Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Progresso Soup Giveaway and a winter WATERMELON BOUQUET!

Progresso Soup sent me a fun package the other day. There were 15 cans of soup, this great jump rope and handy soup mug. I've been skipping around the house with this jump rope for a couple of days now. I haven't taken out any lamp shades yet, thanks for asking. The nice folks at Progresso Soup  would like to send this gift package  to one of you as well! 
To enter...
leave me a comment at the bottom of this post telling me why you like canned soup! I will take comments until Sunday January 24th. I'll announce the winner on Monday January 25th. Thank you Progresso Soup and My Blog Spark! On to a sunny recipe! 


                              



A fellow blogger left me a comment the other day asking me to please post about the watermelon bouquet pictured  at the top of my blog. I know that it is WINTER....and where I live here in chilly Utah you would be hard pressed to find a watermelon that tasted good and cost less that $7. However, some people are not drenched in chilly weather, and to you fine folks I say congratulations! I hope you are eating watermelon until your heart is content. I know I sure wish I was! Good luck to Shelly in sunny Floriday. I hope you get to make it this week!

Watermelon Bouquet

1 watermelon
1 cantaloupe
1 pineapple
1-2 pounds grapes
2 pounds of strawberries
shish kabob skewers (usually found in the produce section) 
green or red leaf lettuce

You can really use many combinations of fruit. Apples, bananas and pears will all turn brown after about 1/2 an hour, so I would leave them out!
1. Cut the watermelon in half, width wise. (across the longest side)
2. On a pretty platter, lay out the leaf lettuce so that the ruffly edges of the lettuce run along the edges of your platter. Place one of the watermelon halves red side down onto the platter and lettuce.
2. Take the other  watermelon half, carefully cut the rind off and chop the melon into 2 inch pieces. They don't have to be exact, just approximately 2 inches.
3. Cut the rind off of the cantaloupe and pineapple. Cut into 2 inch pieces.
4. Wash the strawberries and cut the tops off. Slice each strawberry in half.
5. Slide the fruit pieces on to the skewers. Leave about 3 inches at the sharp end with out any fruit.
6. Stick the loaded skewers into the watermelon you have placed on the platter.
7. Serve with in an hour or two. If you leave it too long the fruit will get drippy.
                  
Progresso Soup is having a great contest right now! Read on for more details!

Celebrate the New Year and a new you with Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups because from January 4 through March 15th, you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to enter the Progresso "Souper You Debut" contest for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City.



Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes round trip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store.
To enter, you´ll need to do the following:
Go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to learn more and enter the contest

Submit your essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 Calorie Soups and why you would like a makeover


In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay


Once you enter, you´ll have the chance for your photo and/or an excerpt from your essay to appear on www.Progresso.com/SouperYou, so be sure to check back frequently! Once the 10 finalists are announced, you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou from March 29 through April 12 to vote for your favorite.


In addition, throughout the duration of the contest you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup!

Monday, January 11, 2010

***GIVEAWAY**and a cookbook review!


Today I am reviewing this great cookbook. You can purchase the book at Amazon.com at this link. Jane Dorian, the author is also giving away a copy to one of you! I have really enjoyed reading it and trying some of the recipes! Jane gives wonderful tips for freezing, storing and making portions of recipes in advance, so when you are home and ready to cook, your meal will come together in a snap. She has some great advice about freezing marinated meat, right along with the marinade. I did NOT know you could do that. What a great idea! Her recipes are very family friendly and use ingredients that most of us keep on hand regularly. I am eager to try more of her great recipes.

*****GIVEAWAY*****
Jane would like to give one of her helpful books to one of you lucky guys or gals!  Thanks to you Jane. Dinner time can often be quite a challenge. I don't know about you, but around here I am always grateful when I've had the forethought to plan ahead and have something prepared (or at least MOSTLY prepared) before my crew comes home from school. Then my time is available for all those crazy things that go on between 4:00 and 7:00. Jane's book is all about planning ahead. I have already put to use some of the great tips she gives.

******TO ENTER******
This giveaway is only open to residents of the USA. To enter leave me a comment telling me why you would love this book. Also, be sure to leave your email address in your comment, so I know how to reach you. The giveaway will close on Saturday, January 16th at midnight.  I will post the winner on Sunday January 17th.  

Earn three extra entries by doing the following...

1)Sign up for Jane's Newsletter. Let me know you have done so in your comment. Please use the same email you sign up with as the one you use for your comment here.
2)Follow Jane's  Make-Ahead Meals Blog. In your original comment tell me how you are following....subscriber or Google Friend. 
3) Grab Jane's button from her site and place it own your site. Please leave a link to where her button can be found in your comment.

Good Luck everyone!