WE'VE MOVED

Hello!

Thank you for the amazing 8 years here at A Baked Creation, we can't thank you enough for the memories! But we've decided to move over to a new site - Sincerely, Syl. Please join us there for future posts on all the things you loved here!

Sincerely,
Syl

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Looking Back: 2012

Happy New Year! We hope you had a fantastic night, whether you were out celebrating, on your couch by the fireplace, or under the covers and asleep already.

There's always something nice about waking up to a new year, even though there isn't anything really different. I guess it's just the feeling. But it's nice, it does feel like a fresh start, even if it's all imagined in my head! It's the same feeling I get when I wake up on my birthday. Regardless, here's two of my favourite blog activities, looking back at some of the year's highlights and hosting a giveaway!

Howard's Top Highlights:
Lemon Macarons: When it comes to desserts I always prefer citrus flavour profiles, so these were extra delicious.

Mille Crêpes Cake: My favourite birthday cake ever. Also brought back a "look what the cat dragged in" memory Sylvia and I shared while we were in NYC on a rainy day the previous year. Fun times!

Chelsea Market: Food market! What else is there to say?

Dreams of Sushi: I'm salivating while dreaming of eating sushi made by Jiro. Doc, what should I do??

Pok Pok: I can't say I had fun getting to this gem, tired and wet after a long day of shopping. But I can say it was definitely worth the trip. Also, now I know how their recipe is supposed to taste. Attempt number three, here I come.

Sylvia's Top Highlights:
Um, my latest obsession with MACARONS! Chocolate filled macarons, lemon macarons, snowmen, festive macarons, and matcha macarons. I'm so happy to have had some success in making these temperamental cookies.

Decorating cupcakes to the theme of Jon Klassen's award-winning pictures books. I had an amazing palette of colours and characters to work with and seeing everyone's expressions when they saw the cupcakes was easily one of the highlights of my year.

Gosh, it was a really good year. 2013 is going to have a tough time topping this. I got to attend an event for Thomas Keller. I got to have brunch with Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. I even got to collaborate with some amazing kitchen and food brands this year. And even received a feature in Today's Parent magazine!

Making easy peasy pizza! I must have held a few D.I.Y. pizza parties all thanks to this recipe.

Well, I also found out that flan wasn't hard to make. So I made a bunch and luckily it's one of my parent's favourite desserts.

That pretty much sums the year up! We missed doing this in 2010, but if you want to look back with us, we did it for 2008, 2009, and 2011.

So now that it's a new year, we have to see what amazing cookbooks are missing from our wishlist. If you didn't receive these under your tree, in your stocking, or through a secret Santa exchange, you're in luck! We're giving away the following cookbooks:
Giveaway Regulations and Conditions:
  • The New Year Giveaway is open from Tuesday, January 1, 2013 to Sunday, January 13, 2013. Entries submitted after 12 midnight EST on Sunday, January 13, 2013 will not be considered.
  • There is one main way to enter: by commenting on this post. There are also some bonus entries in instructions #2-6:
  1. Post in the comment section below: I want to spend my new year reading ______________. (Fill in the blank with one of these titles: La Tartine Gourmande, One Girl Cookies, or The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook)
  2. To enter via Twitter, tweet: @abakedcreation I want to spend my new year reading ______________. (Fill in the blank with the title you would like to win.)
  3. To enter via Facebook, post on our wall: I want to spend my new year reading ______________. (Fill in the blank with the title you would like to win.)
  4. Follow us on Pinterest, let us know who you are in the comments below.
  5. Follow us on Instagram, let us know who you are in the comments below.
  6. If you're already following us on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, just mention it in the comments for bonus entries!
  • Please leave a way for us to contact you (e-mail addresses or social media handles).
  • Winners will be randomly chosen and announced here on A Baked Creation.
  • The winners will have 7 days to claim their prize. If we do not get a mailing address, the prize is forfeited.
  • This contest is available to residents of Canada and the U.S.A. only! However, if you have friends and family with a Canadian or American mailing address, feel free to enter. There will be three different winners, one for each book.
Best of luck!

UPDATE: Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to those who entered!
Congratulations to Amanda for winning a copy of One Girl Cookies!
Congratulations to Rebecca for winning a copy of The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook!
Congratulations to Carmen for winning a copy of La Tartine Gourmande!
Happy reading and cooking everyone!

42 comments:

  1. I want to spend my new year reading One Girl Cookies!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande; how could you not love that book cover? Just imagine all the wonderful recipes and interesting ideas inside! Thank you for this chance!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I want to spend the new year reading cookie dough lover's cookbook!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I want to spend my new year reading the cookie dough lovers cookbook that looks AMAZING I LOVE cookie dough :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My email address is min312@optonline.net

      Delete
  5. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande! Happy New Year guys! :D
    (I follow you guys on instagram and twitter as "carmenhungry")


    @carmenhungry

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    Replies
    1. Hi Carmen,

      Happy New Year! Thank you for entering my cookbook giveaway. I'm happy to say that you've won a copy of La Tartine Gourmande. Congratulations! Please check your e-mail for a message from me. Thank you!

      Cheers,
      Sylvia

      Delete
  6. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande. So many great things inside. Thanks for the excellent giveaway, Happy 2013!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am following on Pinterest: Carl Scott

    ReplyDelete
  8. I tweeted: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/286518876563447808

    I can also be reached by email at: carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx

    Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I want to spend my new year reading a Tartine Gourmande

    ReplyDelete
  10. https://twitter.com/EpicureanCrafts/status/286523262559719424
    I tweeted

    ReplyDelete
  11. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande. Thank you! Joan G

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook!

    ReplyDelete
  13. https://twitter.com/Jemrah1/status/286603537310420992 I tweeted (mill1(at)sympatico(dot)ca)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I want to spend my new year reading One Girl Cookies. Thank you! ajdoucette (at) shaw (dot) ca

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amanda,

      Happy New Year! Thank you for entering my cookbook giveaway. I'm happy to say that you've won a copy of One Girl Cookies. Congratulations! Please check your e-mail for a message from me. Thank you!

      Cheers,
      Sylvia

      Delete
  15. Wow! What a fabulous review of 2012! I wish you and Howard a wonderful and fun 2013! I want to spend my new year reading about Pies! Which was the last book that I won from one of your lovely contests. So count me out for this one - but I still wanted to leave a comment! Take Care!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Juanita,

      Thank you and happy New Year to you too! We wish you all the best and hope you continue to make beautiful cakes and maybe some pie now!

      Cheers,
      Sylvia & Howard

      Delete
  16. I want to spend my new year reading The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I follow on Pinterest
    donna_oneil

    ReplyDelete
  18. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I would love any of them, but the one I'd most like to spend my New Year reading is The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rebecca,

      Happy New Year! Thank you for entering my cookbook giveaway. I'm happy to say that you've won a copy of The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook. Congratulations! Could you e-mail me your mailing address to info@abakedcreation.com? Thank you!

      Cheers,
      Sylvia

      Delete
  20. I want to spend my new year reading One Girl Cookies. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Following you on Pinterest and Instagram Nat M Harris - A Cook Not Mad

    ReplyDelete
  23. I like you and I commented on Facebook.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I follow on twitter @EpicureanCrafts

    ReplyDelete
  25. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I want to spend (some of) my new year reading The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook (and the rest of it eating them and doing other good deeds).

    ReplyDelete
  28. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I want to spend my new year's reading One Girl Cookies. My email address
    is daintycake@Gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande.My email is softhard3@yahoo.com.hk

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hello, I just discovered your blog by typing "Lemon Macarons" in google. It's great to find a fellow Torontonian food blogger. Decided to participate in the giveaway :)

    I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande

    I also followed you on Pinterest, this is me: http://pinterest.com/imagelicious/
    And followed you on Instagram, this is also me: http://instagram.com/imagelicious/

    Cheers
    Julia :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. It looks like you guys had a spectacular year! I can't wait to see your adventures in 2013!

    I want to spend my new year reading One Girl Cookies!

    Thanks!
    Stephanie
    kitchenfrolic (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I follow you on Twitter! (as @kitchenfrolic) and here's my tweet!

    https://twitter.com/kitchenfrolic/status/290648051037663232

    ReplyDelete
  35. I follow you on Instagram as kitchenfrolic! :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. I want to spend my new year reading La Tartine Gourmande :)

    Just found you guys through Cakewrecks. Awesome stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Wonderful Issues Altogether, You Just Won A New Reader. What May You Suggest In Regards To Your Submit That You Simply Made Some Days In The Past? Any Certain? Agen Togel Terpercaya

    ReplyDelete