America's Top Baking Communities, Allrecipes.com, Ladies' Home Journal And Nestle Toll House Join Forces To Launch The World's Biggest Cookie Swap

SEATTLE and NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the biggest names in home baking and entertaining, Allrecipes.com, Ladies' Home Journal and NESTLE TOLL HOUSE, announced the third annual Cookies Across America campaign. This year's holiday campaign centers around launching the World's Biggest Cookie Swap by leveraging the powerful reach of online communities, as well as social sharing on Pinterest, to mobilize millions of home cooks to bake and virtually swap cookies in support of Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a nonprofit committed to raising funds to support research for pediatric cancer.

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Together, Allrecipes, the world's #1 digital food brand, and Ladies' Home Journal online communities will bake more than one billion cookies in December. Taking part in The World's Biggest Cookie Swap allows these home cooks to rally together, search for delicious cookie recipes, share favorites on their personal cookie Pinterest boards, contribute to Cookies for Kids' Cancer, and enter a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to NYC to have lunch with The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.

When it comes to celebrating mouthwateringly delicious holiday treats, a photo is worth a thousand words. Allrecipes and Ladies' Home Journal are two of Meredith's most social brands with more than 31,000 followers on Pinterest combined. In the past year, 30 percent of the most-pinned desserts from Allrecipes.com have been cookie recipes. According to Allrecipes' 2012 Holiday Cooking Trends and Behaviors Survey, 42 percent of online cookie bakers say that a recipe must make 'a very cool looking/pretty cookie' in order to be on their "must-bake" list.

"Allrecipes launched 15 years ago as Cookierecipe.com and since then, our global community has grown to more than 30 million home cooks who love baking cookies and sharing inspiration and experiences with others online," said Esmee Williams, vice president of brand marketing at Allrecipes.com. "We are excited that the World's Biggest Cookie Swap encourages three passionate communities to give back this holiday season by doing something we already know they love doing, sharing their favorite recipes, excitement for baking and creative ideas."

"Through social media, Ladies' Home Journal invites its 12 million readers to become co-creators of the magazine," said Sally Lee, senior vice president and editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal. "Now, with the World's Biggest Cookie Swap, our readers get an opportunity to share the cookies they'll bake for friends and family. We're also thrilled to be able to connect our bakers with Cookies for Kids' Cancer so that their participation will benefit a really great cause."

"Nestle Toll House is excited to celebrate with Allrecipes.com and Ladies' Home Journal on the World's Biggest Cookie Swap," said Jim Coyne, Director of Marketing, Nestle Baking. "This campaign is a great way to honor creativity and caring while connecting three communities with a shared passion for baking."

Allrecipes.com offers countless resources for home cooks looking for cookie baking inspiration this holiday season. The most popular resources include:

• Thousands of top-rated cookie recipes
• Allrecipes Cookie Countdown: beginning December 1 featuring holiday cookie recipes and baking tips for the 25 days leading up to Christmas
• A robust cookie video library of how-to and recipe content  
• New apps including Video Cookbook for iOS and Windows 8
• Allrecipes' Christmas - 100 Best Recipes from Allrecipes.com and Tried & True Cookies eCookbooks featuring the best recipes for holiday meals, along with delicious cookie ideas perfect for giving and sharing (virtually or otherwise!) . 

This holiday season Ladies' Home Journal offers a variety of cookie and holiday entertaining resources, including:

• The " Cookie Swap with the Barefoot Contessa" editorial feature in the December/January issue. The piece focuses on a cookie swap Ina Garten hosted for six top food bloggers and includes favorite recipes from each attendee.
• The holiday cookie home page featuring creative cookie recipes that will become instant classics
• Upcoming Facebook chats with Ina Garten, Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen and Joy Wilson from Joy the Baker.  

All home bakers are invited to participate in the World's Biggest Cookie Swap. For every Pinterest board created for the World's Biggest Cookie Swap, $1 will be donated to Cookies for Kids' Cancer, up to $5,000. For official rules or to learn more about how to get involved, search for recipes, create and share Pinterest boards, and mobilize networks for a good cause, cooks should visit the World's Biggest Cookie Swap Facebook page.

About Allrecipes Allrecipes, the world's largest digital food brand, receives more than 1 billion visits annually from family-focused women who connect and inspire one another through photos, reviews, videos and blog posts. Since its launch in 1997, the Seattle-based social site has served as a dynamic, indispensable resource for cooks of all skill levels seeking trusted recipes, entertaining ideas, everyday and holiday meal solutions and practical cooking tips. Allrecipes is a global, multiplatform brand with 18 web and mobile sites, 11 mobile apps, and 14 eBooks serving 23 countries in 12 languages. Allrecipes is part of Meredith Corporation, the leading media and marketing company serving American women. For additional information regarding Meredith, please visit  www.meredith.com. For additional information regarding Allrecipes, please visit  http://press.allrecipes.com.

About Ladies' Home Journal Founded in December 1883,  Ladies' Home Journal has a long-standing history of empowering women and inspiring personal growth and fulfillment. Published by Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), the brand's unique content model combines the authority of print with the authenticity of experiences. This blend of expert advice and user-generated content entertains, energizes and empowers the reader to become a stronger, surer, self, wife, mother and friend. Ladies' Home Journal and LHJ.com engage women with relevant conversations about health and relationships; beauty and style; food and finance.

About Nestle USA Named one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in  Fortune magazine for fourteen consecutive years, Nestle provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with LEAN CUISINE® to baking traditions with NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE®, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2010 sales of $10.4 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world's largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2010 sales of $105 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com.

CONTACTS: Stephanie Robinett Allrecipes.com [e-mail] 206.708.9271 (m)

Roz O'Hearn  Nestle Prepared Foods [e-mail] 440.264.5170

Colleen Schwartz Ladies' Home Journal [e-mail] 212.551.7033

SOURCE Allrecipes.com

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