friday links PLUS giveaway!

Let's just dive right in shall we?

I just love when I get emails from PR companies or publishers that want to share the launch or re-launch of a FABULOUS baking book. This one Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat Sinclair is a keeper. Very helpful little baking book. It has kicked up recipes inside. Like savory blue cheesecake, banana bars with brown sugar frosting... Luckily they were nice enough to give away 2 books!
This is the new edition of Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat Sinclair. It's a down-to-earth, reader-friendly baking guide is updated with beautiful full color photos throughout. According to Pat Sinclair, "If a little kneading is good, is a lot of kneading better? Not for biscuits, as I learned the first time I made them. I discovered that biscuits are tender and flaky only if I follow two key baking techniques--cutting in shortening and gentle kneading. I've learned many more secrets like these over decades of baking professionally for companies such as Pillsbury and Land O'Lakes." Included are many traditional and old-fashioned American favorites such as Buttery Crescent Dinner Rolls, Dark Chocolate Cake with Praline Filling and Cranberry Nut Tartlets. Most of the recipes are easy and recognizable, if not extremely familiar. Some of the recipes, such as Turtle Cheesecake Pie, are variations of classics but with a little twist that makes them unique.
Baking Basics and Beyond differs from other books on baking because it concentrates on basic techniques and simple directions. No prior experience is necessary.
Although Sinclair has a master's degree in Foods, much of her baking experience came at home. She began baking in elementary school by learning how to bake from her mother, especially how to make a pie crust.




Reprinted with permission from Baking Basics and Beyond, by Pat Sinclair, Agate Surrey, December 2011.

All you have to do to enter is leave ONE comment telling me what your favorite baking-guided cookbook is/was.
I'll do the drawing Friday March 2, 2012 and announce the TWO winners.

FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Did you know you can turn your ice dispenser into a candy dispenser? Can you imagine?


Did you hear? Ben & Jerry's is coming out with Greek Style Frozen yogurt! And it's NOT boring--it has stuff in it--lots of stuff! Goodbye boring ass strawberry and vanilla frozen yogurt!


I saw this on Pinterest and it had no link. Would love to know where to buy this. Anyone know? Cute right? Found it. Thank you reader for sending me the link. Apparently she isn't taking orders anymore?


My latest obsession is this site called freecabinporn.com. It's NOT what you think. It's all about absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking photos of various cozy cabins from around the world.

Are you getting enough magnesium? I wasn't, but am now. It's a powerhouse mineral.

Are you an avid knitter or crotcher? However you spell the latter. If you are, you need to check out this group called raverly.com. It's like a candy store for knitters, complete with patterns, tips, boards, photos, links, etc... It's like the modern take on knitting.

Tell me this is not a joke. . An app that let's you walk and type, AND let's you see in front you while walking? Was this developed because of all those people who texted while walking and fell into a sewer or pool? The Type & Walk App. For realz peeps.

Prevention magazine says you can shrink a size in 14 days. Hmmm. What do you think?

Have you ever made your own almond flour/meal? I've wanted to for a while, to make a good batch of classic macarons. It's also a staple for those gluten free kitchens. Here's a fabulous tutorial to make your own almond meal at home.

Can I be totally honest? I've never ever thought to make baked potatoes in a crock pot. I just learned about this from this blog. I feel like an idiot -- why didn't I think of this years ago?. Excellent tip and time saver!


Anyone tried using a dryer sheet for collecting dust on the floors or baseboards? This article says it works. I'm tempted to try it. Have you?


I must have this coat and this dog. How did the photographer keep a straight face and not giggle the whole time? You can actually buy this on Etsy.

All this hype these days about clean eating for whole body detox; so many theories on it, so many ways to detox each promising to be the right one. NPR recent article about clean eating detox stated one particular VALID point: "The body is constantly filtering the toxins in alcohol, food and medicines, not storing them," Boston dietitian Maria Adams tells The Salt. "So they're not going to build up. I think the reason people feel better on a cleanse is probably just they're losing weight and are less bloated."
Interesting article, and scary the amount money of that crazy GOOP detox program costs: over $400!


Let's go from detox to mini burgers! Since Oscar night is right around the corner, Wolfgang Puck has a lot of his recipes appearing on the web. And here is one of them using Wagyu beef and a perfect remoulade sauce.

James Beard 2012 Awards Semi finalists. Here here! Glad to see Joanne Chang is on there (from flour bakery in boston).

Real Caveman Diet--there was fruit! If you read this article, you'll see there was real proof the cavemen (and women) ate fruit. Recently they found pieces of dates on a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal. Very interesting read.


Photographer Rachel Hulin captures AMAZING photos of her baby in mid flight in various ways. It's just amazing. How did she do that?


News Boy cap for cats! I need this in my life.......right?

Want a quick and easy Banh Mi meatball rice bowl? All the flavors of bahn mi in a meatball in a rice bowl. FABULOUS.


My neighbors have some of the most gorgeous and friendly chickens I've ever seen. They don't come out much due to coyotes in our area, but when they do I make sure to hang with them for a bit. Here is a video I shot of my favorite rooster kicking it. He loves the camera (no, this was not edited, just perfect timing).

Flickr has a great set of "dogs underwater" photos.

Did you see the concept of this blog? Wild.

That's it. Have a fabulous weekend kids! Don't forget to enter the cookbook giveaway (above).