark. It combines sweet and salty, crunchy and soft and will make you wonder why you haven't had some of this all of your life. Simple yet delicious, this recipe will become one of your holiday staples for sure.
Rachel even tells you how to store and how long to store this wonderful dessert. It can be kept fresh for 4 weeks. Wouldn't this be great to give as a Christmas gift??? Something to think about with the holidays coming. So please, run right out and pick up this book or order from her web site
http://rachelthebault.com/index.php.

The illustrations are beautiful and you will love this book. I encourage you to order one for yourself and your favorite friend.

For more information please visit http://rachelthebault.com and Amazon.com, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter
I was not paid for this review of the cookbook.

Cooking Up Some Family History in the Mountains of Kentucky

2011-08-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

I know you all love to cook or you wouldn't be visiting my blog. I absolutely love to create new things and to experiment in the kitchen. My family has such a rich history of great cooking. On my father's side of the family they were raised on a large farm in the mountains of Kentucky. They farmed right up the side of the mountain. It wasn't easy to do since the land was not flat, but they did it with literally hundreds of acres of fruit trees and 20 acres of their personal garden. This garden was used to feed a family of seven. The year's crops had to last through the winter so there was lots of work to be done. My grandmother canned all the fruits and vegetables. They also raised all their own meat and cured it to use throughout the year.
I also love to collect different dishes and items to decorate my kitchen. I am in the process now of redecorating and am so excited to add new things to my collections. I think I am going country for my new kitchen and would love some suggestions. I recently found a pepper shaker in the ruins of an old home that was a homestead for my Aunt Nell in Kentucky. My grandfather had lots of land in the mountains several of the children built houses on the land. This house was my Aunt Nell's and it was recently torn down. It was built in 1935 and the chimney will be left standing as a monument to the home. Since the site had not been cleaned up yet, we went through some things...it was such an adventure and we found some great things.

Fortunately Aunt Nell didn't have to cook over the fire but the fireplace was in the middle to keep all warm. I wish her stove would have still been there, but most everything had already been removed from the house before it was demolished. I'm sure many great meals were cooked in that house.

My Son Marshall By the Chimney

I'm going to do my best to find a photo of the home from years ago when it was still standing. I have to do some research, but will bring it to you when I do. We were given the fireplace grate to keep as a special piece of history and will find a use for it somewhere at home. Don't know yet exactly what we will do with it. Any suggestions?

We found several OLD canning jars...empty of course. I wonder what was in this one. Being raised on a farm, my family canned all of their vegetables and raised almost all of their food. My Aunt Nell would always have a big pot of Chicken and Dumplins on when we came over, along with green beans, corn bread, soup beans (pintos with lots of soup) and usually fried chicken. She was a fantastic cook and loved to serve everyone with great joy.

This was an old pepper shaker we found. We tried to find the matching salt, but to no avail. I also found this old rug...wonder who made it?

Isn't it so wonderful to actually get to go back and see the place where family history took place? My Aunt Nell was a wonderful cook. She is 90 years old now and in a nursing home, but I did get to go and see her and visit her oldest daughter Jenny. Jenny was canning all kinds of great things when I stopped by her house. Jenny gave me some green beans, tomatoes and sauerkraut to take home. I can't wait to try it and I want to share some canning tips with you in another posting.

I want to tell you how we cook Southern Green Beans if you don't know how. They are cooked until very tender and well done.

2 lbs. fresh green beans
1 ham bone
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
water to cover beans

Wash and string the beans. Snap into 2 inch pieces. Stringing the beans means removing the end pieces and any "strings" that are attached to the sides of the bean, just pull down on the string and it will peel off easily. (If you do not want to do this, you can cheat and use canned green beans. Just drain and rinse them thoroughly.) I just add all these things to a large pot and simmer for at least two hours. The ham bone will make the beans taste delicious. I always buy a "bone-in" ham so I can have the bone for later. I just wrap it good in foil or a zipper sealed bag and freeze it until I am ready to use it. Sometimes I save some of the meat and add to the beans also for flavor. As simple as this is, my beans are requested at every family dinner. Even the kids eat them and that's saying a whole lot. My nephew Christian calls them my "juicy green beans".

Apple Dumpling Delight - Food and Wine Community Photo - Inspiration served daily

2011-08-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Apple Dumpling Delight - Food and Wine Community Photo - Inspiration served daily

Shannon's Shanonigins: 4th of July Give-Away by Eco-Glam Events

2011-06-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Shannon's Shanonigins: 4th of July Give-Away by Eco-Glam Events: "I'm so excited to be bringing you a really fun holiday give-away from a really fun ETSY shop. One Shanonigins follower will win these fun c..."

Shannon's Shanonigins: Black & Pink Vintage Glamour Give-Away

2011-06-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Shannon's Shanonigins: Black & Pink Vintage Glamour Give-Away: "If you've missed my give-aways, there baaaack :) I'm getting very, very close to having 100 followers on Google Friend Connect, and to be ..."

Saucy Mama's Fabulous With Five Recipe Contest brings BIG FLAVOR.

2011-05-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Saucy Mama's Fabulous With Five Recipe Contest!!

Have you tried or seen Saucy Mama Products or are they new to you? Whatever the case, you are going to love the very simple recipe for Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Chutney that I have created. This chutney can be served on bread to make a great bruschetta, on a baked potato, served over pork and in so many different ways. That's the beauty of this recipe. It even makes a great gift to give to someone. This recipe has 5 ingredients, other than the olive oil and salt, and is quick and easy to make. Let's get started.....

Pacific Rim Ginger Bruschetta

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1can diced tomatoes (I used Hunts diced roasted garlic tomatoes)
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup of Saucy Mama
Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing

Chop bell pepper and onion into small chunks.

Heat skillet and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add peppers and onions.

Saute peppers and onions until soft.

Drain extra water off of the tomatoes and add tomatoes to peppers and onions.

Simmer for 5 minutes and add Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing.

Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until chutney is slightly thick.

Spoon over slices of baguette and bake for 5 - 6 minutes at 350 degrees.

It is also great to serve over a baked potato...

Give as a gift and make several....

I also am going to choose someone from this blog to win some goodies of their own from Saucy Mama. You will win a kit that will contain one bottle each of Saucy Mama Sweet Heat Marinade, Saucy MamaTarragon Lemon Mustard, and Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing.

In order to win this prize, please visit the Saucy Mama Cafe and choose the product you think sounds the most delicious to you.

For a second entry, post this to your blog, website, or facebook. Leave a comment that says you've done this.

For additional entries,
Follow me (realwomanofphil) on Twitter and send a tweet about this contest. Leave a comment.
Follow Saucy Mama on Facebook and leave a comment that you've done this.
Follow saucy Mama on Twitter and comment that you've done so.
Follow Barhyte Specialty Foods on Facebook and comment that you've done this.
Follow Barhyte Specialty Foods on Twitter and comment that you've done this.
Drawing will be held on June 1st by using Random.org.

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 7 Result: 1 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations to Marie...winner of our drawing for the wonderful Saucy Mama Products. Yea!

You can find out more about Saucy Mama products by going to the Saucy Mama Cafe. Just click on their button on my page and it will direct you to the site.

Saucy Mama's 6 newest creations:

Apricot Ginger Mustard
Tarragon Lemon Mustard
Dijon Mustard
Sweet Heat Marinade
Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing
Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Thanks Saucy Mama!!Your products are awesome!!!

Meet $10,000.00 Cupcake Winner and my FRIEND, Elaine Barbee

2011-04-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

As promised, I want to introduce you to a wonderful friend of mine from the St. Louis, MO area who I am so proud of and who I love very much. It's Elaine Barbee from St. Charles and I met her when I read her bio on RWOP and learned that she lived just a few blocks away from my husband's brother and where we had previously lived. Instantly we became friends and learned that we had so much in common. First and foremost, she is a born again Christian, and not afraid to tell you that...secondly, she is a mom and great family woman, and third, she is a FANTASTIC cook!... Now all of those things we had in common to start with and our friendship has grown from there.

So much I want to tell you, like what all she did for us when we were in St. Louis when my hubby's mom was in the hospital but today I also want to share more about her and what God has done in her life lately. Here is part of her story.

February 22nd sitting in a suicide policy committee meeting in Columbia, Mo., I see that my phone has a new voice mail waiting and the number is a different area code. I am curious and when the meeting hits a lull, I listen to my voice mail and suddenly the last year makes sense.

Hi, I am Elaine Barbee from St. Louis, Mo. I am a wife, a mom, and my job is Assistant Regional Administrator. What is that?? I supervise a high secure violent offender unit, and three alternative community based programs for juvenile delinquents, training, leadership development, community partnerships, and whatever else needs to be done.

I've been at my job for 25 years. It was a vocation, I loved working with kids and sharing my talents with them. My boss retired a year ago and his job had been promised to me by all that made those decisions. At the last moment it was given to someone else. Not only was I crushed the next year would prove to be very challenging with some very negative coworkers.

Three months after the disappointment at my job, another crisis came up, my 11 yr old son had a serious health issue and had to have a very serious surgery. We knew at some point he was going to have to have surgery. At the time we were told this the Doctors thought possibly the surgery would have a life altering impact on him. God was very good. What was supposed to be a 3-4 week hospital stay for him with weeks maybe months of rehabilitation turned into a 9 day hospital stay and only 6 weeks of recuperation. He is back to normal with no problems or ongoing treatment.

So you ask, what does all of this have to do with CUPCAKES???

It was during this time my friend Amy was telling me about the RWOP challenge with Paula Deen. She urged me to enter the contest. She was not the first friend to urge me to enter food contests. I had some time off of work to stay at home with my son and he was sleeping a lot, so with the help of family and friends, started video taping recipes for the contest. I learned a lot about writing recipes, having the kitchen and ingredients prepped, and video taping & editing. This proved to be very challenging and more than what I bargained for!

I started getting messages and friends on the site. It was crazy, thought it was a contest and here people were reaching out to me. Especially Debbie Fabre! We became friends, champions for each other, pushing each other, and especially praying for and with each other through many trials. God knew we would need each other. The friends kept coming and they were all cheerleaders in the contest and in life.

Through them I learned so much about writing recipes, editing, video taping etc.. This would lead me to a whole subculture that I did not know existed. Contest cooks!!! This whole world of food contests and people that entered them all the time! Merry Graham had a facebook page that was just for such people! What a mentor she has become to me in cooking and faith. More people to pray with and for!

God has put people in my life to help me through! There were so many avenues that seemed to lead nowhere. Yet so many wonderful people in my life praying for me and cheering me on.

February 22nd was one of those days where I was just floating and biding my time at work until I could retire, wondering where God was leading me and what the last 25 years had been about. I listen to the voicemail, its from Lisa Schiffman of Tuttifoodie. She told me that I was the grand prize winner of the Scharffen Berger Cupcake Adventure Based Contest for my You Make Me Want to Shout Cupcakes. She went on to say that the Judges loved them above and beyond 2000 entries. At this point I was so excited that I couldn't stand it. I had to ask for a break and go call Lisa back to get the details! It was evident that God had a different plan for my future and all of the events leading up to this moment were for a reason!

Plans are what you make while God is laughing!

Congratulations Elaine!

Press Release Source: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker On Monday March 7, 2011, 9:00 am EST

HERSHEY, Pa., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Scharffen Berger® chocolate and TuttiFoodie.com announce the winners of the Fourth Annual Chocolate Adventure Contest® - Cupcake Edition 2010 – and this year, it's all about chocolate and stout beer. As part of the contest, daring bakers were invited to develop an original cupcake recipe using Scharffen Berger chocolate and one or more of 14 "adventure ingredients." The $10,000 Grand Prize went to "You Make Me Want To Stout" by Elaine Barbee from Missouri. A deeply rich chocolate cupcake included stout as the only adventure ingredient, used in four different ways, was unanimously chosen as the winner among over 2,000 recipe entries.


The Famous Cupcake

Here is the recipe:

You Make Me Want To "Stout" Cupcakes

Creator: Elaine Barbee / MO
Adventure Ingredient: Stout Beer
Servings: 36

INGREDIENTS

batter:

2 cups flour
2/3 cup Scharffen Berger Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk stout beer, room temperature and divided
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs

filling:

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk stout beer, room temperature
2 eggs
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon good quality bourbon vanilla extract

stout reduction:

1/2 cup milk stout beer, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

buttercream frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup stout reduction
2 teaspoons good quality bourbon vanilla extract
edible gold stars, optional

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the cupcakes: Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan bring the stout up to a simmer on medium heat.
Leave the saucepan on the stove and turn off the heat.
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Set the mixer speed on low and slowly begin pouring in 1 cup of hot stout.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
With the motor running, pour the remaining cup of hot stout into the batter and mix until just combined. The batter should be thin.
Pour the batter into the liners about 2/3 of the way and bake for about 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcakes.
Poke a hole into the center of each cupcake with end of a wooden spoon and remove the cupcakes from the pans onto a cooling rack. Set aside.
For the filling: In a medium saucepan whisk together the cream, stout, eggs, sugar, flour and salt until smooth.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil, constantly whisking until the mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until fully incorporated.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly before spooning the mixture into the holes of the cupcakes.
For the reduction: Place the stout and sugar in a small saucepan, stir and bring to a boil.
Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes until the mixture reduces by half.
Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside. The reduction will thicken as it cools.
For the frosting: Place the butter in a standing mixer or in a bowl using a hand mixer and cream until light and fluffy. Begin adding the sugar to the butter, 1/2 cup at a time until all of the sugar has been used. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons of cream and the vanilla to the butter mixture and continue beating on medium speed.
Slowly pour the reduction into the frosting until fully incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy. If the frosting is stiff add the remaining tablespoon of cream into the frosting.
Scoop the frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.
If using edible stars, place them on the top of the frosting at them time and serve.

*Note: If you can't find milk stout this can easily be replaced with creamy stout for the same results.

Well, the rest is history. Keep watching Elaine for all the great things she has in store for us. I know this is just the beginning!

Pastor's Wives Bridal Shower Luncheon, A HUGE SUCCESS

2011-04-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had the honor to host, along with 6 other WONDERFUL women, a luncheon for Pastor's Wives and Ladies Ministries Leaders in LaBelle, Florida. The weather was so beautiful and the setting was gorgeous as well. I wanted to share some of the photos with you so you could see how beautiful everything was. The purpose for the luncheon was to inform the ladies about an exciting upcoming event on July 16th at the LaBelle Civic Center in LaBelle, Florida. The theme of the conference in July is "Where Is My Bride" so it was easy to know that the ladies luncheon would be a Bridal Shower before the big event.

Our gift table....Love the Lace Umbrella!

We set up at my friend Louise's beautiful home on the river and the sun was shining so brightly. Her veranda opens up to a beautiful view of the river and there was a warm, balmy breeze blowing just for us.

The tables were simply decorated with fresh plants wrapped in lace and beautiful stemware to enjoy our refreshing drinks. Pastel tablecloths were used covered with beautiful white lace. Lunch was served on delightful china...Only the best for our ladies.

We served some wonderful Southern Ice Tea and delicious Lemonade. It was cool and refreshing!

We also served some delicious Raspberry Creme Filled Cupcakes which were beautifully displayed on two cupcake towers.

Here are some more of our beautiful tables before they were filled with beautiful ladies!
Our Menu:

Homemade Chicken Salad

Fresh coleslaw
Fresh Fruit Salad
All served on a bed of fresh greens
Croissant
Cupcakes

Cupcake Close Ups

I love these towers to display cupcakes

Last, but not least, I wanted to share the view. All during the luncheon boats would go by and check out what we were doing...

What a beautiful day we had.

Let me share my cupcake recipe with you. I know you'll want to make them yourself.

Raspberry Creme Filled Cupcakes

1 white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 1/4 c. water

Prepare cupcakes according to package directions on the cake mix.
Cool the cupcakes and fill with the following filling.

4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 t. raspberry extract
1 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 c. raspberry jam

Mix together until smooth and creamy. Place in piping bag with filling tip. Place tip in the center of the cupcake about 1/2 inch deep and squeeze filling in until it starts to bulge the cupcake slightly.

Icing:
Ice cupcakes with the following.
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 lbs. confectioners sugar
1 t. raspberry extract
1 t. almond extract

Mix together until smooth and creamy. Place in piping bag with desired tip and frost cupcakes.
I used eatable pearl decorations and sprinkled with purple pearl dust. I served them in Wilton Pedal cupcake liners. I first baked them in regular cupcake liners.

Enjoy!

What's Coming UP????? Lots..check it out and see.

2011-03-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hey followers.....
You might ask "what's coming up?" Or at least I hope you are asking that...

Well!! I am going to be featuring a VERY Special lady who just won $10,000 for a delicious cup cake recipe. I'll ask her what her secrets are and how we can do the same thing.....You are going to love this interview.

Then I have been really into baking some good things for you lately...I'm going to give you a preview today, but you'll have to wait for recipes and more to come. Are you entering baking contests??? I am and I am so excited to see what the future has to hold.


Rasberry Burst Cupcakes..so good and so pretty.

Creamy and fancy.

I LOVE cupcake towers! Don't You??


How about a little taste of Peanut Butter and Chocolate?


I Love making desserts...this one is NO BAKE!!

Watch for the interview...and more great recipes and photos!!! What would you like to see a recipe for???
Leave me a comment as to what you want me to bake next....I'll do my best.

Is Your Home Healthy? Find out how to protect your family from hidden household dangers.

2011-03-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Followers!

I hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. It won't be long until Easter and I am busy preparing some wonderful dishes to share with you. Hopefully I can give you some inspiration and share with you what Easter was like at my house as a child and as I was growing up. It is a very important holiday in our house.

But today, I want to share something very important with you about making sure your home is safe and healthy. I have been reading the book, The Healthy Home, by Dr. Myron Wentz and Dave Wentz and learning so much. The Wentz's are a father and son team who have come together to write a book that walks it readers room by room through a typical house, point out surprising health risks that we see everyday. It has great colorful illustrations and quizzes. It's really interesting and informative. I've already made some changes in my own household. Take two minutes to watch this video that is so interesting and will be a little teaser to the book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-GGiziJvFI&feature=player_profilepage

You can also find out more at the website www.myhealthyhome.com. You can purchase the book on Amazon and they even have it for the Kindle.

Now for us foodies...there is alot of information about safety in the kitchen and helping to get the very best nutritional value out of our foods. Here is a sample of what you'll find.

Cut Less, Retain More
If you've ever cut up an apple only to have it turn brown in a manner of minutes, you've witnessed the depleting effects oxygen has on fresh produce. By exposing fruits and vegetables to oxygen, you're reducing the nutrient value of the food exponentially. Your taste buds have probably also noticed this -- bags of shredded carrots hardly have any flavor at all, whereas biting into a fresh, whole carrot is a completely different, and more satisfying, experience.

To prevent losing the nutrients in your foods, simply put down the knife. Give your children whole apples in their lunches instead of cutting them up. Skip the cartons of pre-sliced carrots and celery -- cut up your own vegetables for a party tray instead. You'll begin to see that many fruits and vegetables come prepackaged in their own skin, and don't need to be prepared in any way to be enjoyed. And if you must cut up your fruits or vegetables before you eat them, do the cutting right before you plan on eating, and cut larger pieces to prevent exposing too much of the produce to the air.

And great news.. "One simple rule to remember; The less work you need to do while you're in the kitchen, the more nutrient value your food typically will have...reduce the amount of slicing, dicing, cooking, blending, boiling and peeling.

Cook with Care
How you decide to cook your vegetables will have a big influence on how much of the food's vitamins are retained to feed and fuel your body. Most research supports microwaving, baking, and steaming as the methods that are the least destructive and most efficient at protecting the nutritional content of your food. That's right, microwaving is on the ‘good' list.

In fact, studies show that vitamin C losses from broccoli due to boiling exceeded 30 percent, as opposed to about 20 percent for steaming and less than 10 percent for microwaving.
Table of Contents:

Bedroom
Chapter 1: There's the Rub
Chapter 2: The Body Electric!
Chapter 3: Sleepytime

Bathroom
Chapter 4: Let's Get Personal
Chapter 5: Bright, White, and Pearly
Chapter 6: Don't Be a Dope

Kitchen Chapter 7: For the Love of Food
Chapter 8: Let's Get Cooking
Chapter 9: Drink Up!

Living Areas
Chapter 10: Clean Living
Chapter 11: High Tech, High Risk

Garage and Yard
Chapter 12: Gremlins in the Garage
Chapter 13: Going Green in Your Yard

So you can see that there is much more than just the cooking part...
Let me know what you think about the book and the web site please. I would love your feedback.

I was provided a copy of this book, but was not paid to give a review. The opinions are my own.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to My Followers

2011-03-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hi, Happy St. Patricks Day everyone. I have a couple of great recipes for you and some beautiful photos. I wanted to post them a day ahead so you'll have time to go to the store if you want to make these tomorrow. I know you all love to eat great food and I love to cook it. I have been experimenting a lot lately and will share those recipes with you. The people my hubby works with and my neighbor are really loving this phase of my cooking. I make it, they eat it. I got some good comments about St. Patty's Day from some of my followers. Marie, Shannon and Nancy, you will all be getting something special soon. Thanks for following and for commenting. I am really working on making this a site you want to visit every day!!

Irish Coffee

This version of Irish Coffee is non-alcoholic for those of you who do not drink liquor. It's delicious and easy.

1 cup (8 ounces) hot coffee
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup International Delight Irish Cream
1 heaping tbsp. vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Combine coffee and brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add International Delight Irish Crème in a mug and stir to blend. Float softened ice cream or whipped cream on top. Serve immediately.

Pot Of Gold Cheddar Soup

5 tsp. butter
1 small onion
1/3 cup flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Hidden Valley Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp. dry mustard
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Begin by chopping onion and set aside. Melt butter and saute onion until translucent (approx. 5 minutes).
2. Stir flour into the butter and onion mixture. Mix well and add chicken broth, milk, salt, cayenne pepper, ranch dressing, and mustard. Stir ingredients together and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add cheddar cheese to soup mixture and stir until cheese is melted and well incorporated.
4. Serve and enjoy!

So you have a meal fit for a leprechaun. Or your family, which ever you'll be serving today. Now don't forget that the traditional dish for St. Patty's Day is corn beef and cabbage. I went to the farmers market in Immokalee, FL and found the most beautiful head of cabbage to cook. I haven't cooked it yet, but I wanted you to see it. It's so BIG and beautiful and I only paid $1.00 for it. It will feed an army...

That is an 8" Chef's Knife beside the cabbage to tell you how big it is and those beautiful pink roses are from my rose bush right outside my back lanai door. It blooms so much and is so beautiful.

Masterbuilt is on QVC today...watch and see what they are offering!!!

2011-03-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, Masterbuilt, the company who gave us the awesome Turkey Fryer before Christmas is on QVC beginning at noon today. Go and see what they are offering...I can't wait. Check them out on Facebook and get in on the livestream during the show.

Here is where you can find them:

www.masterbuilt.com

www.dadgumthatsgood.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Masterbuilt/153933621381

Twitter: @JohnMcLemore, @DadgumThatsGood, @Masterbuilt

Here is a photo of the fryer if you weren't following at the time....

Today they are talking about their wonderful smoker and the great cookbook I told you about.

Be sure to drop in to QVC for a little while to purchase a smoker!!! That's on my mother's day gift list....hint hint hubby.

Here is the smoker...he's showing it right now on QVC, it's Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

You can cook an entire meal at once in the smoker...Meat, veggies, mac & cheese...wow, awesome!!

Sassy and sweet they're the talk on the street!!!

2011-03-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Sassy and sweet they're the talk on the street!!
2011 Sweet n'Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

Hey Followers!!
How about serving your kids a delicious, scrumptous, yummy dish that is good for them? I have just the dish for you. It's my Sassy and Sweet Orange Blossoms. Yes, they have oranges in them, but more importantly they have sweet potatoes in them too making them even better for you and your kids.

Imagine a delicious dish that is good for you. Why sweet n' healthy? Because
sweet potatoes are so versatile and can be made into side dishes as well as desserts.
Sweet potatoes aren't just for Thanksgiving. The sweet potato is the vegetable with SUPER FOOD POWERS!

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission has sponsored a fun recipe contest for bloggers showing great ways to use sweet potatoes. I wanted to join in on this fun contest and at the same time share how good for you and delicious sweet potatoes can be.

This recipe is easy to make and is kid friendly. Have your children help you make these for special time together. My kids always loved to cook with mom and grandma.

Sweet potatoes are as American as apple pie, and even more so. Native Americans were already growing Sweetpotatoes when Columbus came to these shores in 1492. Sweetpotatoes have been growing in the South for as early as 1648.

Sweetpotatoes are not even potatoes! In fact, they aren't even distant cousins.
Potatoes are tubers from the solanaceae family. Sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory family.
North Carolina sweetpotato growers planted 42,000 acres in 2009. Across the nation, 106,000 acres of sweetpotatoes were planted. North Carolina produces 40% of the national supply of sweetpotatoes.

At http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/ your children can find lots of fun and games and learn about the sweet potato also. They can meet Spencer Sweetpotato.

Spencer Sweetpotato

So if this isn't all you want to know about sweet potatoes, please be sure to go to their web site. As for now, I'm going to share my recipe with you!!

Photo taken from http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/

SWEET AND HEALTHY ORANGE BLOSSOMS

1 box white cake mix ( I use Pillsbury)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup orange juice

1 ½ cups sweet potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs (room temperature)

1/8 tsp. orange extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Peel 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes and cube in equal pieces. Bring 3 cups of water to boil and add the cut sweet potatoes. Bring water back to boil and reduce heat. Simmer potatoes until fork tender (approximately 10 minutes). When done, drain water and mash the sweet potatoes until they are as smooth as possible.

3. In large mixing bowl combine white cake mix and baking powder. Add orange juice, 1 1/2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, oil, eggs and orange extract. Beat on low until the ingredients are all well incorporated. Next, beat for 2 minutes on medium high.

4. Spoon mix into cupcake liners until they are ¾ full.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes.

Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp. orange extract

Orange food coloring to desired shade (you can mix red and yellow)

1. Mix cream cheese , butter , orange extract and food coloring together until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar ½ cup at a time. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.

Decorate your cupcakes with delicious Orange Cream Cheese Frosting!! Yummy!

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes:

* Has a high nutrition rate when compared to other vegetables

* Rich source of anti-oxidants for protection against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and delaying the progression of Alzheimer's disease

* Among the top 3 food sources of potassium

* Low glycemic index for maintaining steady blood glucose levels

* Fat and cholesterol free

* High in fiber

Ways to add more sweet potatoes to your diet

* Pack a baked sweet potato for lunch, topped with vanilla yogurt or cinnamon-flavored applesauce

* Add peeled chunks to your favorite stew

* Switch from potato chips to sweet potato chips

* Peel and cut into strips to eat with your favorite dip

* Blend into a breakfast smoothie

* Substitute in recipes calling for white potatoes or apples

Hope you pick up some sweet potatoes and enjoy them. You can check http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/ for recipes and more information. Some of the information in this posting was copied from their website but there is much, much more!!

You don't have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day or to WIN a Prize!!

2011-03-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Followers!! Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's coming soon, how will you celebrate? I want you to submit your ideas and I'll pick the best idea. If your idea is chosen I will send you a fun prize! I'll be posting some great recipes and ideas that I want to share with you too!!! Keep watching and checking in.

Here are some photos of some of the goodies I'm going to prepare on that special day.

Pot of Gold Cheddar Soup and Irish Coffee

It's Just past Valentines Day and I have a new dessert for you!!

2011-03-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hello followers!!

I just created a new and delicious dessert that requires NO cooking and only takes about 15 minutes. I have to say that I just took it to a meeting I went to and believe me when I say that they all LOVED it. I just had to share it with you. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it tastes delicious.

Cherry Cheesecake Parfait

You can serve it in individual dishes like I have in the photo above or your can make a great big bowl and serve it that way. I also think it would be great in a 9 x 13 dish with the topping spread out over the entire dish. However you choose to serve it, it's quick, easy, and so good that you'll want to lick the bowl.

This recipe will serve 16-20 people depending on the serving size you choose. It's so colorful and pretty to look at.

Keep a tub of cool whip handy for those who want to top their serving with some extra creamy goodness.

Why not try this the next time you want a great dessert to serve to a group? Or cut recipe in half and serve anytime to your family. Although, you might want to make the whole thing because it says good for days.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE PARFAIT

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large box jello instant cheesecake pudding (you can use vanilla if you can't find the cheesecake)
1 small box jello instant cheesecake pudding (you can use vanilla if you can't find the cheesecake)
1 21 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 21 oz. can chunk pineapple (drained)

2 21 oz. cans Lucky Leaf Cherry Pie Filling
16 ounces Cool Whip topping
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (I prefer pecans)
1 jar maraschino cherries

1. Blend together the softened cream cheese and the sweetened condensed milk. Add both boxes of instant pudding and the can of crushed pineapple (with juice) and continue to blend until well incorporated.
2. Stir in the entire can of chunk pineapple. Fold in one can of the cherry pie filling followed by folding in 8 oz. of the Cool Whip.
3. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped nuts.
4. Pour into individual serving dishes or one large dish. Top with the remaining can of pie filling, nuts and maraschino cherries.

I hope you will enjoy this delicious dessert as much as we have.

I used the Lucky Leaf Pie Filling and it is so delicious. They have a wide variety of different pie fillings and I think this recipe would be great using another flavor also.

KNOUSE FOODS TAKES STEPS TOWARD A BRIGHTER TOMORROW

2011-02-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

KNOUSE FOODS TAKES STEPS TOWARD A BRIGHTER TOMORROW

New Items for Spring at CSN Stores online....check out their outdoor playsets!

2011-02-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

‘CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be "outdoor playsets", fitness equipment, or even cute cookware!’ Click on the words, outdoor playsets, to get a direct link to all the playsets CSN Stores have to offer. I have found that shopping there is so quick and easy and they have anything you might want for a price that you would be glad to pay. They even offer free shipping on many items.

Check out this great deal....for just $225.99 you can have this sent to your house with free shipping....that's a savings of $125.00 alone on the swing set, never mind the shipping.

So while you are relaxing in the cool shade, reading your favorite cookbook, you can watch the kids have a great time outside on the swing set or another great item you've gotten from CSN Stores online.

How about something for the kitchen???? That's my favorite department...

I just took a knife stills class in Salt Lake City and the instructor said that this brand of knives were good quality.
I know the price is right too. Just $99.99 for the entire set...that's a savings of $137.00 and the shipping is free on these also.

Be sure to go to CSN Stores at www.csn.com. to meet all your shopping needs.

Delicious Dishes by Debbie: Ham-I-Am-Giveaway Starts TODAY, Green Eggs and Ham...

2011-02-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

Delicious Dishes by Debbie: Ham-I-Am-Giveaway Starts TODAY, Green Eggs and Ham...: "Do you like Green Eggs and Ham? Would you eat them in the rain or on a train? If so, it’s time to say cheers to 50 years of Dr. Seuss’ G..."

Ham-I-Am-Giveaway Starts TODAY, Green Eggs and Ham 50th Anniversary

2011-02-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to follower JILL!!! You have won this terrific give-a-way. Please contact me within 24 hours with your address to receive your prize. Keep watching for more giveaways. Love to all. Debbie

Do you like Green Eggs and Ham? Would you eat them in the rain or on a train? If so, it’s time to say cheers to 50 years of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham… In the kitchen! I have loved teaching my children to cook and have had some of the most fun times and memories in the kitchen with them. I also loved reading Green Eggs and Ham and other great Dr. Seuss books to them. They remember that so well and it was a time when we could bond as mother and child. Today, both boys cook great and one is even cooking in a restaurant....he loves it. I know that they too will read these very same favorite books to their children. You can win a special edition of the Green Eggs and Ham book celebrating the 50th anniversary of this story.

I'm working with Random House Children’s Books and asking YOU to help us celebrate this milestone by reviving the classic story with recipes that give green eggs and ham a 21^st century twist. Celebrity chefs Michael Symon and Melissa d’Arabian, Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD and Steamy Kitchen blogger Jaden Hair have created inspired recipes that not only teach kids about nutrition and healthy eating, but teaches them a life skill that can help boost their self esteem.

AND it’s a great time to bond as a family!

If interested, you could win your very own, “Ham-I-Am Giveaway” and win a Green Eggs and Ham gift set. The giveaway package includes the following:

· Green Eggs and Ham 50^th Anniversary Edition

· One set of adult sized Green Eggs and Ham apron/chef hat

· One set of kid sized Green Eggs and Ham apron/chef hat

· One gift certificate valued at $25 for your favorite pork product

· One extendable fork

I'm asking my followers to submit responses to: “Which recipe did your kids have the most fun making?” or “What’s your family’s favorite way to have fun in the kitchen?” for a chance to win. If you are not a follower, please sign up and make your comment. You can receive an extra entry for posting to your facebook, posting to your blog, and for posting the giveaway to your twitter account. Be sure to make a separate posting for each entry and give me the link to the posting please.

I am also going to add a great recipe for delicious ham salad for you to make with the delicious ham that you could win. So why not take the time to pass this on to your friends and family and give them a chance to win this great prize? I will draw a name on February 18th, so you have one week to enter. Good Luck!

Ham Salad Recipe
Preparation time: 20 minutes. Serves 8-10.

Salad Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound trimmed, diced ham

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

2 tablespoons diced red onions

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
Dressing Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine salad ingredients (diced ham, celery, onion, eggs).

In a mixing bowl, combine dressing ingredients and mix until smooth (no lumps).

Combine the ham mixture with the dressing and serve.

Please note that the National Pork Board is not sponsoring the giveaway promotion, but rather supplying the prize pool for you and supplied the same prize for me to host this giveaway.

Introducing Pillsbury Simply...Biscuits and Breads GIVEAWAY

2011-01-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

WE HAVE A WINNER....IT'S MINDIE HILTON....Mindie....send me your address to have this great package mailed to you by Pillsbury withing 24 hours to claim your prize. Congratulations and thank you for supporting my blog. I am getting ready to post away now...So everyone stay tuned.

You really need to try this wonderful new product by Pillsbury. I have been sent some coupons to try this product and it is heavenly. So great and delicious. Let me tell you a little about it.

Pillsbury has enhanced its popular Simply…® line of products with Pillsbury^® Simply…® Biscuits & Bread. These ready-to-bake biscuits and rustic French breads complement many mealtime favorites.

During the busiest of meal preparations, Pillsbury Simply… Biscuits & Bread are the perfect solution for moms who are busier than ever, but still want to nurture those they love with something home-baked that they can feel good about serving. Simply…Biscuits & Bread are made with wholesome ingredients, including flour, buttermilk and sugar. They also contain zero grams of trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors or flavors; I have a special prize pack giveaway for you.

The prize pack includes:

Bread basket, Premium honey, Stainless steel spreader, Cutting board

Be sure to post a comment about what you would serve with this delicious bread. You can also earn another entry by posting this on your facebook, tweeting about the giveaway and sharing it on your blog.

I will have a drawing on February 5th so you can hopefully receive this great prize package by Valentines Day.

Be sure to leave your comments. I was not paid to advertise for Pillsbury.

Find them in your grocery store.

Shannon's Shanonigins: Happy New Year GiveAway

2010-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Shannon's Shanonigins: Happy New Year GiveAway: "Well it's almost here, 2011. Can you believe how time flies? To remind us that everyday is a present, I couldn't resist t..."

Holiday Fun Judging Cookies with the Ft. Myers News-Press

2010-12-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

Me, Drew Sterwald, Norman Love

I was so excited to be asked by Drew Sterwald of our local Ft. Myers News Press to judge a Holiday Cookie Contest on December 8th. There were so many great cookies to taste and I had such a great time. There were 72 entries and each judge was sat at a table with 12 different cookies. That table of 3 judges tasted each of the 12 cookies and choose the best of the 12. Then the top cookies were placed on a different table and all of the 18 judges tasted those top 6. Talk about a sugar high...whew...it was amazing!! I found out that there are some awesome cooks among us here in Ft. Myers. I am giving you a link to the article so you can see the cookies for yourself and the top three recipes are also on the link. Yummy!! I suggest you try them out. I saw many people I knew there but was asked to sit at the table with the Food Editor of the News Press, Drew Sterwald who is a wonderful journalist and a really nice guy. The other member at our table was Norman Love. You might know him from the Food Network and from his famous business, Norman Love Confections. You can find out more about him at his web site www.normanloveconfections.com.

Norman Love and Me

He is amazing chocolatier and such a nice man. Here are some fun photos of the day. Hope you enjoy them. I must say, it was fun being on the other side of the judging this time. Much less stressful!!! Check out the article in the News Press at http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201012150329. This article was written by Drew Sterwald and there is a photo gallery if you want to see the cookies also. The photographs were taken by Lindsay Terry of the News Press. The photo gallery is at http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=A4&Dato=20101209&Kategori=LIFESTYLES&Lopenr=12090807&Ref=PH.

BIG CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!! A Butterball Indoor Electric Masterbuilt Turkey Fryer

2010-12-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

We have a winner for the Butterball Turkey Fryer!!
Drumroll Please............
It is Elaine! So Elaine, please contact me within 24 hours to claim your prize!!
Followers, I have great news!!! The Masterbuilt company has provided a Christmas Prize Package for you. It is a Delicious Indoor Turkey Fryer and it is valued at $159.00. PLUS, if that were not enough, they want to give you a gift certificate for $15.00 off of a Butterball Turkey and the greatest cookbook you ever saw called "DADGUM That's Good!" written by John McLemore. This might be the biggest Christmas present you get this year and it is FREE!!!!!

The Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer and the Masterbuilt All-Purpose fryer help you to overcome your fear of frying. It's patented technology makes your fryer safe and guarantees you will never over-heat your oil. There's no open flame to worry about. It's the fastest way to serve up the best turkey you'll ever taste, in three easy steps: inject, fry and eat!!

I was given the same prize package to try out because I would never recommend anything I hadn't tried and loved. For Thanksgiving we had our very first Fried Butterball Turkey and we are hooked!!
Not only can you fry with this great piece of equipment, but you can boil and steam. So, whether you are in the mood to indulge in some fried food, or you're being a bit more health-conscious, this has you covered.
Can you imagine a big CRAB BOIL and do you know what you would pay for that at a seafood restaurant....you can't touch this!

You won't believe the great recipes in the cookbook either. There are recipes for frying, steaming, and boiling. You will find this to be a very useful tool in your kitchen. I always say a cook is only as good as the equipment she uses. You'll be thrilled with this. Here is where you can find out more about this great fryer.

www.masterbuilt.com

www.dadgumthatsgood.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Masterbuilt/153933621381

Twitter: @JohnMcLemore, @DadgumThatsGood, @Masterbuilt

Please follow Masterbuilt on Twitter and Facebook . If you don't win or do and want a second fryer to give as a gift, you can purchase the turkey fryer on Amazon.com.

Below are some details on the turkey fryer:

• The fryer is retailed at $159.96
• Adjustable thermostat temperature control
• Stainless steel construction
• Porcelain-coated inner pot
• Digital timer
• Folding lid with window and filter
• Cooking basket with drain clip
• Drain Valve for easy cleaning
• Saves on oil - uses 1/3 less than conventional turkey fryers
• It can feed up to 8 people when frying a 14 lb turkey

Also, I thought you might like to check out this video from John McLemore, the CEO of Masterbuilt, explaining how to use the turkey fryer; it’s very helpful! (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF3xQmtFyz8&feature=player_embedded)

Now what I want you to do is sign up for this great gift from Masterbuilt so you can hopefully get it by Christmas to cook your Christmas Dinner. I will run this for only 1 week. So on December 13th I will announce the winner which will be generated by using random.org from your entries.
You may enter a comment for each of these things. Each one will be counted as an entry for the fryer.
1. Follow me on this blog and post a comment telling me which recipe you would like to try from the Dadgum That's Good Cookbook.
2. Follow Materbuilt on Facebook and post on their page that you saw this on my blog.
3. Follow Masterbuilt on Twitter and post on their page that you saw this on my blog.
4. Follow Me on Twitter and repost this contest. My twitter name is realwomanofphil.
5. Post on your Facebook about this giveaway.
6. Post on your Twitter about this giveaway.
7. Finally, repost this on your blog and give me the link. Post that comment twice on my page here and I will give you two entries for doing this.
Now, with that many chances, what have you to lose. This is well worth the time to give it a try.
I was not paid by Masterbuilt to post this giveaway. The opinions are my own and believe me I LOVE THIS!!!! I know you will too. Good Luck and Merry Christmas!

Great Thanksgiving Week Give Away!!! Sign Up Today!

2010-11-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

We have a winner...Janet Faye..please send me your email within 24 hours to claim your prize!! Congratulations!
Gathering the family around the dinner table to enjoy a home cooked meal is a great way to unwind, but there aren´t always enough hours in the day to prepare an entire meal from scratch especially on Thanksgiving when you have so many things to do.

I use these all the time and they taste so close to homemade. My family never leaves a bite in the bowl. I know you will enjoy them as well. They are quick and easy to make and delicious to eat. This makes dinnertime so much for enjoyable than starting from scratch making these potato dishes. For more information, visit BettyCrocker.com, and be sure to follow Betty Crocker on Twitter and "Like" the Facebook page to keep up with all of the latest news on your Betty Crocker favorites! You can visit http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/4775/ for $0.55 off one package of Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes and in the meantime, I want you to have these two packages of Betty Crocker Potatoes and this beautiful bamboo bowl. The picture does not do this bowl justice. You will also receive a Betty Crocker Spook and this red trivet.

To win this great prize package please do the following:
Follow my Blog and post a comment that you are a follower and tell me what kind of Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes you like best. You can visit their home page to see all the different varieties.
For a second chance share this give away on your facebook page.
For a third chance, follow me on twitter and share this give away on twitter.

I will draw for the prize on Friday, November 25th.

This prize has been provided by Betty Crocker and MyBlogSpark and I was not paid to share this give away with you.

NEW RECIPE for Pretzel Bouquet

2010-11-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

What better bouquet to give to someone than a HK Anderson Pretzel bouquet. Just melt chocolate, dip pretzel and sprinkle with decor. I used Sprinkles and Heath Toffee Bits. They are beautiful and delicious. This is an awesome gift to give someone or a fun centerpiece for your table. Someone grabs one every time they walk by!

If you love pretzels like my family does, you will absolutely love HK Anderson Pretzels. We recently were blessed to receive a sample box of several of their pretzels to try and to share our opinion with you. I also want to share one of my favorite recipes with you.
HK Anderson believes snacking can be delicious AND wholesome... the way it used to be. Using healthy ingredients that also provide great taste, they strive to bring delicious and wholesome alternatives to our snacking choices. Healthy families promote healthy communities and ultimately a healthy America. Sound simple? It is, just like their products: simple and satisfying.

Here is what we thought. First of all we tasted the Peanut Butter Filled Nuggets. My husband LOVED them. He is a big peanut butter fan and these had the perfect amount of peanut butter for the size of the pretzel. He said it was a burst of goodness inside the salty pretzel nugget. He ate the whole bag. My son Marshall's favorite were the Honey Wheat Braided Twists. He liked the way they looked and how crunchy they were. Plus, it was a bonus that they were wheat he said. My favorite were the Double Baked Butter Balls....if you know me, you understand...anything with butter..yummy. I loved the shape and they were crunchy and fun. They would be great in a snack mix because of their flavor and the shape is so cool.

That left the Salty Stix. With those I made my FAMOUS pretzel snack mix and they were enjoyed by all.

That is the recipe I am going to share with you now. I encourage you to get some of these pretzels. I know you will love them. And remember, they are baked, not fried to make them even healthier for you. Isn't that exciting? Over the holidays, there are many recipes that call for pretzels. Snack mixes, cookies, salads and so on and so forth. Why not use HK Anderson pretzels to make that treat just a little bit healthier and a lot better taste? You can find out more about their products at www.hkanderson.com . Go there and check them out. My Wal-mart, Staples, and Big Lots carry them.

Delicious Snack Pretzels

2 - 1 lb bags HK Anderson Salty Stix Pretzels

2 pkg. of Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Dressing

2 cups canola oil

1 tsp. - 1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. - 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1. Mix seasonings with the oil and put in 2 gallon size zipper bag. Add pretzels and shake well to coat all the pretzels.

2. Place pretzels on large baking sheet and bake at 225 degrees for 2 hours, stirring every 15 - 20 minutes to evenly cook. Turn off oven and let sit for 1 hour. Place in storage container to keep fresh.

My family jokingly calls these "cocaine" pretzels because you get addicted and can't stop eating them. They are so good and I know you'll love them. ENJOY!!!

FAMILY TACO FIESTA

2010-11-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

WE HAVE A WINNER...
MINDIE HILTON Contact me within 24 hours to claim your prize!!
How would you like to have a great family fun night. My family just recently had a fiesta and used these cute new dishes and some delicious Old El Paso products. You can win an Old El Paso “Family Night” prize pack which includes a packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings.

Why not set aside time at least once a month for “Taco Night?” Old El Paso offers a variety of seasonings, sides, sauces, and meal kits as simple solutions for a night of catching up with the family over a delicious taco dinner. To satisfy your Mexican style cravings, the Old El Paso^® line up of products includes chilies, dinner kits, dips and sides, enchilada sauce, refried beans, seasoning mixes, shells, taco sauce and salsa. The Old El Paso taco seasoning mix selection includes flavors like Burrito, Cheesy Taco, Chili, Fajita, Taco, Mild Taco and even a seasoning with 40% less sodium. For a fun twist on Taco Night, be sure to try one of the delicious recipes below.

Double Layer Tacos

Old El Paso Favorite Recipe! Layered taco shells and tortillas create the "double" in beef- and bean-stuffed tacos.

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Need a new idea for a 30-minute dinner? Here's a twist on ta cos using precooked chicken.

To keep your family laughing at the dinner table, have some fun with El Tacodor™, the world’s only Family Taco Game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit www.ElTacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on Family Taco Night!

Visit Old El Paso for news and great tips, recipes and more. Take a minute to share family fiesta photos and videos from Family Taco Nights on the El Tacodor Family Spotlight!

In addition, you can visit http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/b069/to download a printable coupon for $0.60 off any two Old El Paso products today!

Send me a photo of your family fiesta night and get 5 entries into the drawing for this prize package. You must be a follower on my blog and post once to tell me you are a follower for one entry. You can earn additional entries by blogging, tweeting, and posting this on facebook. Be sure to list each of these in a different comment for each one to count. So that is 8 ways you can be signed up for a great prize.

Drawing will be held on November 21st, so don't hesitate to share this and get your name in.

Old El Paso provided me with these products, information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.

Sciabica'sOlive Oil and Making a Difference

2010-11-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

I got the privilege of trying

Sciabica's California Unfiltered Fresh Pressed Oil of the Olive

100% Extra Virgin

Sevillano Variety, Fall Harvest 2010 Pressing

and

Manzanillo Variety, Fall Harvest 2010 Pressing

Let me tell you something I discovered. There is a difference between the Olive Oil you purchase at your supermarket and this Fresh Pressed Oil of the Olive from Sciabica's. I have tested the two varieties listed above this post and want you to be sure that you visit their web site and or facebook page and see all the wonderful different varieties of Olive Oil they have. I have included a recipe from their facebook page using the garlic oil and I have to try that as well. This would be a delicious thing to make on a cold fall day. How about for a football game or to take to a tailgating party? Please check it out at http://www.sciabica.com.

Large Soft Garlic Pretzels
Recipe found on page 155 in Gemma Sciabica's Popular Recipes Cookbook.
(Makes 12 to 15)

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
1 egg
1/4 cup Sciabica's Extra Virgin Garlic Olive Oil
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In large mixing bowl, add yeast, ¼ cup flour, water and 1 tablespoon sugar, let stand about 10 minutes.
Stir in egg and olive oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir to blend.
Knead dough on lightly floured surface. Place back in bowl, cover, let rise about 30 minutes.
On floured surface, cut dough into 12 to 15 pieces. Roll into ropes ½ inch in diameter and about 18 inches long.
Form into pretzel shape. Place on greased baking sheets. Brush tops with egg white, sprinkle with coarse salt or caraway seeds.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Variation:
For a chewier pretzel, drop pretzel into a pan of boiling water. When dough floats to top of water, remove to greased baking sheet.
Brush tops with egg white, sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake until golden.

Delicious Dishes By Debbie Celebrates her 100th follower!!!

2010-11-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Amber Wigal Parsons for being my 100th follower. Thank you so much for joining and I am going to send you a special prize!!! Congratulations. I'll tell you all about it soon!

Do you love Wine Country Cooking?? You'll love this new cookbook and you can WIN ONE along with delicious Progresso's Panko Bread Crumbs.

2010-11-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

Our lucky winner is #5, Donna!! Congratulations. You have 24 hours from 8:00 p.m. on 11/16 to claim your prize. you are going to LOVE THIS!!!

I just received Chef Michael Chiarello's BOTTEGA cookbook. It is a collection of Bold Italian Flavors from the Heart of California's Wine Country and I can honestly say that it is one of the nicest cookbooks I own.
From snacks to dessert, this cookbook covers it all. It has simple to follow gourmet recipes that will turn you into an expert at Chef Michael's cooking.

Bottega is one of Napa Valley's most highly regarded restaurants and after seeing this cookbook, I am dying to go there. However, these recipes are made for the home cook to be able to create dishes that look and taste like the originals at the restaurant. Stories about the recipes come right along with the recipe itself and that makes this extra special.

The chef´s secret is out - panko is in! A longtime secret of Japanese cuisine, panko is now a pantry staple for creating perfect crispiness in any dish. This October, Lemon Pepper will join the ranks of Progresso´s line of panko bread crumbs, which includes Original and Italian flavors.

"Panko has been a major part of some of my best crunchy dishes for years," says Chef Chiarello. "It´s exciting to bring those dishes home, where some of the best dining memories are made. To me that´s what cooking is all about - sharing meals with your friends and family, and the memories you get to keep for a lifetime."

Additionally, be sure to check out the Progresso's Wine & Dine with Chef Michael Chiarello Sweepstakes. Now through December 31st, participants can enter for the chance to win a trip for two to Napa Valley to attend the Spring Bud Break Party, an annual dinner and wine tasting event taking place on May 7, 2011. In addition to two tickets to the party, the grand prize also includes roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations. Visit www.progressobroth.com for the sweepstakes rules and entry form.
Be sure to sign up for my giveaway of the Panko Breadcrumbs and this AUTOGRAPHED cookbook.
You can sign up by making a comment that you are a follower of this blog and tell me about a dish you use with Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko.
2nd chance by posting this on Facebook and leaving a comment that you did so.
3rd chance by posting on twitter and leaving a comment that you did so.
4th chance by posting this on your blog and leaving me the link where it is posted.
So you have 4 chances to win this great prize package. I was given one myself by General Mills and MyBlogSpark for sharing this great prize package with you.
The drawing for this prize will be held on November 15th, so get your comments in quick!!!
Random.org will be my method for determining the winner.

Check out this new Hor D-Oeuvres Cookbook I've found!!!

2010-11-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

I recently received three totally different cookbooks and I love each one of them for different reasons. One is for appetizers, the other for wonderful Chef from Napa Valley, and the third is a cookie party cookbook. Let me tell you about them and I know if you love cookbooks, you'll want to order one or all of them.

The First is called : Tastefully Small Savory Bites and was written by Kim Hendrickson.
This cookbook is a collection of Easy, Sophisticated Hors D'Oeuvres For Every Occasion.

Everyone loves an hors d’oeuvre. Beauty, flavor, and novelty, all packed into a small bite, are what give a good “appetizer” its name. This collection of over fifty original morsels, from Wild Mushroom Rugelach to Thai Shrimp Baskets, Orange Pecan Brie Cups, and Country Pâté Truffles, gives you the know-how to dazzle even the most discerning guest. Step-by-step instructions, vibrant color photos, and lovely watercolor illustrations make the most dramatic dishes easy. Every recipe includes both bite-size and full-size versions and variations. Nearly every item can be made either all or partly in advance, giving you more time with your guests.
Whether for a cocktail party, buffet, or afternoon tea, Savory Bites is your complete source for entertaining, including chapters on vegetable canapés, “naked canapés” (simple biscuits and crackers), and basic guidelines for a successful event. For a sure case of love at first bite, make it Tastefully Small. http://www.salviapress.com/savory_bites.html

One of the recipes I really enjoyed that was simple and quick is the PECAN MOUNDS.
Here is the recipe.

1 1/2 c. pecans
1/4 c. egg whites (2 large egg whites)
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Grind pecans in a food processor or spice grinder to generate 1 cup of ground nuts. Don't over process: you want ground pecans, not pecan butter.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, with a rubber spatula to create a smooth batter. Mound a kitchen teaspoonful onto baking sheets 1 - 2 inches apart (they will spread a bit). Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to firm up before removing.

I would highly recommend this cookbook if you like wonderful appetizers. It has some very unique recipes in it.

I was not paid for this review, but was given a copy of the cookbook to try.

Thanksgiving Dishes - Aunt Nixie's Cranberry Salad

2010-11-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving will soon be here and I for one am very excited. While I will not be making a big Thanksgiving dinner this year, I will be taking a dish to my brother's house. I have decided to make a wonderful Cranberry Salad that my Aunt Nixie made so well. She shared the recipe with me before she passed away and I beg you all to make this dish. It will be so popular at the Thanksgiving table. It's so delicious and easy to make.

It's of course the pink dish at the table. It has apples, walnuts and cranberries in it and it is so yummy. You can also put it in a mold and flip it over to make a beautiful presentation. I think the children would love this as well as the adults. So give it a try and I think it will become a Thanksgiving staple that is requested year after year.

Aunt Nixie's Cranberry Salad
1 can cranberry sauce
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2 c. boiling water
2 tbsp. lemon or orange juice
2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) strawberry jello
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. mayonnaise
2 c. diced apple, peeled
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Melt cranberry sauces over medium heat. Drain, reserving liquid and berries.
2. Mix together cranberry liquid, boiling water, and jello. Stir until jello is dissolved.
3. Add juice and salt. Chill until mixture mounds slightly on a spoon.
4. Add mayonnaise, beat until smooth and fold in the cranberries, apples and nuts.
5. Pour into a 2 quart mold and chill until set.

I make this a day or two ahead of time and it keeps very well. This will serve 12 people easily.
Enjoy and happy fall!

Check out Gourmet Mom on the Go

2010-11-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, Gourmet Mom On The Go, my friend Mandy, is having an "eggstra" special giveaway on her blog. Go and check it out.
"Win an Eggcelent Prize Pack from @IncredibleEggs over at @GourmetMom! http://ow.ly/32kUx"
And another giveaway she is having is from Lawrys. Check it out also.

Big Giveaway and Baking Apple Pies For Fall

2010-10-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hi wonderful followers!!! Hope you are enjoying fall as I am. I have been watching and listening to many of you tell of going to the pumpkin patch, sitting around a campfire and rejoicing because the beautiful season of fall has arrived. I've been sent magnificant photos of the changing colors of the trees and the mountainsides.

My friend Lori C. and your fellow follower from Franklin, NC sent me these as she was on her way to Ashville this weekend.

Her daughter, Caity. Her beautiful hair is the same color as the red leaves.

I am reminded of God's goodness as I view these awesome photos. Thanks Lori for sharing. Now I want to share something special with you from Pillsbury. Since it's fall and apple pie season, Pillsbury wants to graciously give one of our followers a prize package. Check it out.....

Lori C. you are the winner of this apple pie giveaway. Please contact me within 24 hours to claim your prize!!

They are going to give you the "Apple" package if you win the giveaway on my blog. you will receive a pyrex pie dish, Pillsbury Pie Crusts, an apple kitchen timer, measuring cup set, apple corer and wedger, an apple cutting board and a Pillsbury pot holder. Isn't it so cute? So in order to win this you'll have to be randomly chosen after posting your comments below this announcement by clicking on the word comments.
You have three chances to win. 1. Become a follower and tell me that you follow this blog. If you are already a follower say so. 2. Tweet about this giveaway and give others the opportunity to join and sign up. http://deliciousdishesbydebbie.blogspot.com/2010/10/baking-apple-pies-for-fall.html 3. Share this link on Facebook with your friends. I will have one bonus entry opportunity. Send me a beautiful fall scene photo or a photo of you making or eating an apple pie and I'll count you in one more time.
Sounds like a challenge to me! How about you? I will choose a winner on October 31st, Halloween Day. It will be my and Pillsbury's treat to one lucky winner!! Thanks for following!

Come along on our journey as we celebrate the apple harvest season.
What better way to celebrate than taking your family to visit a local apple orchard to pick fruit. Then, take those delicious apples home and bake the quintessential favorite - Apple Pie! It´s so easy when you start with Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts, which deliver the look and taste of homemade without the time and stress of making a crust from scratch.
To celebrate all that apple harvest brings, Pillsbury is encouraging families to join in the fun in a number of ways this fall.

VISITING AN APPLE ORCHARD
To pick the best apples for your pie, gather the family for a road trip to the local apple orchard to savor the flavors of fall. Not sure which orchard is closest to you? Log onto tasteofhome.com/appleorchards to find a list of orchards that are planning Love the Pie! baking demonstration events across the country. While there, you can learn pie baking tips and ideas from State Fair Pie Baking Champions, and pick up recipes and participate in other orchard activities.

The best part of baking an apple pie is the memories you make with your family. Don´t forget to capture photos and videos of your entire adventure from your apple orchard visit to baking the pie at home. Share your photos with me or post to Pillsbury´s "Love the Pie" Facebook page too! Join Pillsbury on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lovethepie and follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/love_the_pie.

In addition, you can visit Pillsbury.com/pie to download a printable coupon for $0.50 off a package of Pillsbury Pie Crusts today!

BAKING APPLE PIES TOGETHER

After your orchard visit, get the family involved in making pies and other treats together. Pillsbury Pie Crusts are an easy base for your favorite warm apple treats. Simply unroll into a pie plate, fill with your favorite variety of sliced apples and filling, and bake! From orchard to oven, Pillsbury Pie Crusts make apple pie baking simple with delicious results.
Here are a few delicious recipes to help inspire your readers to create delicious, homemade apple pies!

•Perfect Apple Pie is the model of a classic dessert - a beautiful double-crust creation with sugary cinnamon, nutmeg and a splash of lemon juice. So easy to make, this recipe is great for beginner pie bakers looking for impressive results.
•Festive Apple-berry Pie is the perfect blend of sweet and tart, with a gorgeous color palette of golden apples and dark red cranberries. Use frozen cranberries to make this dish even more quick and easy!
•Topsy-Turvy Apple Pie combines two classics - apple and pecan. Invert the plate to reveal a gorgeous pecan topping. This is a dessert that both apple and pecan pie fans will "flip over".
•Easy Apple Pie Foldover is a great solution for keeping the kids happy; a simple mixture of apples and brown sugar folded inside a golden brown baked Pillsbury pie crust. With four servings, it´s a modestly sized apple treat that is kid-friendly to make, and eat.
•Cinnamon-Apple Pie with Caramel-Pecan Sauce truly harvests all of autumn´s bounty in a clever presentation. Ready in just under an hour - each slice is topped off with a luscious blend of butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, pecans, whipping cream and vanilla for a saucy treat.

For even more delicious pie ideas throughout the year visit Pillsbury.com/pie for fun and easy recipes to satisfy every season.
IN THE ORCHARD WITH ACTRESS JENNIE GARTH!

Actress and busy mom, Jennie Garth, is joining Pillsbury this fall to celebrate apple harvest season. She will share tips and ideas for dressing up apple pies and making kid-friendly treats that satisfy kids after a busy day at school. Footage of Jennie in the apple orchard, along with photos and other information is available for you to use on your own blog, and can be accessed at ="http://www.reporterville.com/love_the_pie__fall_2010">http://www.reporterville.com/love_the_pie__fall_2010.

These products, coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway offer have all been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

I have not been paid by Pillsbury to post this giveaway. The opinions are my own.

New Give-a-way Starting Today!! Spread A Little Joy Prize Package

2010-10-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED: The winners are Lady Nann, Perri Pender, and The Cake Lady.
This was chosen by Random.org and was fairly done!
I am always trying to find wonderful products to share with you all and on top of that I want you to try them as well. So, along comes Philadelphia Cream Cheese with a great prize package for you. I think when you spread on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese, you truly are Spreading A Little Joy. I know that you think winning is so much fun and I want you to win....so you can get this wonderful cookbook and a whole package of prizes by becoming a follower of my blog and making a comment telling me that you are a follower and what your favorite recipe with Philadelphia Cream Cheese is!
The prize package includes:
(1) “Spread a Little Joy” PHILADEPLPHIA Cookbook, one (1): PHILADELPHIA apron, two (2) PHILADELPHIA product coupons, one (1) PHILADELPHIA spatula set (Approximate retail value: $50)

Philadelphia Cream Cheese has a soft place in my heart since the Real Women of Philadelphia contest. I have been able to truly see how versatile Philly Cream Cheese really is. Did you know that they have both a fat free and reduced-fat version?
I have this Philly cookbook and it has beautiful upscale photography and quality paper stock, the cookbook is a collection of 70 simple and delicious PHILADELPHIA recipes, including delicious appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts – perfect for entertaining guests!

TO ENTER:

•Just leave a comment telling me about your favorite recipe made with Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

You can earn 2 extra entries by posting this to your facebook and your twitter by sharing this link: (Check this out http://deliciousdishesbydebbie.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-give-way-starting-today-spread.html) and posting that in separate comments on my blog.

Yes, it is that simple! This amazing cookbook, stylish apron, handy spatulas and money saving coupons could all be yours just by leaving me a little comment and sharing your favorite Philly recipe.

Good luck!

“I was one of ten bloggers selected by PHILADELPHIA to host a Cookbook promotion giveaway. My opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this giveaway at no cost to me. This giveaway is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Debbie Fabre.”

Spotlight On A Wonderful Cook, Decorator, and Lady: Shannon Imlay

2010-10-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share the talents of a wonderful friend I've made on the Real Women of Philadelphia website and community. Her name is Shannon Imlay and she is from Colorado. Here in her own words is a little about Shannon:

I've been married for 28 years to my husband Mark, I have two wonderful children 18 and 21. My favorite thing is being a mom and I'm so glad God Blessed me with my children.

Last year I finally went back to school to get my certification in Floral Design (something I'd been wanting to do for a long time).I recently started my own business as a Floral Designer/Party Planner/Party Decorator Shanonigins.

Shannon has so many talents, but most of all she is a woman of great integrity and thoughtfulness. Shannon has allowed me to share some photos of a beautiful table scape she designed for fall. She also created the wonderful goodies shown here as well as put together the beautiful flower arrangements. I knew you would enjoy these things and I am also including her recipes so you can re-create the tasty treats. Enjoy and thank you Shannon for sharing your talent and love with so many. You can follow Shannon on Youtube or on the Real Women of Philadelphia.

Her Total Package and Table Scape

Spooky Carmel Apples

Meringue Bones

Marshmallow Frankensteins

You'll need the following ingredients:

marshmallows

pretzel sticks

mini choco-chips

green sugar sprinkles

corn syrup

white and black frosting

Break pretzel sticks into two pieces and put them in each side of marshmallow to make the "bolts".

Lightly brush marshmallows with corn syrup and sprinkle sugar evenly on marshmallows and pretzels.

Use writing decorator tip and draw on hair with black icing. (You can buy this in a tube)

Use writing decorator tip and draw on eyes and mouth with white icing and place a mini choco-chip in center of each eye.

Caramel Apples with Ghost

You'll need the following:

apples

caramels

milk chocolate chips

truffles

white chocolate

black icing tube

long wooden dowels or sticks

Wash apples well and put truffle on top of apple. Stick dowel through the truffle and then the apple.

Melt caramel and dip apple in the caramel and let set up and dry. Melt choco chips and dip apple in the chocolate and let set up and dry. Melt white chocolate and spoon over truffle to make ghost. Make eyes and mouth on ghost with small tip on black icing tube.

Hope you enjoy these wonderful recipes from Shannon and if you have any questions, please post a comment and I will be sure to ask her or answer your questions myself. Happy Fall.

My First Give-A-Way

2010-10-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

This Contest Has Ended...thank you Chiquita Smoothies and all who entered. You have 24 hours to contact me with your address to claim your prize!
Winners are:

#9 Jendiggy
#41 Saturdaynightfever

There is a new product on the market called Chiquita Smoothies. They are so delicious and easy to prepare. I have been sent some free coupons for you to try the yummy treats and some great T-Shirts that say Mango Tango. They are so CUTE. Here is some information about the smoothies and where you can go to find out more.

Chiquita Smoothies come as a frozen concentrate (like frozen juices), and just need to be blended with ice and water to make a refreshing and delicious smoothie treat! The Smoothies are all-natural, dairy-free, gluten-free, with no added sugar, and 100% DV Vitamin C. Each serving also counts as a serving of fruit! Chiquita™ Smoothies can be found in your grocer's frozen juice aisle and are available in four great flavors: Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Peach Mango, and Banana Colada. For more information about our products, please visit: www.chiquitasmoothie.com

I want to send you a package containing a VIP Free Product coupon, discount coupons, and a cool Chiquita™ Smoothie t-shirt! All you need to do is become a follower and leave me a comment saying which flavor you would like to try and you will be entered into the contest. You may have two extra entries if you follow me on twitter and tweet about the contest http://deliciousdishesbydebbie.blogspot.com/2010/10/our-first-give-way-woo-hoo.html and come back and leave me a message saying you've done so and become a follower on Facebook and share the contest on your post.

Contest ends on October 15th. Winners will be announced on October 16th. I have 2 packages to give out. I was not paid by Chiquita to post this giveaway and the opinions of the product are my own.
Click on comments right below this to add your comments.

Fall Fun and Food, Yes, It really is that time of year!!

2010-09-30T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hey all!!

Be watching the blog on October 2nd for some fun fall surprises. I will begin my very first give-a-way which is being sponsored by Chiquita Smoothies!! I will have coupons for some free products, some really cool t-shirts and some money saving coupons too. I'll be asking you to share the blog with someone and the person who gets the most people to join my blog will win a prize and I will have some random drawings also. So get excited and start thinking of who you could ask to join. All they have to do is mention your name to have it count for you. I'll be sharing some great fall party ideas and introducing you to a couple friends of mine who are terrific decorators and cooks....so get ready and get excited......Mark your calendars for OCTOBER 2nd and be sure to come back and see what I have up my sleeve. Happy Fall!!!

RED HOT DATE NIGHT SUNDAE

2010-09-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you had a "Red Hot Date"? Here is a new creation I want to share with you that will make you want to have a "Red Hot Date" every day of the week. You'll begin by using the following ingredients:

1/2 c. vanilla ice cream
1 brownie
2 T. hot fudge
2 T. chopped dates
3 snack size Nestle crunch bars
5 atomic red hot balls
2 T. whipped cream

Begin making your sundae by breaking 2 of your Nestle Crunch Bars into small pieces. Next, crush 4 of the atomic red hot balls into small pieces by using a hammer or meat tenderizer. I put them in a heavy duty ziplock bag to keep them together. Mix the dates, crunch bars & red hots (reserve about a teaspoon of red hots for topping) into the vanilla ice cream. Assemble your sundae beginning with a brownie (I like to break it up, but not necessary), hot fudge, ice cream, more hot fudge, whipped topping, and sprinkles of broken red hots. Top it off with a single solid red hot and a mini crunch bar. There you have your red hots, and your dates and it's all delicious and fun.

2010-09-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Lindsay and Laura at Dinner!

2010-09-03T09:17:00.000-07:00


Here we are in Paula's Kitchen....Heaven!

Exciting News

2010-09-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hi followers!

In Paula Deen's Kitchen with one of her aprons!!

Just wanted to let you know I will be moving and am very busy packing. You wouldn't believe how much junk I have acquired over the past 8 years in this house. Don't know where we are going yet, but it might even be near you. I want to share a few new photos with you from my trip to Savannah. Hope you enjoy. Be blessed!

Recipe of the week.....Stuffed Shells

2010-07-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe for some wonderful Stuffed Shells. I was able to make this in less than an hour and it really will wow you even though it is so easy. Here is a list of the ingredients:

3 cups of cooked hamburger meat ( I put some onions and green peppers in it when I cook it)
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup three cheese blend, mexican or italian
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley (use 2 t. if dried)
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 box pasta shells
1/2 jar pasta or spaghetti sauce
1/4 c. parmesan cheese for topping
5 slices provolone cheese

1. Cook hamburger and pasta according to package directions. Put pasta in cold water to keep from sticking together.
2. Mix hamburger with your cheese, onions, parsley, cream cheese and egg.
3. Top with spaghetti sauce and additional parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and place provolone slices on top and return long enough to melt cheese.

Serve and enjoy.
Makes enough for 4 - 6 depending on their appetites!!
I like to serve with salad, garlic bread and corn. Makes a yummy meal. And why don't you try one of my pies for dessert....You can't miss with that. :)

The Morning Blend Show

2010-07-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday, July 20, I will be appearing on the Fox Morning Blend Show in the Ft. Myers, FL area. The show airs from 8 - 9 am. Please tune in and see what I have up my sleeve. I am going to share about my experience at the Real Women of Philadelphia cookoffs and Savanna, GA.

Dessert Finalists Cookoff Time

2010-07-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

This video will always be near and dear to my heart. It is part of the actual cookoff with the dessert girls of which I was one. These girls have become my close friends and I love them. Please enjoy as we share our hearts.

Real Women of Philadelphia Storm Savannah

2010-07-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I was just in Savannah, Georgia with 15 other finalists in the Real Women of Philadelphia, which was a casting for four new On-line Home Cooks representing Paula Deen, Kraft, and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I had the time of my life and can not tell you how the experience has changed my life. Even though I was not selected as one of the final four, I could not have been treated any better or enjoyed Savannah more. I found it to be a beautiful city and the history is so rich and interesting. I am so anxious to tell you all about the trip, step by step and minute by minute and I hope you will enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed making the memories. In the mean time, here are some wonderful photos of the trip and I am ready to share another one of my very special dessert recipes with you....I know you are going to love this one and it is over the top delicious. Love to all who prayed for me, rooted me on and supported me during this wonderful time of my life. I know the best is yet to come.

Dessert Week and Me at Sweetbay Supermarket

2010-05-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

This week has been super exciting. I have been able to make three desserts for the Real Women of Philadelphia cooking contest and I actually got to make one at my local supermarket Sweetbay.
I had a blast and hello to everyone who saw me there. I learned so much this week and got to pass out information about Paula Dean and Kraft and the journey we are taking. Simply Yummmmy is how I would describe this recipe. Meaning that other than the fact that it is so easy anyone could easily make this pie, it is equally as delicious. I was able to take these simple ingredients and prepared them in front of a live audience at my local major supermarket. At the same time, I handed out my recipe cards with the recipe, web site and information about the RWOP contest, Paula Dean, and Kraft Foods on them. I explained that Philadelphia Cream Cheese is not just for bagels anymore!!! No cooking, no heating up the kitchen, a perfect dessert. It was a super experience and so many people were able to find out a little bit about the history of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, just how easy and delicious it is to use in a recipe and how Kraft Foods intends to go digital. It was so much fun to execute this dish in front of the audience and show them how Philadelphia Cream Cheese can be added to transform any old style recipe into a modern day marvel that will make them look like a "Internet Food Network Star" when they serve the easy to prepare dish. I presented the pie to the manager and staff who were on duty and overall the entire event was a huge success. Everyone wanted a taste of that pie. Did you know that Philadelphia Cream cheese has been part of America since 1872. The cheese adopted the brand name Philadelphia in 1880, after a city known for excellent food back then.

Real Woman Of Philadelphia Spokesperson

2010-05-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!!!

I am so excited to come to you to announce that Paula Dean and the Real Women of Philadelphia are looking for a spokesperson to cheer on the top 16 contestants in their Real Women of Philadelphia contest. This contest, which is really a casting for the next new cooking stars, began 8 weeks ago and is going strong. The interesting thing is that in the beginning they were simply looking for cooks, but since there have been so many women who "got on the band wagon" about how much fun this has been and about cooking with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, they decided to add a spokesperson.

I am really hoping that I can become that person. There are so many wonderful and qualified women who want the same thing. Most of them have become my friends...so it's a little difficult trying to take a position that someone else who you care for wants too. So, the question is what to do??? Well, I know we are all going to give our best and then if by some chance it turns out to not be me, I for one am going to cheer on the cheerleader....in other words, be happy for her and support her in any way I can.

So, you might be the next spokesperson for The Real Women of Philadelphia, but you can't achieve that if you don't go on the web site and try. So be sure to hurry and go to http://www.realwomenofphiladelphia.com/ and submit a recipe or try to become their spokesperson. Most of all, go on the site and cheer for the girls who are trying and look up some great recipes. Paula sends personal messages to all of us that are heartwarming and loving. She really does care about her fans and friends.

Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to join a community that's more like a family. These chances don't come around very often and I believe you need to step through the door when it opens. Look for more great recipes and tips from others on the site and don't forget to buy your Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese and get to cookin'!

Love and Blessings,

Debbie

Cinco de Mayo Black Bean Dip

2010-05-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

This dip made in honor of Cinco de Mayo is filled with layers of rich flavor and greatness. Decadent Philadelphia Cream Cheese is the anchor for the surprise rich and creamy sauce that covers the black beans and surrounds the fresh ingredients in the dish. This recipe will make you want to shout and dance! Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Servings: 25 2 Cans of Black Beans

1/2 cup(s) of Chopped Green Pepper

1/2 cup(s) of Chopped Yellow Onion

1 tsp. of Cumin

1/2 tsp. of Garlic Salt

1 tsp. of Crushed Bay Leaves

1 Red Onion (chopped)

3 Green Onions (chopped)

5 Roma Tomatoes (chopped)

6 ounce(s) of Can of Pitted Black Olives (sliced)

3 Ripe Haas Avacados

1 Small Lemon

3 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)

8 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis

8 ounce(s) of Whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 tsp. of Adobo Seasoning

3 tsp. of Dry Ranch Dressing

2 tbsp. of Hot Sauce (I use Frank

1 cup(s) of Sour Cream

1/2 cup(s) of Chopped Cilantro (fresh)

2 cup(s) of Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

1 pinch of Salt

1 pinch of Pepper

Steps

Open your black beans and put them in a sauce pan to simmer on medium while you chop and prepared your other ingredients.

To the black beans add, your chopped green pepper, chopped yellow onion, cumin, bay leaves and garlic salt. Allow to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.Delete

Chop and prepared your other ingredients at this time. Peel avacado and chop into small pieces, squeeze lemon juice over avacado so it will not brown. Chop red onion, green onions (reserve tops for garnish), tomatoes, black olives, cilantro and garlic.

Take beans off of stove and cool in dish that you are going to serve your layered dip in. Spread evenly on bottom.

Mix together 8 oz Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Rotel Tomatoes (drain a few tablespoons of liquid off of tomatoes first). When this is incorporated, add the Whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese and stir with a spoon. Add your adobo, dry ranch dressing, hot sauce, chopped garlic and chopped green onions to the sauce mixture.

Pour Cream Cheese Sauce over the beans and evenly layer it on top of the beans with a little of the beans showing around the edge of the dish.

Evenly add a layer of your chopped avacado.

Add layer of shredded cheddar cheese. (use 1 1/2 cups)

Add a layer of chopped tomatoes. (reserve a few for top)

Add a layer of red onion. (add to taste 1/2 - 1 cup)

Add a layer of sliced black olives.

Add the rest of your tomatoes and layer with chopped green onion tops.

Add the remainder of the cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle top with chopped cilantro.

Add dollops of sour cream on top of dish and sprinkle cilantro on top of sour cream.

To Garnish with tortillia chips, stick a few chips upright around the edge of your bowl for interest and decoration. You may also want to place a couple of chips right in the center of your dip.

Serve with fresh, crispy tortillia chips and have a fiesta! Celebrate!

12 Comments

Sounds Good Deb!

Elaine Barbee 3 – May 7, 2010

Debbie - beautiful!!! You are so comfortable in front of the camera, but then I'm seeing that after 6 weeks of this we are ALL becoming more comfortable! I want your dip!!!

Sandi 4 – May 7, 2010

Kudos to you and YOUR HUSBAND!!!!! That's incredible-mine hasn't even watched one of my selfmade videos....hmmmmmmm - You Win! Great Recipe, Good Luck, Paula

Paula Todora 5 – May 7, 2010

Got a chance to see this video. Yummy in the Tummy! I think those judges would be out of their collective gourds is they don't choose you! You really know how to cook and add flavors. You are so photogenic and have a lovely voice. Go Debbie!!!

Audrey Mack 6 – May 7, 2010

Oh my gosh Debbie I wanted to come right through the screen and have some. I didn't have lunch and wow this made me even more hungry. YUM!! Wondeful Video. Hey you've got it girl. This may be the one to get you to Savannah. Everything was absolutely perfect. And you look amazing and presented it so well.

lady nann 7 – May 7, 2010 Like

Debbie, your recipe looks great and so do you! You are so great at this! I so hope they pick you. This looks so easy for you!

Alicia Kammler 8 – May 7, 2010

great job!!!!

Ann Miller-Tobin 12NextAdd your comments to this recipe

Having Fun With The Real Woman of Philadelphia and Paula Dean

2010-05-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

Let the games begin and they did. Approximately 7 weeks ago I saw an ad on television that described a contest to submit recipes to Paula Dean and the Kraft Company that utilized Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Since I have always LOVED Paula Dean and frequently use Philadelphia Cream Cheese, I decided that this would be a fun contest to "get my feet wet" in. I had never entered a cooking contest before even though cooking and food are very important to me. I have been a at home cook, mini-caterer, and personal chef for years.....this had to be for me.....so as I said, let the games begin.

I have entered 14 recipes as of yet and have one more week of the 8 week contest to submit some more dessert recipes. This blog will begin by highlighting this journey though the 8 week contest and also continue to follow what Kraft and Paula Dean have up their sleeve's next.

Join me as I feature recipes from this fun and exciting journey!! It's not too late for you to get in on the fun also. After the 8 weeks, Paula has announced that the fun will continue with more contests and the creation of a new cookbook! You can have a recipe published in that cookbook as well...see the Real Women of Philadelphia website to find out more.

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