Sunday, February 21, 2010

Lasagna Pan Winner and Trial Run Baking

I'm just as pleased as punch to announce the winner of Rachael Ray's Lasagna Lover pan set is...

I'll be contacting you by email to get your snail mail address to get this to ya!

This contest was made possible by the folks at CSN stores and was chosen randomly by my daughter drawing a name out of a big butter bowl.

I decided to join one of those blogging groups that sends baked goods to the troops overseas, and in my reading found that butter is frowned upon since it turns rancid quite rapidly.  I was aghast...no butter?  What the heck??

So I tried a couple of recipes using butter flavored shortening instead.  And you know what?  I think it worked out okay.

First I made Ina Garten's cranberry orange scones, which I usually make with dried apricots, but just happened to have some craisins around so that's what I put in them.  
I've always loved these scones and thought the shortening did a pretty good job.  You get a little bit of the fake butter thing, but I figure "fake" tastes better than "rancid". 


I found a recipe for a kind of cookie I had never heard of before, it's called a ranger cookie.  You can see the recipe here at Epicurious.


I loved these and thought they were also good leaving out the butter and substituting the butter flavored shortening.  These are just chocked full of yummy stuff (pecans, coconut, crushed corn flakes, and oatmeal) and I imagine you can put in whatever tickles your fancy.  I'd definitely include the corn flakes though, I think they are what make them really special.  

I made these cookies with Eggland's Best Eggs I was able to try for free for being a member of Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program.



Look how cute, they stamp each one!  I want that job :)





If my spelling seems extra sucky, I changed over to blogger's newer blogging format and can't find the spell check. Any clues?


21 comments:

SarahinSC said...

I can't find it either!

Sook said...

Hi first time here! Love your blog! So cute. The scones look so delicious.

Michelle said...

For some reason, Blogger did not include SpellCheck in the new Blogger in Draft. You'll have to go back to the old editing program or write you post in Word and copy paste it into your post.

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

Darn! I hate that I missed out on a chance to play for those pans darn it!!

I think both of your recipes look fantastic! I'm sure they will be well received.

They don't have the spell check feature in the new format because it should automatically highlight any misspelled words. I have found though that if you don't immediately correct the word that feature goes away! I wish they would add the spellchecker button back!

Linda said...

Good to know shortening works well in scones, and I think Ranger cookies are absolutely delicious.

I find it so interesting that when I was growing up, the use of shortening in recipes was the norm. And honestly it wasn't until the last few years that I started using butter in my cakes and cookies!

Thanks for visiting my blog! I've really enjoyed exploring yours. :)

Kim said...

Congrats to Katherine! That is a wonderful prize to win.

I love those ranger cookies with all those add-in's. They sound delicious.

Pam said...

Congrats to Katherine - what a prize!

The JR said...

Yea! Congrats Katherine.

The cookies look good!

LindaFaye said...

Dropping in from SITS...
your welcome to use my kitchen any time!

Grand Pooba said...

Oh man, I missed a contest?! Dang.

What a great thing to send baked goods to the troops! Butter or no butter ;o)

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I am so excited that I won. I REALLY that lasagna serving set!

Your scones and cookies look so delish. this is a wonderful thing you are doing for the tropps and it's good to know about the butter flavored shortening.

The Blonde Duck said...

Congrats to KAtherine!

I'm so curious about these ranger cookies. Think they'd be good with white chocolate chips or butterscotch in them?

I'm curious about your baking group. How do you join? What's the rules?

teresa said...

congrats to the winner!

those scones look fantastic, so flavorful!

theUngourmet said...

I didn't know about the change. That stinks! Congrats to Katherine. Your
Ranger cookies look so very yummy!

NKP said...

Congratulations Katherine!

Katy ~ said...

I'm soooo delighted for Katherine! She's such a beautiful spirit!

Ranger cookies, have heard of them, but never had one. They sure do look bountiful with goodies and goodness!

Will surely have to add this to my bulging must-do folders.

Brad said...

Cool looking forward to your next giveaway.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Katherine! Those ranger cookies look so delicious to try!

Monica H said...

Sorry I missed the giveaway but congrats to the winner!

I've been afraid to switch blogging formats because I don't know what would change! I hope you get it figured out.

And cornflakes in cookies? yum!

Keri said...

I buy these. but they're always so small. keri

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Congrats to the winner. It's fun to try out new products. I have some vanilla beans that I've been hording that I still need to try.
~ingrid