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Press play to begin streaming the audio or right click the text link to download.
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[audio:Julia_Usher-Cookie_Swap_Interview.mp3]Right click here if you’d like to download the audio file [mp3]
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I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but, look at this one!
Cookie inspiration at its finest and without even cracking the cover!
Julia Usher is the author of the recently published book, Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year, a wonderful book filled with inspiring party ideas, mouth-watering recipes, and of course – my personal favorite – gorgeous decorated cookies. Hers are amongst the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, and I was thrilled to have her join me for an interview where she shared cookie tips of all kinds!
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To hear the interview click on the play button at the top of this post. You can also download it to your computer as an mp3 file by right clicking on the text link above.
I’m also happy to announce that I will be giving away one signed copy of Cookie Swap thanks to Gibbs Smith Publishing! Details on how to enter can be found near the end of this post.
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Not only does Julia focus on cookies beautiful to look at, but she includes a multitude of unique and delicious sounding recipes such as Rosemary Blonde Brownies, Lemon-Thyme Bonbons and Under Her Thumb(print) Cookies pictured below.
I confess I haven’t actually tried making any of them yet, but as far as I’m concerned all I needed to buy this book were pages like this:
And this:
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You can find Julia’s book on Amazon and visit her website at www.juliausher.com for more information. Enjoy!
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Cookie Swap GIVEAWAY!
Now on to the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Julia’s book, Cookie Swap!
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How do you enter?
It’s easy. Just leave answer the following question in the comment section below before 7pm EST on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010:
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What is your favorite cookie to eat or to make?
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Another way of entering the draw is to retweet this post on twitter. Tweets will be added to the draw!
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The contest is international and the winner will be chosen randomly at www.random.org.
Hope you enjoyed the interview and good luck with the giveaway!
xo,
Marian
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Kimmie says
Chocolate chip cookies, really, really crisp from the Pillsbury dough cookie tub of dough….love them small too! Want that book, it looks darling!
Lindsay C says
I am recently really loving a chocolate sugar cookie from Martha Stewart. Chewy and chocolatey!
Patricia says
Sugar cookies with icing!
Adee says
I love gingerbread! The spiciness of the cookies works soo well with the sweet icing.
erin says
To eat: chocolate chip cookie
To make: sugar cookies
Lori says
Chocolate chip cookies with Ghiradelli chocolate chips.
Elsa says
I would have to say chocolate chip cookies! I can never resist them!
Michelle says
So many favorites! My new favorite are these coffee almond ones – grown up chocolate chip cookies! http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2010/03/a-tasty-recipe-coffee-toffee-bars/
Amanda DaybyDay says
Peanut butter chocolate chip. hands down.
Jennifer Heckman says
Sugar butter with M&M for me!
Brittany Meek says
No doubt about it…sugar cookies!!
I looked through this book at a book store, and it looked incredible! 🙂
Kelly says
I love oreo cookies! But I like to decorate sugar cookies.
Cory says
I like gingersnap cookies with a little sugar on top of them. Delicious. Love the giveaway.
Sybil says
I would love to win this book as a gift for a friend. My favourite cookie is oatmeal.
Threesidedorchid says
Oh, for eating, it’s definitely Chocolate chip – my family has an excellent recipe, so full of walnuts, they melt in your mouth.
But for making? Sugar cookies! I love decorating them, even if I’m not very good at it yet!
Sadie Dodson says
I love a soft and chewy oatmeal raisin!
Marielle de Vroome says
My favourite cookie is: Pepernoten.
They are very small spiced cookies/treats for our Sinterklaas holiday we celebrate on the 5th. of december in the Netherlands.
Alex Erynn says
I love making and eating whoopie pies. They taste so good and they are a fun little thing to create!
Melissa says
Wow! Those beach bags filled with cookies look almost too good to eat! I love making sugar cookies, but for my fiance, Ghirardelli chocolate chips cookies take the cake!
Kristan says
My favourite cookie to make and eat would have to be homemade Chocolate Chip Skor Cookies!
Mary Ann says
Gingersnaps because they satisfy so many senses: taste, smell, sound (the snap) and sight (they puff up and then deflate into a nice cracked surface).
AshleyC says
I live in Hershey, PA and the best kept secret is not the chocolate. It is the Hershey’s Chocolate World cookies. The Reeses Peanut Butter cookie is my favorite. Seriously, get a cookie if you ever visit Hershey.
Kathleen says
The book looks amazing….I really like any kind of cookie but my fav is chocolate chip.
Kerri says
I think my favourite cookie for sure has to be my moms shortbread cookies….they are from an old recipe and are just delicious…
Kate says
My favorite cookie, would have to be a big, chocolate chip cookie, with pecans, right out of the oven. As for making cookies. I love to make sugar cookies, b/c they are easier to decorate 🙂
Anna says
I love baking chocolate chip cookies and eating the dough raw. I have vowed that when I am older and have my own place, I will always make double batches of cookies. Bake a half, eat a half.
Win, win.
Harry says
Chocolate chip. yummmm.
Chrisgelica says
Shortbread because it is easy.
chikondi says
a soft warm sugar cookie just right out of the oven.yum
Claudia says
There are so many cookies I like, but my favourite is chocolate cookies with peanut butter filling in the middle of the cookie.
Nat says
Nothing smells better than a batch of peanut butter cookies! Nothing tastes better than dipping them in milk! — The only downside is the mandatory 5 mile run to burn it off… So I usually skip that part. 🙂
gaye says
my favorite is sugar cookie with soft pink icing and white, pink sprinkles……
stacy says
I love chocolate chip, the family recipe for sugar cookies! I’m sure that I could find a new favorite in this fabulous book though!
Thanks!
Carley says
My favorite cookies are pizelles!
Stacy says
My favorite cookie are “my” oatmeal toffee cookies… everyone goes crazy for them, and I can eat a dozen practically before they’re cooled!
Michele says
My favorite cookies to make AND eat are my Christmas lemony stained glass window cookies. I make them every year and eat way too many.
Your cookies are gorgeous. I love how you use round cookies with pictures oppose to shaped cookies. So inspiring!
Noe says
My fav cookie has cranberry, chocolate (white or dark) and oatmeal in it.
tania says
My fav cookies to make are decorated sugar cookies. I love taking the time to make something beautiful.
Tammie Sankey says
I love baking, decorating and eating sugar cookies!
MiLinda Jones says
I LOVE eating kourabiedes cookies. I remember as a kid visiting a friend of mine who is greek and her mom giving us these icing sugar coated cookies from heaven. Even now a friend of mine who goes to the Danforth (Little Greece in Toronto) picking me up a box from her favourite bakery. I have tried making them but they never are the same.
Laura Trueman says
Right now I’m loving biscotti, but I’ll bake and eat Toll House cookies any day.
Joey Lynn says
Betty Crocker’s 1963 Chocolate Crinkles! What memories these bring back. I love flipping through my classic 1963 “Cooky Book” looking at all the pictures to find that perfect cookie that somehow captures my mood and satisfies my soul. For some reason the rich chocolate with the contrast of the white powdered sugar, always calls to me! The perfect cookie!
Thanks for the opportunity to win, I’d love to have another book, that I’m sure will bacome a classic, in my collection!
Elizabeth says
You really can’t go wrong with a traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie. Especially one that is warm and fresh from the oven with a big glass of milk. Mmmmm, cookie.
Monifa says
my favorite cookies are Chocolate chocolate chip cookies.
Shirley says
My favorite cookie to make and eat are Pecan Wedding Balls with the powdered sugar, butter, and pecans! YUMMY! They have to be warm, though. So delicious!
Michele says
My favorite cookie to eat is chocolate chip
Jill Parkin says
I love to make good ole chocolate chip cookies. I like them just undercooked!
Sybil says
Ahhhhh am I too late, I want to win the book…..pic me random org pick me
Kimmie says
Please enter me in your contest to win the book….
Barbara says
Chocolate chip cookies, thanks for the chance!
ricettebarbare at gmail dot com