winners of the giveaways this week

(Holiday candy provided by Indie Candy, which makes allergen-free, delicious candies. I still haven't eaten the chocolate Santa, and Lu's getting the snowflake lollipop for a special treat, in a few weeks. But their gummy candies are some of the best I have ever eaten. If you know someone with food allergies, this is a lovely present.)

Ho ho ho!

Are you feeling any more in the holiday spirit today than you were two weeks ago?

We certainly are today because we can give away a bunch of books.

Over the past two weeks, we've been giving away copies of our cookbook, as well as copies of each of our 12 favorite cookbooks from 2010, and some other cookbooks and food books we think you should know.

Well, if you left a comment at all during that time, please read this post. We would like to announce the winners!




Winners of the Best Cookbooks of 2010

The winner of Anjum's New Indian is Sarah "Gluten Girl," who wrote:

"Married white female seeks cookbook with gluten free and low sugar recipes to share with her diabetic husband. Healthy meals are a must for us, but so are quick but flavorful meals as we both work full time but love big bold and spicy flavors."

The winner of Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need for Easy Get-Togethers is Mental Magician, who wrote:

"I like a conversational tone, different flavor combinations that are achieved with ingredients that aren't hard to find, gorgeous photos of every recipe, an easy to use index that has the recipes listed by ingredient, not just the recipe name and page number."

The winner of Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours is VanC, who wrote:

"Sometimes I think I love reading the recipes even more than making them. I have a coverless cookbook that has recipes from all around the US, that I found at a thrift store. Poor thing has amazing brunch recipes plus stories about the inn it came from. I take trips in my head every time I read it."

The winner of In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love is KathyM, who wrote:

"A great cookbook has an intimate connection to the author(s), you feel the passion, smell the food in your mind and the Pavlovian dog response starts as soon as you read the first ingredient of the recipe. Excellent pictures are also a plus!"

The winner of The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion &Cooking Manual is Lisa Ro, who wrote:

"A good cookbook looks great on your coffee table, even though it may not stay there long; its sheer presence makes you anxious to get up off the couch and take it for a spin. It should be beautiful but not too presumptuous as it's likely to get a few smudges here and there -- just a sign it's being loved. Recipes should be well explained, with ingredients that aren't too unusual for easy experimentation. Not to mention easy conversion to a gluten free recipe never hurt for us celiacs!"

The winner of Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours is Amanda, who wrote:

"I'm a sucker for a cookbook and find them irresistible. I love a well produced book that gives me a bit more than just a recipe, but one that inspires me as well. I have spent many happy times thumbing through my copies of "Plenty" and "ready for Dessert" - time spent in either book sends me heading for the kitchen. Dorrie Greenspan's book is high on my list - I can't wait to get it!"

The winner of The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century is Merry Jennifer, who wrote:

"I love cookbooks, and I think I have a serious problem. I can't stop buying them. I don't think print is dead at all. For me, a great cookbook is one that I can sit on the couch with and read while snuggling with my kids. It inspires me to bookmark pages, scribble notes on Post-Its, and make me antsy to get OFF that couch and back in the kitchen. I love recipes that are made with seasonal ingredients I have on hand, or are easily obtainable in my local grocery store. I just love to read them.

Wonderful collection of amazing books - including yours!"

The winner of Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes is Lonna, who wrote:

"Your blog really made for a great thanksgiving! My partner is kind of picky and most of the things she likes at thanksgiving usually have all kinds of wheat in them.. she was totally thrilled with everything I made her, it made it really easy. And she is no longer depressed about thanksgiving and having to eat GF :)"

The winner of Plenty is Heather Scholten, who wrote:

"A great cookbook for me is one that is adventurous and full of diversity. One of those books that you know you can pull off the shelf and find a great recipe no matter what style of cooking you want to do. With well over 200 cookbooks (everyone gives them to me as gifts) I have only a handful that I use on a regular basis and the pages are well tattered AND splattered - always a good sign that it was a well liked recipe. :)"

The winner of Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen isJennie, who wrote:

"I love a cookbook that helps me get dinner on the table quickly on nights I just don't have the energy or the time to make a four-course meal (which seems to be every night these days). Excellent post - thank you!"

The winner of Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys is straystreets, who wrote:

"I agree! Print is very much alive, and always will be in my home. Nothing is better than a collection of good books."

The winner of Pig: King of the Southern Table is The Escandon Family, who wrote:

"I love a cookbook that uses 'real' everyday ingredients, has great photos and kid friendly too :) I cook only gluten free, but find it's fairly easy to modify a recipe to do so!"

Winners of Our Cookbook


Melissa Davlin, who wrote: "Nothing fancy here: I love raspberry jam in the middle of cookies. At the newspaper I work at, we're running a cookie round-up next Wednesday with a recipe for shortbread cookies with raspberry jam in the middle, drizzled with white chocolate. They look divine."

Jenna, who wrote, "Christmas, to me, is baking. Russian tea cakes, gingerbread, fudge, shortbread, sugar cookies…some of my favorite moments spent with my mother happened in the holiday kitchen, elbows-deep in powdered sugar and smears of colored icing."

Mandi, who wrote, "When I was little I liked to experiment around in the kitchen trying to make cookie recipes. Some were successful but 1 in particular was not. They came out of the oven looking reasonably normal for cookies but 1 bite in and we realized that I had forgotten sugar, completely. We tried frosting them but it still just wasn't the same. Lesson learned? Cookies need sugar!"

Nana Rogers, who wrote, "My Mom and GG. They taught me I can do whatever I want if I put my mind to it. We started in the kitchen around age 3. Now I cook with my grandson. I was recently wishing I had one of GG's recipes for cheese danishes. I opened my other Grandmothers recipe book I inherited and found GG's hand written recipe for Cheese danish. She wrote this out for me some 30 yrs ago. I thought it was lost. Now I want to make it GF so I can enjoy it to the full."

Brenda, who wrote, "Well I try to take something from different food groups: butter, nuts, sugar/sweet, chocolate and spices. Okay, maybe those aren't food groups but at Christmas they should be. :-D Hmmm...these pine nut cookies may slide into the "nut" choice for this year. My other challenge is to try some new GF recipes as well as convert some of my old favourites to GF."

Everything Homemade, who wrote, "i just found out that i am gluten intolerant and while i am very excited to be on the path to wellness...i make my own fresh bread from grinding my own grain and i am sad that i can no longer eat it."

Winner of The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941-2009

Mary Ann Wong, who wrote: "i wonder if it would be possible to make a matcha/black sesame paste to put in the centre of these cookies? nom.

Winner of Gingerbread Baby

FigandFennel, who wrote, "I know those deep feelings of satisfaction and peace with my little girls on my lap for books. Bedtime is the one hour of the day that never gets rushed. It's just too valuable and if they want one more book, then yes, there always seems to be time for it. I also know the deep feelings of joy and family that come from craziness in the kitchen with little baking helpers. Highlight of my life. Recipe looks delicious we will DEFINITELY be giving it a try."

Winner of The Grand Central Baking Book: Breakfast Pastries, Cookies, Pies, and Satisfying Savories from the Pacific Northwest's Celebrated Bakery

Amy, who wrote: "My worst baking mistake? Like Devon's sister, I switched the sugar and salt when I was around 10 years old.My favorite baking mistake? Not having enough pecans on hand to make pecan pie, and throwing in sliced almonds and hazelnuts to make up for the shortage. So incredibly good."

Winner ofRatio

Sara Pugh, who wrote, "Thanks for continuing to help in my knowledge of the science of baking! It really is fascinating - and your cookbook would certainly help if I won one ;)

If you are one of these lovely, lucky people, please send an email to glutenfreegirl@gmail.com. Tell me your name, address, and telephone number. We'll have those books out to you as soon as we can!