Hi friends.
I’m going to dump on you a little bit here mmmk? You cool with that?
1. I’m sorry I haven’t shared a recipe with you in so long. I’ve been in the kitchen, making deliciousness, wanting to share it with you. But it’s so damn dark around here! Daylight savings happened, and now it is dark before I even set foot outside of the hospital at the end of the day. I arrive at work, it’s dark. I leave work, it’s dark. Somebody help me. My biggest concern should be the lack of daylight my poor self will be seeing for the next 6 months, but instead, I am most troubled by how this darkness affects my ability to take decent photos. I despise using a flash. Hmmmf. Help.
2. I want to make and eat all of these. In one sitting. And these. Help!
3. Long ago, someone sent me an email entitled “The Most Dangerous Cake Recipe!” – a 5-minute microwave chocolate cake recipe. As in, you make a chocolate cake in a coffee mug, in the microwave. I made one, due to some mad cravings (see #2). I’m not going to lie, it was pretty terrible. I would much rather put in the hour-long effort required to make a real chocolate cake, but clearly I was desperate. It reminded me of the cakes I made as a kid with my Easy Bake oven…a weird, spongy texture, not very much flavor. But I still ate half of it. And now I feel sick. What is wrong with me?! Help!!
4. I am moving in exactly 18 days. And I haven’t started packing yet. Help!!!
5. I have ventured back into the mysterious world of dating. Help!!!!
6. But seriously, HELP!
Phew, that feels better. Thank you for listening.
Now, on to the good stuff. Free stuff! This is the very first giveaway on Once Upon A Recipe! Aren’t you excited?!
Who wants a one-year subscription to Cook’s Illustrated magazine? Yeah you do!
Cook’s Illustrated is one of my favorite foodie magazines. Best. Recipes. Ever. Foolproof.
To Win: Leave a comment below (say hi, tell me what your favorite foodie magazine is, tell a crazy story, whatevs) and subscribe to Once Upon A Recipe. It’s that easy. Open to everyone. ‘Cause I love you. Enter before November 30, 2011 at 12:00pm Mountain Time. One winner will be randomly selected and announced after Nov. 30. Good luck!
And whatever you do, don’t make that microwave chocolate cake. Bad idea.
*Giveaway sponsored by me, myself, and I. ‘Cause I love ya!
Yeah I do! Love this magazine. Good luck with the move. And the dating!! Stay away from the microwave! Have a great weekend!
Thank you Kim! Such kind words are appreciated!
I can totally sympathize on the daylight savings scene. For the life of me I have never understood the logic behind it.
I don’t have the nerve to try jumping back into the dating scene in all this darkness. I should though…
Good luck to you!
Just jump in with both feet my friend…I figure, what’s the worst that can happen? 😉
Good morning! I’ve never truly, completely understood the reasoning behind DST. Someone once told me it was an energy saving move … aren’t you just shifting the need for electricity between one end of the day and the other and then shifting it back? You definitely have a full plate at the moment (always a shame when it’s not good food though). Wishing you peace and HELP! I LOVE Cook’s Illustrated … it’s been my go-to for years; when we retired, moved several hundred miles from all that we knew, and decided to live on a fixed income, I let my subscription go. I have framed a couple covers over the years and have looked forward to Christopher Kimball’s editorials in each issue! Photography with flash … BLEH! Perhaps a couple of very bright lights will help both your food photography and you in all this darkness. Again, much peace and help are wished your way!!
Aww, thank you Sue! I appreciate your sweet words. Maybe you’ll be the lucky winner! 🙂
And I think you’re right…I am going to have to invest in some photography lights to help me through this long winter!
I love Cooking Light. Sometimes I don’t even make anything out of it, I just love to read all the recipes.
Kids finally sleeping past 5:30, after only a week that is pretty good! But my daughter keeps asking for after dinner walks and bike rides. No, girlfriend we can’t even see the back yard! :0)
I love Cooking Light too! I guess you and your kids will have to discover some after-dinner activities that don’t require daylight!
Hi! I’d love to win a subscription to this magazine. I love to cook, but I have to be inspired. Flipping through magazines or recipes online always helps me out 😉
I totally eat things even when I don’t like them (like your microwave cake). It sucks and I don’t know why I do it!
Allison, I love flipping through food magazines too – in fact, I’d pick them over the celebrity magazines any day! They’re always so inspiring and help get me in the mood to get creative in the kitchen. Good luck!
I am subscribed to you
My favorite foodie magazine is Fine Cooking!
Another of my favorites too Amanda!
Hey, who can you blow off steam with if not your friends! We all have those days. Hope the move goes well and also the dating. Cook’s Illustrated is a great magazine but I would have to say my favorite is probably A Taste of the South.
Thanks Kat! I owe big thanks to my friends these days – they are keeping me afloat!
Amanda, Life is crazy sometimes isn’t it! I am sure once the move is under your belt, holidays past you and a nice vacation away from the depressing hospital on a sunny beach somewhere you will be as good as new. I also have the same issue with food lighting living in polluted Hong Kong, we have sunlight, or so they say, but most days you have no idea it is even there. (I am currently looking into some alternative lighting options for my kitchen for food photography as well in hopes that my pictures look as nice Cooks illustrated magazine- or well at least so that you can see my food) Take Care
Thank you friend! I am going to do my best to get to a sunny beach this winter, I know it would help so much! Life may be crazy, but at least it’s interesting! 😉
Amanda!
Love your blog and the yummy ideas! I wish I had a funny story for you….but usually I just try to forget about my kitchen mishaps altogether. Ha ha ha ha…..Keep on doing what you’re doing because you are great at it! 🙂
Aww, thanks for stopping by Marie! 🙂 PS. Kitchen mishaps make the best stories! 😉
I heart Cook’s Illustrated! I have the first issue of Lucky Peach on my coffee table that I need to read – it’s supposed to be great! Also…does it count that I subscribe to Once Upon A Recipe through my google reader? I’m vaguely recalling a time in the not-to-distant-past where I showed you how to use GR when covering in the NICU with you – does my memory serve me correctly? PS – I MISS YOU. Please come to Victoria so we can eat delicious food here!
It sure does count Rach…and yes, you were instrumental in turning me on to Google Reader and the world of blogging, so thank you for that! 🙂 I miss you too and would love to come visit and eat with you! I have lots of vacation time, and have been told that I need to take it or I’ll lose it, so maybe, just maybe, I can swing a visit…