BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine & President's Choice

Usually when I get review books and packages, I send a thank you note and then it takes me a while to write about the goodies. This time, I was so excited I even took this photo as soon as it arrived - without any makeup!

But let me back up a bit, before I share my awesome haul. I've written before about my involvement with BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine.
It's a wonderful way to do good for those less fortunate around the world. Not to mention the other benefits to belonging - fast friends with other food bloggers ; contributing to a terrific project like the cookbook (that you can find out about & how to buy it - well worth it, since it's filled with great recipes for foodbloggers everywhere - including me); and one of my favorite perks - getting to review cool products and cookbooks. You can find out about joining in the fun here.

President's Choice is one of our fantastic sponsors. And even if you don't live in Canada, I bet you can find some PC products near you. In fact, when my younger daughter moved to Chile for a couple of years to teach English, she called in amazement because PC products were on the shelves there! But if you can't find any of their great products (I really love their sauces and salsas, but don't get me started - at least not yet ) you should visit their website. There are recipes galore and articles about ...well, everything by season, including BBQing tips. Which leads me to my fantastic gift of goodies celebrating BBQ season.

But where to start?! Well there's a very cool and funky insulated cooler (in my world, make that picnic basket)

• a 4 pack of 100% sparkling fruit juice - this time orange tangerine - I've purchased many of their sparkling juices and they are delish on their own - add a little white wine and you have an awesome, light Spritzer;
• maple bacon marinade - which will be wonderful on pork, poultry or fish - just a slather on the meat and let it sit a bit before you grill or roast and your friends and family will think you've slaved for hours;
• Grilling & Roasting Spice Mix in its own grinder - sea salt, peppercorns, mustard & coriander seeds, plus a lot more. Just a grinding or two on your favorite meat or fish and I know the results will be excellent;
• a New World EVOO from Chile- frankly, of all the store brands out there PC is my favorite for olive oil- so I'm very excited about trying this one;
• glaze with balsamic vinegar from Modena in a squeeze pack - I had to taste it - and even on my finger, it's delicious. It will be perfect on everything - first that comes to my mind is grilled shrimps, but you decide for yourself;
• the cutest little slider thin mini-burger buns that would also work well to sop up your favorite dip (and if you don't want or don't have time to make your own - well PC has lots of choices like this Masala Hummus;
• a box of chocolate chip Pecan cookies (my favorite nut) - yummy as I write, getting cookie crumbs on my keyboard;
• and last but not least, a perfectly spectacular BBQ apron - how did they know my favorite color is red?!

And because this is their BBQ Event Promotion they even sent a $10 gift card to buy some Angus sliders and some PC Ice Cream Shop Flavours Ice Cream for dessert.

If you're like me, then unfortunately you won't be barbecuing any time soon because you have no backyard, no patio, no deck, not even a balcony. But don't despair, because the folks at President's Choice are going to be out celebrating BBQ season with a BBQ Tour that goes all across Canada. Lucky me, there are at least five events coming in or around Halifax. I am a little ahead of myself, but next week you will find your closest BBQ event in next week's PC Insider's Report. Not to mention their terrific BBQ contest where you could win a party plus a backyard makover with design consultation by HGTV's Paul LaFrance and $2500! Keep checking here or become a fan of President's Choice on Facebook.

Now I'm off to plan a picnic - cross your fingers for great weather this weekend!

Pasta for BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine

Hard as it is to believe, Presto Pasta Nights hit the big 150 this week. And she looks better than ever as she ages...like fine wine and cheese, I guess. Don't forget to send your dishes to Susan The Well Seasoned Cook (with links of course) at thewellseasonedcook (at) yahoo (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

And the planets have collided to celebrate....the recipe is at the bottom of the post, but take a minute, please....

I'm proud to say I've been a member of BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine (BACFF) for a long time. It's a wonderful family to be a part of, represented by food bloggers from around the world who want to make a difference in the area of world famine and reach out to help those less fortunate than we are. Banded by a mission of helping to make a change in a world where starvation affects such a profound number of people, BACFF raises money and awareness for the hungry in communities both at home and abroad.

Many of these bloggers (including me), have already put together and published a cookbook with proceeds going to the United Nations Friends of the World Food Program (Friends of WFP), specifically the School Meals. You can find out how to purchase your own copy here. 100% of the proceeds target children and education. There are several forums for BloggerAid members to discuss various topics and one forum is called Vew & Review where members can sign up to become part of a group that reviews cookbooks and posts their reviews both on the BloggerAid forum as well as on their own personal blogs. We've asked publishers, authors and agents to provide a review copy or two for our members to enjoy and write about. It's been wildly successful here in North America, but we're actually still looking for publishers in Europe and Asia to share some copies....but I digress.
The people at Random House Canada were kind enough to send me a copy of Pasta Et Cetera a la Distasio...okay, I begged! You can read my review here.
For the big PPN 150, I couldn't resist this simple and simply delicious Lemon Pasta. You will lick the plate clean, so make double portions!

The BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine Cookbook

Many of you may know about BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine. It's a wonderful virtual organization of food bloggers from around the world who want to make a difference. Given that we all share a love and passion for food, it was easy to choose a project...create a cookbook with 100% of the proceeds targeting children and education through the World Food Programme - School Meals which benefits 22 million hungry children each year. School meals are important on many levels. In countries where school attendance is low, the promise of at least one nutritious meal each day boosts enrollment and promotes regular attendance.
This book is a virtual way for all of us, wherever we may be and however rich or poor we may be, to pull up a chair at the same table and share what we have.

That part was easy, as was getting 140 fantastic international recipes from terrific food bloggers around the world - 60 countries to be exact. And finally, after much recipe testing, editing, formatting, etc., the gorgeous cookbook - all those photos will have you drooling - is ready and waiting for you to buy a copy and make a difference.

And if the cause isn't enough to entice you...take a gander at some of the tasty treats you'll find between the covers...

"Through these recipes they share their traditions and insatiable curiosity about
new flavours. They pay tribute to the home cooking of our grandmothers, while
celebrating the exoticism and richness of a world brought closer together by their hopes to make a difference. With recipes such as Tomato-Cheese Ravioli with Eggplant Sauce, Spicy Serundeng Tuna and Peanuts, Serrano Ham Paella with
Oyster Mushrooms, Raspberry Mascarpone Bites and Triple Layer Orange-Passion
Fruit Tart we are doing our part to say that bloggers can change the face of famine."

Wait no more...head over to the Create Space eStore. The book will make a perfect gift for the holidays ahead. So that's one for you...one for your sister, daughter, brother, best friend....whoever your favorite foodie is. Go on...make a difference.

BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine Update

Back in January I joined a wonderful fundraising project. You can read all about it here, In a nutshell, it's a fundraising cookbook with recipes from food bloggers around the world. The proceeds will go to The United Nations World Food Program - School Meals. It's too late to contribute a recipe. The book is now in final editing mode...but there are a couple of other ways you can contribute...buy the book when it comes out (I'll definitely let you know when it launches.) and ....

You can join (if you're not already a member) BloggerAid - Changing the Face of Famine and check out our latest, greatest project....View & Review. We are really pumped at the response from cookbook publishers who have offered to provide some of the newest cookbooks for our members to ...you guessed it...view & review.

If you're interested...and who doesn't want a new cookbook to try out...there are just a few things to note....

1. You must be a member of BloggerAid…Changing the Face of Famine to participate. It's seriously easy to do and so rewarding too. If you are already a member and have friends who would like to participate, by all means, invite them to join us.

2. When you join the forum, (and I know you all want to), please let us know if you have preferences or restrictions. For example, if you’re vegan, we will arrange for you to receive only vegan books or products for review.

3. Once you receive a copy of a new cookbook from the publisher. . Within a time frame (to be determined), turn in your review to the forum together with a copy of the picture of the dish you’ve prepared. Post both the review and the picture on your own blog with a link to BACFF.

4. You may choose to either keep the cookbook or donate it to BACFF for auction. You’re under no pressure – foodies love their cookbooks so we’re fine if you decide to keep it.

So what are you waiting for?! Go directly to BACFF, sign in or sign on and join in the View & Review Group. I'll be waiting for you.