Books to love and to have

Chronicle Books has a contest for you and me, and it is called Happy Haul-idays.  It is a contest for everyone who loves books and find happiness in reading books :)

Even though this blog isn't particularly about books, but I love baking and cooking books and I have several Chronicle books in my library already.  Each one of Chronicles books is gorgeous in both the design and photo aesthetic. By entering this contest I have a chance to win $500 worth of books of my choice; and for you readers, if you like my book list and leave comments on my post, you'll be automatically be entered in the contest and have a chance to win my list.  There's one catch, you have to be a US resident to enter this giveaway.  This contest ends on 11:59 pm EST, December 14, 2010.

So why not make the list and enter it?  Here is mine:
Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe

Farmers' Market Desserts: Gorgeous Fruit Recipes from First Prize Peach Pie to Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Whoopie Pies: Dozens of Mix 'em, Match 'em, Eat 'em Up Recipes!

Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion

Baking for All Occasions: A Treasury of Recipes for Every Celebration

Tartine

The Chocolate Deck: 50 Luscious Indulgences

Ice Cream Treats: Easy Ways to Transform Your Favorite Ice Cream into Spectacular Desserts

Cake Stencils: Recipes and How-To Decorating Ideas for Cakes and Cupcakes

Bon Appétit Celebrations Deck: 50 Recipes for Special Parties and Happy Holidays All Year Long

Fast, Fresh & Green: More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers

Rice Pasta Couscous: The Heart of the Mediterranean Kitchen

Sunday Soup: A Year's Worth of Mouthwatering, Easy-to-Make Recipes

The Big Book of Soups and Stews: 262 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food

Saveur The New Comfort Food: Home Cooking From Around the World

Where Flavor Was Born: Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route

Martin Yan's China

Quick & Easy Korean Cooking: More than 70 Everyday Recipes

Lobel's Meat Bible: All You Need to Know about Meat and Poultry from America's Master Butchers

Puff: 50 Flaky, Crunchy, Delicious Appetizers, Entrees, and Desserts Made with Puff Pastry

This last one book is not about baking or cooking, but it's something that, if I win, I will give to my husband as a gift for Christmas.  He loves Beatles, and for all his patience for being my food taster, he deserves a great book like this.

The Beatles Anthology

My total comes to $499.30, not bad, huh? :)  Now, I'm crossing my fingers and hope for the best!

Avocado Chocolate Bits Frozen Yogurt

The first time I saw the recipe, it was on Fine Cooking website, and so it being avocado I've got to try it.  In the US, avocado are used mainly in savory dishes, but you would find around the world that the fruit is often used in sweet dishes.  Philippine, Indonesia, Brazil, and Vietnam share the love of pureed avocado shakes sweetened with sugar and/or sweetened condensed milk, with chocolate syrup sometimes added in Indonesia.

My family loves to drink avocado shakes, sometimes a shot of coffee is added to the drink, along with a pinch of salt to round up the taste.  I wanted to marry the flavor of avocado and chocolate in this frozen yogurt, and what better way than to add chopped bittersweet chocolate in it?

The original recipe asked for lime zest along with the juice to give a tang to the frozen yogurt, but I don't want to do that.  I want my frozen yogurt creamy and sweet.  I then only added half tablespoon of lemon juice to keep the avocado from being discolored.  The top it off, just before serving I drizzle some sweetened condensed milk; now you might think it's a no-no, but not until you try all of those together then you may say, ah, I get it.  Pale green with flecks of chocolate, this frozen yogurt is sure pretty.

Avocado Chocolate Bits Frozen Yogurt

Makes about 1 quart



2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

2 medium, firm-ripe avocados (6 to 7 oz. each), peeled, pitted

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao)

Sweetened condensed milk for drizzling, optional



Heat milk and sugar over medium heat in a medium saucepan until just comes to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the vanilla.

Have ready a large bowl filled with ice and set a small metal bowl over the ice with a strainer set over it.

Place egg yolks in a medium bowl, lightly beaten.  Ladle some of the milk into the egg yolk, whisk it to prevent curdling.  Pour this mixture back into the rest of the milk in the saucepan.  Cook over low-medium heat until mixture is thick and can cover the back of a wooden spoon, about 4 to 8 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the strainer into the small bowl; stir in the yogurt.  Whisk the mixture over the ice bath until it cools completely.

Scoop the avocado meat and puree in a blender or food processor along with the lemon juice and some of the cooled custard.  Pour this mixture back to the rest of the custard, blend them together until it is thick and creamy.

Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Halfway through the freezing process, fold in the chopped bittersweet chocolate.  Transfer the frozen yogurt into a freezer-safe container and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Toffee Peanuts--Bake sale #4

Planters brand sells Sweet N' Crunch peanuts, I made toffee peanuts :)  The taste is pretty similar as well, oh, I was so excited I could make these.  Making them wasn't hard but it was time consuming, especially when it was time to stir so the the peanuts so the sugar coated them evenly.

The recipe could be made with any other nuts or a combination of nuts.

Toffee Peanuts

Makes about 2 pounds



1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter

4 cups shelled raw peanuts (with skins)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Lightly greased a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside.

Stir together sugar, butter, and 1/2 cup water in a large deep pot over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until better melts and sugar dissolves.

Increase heat to medium-high; add peanuts, and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes, or until mixture becomes dry.  Reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook 6 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until sugar melts and turns golden.  It will coat the nuts, but do not stir constantly.  Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon; stir well.  Spread nuts in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.  cool completely; break nuts apart.  Store in an airtight container up to 2  weeks.



Source:  adapted from Christmas with Southern Living 2009

The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook Prizes Giveaway

I'm trying to finish up this post before the end of the day.  One last important thing before tomorrow rolls in.

Do you remember that my recipe was chosen to be part of The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook?  Tomorrow, Foodista will give prizes giveaway for the release of the book.  It is open to anyone who buys the book between 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. P.D.T. through Amazon.  For the complete detail CLICK HERE.

This truly has been a joyous moment for me to have my recipe published in a book, and I am sure the rest of 99 people whose recipes got chosen are joyous too :)

Dried Cherry-Almond Scones--Bake sale #3

The third item in my bake sale tray: dried cherry-almond scones.  Traditional scones are plain, eaten with jams and clotted cream.  Modernized scones are colorful, with dried fruits, chocolate chunks, fresh fruits, and nuts.  There is nothing wrong of wanting to eat the original flavor, and at other times, the modernized version.

The important thing is to keep the texture of the scones light and tender, flaky and buttery; it should be crumbly in your mouth.  This scones is small in size but big in flavor, I actually like the recipe that it uses buttermilk instead of milk or cream, it makes the dough light inside with crusty exterior.  Almost like biscuits, ooh...I love biscuits :)

Dried Cherry-Almond Scones

Makes 16 small rectangular scones



2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar, divide

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

2/3 cup buttermik

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Parchment paper



Preheat oven to 400 degree F.  Stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; cut int butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.  Stir in cherries and almonds.

Whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg, and almond extract; add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture forms a shaggy dough.

Use floured hands to pat dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-x7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut into 16 rectangles.  Place scone dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Whisk together remaining egg and 1 teaspoon water.  Brush scones with egg wash; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.



Source:  adapted from 2009 Christmas with Southern Living