Sunday, February 22, 2009

My Blog is a Year Old!

*****The Chocolate Truffles Giveaway has officially ended. Thanks to everyone who entered!*****



And I made a cake to celebrate!

It's hard to believe that I've already been food blogging for an entire year. I've come such a long way (especially in the quality of my pictures - check out this awful picture!), and have really enjoyed getting to know my fellow food bloggers and trying new recipes. This is an exciting thing for me!

Of course, go figure that after having the blogoversary button up on my blog for months, and looking forward to it for weeks, I actually forgot that it was today until earlier this afternoon. So I had to come up with a great recipe to post quick! I found what I was looking for on allrecipes.com.

Thirty Minute Yellow Cake
1/2 cup shortening (we're running low, I used margarine)
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self-rising flour (add 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt per 1 cup of all-purpose flour)
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan, or two 9 inch round pans.

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour, milk, and vanilla, and beat to a soft smooth batter.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.


I actually didn't want a full-sized cake, so I cut the recipe in half and made 1 9-inch round layer. I frosted it with this recipe. I took the opportunity to test a tightwad tip I recently read about - substituting flour for some of the powdered sugar in frosting. I used all-purpose flour for about half a cup of the powdered sugar. The results were encouraging - it mixed up just as fluffy and creamy as it always does when I make it, and the flour took a bit of the edge off the sweetness. So I'll keep using flour for part of the sugar in frosting to save a few calories and a few pennies. :-)

As I was taking pictures, I suddenly became aware of the fact that there was about to be a native uprising - the kids were eying the cake like cannibals and looked as though they could strike at any minute.


So I wrapped up the picture taking, grabbed a fork, and we all shared a piece. Yum!




And now on to something even funner than a little cake with tightwad frosting. I'm so excited to present to you:

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!!

In keeping with my entire blogging premise, this giveaway will feature a tightwad offering - something I make myself. One lucky reader will win a tin of homemade chocolate truffles.


I have personally tested these truffles :-) and can honestly say that they are delicious and rich and thoroughly enjoyable! I will make them to your specifications, with your preferred flavoring and coating.

To enter, leave me a comment telling me which flavor you would prefer (plain chocolate, almond extract, lemon extract, mint extract, or maple extract) and which coating sounds best to you (cocoa, powdered sugar, white sugar, green sugar, chopped nuts, or coconut).

The giveaway ends on Friday, February 27 at 5:00 p.m. I'll announce the winner sometime between then and Saturday morning. Eeeee! I'm so excited to have a giveaway!

52 comments:

Leslie M. said...

Happy Blogiversary Stephanie!! I think your first pictures were wonderful! I just wish my Blog were as gorgeous as yours!!!

Your Cake looks Amazing!!! Of course, everything you make is Droolalicious~

OMGosh those Truffles LOOK soooo good!!!!!! IF I won.. I would choose Plain chocolate with a cocoa coating!!!! YUMMO!!!!
You are a Delight to follow!
Leslie
LeslieVeg@msn.com
http://leslielovesveggies.blogspot.com/

Becci said...

Mmmm, I think the plain ones with cocoa sound extra yummy!

joannabug said...

Happy blogiversary! I was coming here to say hi & congratulations before I even saw a giveaway. :-)

The plain chocolate with cocoa or nut coating sounds so good.

Dragonlady said...

Happy Blogiversary!...There is nothing about the picture of those truffles that says "tightwad" to me....They look yummy and beautiful..
Brenda

Rachelle S said...

Happy 1st Blogoversary!
I think chocolate and nuts sound great! Or cocoa, or...heehee I'm not picky!

April was in CA now MA said...

YAY!! Happy Blogoversary!

Those truffles look soooo good! Plain chocolate with chopped nuts sounds like a winning combo to me!

Jackie said...

Oh my goodness!!! Almond ExtrACT...? They look sooo good...Id deff! have to try to the almond, and would love love the recipe...YUM!

Meg said...

WOW! Happy Blogoversary to an amazing blogger! What a great giveaway! I would love mint truffles with cocoa coating!

Kristy said...

I love love love your blog!

Those truffles look amazing! The mint with green sugar sound yummy~

Micha @ Cookin' Mimi said...

Happy blogoversary Stephanie. I enjoy reading your blog and am so glad you started it. I look forward to another year of great recipes.
~Micha

Emily said...

Happy One Year!! How exciting is that!! I always look for you amazing post. And what an amazing give-a-way!

The truffles look AMAZING!! I would have to choose the lemon extract with powdered sugar! =]

This makes me want to give a tin of goodies away!

Tina Butler said...

Happy Blogiversay Stephanie, the cake is darling and the truffles look awesome. What a nice giveaway.

Sadie said...

Happy Blogiversary! I'm an avid lurker of your blog and love it.
www.sadieskitchen.com

Mishqueen said...

Hello! I've been loving your blog, since I'm trying to learn to cook better, but I also am quite frugal.

If I win your truffles (lol, but judging from the number of entries, my chances are low), then I'd love the chocolate or mint flavored ones coated in the cocoa.

Good luck with another great year on your blog, and keep those yummy cheap recipes coming!

Breezi@ Not Your Average Fairytale said...

oohh, ohhh... pick me!!
(I'm on the mission24 blog with you... I just thought I'd peak at what your blog was all about!)

Umm...
Plain chocolate truffles. You can pick the coating.

Happy Anniversary!
breezianne81@hotmail.com

Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rebecca said...

Mmmm mint is my fave & with the cocoa it sounds just delicious!

Happy blogoversary. I just recently discovered your blog and I've loved every post.

Rebekah said...

Happy Blogiversary!!! How exciting!!!! I really do love your site and all the great ideas you have!!

I would have to go with the plain chocolate with cocoa coating.

Thanks!

Amberdawn said...

The plain chocolate with cocoa sound delish!!

Mandy said...

Good job on the cake and HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!
How to choose a flavor?? Any would be fun to try. I think my husband's favorite would be plain chocolate with nuts. Thanks for the fun giveaway.:)

Unknown said...

Happy one year Blogiversary! I think that mint with white sugar sounds like it would be just heaven! Thanks for such a fun way to celebrate! -e

Jen said...

I LOVE mint and the green sugar would be perfect for those! ;) Happy Blogiversary

Joie de vivre said...

Happy Bloggaversary!

ikkinlala said...

Happy blogiversary! I'll have to try that tip sometime - I'd have thought it would make the frosting taste floury, but if it just takes the edge off the sweetness that would be ideal. Thanks for sharing it!

(I'm not entering because I'm Canadian.)

Suz said...

Congrats! I"m loving blogging too! Not a year yet, but getting a good start too.

You have a cute blog! & love that cake... cute!

The truffles look delightful! Don't know what I'd choose, the mint with cocoa or the almond w/coconut or powdered sugar...? If I win, surprise me :)

Valerie said...

I was going to leave a comment to say Congrats on a whole year!! and then I saw the contest. Fun!

All the truffles sound delish and the photo is tempting. I would choose them with almond extract and powdered sugar coated.

American Homemaker said...

The mint ones are yummiest :)

Just Me said...

Happy Blogiversary!

Lemon, lemon, lemon. I love anything lemon, so that would be my pick.

brodbeck12 said...

this is such a cool blog:0) chocolate with coconut sounds awesome!

Maren said...

Happy Blogiversary! I think plain chocolate with either powdered sugar or nuts would totally be awesome! Keep up the great recipes - I feel your pain about the apartment life.

Shelby said...

Happy Blogoversary Stephanie! I think all of us grow as we blog...and it just keeps getting better and better! I appreciate you and what you have to offer us! Keep up the good work!

Megan said...

Happy Blogiversary! I recently discovered your blog & am enjoying it so much!

I think I'd choose mint with white sugar, but they all sound so yummy!

LisAway said...

Mmmmm! Chocolate mint is MY thing! With cocoa.

Mmmmmm.

super mommie said...

Definitely the powdered sugar coated almond ones! Even if I win, I'm going to try these myself!

Susan said...

Congrats on one year!!

All of the flavors sound yummy! I think I would choose either almond with cocoa or chocolate with coconut. Delicious!

Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I'll bite...maple with powdered sugar. :) The picture is lovely! ~~Rhonda

Lisa Fink said...

Great photo! Since it's almost St. Patrick's Day, I would choose the mint with the green sugar :)

stormfink@gmail.com

Erica said...

Yay! congratulations on keeping up this great blog for a whole year and beyond! It is a great blessing to all those who love to read it! Hmm . .. i love truffles anyway they come, except mocha yuck, which wasn't a choice so . . .I would like a suprise! It is a birthday/anniversary after all!

jana mae said...

I've always thought you were a marvelous cook... so this is such a great find to read your blog! And I'm definitely entering... my choice is maple in chopped nuts. I can almost taste it now... almost. :) Great work on your blog, you've done a great job. I've been inspired to try new and cost effective recipes because of it! Here's to your second blogging year!

Rachel Holloway said...

I get to be the big 4-0 in comments!! HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY TO YOU! You are so creative!!

I would eat ANY TRUFFLES you made! They look HEAVENLY!

Amy said...

Happy Blogiversary! I love reading your blog.

Mint with nuts sound good.

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

Truffles.... I'm not fussy.

Please count me in.

emsmommy said...

Oh my goodness do those truffles look YUMMY!!! I love your blog and am planning to make the spaghetti pie for supper tonight. If I won the truffles, I would love to have almond with cocoa coating. Have a blessed day!
Amy

haley said...

Oh man, almond extract with chopped nuts? That sounds awesome.

Margaret said...

Mint with cocoa sounds so good right now! Thanks for your generosity!

Melinda said...

Mmmm. I obviously need to check your recipe blog more often...I almost missed this!!!

I would kill (okay, overstatement, but seriously, it sounds FAB-U-LOUS!) for some truffles with almond flavoring coated in powdered sugar!

Happy Blogiversary!!

Melinda
boschifam(at)gmail(dot)com
and I think (you better) know my blog address ;)

B-Blogit said...

orange with chocolate on top. Great blog, i love food!

Brandi said...

Congratulations on your blog anniversary! As for choosing a flavor of truffles... oh my goodness, how could I possibly choose? Every combination sounds delightful, but I think the mint with cocoa coating would be to die for!

Keep up the great work, I love your blog!

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary!The truffles with coco look great, but its hard to choose because they all look wonderful.

ladybug said...

Sound yummy...Lemon with coconut please.

Anonymous said...

Mint is my favorite, however, I'm not a picky eater. :)

I love your site!

MrsKish@Comcast.net

kmherder said...

Happy Blogiversary! As a student living on her own and cooking for herself for the first time, I absolutely love your blog!

I would have to choose plain chocolate with chopped nuts! They look delicious!