Cookie Carnival - April Roundup!

I apologize for the long delay in posting the roundup again this month.

April's Cookie Carnival cookie recipe was Toasted Coconut and Orange Icebox Cookies from Aida Mollenkamp at the Food Network.

Check out these beauties:

Katrina @ Baking and Boys said "The cookies are definitely very orange flavored and had a great coconut chew to them.  The chocolate covered bites were better than the plain halves.  Overall a really good cookie!"

Cristine @ Cooking with Cristine loved these cookies plain, without dipping them in chocolate.

I want to welcome Krista @ In the Kitchen with Krista to the Cookie Carnival!  This is her first time participating with us! 

Chaya @ My Sweet and Savory decorated her cookies with colored sugars.

Amanda @ Amanda's Cookin' took the time to rewrite this recipe so that it was easier to understand. She said that her family loved the cookies!

Thanks, ladies, for another great round up! 

Your cookies look fabulous!


I hope to see you at the May round up.

Keep an eye on your inbox for the cookie recipe fojavascript:void(0)r May!  


For more info. on how YOU can join the Cookie Carnival, click here.  I'd love for you to join us! 


Happy Baking!
Tami

Winner of "My Green Thumb" cookie cutter set!

Thank you to everyone who signed up for my first giveaway!  I hope to do another giveaway soon!

On that note....

WE HAVE A WINNER!!

Barb, sfo


Congratulations, Barb!!
Please contact me within 48 hrs to give me your info.

There were 13 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

   1. Barb, sfo
   2. Candy Girl
   3. Ashley
   4. Eating Clean
   5. MaierHousehold
   6. Surge
   7. The Prickly Pinecone
   8. Sugar Plum Fairy
   9. The Prickly Pinecone
  10. Sugar Plum Fairy
  11. Sugar Plum Fairy
  12. Barbara Bakes
  13. Liz

Timestamp: 2010-05-05 11:47:02 UTC

Sugar Cookies & My First Giveaway!

I was thrilled when Elizabeth, from Ann Clark LTD, wrote to me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing some of their cookie cutters. If you are not familiar with the Ann Clark company, they have been producing unique cookie cutters and related gift products in Vermont since 1990. Anne Clark LTD is one of the leading cookie cutter companies in the United States, plus they enjoy a distribution across the country and world wide.

Let me tell you first hand, their cookie cutters are very nice. I've had the opportunity to use their over-sized individual cookie cutters. Each cutter comes with a cookie recipe + an icing recipe.



I used the recipes that came with the cookie cutters. There are several more cookie recipes on their website, as well. The cookies were crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the centers ...just the way sugar cookies should be!

Where's the pictures of the cookies that I baked? Sadly, there aren't any. I made the sugar cookies with every intention of icing them but then my son and I got sick once again. We both suffer with allergies and this year the tree pollen is really causing havoc for us. So we ended up eating the cookies without icing them (they are really good that way!). There will be a next time for these cookie cutters and then I will post a picture of them!

~*~*~ Instead of waiting for the pictures of my sugar cookies, you will have a chance to win your very own set of Ann Clark Cookie Cutters! ~*~*~


 ~*~*~*~ANNOUNCING MY FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY! ~*~*~*~

One lucky winner will win a "My Green Thumb" cookie cutter set!

A delightful set of five tin cookie cutters packaged in a sturdy gift box. Each set comes with the artwork of Ann Clark and recipes for cookies and frosting. Cookie cutters include: hummingbird, butterfly, dragonfly, ladybug, and watering can.

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO SIGN UP TO WIN: 

1. Sign up to follow Tami's Kitchen Table Talk using Google Friend Connect or let me know that you are already a follower. (please provide the name that you're signed up under.)

2. Sign up to receive Tami's Kitchen Table Talk newsletter or let me know that you already receive it. (please provide the email address.)

3. Join the Cookie Carnival Blog Event that I host each month or let me know that you are already a member of it. (please provide the email address that you use to receive the Cookie Carnival info.)

4. Check out the Ann Clark website and tell me what your favorite cookie cutter is PLUS sign up to join their "Make More Cookies" blog. (please let me know that you've signed up.)


ONE WINNER WILL BE RANDOMLY DRAWN ON MAY 5, 2010!!

The winner will have 48 hrs. to contact me after being notified of winning. If there's no response, I will move on and pick another winner. 

GOOD LUCK!!


TAMI

Broiled Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad

This delicious salad makes a wonderful lunch or light dinner.

I came up with this recipe on a night when my family was enjoying pasta with red sauce and I didn't want to feel completely left out.The roasted tomatoes and slightly strong goat cheese pair wonderfully together. Low carber or not, this salad is sure to please.

Broiled Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad

1 tomato (about the size of a baseball), cut into 4 slices
1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese
olive oil
dried basil (you could definitely use fresh basil but I didn't have any on hand)
1/2 c. cooked and crumbled hot sausage
1 - 1 1/2 c. Italian salad blend lettuce
low carb vinaigrette* - recipe below
grated Parmesan cheese

Wash salad mix and set aside.

To make the low carb vinaigrette:

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 packet Splenda
1 tsp. grainy brown mustard
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Pour all ingredients into a salad dressing cup or a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well. Pour over salad. Toss to mix. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the foil. Lay the slices of tomato on top of the olive oil. Lightly sprinkle some dried basil over the tops of the tomatoes. Flip the tomatoes over, drizzle with olive oil and dried basil.

Evenly divide the 1/2 c. of hot sausage over the tomatoes.

Sprinkle the goat cheese evenly over the sausage.

Heat the broiler to 450*  Stick the pan under the broiler until the cheese has slightly browned  - 5 to 8 minutes.

 Serve tomatoes on top of salad greens. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the salad.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Do you love stuffed peppers but hate the hassle of making them? I've taken the hassle out of it by creating a quick and easy stuffed pepper soup. From the start of preparing it ... to serving it up for dinner, it is less than 60 minutes!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil 2 lb. ground turkey
3 medium-sized green peppers, diced into small pieces
1- 48 oz can of brand name tomato juice (Use a name brand for better flavor)
2 c. chicken broth
1 - 14.5 can of diced tomatoes
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 dashes of liquid smoke (leave it out if you don't like it)
2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning (or course ground black pepper)
4 c. cooked rice, set aside

Add 2tbsp. of olive oil to a large (non-stick) stock pot. Brown the ground turkey and green peppers together in the pot. Stir the remaining ingredients (not including the rice) into the turkey and peppers. Cover the pot with a lid; cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring once in a while. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 15 - 25.

To serve: 

Using an ice cream scoop, place one scoop of rice into a bowl. Ladle the soup over the rice.

Serve with warm cornbread.

***Crockpot Method***

You can also cook this soup in the crockpot. Brown the turkey and green peppers. While these items are browning, pour the remaining ingredients (not including the rice) into a 5 quart crockpot. Stir in the turkey and peppers. Cook on low for 4 -6 hrs.

Serve over cooked rice with cornbread on the side.

Leftover soup may be frozen.