Early this week, I asked you all to tell me where you’d go and what you’d find to eat if you could take a road trip anywhere right now. There were some fantastic answers and I thank everybody for commenting.

I have decided to award the book to blog reader Vickie C, who left comment No. 15 on this post. It is a bit lengthier than most of the other comments, but that’s not why I picked it. I just liked what Vickie had to say:

It must be high season for cookbook publishing because the books are stacking up on my desk and I’m running out of space for them. It’s time to give away another great book!

But first, a little unfinished business: In mid-April, I had a giveaway for Southern Living’s “Little Jars, Big Flavors.” The winner of that contest never claimed her book so I have randomly selected another winner. Sherry, who left comment No. 18 on this blog entry, you are the new winner. Please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com or call me at 540-981-3343 to claim your book.

This week’s giveaway is another work from Southern Living called “Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings” by Morgan Murphy. It is the sequel to Murphy’s original “Southern Living Off the Eaten Path.” Morgan used to be the magazine’s travel editor, and these books are billed as “part travel guide, part cookbook.”

For the latest work, Murphy traveled through 16 Southern states, tasting iconic dishes and meeting characters along the way. In this book, he recounts some of the stories from his adventures and also shares 150 different recipes, from the Black and Blue Martini at The Porch in Dallas to Charred Poblano Creamed Corn at The Admiral in Asheville, NC. I love that Murphy’s book is sprinkled with road-trip soundtracks (“If It’s the Beaches” by the Avett Brothers and “Orange Blossoms” by JJ Grey & Mofro for Florida) and quirky local sayings (“It’s so dark out you have to light a second match to see if the first one caught”).

For a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this blog entry answering this question: If you could get in the car and take a road trip anywhere in America right now, where would it be and what would you hope to find to eat when you got there? The deadline is noon on Friday. I’ll pick my favorite answer and announce a winner by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Getty Images/iStock

Congratulations to blog reader Dana (comment #30), who has won a copy of Southern Living’s “Little Jars, Big Flavors: Small-batch jams, jellies, pickles, and preserves from the South’s most trusted kitchen.”

Dana, please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com with your shipping information so I can send your prize!

Thank you to everyone who entered to win this book. It got my tummy growling for some home-canned produce. I’m going to share a couple of recipes from the book. One is a microwave recipe for balsamic-plum preserves that can be made by even the most inept cook. They do not require hot water bath canning, only a little chopping and nuking before storing in the refrigerator.

The other recipe is for double onion marmalade, which does require knowledge of hot water bath canning. If you do not know how to can, please be sure to read up on it before you attempt this recipe.

Stay tuned to this blog today because I’ve got some pretty interesting restaurant news coming later.

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Here in mid-April, people are scouting for spring greens, planting seeds and readying seasonal farmers markets for opening day. You can read more about what’s in store at local markets in my Front Burner column tomorrow.

Meanwhile, all this activity reminds me that in just a couple of months, some of us will be reaching for canning supplies and getting ready to put up another mess of fresh produce. Seems like a good time to give away a book about canning.

Today’s book giveaway is a brand new cookbook from Southern Living magazine called “Little Jars, Big Flavors.” As the name implies, this book focuses on small batches, which is perfect for beginners or folks with small families. Also, doing a small batch is nice because if the family doesn’t like it, you won’t be stuck with a bunch of something like green tomato hot pepper pickles.

As you might expect with a canning book, this one includes recipes and instructions for jams, jellies, spreads, pickles, relishes, sauces and more. It also offers some basic information about canning.

If you’re interested in winning this book, please leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me: What is your favorite home-canned food item? Mine is probably pickled green beans or strawberry jam. The deadline to enter is NOON on Friday. I’ll announce a winner by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Congratulations to blog reader Celia, who left comment No. 26 on yesterday’s blog entry. Celia has randomly won a copy of the 4-ingredient cookbook “One Pot, One Bowl” by Kim McCosker.

I asked what you’d do with the time you would save in the evenings should you win this book. Celia said “With 4 kids, extra time is very precious. In my dreams I would take luxurious bubble baths. In reality I would probably check homework and get kids showered faster.”

It sounds like Celia could definitely use the extra time. But Celia, if I send you this book you have to promise me that you’ll take at least one luxurious bubble bath per month just to restore your sanity! Email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your prize.

The recipes in this book are so fast and easy to type up that I’m going to share a couple more as a consolation to those who did not win. Thanks for playing, everybody. When I posted that entry yesterday it was gloomy and we were all tired. Now it’s sunny and I, for one, am feeling much more chipper. Come on, spring!

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I slept in yesterday, went to bed early last night and still woke up this morning feeling groggy and wondering why it was so doggone dark in my bedroom. Happy Daylight Savings Time!

At least we will now have more light in the evenings by which to cook fine dinners and get the garden ready for this summer’s bounty. Dare I mention homegrown tomatoes this early? I’m ready.

To help you ease into the work week, I’m going to give away a great cookbook: “One Pot, One Bowl” by Kim McCosker. As part of the “4 ingredients” series, this book features recipes that call for only a few ingredients and dirty very few dishes. These are just a few of the good-looking recipes in this book: garlic cream shrimp, French lamb casserole, chicken and Jarlsberg casserole, chorizo and chickpea stew, and avocado and prosciutto pasta.

Because of a certain holiday coming up this weekend, I’m going to share an easy recipe for Irish Stew from this cookbook (and at the request of one reader, I’m also going to share the Chorizo and Chickpea Stew recipe). If you are interested in winning this book, leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me what you would do with the extra time you would have in the evenings if you win this book.

The deadline is noon tomorrow. I’ll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon!

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The Roanoke Times | File photo

I always find myself in this predicament when I say I’ll choose a winner based on merit — it is so hard! That’s why I usually end up choosing a random number and saving myself the agonizing decision.

However, I said I’d pick one snow haiku writer to win “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook,” and despite the fact that I wanted to award it to so many different people, I have chosen one.

Congrats to William Alexander!

I loved William’s haiku because it managed to fold cooking and the cozy warmth of a snow day at home with loved ones all into one little three-line poem. As he wrote, it’s kind of a recipe for happiness:

Sweet winter snowfall
Vanilla, sugar, warm hearth
Snow cream and mom’s love

Also, I can’t be sure that William’s related to the 5- and 3-year-old Alexander kids who took a swing at this contest, but I’m pretty sure he is. And while I’m awarding the book on the quality of his haiku alone, I must admit it makes me happy to think of a parent teaching his wee ones how to write haiku. William, please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your prize.

Thanks for all of the big smiles you guys gave me as I read through these entries. If you are bummed that you didn’t win a book, check out the romantic restaurants blog entry below. There’s a prize involved in that one, too!

File stock photo.

It’s hard to believe January is already coming to an end. Despite the cold weather, it seems to me as if this month has flown by.

Just around the corner is Valentine’s Day, one of the strongest business days for restaurants everywhere. The day of prescribed romance falls on a Thursday this year, which means anytime that long weekend, or even the weekend before, would be a nice time to celebrate.

Everybody has a different vision of the perfect amorous ambiance for a dinner — to some it’s dim lighting and candles; to others maybe it’s a favorite spot where a first kiss or a first date took place. Or maybe you aren’t into all the cliches, so a perfect Valentine’s Day with your partner would be sharing a pie at a favorite pizza joint.

In an upcoming issue of The Roanoke Times, I’d like to help readers choose the perfect place to go to dinner for Valentine’s Day. So whether you plan to go out or not, I’d love to hear about your favorite romantic restaurant. What little details make the atmosphere perfect there?

One person who comments on this blog entry will randomly win a copy of “Sweet Celebrations” by Kathering Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, authors of “The Cupcake Diaries,” along with a bottle of McCormick red food coloring and a bottle of McCormick raspberry extract with natural flavors!

Anybody who is fond of food blogs has probably spent a little time on the Smitten Kitchen blog, which features impressive yet relatively easy recipes and gorgeous food photos that make you want to drool.

Now, the author of that blog, Deb Perelman, has come out with her own cookbook, “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.” This book, like the blog, features lovely pictures and a variety of dishes that look and sound gourmet but do not appear to be very difficult to prepare.

One lucky blogger is going to win a copy of this cookbook. And since it is bitterly cold outside and some nasty weather is reportedly moving in, I think I’ll share two recipes from the book that look perfect for a cozy evening indoors on a winter night.

For a chance to win this book, leave me a message and write a Haiku about why you love or hate snow, whatever the case may be. I’ll pick my favorite for the win. It isn’t that hard, I promise. As a reminder, Haiku is three lines, 5 syllables in the first, 7 in the second and 5 in the third. I’ll go first:

When the snow comes down,
I want chili and PJs,
maybe some whiskey

Hey, that was fun. I’m going to do another:

Snow piled on the roof,
snow blanketing the driveway.
Snow can kiss my butt.

The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. on Monday. I’ll choose a winner on Tuesday. Read on to see recipes for slow-cooker black bean ragout and pork chops with cider, horseradish and dill.

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Over the past week, nearly 200 comments were posted by readers eager to score one of the five cookbooks I am giving away as part of the Cookbook Countdown to the New Year. I know some of you entered every day, and I appreciate your dedication.

I have used a random number generator to determine the winners of the cookbooks. And here they are:

Day 1: “Tyler Florence: Fresh.” Winner: Denise, who left comment #17, “Love Tyler! Would love this cook book!”

Day 2: “Lard: The Lost Art of Cooking with Your Grandmother’s Secret Ingredient” by the editors of GRIT magazine. Winner: Patricia, who left comment #35, “Sounds worth trying. Especially since I think I can find local lard.”

Day 3: “Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss” by Buddy Valastro. Winner: Stephanie, who left comment #23, “Sounds like a great cookbook.”

Day 4: Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon Bakery.” Winner: April, who left comment #1, “I love making goodies for people. This would be an awesome cookbook for me to do that.”

Day 5: “Cooking Season by Season” by various authors. Winner: Cindy Higgins, who left comment #34, “Sounds like a book I’d like to add to my collection!”

All of the winners will be receiving emails from me, so if your name is on this list be sure to check the email account you used when you left your comment. If I do not hear back from you within five business days, I will choose another winner. Thank you to everybody who entered to win, and Happy New Year!

Speaking of new beginnings, I want to alert everybody that you’ll be seeing a change on the Fridge Magnet blog that will probably begin today. This blog, along with the other blogs usually found in the green and red PlateUp wrapper, will be converted back to the standard Roanoke.com wrapper. That means Fridge Magnet, The Storefront by Amanda Codispoti, and The Shoptimist by Rebecca Holland will be getting the same look as all the other blogs on Roanoke.com.

This change is being made as we lead up to the launch of the newly redesigned Roanoke.com in the new year. If anybody experiences any problems with the performance of this blog after the switch, please leave a comment or send me an email at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com and let me know. Thanks!

I have saved the best for last in our Cookbook Countdown to the New Year. At least, this is the book I would most like to win out of all of the ones I’ve offered this week.

“Cooking Season by Season” by various authors is a huge, hardback book filled with 1,000 recipes that are organized by the time of year and seasonality of different ingredients. The chapters and some of the foods they feature are spring (scallions, rhubarb), early summer (fava beans, asparagus, strawberries), high summer (sweet corn, tomatoes, melons, summer berries), fall (beets, fennel, broccoli, figs), early winter (leeks, pomegranates, cabbage), and late winter (avocado, venison, rutabaga and turnips).

A few recipe examples: Spinach Sauce, Creamy Scallop Bisque, Zucchini and Potato Soup, Salmon Jungle Curry, Mussels in Fennel Broth, Blackberry Brioche with Mascarpone, and Normandy Pear Tart. The book also includes menu plans and lots of other information.

To be entered to win a copy of this book, please leave a comment on this blog entry. I will throw in a “For Dummies” grilling mitt. I’ll announce the winner on New Year’s Eve. Have a great weekend!

As the name of this cookbook implies, it comes from the master mind of Thomas Keller, founder of one of the most famous restaurants in America (if not THE most famous), The French Laundry in Napa, California.

In this huge hardback cookbook, with its suggested retail price of $50, Keller takes on the art of baking. If you are a serious baker, you will be in heaven when you open this book and see all of the glorious photographs and tantalizing recipes. They are not just for sweets — there are plenty of bread recipes in this book.

Here’s a sampling of the recipes included: Brioche, English Muffins, Sticky Buns, Lime Coconut Eclairs (and eclairs in general), Plum Tart with Almond Cream, Olive Oil Cake, and Chocolate Cherry Scones.

If your sweet tooth is activated by this blog entry and you’d like to do some baking from this book, enter to win it by leaving a comment on this blog entry. I’ll also throw in a “For Dummies” drawstring bag, which you may need to lug this book around.

I will announce the winner on New Year’s Eve.

The very same Buddy Valastro who just brought his show to the Salem Civic Center has written a new cookbook. Although he is best known as the Cake Boss from the TLC reality show, Valastro writes in this book all about cooking his native cuisine, Italian.

“Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss” is a 360-page hardback book filled with glossy food images and tasty-looking recipes. Those recipes include Sausage and Pepper Sandwich, Minestrone, Marinara Sauce, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli, Perfect Italian Chicken Cutlet, Osso Buco and Nina’s Ricotta Cheesecake.

What I like about this book is that the recipes aren’t fancy and complicated. While there are some unusual and sophisticated ingredients and techniques, this book is for the most part filled with recipes for Italian menu staples.

Want to win this book? If so, leave a comment on this blog entry. The winner will also get a “For Dummies” insulated coffee cup. I will announce a winner on New Year’s Eve.

The name of this cookbook says it all. Yes, it is all about cooking with lard, or “The lost art of cooking with your grandmother’s secret ingredient.” My grandmother used lard sometimes and her food sure was good.

The word “lard” may not sound appetizing to some folks, but the recipes in this book will make your mouth water. They include Country Fried Chicken, Hamburger in Cheese Popovers, British Pasties, Beef Wellington, Butterscotch Rolls and Southern Gingerbread with Apricot Cream Filling.

This cookbook was compiled by the editors of GRIT magazine, and as an added bonus it includes a certificate for a free subscription to the magazine!

If you are interested in winning this cookbook, please leave a comment on this blog entry. I’m going to include a “For Dummies” apron. I will announce the winner on New Year’s Eve.

Oh, and by the way … MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Today’s cookbook giveaway features “Tyler Florence: Fresh.” This is a 240-page hardback cookbook from the bestselling author, chef and TV star. It is dedicated to the belief that fresh, unprocessed foods are the healthiest foods you and your family can eat.

In this cookbook, educational essays about “hero ingredients” such as beets, anchovies, clams and quail eggs are interposed with interesting recipes for dishes such as Grilled Artichokes with Anchovy Mayo and Cucumber-Lemon Salsa; Butternut Squash Tortellini with Lentils, Yogurt and Sumac; and Scallops with Melon, Chile and Mint. It also describes “hero techniques” such as making confit vegetables and quickly pickling foods.

To enter to win this book, leave a comment on this blog entry. I will also throw in a “For Dummies” grilling mitt. I’ll announce the winner on New Year’s Eve.

It is a tradition here on the Fridge Magnet blog to give away gifts during the week between Christmas and the New Year. I call it the Cookbook Countdown to the New Year. This year, I have more than cookbooks to give away. I also have some “For Dummies” schwag from the folks who bring us the popular yellow-and-black self-teaching books. You know, like “Cooking for Dummies,” “Woodworking for Dummies,” “Ventriloquist Dummies for Dummies.”

OK, I made that last one up. But you get the picture. The schwag I have includes grilling mitts, an insulated coffee mug and a drawstring bag.

This year, I’m tweaking the giveaway dates a little bit. The prize blog entries will begin on Monday, Dec. 24 and run through Friday. I’ll be back on New Year’s Eve to resume our conversations about food, and I’ll be checking comments through the week next week, although not as frequently on Monday through Wednesday. So if your comment does not get approved and show up right away, don’t worry.

I’ve saved some of the very best cookbooks I’ve gotten over the past few months for this giveaway. They include:

“Lard: The Lost Art of Cooking with Your Grandmother’s Secret Ingredient” from the editors of GRIT Magazine
“Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery” by Sebastien Rouxel
“Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss” by Buddy Valastro
“Fresh” by Tyler Florence
“Cooking Season by Season: 1000 Recipes to Cook through the Year” by various authors

To be eligible to win one of these cookbooks, check the blog every day next week and leave a comment on the blog entry. I will announce all of the random winners on New Year’s Eve. Good luck to you all, and have a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY!

The random winner of “The Daily Cookie” by Anna Ginsberg ($16.13 on Amazon) is blog reader Patrick. Congratulations, Patrick! Now you’ll have all sorts of recipes for cookie bars that you can make and sneak slivers of whenever you are lurking in the kitchen.

Thank you to everybody who entered this contest. If you’re bummed that you didn’t win, remember that I always do a countdown to the New Year in cookbooks! So in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I’ll be giving away a different cookbook every single day.

As usual, I will share a couple more recipes from the book for all of us to enjoy.

Click “Read More” to see recipes for Mississippi Mud Cups and Pumpkin Pie Bars. Enjoy!

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What if we baked and ate a different cookie every day for the entire year of 2013? Well, we’d probably all have to join a weight-loss program and spend the following two years getting back to our original size.

I don’t think that’s the point of Anna Ginsberg’s “The Daily Cookie,” a cookbook that includes 365 different cookie recipes “for the sweetest year of your life.” But this time of year, when a lot of us are going to cookie exchanges, baking with the kids or looking for something different to try out on the guinea pigs in the family, this cookbook could be a lot of fun.

Recipes include Key Lime Cheesecake Bars, One-Bowl German Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Raisin and Spice Bars, Chocolate Almond Oat Bars, Easy Baklava Cups and, well, 360 others!

I’m giving this book away to a lucky winner. To be entered to win, I’d like for you to leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me what cookies you and your family always make to have around during the winter holiday season. In our family, there are usually molasses cookies, lemon bars, and decorated sugar cookies. I also like to make tropical fruit cookies and stuffed date cookies.

Tell me about your cookie traditions anytime before 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I’ll pick a random winner and send out the book as a Thanksgiving gift. Meanwhile, I’ll share a couple of recipes from the book that made my mouth water.

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Photo by Dwayne Yancey l The Roanoke Times

I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a laugh. And I sure did laugh when my colleague, Dwayne Yancey, showed me this photo he took outside the Texas Tavern in downtown Roanoke about midnight on Friday.

Apparently, someone rode their horse downtown for the evening and stopped at the TT for a bite to eat. As long as the TT has been open, maybe this isn’t the first time someone tied up a horse out front. I’ve heard a few other co-workers say they think they’ve seen this horse downtown before.

I hate to steal Dan Casey’s “caption this” contest idea, but this picture sure does provide a lot of opportunity for goofy jokes. So whoever leaves the funniest comment (in my opinion) on this blog entry wins a copy of “Big Ranch, Big City Cookbook” by Louis Lambert.

I apologize in advance to my friends at the Texas Tavern, which is sure to be the butt of some of these jokes. Paybacks to me will probably come in the form of snarky comments about The Roanoke Times, since this horse is tied up right next to one of our newspaper boxes.

I should have known a cookbook giveaway about sandwiches would generate a lot of comments, but I was still surprised by the number of folks who entered to win this book. Even more surprising to me was the variety of sandwiches you named. I expected most of them to be basics such as grilled cheese, Italian subs, cheese steaks, cheeseburgers and the like, but there were a lot of interesting concoctions!

Boiled egg and cheese? Green olive cream cheese? Peanut butter and Doritos? Ham with Miracle Whip? I will not knock any of these until I’ve tried them.

When it came time to pick a random number, however, I saw that the winner’s favorite sandwich is actually my husband’s favorite, too. The winner is David Huggett, who wrote: “My favorite sandwich would have to be a good italian sub with cappicollo, salami, ham and provolone or gruyere cheese.”

Good choice, David. And you have won “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches” by Susan Russo. Email your shipping address to me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com.

Since we all obviously love sandwiches, here are a couple of recipes from the book for a crab melt and a banana split sandwich:

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I’ll be taking a break from this blog on Friday and Monday, but I’ll return on Tuesday.

While I’m away, I’m going to run a cookbook giveaway. The grand prize will be “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches; Recipes, History, and Trivia for Everything between Sliced Bread” by Susan Russo. This book includes recipes for basics such as egg salad and fluffernutters, but it also tells you how to make some more complicated sammies such as oyster loafs, muffaletta, an eggplant Parmesan sub and a crab melt.

If you love anything between two slices of bread (even chopped liver!) this is the book for you.

To enter to win, leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me your FAVORITE kind of sandwich (mine’s a grilled cheese – yummmmm). Entries will be accepted until midnight on Monday, and a random winner will be approved on Tuesday. If your comment is not approved right away, never fear – I’ll probably be busy cooking or eating something. But I’ll get around to approvals as often as possible.

Good luck to everyone!

Congratulations to blog reader Mary Jones, the random winner of our latest cookbook giveaway! Mary has won a copy of “I Love Corn” by Lisa Skye, which, as you might have guessed, is a cookbook devoted entirely to corn.

I hope there’s still enough time in this corn season for Mary to try a recipe or two from this book using fresh corn. To make the rest of you feel better, I’ve typed up two great-looking recipes from the book. One is for corn flapjacks with ricotta cheese and walnuts; the other is for corn with smoked bacon and caramelized onions.

Thanks for playing, everybody. Have a great weekend.

To see the recipes, click “Read More.”

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There’s a Hallmark Fresh Ink birthday card I love that has a 1970s-era picture on the front of a man flanked by two little girls on a couch. They are all holding up signs, and the first little girl’s sign says “Happy Birthday,” as does the man’s sign. But the little girl on the other end is holding up a sign that says “I like corn on the cob.” When you open the card, it says “Please disregard Stephanie.”

Well, this cookbook I’m going to give away this week would be perfect for Stephanie, because it’s all about corn. The author, Lisa Skye of Brooklyn, has put together a collection of recipes from around the world and all of them involve the delicious veggie.

The cookbook is divided into these chapters: breakfast, soups and starters, main dishes, side dishes and sweets. A few recipe names to get your mouth watering: Corn Flapjacks with Fresh Ricotta Cheese and Chopped Walnuts; Early Corn Soup; Lobster and Corn Bruschetta; Grilled Venison with Corn, Cocoa and Chipotle Relish; Corn Pudding with Bacon and Leeks; and Poached Peaches and Rhubarb with Warm Corn Shortcakes.

I could go for any or all of the above right now. In fact, am I sure I really want to give away this cookbook? Well, since I love you all so much I will give it up.

Here’s what you have to do in order to be entered to win this book: Leave a comment on this entry and tell me your favorite way to eat corn, whether it be plain with butter or a fancy preparation. Comments left before 5 p.m. on Thursday will be in the running. Employees of The Roanoke Times/Roanoke.com are not eligible to win. I will announce a random winner on Friday.

Good luck!

Congratulations to blog reader David (comment #3), who is the random winner of the latest cookbook prize, “Best Ribs Ever” by Steven Raichlen. David, I hope you enjoy some or all of the 100 recipes in this book.

This was one of the best cookbook giveaways in a long time because of the wonderful responses. I feel as if I lucked out when I was given the chance to read all of your memories about dads and food. Some of them were funny, some touching, some both.

They were so great that I’ve decided to run some with my column this week. I will attribute them to the user name under which they were posted. Thanks so much for the great anecdotes.

I won’t end this entry without sharing a recipe from the book. Enjoy.

Peach Horseradish Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 1 cup

1/4 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup bourbon
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (or more, to taste)
2 Tbsp. finely shopped fresh horseradish (I suppose you could use jarred)
Coarse salt and black pepper

1. Place the peach preserves, mustard, bourbon, vinegar, Worcestershire, and soy sauce in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually bring to a boil, whisking the ingredients until smooth. Lower the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer gently until thick and richly flavored, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool until warm, then stir in the horseradish. Season with salt and pepper to taste and more soy sauce, if necessary. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week. Allow it to return to room temperature before using.

Source: “Best Ribs Ever” by Steven Raichlen

I’m thinking it’s time for another cookbook giveaway. How about y’all?

Since Father’s Day is on the horizon, I thought it might be appropriate to give away a nice grilling book called “Best Ribs Ever” by Steven Raichlen. Not because I think women don’t barbecue, but because Father’s Day always falls during some of the best grilling weather we see in Virginia (Note: I’m crossing my fingers and toes as I write this, lest Mother Nature have another of her mood swings).

This barbecue bible promises more than 300 pages of recipes, not just for meats but also for accompaniments such as baked beans, slaws and sauces. A few recipes that caught my hungry eye: Brazilian coconut rotisserie ribs, smoked beer barbecue sauce, Argentinian short ribs with chimichurri, and pineapple marinated smoked beef ribs. YUM!

If you’d like to be in the running to win this book, tell me what food you associate most closely with your father, and why. For some reason what comes to mind for me is my dad’s fantastic roasted potatoes with rosemary and sage, which he starts in a skillet on the stove top and finishes in the oven. It always made the house smell heavenly.

The deadline for this giveaway is noon on Monday. I will announce a winner by about 5 p.m. on Monday. Let’s collect some nice Dad stories!

Congratulations to blog winner Jason, who has randomly won a copy of “Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella. Jason wrote, “I’d like to learn some *HEALTHY* alternatives other than froyo and low-fat ice cream. I think this book might do the trick!”

Jason, I hope you have a very cool summer with some tasty freezer pops courtesy of this book. Email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your prize.

If you wanted to win this book but did not, I have good news for you. And it’s better news than the standard “You can find this online at blah blah blah.” This book, in fact, is available for sale at any Kohl’s department store or at Kohl’s online for only $5. All of the proceeds go to national children’s health and education initiatives. You may have heard about the Kohl’s Cares program. Well, this is part of that program.

I shared some recipes from this cookbook on my blog the other day, and I’ll share one more now for Coconut Cream Yogurt Pops. Hope you all enjoy!
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It doesn’t feel much like a Popsicle kind of day with the rain streaming down the windows. I’m back in jeans, boots and a cardigan this morning, but I will admit the cool, overcast weather was perfect for gardening this weekend. I put in two Better Boys, two Lemon Boys and two California Wonder red bell pepper plants.

Before long, we’ll be melting in the sun and enjoying dinners made with thick, fresh slices of homegrown tomato. And for dessert, it might be nice to have a treat from this new cookbook, “Pops!” by Krystina Castella. This book offers icy treats for people of all ages, but as I flip through it I realize the recipes all seem very grown-up. By that, I don’t mean they call for alcohol. I mean they are some really unusual and sophisticated freezer pops.

For example, here are some recipes in the book:
* PB & Sesame Raspberry Pops
* Banana & Date Pops
* Sugar Pumpkin Pops
* Ginger Lemon-Lime Pops
* Vanilla Soy Ice Cream Pops
* Pomegranate & Apple Pops
* Mulled Cider & Walnut Pops
* Thai Iced Coffee Pops

If you’re like me, you’re starting to forget how dreary it is outside and you’re wishing you had one of these unique pops in your hand. Well, you have a chance to win this cookbook if you leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me what is your favorite kind of freezer pop, or who do you know who would love the pops recipes in this book. The deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday; I’ll announce the winner on Thursday.

I’ll share two below to get the juices flowing.
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I’d like to congratulate the winner of my latest giveaway, who has won a copy of “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook” by Angela Shelf Medearis. That winner is Jennifer. Here is what Jennifer had to say:

“I would love to have this cookbook on my shelf! My grandfather is a diabetic in complete renal failure (dialysis 3 times a week, insulin 3 times a day). We recently lost my grandmother, his wife, and so he had to make the move from his home in South Carolina, to Roanoke to live with my mother. We have a very hard time trying to feed him things that taste good, but are also good for him. It is a source of constant stress in my family and many fights between my grandfather and my mother. This cookbook may be a great source for recipes he will actually enjoy eating. Especially any desserts as he really deserves a treat every once in a while!”

Jennifer, for some reason when I read your comment I thought of my own grandfather. He didn’t have diabetes but he did struggle with illness and the one thing he always craved was a good chocolate dessert. It sounds as if your grandfather deserves a chocolate dessert such as the Fudge Pudding Cake (below). And it sounds like your mother could benefit from some new ideas in the kitchen – bless her for trying to take good care of your grand-daddy.

For the rest of you, I’ve transcribed two recipes from the book. One is for chicken with apples and lemon balsamic sauce, the other is for that cake. I hope you enjoy. If you’d like to purchase a copy of the book for yourself or someone else, here’s a link to one source.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

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I have a special opportunity this morning for my diabetic readers. I have two loved ones who are diabetic, so I know this condition touches many, many lives. And if the rest of us think it is challenging to come up with meals to put on the table, think of how much more difficult it must be when you have to be extra-careful about your blood sugar.

But modern cookery has improved so much in terms of diabetic recipes. And this book, “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook” by Angela Shelf Medearis, is loaded with lots of awesome-looking recipes, such as Beefy Mini Meat Loaves, Sushi-Style Crab roll, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Chicken and Apples with Lemon Balsamic Sauce, Baked Catfish with Green Onion and Butter Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Lemon and Herb Cauliflower Couscous, and Fudge Pudding Cake.

For a chance to win this cookbook, please leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me why you want this book on your book shelf! The deadline is noon tomorrow (Friday), at which time I will announce a winner and share a couple of recipes from the book. Including that Fudge Pudding Cake recipe! Yum!

My dad smoked these ribs a couple of summers ago. Photo by Lindsey Nair (moi).

Blog reader Bill has won the random drawing for “America’s Best Ribs” by Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk.

Bill said he likes baby back ribs the best and prefers a dry rub. He said he likes to start his ribs in the oven and finish them on the grill. Congrats, Bill. Now you can experiment with some different cuts and cooking methods.

I notice that of the 17 or so comments left on the cookbook giveaway entry, most of you said you like baby back ribs the best. That’s no surprise, considering how meaty and tender they are. But Jeff makes a good point when he says there are more affordable cuts which, if cooked properly, can also be delicious.

Check out these cuts (details from the book):

PORK

* Country-style ribs: Cut from the shoulder end of a bone-in pork loin. Not technically ribs, but they are boneless and, when cooked low and slow, can be very tender and succulent.

* Spareribs: From the lower breast belly section of the pig. Less meaty and less expensive than baby backs.

* St. Louis-style: Spareribs trimmed of the rib tips and skirt meat. Very meaty and generally consistent in size, which helps when cooking

BEEF/BISON

* Short ribs: Off the plate or chuck (flank) section of the animal. Often cut short, especially for Asian recipes.

* Back ribs: A full 7-bone slab

* Bison ribs: Bigger and less fatty than beef ribs

LAMB/MUTTON

* Lamb breast ribs: A full slab with 9-12 bones. Fatty and a little tough, but trimming helps.

* Denver ribs: Lamb breast ribs that have been squared off on the small end.

* Mutton breast ribs: Breast ribs from a grown animal. Stronger in flavor than lamb.

So, now that we’ve broken down the rib varieties a little more, how many of these have you guys tried at a restaurant? How many have you cooked at home?

Monday, Monday. How can we make you a little more exciting? How about a contest to win a free cookbook about one of the most delicious and succulent cuts of meat on earth, RIBS?

This book by Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk, both charter members and board members of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, promises “tips and recipes for easy, lip-smacking, pull-off-the-bone, pass-the-sauce, championship-quality ribs at home – plus a few ribiculous sides and desserts.”

Need I say more?

Leave a comment on this entry and tell me what you think makes for the perfect rib. Is it pork, beef? Baby back? Dry rub or sauced? I’ll draw a random name at noon tomorrow (Tuesday). If you’ve won anything on this blog in the past year, you will not be eligible to win. But feel free to join in the discussion!

Congratulations to blog reader Stacey W, who left comment No. 11 on this week’s cookbook giveaway. Stacey, it looks like you’ll have a little more relaxing to do as you work your way through this book, “Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has a Story” by Kimberly “Momma” Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero.

Thank you for entering this contest, everyone. Do not fret if you didn’t win – I will be back with another giveaway before you know it!

I am going to share a recipe from this book a little later today, so check back on this entry and click “Read more” to check that out.

Stacey, please email me your shipping information at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim this prize.

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I hope everyone had a sweet weekend. I’m about to get our week off to a sweet start, as well.

Save the date this Saturday for the 6th Annual Blacksburg Chocolate Party to benefit the Blacksburg New School. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Mall in Blacksburg. It will feature Valentine’s gifts made by local artisans, lots of treats, including some gluten-free items, and the following fun activities for the kids: balloon animals, face painting, cookie decorating, play dough and gift-making activities.

As long as we’re talking sugar, how about a chance to win a big hardback cookbook dedicated to baking and candy making? It’s called “Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has a Story” by Kimberly “Momma” Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero. These women call themselves the “Sugar Mommas.” Reiner is the founder of Momma Renier’s Fudge, which was picked as one of Oprah’s favorite things in O, the Oprah Magazine.  They run two websites, ModernMom.com and SugarSugarRecipes.com.

The chapters in this book are divided into “Cakes to Diet For,” “Tarts and Pies Worth the Lie,” “Better than Nooky Cookies”, “Cool Bars and Summer Stars,” and ‘Candy and Creative Confections.” I see recipes for such goodies as oatmeal carmelitas, cracked sugar cookies, butterscotch pie, grasshopper pie, everything but the hummingbird cake, Kentucky jam cake, shoo-fly cake and caramel celebration cake.

If you are interested in winning this cookbook, please leave a comment on this blog entry anytime before noon on Wednesday. I will announce a winner just after noon on Wednesday.

The last cookbook in last week’s series of giveaways was “Ultimate Camp Cooking” by Mike Faverman and Pat Mac. And the lucky winner of this book is Teslaca, who left comment No. 1 on Friday’s blog entry. Teslaca said: “I love to cook when I’m camping and make a challenge out of making the best food I possibly can each trip.”

Tes, I hope you find some interesting new dishes in this book. Please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com or call me at 540-981-3343 to claim your prize.

I’m going to share one more recipe from this book before I let it go. This one is for portobello [portabella, portobella - these are all acceptable spellings] mushroom steaks, which interested me because I just had a portobello mushroom sandwich for lunch yesterday at Hollywood’s Cafe on Williamson Road near Hollins University. Portobello mushroom sandwiches can go either way – they can be very flavorful or totally bland. Hollywood’s version was wonderful because it had obviously been marinated or basted in a delicious concoction. This recipe calls for balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and liquid smoke. See below for the recipe.

Well, it is officially a new year. Our weeks of eating with wild abandon are over. I’m a little sad, but also ready for an excuse to eat healthier and get back on my fitness track (if I can find it).

How are you all feeling in the new year? What food topics would you like to learn more about or chat about in the coming months?

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Roanoke Times weather columnist Kevin Myatt says we are about to get nailed by an “Arctic punch” in the next couple of days, which I’m sure will have some of you camping enthusiasts dreaming of a warm summer weekend.

I’ve got just the book to help you plan that next trip: “Ultimate Camp Cooking” by Mike Faverman and Pat Mac. Faverman and Mac, who host a show by the same name, are described on the back cover as “the Abbott and Costello of camp cooking, guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and make your mouth water with this portable and indispensible cookbook for campers, travelers, and outdoor food enthusiasts.”

The book includes such basics as Dutch oven cooking, camp cooking safety and bear safety.

Recipes include Dutch oven Benedict, spicy tequila chicken, bacon mac and white cheese, candied asparagus and blueberry dumplings. I’ll share a recipe below.

If you’re interested in winning this book, leave a comment on this blog entry. I will announce the winner on Monday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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