Cookie Lover’s Cookbook – Hermits Recipe Review

The Good Housekeeping Cookie Lover’s Cookbook
Gooey, Chewy, Sweet & Luscious Treats

Yummy cookies and brownies! This superlative collection straight from the magazine’s famed Test Kitchens features 250 of the most luscious recipes ever created, along with irresistible photos, a handy ringbinder format, and links to 20 cookie-making videos. The book features:

  • -Triple-tested and tasted recipes guaranteed to work in any conventional oven with any brand of ingredients, no matter what
  • -Chapters on cookie-jar favorites, easy-to-shape cookies, brownies, blondies and bars, health-conscious cookies, and holiday cookies
  • -Baking advice, tips, and essential techniques from the Test Kitchen pros
  • -More than 200 color photographs show step-by-step baking and decorating techniques, as well as the finished cookies
  • -Links to 20 cookie-making how-to videos, watchable on a smart phone, e-reader, or computer
  • -and more

I flipped through the book until I saw a recipe for hermit cookies and I immediately started getting out all the ingredients to make them! Hermits are my favorite cookies in the whole world and I had never made them before, so this seemed as good of a time as ever to try it out!

They came out SO YUMMY! (as you can see from the picture above) Moist, chewy, spicy and the house really smelled like “Christmas” when I was done. These went perfectly with a cup of espresso. YUM! They were definitely the best hermit cookies I’ve ever had! I can’t wait to try making another recipe out of this book.

You can get The Good Housekeeping Cookie Lover’s Cookbook: Gooey, Chewy, Sweet & Luscious Treats on Amazon.com or in your local Barnes & Nobles. I think they would make great gifts as well!

* The book for this review was provided to us free of charge for the purpose of product testing. This does not effect our opinion of the products in any way. We only write about products we personally like and use, regardless of how they were acquired.

Broken Voices by Children’s Author Winona Rasheed

Broken Voices by Author Winona Rasheed

Attending a new school and being amongst people you do not know, even if they are your peers, may cause a little stress and apprehension to any teenage individual. However, meeting the obstacles of being different and carrying a secret on your shoulders adds to the drama of high school jitters in a new city. This is the problem for student Ella Rose Abbot as she adapts to being different in a normal world. Even though she accepts her handicap, how can she make others accept her as she is? For deep inside she is just as normal as everyone else, trying to fit in and belong, finding her place in high school.

Broken Voices by Winona Rasheed, is a book for teens or young adults. This reading material comes as an e-book for Kindle lovers or as a paperback book.

Other books by Winona Rasheed include:

    • A New Home for Her Cubs
    • Stories from Grandma’s Garden
    • Sugar and Spice Fairy Tales for Girls
    • Wohali and the Little People
    • Smiles and Frowns through Animal Town Story Book

Books for kids and those who like to read to them.

Find Winona Rasheed’s book on Amazon.com

Purchase The Water Secret & Get Free Products

I haven’t read Dr. Howard Murad’s anti-aging prescription The Water Secret, but I’ve heard some good things about it.  From what I understand, it’s basically a common sense approach that emphasizes a healthy diet (rich in raw fruits and vegetables) as the best means for attaining your most beautiful skin.

It sounds good to me, and I support any beauty regimen that steers women away from needles, chemicals, and scalpels.  If you’ve been considering purchasing The Water Secret, now might be the perfect time.  Details below:

Order Dr. Murad’s New Anti-Aging Bestseller and Receive up to $200 in FREE PRODUCTS!

In celebration of The Water Secret’s best selling status, we’re giving away a secret gift bag filled with Murad favorites—including select full-size products—with every book purchase!*

Here’s how it works:

1. Order The Water Secret from:

2. Forward your order confirmation email to TheWaterSecretGift@murad.com.

That’s all there is to it! The retailer will send you your copy of the book and we’ll ship your FREE product gift bag directly to your door.*

Already purchased your copy of the book? Share the secret with others! Simply purchase the book for a friend or family member, and we’ll send you the secret gift bag as our way of saying thanks.

*Order confirmations must be received by 10/31/10 in order to qualify. Free gift will be shipped out from Murad upon receipt of order confirmation. Void where prohibited. While supplies last. If you are shipping the book to a retailer, friend or family member, be sure to include the address where you want your gift bag shipped. This offer is not valid in stores.

Sleeping Beauties – Book of Cute Baby Pictures

Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland

(Sellers Publishing; April 2010; Hardcover; $29.95)
Photographs by Tracy Raver and Kelly Ryden

If you can get from cover to cover of this book and not end up wanting a baby, then you are missing the “baby gene”. This is an absolute tear jerker for any mom-to-be too!

Sleeping Beauties is an ideal coffee table book for moms and moms-to-be. If you’ve ever seen Anne Geddes work, then you will certainly appreciate Sleeping Beauties by Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden.

These sleeping newborn babies are just so precious and peaceful looking. You’ll fall in love more and more with the turn of each page. It’s proven to be a wonderful bedtime book for my 21/2 year old as well. She loves looking at the tiny babies and I think it’s helping her grasp the concept of what will be joining our family come August!

Each page of Sleeping Beauties includes a gorgeous newborn babe sleeping in some of the most adorable positions and on the opposite page is a quote about babies, children or some other inspirational saying that is sure to bless all who love babies, but especially moms and moms-to-be. This would make an ideal baby shower gift or a wonderful mother’s day gift as well.

You can purchase Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland on Amazon.com for only $21.56.

Must Have Book: Bitches on a Budget – Sage Advice for Surviving Tough Times in Style

Bitches on a Budget

Sage Advice for Surviving Tough Times in Style

Bitches on a Budget is a witty, smart woman’s guide to being thrifty and fabulous.

About The Book

Today’s woman may be struggling with her volatile financial state, but she shouldn’t bite one well-manicured nail with worry. Sure the Dow goes up and down, housing prices boom and bust, but living well never goes out of style. Let Roz Hoffman be your guide for how to spend your precious pennies, as she dishes up the wisdom women need to get perfect style–without depleting their dwindling bank accounts. No coupon-clipping, Prada-depriving, or carb-hating allowed! Bitches, welcome to the era of smart indulgence.

The author is a recession-era fashion guru, travel agent, grooming consultant, therapist, sommelier, and life coach all rolled into one. She’ll show you how to adjust your attitude, discover your hot spots, and make life richer in every sense of the word. Bitches on a Budget is the consummate guide to living with joy, style, and a healthy dose of irreverence–whatever the economic weather.

Publishers Weekly compared Bitches on a Budget to the mega bestseller He’s Just Not That Into You and said “a sassy tone and abundant…ribald jokes make frugality seem fun.”

I think this is a deliciously funny must-read book for today’s financially challenged woman. Not only is this a great read, but it’s wonderfully informative as well. I love that Rosalyn Hoffman includes recommendations for all “budget levels”. Being on a budget means something different to everyone and this book includes it all, whether you are shopping at Wal Mart or Nordstrom.

Buy The Book At:

Become a fan of the book on Facebook!

Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Friends

It’s time to get a jump on your holiday shopping and save on shipping! Here are a few gift ideas for the fashionable (or not-so-fashionable) people in you life:

What: The Art of Social War: A Novel

A witty novel about a 35-year old, die-hard New York woman who wants nothing more than to
marry her adored fiancé, Jamey, and continue to succeed in her career running the “I Heart New
York” campaign.

It’s a great read that will keep you glued to the book, eager to find out what happens next. A fun book for all ages, it would make a great gift for a woman of any age.

Price: $11.16

Where: Amazon.com




What: CLARISONIC Pink Skincare System

Get your friend a PINK Clarisonic! It’s the latest in skin care and will be appreciated by anyone with skin. Seriously, this thing is great!

We’re giving a white Clarisoinc to one lucky winner. Enter for a chance to win! If you don’t win though, consider buying a pink one for yourself or a friend. It’s the BEST!!!

Price: $195

Where: But it on Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com, or on Drugstore.com




What: Basic Jersey Scarf

This seasons must-have accessory at a totally affordable price, makes it the perfect Christmas present. Made of ultra soft cotton jersey, this scarf is currently available in cream, gray, and deep teal. I love mine and I wear it all the time. It goes great with any outfit and it’s soft, so you’ll want to wear it all the time. Perfect gift for anyone from a teenager to your grandmother!

Price: $9.50

Where: ShadeClothing.com




What: Ferrero Prestige Gift Set 42 Count

Now tell me, who doesn’t LOVE chocolate? Seriously, I can’t think of anyone that wouldn’t want this tray of chocolates for Christmas. I mean, everyone loves chocolate. Right?

I know I do! This gift set has 3 different flavors, 14 Rocher, 14 Rond Noir, and 14 Garden Coco. The Garden Coconut is my favorite… It’s sweet, but not too sweet and has just the right amount of coconut shavings on top. So yummy! My second favorite is the Rond Noir. The sumptuous dark chocolate is just heavenly.

Price: $21.99

Where: Amazon.com

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The No-Cry Nap Solution Book Giveaway

20090316-PantleyLRGThe Fashionable Bambino has teamed up with famed author Elizabeth Pantley to giveaway a copy of her new book, The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems!!

Naps are important to a child’s mood, well-being, and development. The No-Cry Nap Solution offers you a proven formula to allow your baby, toddler, or preschooler to get daily restorative rest. You’ll learn gentle, loving, tear-free techniques, developed by world-renowned parenting expert Elizabeth Pantley and tested by hundreds of families around the world, guaranteed to help you:

    * Convince any child to nap every day
    * Effortlessly settle your child for naptime in his or her own bed
    * Turn short, fitful naps into long, peaceful ones
    * Establish a nap schedule that works for you and your child
    * Easily adapt nap routines to your child’s developing needs
    * Confidently deal with sudden changes, nap strikes, and travel

One lucky reader of The Fashionable Bambino will receive an AUTOGRAPHED copy of The No-Cry Nap Solution

Click Here To Enter!

Contest runs from August 17th till August 30th, 2009. Last chance to enter is August 30th at 11:59pm ET.