Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolates

After returning from a week of work in Pittsburgh, I found a tiny little box on my front porch filled with three sweet bites of Ghirardelli’s new Luxe Milk Chocolates. And since I had quite a rough time while I was gone – two broken fingernails; a burn on my arm from loading and unloading close to 200 cardboard boxes; straining half of my lower back muscles; falling off a sidewalk, thus cutting & bruising my knee and scraping my toes – I was in desperate need of some pampering.

Unfortunately, I can’t get a spa appointment quick enough, so instead of fulfilling my adult responsibilities like cleaning the house or doing the laundry, I had my hair cut and then spent the night on the couch watching DVR’d shows and eating these yummy chocolates. 🙂 And boy were they delicious. Especially the one dotted with toasted almonds. Oh man… Ghirardelli and Foodbuzz, please feel free to ship another (large) box filled with these!

Check out Ghirardelli’s profile on Foodbuzz for more information on their new line of rich and creamy chocolates! Then run to the store immediately and stock up!

 

Pardon me…

Well, well… here we are again. It’s pretty obvious by now that MBH is having an identity crisis. Please bear with me while things are updated and the dust settles! We’re a little late with the Spring Cleaning, but there are still yummy things to post, so keep an eye out for those!

 

‘My Baking Heart’ has a new home!

If you’ve stopped off here for this week’s TWD, you’ll have to click over to my new residence, My Baking Heart.com!

I’m leaving the WordPress edition active so you can find past favorites, but please make sure to change your bloglists and RSS feeds! 😀

I’m really excited about this move and it’s all because of C – he really believes in me and I couldn’t have done it without him! Thank you, babe!! So, without further adieu, I’ll see you at My Baking Heart.com!!

While you’re at it, grab a new MBH Button!!

 

Guten Appetit! Germany & the Czech Republic

I’ve had a few revelations since my return from Europe this week. For one, my family is nuts – we’ve made over 10 trips to Germany (and surrounding countries) and we’re still making mistakes. You’d think we’d be seasoned pros by now, but nope, not yet. Two, I don’t exercise near as much as I should. We hiked 6 miles up and down a rocky, muddy mountain to see a castle… 6 miles. Crazy. And three, I center my vacations way too much around food. However, this means that I’ve returned with several new recipes in tow to post in the near future. Hurray! And guess what I found in Wuppertal? Cupcakes at McDonald’s!

I’m definitely going on a diet… just as soon as this jet lag moves on. 🙂

 

Bon Appétit, Y’all… it’s time for a giveaway!! TIME’S UP!!

Last Friday evening, I had the exciting opportunity to sit through a class taught by the lovely Ms. Virginia Willis, chef extraordinaire. And afterwards? I got to meet her. Yep, that’s us above. She’s a doll – absolutely one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.

The class was titled ‘The Flavors of Fresh Herbs’, which featured dishes from Ms. Willis’ first book, Bon Appétit, Y’all! Three Generations of Southern Cooking. We had a Fresh Herb Salad, Soufflé aux Fines Herbs, Herb de Provence Crusted Fresh Ham and Bay Roasted New Potatoes. And those that know me, know that I don’t normally like ham. But Virginia’s ham? I ate it. On purpose. And I liked it. Seriously, I think this woman’s a miracle worker.

And finally, our dessert… a Lemon Thyme Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Mint Blueberry Compote sprinkled with edible flowers. Mmmm, I’m drooling just thinking about it (definitely the best dish of the night). This recipe isn’t in Bon Appétit, Y’all, but it will be in her next book! So make sure to look for it next year!!

Since I had such an amazing time and was so inspired by Ms. Willis, I’m giving one of you lucky ducks a copy of her book. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment describing your favorite Spring dish. Does it feature citrus, herbs, fresh fruit, edible flowers? Is it light in flavor or healthy for you? If you have the recipe, by all means, leave a link!

Bonus entries, you say?? Sure! Just leave a separate comment below for each of them to count.

• Head over to twitter and follow my tweets
• Tweet about this giveaway
• Become a fan of ‘My Baking Heart’ on facebook
• And/or subscribe to MBH updates (at the top right of the page)

That’s a total of FIVE entries and you have one week to enter! I’ll announce the winner Friday, April 23, so good luck to everyone… and Bon Appétit, Y’all!! 😉

Disclaimer: This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Virginia Willis or the publishers of Bon Appétit, Y’all! Three Generations of Southern Cooking. Prize in question was purchased solely by the author of this blog, who receives no compensation for this review. Giveaway open to residents of the United States only.

 

‘Pies, Pies & More Pies’ by Viola Goren

About a month ago, I got a really exciting email from Katie at BookMasters Distribution asking if I’d be interested in reviewing books for them on a regular basis. Along with collecting antiques, TCU football and baking, reading is another passion of mine. So obviously, I told her yes.

Pies, Pies & More Pies by Viola Goren is fabulous. It’s filled with varied recipes from eleven different catagories, starting with Fruits & Berries and ending with Meat, Chicken & Fish. ‘Pies’ includes everything from a Rustic Double-Crust Apple Pie to a fancy Vol-au-Vent, chock-full of brie and mushrooms. This book is also peppered with gorgeous, colorful pictures, including one for almost every single recipe. The layout is beautiful and each recipe is very easy to follow. ‘Pies’ is definitely one to check out on your next trip to the bookstore.

 

Squee!! I’m a 479° Popcorn Winner!!

Oscars, schmoscars. My 479° Popcorn arrived a day late, but really, I don’t need an awards show to chow down on some amazing popcorn.

See, I have a bit of a love affair with popcorn. Pop me some kernels any day, any time, and I’m ready. So, fate must’ve intervened when I was chosen as a semi-finalist in, and then a winner of, Blake’s ‘479° Popcorn’ giveaway. 🙂

Each flavor is incredible… from the Madras Coconut Curry & Cashews to the Chipotle Caramel & Almonds. I did a little research after I had won, and I just knew that my favorite would be the Black Truffle & White Cheddar (I just had a feeling). However, once the package arrived, I was totally wrong. Along with Momma G, I tried all five flavors and my absolute favorite ended up being the Ginger Sesame Caramel… sweet (and salty) with that little kick of ginger at the end. The BT&WC came in a close second, though!

BIG ‘ol thanks to my good buddy Blake of BlakeMakes (glad you’re back!) and to Jean of 479° Popcorn for this awesome giveaway. Can’t wait until I can dig into more of your delicious popcorn!!

 

Adopt a Blogger #4 & British Flapjacks

I’m super late on spreading the news, but what with two weeks away from home, mountains of laundry, four flights and lots of eating on the road (blech), it’s been a little hard! 🙂 So, without further adieu, let’s welcome Magda of Cooking is My Therapy to the ‘MBH’ family!!

I had so much fun participating in last year’s ‘Adopt a Blogger’ as a seasoned vet (hee, hee!), that I decided to do it again. Magda doesn’t seem to need a whole lot of help (she’s already got a great blog and lots of yummy recipes that you should check out ASAP) but it’s obvious from our first few emails that we’ll become fab friends in the process! So, to properly welcome her, here’s a beautifully simple recipe for a very popular English treat, the Flapjack (not to be confused with fluffy pancakes). They’re like a buttery, sweet & chewy granola bar… just perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack in between the three!!

British Flapjacks
Source: Bon Appétit, March 2010

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 c (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 c golden syrup*
2-1/3 c quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
Pinch of salt

*A type of syrup popular in Great Britain; available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and British import shops.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add oats and salt; stir until coated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out in even layer.
Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut into 4 squares; cut each into 4 triangles (mixture will still be soft). Cool completely in pan before serving.

 

Lucky Leaf’s ‘Sweetheart Cherry Cake’… and a Giveaway!! TIME’S UP!!

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely Krista from Lucky Leaf’s PR firm asked if I’d like to try out their yummy little Sweetheart Cherry Cake. Obviously, I said yes… I love Lucky Leaf pie fillings! So, several days later I walked out to the mailbox and found a big package containing all these fab prizes:

I immediately got to work on the cake and was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. One of my favorite flavors is cherry (especially when paired with chocolate – go figure), so this was the perfect ‘sweet little treat’ post-lunch. Everyone at work loved it, too!

And guess what?! You can be one of 10 lucky readers to win their Wilton heart-shaped pan! Just comment on this post by WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10th and 10 of you will be chosen at random (via random.org) to win! Be sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you if chosen – that’s it! Now get to commenting!! 😉

Sweetheart Cherry Cake
Source: Lucky Leaf

Cake:
1 (18.25 oz) dry white cake mix (or your favorite flavor)
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
1-1/2 cans Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Pie Filling (each can is 21 oz)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 2-1/2 inch heart-shaped cake pan (13 x 9 inch pan directions below*). In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium speed, mix together dry cake mix, eggs, baking powder, extracts and 1/2 can of cherry pie filling until moistened. Fold in the remaining 1/2 can of cherry pie filling by hand until blended. Batter should appear thick. Pour batter into pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 65-75 minutes (mine took about 55 minutes), until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. Invert cake onto a serving platter to decorate.

*Substitute a standard 13 x 9 inch pan for the heart-shaped cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Or substitute two 16 oz tubs of any flavor prepared icing for the buttercream icing recipe.

Buttercream Icing:
1 c butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
4 c (1 lb) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2-4 tbsp milk

Cream together butter and extracts. Slowly add sifted confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Add 2 tbsp milk. Mix well. If needed, continue adding milk 1 tbsp at a time, until icing is smooth and spreadable.

When cool, ice all sides of the cake, then evenly spoon 1/2 can of additional cherry pie filling over the top (keeping the pie filling about one inch from the edge of the cake). Pat sliced almonds, mini chocolate chips or sprinkles onto the sides of the iced cake.

 

Cupcake Pebbles?? YES, please!!

Whoa. As soon as I saw this via Twitter (and Cupcake Takes the Cake) yesterday, I knew I had to have some. Fortunately for me, Post sells their cereals all the way up here in the boonies (saving me 40 miles worth of gas) and I was able to grab a box last night. And as soon as I opened it, a wave of sweet, sweet vanilla hit my nose. Seriously, it’s like eating a bowl of Funfetti® cake. I only hope that it’s still on the shelves the next time I’m at the store. Ooooh, I think I see ‘Cupcake Pebbles’ Cupcakes in my future… 😀