Winner - Pillsbury Giveaway!!!

The giveaway for the apple pie baking kit has now closed. I would like to thank Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark for sponsoring the review & giveaway here on my blog. I used Random.org to select our winner which is comment #17.

Joaness said...
Dip Pie cutter in hot water between slices for a nice cut #17
joan_penfold at yahoo dot com October 19, 2010 4:33 PM

Thanks everyone for entering! I will be posting several more foodie & kitchen related giveaways here on my blog during the month of November!

Vintage Pillsbury Candy Bar Cookies Recipe

I am still working on going thru this huge box full of vintage recipes that I snagged from my 85 yr old great aunt. Wow...I just found a vintage recipe by Pillsbury in a 1960's newspaper supplement for Candy Bar Cookies that looks delicious and I look forward to trying out the recipe next week.

Bake at 325 degrees for 12-16 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Candy Bar Cookies Recipe

Cream Together:

3/4 cup Land O'Lakes Butter. Gradually add 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar, cream well. Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons PET Evaporated Milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix Well.

Blend In:

2 cups sifted Pillsbury BEST All Purpose Flour. If necessary, chill for easier handling.

Roll Out:

dough, half at a time onto a floured surface to a 12x8" rectangle; trim sides. Cut into 3x1 1/2" rectangles. Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake:

at 325 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool

Spread:

1 teaspoonful of filling on each. Top with 1/2 teaspoon icing. Decorate with pecan half if desired.

Caramel Filling:

Combine in top of double boiler 1/2 pound light colored candy caramels and 1/4 cup PET Evaporated Milk. Heat until caramels melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup Land O'Lakes butter, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1 cup pecans, chopped.

Chocolate Icing:

Melt 1 6-oz. pkg. Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels with 1/3 cup PET Evaporated Milk over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons Land O'Lakes Butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar.

Homemade Peanut Butter Bars - Tastes Like Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

About 25 years ago my family was holding 1 of 3 bridal showers for me since I was getting married to my dear husband and at one of my bridal showers my step grandmother made and served these delicious homemade peanut butter bars that taste very similar to homemade peanut butter cups. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, I think you will appreciate this recipe!

Helen's Homemade Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers (you want fine crumbs)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup melted margarine or butter (I use butter)
2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1 1/2 cups melted chocolate chips

Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 13x9" glass baking dish with margarine or butter. Press your graham cracker crumbs onto the bottom and about 1/4" up the sides of the baking dish.

Mix together the smooth peanut butter, melted margarine and confectioners sugar and pour on top of the crumbs. Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove top and pour melted chocolate on top.

Cover baking dish and chill until firm. Cut into 2" square sized mini bars or 4" square full-sized bars. Store bars in an air tight container.

Easy To Make - Fresh Fruit Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

I love eating fresh fruit and I love it even more when I can use fresh fruit to make a delicious dessert. A few years ago my auntie J gave me her recipe for this fresh fruit cream cheese pie which is really easy to make. You can use whatever fresh fruit you have on hand or whatever is in-season where you live.

I like to make it 2 different ways:

1. Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries
2. Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries (I call it triple berry)

If you are worried about any of your fruits turning brown, you can slice them and dip them in fresh lemon juice. Here is her recipe.

Auntie J's Fresh Fruit Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

1 baked pie shell (9 or 10")
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh Fruit of your choice

Bake your pie shell and let cool. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy with an electric hand mixer. Gradually beat in the can of sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into your baked prepared pie shell. Chill in your refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until it has set. Remove from refrigerator and arrange your freshly sliced fruit on top. Cover and store in refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

Win A Apple Pie Baking Prize Package From Pillsbury and My Blog Spark!

Every year when fall arrives, I look forward to getting back into my kitchen for some baking. During the month of October, I enjoy baking apple pies, apple dumplings and apple crisp for my family...matter of fact, my family looks forward to this every year. This giveaway is being sponsored by Pillsbury through My Blog Spark...so thank you to both of our sponsors!

When October arrives, we head to our favorite local apple orchard right outside of Harrisburg. The entire family goes and we get to pick our own apples...this past weekend, we picked an entire bushel! Since this was the first year our little grand daughter went along, I was in charge of watching her and taking our family photograph's as the family went apple picking. I can't wait to scrapbook the photo's!

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. We´d love for you to then share your photos and videos by posting them to Pillsbury´s "Love the Pie" Facebook page! Join Pillsbury on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Fall brings around a lot of changes in our weather and brings us indoors as a family. We like to gather in the kitchen during the weekends and bake. I got my Pillsbury Apple Pie Baking kit last week so baking a few apple pies were first up on our baking agenda. I put my adult daughter and husband to work on peeling and coring the apples while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. Even my little grand daughter got in on the action and she was the "apple hander" LOL.

Making apple pies are really easy....especially when you use refrigerated pie crusts made by Pillsbury! Just place the all ready made crust into your pie baking dish and then fill with your apple pie ingredients. No need to get out your dough board and make your own pie crusts...nope...the Pillsbury Pie Crusts are easy to use and taste just like homemade pie crusts! You can visit the Pillsbury web site and print off a .50 coupon ---> HERE

Here are a few apple pie recipes by Pillsbury that you can check out and use to make your own homemade apple pies.

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.

CLOSED!!!!

Now for the Giveaway!!!


Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive their very own Pie Making Kit sponsored by Pillsbury through My Blog Spark. Apple Pie Baking Kit will include the following items: 9" round glass Pyrex pie baking dish, red apple shaped trivet, apple shaped kitchen timer, Pillsbury "Love the Pie" hot pad, 6 Good Grips measuring cups, Good Grips egg separator, Grip-Ez Apple/Fruit Wedger & Corer and a coupon to pick up a FREE Pillsbury pie crust at your local store.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to the USA ONLY residents age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering this giveaway. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of my Shakin 'N Bakin Blog to be eligible to win. This giveaway will close at midnight EST time on October 30th, 2010.

Mandatory Entry: Please visit the Pillsbury Web Site and take a look at all of their pie recipes and tell me, if you won this pie baking kit, which flavor of pie would you make with it?

Bonus Entries: You may complete the bonus entries after fullfilling the mandatory entry above.

Earns 2 Entries: Fan/Like Pillsbury "Love The Pie" on Facebook.
Earns 2 Entries: Follow Pillsbury on Twitter.
Earns 2 Entries: Share your favorite pie making tip with my readers.
Earns 2 Entries: Follow Shelly over on Twitter.
Earns 3 Entries: Add my Shakin 'N Bakin Blog button to your blog. (leave link)
Earns 3 Entries: Write up your own blog post about this giveaway with links back to my blog. (leave link)
Earns 1 Entry - Daily: You can copy and paste the following Tweet over on Twitter once per day and earn an extra entry into this giveaway daily. (leave link).

Copy & Paste Tweet:

Win an Apple Pie Baking Kit w/Kitchen Gadgets From Pillsbury! http://bit.ly/ahmZ53 #MyBlogSpark Ends 10-30 US ONLY! Shakin N Bakin Blog!

I would like to thank Pillsbury and My Blog Spark for sponsoring this giveaway here on the Shakin N Bakin Blog! I had a great time with my family picking apples and baking 2 delicious apple pies! Good Luck everyone!

Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the products listed above. Shelly did not receive any monetary compensation for her review but did receive free product(s) to help faciliate her review. Her thoughts and opinions are unbiased and honest. Your opinions & thoughts may differ from her own. Shelly is NOT responsible for delivery or mis-use of this product or giveaway.

Deliciously Sweet Cinnamon Biscuits Recipe

A friend of mine recently made dinner for my husband and I amd for dessert she served us some homemade sweet cinnamon biscuits....I must say, they were delicious! After dinner, I knew I had to get her recipe and share it with all of my blog readers. This recipe will make 6 servings.

Deliciously Sweet Cinnamon Biscuits Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon spice powder

Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix until all ingredients are well combined. Stir in the vegetable oil and then add the buttermilk and stir until all ingredients are combined. Knead the dough with your hands on a lightly floured dough board for 2-3 minutes. Roll out the dough until it measures a large rectangle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish. Spread butter over the dough. In a small bowl combine together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixutre over the butter.

Roll up your rectangle, jelly roll style. Cut the roll into 1 1/2" slices. Arrange your slices, cut side up in your prepared baking dish. Bake until lightly browned, about 15-18 minutes. Serve warm.

7 Minute Orange Frosting Recipe - Great for Cakes and Cupcakes

Looking for a quick and easy orange frosting recipe? Need some orange frosting for a Halloween cake or Halloween cupcakes? If so, you gotta try out this quick and easy recipe! It will cover two 8" round cakes or 18 cupcakes.

Orange Frosting Recipe

2 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
8 marshmallows
1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind

In a large mixing bowl combine together the egg whites, sugar, orange juice, cream of tartar and pinch of salt. Pour mixture into a double boiler pan over a pan of boiling water (underneath it). Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes and then remove from heat, beat with an electric mixer for 7 minutes or until frosting holds its shape. Cut marshmallows into quarters, fold them into the frosting until partially dissolved. Stir in the grated orange rind until all ingredients are well combined. Spread frosting on a cake or cupcakes.

CSN Stores - Cookware.com - Espresso Machine by Delonghi

Back in August I was contacted by CSN Stores and asked if I would review one of their products from one of their stores that sells some of the most magnificient cookware I have ever seen! My husband and I selected their Delonghi 15-Bar Pump-Driven Espresso Machine.

We have been using the coffee espresso machine for the past 7 weeks and we absolutely love it! This machine is super easy to use, easy to clean, it's attractive and more importantly, it is extremely well made.....super high quality! We use our espresso machine 6 days a week and it still looks brand new. I get all kinds of great compliments about it because I let it sit out on my countertop all of the time.

If you are looking for cookware, bakeware, kitchen appliances, kitchen gadgets, etc. I would like to invite you to check out the CSN Store which is known as Cookware.com

If you are looking for an Espresso Machine...then you got to check out all of the ones in their web site store as they have a very nice selection of makes and models. We are very pleased with the one that we received!

How to Make and Can Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

How to Make and Can Homemade Spaghetti Sauce by Rachel Paxton

It is very satisfying to make and can homemade spaghetti sauce. It does take a little work, but it is definitely worth the effort. If you have gone to all the trouble to grow your own tomatoes, trying canning a few jars of spaghetti sauce to enjoy with your family this winter.

To can homemade spaghetti sauce you will need a pressure cooker/canner. A boiling water canner doesn't reach a high enough temperature to process the vegetables in the spaghetti sauce, so the canning jars must be processed in a pressure canner. The benefit of a pressure canner is that you can also use it as a boiling water canner, eliminating the need to have a separate boiling water canner.

Once you have your homegrown tomatoes, pressure canner, and some canning jars, you are ready to get started making homemade spaghetti sauce.

The measurements I will be listing are approximate. It is difficult to give precise measurements when tomatoes come in all different sizes, so just do your best to judge how many canning jars you will need. My tomatoes were small- to medium-sized. By following this recipe I was able to can 2 quart sized jars of homemade spaghetti sauce.

Note: You can use any kind of tomatoes, just make sure that they do not have any blemishes or cracks. Only pick the best tomatoes for canning to avoid the possibility of bacteria growth.

Ingredients:

45 small- to medium-sized tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tbsp. tomato paste

If you have never peeled tomatoes before, it is very easy. The key to peeling tomatoes is to dip them in boiling water for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the skins start to crack. I place them in the bottom of the pan and then remove them with tongs. Next dip them in cold water until you can handle them. The skins slip right off. It is best to keep a pan of boiling water on the stove while you are working. If you let the water cool while you are working, it will not be as effective in removing the skins.

Gently squeeze the tomatoes into the sink or a bowl until all of the seeds and liquid are removed. A colander works well to catch the seeds. You might want to save some of the juice to top off the jars when you are pouring the sauce into the canning jars.

As you finish removing the juice and seeds from the tomatoes, drop the tomatoes into the blender. When the blender is almost full, process the tomatoes until smooth, and then pour into a bowl. Continue until all of the tomatoes are seeded and processed.

In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onion, green peppers, mushrooms, and garlic in the butter and olive oil until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Pour in the processed tomatoes. Stir in basil and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low for about 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. If a thicker sauce is desired, add tomato paste to desired consistency.

Pack hot jars with hot spaghetti sauce leaving 1-inch head space. Wipe rim and screw threads and adjust lids and screw bands.

Following manufacturer's directions, process quart jars in pressure canner for 25 minutes at 11 lbs pressure.

Let your jars sit somewhere where they will not be disturbed for at least 24 hours to cool and finish the sealing process.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of
What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips,
home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative
Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Article Source: WAHM Articles

Meal Planning For All Those Busy Days - By Val Selby

Meal Planning For All Those Busy Days

I love to cook. I love to take a recipe and change it until it’s uniquely mine. I also love to hear from friends and family that they loved it.

Sadly I don’t have time every day to cook, nor the energy. Meal planning is a must in our house or we end up eating out. Besides being very expensive, it’s also not very healthy to eat out frequently. When I cook once a week, I have a list on our fridge of meals to pull out for the next day. I get the kids involved in all aspects of it.

I started purposely freezer cooking and meal planning in 2005 when I went back to school full-time. The family schedule was pure chaos with my husband and I both working and having younger kids. I got to a point that I’d be at school at night and worried about what they were eating. Not a good option for anyone.

I took over Once a Week Cooking in 2009 and I’m so happy I did. At this time I run a six month subscription for weekly meal plans. You take a few hours one day a week and cook 6 main meals for the family. I have a family of 4 adult eaters and we still have leftovers from most meals that we use for lunches.

There are a few great ideas for using the meal plans. My top suggestion is to create a large binder and print out each weekly report. Reuse them and notate meals your family loved or disliked. Also make notes about adding or removing ingredients. Your weekly meal plan report will include the menu, shopping list, recipes in order with an action plan and usually an article.

If you love to freezer cook and fill that freezer, then take a weeks menu plan and double up. You now have at least 12 days of meals in the freezer. On the second week, double up the meals again and you have created most of the months meals.

I have many ebooks and specialized diet meal plans in the works. My family has said that I’ve become addicted to filling up our freezer and it’s true. I enjoy cooking again by cooking on days that I have the time. I love telling another family member to go to the list on the fridge and choose what is for dinner tomorrow.

By cooking once a week, I get out of the kitchen and enjoy more life with my family!

Val Selby – Owner
www.OnceAWeekCooking.com

10 Common Uses for Baking Soda By Rachel Paxton

10 Common Uses for Baking Soda by Rachel Paxton

1) Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on insect bites to relieve itching.

2) Remove coffee and tea stains by scrubbing pots or cups with baking soda and a plastic scouring pad.

3) Add 1/3 cup baking soda to a wash cycle as a bleach booster or to the rinse cycle for cleaner smelling laundry.

4) To remove black scuff marks from floor, rub them with a paste of baking soda and water.

5) Clean fiberglass showers and tubs with baking soda sprinkled on a sponge. Sponge clean and wipe dry.

6) Soak sour smelling dishcloths and sponges in water and baking soda solution.

7) Use a solution of water and baking soda to clean and deodorize the inside of your microwave.

8) Put a few spoonfuls in a cup of water in the microwave, boil for two minutes, then wipe down the inside with a sponge.

9) Sprinkle a little baking soda into the laundry hamper to minimize odors.

10) Remove crayon marks from walls by scrubbing gently with an old toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water.

Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com/.

Article Source: WAHM Articles

Vintage Baked Beans De Luxe Recipe

For the past few months I have been cleaning out some things over at my great aunties house when I came across a box of her vintage recipes. All of these recipes were manufacturer's advertisements, clipped from newspapers or magazines, etc.

They are all pre-1975 with many of them being from the 1950's thru 1960's era. They are now tattered, torn, faded and yellowed but I am posting a lot of them here on this blog to preserve them! You can find them under my Vintage Recipes Tag & Label for easier sorting.

Here is another vintage recipe taken from a 1960's recipe booklet (no cover so I don't know who made the booklet).

Baked Beans De Luxe Recipe

2 tbsp. McCormick-Schilling Minced Onion
1/4 cup bacon fat
2 cans (1 lb. each) Van Camp's Pork & Beans
1/2 cup Stokely's or Van Camp's Catsup
1/4 cup dark Karo Syrup
2 tsp. McCormick-Schilling Dry Mustard

Cook onion in bacon fat. Add to pork & beans in a 1 1/2 quart greased casserole. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 generous servings.

Vintage Beanee Weenees Western Style Recipe

For the past few months I have been cleaning out some things over at my great aunties house when I came across a box of her vintage recipes. All of these recipes were manufacturer's advertisements, clipped from newspapers or magazines, etc.

They are all pre-1975 with many of them being from the 1950's thru 1960's era. They are now tattered, torn, faded and yellowed but I am posting a lot of them here on this blog to preserve them! You can find them under my Vintage Recipes Tag & Label for easier sorting.

This particular vintage recipe is one of many in a vintage recipe booklet and features Van Camp's Beanee Weenees (Beans with Vienna Sausage) and appears to be a 1950-1960's recipe booklet.

Beanee Weenes Western Style Recipe

3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
1 tbsp. salad oil
2 cans (12 ounce each) Van Camp's Beanee Weenees
salt & pepper to taste

Cook sliced onions to a glase in the salad oil. Add Beanee Weenees, salt and pepper and heat through.

Will make 4 medium servings & can be easily doubled to feed a large family.

Vintage Dream Whip Lime Fluff Dessert Recipe

For the past few months I have been cleaning out some things over at my great aunties house when I came across a box of her vintage recipes. All of these recipes were manufacturer's advertisements, clipped from newspapers or magazines, etc.

They are all pre-1975 with many of them being from the 1950's thru 1960's era. They are now tattered, torn, faded and yellowed but I am posting a lot of them here on this blog to preserve them! You can find them under my Vintage Recipes Tag & Label for easier sorting.

The following recipe is from the maker's of Dream Whip and looks to be a late 1950's to 1960's recipe advertisement.

Dream Whip Lime Fluff Recipe

1/2 c. cold milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 pkg. Lime Jell-O
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup hot water
Pineapple Juice & water to make 1 cup
2/3 c. drained canned crushed pineapple
1 box small vanilla wafers

Combine milk, vanilla & Dream Whip; whip as directed on package. Chill. Dissolve the Jello-O, sugar & salt in hot water. Add juice & water and chill until slightly thickened. Place in bowl of ice & water; beat until fluffy & thick. Fold in Dream Whip and pineapple. Pour into dessert dishes lined with wafers. Chill until firm.

Will make 8-10 servings.