Deceptively Delicious

One of my favorite spots in TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Home Goods (they are all the same company) is the cook book section. You can find some awesome deals on cook books. I bought this cook book Deceptively Delicious a few months ago. I only paid 6.99 at Home Goods for it! The cover price is $24.99. So, the first part of this post is about saving money on cook books by going to TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods.

Second, the cook book itself. The author is Jessica Seinfeld. -Jerry Seinfeld's wife. I love the cook book because she introduces her panel called the "Kitchen Cabinet" which includes herself, her husband Jerry, and their three children, Sasha, Julian, and Shepherd.

Every recipe, whether it be a sweet, a meat dish or a side dish, they all "deceptively" have veggies in them. Her cook book will give you tips on having purees ready in the freezer for use when needed. Her cook book explains all about vegetables, what is in them, what health benefits they have, how to puree them and so much more. Here's a few examples of veggies used in recipes...

Pancakes - 1/2 cup sweet potato puree

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins - 1/2 cup carrot or cauliflower puree

Italian Meatloaf - 1/2 cup carrot puree

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars - 1/2 up spinach puree

See what I mean? I love this cook book. Jessica Seinfeld has a website for her book. By visiting the site, you can learn more about Jessica, her recipes, her cook book and there is an image gallery of some of the recipes in the book.

One of the cutest things about the cook book is the comments on some of the recipe pages. Some are from her children, some from Jerry Seinfeld, some from the author herself.

Hello, Cupcake!

I remember the days when my son was in Kindergarten. He was my first child and just starting school. I wanted to do all I could to help out in his class and be involved at his school. I told Ms. Wilson, his teacher, that I would love to make cookies anytime for the class. And I did. I made alphabet cookies and Jaguar paw print cookies (for the Jacksonville Jaguars) and hands in different skin pigments for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and hearts for Valentine's Day. And that continued on until he went on to Middle School. During that time my daughter began school and I made cookies a few years for her classes. I haven't made cookies like that in a few years now. I have hundreds of cookies cutters, dozens of Wilton cake decorating tips and icing bags and accessories. I think I finally got burned out from all the baking and decorating.

I was in Books A Million with my daughter Monday and I saw this book and couldn't resist. Makes me want to break out my Wilton stuff.

The new trend is cupcakes. They even have a chain of shoppes now that sell and serve cupcakes. I know several moms who have made or ordered cupcakes instead of the traditional birthday cake for their child's birthday celebration.

This book has some of the most clever ideas for decorating a cupcake! The fanciest I ever gotten with cupcakes are the owl cupcakes I made last year and it was also one of my first posts on my blog. Nothing compared to the ideas in this book.

Like the Shark Attack cupcakes. The shark bodies are twinkies!

Or how about these adorable panda bears...

Or Van Gogh's Starry Night!

This book is available at all the major bookstores, in store and online. Definitely worth it for inspiration and instruction.



Be Inspired! -Karol :0)

All photos from the book Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson