9/30/09

it's about that time.....for a giveway!

You know it's about time for a giveaway--a good giveaway! I don't want to giveaway a tube of this or a bowl of that, no I want to giveaway a pretty good prize. So, since we're all foodies here, cookbooks -- good cookbooks are a pretty good giveaway.
This giveaway will be your choice of one of these fabulous books:

tartine Tartine


baked Baked: New Frontiers in Baking


Bittman How to Cook Everything

All fabulous cookbooks with the best recipes around, to help inspire you to get your own creative cooking juices flowing. If you win, choose whichever one tickles your fancy.
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment at this post and tell me what recipe you have taken in the past or would like to take on, and how have you 'kicked it up a notch'. I want to hear about your creative cooking school skills and to possibly get you wanting to try something new with a kicked up flare.
On October 10, 2009, I will draw a random number and announce the winner. Sorry no anynomous comments allowed, for obvious reasons. Please make sure you have your email or website in your signature or name, so I can get a hold of you.

106 comments:

  1. One of my favorite things fo lunch is this fruity chicken salad with green grapes, granny smith apples, raisins, and LOTS of black pepper- but a few weeks ago I realized I wanted a little bit different taste and adding a teaspoon of cumin was the perfect addition! it was a really nice touch with the tart/sweet apples and grapes!

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  2. I make lasagna from the back of the box, then repeat layers over and over. Before you know it you're talking a 15 layer lasagna and everyone thinks it's the most amazing thing when in reality, it's very easy. Yummy though. :-)

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  3. I baked some chocolate chip cookies but added gourmet bittersweet chocolate and cinnamon and it was fantastic!!

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  4. This is an awesome giveaway! I want how to cook everything so bad! My kicking it up a notch is usually finding a way to make a recipe healthier and tastier! For example, I like add veggies in spots where they're not usually found by utilizing mashed squash instead of some of the cheese or cream in a recipe. Or bananas or applesauce in baking.

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  5. i make shortbread cookies & before baking, i top them with pride brand gourmet sugar (in grinder form)...i use the coffee & cardamom flavor....it gives a rich kick to the cookies!
    btw: i purchase the pride gourmet sugar grinders from amanda @ bake it pretty.

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  6. i add and subtract from practically every recipe i make! i think it's all about making it your own. to me recipes are only suggestions. :)

    xo
    kelly

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  7. I've been working on an apple-jalapeno pie...a spicy twist on an old favorite!

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  8. this is way too hard - I kick up every recipe - ok lets see - I put used vanilla beans in my sugar jar - thats it - thats all I've got!

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  9. Wow! I have had my eye on one of those books. :)

    Nutella and peanut butter are my nectar. Nicole from Baking Bites had a recipe for peanut butter cookies with peanut butter filling. I used this as a springboard for my own recipe idea and stuffed peanut butter cookies with a mixture of Nutella and peanut butter. The dough was then rolled in a mixture of crushed nuts, sea salt, and cinnamon.

    And I wish I had one right now.

    Thank you for this fun contest!

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  10. I love to add cayenne pepper to chocolate cookies or cake batter. It kicks the flavor up a notch!

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  11. Since I'm such a choco-holic, I find a way to incorporate chocolate into almost all of my baking recipes... whether its a chocolate crust on a pie, black bottom coconut or banana bars, or cheesecake with chocolate ganache and broiled chocolate chips on top! YUMM! its all about the chocolate :) hehe.
    I would LOVE the "BAKED" recipe book, I've been eyeing it for a while!
    Great give away, you're so generous!
    -Christa Kelso
    minibakercakes@yahoo.com
    Happy Baking!!

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  12. Just recently I made something called a Cookie Dough Pop. Anything that requires new-fangled kitchen bits like "lollipop sticks" and "lollipop wrappers" is usually enough to make me cough and move on... but this time I was determined to make them. And not only did they come out great after adding a bit of nutmeg inside and sprinkles on top, I couldn't find any left after Josh took them to work!

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  13. When I make zucchini soup, I don't add the parsley when I cook the veggies, but I add it at the very end - uncooked - in the blender. Such a fresh taste that way.

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  14. I kick it frantic-mom style. I take a recipe and try to simplify it. Crock pot recipes are my salvation as of late, it is SO nice to come home to a hot dinner ready and waiting.

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  15. I saw a recipe for these rolls with chocolate in the center. I kicked it up a notch by adding marshmallow and chocolate in the center and graham cracker crumbs and caramel sprinkled on top. My new little take on a s'more :)

    liesebelle@gmail.com

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  16. Let's see... I have scones on the brain right now. I've made a few different kinds in the past -- chocolate orange, chocolate, and butterscotch -- but I'd really like to take it up a notch and experiment with some others like pumpkin or a pumpkin cream cheese one... maybe even a savory one wtih fall/winter squash or root vegetables...

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  17. My roommate is not a meat eater usually, but she raves about my burgers, which I season up with Worcestershire sauce and rosemary.

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  18. Great books! I love them all! Thanks for a fabulous giveaway! I love changing up recipes, I do it all of the time. Adding in secret/special ingredients is so fun. I like to add glazes to cookies and my scones. I love adding streusel topping to breads and muffins. And I am with you on the coconut kick:)

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  19. Nice. For me to kick a recipe a recipe a notch would adding more spiciness. Living in a household where spicy foods is somewhat a rare thing, the only chance I get is they're out of the house. I definitely want to try making my own masala. That would be awesome.

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  20. Now that it's getting cooler I've been having oatmeal for breakfast again. I've changed it up from only adding cinnamon to adding a dash of cardamom too - and I love it!

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  21. my favorite way to kick up chocolate chip cookies adding pretzels, potato chips or chex mix! great salty sweet combo!

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  22. Well 10/10 is a birthday for one of us, so clearly...a win would be nice. :) We both do funky things with recipes, which usually means not following them too well. One good trick for baking is a little less sugar and a little more salt. Just a little. It has a nice effect.

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  23. One of my favorite (but not particularly novel) items to upscale is pizza. Pizza is not just for pepperoni & sauce but for goats cheese & caramelized onions or BBQ chicken with pesto & buffalo mozzarella.

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  24. Val: fool_41@live.com10/2/09, 3:03 PM

    I make Crisco's recipe: ultimate chocolate chip cookies, but I substitute coconut shortening for half the Crisco and use both white and dark chocolate in place of semi-sweet chips.
    Delightful.

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  25. I make Crisco's recipe: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, but I substitute half the Crisco with coconut shortening. I also replace the semi-sweet chips with dark and white chocolate.
    Delightful!

    VB: fool_41@live.com

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  26. I'm more of a baker than a cook, really, so my creativity is usually limited to the add-ins for cookies! If I had to pick, I suppose my creative specialty is quesadillas, something my kid will almost always eat. I especially like to mix up the kinds of cheeses and flavors, not always mexican! Sometimes a ham and swiss or pork bbq quesadilla is great.

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  27. I was recently in Chicago and visited the Spice House. It is such a cool place with all these spice variations. I bought a spice blend called Vulcan Fire Salt and have used it on my eggs every day since I purchased it. It adds just the right amount of kick and heat to the eggs. You gotta try it. Check out their website and order it. I will definitely keep some in stock.

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  28. What a fantastic giveaway! I recently made some Mexican Brownies that has cayanne pepper and cinnamon in them that I loved. I think I want to start playing around with my chocolate cake recipe and make some spicy chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon frosting. Hmmmmmm - it's warming my heart already.

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  29. Oh my goodness, why am I drawing a blank???

    I don't know if this is considered "kicking it up a notch", but I like to add Mexican Vanilla to almost everything I bake. It gives it a certain "something" that is so aromatic and homey (to me!).

    Thanks for this opportunity.

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  30. Ohhhhhhh, that's a good question. I always start with a recipe because I am rather new-ish to cooking, but just last week I made my first turkey pot pie. I didn't measure anything, threw in cream of chicken soup and corn (because that is literally the only veggie my husband will eat) turkey from last thanksgiving (yes, that's 2008) and sharp cheddar cheese all over the place. I used the cheese originally to bind it together because it seemed runny, but wow that added a nice savory tang to it. I can't imagine a pot pie without it now!

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  31. I use Grand Marnier in all places/recipes that call for orange juice. It is such a yummy flavor with that hidden kick, no one can guess what it is!

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  32. I love to bake and I've recently just started to make up my own recipes, but I have so many ideas still in my head that I've only gotten around to making one thing which is spicy hot chocolate apple cinnamon scones. I tossed the apples with cinnamon, brown sugar, a little lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and instant hot chocolate mix. They were so good.

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  33. How Great! I love cookbooks and cooking magazines, but never buy them because of the price! I love the baking cooking book! I'm a new cook, so not much that I do right now is my own! I tweak recipes the 2nd time I make them for my family's taste buds; puree tomatoes and finely chop onions so my kids dont detect them!

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  34. Not sure this is a recipe but here goes...I use olive oil exclusively when cooking and I add it to just about everything...including desserts... brace yourself: I even drizzle olive oil onto good quality vanilla ice cream and then sprinkle some fleur de sel (finishing salt) on top of that...it really adds oomph to the ice cream!

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  35. I am in culinary school and am always looking to try something new or kick things up a notch. I mayjoring in baking and pastry. A couple nights ago I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and put a pinch of sea salt on them before baking. Delicious

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  36. Shannon (shannon9585@hotmail.com)10/2/09, 7:10 PM

    My little way of changing up basic recipes for baked goods is to use almond extract in place of vanilla extract. I've found the almond extract goes especially well in chocolate cookies and brownies... it just adds a subtle flavor that's a little different from the norm.

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  37. Hmm.. almost all of my cooking has turned into some sort of culinary experiment. I love how I can make a trifle from some leftover cake (chocolate, banana, or dates even), homemade custard, whipped cream, and whatever sauce I can whip up with the ingredients in the fridge (either berries, or chocolate). Delicious!

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  38. Ive been really getting into pumpkin lately and have been looking for different pumpkin cookies, pies and muffins recipes Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm!

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  39. i make caribbean red beans and rice. i not only break a whole coconut down to shave and add to the pot, i tie a string to a scotch bonnet put it in the pot and let the beans simmer away. yummy!
    i love your blog!! this is my first visit.
    : )

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  40. Great giveaway! I have never tried baking and i would love to try it. Even if I just start with a box of cookie mix and then just add like extra dried fruits or choco chips just to spice it up a little..

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  41. What a fantastic giveaway! I kick things up a notch by challenging myself to cook with ingredients I haven't used before!

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  42. Since Fall began, I've been really into spicing up old soup recipes! Lately I've been adding tarragon to everything... it's especially delicious in my chicken soup recipe!

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  43. oatmeal cookies w/ all different kinds of add-ins.

    jacquieastemborski@comcast.net

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  44. Salads can get rather boring after a while so I like to kick it up a notch by adding crunch! Sometimes I break crackers on top, sprinkle on some nuts like almonds or sunflower seeds, or my recent kick it up addition to salads is granola!! I made my first homemade granola recipe consisting of pecans, vanilla maple syrup, coconut oil, and some orange zest to old fashion oats and oat bran. This was topped onto a spinach salad with goat cheese, almond breaded chicken, and a raspberry dressing. AWESOME!

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  45. Ooh Tartine! Only my favorite cookbook in the world. You're really an Emeril fan aren't you? ;)
    I kick things up a notch by making unique fillings for basics like chiffon cakes and crepes :)

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  46. I want to trt this lasagna recipe that I saw using seafood. It seemed different to me. But instead of shrimp, I will be using crab meat and and add some whole tomatoes to it. Yum!

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  47. I've been experimenting with red cabbage and apples. Raw. Cooked. Sweet. Sour. With dried cranberries and walnuts. With wine. With star anise.

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  48. Hey Buddy, great idea for a giveaway. I've heard good things about all those books :)

    Things I do to live dangerously with food? Recently I like to take traditional pie crusts and add stuff to them. Who says you can't add a little coconut or nuts or spice to the dough? Dangerous :)

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  49. I love experimenting with pizza toppings using whatever odds & ends I have in the fridge - fruits, veggies, beans, meat, and just about any kind of cheese. It's a great way to use up a bunch of leftovers at once.

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  50. while i'm always trying to use new (to me) ingredients and finding different ways to use them, i'm thinking about the apple pie i'm going to make... thinking of kicking it up with some thyme and chedder ;) we'll see how it turns out!

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  51. My favorite thing to bake is the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies. They are so easy and i modified the recipe a little to get the perfect result. Everyone always loves them! But i do enjoy a challenge in the kitchen so I am always changing what i want to make.

    check out my blog
    cookteen.blogspot.com

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  52. Great giveaway! Thanks for the opportunity!

    I love finding new recipes, and lately I've found some new ideas for coleslaw. I haven't yet had a chance to try them, but I have my eye on a version with apples and jalepenos and one with pears. Mmmm.

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  53. Mine is simple. I make Heatherdoodles - snickerdoodles with cinnamon sugar in the dough and on the outside. The extra cinnamon and sugar really crisps them up and adds that little something extra they need to be fantastic instead of only really good.

    I know I have something more interesting than that, but my brain is fried right now and that's all I've got! There are some great ideas posted here.

    Cheers,

    *Heather*

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  54. I wanted to make some "home fries" for dinner and the regular potatoes had sprouted so I subbed sweet potatoes and OMG! they were the best! Cubed and sauted with onions until crispy and delicious! Anything for a new cookbook....Jan C.

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  55. In the recent past the biggest "a-ha!" we've had is through our self-education in canning. We had an epic bumper crop of tomatoes so on the fly we've taught ourselves not only how to can but recipes that work, don't work, and how to pump them up so they'll taste as jawsome 6 months from now as the day we put them in the jar.

    Most notably our salsa has been a mark of success in experimentation and just throwing expectation aside. We've made about every different kind of fruit salsa, from mango, to pineapple to even apple and experimented in spices and various ways to enhance spice while still capturing the sweetness of the fruit. Our secret...brown sugar and apple cider vinegar!

    Those books look awesome, hope we win!

    Neil and Jes

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  56. I like the way you mix things up- it inspires me. I have made the roasted chick peas- just made them w/o the curry and just made them very hot! They were great. I have been using my spices from my garden. I made a brushetta with tomatoes, basil, salt& pepper with mixed variety of hot peppers- that w/ mozzarella on top of bread!!! Very good- it is a keeper! Nicole

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  57. Sorry I forgot to add my email- ndshadel@verizon.net to the comment that I left!
    Thanks Nicole

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  58. I make everything according to the recipe just once to see what it's supposed to be like, then never again the same way.:-) The best was changing up my favorite cheesecake recipe to make it diabetic-friendly & low-fat for my hubs, then making it chocolate! Yum!

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  59. I added pumpkin to a krustez Coffee cake mix to make a super simple pumpkin coffee cake. Delicious!

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  60. Lovely cookbooks! I am a baker by nature, and I have to say the last recipe I fooled around with successfully was for Mexican Chocolate scones . Adding the cinnamon ( quite a lot) to the milk chocolate magically transformed the scones, and the funny thing is - you really don't taste the cinnamon. Everybody loves them, but can't put their finger on why they taste so special.

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  61. I don't think I have ever followed a recipe entirely faithfully. I'm always thinking of one more ingredient that would give it just a little something special, or a substitution that I think would be awesome LOL My own grandmother's family recipes aren't sacred.

    She used to make these cookies called "Crottes" (we're French-Canadian - that literally means "turds" - appetizing, no?). My aunt inherited the recipe, and last year, she invited me over to help her make them. We made one batch the way my grandma used to - then I had to mess with the recipe. I used cream cheese instead of some of the vegetable shortening, substituted the fruits (dates and cherries replaced by pineapple, lemon zest and raisins), added poppy seeds, etc. The result was a VERRRRRYYYY different cookie! Half my family loved them, the other half claimed I was evil for having messed with grandma's classic LOL Oh well, I just can't help it. I always mess with the classics.

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  62. One of my new favorite ingredients is fresh nutmeg. I recently got a grinder and have been using it like crazy! I love adding it to things with a bit of cayenne pepper so it's spicy too.

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  63. I love your blog. My husband always comments that I'm looking at food porn on the internet again.

    I love to cook and bake. In the past, I've always followed recipes for baking cheesecakes instead of experimenting and following my instincts, which are usually pretty good for what would go well together.

    For ages, I've been staring at a box of super thin Meyer lemon cookies that I bought at Trader Joe's, just knowing that they would be the perfect basis for a crust on a cheesecake. Some butter and sugar and those cookies all smashed up -- what a great basis for a good, dense lemony cheesecake.

    Oh, to work up the nerve.

    -- tomzgrrl@hotmail.com

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  64. I'm not sure if this counts as taking it up a notch. I tried to make the banana custard, had nice plans for making it into a 3-layer pie, the thing is cornstarch and baking soda have very similar containers, and look a lot alike...but baking soda doesn't really make custard.

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  65. I think Baked was made for me! Help me, Dawn, put that mixer to use! :)

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  66. Now that its fall I am so excited for soups. There is such freedom in making soups. I had a recipe for Sausage and Bean soup last week and I managed to use the same base but instead of a spicy mexican soup it turned into almost an italian wedding soup. It was delicious and got me excited to try more combinations.

    -carriechilton@gmail.com

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  67. I recently made grilled chicken and marinated it in garlic aioli (sans the egg) based marinade that had tumeric, papika, mustard, salt and pepper. It was so much better than the normal garlic chunks, olive oil, salt and pepper. That is how I kicked up my basic grilled chicken recipe.

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  68. I made a garlic aioli based marinade (without the egg) and added mustard, paprika, tumeric, salt and pepper. It was so good. It was better than doing my basic garlic chunk marinade! That is how I kicked it up a notch

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  69. I like to mix pudding into cake before baking. For all people who like moist, underbaked-tasting things, this technique is for you.

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  70. I just recently became a vegetarian and so I am learning how to be more and more creative with vegetables, etc. It has been so much fun! This past weekend I made a tomato pie - it was absolutely amazing!! Light, flaky, golden brown pie crust... mounds of soft, lucious pure fontina cheese... bright red juicy bulging tomatoes... fresh cracked black pepper, sea salt, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of bold, vibrant basil on top. Paired with strawberry romaine salad and a glass of Spanish red wine, this meal was deeply satisfying! I loved it!

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  71. Holy Smack- two cookbooks I actually don't have (I have Bittman's but not the other two)! Kicked up a notch? Well, I've recently had some fun w/ browned butter. Made Snickerdoodles with browned butter and Chocolate Chip cookies w/ browned butter too. Good results :)

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  72. I am still pretty new to cooking, but I experiment with the types and amounts of spices and herbs in almost every dish I cook. I think from that I have learned a lot.

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  73. Crushed red pepper flakes! I add these little jewells to just about anything to kick it up a notch! Eggs in the morning, put in the water while cooking corn and can't forget the pasta sauce or the shrimp thats cooking or....Love the stuff!

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  74. How fun! The one thing that I have played around with kicking it up a bit here and there is my chili. I started with a basic chili recipe and over the years it has become my pride and joy! Something about the combination of chicken, chocolate, cashews, and chili's makes me happy!

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  75. I love recipes, but rarely follow them or make the exact same thing twice. I am all about adding, subtracting (using what I have in my fridge), and switching sweeteners, fats, and veggies. I have been playing with my granola recipe recently and I have added millet, which I love, dried cherries and roasted almonds.

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  76. i love to make chicken salads .. .and throw it on a bed of spinach .. however .. i wanted a spin on my usual .. mandarin orange, green onion, celery chicken salad .. i threw in some feta .. and pepper .. wow wow wow .. i can't get enough. i might be eating it for the 3rd day in a row .. .maybe. lol

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  77. I just tried my hand at homemade tortillas...they were fabulous! I can't wait to try the tomato & spicy corn puff pastry you posted!

    jojo17 at gmail dot com

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  78. I recently added millet and roasted almonds to my granola recipe and I love it.

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  79. I'm always ready to take on a new recipe that the husband says "he probably won't like"-he was anti White chicken chili, and when I added extra green chilis he became a fast fan!

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  80. One of my favorites is baked ziti...kids love it and company ask for it for dinner. I add sliced provolone in each layer, too!

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  81. I like your blog -- I don't think I've attempted any of your recipes, but the last thing I made was a pumpkin/pecan pie, and repurposed it to work in a 9x13. I crushed gingersnaps to use as the base.

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  82. I usually use recipes as a guideline and add or take away depending on my mood. :)

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  83. I'm going to be making Texas Chili this week, because my boyfriend likes it made with steak. But just to kick up the recipe I decided on, I'm going to add dark beer and beans, maybe even tomatoes. Yes I know, the latter ingredients are a no-no to chili purists but I'm stretching the meal out!! tifscat14(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  84. I make this--http://vanillakitchen.blogspot.com/2008/11/chocolate-cinnamon-scones.html--scone recipe except use frozen butter and grate it into the mixture, and substitute sour cream for the milk. I want to try it with cheese and apples!

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  85. I've made mini lasagnas using wonton noodles. They are the perfect size and cook up super quick. They aren't the neatest things ever, but then, neither is regular lasagna :)

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  86. I am planning to deconstruct a few classic dishes soon such as mac & cheese and pumpkin pie, should be fun!

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  87. I love taking a basic cookie recipe like Rachel Allen's n adding different stuff in it..choc chips, cinnamon,nuts,etc to make it different anytime..or make them plain..Love cookies of every type! Awesome giveaway! :D
    -Disha.
    d(dot)fuchsia(at)gmail(dot)com

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  88. I would LOVE to win any of these books, especially "How to Cook Everything". Great giveaway Dawn.

    I took lasagna to a whole new level with tons of roasted vegetables recently.

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  89. I'm dying to try your devil's food cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. I'd like to skip the peanut butter and change the buttercream to a vanilla/mint buttercream. When I was a kid my mom always used to make me brownies with mint chips and they were my favorite. My hope is that I can recreate that with the cake.

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  90. Let's see...I think the only recipe (from the blog world) I have borrowed or used is from your site and it is the sour cream blueberry cake where I kicked it up with some toasted coconut. Yuuum! You are sweet to do a giveaway!

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  91. I love creating "slop" for my brother and me (as he so affectionately named it), which is: sauteed garlic and onions, cooked sweet Italian sausage, mixed vegetables cooked with a little rice cooking wine (for sweetness and tartness), and cups of rice. I jazzed it up by throwing half a jar of tomato sauce, which gave it a deep, almost Italian-jambalaya type flavor.

    Another thing I love lunching on his homemade apple crisp: but chopping up walnuts and adding it to the crumbly topping so they brown in the oven with the rest of the crisp just elevates it to a whole new level. :D

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  92. i made two cookies this weekend... one from baking bites which were ....wait for it....chocolate chip cookies with freeze dried strawberries in them..... outstanding! and from tartlette the rosemary shortbread with apricot jam filling..... out of this world..... and soooo different.... cant wait to try that mushroom soup....my email is vickievjohnst@aol.com

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  93. I love the interesting combinations you come up with, such as the corn relish and horsey sauces. Of all the food blogs I read yours definitely has an air of experimentation and creativity.

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  94. I mostly follow recipes because I'm not that confident in the kitchen yet. However, I kick almost everything I make up a notch by adding extra/different seasonings. I add extra herbs, cayenne, red pepper flakes etc. to recipes all the time.

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  95. I recently overcame a long standing fear of making cinnamon buns... by making 2 different recipes and having a taste test! Next... croissants now that the weather is starting to cool off?

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  96. We searched all over for a cinnamon cheesecake recipe, my husband's favorite at the Cheesecake Factory. Finally I just took my favorite plain cheesecake recipe and added loads of cinnamon swirls throughout the cake. It was absolutely amazing.

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  97. So what are you doing in NE girl if you don't like the cold?! This soup is tops and I hate it that my hubby does not eat mushrooms, so I will have to make it for myself someday!

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  98. Making my first pizza dough was a revelation - I was afraid of the yeast, like some many are, but its so easy! I make pizza all the time now, and always with homemade dough.
    Next up, sourdough starter!

    Otherwise, I often don't have all of the ingredients on hand for recipes and make substitutions (bananas for eggs in cookies are especially good), or add in spices I think might be good (double the garlic!).

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  99. I finally bought a jar Nutella and my friend told me what she did when she found one up at her lake home-I'm going to try indoors soon, maybe tonight! She made S'mores but instead of Hershey bars she used Nutella. She was beside herself, so that is what I am trying next!

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  100. how awesome!
    I love trying new recipes...especially the baking ones. But recently I have been trying out a lot of dinner recipes and I have found that adding in some random veggies like squash, or avocado or bell pepper can add an extra kick and its nutritious! I love to try new things!

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  101. I hope to try my hand at your peanut butter cup recipe...I just need a good excuse...perhaps Friday. What a fun giveaway.

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  102. This soup looks so good Dawn! YUMMMM.

    Eggplant Parm - I always add a little goat cheese in the mix, and some spinach. People LOVE it!

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  103. i've been growing basil, so i've been using it where it may have been unlikely, like ice cream, etc...

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  104. Yum. I bet the flavor combinations in this soup are amazing. I bet the best part are the crispy shallots on top. MMM.

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  105. Great giveaway!

    I like to try to make everything from scratch. I've tried making my own butter, ice cream, condiments, bread without a breadmaker, pizza dough, tortillas, granola bars, yogurt cheese, beef jerky, wine... the list goes on! Any kind of challenge and I am ON it :)

    I kick recipes up a notch by taking any recipe I can and trying to healthify it. I'm determined that absolutely any kind of food can still taste great even when it's healthified, and I'm on a mission to be able to accomplish it.

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  106. Roasted pear and butternut squash soup - I added curry spices and blue cheese. It was an interesting combination.

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