I know it's been forever, but getting these U-tube videos done is taking longer than I thought. And my baking pies and "bringing back the pie" segment is being professionally done. Originally, I was just going to have some friends shoot and present it on U-tube, but other options came up.

Videos will be shown on U-tube, new, once a week-at least that's the plan. I will hook them as they come up to this blog as they come in.

Sales are slow on EBay, but what sales I have, thank you very much. Please look for my EBay listing-Valerie2901. Lots of new books listed-so keep your eyes out for them.

That's all for now.
Cookbook Val

New topic: How do you pack a pie for shipping? There are lots of books that tell you how to ship cookies, cheesecakes, brownies & more, but I have never seen one on how to ship pies. Any suggestions?

When selling my cookbooks on my EBay listing-Valerie2901, I always include a number of diet books, because most include recipes for this particular diet. One of the diet books I have listed is Numbers by Jean Simpson. The idea is that to lose weight quickly and safely using numerological principals. A different idea for diets. The author lost 30 pounds doing this diet.

Favorite foods of Celebrities: Angeliana Jolie-Cherrios & McDonalds, George Clooney-Steak, Britney Spears-Pasta, Tom Cruise-anything Italian, Barry Manilow-Baloney Sandwich.

Something to think about. When I travel I place q-tips in a small plastic bag. About every two weeks, I have replace the bag because the bottom of the bag has opened up. I also store band-aids in a separate plastic bag which wears out after about six months. Makes you wonder what is placed on the q-tips to have them eat through a plastic bag.

For those of you who want to shoot videos for You-Tube & such-look at the Sony Webbie MHS-CM1. This is what it's specifically been designed for. I have been trying to get one on EBay for about a week. New in package is $129, but I want a deal, so I'm still bidding.

I'm surprised no one has picked up my "Boston Cooking School Cookbook on my EBay listing-Valerie2901. Should be in everyone's kitchen library.

That's all for now.

CookbookVal

I am going to try and write more in my cookbook blog. I know I've said this before, so I just keep trying to do better.

While in Columbus, OH the other day, the nearby Holiday Inn was doing an antique showcase for the Antique Roadshow on PBS. Viewing and appraising antiques, they appraised and helped sell a guitar for $28,000. Lucky person.

Remember to remind me to do feedback for you on my EBay listing at Valerie2901. A total of 226 c00kbooks are listed-75 never listed before.

I had a new salad from Wendy's, which was excellent. It was a chicken-apple-candied pecans on mixed greens with feta cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Hmmm.

My you-tube video on baking pies has not been started yet, but soon. My friends have spent alot of time discouraging me from doing this. They're afraid I'm going to become famous and move away from Las Vegas. But, I'm more determined than ever to do this now. Hopefully, in this next week.

My first video will be focusing on the crust, which is made out of chopped peanuts, butter and a little sugar, with a dark chocolate pudding as the filling. The peanuts though are what sells the pie.

Funny story. I in Tampa last week and blamed the Hilton for food poisoning. I was so sick. Then I got sick from Dim Sum & a chicken biscuit in Las Vegas. Turns out I had a stomach virus-my face was red. I had done a lot of complaining.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

Happy Father's Day-one day too late!

Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers out there! I was mother and father to my son, so yesterday I spent Father's Day with my son and his fiance in Savannah, GA. I had told them, I would take them to a nice brunch anywhere in the city. I figured this would be one expensive bill. Instead they chose a small family owned restaurant called Clary's Cafe in downtown, Savannah. Remember the movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil-this was the restaurant that was frequented by John Cusack & the infamous Lady Chablis. I had the Hoppel Poppel, which was about 4-5 scrambled eggs with green peppers, onions, potatoes & chopped Kosher Salami served along with homemade biscuits, real butter and breakfast potatoes. For a full reading on this great cafe, go to: www.frommers.com/destinations/savannah/D35846.html

Since this was a quick visit only, I then attempted to get home from Savannah to Las Vegas on a stand-by visit. I started at 3pm, Eastern time and ended up back in Las Vegas at 11:30pm, Pacific time-one long day. Standing by with Delta to Atlanta, I missed 4 four flights, due to the numerous number of stand-by passengers. Finally, I gave up and headed over to American to try and go to Las Vegas through Dallas. Made the 1st flight with American Eagle-my 1st 45 psgr aircraft (wasn't scary at all) and then managed to snag first class on the leg from Dallas to Las Vegas. I was the last stand by passenger boarded, but life is good and I made it. Sat next to a beautiful young woman, named Jaxie (6'2"-wow, tall or what), who told me all about her romantic commuting relationship, she had with her boyfriend who lives in Jacksonville, FL while she lives in Las Vegas, NV. Go Jaxie!

My first you-tube cooking video will be postponed for a few days, because I am not prepared. Preparation is everything and I want this to work. For those of you who know me out there-I am not postponing this video, because I have stage fright! But I do want to put my best foot forward and I am not ready-for many reasons, but not because of stage-fright (I have been known to have stage fright in the past when performing for different reasons).

Again, please let me know if feedback is important to you on my EBay website-Valerie2901. New books, include a group on Baking Bread & Barbecues so far. I have so many cookbooks to list, I'm trying to do them in groups.

All of you people from Louisiana last week were sleeping, when I sold a cookbook by Chef Paul Prudhomme. Someone from New Orleans on Toulouse St got a terrific buy on this book-$.99. You never know what will come onto my listing area, so keep looking and shopping!

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

Bailey's Irish Cream

Bailey's launched its Irish Cream Liqueur in 1974, after years of development. The cream liqueur is based on an old Irish recipe using all-natural ingredients, including cream that is produced just for the Bailey's company. In fact, becasue the product line has become so successful, Bailey's accounts for one-third of Ireland's entire milk prodcution. More than 4,000 farmers supply the 40 million gallons of milk used annually in prodcuing cream for the liqueur. For recipes using Bailey's, go to www.baileys.com

Again, thanks to everyone who continues to purchased books from me on my EBay site-Valerie2901 or under the general heading of cookbooks. Also, remind me to do feedback for you.

A couple of interesting books listed this week are a new diet book (not new-from the 70's, but new to me)-Martini's & Whipped Cream & The Allergy Cookbook-recipes within this cookbook include no wheat, corn, milk or eggs.

On Wednesday, I went to the local Premier of the movie Sex and the City2. I actually liked this movie better than the first one. Thousands of twenty-somethings dressed like Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda showed up. And quite a few women came looking like Jennifer Hudson in the first movie. My friends and I missed out on the appetizers, but there were plenty of Cosmpolitans for everyone and a chocolate fountain that never stopped.

May 22, forever I know-I will do better!

Well, I was going to add some pictures of Chichen Itza, but somehow I erased them from my pictures on my computer, as well on digital camera. I am so technically challenged.

Thanks again for everyone's support and purchase of books on EBay website-Valerie2901. Again, if feedback is important to you, please let me know-otherwise I probably won't leave it. Some of my books listed in the last week or so have had a 7-day, 5-day and 3-day listing. I have done this to accommodate my work schedule when I am out of town. I needed to leave adequate paypal time for you to pay and me to ship out. So don't miss out on any of my book listings. They will come around again soon, but I'm still working on my June work schedule, so it may be awhile yet. Some good books to look at are: The Book on Champagne-quite a comprehensive book on the subject. Though written ten years ago, it is still used a great reference guide. For you grilling enthusiasts, The Great American Grilling by Omaha Steaks is a very special book. Also, one I have seen before-Healing with Chinese Herbs-not a cookbook by any means, but certainly interesting to read.

In my last post, I mentioned how much I love the Mr. Food Cookbook series and received a comment back from them. They do have autographed cookbooks available for sale, if you are interested. Also, a website worth looking at- http://www.mrfood.com/ .

Many of you are familiar with Morton's Steakhouse. This is a pretty pricey steakhouse, great steaks, but pricey. But now....they have Happy Hour prices with food and drinks that I love. Locations all over the U.S. with bar drinks starting at $4 and Bar Bites at $5. I have been to the one in Las Vegas twice in the last 3 weeks. Very nice settings, great service & great food at a price I can afford. Check out for a Morton's near you at http://www.morton/ .

I would never have thought of dining at a Culinary School, but this is actually a big thing with a low price menu. Recently some friends of mine had lunch at the Culinary Art Institute in Henderson-a complete set menu, from appetizers to dessert for $9.95. While looking up information on this, I found other culinary schools that offer student trained meals-Le Corden Bleu-Las Vegas, Western Culinary Institute-Portland, OR, CA Culinary Academy-San Francisco, CA, Maui Culinary Academy-Kahului, HI, American River College-Sacramento, CA, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts Restaurant-Vancouver, BC & the Art Institute of Seattle-Seattle, WA. Now these are only a few on the west coast. I would never have thought of looking at Culinary Schools for a new dining option.

Food Lore-Hard Rock Cafe: When the first Hard Rock Cafe opened in 1971 on Old Park Lane in London, England, not one guitar or gold record decorated the walls. The burger joint was the inspiration of two Americans Peter Morton and Issac Tigrett, who couldn't find a decent American-style hamburger anywhere in London and decided to do something about it. The restaurant soon became famous only for its food, until along came Eric Clapton, who donated his guitar as a joke. Up on the wall it went. Not wanting to be outdone, Pete Townsend of The Who soon offered up a guitar of his own to be hung on the wall next to Clapton's with a note: "Mine's as good as his". That started a wave of donations from rock and rollers through the decades and thus was born the world's first theme restaurant.

Now, I am not a senior citizen (yet). But I found out recently that many states allow senior citizens to attend/return to college for "free-completely free". Ages vary by state and various universities and colleges within the state. So maybe you know someone who would like to return to college-pass this along.

I have a BBQ competition that I am going to tonight. My brisket is wonderful, the barbecue sauce-three different trys and is probably not prize winning, but at least I'm trying.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

May 4, 2010

Yes, it's been a long time since my last blog. Between work, vacation and life in Las Vegas, I have been very busy. I just got back from a week in Cancun, where we stayed at the Mayan Palace in Rivieria Maya. Beautiful facility, great pools. We did a driving tour of Cozumel, saw the Pyramids at Chitzen Itza, & went shopping in Cancun.

I'm off on a work trip tomorrow and won't be back until late Sunday night. Hard flight trip, so I won't be on the computer much.

For all of you who have bought cookbooks from me on my Ebay website-Valerie2901-thanks again. But let me vent for a moment. I don't see what the big deal is about the feedback. People get all upset with me if I don't leave feedback. I list about 300 books per week, ship out another 40-100 and this is just a part-time hobby. You buy a cookbook from me, you like it-great, you don't-you complain. What does the feedback really do for you-a pat on the back for buying something on EBay? Do you contact every store you shop at and leave feedback? No, of course you don't. I read an email yesterday that said I was a terrible seller on EBay, because I didn't leave feedback. Now, if someone specifically asks me to leave feedback, I will. And once in a while (very infrequently), if I have some spare time I will leave some feedback until I get bored. So I'm through venting and if you want feedback, remind me to do it for you.

New in Las Vegas-at least new to me-I went to Changs Hong Kong Restaurant on Decatur for Dim Sum. They brought out so many dishes (there were 9 of us), we all thought the bill would be $100 per person. Actually, it was only $16 with gratuity-not bad and very good food. I even ate duck-that is until I knew it was duck-it was very good, but I won't eat duck knowingly. Just a phobia I have.

Went with a friend today and saw the "Back-Up Plan" with Jennifer Lopez. She doesn't have much luck with movies does she. It was okay, just not great and not really funny-I was in the mood for a comedy.

I have about 200 books still to list, it never seems to end. So many great cookbooks, so little time. My personal favorite these days is the "Mr. Food" series-I'm saving all of his, so unless I get duplicates, you won't see any for sale.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val