Super delicious birthday cookies

...and it's Valentine's Day....I saw this adorable little heart-shaped whisk and measuring spoon set on Saturday, and I bought one for me and one for YOU!!!

Seriously, I think this ♥ whisk makes me more giddy than anything from Tiffany's could.
{But Mr. E, you are welcome to try.}

Through tomorrow at midnight, leave a comment here about something you LOVE and you'll be entered to win! ♥

Several months ago, I mentioned a great company called Blog2Print.  They actually print your blog in book form.

Whether you are a food blogger, or a craft blogger, or a mommy blogger, or a home blogger....or even if you aren't, but you know a blogger.....this is such a cool idea!

When my book came in the mail, I opened it and saw cookies and baking projects that I had already forgotten about.  And I LOVE that kiddo will be able to look back on it someday...and maybe even try some of the recipes!


 
Blog2Print and I are teaming up for the Blissdom blog conference.  I leave for the conference in Nashville tomorrow (and guess who is my roomie!), but while I'm there.....

To enter:

• go take a look at Blog2Print's site...and then leave a comment here telling why you would love to print your blog....or maybe you would print someone else's blog as a gift for them.

Extra entries (leave a separate comment for each):

• tweet it!Tweet
• follow Blog2Print on twitter

{If you will be at Blissdom, please come say "hi!"  I'd love to meet you and I'll have my B2P book with me if you'd like to see one up close! And if you're not going, be sure to follow the fun on twitter using the #blissdom hashtag.}


{Drawing will be held Sunday, January 30th at noon, CST. Good luck!} giveaway now closed.

I love a good book.  Just ask my local library, where my fines are currently....$11.70.

Since it's so close to Christmas, I'm giving away TWO fabulous books today. Both would make wonderful gifts for the holidays!

ONE:  The Reluctant Entertainer : Every Woman's Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality by Sandy Coughlin
You've probably heard of Sandy before.  She blogs over at, big surprise, Reluctant Entertainer. {Isn't she adorable?}

I needed this book.  I love the IDEA of entertaining.  I dream, I make plans....and then I think, "I don't like my kitchen curtains. The grout in the bathroom needs resealing. If only the backyard were landscaped. There's a red wine stain on the rug....and on and on...."  {Do you do this, too?}
Well, Sandy has made me a changed woman.  Entertaining is not about being Martha Stewart (love you, Martha); it's about hospitality.  It's about the people you'd like to invite into your home and get to know better. It's ok to entertain even if you don't have 8 matching soup bowls.

Reluctant Entertainer is filled with entertaining tips, advice and even easy recipes. You'll love it! And I think you will be inspired to open up your home and your heart. ♥

Two: 1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes by Sandra Salamony and Gina Brown

I had heard a lot about this book because so many of my favorite bloggy friends are featured in it: Meaghan from The Decorated Cookie, Amanda from i am baker and Marian from Sweetopia to name just a few.
Well, if you want some baking inspiration, this is the book for you!  It is PACKED with gorgeous, inventive cookies, cupcakes and cakes.  I was wowed on every page.
The book doesn't have step-by-step instructions, but in the back of the book, it does list the elements used, such as fondant, royal icing, etc.



To enter: tell me your current favorite entertaining or cookbook (...and whether or not you already have one of these books at home.)


Extra entry: tweet it! (Leave a separate comment, please.)  Tweet

While I love sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite.  One day, I received an email asking if I'd like to try the famous crispy chocolate chip cookies from Tate's Bake Shop.  I thought about it for all of about 1/4 of a millisecond and said, "YES!"

The cookies arrived along with a copy of the Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook.   The box of chocolate chip cookies lasted about 2 minutes.  My boys and I DEVOURED them!
Here's Mr. E's review, "These are the best crispy chocolate chip cookies I've ever eaten."

Here's what I like about them....

1. they're delicious...that's the most important thing,
2. they look homemade,
3. they're perfect to have on hand or give as a gift.

I'm not the only one who thinks so....take a look at this write up in Everyday with Rachel Ray:
And, the cookbook....the forward is by Ina Garten.  Right there, I'm sold.  Ina knows her stuff.  As a matter of fact, I'm thinking that moving to the Hamptons to be near Kathleen King (From Tate's) and Ina just might be my idea of heaven.


Here's a sampling of recipes from the book:

• Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies,
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Blueberry and White Chocolate Tart

Tate's has a treat for one of you, too!!!  One of you lucky ducks will win....
....a Cookie and Bar Tower (included 3 kinds of cookies, blondies and brownies!!!)
....and a Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook!!!

To enter (and this is a quickie, ends Sunday, Dec. 12th, 8pm CST): Giveaway closed

• visit Tate's website and leave a comment here with the the item you'd most like to try.

Extra entry: Tweet it (leave a separate comment letting me know you did)!  Tweet

Three years ago. Three years ago I started this blog with a riveting post.

{I was afraid to say anything.}

And then there was the next one, equally riveting.

{Thankfully I've gotten over my fear of expressing myself and now my post titles are longer than those first 2 posts combined.  Case in point...this title.}

I want to thank you.  Thank you for reading posts with 127 pictures of the same cookie.  Thank you for putting up with a post about "salad" containing Snickers.   Thank you for EVERYTHING!  Obviously, Bake at 350 wouldn't be the same without each and every one of you.
This blog wouldn't be here without something else.  My red KitchenAid stand mixer.  I bought it 13 years ago and I WISH I kept track of how many THOUSANDS of cookies that baby has help me make.

Not only does it make cookies, but it makes homemade bread dough and brownies and frosting, OH MY!  That red mixer is a fixture in my life!  I love what the KitchenAid website says, it "does everything but hug your kids."

 So, how would you like to celebrate with me?

Someone is going to win a KitchenAid Candy Apple Red Artisan Stand Mixer (with a glass bowl) *squee*!!!  


This is a brand new edition....not the anniversary edition...it just came out in October.  Not only can you use it to whip up a batch of cookies or knead bread dough....with the attachments, this baby can make ice cream, homemade pasta and even stuff sausage!

To enter (required)... (giveaway has ended)

1. Leave a comment with what you would name this little beauty (I'm thinking Ruby....or Betty).

For 2 extra entries...

1. Leave a separate comment with your favorite recipe or cookie design from Bake at 350 over the last 3 years,
2. Tweet it!
Tweet

{The mixer is very, very generously provided by KitchenAid. In case you're wondering, no, I didn't get one....the prize is ALL FOR YOU!}

The giveaway will run though November 26th.  GIVEAWAY CLOSED...jlj914 was the winner...congratulations!

Have you met Renee of Kudos Kitchen before?  Maybe you remember Renee as a cookie maker (and University of Cookie professor), creating the most beautiful PAINTED cookies.  But earlier this year, Renee hung up her apron and started making art that wouldn't be, well, eaten.

Renee is an artist and she makes the prettiest, hand-painted tiles and trivets you've ever seen.  Check out the one she made for me:

Well, Renee was kind enough to offer one of her holiday tiles to one of you!!!

Whether for your own kitchen, or for a friend (Christmas is right around the corner, you know), you are going to be amazed by Renee's talent!  She truly does have a gift.


Here's what you need to do to enter the giveaway:

• Visit Kudos Kitchen holiday portfolio page and leave a comment here with your favorite,
• For an additional entry, tweet about giveaway and leave a separate comment here letting me know you did. Tweet

Winner will be selected, Tuesday, November 9th at 8pm CST.  Good Luck!

{Wasn't there a commentator who said he got a "thrill up his leg" when he heard President Obama speak? Well, that's how I feel about nesting bowls.}

I love glass bowls, ceramic bowls, painted bowls...you name it.  And don't you just love having the perfect SIZE bowl?!?  Please tell me I'm not the only one!
Well, I hope you get giddy over bowls like I do because the wonderfully sweet people at Luminarc Glassware want to send you a set!  A FIFTEEN-piece set....10 glass nesting bowls and 5 lids.  Oh, bowls with LIDS....even better!  (And the lids are "Martha" green!)

 
BUT WAIT....enter now and you will also receive a 2-piece glass measuring cup set!  ;)

Whether you are an experienced baker or just starting out, you are going to LOVE this giveaway!

To enter to win the bowls & measuring cups:
*giveaway closed...winner announced*

• visit Luminarc's Facebook page (their website is coming soon), come back and leave a comment here about what kitchen essentials make you giddy: bowls, baking pans, measuring cups...
• for an EXTRA entry....tweet the giveaway and leave a separate comment letting me know you did: "Enter to win essential goodies for your kitchen from Luminarc & @bakeat350tweets http://ow.ly/2Wv3l " 

Have you heard of Naturally Nora?  Naturally Nora is a line of baking mixes, such as cake, frosting and brownie, that is all-natural with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. What's more? They're really yummy!

Naturally Nora sent me a (big!) box of their goodies and wants to send one to a Bake at 350 reader, too!


I love to bake from scratch, but I'm not opposed to using a boxed mix....sometimes I need a little help!

So far, we've made Chocolate Chunk Brownies (no picture as we ate them all too fast), cupcakes from the ALot'a Dots cake and frosting mix and Brownie Batter ice cream from the regular brownie mix.  I think I'm using the next box of cake mix & frosting to make Pumpkin Spice Cake Truffles!

Brownie Batter Ice Cream
{modified from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream Book 's French Vanilla}

1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
2 eggs (pasteurized if you'd like)
3/4 c. sugar
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. milk
1 c. brownie mix

Combine the vanilla and espresso powder, set aside.

Whisk the eggs 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the sugar a little at a time, whisking until completely blended.  Once all the sugar is added, whisk for 1 minute more. 
Add in the cream, milk, vanilla/espresso and brownie mix.  Whisk until smooth. 

At this point, the mixture can be refrigerated until ready to use or transferred to an ice cream maker.  Follow the manufacturer's instructions for freezing.



To enter the giveaway for a box of goodies from Naturally Nora:

• visit Naturally Nora and leave a comment here with the mix you'd most like to try,
• for an EXTRA entry, tweet about the giveaway and leave a separate comment letting me know that you did: " Win a goodie box of Naturally Nora all-natural baking mixes from @bakeat350tweets http://ow.ly/2L8xP! "

A winner will be randomly chosen October 3rd at 8pm CST.  Good luck & happy baking! :)

Have you ever wanted to turn your blog into a book?  Not the kind where you write a proposal and send it off to an agent for rejection. {Ahem.} But, an actual copy of YOUR words, YOUR pictures...YOUR BLOG.

I love this giveaway from Blog2Print!

Blog2Print will print your blog in book form.  They have lots of different options.....hard cover or paperback, comments included or not, etc.

For my book, I chose a paperback version without comments.  (Although, I'm thinking of making an entire book of my friend Teresa's comments because, honestly, they are book-worthy!)

Blog2Print also gives the option of placing the pictures exactly as they are on your blog, or condensing your pictures to better fit on the page.  I did the condensed version, otherwise my blog might have been one single post.  You know how I like the pictures!

You also select the date range for printing.  I was able to get my posts about my dad and my Uncle Mike in my book and that makes me very happy!


With the $40 credit Blog2Print generously provided me for a book, mine turned out to be about 90 pages!
I love that someday, I'll be able to give this to kiddo and say, "remember when you were 11 and I was either in the kitchen or on the computer 24/7?  Here's what I was up to."

{I can also show this to my mother-in-law who doesn't have a computer and is wondering just what the heck a "blog" really is. ;)}

To win a $40 credit to Blog2Print of your very own,
just tell me.....what blog would you print? Is it about food, your babies, your travels...?

For an extra entry, tweet:
" Turn YOUR blog into a book...a @blog2print giveaway from @bakeat350tweets! http://ow.ly/2t9u6 "
...and leave a separate comment to let me know you did.


Random drawing to be held Sunday, August 29th at 8pm CST.   Giveaway now closed. Good Luck!

Giveaways work for for me. Baking from pantry items works for me, too.  So today, we have both!  Yay!


Peanut Butter-Banana Scones
{adapted from Maureen Cole and Family Fun Magazine}

3 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp coarse salt
3/4 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. evaporated milk, plus more for brushing the tops
1 c. (about 2 ) chopped bananas

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined.

In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, eggs, vanilla, and evaporated milk until evenly blended.

Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.  Stir in the bananas.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it twice.  Pat it into a 1-inch thick disc.

Using a 2 and 1/2 inch cutter, cut into rounds.  Pat scraps together and re-roll.  (Makes about 12.)  Transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Brush the tops with evaporated milk.  Bake 20 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Serve with strawberry jelly for a peanut butter and jelly scone OR marshmallow creme (fluff) for a fluffer nutter scone. (Oh, it's so good!)

{It occurred to me AFTER we ate all of them that these would be really good with a peanut butter glaze. Someone want to try it?}

Now to the giveaway....

You may have noticed Sweet Cuppin Cakes over in the sidebar.  They are a sweet little sweet shop that ships WORLDWIDE!  Worldwide, people!  This is so exciting! They've also been featured in Parent & Kraft magazines.
One thing love about this shop is that the owner has a real heart and heads up Bake up Awareness for Autism.  As a matter of fact, you can help by hosting a bake sale on October 15 2010....all proceeds will go to Bake Up Awareness Autism Foundation to be donated for research in the immune testing of those with Autism.
{If anyone is hosting one in Houston, please let me know.}

Sweet Cuppin Cakes is giving away one of these adorable Cakewich cake pans!!!  How FUN are these?!?  I'm thinking a peanut butter pound cake filled with peanut butter buttercream and strawberry filling.  What about you?

To enter...

• visit Sweet Cuppin Cakes and leave a comment here with what else from the shop you'd love to try,
• for an extra entry, tweet about the giveaway using @bakeat350tweets and leave a separate comment.

Giveaway open until 8pm CST, Sunday (July 25th).  Good luck!