{first on the first} eclairs + a nomination + a giveaway!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 5:59PM There are a lot of firsts on the blog today. Hope this will make you tune in:
When I found out the topic for this month's First on the First challenge, I knew right where to turn.
As a result of my participation in an online holiday cookie swap last year, MyRecipes.com was kind enough to send me a copy of Cooking Light's Way to Bake. (MyRecipes.com is the "parent" recipe search engine/hub for a number of brands including Cooking Light, Southern Living, Health, Real Simple & many more). Whenever I'm in search of good, trusted guidance or a how-to in the kitchen, I typically turn to MyRecipes.com as my first stop.
Having spent time working in the test kitchen for their cookbooks, as well as in editorial for Cooking Light, I know the rigorous testing that goes into every published recipe under their family of publications. Simply put - their recipes are reliable, work as written and taste great. When treading into a new recipe, I need recipes that turn out like this the first time:
But since I had this beauty of a book in hand and needed an excuse to spend time thumbing through its pages, I made the book, rather than the site, my first stop for an eclair tutorial. I'll admit that I didn't find an eclair recipe in the book at first glance, but quickly realized there was a cream puff recipe - and I was set. Cream puffs & eclairs are basically made from the same dough anyway - pate a choux - and the book gives a nice tutorial on working with a slightly lightened up version of the dough in traditional Cooking Light fashion. (As an aside, the point about eclairs and cream puffs being made from the same dough is apparently debatable. There are some sources who say subtle differences exist between eclair dough & cream puff dough. Being a blog that's never a slave to subtle nuances of recipe particulars, we're going with it as is.)
I've always heard talk of how easy pate a choux is to work with and wondered how I found myself going this long without making eclairs, cream puffs, etc. I can only say that I've never been a big eclair fan (the traditional egg custard filling isn't my style) and blame that fact and that fact alone.
And given that I'm not a fan of the egg custard filling, I followed Cooking Light's recipe in the book and instead opted to fill mine with light ice cream and drizzle with caramel, rather than a traditional chocolate icing (I failed to mention that I gave up chocolate for Lent - yes, immediately following the ReDux Chocolat-a-palooza).
The result - delish! (And super duper easy, especially using the ice cream & caramel method). I would definitely make these again. They look super impressive, but took no time to make and were a breeze.
And now for the next "first" on the first...my first nomination!
I've been nominated for the Best Healthy Cooking Blog Hommie Award on one of my fave sites - The Kitchn. Ironically, I happen to know the nomination came from one of my own fave cooking blogs written & photographed by my very talented friend Gretchen @ Kumquat. I'm not much on campaigning and don't expect to win, but if you have a little free time on your hands and want to cruise on over there, VOTE and give our blogs a thumbs up, I'd be so appreciative. It's an election year. You're getting plenty of campaigning elsewhere. That's enough of it from me. Campaign complete.
Now, onto the REALLY fun stuff! Just in time to kick off National Nutrition Month, I'm hosting my first giveaway for my three numerous devoted readers!
MyRecipes.com was kind enough to provide me an additional copy of Cooking Light Way to Bake for one lucky reader. This year's National Nutrition Month theme centers around getting your plate in shape. Trust me... if you want to keep baked goods on your plate (and who doesn't?), let the brilliant editors at Cooking Light show you how to bake your favorite foods in a healthier way.
If you'd like to add this beauty of a book it to your kitchen, here's how to enter:
Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your favorite thing to bake and whether or not you've ever visited MyRecipes.com for recipe inspiration.
You will also be entered each time you do the following (and leave a comment to let me know you've done it)…
- Subscribe through the feedburner sign up box over on the sidebar labeled "subscribe by email"
- Tweet about the giveaway with a link back to this post
- “Like” The Professional Palate on Facebook and/or share the giveaway news with your Facebook fans and friends with a link back to the post
- Follow me on Pinterest
The giveaway ends at midnight EST, Friday, March 9th. I will use random.org to choose one lucky winner. Good luck!
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I prefer to honor copyrights and am not printing the recipe here on the blog. Please visit MyRecipes.com for a gallery full of eclair choices if you would like to try this easy pastry at home or try out one of the versions from the talented First on the First blogs listed below (note that this bloghop doesn't open until 8amEST. If you are unable to see the gallery, please check back later. Thanks!)
The Professional Palate - Regan Jones RD
Congrats to Terra of http://www.cafeterrablog.com/
Random.org generated 26 as the winning number & hers was the 26th comment. Many thanks to all who entered!
