Monday, February 15, 2010

Milestone, Carrots and a Giveaway

It was slow going at first. Awkward, not terribly inviting, but willing to try, explore, and bake bake bake. That was what this blog was like in the beginning and while it's no where near where it could be, I think it has grown quite a bit since the first post over a year ago and I'm always trying to improve. But today, I'm marking a milestone for Blondie's Cakes: the 100th post! Whew! It truly has been a learning experience, I've learned a ton about myself, about food, and about those of you that visited me every once in a while and left encouraging comments, thank you. I'd like to celebrate this milestone, and maybe lure some of you silent lurkers out, by having a little giveaway, but business first and treats later.

I am not a morning person and there are very few things that will get me out of bed before 10am on a weekend, but this past Saturday I had errands to run and so I got up at a very reasonable 7:30. What this meant was that I'd finally make it to the Green City Market at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which is awesome! A ton of farmers and vendors set up booths every Saturday morning and you can get anything from fresh apple cider to these lovely French Cannelles, which made for a lovely breakfast:

Cannelles

to fresh farm raised eggs with rich orange yolks:

Fresh Eggs

to these cool looking purple carrots and beautiful shallots:

Purple Carrots

I have to admit, I've never seen purple carrots and I was drawn to them purely because of their color, but if they were even half as yummy as I thought they'd be I knew they'd make a yummy carrot salad.

My mom has been making this salad on a pretty regular basis for as far back as I can remember and I have often found myself in the kitchen next to her shredding the carrots and chatting about what's going on in my life, discussing various family news or just listening to her tell stories of her past. Sometimes I'm sad that so many eloquent phrases that come up in our conversations cannot be translated from Russian to English. The poetic qualities get lost and fall flat. But the salad needs no translations, it's quick and it's the simplest thing in the world to make:

5-6 good sized carrots
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup raisins

Wash and shred the carrots to smithereens, sprinkle with sugar and fold in the sour cream. Once everything is evenly distributed, fold in the raisins and dig in. See? I told you it was easy.

I was a little sad that the carrots weren't purple on the inside, but the salad was yummy so who cares?


Now back to the giveaway. It's my first one, and I don't have fancy shmancy kitchen gadgets to give out, but I do have a pair of these cute sundae dishes which I promise to fill with all sorts of goodies, so trust me, you will want them.

Sundae Dishes

There will be candy, cookies, tea, and jam and anything else that I'm inspired to add. I might even throw in a bottle of my limoncello if you live in a place where I'm allowed to ship it and if you are old enough.

How to win: In order to be entered into this giveaway you must leave a comment telling me what your favorite dessert is and why. It's that easy, just remember to either include a link to your site or an email address, so that I have a way to contact you if you win. I'm going to take all the comments on Friday night and pick the winner using some sort of random generation method. I might throw bones, ask strangers to pick numbers or maybe even use darts, but you can be sure that it will be totally random. Good luck, I can't wait to hear what you guys come up with!

81 comments:

Joy said...

Do I count? hahaha..I don't believe you are at 100 posts already. Good job. Favorite dessert...there are so many to pick. The peach cakes I love and btw miss *hint hint*. But I guess my favorite dessert a scoop or two of mango sherbert topped with coconut and lays potato chips.

Susan Seeley said...

Nothing is as good as a New York style cheesecake (plain) and a side of dark chocolate ganache and pureed raspberries to dip each bite into! (I'm drooling even now...)

Unknown said...

my favorite dessert is red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. but actually, i love all desserts :) great giveaway.

MeezCarrie said...

Just discovered this blog - my favorite dessert is my grandma's peach cobbler -yummy!! With a scoop of ice cream, of course :)

a very close runner-up would be chocolate fondue with fruit!

carriemschmidt at gmail dot com

MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...

cheesecake fesh clean sinful

smilekisses said...

My favorite dessert is fried cheesecake with caramel sauce.
dolniaks[at]consolidated[dot]net

Mimilynn said...

My favorite is pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Chacoy said...

my favortie desseret is hot lava cake, which is sounding really good right now after seeing your goodies;p
chacoyaguayo{at}yahoo{dot}com

Congrats on your first giveaway; thank you for the opprotunity!

deb c said...

My favorite dessert is Carrot Cake Cheese Cake because it has my two favorite desserts together. It is delicious and easy to make.
missdeb1@earthlink.net

Anonymous said...

HORTON111@AOL.COM

CHEESECAKE AND STRAWBERRIES

Leenburke said...

My favorite dessert is cheesecake, no crust. It's just so divine and creamy and cakey at the same time...great now I'm salivating! leenburke@yahoo.com

LittleEagle said...

I am going to my local farmers market and getting some of those carrots. My favorite dessert is a Tiramasu. sharonaquilino at hotmail dot com

Suburban prep said...

I enjoy a good Tiramisu!!! Or a caramel bread pudding.
msgb245 at gmail dot com

Samantha said...

My favorite dessert is homemade chocolate chip cookies. I just love them with milk!
dmb161@aol.com

Denise Payne said...

i love ice cream in any shape, size, or form.

winnerblues@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

My favorite dessert is a Cotton Candy Blizzard from Dairy Queen!

Trudy
onlyjustine at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Wowzers! Fabulous lil post there. Personally I'm in love with rice pudding for some strange reason. I've made 3 batches in the last 2 weeks. Though I'm sure this doesn't come as a surprise to you. And if it's not rice pudding its hot chocolate from Xoco :P

<3 k 'theooooooppololhaorpouls'

Unknown said...

Tiramisu- so rich and amazingly delish and you can customize it to whatever you feel like at the moment.

Lindsey said...

favorite dessert is hands down a slice of my mom's orange crunch cake. which, is a delicious yellow cake made with orange juice and a cruncy layer of graham cracker crumbs/crushed walnuts/brown sugar. but i think i mostly just love it cause it was my mothers specialty and it brings back good memories of parties and family.

dawns41 said...

My favorite dessert is creme puffs. I love this delicate dessert because you can change it out and each change is a delight to the senses.

You can put Bavarian Cream filling with Chocolate or Vanilla Icing on top or Glaze it with both Choc and Vanilla.

You can use a Chocolate or Vanilla Cream filling with a Chocolate, Vanilla or even a Strawberry Glaze on top.

You can do a Strawberry filling with a Strawberry glaze or a dash of chocolate glaze, vanilla glaze or Icing.

The ideas are numerous and a delight to all who pick up that dessert.

dawns_horizen@yahoo.com

D Q said...

My favorite dessert is chocolate chip ice cream.
djeanq(at)gmail(dot)com

Adrienne said...

I love molten lava chocolate cake.

ikkinlala said...

My favourite dessert is huckleberry pie, both because it's tasty and because it reminds my of my grandma (who taught me to make pie crust) and of late summer days spent picking the berries.

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

Missybeez said...

Apple Dumpling with icecream and carmel sauce will always be my favorite.
honeybeez80@yahoo.com

mogrill said...

Fudge Cake with thick rich icing. YUM!! Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net

Unknown said...

I love my mother's cast iron skillet pineapple upside down cake. It's super moist and delicious. Thanks.

president(dot)peaches(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sarah said...

My favorite dessert is truffles with Bailey's liquer.

shannon said...

I love any dessert I can make and share with my kids, especially chocolate chip cookies!

Deborah said...

Congratulations on your 100th Post Milestone!

Since it's winter, my favorite dessert is Greek Yogurt flavored with vanilla, and topped with honey and toasted walnuts. I don't know why, but every winter, that's my favorite dessert.

elaine r said...

I like the sundae dishes-very sweet. My favorite dessert is lemon meringue pie-but it has to be one made by my daughter,she makes the best lemon meringue pie!

Elaine R
emrosser@shaw.ca

Anonymous said...

My favorites is Chocolate Mint Cream Pie. I love the taste of mint

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

mverno said...

i like homemade whoopie pies. i like the filling mverno@roadrunner.com

Anonymous said...

Brownie Mudpie! The warm ooey-gooey chocolate mixed with cool coffee icecream just hits me with this unbelievable sense of satisfaction.
(panicxduh@yahoo.com)

spike said...

Homemade Caramel-Apple pie!

Anne said...

I love apple pie, that is my favorite.

ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

Hetal said...

my fave dessert is chocolate fudge. I love everything with chocolate.

cstironkat said...

Dark Chocolate cheesecake with a glass of ice wine or raspberry port.

taylorbagels said...

Lady Baltimore cake, I just love that it's so delicious and the creamy frosting is really the icing on the cake as it goes!

electricisland(at)gmail.com

Katy said...

My favorite dessert is peanut butter pie! Oh my goodness....YUM! I love almost anything with peanut butter! I am soo sad for those who are allergic to it! Peanut butter is deeeelicious!!! :)


thecountryblossom AT hotmail DOT com

Anne said...

My favorite is "pretzel Jello" and I still remember my first time trying it as a kid at my mom's friends house!
annemolino at hotmail dot com

Heidi said...

my favorite is homeade marionberry pei, because during the summer the baerries are soooo good!
heidilynndonahue@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Those dishes are so cute! Love the design. My birthday is next month so if I win, I think I may have some birthday ice cream in them! My fav dessert is cupcakes, or molten lava cake, with a nice cakey outside and a gooey center. Yum! Thanks :)

Amber

shevilkenevil1 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

My favorite dessert is rice pudding. I actually really like a similar sort of desert made with grains rather than rice a lot more.
These bowls are perfect for rice/grain pudding O_Leo_5@hotmail.com

maxfate said...

My favorite dessert is Spice Cake with Hot brown Sugar sauce. It's my favorite because it's something my Mom always made,that I've only had from her recipe. Also it is super yummy!


maxfrostfate@gmail.com

S said...

My favorite dessert is my mom's cheesecake. It tastes delicious and it reminds me of us baking together. I would make the crust while she was making the filling and we would both lick the bowl!

hyacinthb said...

Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a big ice cold glass of milk

Unknown said...

This is a tough one. I love sweets. But I think my all time fav treat is peanut butter fudge. We are huge on peanut butter in my home.

Pamela S said...

My favorite desert is a pistachio cake that my mother used to make. Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)netscape(DOT)net

mindy said...

hot pecan pie, because it is something i do not have very often but enjoy thanks minsthins at optonline dot net

Unknown said...

I would have to say cheesecake!

Tammy said...

I like the fruit bowl full of raseberrys blueberrys annd strawberrys at publix I sprinkle a little bit of sweet and low

Lala77 said...

My favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake. I love how the juices from the strawberries is absorbed by the shortcake and add a little whipped cream or ice cream...delicious.

Anonymous said...

My favorite dessert is chocolate ice cream, with Pepsi poured in it, stirred around to make a chocolate smoothie mixture, with snickers cut up on top! YUMMY! It's my favorite because i am addicted to chocolate ;)
Amanda Barnes
amandakbarnes90(at)gmail(dot)com

Nothing of the Sort said...

Well - I loooooove chocolate :D But since I have that nearly every day or every other day... I'm going to have to say that cheesecake is my favorite desert of the moment. :)

zatalie@gmail.com

susitravl said...

My favorite dessert is Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk Ice Cream. I rarely have it, because my family loves for me to make dessert. Everyone's favorite thing I make is individual chocolate lava cakes.

Oneangel said...

I love strawberry shortcakes! I cant wait to pick strawberries from my garden !!

angie said...

My favorite dessert is Mountain-High Mudd Pie. It has so many evil-y delicious ingredients. I love ice cream, love cookies, love chocolate...yummmmm. <3

Allie said...

I have a recipe for chocolate hazelnut mousse that I make and it's to die for! What's not to love it's light and fluffy and super yummy!

Karen A said...

I just love Creme Brulee!
mojitosmommy@gmail.com

chromiumman said...

i love shoo-fly pie, a dessert frome pennsylvania dutch country

chromiumman (at) mail (dot) com

DEBIJOT said...

My all time favorite is warm cherry cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream on top. Yummo!

Juliana said...

The one dessert that I'm always in the mood for is..s'mores! Can't beat a freshly made one with oozing chocolate, crispy graham cracker, and toasted marshmallow. DELISH!

djgroz said...

Cherry Cheesecake is my favorite

Rachel said...

I love ice cream sundaes - complicated ice cream sundaes. I usually like some baked, warmed confection at the bottom (e.g. cake or a doughnut, brownie or cookie), then a layer of ice cream, then a layer or chocolate candy, fruit, or nuts, then another layer of ice cream, and finally, topped off with whipped cream!

racheliznewman(at)gmail(dot)com

JSColdwell said...

New York Style Cheesecake. But if there's none in the house I'm ALL FOR a cold bowl of ice cream with caramel drizzled on top! MMMMM :) (druel)
Thanks!!

stephanie_dunbar07 AT hotmail.com

Unknown said...

My absolute favorite dessert is German Chocolate Cake from Whole Foods. (I tried to make it myself but it just wasn't the same!)

Kathy P said...

i love chocolate chip cheesecake because it is sooooooooo creamy and delicious :)

Unknown said...

..scoops of vanilla bean ice cream on top of a warm waffle..drizzled with maple syrup, whipped cream and nuts...mmmMMmmm

bev said...

Those French Cannelles look awfully good. I guess my favorite dessert is homemade apple pie. Those sundae dishes are so cute and we do have a sundae every now and then and those dishes would be nice to serve it in. Thanks for having the contest!

Chip said...

Strawberry shortcake is my favorite.

chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

mail4rosey said...

Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake is my favorite dessert because it's unique and delicious!

msurosey@yahoo.com

Sand said...

I love white cake with butter cream icing. I love it so much that the only time I ever have it is when it's either my birthday or somebody very close to me who loves the same cake. I have no willpower when it comes to this cake!

msrodeobrat said...

i love chocolate creme brulee because its warm and ooey gooy chocolate!

addictedtorodeo at gmail dot com

Charlene Kuser said...

My favorite dessert is German
Chocolate Cake.It is my favorite
because the coconut and chocolate
together make for a good taste.I
had a aunt who made this from scratch
and it was so yummy

CharlieGurl57@aol.com

/\Heather/\ said...

I'll tell ya, I have a bunch of faves. Cherry Cheesecake, Oatmeal Cream Pies, Frosted Honey Bun, fresh Cinnamon Roll, Cookies and Cream ice cream... There can't be just one! Maybe I'm having this moment of indecision because I'm on a diet. Hmmmm...

Unknown said...

Chocolate pudding is my favorite dessert. I don't know why but I've loved it since I was a little girl. garrettsambo@aol.com

prizehound7 said...

My favorite dessert is cheesecake because it is so rich and creamy.

Cal said...

First time visitor, you write wonderfully! And about food, which is a subject I am partial to. We started receiving purple carrots in our weekly box of veggies this past Summer, and they were so pretty. I love the unusual vegetable variations we get.
Cannelles, I ate only once, but in Paris, so they must have been the real deal, I liked them.
My favorite desert... it is a difficult question. I love portuguese egg sweets (ovos moles, lampreia de ovos, dom rodrigos... yummy), I like good carrot cake, I like pear and almond tart, and many others. It is difficult to pick one!

lilyk said...

My favorite dessert is cheesecake because I love the taste and texture!

lilyk@mail2world.com

Unknown said...

Caramel Fleur de Sel Macaroons (but with ice cream in the middle ... and maybe drizzled caramel on top:)

Danielle said...

Ohh choosing one dessert is impossible. Right now though, my favorite dessert is probably shaved ice with red bean sauce and condensed milk. It's perfect in the hot weather Taipei has been getting recently.