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| two of my favorite cookbooks...for you! |
Today marks my third blogiversary! Oh what fun this has been for me over these past few years. I am so honored that you stop in and say hello on a regular basis. I appreciate your comments and emails but most especially your prayers for me and my family. You all are the very best...truly!
So to celebrate, I decided a few giveaways were in order. So for the next three days I will post three questions for you to answer in the comment section. With each answer you will be entered into the drawing for that day. One answer = one entry, three answers = three entries.
I will leave all three posts up for an extra day and draw the winners on Monday, November 1, All Saints Day. Please spread the word on facebook and twitter. It's always nice to meet new people so let's really get the conversation going here.
Today we're talking about the family table. The prize for today are brand new copies of two of my favorite cookbooks; Everyday Italian by Giada deLaurentis and The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten. I have really enjoyed cooking from these books. The ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store and the directions are clear and simple to follow. These are great books for beginners in the kitchen or the more seasoned home cook. The finished product will astound you with the bold flavors and absolute yumminess. I promise!
Here are the questions:
1. What is your favorite food memory?
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why?
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn?
There you have it. I am looking forward to your comments. Remember you have until Monday at 6 a.m. to comment! Make sure if you leave a way for me to contact you (in case your the winner)
Celebrate good times...come on!!
Mary
Happy Blogiversary!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun give-a-away!
1. It isn't easy to pick a favorite food memory. I think it would have to be when I'd come into the house and smell my mom making spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce and meatballs. The smell of the sauce just permeated the whole house. My mom doesn't really cook anymore, so it is a memory I associate with family and my childhood. Sometimes she even baked fresh bread.
2. Favorite condiment? Well, if I had to pick one condiment to use the rest of my life, it'd be ketchup because it is good with so many things but if I had to pick my favorite (and I'm not sure if this counts) it would be bernaise sauce. So bad for you and yet so good. It is just one of the French's genius to take over the world. (although given the amount of butter, there should be a Paula Deen version - lol).
3. I am not very skilled in the kitchen. My husband is more skilled than I am. I guess if I had to pick one skill it would be how to use an outdoor grill. (Ours is not gas, but charcoal and other than trying to set everything on fire, I don't know the proper way to grill.) I don't know how and not only does it make delicious food, it can be such a useful skill. I really wish I had known it last July when my husband was out of town and our power was out for 4 days.
God Bless and Thanks!
1. What is your favorite food memory? Grandma's Kitchen when she made cinnamon rolls.
ReplyDelete2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why? garlic, makes everything smell and taste good!
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn? How to throw together a fast healthy family meal at the last minute
Cherie S.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add;
Congratulations on your blog anniversary!
Cherie
Mary-
ReplyDeleteI am not entering the contest (since I won so recently), but wanted to say congratulations. A special "happy blog day gift" will be in the mail to you by next week. See - now I can't keep putting it off since I have had something to send you for 2 weeks now!
Betsy
1) Food Memory - Growing up, we'd spent Christmas Eve after Mass at my great-aunt & uncles' (3 brothers & a sister never married & lived together) house. She was full-blooded Italian & would make a feast of Italian dishes & desserts for all the family members who would drop in & out of the house throughout the evening. I still remember the scents of pasta & meatballs.
ReplyDelete2) Favorite Condiment - Zesty Italian dressing...can be used in salads, marinating meats, spread on subs, etc.
3) Kitchen Skill - Timing! I can never seem to get all parts of the meal ready at the same time! Something always takes longer than I expect it to.
Congrats on your blogiversary! It certainly has evolved a lot from where it started!
ReplyDelete1. My favorite food memory?
--the annual Christmas Cookie Baking with my mom
2. My favorite condiment? Dill because it goes with just about everything and has a wonderful aroma.
3. What kitchen skill would I like to learn? I'd really love to learn to make authentic Chinese food!
OH HOW FUN!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogoversary!!!
You have my email for if I win ::crosses fingers and closes eyes tight to wish real hard::
Here are my answers:
1) My favorite food memory is actually feeding my babies their first table foods...we never did "jar" foods...but put everything in the blender right from our table...there's such FOND memories in thinking back to the cute faces they make when they try something new...the messy chin...the THROWING of food in excitement...aaahhh....the good ol days.
2) Hands down, no doubt about it, without fail...my number one favorite cooking condiment is GARLIC!!!! Love the smell, love the taste, LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!
3) I will like to be a better bread maker than I am...I'm trying...but I stand for MUCH improvement here.
CONGRATULATIONS, MARY!!!! You are my inspiration!
ReplyDelete1. What is your favorite food memory? Waking up to the smell of my dad's spaghetti sauce every Sunday morning as a kid.
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why? Cayenne Pepper -- Burn baby burn -- I love to feel the heat when I eat!
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn? How to make Asian food that actually tastes like Asian food -- I'd love to get the seasonings right.
Happy Blogoversary!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading them - especially Mary's book basket. Thanks for sharing.
Here is my entry:
1. What is your favorite food memory? The Christmas cookie bake-off with my Aunts and cousins. We would make something like 50 dozen cookies in an afternoon. It was an awesome time of baking, testing, and talking.
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why? There are so many, but if I have to pick just one, I would have to say fresh rosemary from my herb garden. Or maybe it's fresh basal.
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn? I would really like to learn how to pick out a good wine - beyond "White goes with chicken and fish while red goes with beef" sort of thing. If that doesn't count as a cooking skill, then I would have to say making crepes that aren't rubbery and don't stick to the pan.
1. What is your favorite food memory?
ReplyDeleteI have many food memories, but here's one that stands out and makes me laugh to this day: I was home from college and my Mom was at work. She asked me to put a turkey in the oven and left instructions including when to put it in and at what temperature. What she didn't tell me was that I also needed to clean out the cavities - take out the bag of giblets, the neck, etc. After she got home she asked me what I did with the bag of giblets. I said, "The bag of what?" Haha! The turkey was delicious in spite of it!
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why?
My son used to pour Ranch dressing on EVERYTHING, but now he's switched to Creamy Cesar. But I guess you don't really care about his favorite condiment. What's mine? I'm not sure. I do like dijon mustard. I use a lot of dill, but that's not really a condiment. If I were in Ireland, I'd probably say potatoes! :)
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn?
I would love to master good, New York Jewish BAGELS! That would be grand.
Congrats on your 3 years of blogging! Hope I make it to 3 years! By the way, I love, love, love Ina Garten.
Congratulations!!! Three years is awesome!
ReplyDelete1)A favorite memory I would think would have to be when my mom would bake at night in the weeks before Christmas. She couldn't bake during the day because we were always in the way and would eat things as soon as they came out of the oven. So she would bake at night and freeze things. So I would fall asleep to the aroma of chocolate chip cookies, fudge and all kinds of goodies.
2) Condiment: It's a tie, Sweet and Sour Sauce and Heinz 57 sauce. I dip everything in them and have found they both cover up the taste of anything I've mucked up rather well!
3) My husband is a chef, hence I am not a great cook. God takes care of those of us girls not born with that talent. I wish I could make my own pizza dough like my mom and grandmother do. When I make it, it turns out wrong. When they make it, it tastes like heaven.
(oh I'm supposed to leave you a way to contact me? kandjherrett at gmail dot com)
Happy Blogiversary!
ReplyDelete1. Favorite Memory: Eating at my great-grandmother's house. She made sure that I ate my mashed potatoes the correct way (Make a hole in the center, put a slab of butter in it, close it up, eat from the edges once the butter oozed thru). She was kinda eccentric in that aspect.
2. Condiment: Gotta say ketchup. Only because my little picky eaters find it much easier to try things with ketchup. Personally, I like soy sauce though.
3. Why cooking skill would I like to learn? To make Asian food that is just as delicious as the restaurants.
1. What is your favorite food memory?
ReplyDeleteStalling before bedtime by persuading my mom to allow me to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies (I was 8 or 9; my dad worked nights at the time).
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why?
Ketchup is the preferred condiment of choice of 3 of my 5 children. However, I find I like to add garlic to a lot of dishes (except desserts, of course), be it garlic cloves, garlic powder, or garlic salt. Why? My husband has gotten me hooked on it because he likes it in his dishes. ;)
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn?
The kind all our grandmothers had that enabled them to create a toothsome dish without a recipe.
Happy Blogiversary. I've loved reading it and keeping up with you guys through it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite food memory - there are so many because my mom is an awesome cook. Loved the smell of a roast cooking when we came home from church.
My favorite condiment would probably be salsa. Goes with so many things.
I would like to learn to use my pressure cooker more. Great tool that I don't use enough.
Pick me...pick me ;-)
Pam
1. Food memory. Eating at Granny's house and not being quick enough on seconds for more roast beef. She got me a piece of white bread, tore it up, put gravy on top, and well, who needs roast beef anyway?! Changed my life, for better or worse I'm not sure.
ReplyDelete2. Pepper jelly. LOVE it on pork tenderloin or cream cheese. Think I might try it on some chicken next.
3. I wish I could make a pie crust like my mother's. Hers bring a tear to the eye and delight to whatever filling therein.
Three years!? Where has the time gone!!?!? Happy Anniversary Mary!
ReplyDelete1. Favorite Food Memory: My mother giving me the wonderful smell of bread baking in our home when I came home from school or as I was going to bed. Also, downing four, five...ten of those little, tiny cups of half and half with my Grammie when we visited them and went out to eat! Everyone else thought we were nuts, but they taste so good!!!
2. Condiment: I'd probably have to say garlic too. Can't help it when your married to an Italian I suppose.
3. Cooking skill: Hm. I'd like to start making my own ice cream.
1. What is your favorite food memory? Apple pie baking in the oven
ReplyDelete2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why? Seasoned rice wine vinegar. It adds some 'spark' to many bland veggies
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn? How to make good (not too heavy) whole wheat bread!
Happy 3rd Anniversary!!
Love ya!
Anne
Congrats on 3 years of writing your blog!
ReplyDeleteFavorite food memory - it's a tie - either being at Thanksgiving and seeing my young nephew sitting at the table with a black olive on each of his 10 fingers, or my annual Christmas cookie baking.
Favorite condiment? Garlic - good for you and goes with so much.
Cooking skill? how to cook tagine chicken.
Happy Blogiversary!!
ReplyDelete1. What is your favorite food memory? As a child, I always wanted an EZ Bake oven...never got one...but mom did teach me in the real kitchen with real ingredients...chocolate chip cookies, brownies, she makes the best spaghetti sauce...once I learned that an EZ Bake was basically just cooking over a light bulb, I was thankful for the 'real life' lessons!!
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why? Parmagiano Regiano..love the salty nuttiness it imparts on pasta, eggs, salads...
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn?
I'd like to make my own 'puff pastry' and pasta from scratch.
Looking forward to breaking bread with you soon!!
:) Cza
1. What is your favorite food memory?
ReplyDeleteMaking Thanksgiving dinner for my husband (who was at the time my boyfriend) a few months after we met. I used a bunch of recipes out of the Real Simple magazine I'd purchased the month before and ended up with a ton of food and leftovers. I think it was the first big, celebratory meal I ever made all by myself!
2. What is your favorite condiment to use on your food and why?
I put garlic salt in almost everything!
3. What kitchen/cooking skill would you like to learn?
I really want to learn how to bake! I've just started learning how and was surprised by how much more carefully I need to follow the rules to keep everything from falling apart!
Happy Blog Anniversary!