leanKitchen » Contests and Giveaways

Winners!

leanKitchen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:32:32 +0000

Yes, that was a picture I took on the beach. I had a WONDERFUL time…Lots of fun and wonderful responses on the lK site when I was gone, and I loved each and every one of them. No worries, you will all have a fun and funny recap of the trip tomorrow, I promise, but for today, I’ll simply leave you with my winners. Congrats to you all- I will be in touch to let you know you’ve won! Congratulations!!

Winner for #1:
What herb or spice do youyou relate most with, and why??

I’ll go with what first popped into my mind: English Lavendar. It’s subtle,versatile and unobtrusive; has sweet overtones and is often underestimated. Lavendar buds make incredible cookies – you get the herbal notes but also the sweetness. It has many uses. Like me, it flourishes best in full sun. -Joyce

Winner for #2

My favorite kitchen tip is how to get rid of fruit flies! I know, yuck! But with all of the fresh fruit and veggies in the summer, I can’t keep them away! I just put a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a bowl, and put a drop of liquid dish detergent in with it. The fliles are attracted to it and hop in! -Melissa C.

3. What’s your favorite lK recipe?

My favorite, and really only thing I have tried because of the intense diet restrictions I have is the ice cream. I can have it every night. I was in Stowe, the week-end after the recipe was released and at an estate sale and found a commercial ice cream machine for $10.00. I offered 5 and got it. No ice or snow; just plug it in and push 2 buttons and in 10 minutes, voila! ice cream. Well, your recipe makes it all possible. Krystal has given me some root-beer float flavored and orange creamcycle flavored p.p. and I made your coconut.My nightmare medical diet is now a little more tolerable and it is so good that I may never want to go back to the heavy sweet regular ice cream again. Thanks Nedah!! -Susan

4.What is your FUNNIEST, most tragic, hilarious kitchen story?

My most horrifying kitchen experience took place, not in my own kitchen, but rather in a kitchen where I was hired to cater a wedding rehearsal dinner. I committed a huge blunder; I agreed to prepare dinner at the groom-to-be’s house and I did not closely inspect the kitchen ahead of time. He had all the essentials, a frig, stove, oven, etc. I thought I was good-to-go! I arrived and began prep for the party. Approximately 5 mins before the guests were to arrive I put the first round of hors d’oeuvres in the oven…only to have the entire kitchen fill with black, noxious smoke. I ran through the house trying to open windows that apparently had not been opened since the last paint job…all stuck!! The bartender who was setting up was shaking his head & I’m sure he was wondering what my cooking credentials were. Thankfully, whatever was caked to the bottom of the oven quickly burned off and the food we served was unharmed however the smell lingered on. The guests all mentioned as they came in that something “smelled like it was cooking”! The groom did mention to me that he had forgotten to clean his oven!!

Moral: Always closely inspect the oven!! -Jane

#5 What is your most treasured kitchen utensil/gadget/appliance, and why?
I chose 2 winners, Colleen and Ami, for pulling at my heartstrings:

My favorite kitchen small appliance is also my food processor. It’s a Cuisinart Food Processor/Blender. I love all the things it can do! I also love it because my boyfriend’s parents got it for me for Christmas from him because he was deployed to Afghanistan. I had no family or friends in the area I had just moved to with him, but I spent the holidays with his mom and stepdad, who I now consider family. They wanted me to have a gift to open from him on Christmas, and it was so thoughtful! I think about that Christmas when I use it.

Hello Nedah!
Not sure if this counts as an “applaince/gadget or utensil”- but I feel compelled to respond after reading your blog. My most coveted kitchen “accesory” is the counter bar we built so that when I am preparing meals my children can gather around and talk about their day. As we all seem to learn the hard way- Life is precious, unpredictable and ridiculously short so any time I can spend with my children is priceless. We talk about boys, pets, teachers, school sports, any ole topic that pops up- and the real bonus is that they may even learn a thing or two as they watch and sometimes help me cook!

Tropical Getaway Giveaway-Day 4!

leanKitchen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:55 +0000

Well, sadly, we’re on our way back to Boston. Tonight, on-ship, there’s lots of entertainment, including the White Hot Party in the Nightclub (guests wear ALL white), and in the theater, Comedy Night. I LOVE Comedy shows! Ben and I went to Cheers in Boston once this past winter (yes, the one where everybody knows your name), and saw the performer who was set to (the following week) perform for the President of the US- he was HILARIOUS.

So that leads me to ask you question #3:

What is your FUNNIEST, tragic, hilarious kitchen story? You know we all have ‘em! Post in the comments section below!

What’s my answer?

Well, many of you know that I taught myself to cook by watching Food Network. I was not always kitchen-savvy. In fact, I was downright terrible. The funniest thing I can think of is, when I was married, I had this dinner party for my ex-husband and a bunch of our friends. Trying to impress everyone, I went out and bought a creme brulee kit, with ramekins and a torch to burn the sugar on top. I researched and read that a mixture of brown and white sugar sprinkled on top then torched makes the tastiest, crispiest crust. I of course didn’t do a test run.

So when the delicious-smelling maple pumpkin cinnamon creme brulee was pulled from the fridge in it’s crisp, cool, delicious form, it looked BEAUTIFUL, and I was so proud. When I sprinkled the sugars atop, and went to torch the sugar to give the nice, sweet glaze, I realized with horror that the lighter needed butane, and therefore wouldn’t work.

Horrified, I excused myself, quickly got online, and got instructions for how to make the creme brulee without a torch. Directions said to use the broiler.

Having never used a broiler, I set it, stuck the creme brulee’s in, and while everyone was up and stretching, using the bathrooms, etc. in between dinner and dessert, I ran downstairs to switch over laundry. Yes, folks, I left my creme brulee in the broiler and did laundry. When I got to the top of the stairs, I could hardly see the kitchen through the cloud of black smoke. Not only were the smoke detectors NOT going off, but my ex-husband and two of his good friends sat IN THE KITCHEN, not noticing a thing wrong. When I pulled them out, they were literally black, and had burned straight through to the ramekin. It was a pretty proud moment

Tropical Getaway Giveaway Day #2!

leanKitchen — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:30:33 +0000

Today is the “out and about day” in Bermuda. I think today is going to be a beach day. Astwood Cove, Horseshoe Bay Beach, Tobacco Beach, and probably the beautiful beach I’m most excited to see, Jobson’s Cove. We’ll take a ferry, and see the sights, maybe go to the Aquarium, the Crystal caves, and at night, we’ll take the sunset catamaran cruise. Maybe even some fish chowder with the signature shot of black rum afterwards at Hog Penny.

In essence of our fun and exciting SECOND day in Bermuda, here is your SECOND question for the Tropical Getaway Giveaway:

What is your favorite kitchen tip or trick (Note: Can’t be one that I’ve already posted)

Check out my answer in the video below!

What’s your answer??

Post your answer in the comments section below for your chance to win Prize #2!!!

lK’s Tropical Getaway Giveaway

leanKitchen — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:38:16 +0000

Dear lK readers:

I depart for Bermuda on Friday the 13th (yeah- Bermuda triangle on Friday the 13th during Mercury Retrograde.!! I’m determined to prove that superstition is just that).

Because of this, I’ve decided to use that week to give those awesome Chef’n products away! I’m calling it the Tropical Getaway Giveaway!!!

In spirit of all the fun I’ll be having, I wanted to leave you with some fun, too, so here’s what I’m going to do:

Each day, from Aug. 16 through Aug. 20, I’m going to post one fun question for you to answer. To win, you must answer the question in the most fun, original way. The most unique and fun answer wins whatever the prize happens to be that day.

Here’s the catch: YOU MUST BE A NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER TO WIN! Just enter your name and e-mail address into the bar on the righthand side of leankitchen.com to be eligible for this giveaway!

Good luck to all, and I promise- the prizes will be awesome during my TROPICAL GETAWAY GIVEAWAY!!!

…and the winner is!

leanKitchen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:37:34 +0000

Saralee! You win the Chef’n ZESTER! Congratulations!

Camron sat down and read…and read…the entries, and his final answer was, “Saralee K.”

When I asked him why, he said (brace yourselves):

“Because she said the nicest things about you, Mom!”

I’ll get it to you in a couple days .

Thanks everyone for your participation!

lK Giveaway!

leanKitchen — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:11:35 +0000

Once again, lK is having a giveaway!!

In celebration of my sweet, wonderful little boy Camron turning 7 today, I’m giving one lucky lK reader a gift that Camron picked out!

What’s the booty today? This ingenious little Chef’n Palm Zester!!! It comes in handy when you want to make dishes like the Lemon Cheesecake-stuffed Strawberries, or my Hummus, Cranberry Lemon bars, Lemon-Mint Fro-Yo, or Roasted Bosc Pears with Lemon-Raspberry Marscapone.

This little gadget not only fits in the palm of your hand, but it holds all the zest in it’s handy little container attached. Take a peek:

So how do you win?

Simple. Just leave a comment below in the comments section (be sure to include your name and e-mail where it asks you to- no worries, only I will see it!!) with the answer to this question:

What is it that you LOVE about leanKitchen?

The Recipes? Pictures? lK travels? What’s your favorite part, and what do you like best?

Let me know, and YOU may win this handy, innovative and FUN kitchen gadget.

Good luck!!

Camron: To my sweet, smart, wonderful little man; I couldn’t be more proud to be your Mommy! Happy Birthday!

lK Meal Makeover with MOO92!

leanKitchen — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:19:23 +0000

Big thanks to MOO92 for letting me come in and chat with the Wake Up Crew this morning. Also, Congrats to Jessica for winning the Chobani Greek Yogurt Giveaway!!!! There’s a mixed variety case heading your way!!!

Tod n' Deveney, the MOO92 WAKE UP CREW!

Thanks to my special “Behind-the-scene’s” crew HALLIE for the awesome pics and video!

Help me Help you!

leanKitchen — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:32:36 +0000

Hey everyone…in an effort to be better for YOU, my wonderful lK readers, please take some time to take the poll below. Please enter in the box at the bottom specifics regarding what YOU are looking for when you come to www.leanKitchen.com! Thanks in advance!

AS A TOKEN OF MY APPRECIATION: If you leave your name (first and last) in the “comments” box (with your e-mail address, if you’re not a newsletter subscriber already) -yes, even if it’s “constructive critisism,” I won’t mind!- I’ll enter you in a drawing for a lovely, Cherry Red gift from KitchenAid!!!!!!!!

[polldaddy poll=2986607]

And the winner is….

leanKitchen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:47:12 +0000

After a HUGE response, and a crazy amount of newsletter subscriptions, Hallie wins the pretty candy red bottle!

Congratulations to Hallie, and thanks to everyone for the signup!

(Special thanks to Joyce, my official “draw-the-name-from-this-box” winner picker!!)