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Driscoll’s Berry Giveaway and Valentine’s Day Are A Perfect Match!

February 4, 2014 by Renee

With just ten days until Valentine’s Day, now is the perfect time to start planning that special dessert that will wow your love interest. I just happen to have such a dessert to share with you!  This  incredibly easy, but delightfully decadent Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Tart actually won a #MADEWITHLOVE contest from Driscoll’s berries and is being featured on their blog.  Using Driscoll’s raspberries and good dark chocolate is the secret to it’s success. It is also so quick and easy to make! It will look as though you slaved for days- but in reality, it’s a short list of ingredients and it takes just a few minutes to whip up! (Plus time to set in the fridge before topping!)  It’s also good for those with a Gluten Free diet. 

Valentines Day Post-6338

I am so excited to share my post on their blog and with you!  But even better- thanks to Driscoll’s Berries, I am giving three lucky winners $60 worth of coupons to be used to purchase Driscoll’s Berries. Each winner will receive 20 (twenty) $3 coupons. That’s a lot of berries! How sweet is that??? And you can use them on any berry- so strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. and blackberries!

So here’s what you need to do…

1. Head over to Driscoll’s Berries and check out my post there. Come back here and comment and tell me what saying I have above my kitchen table. (Mandatory Entry!)

And you can get a bunch of extra entries by doing the following-

2. Leave a comment on the blog post there. (1 Extra Entry)

3. Tweet this-  

Win Berries! Giveaway from @driscollsberry and @kitchconundrum  Plus Valentine’s Day Chocolate Raspberry Tart recipe. http://kitchenconundrum.com/2014/02/driscolls-berries-giveaway-chocolate-ganache-tart     (1 Extra Entry)

4. Like Driscoll’s on Facebook. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

5. Follow Driscoll’s on Twitter. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

6. Follow Kitchen Conundrum on Twitter.  (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

7. Pin my tart above to Pinterest. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

8. Follow Kitchen Conundrum on Pinterest. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

9. Follow Kitchen Conundrum on Instagram. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

10. Follow Driscoll’s on Instagram. (Come back here and me you did!   1 Extra Entry)

That’s it!

So you can have a total of 10 entries per person! That’s quite a lot! But you must do the first requirement before you can earn the other entries!  All entries without the first Mandatory Entry, will be excluded! I will pick the THREE (3) WINNERS via Random.org on FRIDAY, 2/14/2014 at midnight. Entries close at 11:59pm on Friday, 2/14/2014.

GOOD LUCK!

The Small Print (BE SURE TO READ IT!)
The giveaway is brought to you by Driscoll’s Berries. All prize packages will be sent out by their PR firm and I am not responsible for any loss or damage as a result of non-delivery or delays in prizes. I will however assist the winner with emails and phone calls in the case where a prize is not received.
 
Open to U.S. residents over the age of 18. Winners will be contacted by email/twitter after the giveaway ends. Winner has 48 hours to contact me with shipping information. If winner doesn’t leave twitter or email address or if the winner does not contact us with shipping info, winner will forfeit and another winner will be chosen. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send me an email!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Sink, Contests Tagged With: Berries, Contest, Driscoll's, Ganache, Tart, chocolate, raspberries

Top 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat 2013 and a Giveaway!

June 4, 2013 by Renee

OXO GRATERS

Philadelphia welcomed Eat, Write, Retreat this past weekend and it may never be the same again. Over 100 food bloggers from all over the country-  oh, and Canada too- descended on Philly to learn new blogging skills from the amazing line-up of speakers, interact with brands, network and to eat. Because that’s what we do best!

I was so thrilled to meet and connect with so many terrific people. I have made some new friends and I learned quite a bit of useful information in the process.

Someone mentioned that they should change the name of the conference because there was not much Retreat- and that was true! So much information was jammed packed into the two and half days that there was literally no down time.  For the record, I am SOOO not a morning person, but there I was, up at 7 everyday, off to breakfast and ready to learn from my seat at the front of the room.

There were way more than these ten things that I learned but here’s the ones that really stood out.

TOP 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat

1. The incredible and generous Monica Bhide spoke first. She discussed the Sponsored Post and imparted knowledge that not only fits that topic but can be applied to all of your writing. The most poignant and probably the simplest idea- “Would you still write this post if it weren’t being sponsored?” 

Do you love a product enough to talk about it and not be paid? If so, your love and authenticity will shine through. If you don’t really feel it, your audience will know and won’t feel the enthusiasm that perhaps that product deserves- it would be better for someone else who does love it. You can and should say no to products and reviews that don’t align with your personal goals.

 

2. The sweet and talented Joy Manning presented a great panel about power networking.  I am rather shy by nature, so networking has always been one of my weak points. I think also the fact that most of us work alone, in our homes at our computers and don’t venture out too much also plays a role in the lack of good connections. She said- “Make friends on purpose.” 

Pay attention to the well connected people, who they are and who they know. Become THEIR friends. Go up to them at conferences, send them a quick email to introduce yourself, flatter them (MEAN IT!) and find some common ground that you both share. Perhaps that contact will be able to help you in the future. Of course, it’s not a one way street and NEVER treat it as such. You should also network “down”. We always remember the people who help us, and you never know where someone can end up.

 

3. Carolyn Ketchum and Sarah W. Caron gave a panel on food photography.  I tend not to do this, but I see so many others that do- and it’s a pet peeve of mine- so I am reiterating it here for you: BACK AWAY FROM THE FOOD! 

Your meatballs are beautiful, I am sure. BUT, if they fill the frame and are as big as I am, then I will feel as though I am being crushed by them.  STEP AWAY. BACK UP. No one- NO ONE wants to be all in the sauce floating around with the meatballs.

 

4. and 5.  Jesse Gardner, Carolyn Ketchum and Valerie Coffman are folks after my own heart. Geeks, Techies, Nerds, they are my kind, and I bow to them.

They actually gave me #4 and #5 -these two points are easy and often overlooked items that will only take you seconds to do.

Use the Custom Title Tag Feature in your posts.  Here you can add your KEY WORDS that relate to your article and are crucial for Search. Plus you can add your blog name.

For example: Top 10 things I learned at Eat Write Retreat Conference 2013 Philadelphia OXO Giveaway | Kitchen Conundrum

See, key words are there plus a separator and my blog’s name.  Easy!

Next,

Use ALT Text for photos and Change the file name to a real name.

(Ok, that’s really two things, but one photo issue.) By renaming your photo to a real name and adding the ALT Text, you will be able to track that photo online and it will show up in search.  Google doesn’t understand DSC 41.jpg but it does understand Potatoes.jpg, so you always want to name your photos. Plus when someone “pins” your photo to Pinterest, your Alt Text will show up as the description vs. the DSC41.jpg.

I admit that I have not always done this. I need to take the time to go back and do this. It’s a good thing to do. Which leads me to the next great tip-

 

6. Time management by Debbie Koenig was another super informative panel with way more info than I can list here. But the very best piece of advice that came from this panel was- Work in 90 minute increments. 

Break your work day into 90 minute increments where you will only work on one thing at a time. Then break for a half hour to an hour.  You accomplish more and be more effective and less likely to become distracted. Schedule your time to work on emails and social media and when you are working on something else, turn those off. Concentrate on one task at a time. When we try to do too many things, multi-tasking (and yes, we are all amazing multi-taskers!) all at once, we don’t really do any of them that well. They get done, but they are usually not our best work.

 

7. Another great tip from Monica that often rings true- If Your Heart Sinks When A Certain Client Calls for You, Dump them.  That may sound harsh, but your time and energy is better spent on projects that you love and that give you pleasure. You are not doing that client any favors if your efforts will be half hearted. And you are also doing yourself a disservice by causing stress in your life and not opening up to other opportunities that may be better for you. Learn to say NO!

 

8. Potassium will be the next big mineral. As stated by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD who spoke about what’s in our water with Brona Cosgrave from Gerolsteiner Sparkling Mineral Water. As our sodium intake increases, we will need more potassium to offset sodium’s effects on our bodies. So get ready for more bananas and leafy greens in recipes.

 

9. Mushrooms are amazing! Mushroom farmers are the best recyclers.   Tony and Joe D’Amico from To-Jo Mushrooms gave an in-depth talk on how mushrooms are grown and how everything, from the compost, peat and spores are reused. Not one thing is wasted. After the mushrooms are harvested  the soil goes back to farmers and are used in other fields. Who knew?

 

10. Something very practical for canners- Store the Jars With The Rings Off. Marisa McClellan demonstrated how make a small batch Vanilla Strawberry Jam. It was truly delicious.

I make preserves and pickled vegetables a lot, but I never heard or thought about this. The rings should only be hand tight to hold the lid down for the water bath. Once the jar has finished the bath, it should have a good seal. Then take the ring off for storage. This way, if you have a contaminated jar, you will know much sooner than you would have if you had the ring on. The contaminant will begin to off-gas and the lid will pop. Sometimes things are so simple we miss them.

 

So there you have it! The Top 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat 2013. I can’t wait for 2014!

Now for the giveaway! The SWAG was awesome. Not only were there contest and raffles where you could win things, there was so much stuff to take home just from the amazing sponsors themselves. So I am sharing the love.

Swag from #EWR13

I have a set of OXO Good Grips graters that will go to one lucky Kitchen Conundrum reader. One of their newest graters,  the OXO Good Grips Coarse Grater,  is ideal for soft and semi-soft cheeses, apples, cabbage, potatoes, onions and more. The OXO Good Grips Fine Zester/Grater is perfect for zested citrus fruits, ginger and nutmeg while the OXO Good Grips Medium Grater is an essential grating tool nearly everything else!

So enter to win this awesome set and cover all your grating needs!

OXO GRATERS

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the wonderful and hard working organizers of this event, Casey Benedict and Robyn Webb. They worked tirelessly and put together a truly enjoyable conference with incredible speakers and terrific sponsors.

Just check out the EAT, WRITE, RETREAT site for a complete list of all the great sponsors.

Next up… Just who really makes the best cheesesteak in Philly?  Stay tuned!

 

Filed Under: Travel, Kitchen Sink, Classes, Contests Tagged With: Contest, EWR13, Eat Write Retreat, Giveaway, OXO, Philadelphia, conference

Green Market Baking Book and Giveaway!

May 16, 2011 by Renee

GMBB Cover ImageCongratulations to Lisa @FitintheMidwest! You have won The Green Market Baking Book!

With the incredible increase in interest in eating locally grown and health mindfully, The Green Market Baking Book by Laura Martin is a wonderful cookbook for any kitchen. This book gives people alternatives to baking with refined sugar and artificial sugar products, while encouraging them to support their local food communities. A contributional effort spearheaded by Ms. Martin, this book features 100 mouthwatering sweet and savory baked treats chosen from the best chefs and bakers from across America — all created from locally produced sustainable whole foods using natural sweeteners, and featuring dairy- and gluten-free treats along with vegan and low-fat variations.

The book is broken down into 11 sections beginning with the chapter, Answers to A Few Questions. This section does a great job of explaining why not to use sugar and why you should use organic. Additional sections discuss Ingredients, Stocking the Pantry and Substitutions. There is a great Substitution Chart, helpful in showing you how much natural sweetener to use to replace sugars in your recipes.

The heart of the book are the sections devoted to each season, aptly titled, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, featuring how to’s on selecting that season’s ripest produce and recipes highlighting those seasonal flavors we all love.

Some of the wonderful seasonal recipes included in the book are:

  • Alice Waters’s Whole Grain Waffles
  • Dan Barber’s Vegetable Frittata with Potato Crust (wheat-free)
  • Christine Carroll’s Plum–Walnut Upside-down Cake
  • Rozanne Gold’s Yellow Squash and Sundried Tomato “Quiche”
  • Carol Anne Wasserman’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting (dairy-free)
  • Cynthia Wong’s Honey-Figgy Toffee Pudding
  • Terese Allen’s Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits for Organic Valley
  • Meredith McCarty’s Toasted Almond and Orange Cake with Orange Glaze (dairy-free)
  • Shermer Pecans’ Apple Oat Pecan Drops (vegan)
  • Linton Hopkins’s Rosemary Olive Bread (dairy-free)

Near the end of the book are a few pages highlighting Growing Your Own and Preserving The Harvest. From soil tips to the best freezing and canning methods, this book really leaves nothing out! The Appendix points you to various suppliers for Organic Baking products and how to find your local Farmer’s Markets.

Two of the things I really liked were the Sample Menu page, featuring recipes for nearly every occasion, and the drawings. While I usually love to devour cookbooks because of their beautiful photographs, this book features very lovely hand drawn pictures of fruits and vegetables. It suits the cookbook well.

Here is a very easy recipe from the book for a delicious topping that can be used over Shortcakes, Ice Cream or Pancakes:

 

Honey Strawberry Topping

Ingredients

3 cups local organic strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/3 cup local mild flavored honey (such as orange blossom or wildflower)

Method

Pour honey over fruit and let stand 30-40 minutes until ready to serve.

Reprinted from Green Market Baking Book © 2011 by Laura C. Martin, with permission by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

[/recipe]

See? EASY! And yet, so delicious!

There is a delightful recipe for Shortcakes in the book that would go perfectly with this sauce!  You can buy the book HERE, or I happen to have one copy of the book that you can WIN! Yes, win!

Mandatory entry – just leave us a comment here telling us a recipe that you make that uses locally grown produce.

Additional entries can be earned by completing these steps and leaving a comment telling us you did so with your links. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

  • ”Liking” Kitchen Conundrum on Facebook.
  • Recommend this giveaway in your status update on Facebook.
  • “Following” @kitchconundrum on Twitter
  • Tweet about the giveaway
  • Subscribe to Kitchen Conundrum’s RSS feed

That’s a total of 6 entries you can earn!

Good luck!

One random winner will be chosen via ‘And the winner is’ plugin. Once the winner is chosen, the winner will be contacted via email and if winner does not respond within 48 hours, winner forfeits prize and another winner will be chosen at random.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Please be sure to leave a separate comment on this post for EACH entry. All entries will be checked and verified. You must enter a valid email address or Twitter handle so we can notify you of your win, otherwise you forfeit the prize and another winner will be chosen. You have until 11:59pm EST on Saturday, May 28, 2011 to enter.

Disclosure: We received one copy of this cookbook to review and one copy to give away. We did not receive any other compensation for hosting this giveaway.

Good Luck!

Filed Under: Featured Posts, Cookbooks Tagged With: Contest, Cookbook, review

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Patatas Bravas. There’s really nothing better. S Patatas Bravas. There’s really nothing better. Spicy, smoked paprika on roasted potatoes with tomatoes and créma. Dreaming of Spain. #sogood #comfortfood #eatthemall #potaotes #patatasbravas #spain #camino #caminodesantiago
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#cpsoap #cooking #smallbusiness #candlemaking #candles #soap #busy #happy
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Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and very Merry Ch Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and very Merry Christmas! From all of us to all of you!
A little confiture with our biscuits this morning. A little confiture with our biscuits this morning. Fun flavors with pretty packaging. It’s a bit too sweet for me but I do like the pretty presentation. 
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Chicken Piccata for dinner. Love, love, love the l Chicken Piccata for dinner. Love, love, love the lemony white wine and caper sauce. A favorite! #dinner #chicken #lemon #yum
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Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for each and every one of you! However you spend your day, may it be filled with love and deliciousness! 
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