Monday, July 25, 2011

No Name Bars & A Cookbook Giveaway!


"In 2010, America watched amateur cook, Whitney Miller, crush the competition and become the first winner of FOX’s hit show MasterChef. The seemingly demure Mississippi belle proved she had not only nerves of steel but true culinary chops. Now, in her eagerly anticipated first cookbook MODERN HOSPITALITY: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm, Whitney treats readers to a fresh take on classic dishes that have been passed down throughout generations of Southern women in her family."1
When Gordon Ramsay, one of the judges for MasterChef,  first met Whitney Miller, her humble and soft spoken attitude was said to make Gordon think "she was a sweet lamb heading toward inevitable slaughter."2 Yet, I believe they strongly underestimated the southern belle from Poplarville, Mississippi. In the end, with a dish of fried chicken and creamed collard greens, Ms. Whitney Miller became the winner of Masterchef. Since Masterchef, she has gone on to open a successful cafe and catering business and has written her first cookbook, MODERN HOSPITALITY: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm.
I was honored to be asked to review Ms. Millers cookbook. The cookbook is simply stunning. There is a beautiful shabby-chic appeal in all the page coloring and  food photography. Lots of interesting vintage linens paired with mouth watering recipes. I love Whitney's merging of her favorite recipes with the beautiful southern table settings. The lovely bone china tea cups filled with her Game Day Chili (on page 46), is perfect example. It's what her cookbook is all about. Modern hospitality... mixing the old with the new and embracing southern charm at its finest.
Of course, you know me. My very favorite part of the cookbook would include something from the sweet selections. After much deliberation in choosing the first recipe to try,  I finally decided on a recipe called No Name Bars. Ms. Miller indicates they "are too good for words," hence the reason she had trouble giving them a name. No doubt, she nailed it right on the head. The bars are similar to a gooey butter cake or a chess bar, but they have a very buttery crust with a filling that is a cross between that of a cheesecake and a custard. Their simplicity makes it easy to top them with anything from a sweet fruit reduction to a chocolate sauce. Or, you could just leave them plain and consume half a pan, as is. That appeared to be my preference:)
Enjoy!  

No Name Bars
from MODERN HOSPITALITY: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm by Whitney Miller 
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 sticks, unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c. white granulated sugar
1 1/2 all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 c powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking dish.
 To make the crust: Mix the butter and white sugar together in a med. bowl. In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to salt mixture and mix until combined. Spread into greased baking dish. 

For filling:
Beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and mix. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar. Spread on top of crust. Bake for 38 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before cutting into squares.  

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!
If you'd like to win your own copy of Whitney's cookbook MODERN HOSPITALITY, you are in luck. Along with my review copy, I was offered the chance to giveaway a copy to one of my Sinful Southern Sweets readers! So, its very simple, just leave me a comment, any comment (well, preferably a nice one:). You can leave up to 3 comments per day. The giveaway will end August 7th. Winner will be chosen randomly. Please make sure to include your email if its not listed in your profile. Good luck!!

BOOK SIGNINGS AND EVENTS FOR WHITNEY MILLER
July 7th - EveryDay Gourmet - Jackson, MS, Book signing
July 8th - TurnRow Books- Greenwood, MS, Book signing
July 8th - Viking Cooking School - Cooking demo (6 -7:30 pm)
July 9th - Uptown Interiors- Bay St Louis, MS, book signing
July 11th - Square Books - Oxford, MS, book signing (5-7 pm)
July 12th - L’Ecole Culinaire, cooking demo and book singing (12-2pm)
July 12th - The Booksellers at Laurelwood- Memphis, TN - book signing (6-8pm)
July 14th - Page & Palette - Fairhope, AL, cooking demo and book signing
July 15th - Apple's Limited - Poplarville, MS, book signing (5-7pm) 
July 16th - Viking Cooking Classic- Madison, MS, cooking demo and signing
July 19th - Melinda's Fine Gifts and More - Picayune, MS, book signing (6-8 pm)
July 22nd - Sam’s Club- McDonough, GA, book singing
July 24th - Women’s Health “Are You Game” event- Chicago, IL, cooking demo and book signing (11am-4pm)
July 29th-30th - MS's Hospitality Pageant - Hattiesburg, MS, celebrity judge and book signing
August 4th - Books a Million - Birmingham, AL, book signing (12noon-2pm)
August 6th - Barnes & Noble- Savannah, GA, book signing (2-4pm)
August 13th - Books a Million - Slidell, LA, book signing (12-2 pm)
August 15th - The Kitchen Table- Hattiesburg, MS, cooking demo and book signing
1/reference from Rodale publicity release
2/reference from forward by Gordon Ramsay from MODERN HOSPITALITY


45 comments:

berry59 said...

I love your web site, love the recipes, just love everything about it.....

Beth said...

I NEED to make these soon!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful site....great recipes....lovely pics!! Thanks! gsueaw@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I love your site, awesome recipes
jmjonesjubilee@yahoo.com

Taylor said...

What a great looking cookbook to review...I would love to win it!!

Suburban prep said...

I look forward to your postings.

I am going to print up a copy of the recipe. This will be perfect for a get together I have coming up.
Thank you

Pat R said...

I needed a new cookie recipe, and now I have it! Thanks.
psrrn@aol.com

Christina said...

This looks perfect for the upcoming Family Day we have at work! I found your site thanks to Garden & Gun and I cannot thank them enough! It's such a blessing to find a Sweets blog, let alone a Southern one. Thank you for doing what you do - my co-workers thank you too (and yes, I have shared your site with the bakers)!
harleyridinusmcbrat@gmail.com

Debbie said...

Looks Good!!!

Unknown said...

I want a copy! Whitney is darling!

Courtney Peacock said...

I'd love a copy of Modern Hospitality! And No Name Bars look delicious...I think I might need to make some tonight! :)

Summer said...

newly married and NEED this cookbook :)

Marnely Rodriguez-Murray said...

Looks like an awesome book!

Marnely Rodriguez-Murray said...

I love this recipe, giggled at the name or no name actually!

Anonymous said...

Great giveaway! Bars look delish!

Cindy B.
cindyskitchen@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Love your blog.

Cindy B.
cindyskitchen@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Great recipes!

Cindy B.
cindyskitchen@yahoo.com

Diane said...

I watched her win. Now, I need to make these bars.

Diane said...

My daughter makes a new treat for her co-workers every week. Sending her this recipe.

Diane said...

I guess I have to make this recipe for my co-workers. They will scarf it down.

Pat R said...

Could always use another cook book.....

Pat R said...

Great blog!

psrrn@aol.com

Pat R said...

Made these today for grandkids.....a BIG hit!

psrrn@aol.com

Diane said...

You have some good recipes on your blog. I am going to have to make some of them.

Diane said...

I wonder how these bars would taste with some caramel added? Yum.

Diane said...

Whitney visited this year's Master Chef contest.

Jennifer said...

These look delicious! I love that I have almost all of the ingredients on hand...just have to pick up some cream cheese today at the store!

Verónica said...

I want to learn some southern modern hospitality so I think this is the perfect book for me...hope I'm the lucky one!!

By the way, congratulations for your wonderful blog!!!

serranoydemiguel@gmail.com

Elaine said...

Southern women are raised tough and charming!

Elaine said...

Love your blog!

Elaine said...

Looking for collection of heat wave recipes too!

Lisa said...

I would love to win a copy of that book.

Diane said...

I can't wait to see who wins this year's MasterChef!

Diane said...

How come Master Chef is still playing and Hell's Kitchen is on? And how can Gordon be so polite on Master Chef and such a @&$# on Hell's Kitchen? Fun times.

Diane said...

I still need to make these bars. It's hot and I'm lazy. I'm gonna have to suck it up and turn on the oven.

Diane said...

I love your blog

Diane said...

You post yummy recipes.

Diane said...

Can't wait to make something from Whitney's cookbook!

Susan at www.ugogrrl.com said...

These bars looks heavenly - always need a new bar recipe. I look forward to checking out Whiteny's new book too!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for highlighting the No Name Bars... they look delicious, and I can't wait to try them!!!

Evelyn Anderson said...

Yes, I just found your blog and I am so excited!! I would love to have your cookbook and can't wait to get thru all of your blog and recipes....I'm glad I found you!

Kathy said...

My son and I just love cheesecake, and these bars look simple to make, and delicious to eat!

Alisa said...

She is just wonderful.So young, talented, and really glad that she won.I'm gonna get me a copy of that cookbook, but I'll make this one first :)

Karen said...

Just found you blog and I am having a great time reviewing all the wonderful recipes. I would love a copy of the cookbook.

Jodi T. said...

These No Name Cookies look positively sinful. I collect
"Southern" Cookbooks and
would absolutely
LOVE to have your book.
Jodi