I am delighted to announce that Fairytale Brownies (brownies.com) offered to sponsor an Easter Giveaway.

About Fairytale Brownies

Eileen Spitalny and David Kravetz are the Founders of Fairytale Brownies. Their story has inspired many people: Eileen and David met in kindergarten and have been friends ever since. At an early age they decided they wanted to be entrepreneurs and start a business together. So, in 1992 Fairytale Brownies was born in a friend’s kitchen using a 50 year old family recipe. Today, they have their own 26,000-square-foot facility and bake over 2.5 million brownies annually! During all these years they have received many awards and have been featured in magazines, TV shows and newspapers accross the country.

If you’d like to see their video collection, please visit their youtube channel. For pictures and stories behind the scenes, check out the Fairytale Brownies Blog.

 The Product

Easter Bunny Love. photo courtesy of brownies.com

Fairytale Brownies offer super-delicious brownies in 13 flavors: Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Espresso Nib, Mint Chocolate, Original, Peanut Butter, Pecan, Raspberry Swirl, Toffee Crunch, Walnut, White Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Blondie and Cream Cheese which is their newest addition. They also offer sugar free brownies.

Brownies make the perfect yummy gift; theme packaging is available for different holidays or special days. You can choose and customize a greeting card that can be included with your gift.

If you prefer to let your loved one choose their own brownies, Fairytale Brownie Gift Cards are available. 

While you are there, check their Sale page: they offer FREE SHIPPING and discounted prices on selected items.

Fairytale Brownies offers customized packaging; a custom gift band is printed with your logo or your favorite picture to make this a truly unique gift.

FREE SHIPPING COUPON CODE for our readers: Free Shipping for Merchandise Orders of $50 or more. Use Priority Code 22YQ. Expires 5/31/09. Thank you, Fairytale Brownies!

GIVEAWAY

Fairytale Brownies has generously offered an Easter Bunny Love gift (pictured above) for this Giveaway. If you can’t wait or would like to purchase this gift for someone else, please visit brownies.com.

Open to US residents only.

How to enter (required): Visit brownies.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of your favorite product.

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter;
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you fave us in Technorati;
- one additional entry if you StumbleUpon our Founder;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to 100CafeStreet.com and brownies.com
- one additional entry if you follow 100CafeStreet.com via email.

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The giveaway ends on April 11th, 2009 at 5pm, Pacific Standard Time. Fairytale Brownies will ship the prize within 1-2 weeks.

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be announced via e-mail and has 2 days to get back to us or other name will be chosen.

Thank you Fairytale Brownies!!:) Good luck, brownie lovers!:)

Easter is coming. Here is one of our favorite Bunny Cake recipes from BettyCrocker.com!
Preparation time: 30 min.
Total time: 2 hrs and 10 min.
Servings: 12

Easter Bunny Cake from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Tray or cardboard, covered with foil
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 cup shredded coconut
Construction paper
Jelly beans or small gumdrops
1 cup shredded coconut
Green food color

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans.

2. Reserve 1 layer for another use or to make a second bunny. Cut 1 layer in half as shown in diagram. Put halves together with frosting to form body. Place cake upright on cut edge on tray.

3. Cut out a notch about one-third of the way up one end of body to form head (small end) as shown in diagram. Attach half of cutout piece from tail with toothpicks. Frost with remaining frosting, rounding body on sides. Sprinkle with 1 cup coconut. Cut ears from construction paper; press into notch on top. Use jelly beans for eyes and nose.

4. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Add additional jelly beans if desired. Store loosely covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box for two 8- or 9-inch round pans.

Source: Find more recipes at www.bettycrocker.com. 

It seems that the American Pie Council is still looking for contestants as well as judges for this year’s Pie Festival, April 25-26. The Pie Festival is held in Orlando,Florida. Costs for the Never Ending Pie Buffet are: $10 adults, $5 ages 65 and up; $5 ages 6-12.

Organic apple and blueberry pie. photo courtesy of aloalosabine

Here are more details from the organizers:

American Pie Council Seeks North America’s Top Bakers to Compete in Prestigious 15^th Annual APC/Crisco® National Pie Championships 

APC Now Registering Amateur, Professional and Commercial Bakers, as well as  
Junior Chefs at www.piecouncil.org 

CHICAGO, IL (Feb. 2, 2009) – Calling all amateur, professional and commercial bakers as well as budding junior chefs — the American Pie Council (APC) is now accepting registrations for the 15^th Annual APC/Crisco® National Pie Championships to be held April 24-26, 2009 in conjunction with the Great American Pie Festival at the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center in Celebration, Fla.

      Once a year, bakers of all skill levels, all ages, and all degrees of training, from all over the United States and Canada gather in sunny Orlando to celebrate the continent’s love affair with pie and to vie for Best of Show bragging rights — and often some serious prize money. Exciting new flavors and ingredients are regularly added to the roster, while more traditional pies like apple, pumpkin and cherry remain popular. Creative bakers in all categories are invited to dream up even more unique recipes in the “open” category.

      Amateurs are invited to enter the competition in one of 15 categories: Apple, Citrus, Crisco^® Classic Cherry, Crisco^® Classic Chocolate, Cream, Cream Cheese, Custard, Fruit/Berry, Nut, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, Open, Raisin, sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board, Splenda and Sweet Potato. The overall Amateur winner will take home the Best of Show title and $5,000 in prize money, as well as a new Sears Kenmore range.  Sears has joined the event as a sponsor and is supplying amateur and professional winners with a brand new Sears Kenmore range so that contestants can have the latest, most desirable home appliance for taking their baking to the next level.  First place winners in each category will receive $200 cash, second place winners receive $150 cash and third place winners take home $100 cash. The entry fee is $15 per pie for Amateur members of the APC; $35 for non-members.
Read more…

Approx. $700 million in pies (approx. 186 million units) are sold in grocery stores every year. This does not include restaurants, food service or price clubs, only grocery stores. If you lined up the number of pies sold at U.S. grocery stores in one year, they would circle the globe and then some.

cherry pie. photo courtesy of Snutur

According to a 2008 survey by Crisco® and American Pie Council:
•Nearly one out of five (19%) of Americans prefer apple pie, followed by pumpkin (13%), pecan (12%), banana cream (10%) and cherry (9%)
•Pie just isn’t for after-dinner dessert. Thirty-five percent of Americans say they’ve had pies for breakfast. Pies as lunch (66%) and midnight snacks (59%) also have a popular following.
•When asked what dessert Americans would prefer a friend or family member bring to their house for a holiday dinner, pie was the winner with 29%. Cake (17%) and cookies (15%) rounded out the top-three spots.

Pumpkin pie was first introduced to the holiday table at the pilgrim’s second Thanksgiving in 1623.

Pie was not always America’s favorite dessert – in the 19th Century, fruit pies were a common breakfast food eaten before the start of a long day.

According to a 2008 “Pie Slice of Life” Survey, conducted by Schwan’s Consumer Brands North America, Inc., Carol Brady of The Brady Bunch was picked by 40% of survey respondents as the TV mom that would bake the best pie. The Cosby Show’s Claire Huxtable was second with 22%, Desperate Houswives’ Bree Van de Camp was third with 16 percent, Everybody Loves Raymond’s Debra Barone was fourth with 13% while The Simpsons’ Marge Simpson came in fifth with 8%.

The same survey also revealed that when asked “Who Makes the Best Pie?,” Mom rates highly (27%), and store bought convenience pie came in a close second with a 26% slice of the pie – beating out Grandma who garnered 17%.
This 2006 Four Points® Pie Portrait is an examination of how Americans enjoy their signature dessert, in honor of Four Points by Sheraton’s simple pleasures offerings: pie in all its restaurants, express pie via room service.

Pie By the Numbers
•36 million Number of Americans who identify apple pie as their favorite
•47% Americans for whom the word “comforting” comes to mind when they think of pie
•6 million Number of American men ages 35-54 who have eaten the last slice of pie and denied it
•27% Americans who believe chocolate pie is the most romantic to share with someone special
•1 in 5 Proportion of Americans who have eaten an entire pie by themselves
•113 million Number of Americans who have eaten pie for breakfast
•75 million Number of Americans who prefer to drink milk with their pie
•32% Americans who prefer no crust on top of their pie
•90% Americans who agree that a slice of pie represents one of the simple pleasures in life
•9% Americans who prefer to eat their pie crust-first
•7% Americans who have passed off a store-bought pie as homemade
•18% Men who say their wife makes the best homemade pie
•2% Women who say their husband makes the best homemade pie

Pie Personalities
If you love… You are likely to describe yourself as…
Apple Pie Independent, realistic and compassionate
Pecan Pie Thoughtful and analytical
Chocolate Pie Loving
Pumpkin Pie Funny and independent

Pie Preferences
•More than one-third of Americans have eaten pie in bed
•Nearly one in four women believe that they make the best pie – better than Mom or Grandma
•More than one-third of Americans have craved pie in the middle of the night
The first mention of a fruit pie in print is from Robert Green’s Arcadia (1590): “thy breath is like the steame of apple-pyes.”

The wet bottom molasses pie, Shoo-fly pie, was used to attract flies from the kitchen.
Oliver Cromwell banned the eating of pie in 1644, declaring it a pagan form of pleasure. For 16 years, pie eating and making went underground until the Restoration leaders lifted the ban on pie in 1660.

The wealthy English were known for their “Surprise Pies” in which live creatures would pop out when the pie was cut open.

At one time it was against the law to serve ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas.

“As easy as pie” is an American expression. In the 1890’s, “pie” was a common slang expression meaning anything easy, a cinch; the expression “easy as pie” stemmed quite readily from that.

Boston Cream Pie is a cake, not a pie.

Pies are favorite props for humor, particularly when aimed at the pompous. Throwing a pie in a person’s face has been a staple of film comedy since the early days of the medium, and real-life pranksters have taken to targeting politicians and celebrities with their pies, an act called “pieing.”

State Pies:
•Key Lime pie was just adopted in the state of Florida as the official pie in 2006.
•The state of Vermont adopted apple pie as the official state pie in 1999.

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Source: www.piecouncil.org Check out their website for more info on pies!

Cookie Base

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® double chocolate chunk cookie mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold strong brewed coffee or water
1 egg

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars. photo courtesy of Betty Crocker Recipes

Filling

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 bag (9 oz) miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, chopped

Topping

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread dough in bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or just until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and candies. Spread over cooled cookie base.

3. In small microwavable bowl, beat peanut butter, milk and 2 tablespoons sugar with wire whisk until smooth. Microwave uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, to thin for drizzling. Drizzle mixture over filling. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with peanuts. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Source: Find more recipes at www.bettycrocker.com.

The origins of pie actually did not come from America, but has evolved over the years into what we now call the all-American pie. It is not something that was created to be American, but somehow, we have adopted this dessert as our own and commonly use the expression, “as American as apple pie.”

Lemon meringue pie. Photo courtesy of jennyvier

Pie has been around since about 2000 B.C. during the time of the ancient Egyptians. Between 1400 B.C. and 600 B.C., it’s believed pie was passed on to the Greeks and then spread to Rome around 100 B.C. The early Romans’ pies were sometimes made in “reeds” which were used for the sole purpose of holding the filling and not for eating with the filling.

The first pie recipe was published by the Romans and was for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie. They must have spread the word about pies around Europe as the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the word pie was a popular word in the 14th century.

The early pies were predominately meat pies. Pyes (pies) originally appeared in England as early as the twelfth century. The crust of the pie was referred to as “coffyn.” There was actually more crust than filling. Often these pies were made using fowl and the legs were left to hang over the side of the dish and used as handles. Fruit pies or tarts (pasties) where probably first made in the 1500s. English tradition credits making the first cherry pie to Queen Elizabeth I.

Pie came to America with the first English settlers. The early colonists cooked their pies in long narrow pans calling them “coffins” like the crust in England. As in the Roman times, the early American pie crusts often were not eaten but simply designed to hold the filling during baking. It was during the American Revolution that the term crust was used instead of coffyn.

Over the years, pie has evolved to become what it is today “the most traditional American dessert.” Pie has become so much a part of American culture throughout the years, that we now commonly use the term “as American as apple pie.”

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This article is courtesy of piecouncil.org. The 2009 Great American Pie Festival will be held April 25 and 26 in Celebration, Fla., and will feature countless pie varieties and a never-ending pie buffet. It will be held in conjunction with the APC/Crisco® National Pie Championships (April 24-26), where commercial, professional, junior chef and amateur pie-makers will compete to earn the title of America’s best pie. Check them out for more pie related info!