The Cookbook Winner is...

Melissa, of Alosha's Kitchen, is the winner of a copy of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. Comment #3 on this post was picked by random.org. Congratulations, Melissa! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send it to you. I know you love Tex-Mex food (the chili you made last week was awesome)
so I hope you'll enjoy my cookbook.

The birthday party for my new cookbook starts tomorrow at Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. We have lots of great Tex-Mex food to share, so come on over to the Fiesta!

Are You Ready to Party?

March 1st is the official pub date for my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and I'm having a month-long blog party, a Fiesta of Foods and Flavors
to celebrate the birth. I'll be starting the party off with margaritas and a birthday cake. Every day will feature lots of Tex-Mex food; some from my new cookbook and some from fiesta foodies who are already coming to the party and bringing food to share.

I'm not supposed to mention this until after the event is over (shhh--don't tell my publisher; they want me to focus exclusively on the birth of my new cookbook), but I just can't keep a secret. Never could. (This used to drive my daughters crazy. I'd buy them presents for their birthday, then I was so excited about the present, thinking about how much they'd like it, that I'd either tell them what it was or give it to them before their birthday.) The original Tex-Mex recipes that foodies are bringing to the party are being compiled into a new cookbook. Since food is for sharing, this new cookbook is going to be a fundraiser for the San Antonio Food Bank. As many of you know, I'm very outspoken about the hunger crisis and this is my small way of helping feed hungry people in my own community. Foodies have generously submitted over 100 recipes so far for the party, and the cookbook, but I'm about 200 recipes short of a cookbook.

If you'd like to share your Tex-Mex food for the party, and your original recipes for the fundraising cookbook, please send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your recipe. It doesn't have to be a new post; it just has to be Tex-Mex. A photo
of each dish will be featured, round-up style, along with your name and links to your blog and your recipe. You can submit as many recipes as you'd like.

Even though the party hasn't started, and the cookbook isn't officially published yet, it's available in bookstores and at Amazon. Since you know that I give presents early, I'm giving away two copies of my cookbook this month, one here at Cookbook Cuisine and the other at Foods and Flavors of San Antonio (with six chances to win). Winners will be picked tomorrow on each blog so you still have a chance to win.

Leave me a comment either on this post, or on one or both of the above-linked posts. For today only, you have three chances; one for each comment on each post. Oh, heck, it's a birthday: Here's another chance. Blog about the Fiesta birthday party for my cookbook, then leave another comment with the link to your post. Next month, you have a new chance to win my cookbook, along with a San Antonio T-shirt and refrigerator magnets.

You're all invited to the birthday party for my new cookbook. Come on over to Foods and Flavors of San Antonio on March 1st, and every day in March, and let's party!

Awards, Awards, Awards

I love getting awards and I've received three really wonderful awards recently. They mean a lot to me because it's like a validation that people are actually reading my foodie blog (woohoo!) and maybe they even like the recipes or my food philosophy. I'm a bit late in posting some of these (bad blogger) so now I'm playing catch-up.

Karen, of Domestic Muse, awarded me the Sisterhood Award. Her blog is new; she just started blogging a few months ago, but she can really cook and posts step-by-step photos. Be sure to visit her blog and welcome her into the foodie community.


The rules for all the awards are basically the same, but I don't like rules. I think they're made to be broken, plus rules are a lot like recipes. You see a recipe you like and lots of ideas rush into your mind about how you can change it to make it even better or to suit your tastes. I like to put some extra meaning--other than or along with the original meaning--into the awards. For the record, here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 people whose blogs you enjoy.
   
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blogs.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person who has nominated you for the award.

With the rules in mind, the Sisterhood award goes to all the cookbook writers in my Cookbook Class because we're like sisters; we're all in this together--we're the sisterhood of the cookbook writers. (And if you ladies are wondering why the teacher has been absent from class, it's because I'm really busy promoting my new cookbook--something you'll all be doing when you publish yours.)

Tiersa, Chef Bliss
Joan, Foodalogue
Arlene, The Food of Love
Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
Karen, (right back at ya!), Domestic Muse
Kim, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet
Deeba, Passionate About Baking
Ning, Heart and Hearth
Liliana, My Cookbook Addiction

Liliana, of My Cookbook Addiction, also a cookbook writer and a member of Cookbook Class, gave me the Blogging With a Purpose award last month. This award is supposed to be passed along to bloggers who show great attitude and gratitude.


I'd like to pass this award along to all the foodies who are helping me promote my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, through the blog tour sponsored by my publisher, Pelican Publishing, and to the foodies who are bringing food to share at my Fiesta of Foods and Flavors blog event to celebrate the birth of my new cookbook. To me, they're blogging with a purpose and the purpose is Tex-Mex Food! I like their attitude and I have a lot of gratitude.

Natasha, 5 Star Foodie
Aggie, Aggie's Kitchen
Melissa, Alosha's Kitchen
Chef E, Behind the Wheel Chef
Hornsfan, Bytes From Texas
Tiersa, Chef Bliss
Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
Liliana, Cookbook Addiction
Giz, Equal Opportunity Kitchen
Pam, For the Love of Cooking
Karen, Karen Cooks
Meg, Megan's Munchies
Teresa, Mexican American Border Cooking and Mexican Chocolate Lore and More
Donna, My Tasty Treasures
Deeba, Passionate About Baking
Meg, Puget Sound Cookery
Rachel, The Crispy Cook
Dee, Texas to Mexico

Kendra, of Homegrown Housewife, gave me the Lemonade Stand Award earlier this month. She received the award for being a domestic genius. This award is supposed to be passed along to foodies whose blogs are refreshing, like a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day. I'd like
to pass along this refreshing award to...

Kendra, Homegrown Housewife. Even though she gave it to me, I'm also giving it to her because when life hands her lemons, she makes Lemon Pound Cake, and this philosophy is so refreshing.

Megan, Megan's Cookin', because she made Kalua Pork the other day. She actually caught the wild pig herself, dug an Imu Pit, and hot lava roasted a feast for her friends and family.

Karen, Karen Cooks, because she defined the true meaning of celibacy and Gold Medal Flour.

Karen, Domestic Muse, because she had an Apple Pancake Smackdown with Paula Deen and Emeril, and she won!

Thanks so much for the awards, Karen, Liliana, and Kendra.

Chef Bear's Chicken Parmesan

Chef Bear and I had a wonderful visit and she taught me a thing
or two about cooking. As I mentioned in a previous post, she's a wonderful cook and decided to make Chicken Parmesan while she was here. It was truly delicious and she showed me the secret to cooking with a jarred sauce to make it taste like you made it from scratch and simmered it on the stove all day. BTW, she doesn't measure ingredients; she just tosses in whatever amount she thinks the recipe will like. So I watched her carefully and guesstimated the amounts. Here's her recipe:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 T. dried oregano, plus more for later
• 1/2 - 3/4 T. dried basil, plus more for later
• 1 T. Tone's Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine (okay, I'll admit that we polished off the rest of the bottle while we watched the recipe cook)
• 1 (26 oz.) jar Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce
• 1/2 cup or so of Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup, or more, Parmesan cheese
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 1 cup, or more, shredded Mozzarella cheese

Spray a 12-inch chef's saute skillet with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat.

Add the onions and sprinkle them with salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, and 1/2 T. Tone's seasoning. Saute for a few minutes until
the onion goes limp and starts to brown.

Add the garlic and saute for one minute.

Pour in the wine, stir to mix with the onions, bring to a boil and let boil for a minute or two, or until there is no more liquid. (I know this seems like a total waste of good wine but it flavors the onions and sets the foundation for a layered sauce. At least that's what Chef Bear told me.)

Add the sauce and stir to mix with the wine-flavored onions. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 T. Tone's seasoning and stir. Bring to a low boil and let reduce for 15 minutes. (This thickens the sauce and develops the flavor even more. Another tip from Chef Bear. I told you she knows what she's doing in the kitchen.)

While the sauce is reducing and creating a wonderful aroma in your home, pour yourself and your cooking companion another glass of wine. Sip and savor, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the sauce occasionally.

Put your wine glass down and spread the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. Sprinkle on some black pepper, dried oregano, basil, and Tone's seasoning. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix everything together.

Dredge the chicken in the seasoned bread crumb-Parmesan mixture.

Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 glass baking dish.

Put the coated chicken on top of the sauce and spoon the remaining sauce over.

Sprinkle liberally with Mozzarella cheese and shake on some more oregano. (Chef Bear loves oregano as much as I do.) If there is
any seasoned-bread-crumb-Parmesan mixture left after dredging, sprinkle that on the top, too, then put the chicken in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

While it's cooking, have another glass of wine and enjoy some foodie conversation with your new chef friend.

Chef Bear served this with a baked potato and steamed broccoli.
It was the best Chicken Parmesan I've ever had.

Thanks, Chef Bear, for cooking for me and for your wonderful foodie visit.

Freebie Friday -- Cupcakes, Coffee, and Cookbooks

There are some really cool freebies flying around the blogosphere
so I thought I'd share a few with you. If you like cupcakes, coffee,
and cookbooks, you're gonna like these freebies.

Do you like cupcakes? Love them? Chef Bliss is creating lots of good karma by telling all of us about a cupcake giveaway.


How about coffee? Who doesn't love coffee? Meg, at Megan's Munchies, shared a Starbucks giveaway--a sample of their new instant coffee. The only thing is they're out of freebies now (they went fast; must have something to do with caffeine) but you can sign up for a special offer which will be a surprise.

Now, for the very best freebie (in my opinion),
I'm giving away two copies of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, this month. One here on Cookbook Cuisine, the other on my Foods and Flavors of San Antonio blog to get my cookbook's birthday party started.


Next month, I'll also be giving away a copy of my new cookbook to a Fiesta Foodie (you have to bring Tex-Mex food to the party to share with everyone) and other San Antonio-type stuff at my Fiesta of Foods and Flavors event.

Hey, what are you hanging around here for? Go and check out the links for cupcakes, coffee, and cookbooks.

And if you're looking for a Mexican Restaurant, check out this link.

Who Wants Birthday Cake?

We interrupt Chef Bear's travels around the foodie blogosphere to bring you this special announcement. (Chef Bear says she doesn't mind sharing the spotlight since she's related to the really cute chocoholic bear, both designed by Teresa.)

Chef Bliss is having a birthday! Since she hasn't had chocolate cake in four years, she was wanting chocolate cake and made herself one. (What a great present to give yourself: Chocolate Cake!) Despite the chocolate not cooperating with her (my food does that, too,
but it's usually the veggies), the birthday girl got her birthday wish:
A chocolate cake -- oh, yeah!

And I have a little birthday present for her from one chocoholic to another...

Happy Birthday, Chef Bliss!

Chef Bear

One of my favorite foodie friends, Teresa, of Mexican American Border Cooking and Mexican Chocolate Lore and More, sent me Chef Bear, along with her journal in which she's recording her travels, and a trunk full of goodies from El Paso. I LOVE Chef Bear; she's so adorable and is one of the best cooks I've ever eaten dinner with, but more on that later. Her mama, Teresa, crocheted her with love and is sending her around the foodie blogosphere so she can sample all kinds of cuisines and visit with other foodies.

Here are the goodies Chef Bear brought with her:

• A postcard from El Paso, along with a really nice note;
• A T-shirt that says: Someone in El Paso who loves me sent me this T-shirt. (Aww, thanks, Teresa, I love you, too.)
• A big kitchen towel or a small tablecloth (depends on how you look at it) with a matching potholder;
• A cinnamon-flavored lollipop that has El Paso on it, which my granddaughter totally enjoyed;
• Chocolate, but not just any chocolate: This is Abuelita Mexican Chocolate. Need I say more?;
• A Cookin' with Tequila From Southwest to Margaritaville Cookbook. In addition to mucho good tequila drinks, there are recipes. I've got my eye on the Chili Con Carne Con Tequila for next month's chili cook-off, but the Burrito With a Kick looks good and so does the Baked Sunrise Chicken. The cookbook comes with a warning from the author: I don't suggest doing Tequila shots while cooking for obvious reasons. 1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, FLOOR;
• A shot glass, for drinking the Tequila; and
• A lottery card game. I played this with my grandsons over the weekend and we had a blast with it, playing for pennies.

Chef Bear and I had a wonderful visit together, talking about foodie things while she looked through my cookbooks deciding what meal she wanted to make. But now it's time for her to move on. I've written something in her journal and sent her on her way to another foodie, along with her journal and her trunk filled with goodies from San Antonio. Who knows where she'll travel next? One day you may find her waiting for you in your mailbox.

She's quite the chef; she can really cook. She decided she wanted
to make Chicken Parmesan and I have to tell you, it was the best chicken parmesan I've ever had. We'll be sharing her recipe in the next post.

Strut Your Spuds

I found a new foodie event! Well, it's not new, but it's new to me. Potato Ho-Down is the brain-child of Cathy of Noble Pig and Krysta of Evil Chef Mom. They've invited all of us potato ho's to participate. Make your potatoes -- mash them, fry them, scallop them, bake them, soup them, stew them, whatever your little potato-lovin' heart desires and send your spuds in for the round-up. This month's ho-down is hosted by Cathy at Noble Pig
on February 18th.

This is a wonderful opportunity to strut your spuds. But first, you have to have a personal potato ho name. Not just any name will do. Your potato ho name (I didn't make this up; they did) consists of your first pet's name and your middle name. The recipe you submit is your personal ho name plus the name of your recipe. Now, don't laugh folks, but my potato ho name is Morpy Margaret.

Without further ado, I offer
you the very humble--yet highly underrated and often ignored or overlooked as ordinary--mashed potatoes, dressed up and ready
to go to town in the form of my Morpy Margaret Chunky Cheddar-Garlic Smashed Potatoes.

The potatoes told me they were a little scared to strut their spuds
all over town by themselves, because they weren't sure anyone would pay them the proper attention, and they also said they were lonely on the plate all by themselves, so I shared my Baby Bella Mushrooms and Sauteed Spinach to keep them company.

• 6 red potatoes, scrubbed (leave the skin on) and cut into chunks (butter reds are the best)
• 1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 T. dried minced garlic
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  

Heat a large saucepan filled halfway with water over high heat. When the water boils, add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until they are soft. Drain in a colander and return to the pan. Add the Cheddar cheese, garlic, sour cream, butter, and milk. Smash the potatoes to a coarse consistency. Chunks are good here. Take a taste, then season to your liking with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley.

100th Post, a Foodie Blog Party, and a Cookbook Giveaway

YAY!! This is my 100th post. Woohoo!! When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was doing, but thought it would be fun. In the past eight months, I've made a lot of wonderful foodie friends.
I love you all! And I love your food, too! In the beginning, I thought I would focus this blog on how to write and publish a cookbook based on my book, Recipe for a Cookbook. Then I realized that since this is supposed to be a foodie blog, it would probably be
a good idea to offer some food -- duh!

I didn't have a camera to take pictures of food and didn't have the foggiest idea how to upload pictures from a camera to the computer. I had to ask my daughter how this worked. LOL. So then I bought a camera and got the hang of it, but definitely need to improve my food photography skills. Maybe by the time I reach my 200th post,
I can offer you better pictures.

Before moving forward, I thought it might be nice to look back and show you my two most popular food posts: Sauteed Chicken and Baby Bella Mushrooms Served Over Garlic Spinach is the favorite so far. Coming in a close second is my Hoppin' John Kickin' Chili that
I welcomed in the New Year with.

And now on to the Foodie Blog Party: As many of you know, my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, was just published on Monday. Woohoo!!!!! I'm having
a party, A Fiesta of Foods and Flavors, to celebrate the birth of my new cookbook. This month-long blog party in March at Foods and Flavors of San Antonio will feature Tex-Mex recipes from foodies and from my new cookbook. You're all invited to the party!

I'm getting the party started early by giving away a copy of my cookbook this month on my Foods and Flavors of San Antonio blog. During the Fiesta foodie event in March for my official book launch, there will also be presents: My cookbook (of course!), San Antonio T-shirts and refrigerator magnets. Click on the Fiesta link for details.

To celebrate my 100th post, I'm also giving
away a copy of Foods and Flavors of San Antonio on this blog. Leave me a comment and you have a chance to win my new cookbook! A winner will be drawn at random on February 28th.

Because this blog wouldn't be what it is today without all my foodie friends, I've created an award for all of you. Some of you are foodie friends I've known for a while, some of you are new foodie friends, and some of you are a foodie friend I haven't met yet. Most awards come with rules; this one has no rules because friendship has no rules. Feel free to post this foodie friends award on your sidebar, then share it with all your foodie friends. I'd like to give this award to my foodie friends that I already know and love:

• Teresa, Mexican American Border Cooking and Mexican Chocolate Lore and More
• Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
• Tiersa, Chef Bliss
• Meg, Megan's Munchies
• Joan, Foodalogue
• Chef E, Behind the Wheel Chef
• Pam, For the Love of Cooking
• Meg, Puget Sound Cookery
• Deeba, Passionate About Baking
• Ruth, Presto Pasta Nights
• Liliana, My Cookbook Addiction
• Cathy, Noble Pig
• Claire, Culinary Colorado
• Arlene, The Food of Love
• Natashya, Living in the Kitchen With Puppies
• Hornsfan, Bytes From Texas
• Melissa, Alosha's Kitchen
• Megan, Megan's Cookin'
• Kendra, Homegrown Housewife
• Aggie, Aggie's Kitchen
• Natasha, Five Star Foodie
  
• Karen, Karen Cooks
  

Thank you, all my foodie friends. Thanks for visiting both this
blog and my Foods and Flavors of San Antonio blog, and leaving comments, and for your foodie blogs that I love to visit. You're
all wonderful!!!

You're All Invited to a Birthday Party!

It's almost time for the birth of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, so I'm planning a big birthday party--A Fiesta of Foods and Flavors--
for the whole month of March and you're
all invited!

In San Antonio, a fiesta is a party but not just any party--it's a huge celebration, so I'm turning the publication of my cookbook into a fiesta! I'll be sharing lots of food and giving away presents!

Come on over to my Foods and Flavors of San Antonio blog and
see what it's all about. Bring your Tex-Mex recipes and let's fiesta. I'm getting the party started early and giving away a copy of my
new cookbook this month.

Sauteed Spinach

I love spinach, but it hasn't always been this way. (Does this sound familiar?) I grew up being literally force-fed canned spinach. It was slimy and very gross and tasted awful, but my parents assured me I would grow up to be healthy and strong like Popeye. They would sit
at the dinner table and sing me the stupid Popeye jingle until I ate
all my spinach. Becoming like Popeye wasn't my life's dream; I liked Wimpy so much better because he loves hamburgers, but I gagged down the spinach because I wanted to be healthy and because I
wasn't allowed to leave the table until I ate it all.

Many, many, many years later I discovered fresh baby spinach.
OMG. I LOVE it! Besides being one of the top ten healthiest foods, it's delicious! I enjoy it in salads, chopped over a taco, scattered over a bowl of chili or enchiladas, mixed in with lasagna or tossed over a pizza (you get the picture), and I really enjoy it sauteed with onion, garlic, and bacon--spinach heaven! While I usually serve this as a side dish, I occasionally eat the whole batch and call it dinner.

• 6 slices turkey bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (10 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a 12-inch, deep chef's saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion and saute until the bacon is almost crisp and the onions are limp and just starting to turn brown.

Add the garlic and saute for one minute.

Add the spinach (you may have to do this in batches), stir and cover the pan until the spinach wilts. Stir, take a taste, and season to your liking with salt and pepper.

Eat your spinach! It will make you healthy and strong! Don't make me come over to your house and sing you the Popeye jingle!

Quickie Chunky Chili

I was in the mood last week for a nice, hot, spicy, steaming bowl of chili. And I was hungry cause it was past my dinnertime, so I threw together a Quickie Chunky Chili that only took 15 minutes to cook from start to finish. And it was good, too. Nice, quick, easy, simple. My kind of recipe. I was even able to catch the steam in the picture.

1 pound lean ground beef
Various amounts of chili powder; I use a lot
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15.5 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Cook the ground beef in a 12-inch chef's saute pan over medium-high heat, leaving large chunks of beef. Sprinkle the meat liberally with chili powder as it is browning.

Add the tomato sauce and a little bit of water (about 1/4 cup; rinse the can with water to get the remaining tomato sauce in the can). Sprinkle on more chili powder. Stir.

Add the beans. Sprinkle on more chili powder. Stir.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir and serve.

I'm entering this chili in my once-a-month Chili Cook-Off Challenge at Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. If you have an original chili recipe, please enter it in the cook-off. There are prizes for the best chili and all the recipes will go into a new cookbook I'm writing.

Sunday Shorts

Sunday Shorts is going to be short this week...




My favorite foodie friend and a really sweet person, Teresa, of Mexican American Border Cooking and Mexican Chocolate Lore and More, sent me Chef Bear, who will be traveling around the foodie blogosphere with her journal and a trunk filled with goodies. More on Chef Bear later...

It's a new month and a new Chili Cook-Off at Foods and Flavors of San Antonio.



Meg, at Megan's Munchies, is sharing her seven awards and offering a surprise foodie giveaway.



Kendra, of Homegrown Housewife, has a wonderful philosophy: When life gives you lemons, make lemon pound cake.