-closed- FoodFest 365!: The Officially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook: Review and Giveaway!

We were sent a copy of FoodFest 365!: The Officially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook by Yvan D Lemoine for review. This is a great book to keep out on the coffee table!

With this fabulously fun cookbook, every day is a holiday - that is, a national food holiday! Bursting with a refreshing and random mix of recipes associated with each day of the year and festive, full-color photos throughout, FoodFest 365!: The Officially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook (Adams Media, a division of F+W Media; December) by culinary star Yvan D. Lemoine breaks down an entire year’s worth of fun in this delightfully uncommon cookbook sure to tempt the tastebuds of foodies and free-spirits alike!

How about whipping up a quick dessert to celebrate Coconut Torte Day on March 13th? Or some fried seafood to commemorate National Fried Scallops day on October 2? That’s right – these are actual national holidays – and FoodFest 365! is about finding everyday reasons to celebrate with everyday foods.
We’re talking approachable recipes that are a breeze to replicate, arranged day by day, featuring recipes like:
* Fresh Spaghetti with Sage Butter for Spaghetti Day, January 4
* Mac & Cheese Empanadas for Empanada Day, April 8
* Escargot Hush Puppies for Escargot Day, May 24
* Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches for Gingerbread Day, June 5
* Classic Cake Doughnuts with Maple Bacon Glaze for Buy a Doughnut Day, Oct. 30

Yvan D. Lemoine came to the U.S. from Venezuela at age thirteen and has since earned credits as a pastry chef, chef, bartender, spokesperson, and consultant with his business, iFoods Studio. In 2000, he helped Cyril Renaud open Manhattan's famed Fleur de Sel. Among many TV and radio spots, he most recently appeared on The Food Network's Challenge and Chopped.

This book is fun to read! It's packed with recipes for each day, photos and little tid bits of info for each recipe. My kids were looking up what food everyone's birthday was. For our Family we have:

March 15: Pears Helene Day -poached pears with chocolate sauce
April 9: Chinese Almond Cookie Day
August 10: Banana Split Day
September 26: Pancake Day
November 30: Mousse Day

So this was fitting, I recieved this book just in time for Dec. 28 which is Chocolate Candy Day! Today! So I am going to share with you chocolate candies I made for Christmas, Peanut Butter Balls and Rocky Road. Well, ok, I can only share one of them with you, the other is a family secret recipe. I made Peanut Butter balls, since Mr. loves Reeses candy and I made them festive with Christmas sprinkles. They are great, they just melt away in your mouth. I shared  these at my recipe blog too.

Peanut Butter Balls
slightly adapted from JoyofBaking.com
2 cups (500 grams) creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 - 2 1/2 cups (230 - 290 grams) confectioners sugar

Chocolate Coating
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (25 grams) shortening

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat and let it warm up to melt a little. Once melted, remove from  heat, stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).
Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.
Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
To serve: place in small fluted candy cups. Makes about 40 pieces, depending on size.
You can also follow along with FoodFest 365 on Facebook! Happy Chocolate Candy Day! Are you eating some today?

ONE "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" reader will win a copy of FoodFest 365!

 

(This is a must before any extra entries will be accepted!)

1. All you have to do is be a MIH Blog Follower in Google Friend Connect or my in RSS Feed and share your birthday (mo/day) with me and I'll see if I can then let you know what your food day is! 
*Since I do not get all emails for comments, I will post a list of your Bdays/Foods on my winner announcement post*

Earn up to 3 extra entries by showing some "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" bloggie ♥ with these rules*!
-Please post yourself 1 separate comment for each, letting me know which ones you do. Thanks!

2.  Follow me on Twitter @MommyImHungry and tweet about this giveaway (use my Tweet buttons above or below this post, or at twitter with tag @MommyImHungry and with this URL in your Tweet)

3.  Become a MIH Facebook Fan

4. Follow along with my recipe blog if you're hungry

This Giveaway ends: 11:59 pm pst, Tuesday, January 11, 2011.
Please read the fine print:
- Open to USA
- Please leave your email
- Winner(s) will be notified by email and announced on my Blog, Twitter and FB soon after
- I will choose my winner(s) using Random.org
- Winner(s) will have 72 hours to claim their prize before a new winner is chosen
- Important! Please read about my giveaway rules HERE*

Be sure to check out my other giveaways too!


I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about FoodFest 365!. I received free product to keep for this review from AdamsMedia. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info & stock images provided by PR or Co.