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SubscribeThursday, December 11, 2008
Steamy Kitchen’s Big Holiday Giveaway
This year, I want to make each holiday gift really count, as I’m being frugal AND thoughtful. I’ve got to be careful and really teach the bebes about the value of money and the art of selecting the perfect gift for each person.
I’m not doing a great job, as yesterday I gave Andrew $33 to shop for me, Scott, Nathan, Mimi and Papa. His elementary school had a fundraiser where they had an entire set-up of useless gifts that you’d never buy yourself but feel like a cheap-ass if you don’t buy something because the school that is responsible for teaching my child things that I can’t (like math, following directions and assembling !$(*&!% toys) is underfunded. Though honestly, I’d rather write a check for $300 and give that to the school than to spend $300 on useless crap (ugly wrapping paper? too-sweet chocolates? magazine subscriptions that I don’t need?) and only have 10% of that end up going to the school. But I digress.
So Andrew comes home with 6 little gift bags in his backpack and runs to me clutching his $2.80 in change in his other hand. He proudly says to me, “Mama, I picked out perfect presents for everyone!” And then he started stuffing our stockings with the presents.
Hmmm…I couldn’t resist the curiousity and copped a feel (no peeking of course, that’s against the rules…but FONDLING? totally appropriate). The object in my stocking felt suspiciously like a new set of round, bouncy boobs.
Now THAT’S the type of fundraiser I’d totally lay down for.
But then on second thought, $6 might only buy a coupla rubber super bounce balls.
A Few of My Favorite Things
I’ve tested, tasted and played with lots of toys this year, and here are my absolute favorites that would make fantabulous holiday gifts. I’m giving away a bunch of gifts to you – just for commenting – so make sure you enter the random drawing to win:
Contest is over! Here are the winners…
- An 8x4x2″ Himalayan Pink Salt Block from The Meadow
- A New West Knifeworks Super Bread Knife
- A box of 4 Kobe Beef Burgers from Palm Beach Prime (U.S. winner only)
- The Ultimate Sampler from Sterling Silver Premium Meats (U.S. winner only)
- A dreamy Sacred Glo Body Candle from Sacred Glo
- A bottle of Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Mango Champagne Vinegar from Global Gardens
- A single photo canvas from Canvas R Us
(I’m sure I’ll be adding more gifts to giveaway in the next few days too)
Himalayan Pink Salt Blocks and Plates
As you know, I’m totally obsessed with all things salt – from making your own Asian finishing salts to salting your steaks and it’s even an accessory to cheating on my husband.
The Meadow has gorgeous Himalayan Pink Salt Plates and Blocks from Pakistan that are so unique. You can use the glowing pink plate to grill, saute, chill, bake, serve and cure. Instead of salt on food – this is food on salt, and the Himalayan Pink Salt Plate imparts its delicate saltiness onto and into the food. When you’re done, just rinse, dry and store for next time.
Flatiron steaks on a large salt block
I’ve chilled the salt block for a couple of hours in the refrigerator and then used it as a serving platter for carpaccio, cheeses and fresh fruits. Any food that has a bit of moisture will pick up some of the salty goodness!
I’ve also placed the block on the outdoor grill and sauteed wild mushrooms on it – the salt block seasoned my mushrooms perfectly. The plate heats up to 500F and sears the food beautifully. I’ve yet to try steaks, but will be playing with that this weekend.
The prices are very reasonable – I’m eyeing this 
Sushi Slab for $19.95 and this 
Salt Grater plus Himalayan Pink Salt Rock for $16.95
Plus, owner Mark Bitterman is awesome – he’s the first person I’ve ever met more passionate about salts than I am! Just a great small business based in Portland, Oregon that I hope you’ll support.
The Meadow is giving away a Himalayan Pink Salt Block (8x4x2 inch)
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The Snazziest Bread Knife in the World
Okay, time to get off the salt thing and move onto knives. I’ve raved about New West Knifeworks before and just can’t say enough great things about them. They’ve just announced their newest product, the Super Bread Knife – though personally I would have named it Kiss-Yer-Mama-Bread Knife because it’s so pretty you just wanna….eat bread.
If you’re giving a knife away as a present, my Mama told me to tell you that in many cultures, giving away a knife is bad luck. BUT hang on there – it’s not a “gift” if you make the recipient give you a penny back in return. So, just make sure that the recipient pays you a penny, quarter, whatever so that you’re not cursed with whatever knife god you’ll piss off, okay?
From New West Knifeworks, my choice for a gift would be either the above Kiss-Yer-Mama Bread Knife ($129 on sale now!) or the Phoenix Petty knife ($99). The Phoenix is the perfect size for most small kitchen tasks, from vegetables to fruit to cutting open packages (omg, just kidding! I worship my knife!)
I’m giving away a Super Bread Knife!
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Kobe Beef Burgers
Palm Beach Prime sent me a box of Kobe Beef Burgers ($27.95) to try and OH MY !(#%*&!(*%!% BURGERLICIOUS BUNS! They win. There is no other reason to buy any other burger than these. You will not have lived a fulfilling life unless you have sunk your drooling teeth into these Kobe Beef Burgers. Yes, my teeth do drool. They also are craving a Kobe Beef Burger right now too.
Palm Beach Prime is giving away a pack of 4 Kobe Beef Burgers (U.S. only)
===
Sterling Silver Premium Meats
OOOHLAALAA! Sterling sent me their Ultimate Sampler which included Two 6 oz. Filet Mignons, Two 12 oz. New York Steaks, Two 12 oz. Ribeyes, Two 6 oz. Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops, and one 16 oz. Pork Tenderloin Roast. ($119.00) We’ve tried the Filets and the Ribeyes so far and loved them. The beef comes from the top 12% of all beef and is aged. Their pork is all natural.
Sterling Silver has generously given us an Ultimate Sampler package to give away! (yay beef!)
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Sacred Glo Lotion Candles
I met lovely Ederle on Twitter a few weeks ago and was totally smitten with the idea of a candle made of lotion. As the candle burns, the soy bean oil, shea butter, and the fragrant essential oils melt together, and create a warm, inviting pool of body lotion or massage oil that is only 2° above body temperature.
Ederle is a full-time corporate mama – and her dream is to make her Sacred Glo Lotion Candles a thriving business.
I know you’ll just love these lotion candles! In my sexy-hot days B.C. (Before Children) I used to love pouring hot candle wax on my lover. Made a mess, though and then would have to spend the next day scraping the hardened wax off the floors. I know, you used to do that too, right?
Um. no?
okaymeneitherjustkidding.
Sacred Glo is giving away a Lotion Candle of your choice.
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Global Gardens Award Winning Olive Oil and Mango Champagne Vinegar
These two together make the best salad dressing. The Mango Champagne Vinegar ($16) comes in a curvy carafe and paired with their award winning Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil – the combo makes any salad sexy. The olive oil is bright, buttery with a sagey finish.
Global Gardens also has other interesting fruit champagne vinegars – like Blood Orange, Pomegranate and Green Apple.
Global Gardens is giving away their Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Mango Champagne Vinegar combo.
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Photo Canvas from Canvas R Us
I’ve saved my personal favorite for last – I took some pics of the rugrats in the backyard a few weeks ago and sent them into Canvas R Us. A week later, I got 4 individual wooden framed canvas prints back, and they are now hanging in my family room. It instantly brightened and warmed up the entire home – the smiles and love in these boys faces are priceless.
It’s super simple – all you have to do is upload your photo to their Canvas R Us’ website and choose the size that you want. You can get one single canvas or a collage, like me.
And look at the quality that comes back!
This is my fav pic:
Don’t they look like they NEVER fight over toys or tease each other?
Canvas R Us is giving away a single photo canvas of your choice!
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How to enter the Steamy Kitchen’s Big Holiday Giveaway
Contest is over! The winners are announced here…
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Cookbook
101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner
by Jaden Hair -
Favorite Stuff
Pitt Mitt - Use all 5 fingers instead of trying to wrestle hot items with puppet hands.
Hurom Slow Juicer - The very best juicer in the world - Bon Appetit names it best new appliance.
Gravity Pepper Mill - Spice it up one-handed, just turn it upside down.
SK Store
I think I’d put one of my mom’s wildflower photos on Canvas… they are gorgeous!
I have a really beautiful picture that I took in Japan of green tea and a tea sweet. It would look great on canvas. Although a picture of my family would look pretty good on canvas too.
Oh yes, BONUS. I posted this on facebook.
How fabulous and gorgeous you boys are! We take tons of photos. It would be so hard to decide on which but possibility a photo from our trip to Japan to remind us of our fun travels.
BONUS!
Twittered & Blogged.
http://twitter.com/waisze
http://waiszedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/12/steamy-kitchens-holiday-giveaways.html
I would love to have my great-grandparents wedding picture on canvas. They were Married in 1887 . . .
Shirley in OKC
I never knew you could do that with salt! I just want to lick it! As far as the canvas, I have the perfect picture from our honeymoon to put in it!
It would have to be one of Eric and I with children in Senegal, Africa. We went there to teach some camps and fell in love with Africa and want to live there one day.
Those Himalayan salt blocks are one of those odd items that I previously was unaware, yet have now seen several mentions of, and now am thinking I seriously need them.
I’d choose a picture of my two sisters and me so that I can be reminded of the fun we have together!!
My Grampa passed away this year, and I would love to have a picture of him in my daughter’s nursery. She’s due ina few weeks, and was actually conceived just a couple of weeks after he passed. He would have been so thrilled about her.
*BONUS!* I posted the link on facebook, and my status is craving some Kobe beef burgers
Wow! What a generous gift.
My partner and I took a trip to France in November and spent a rainy day in Aix-en-Provence. As we were walking through the winding streets, the sun came out for a brief moment, brightening the honey-hued buildings in front of us. A girl with a yellow umbrella ambled past, and I snapped the shot. That’s what I’d have printed.
*BONUS* I posted it on my blog too!
http://dianasaur.blogspot.com/2008/12/win-some-amazing-culinary-prizes.html
I love your blog! If I win I would like to print on canvas the only family picture we have taken three years ago.
great giveaway!! i have a macro shot of a baby fern that would look gorgeous on that canvas:)
I would love to have my daughters newborn picture on canvas. That image of her will always be with me.
I think I would go for the picture of my parents trying to stuff two stubborn grand kids into their Halloween costumes two years ago — only because Halloween is soooo NOT my parents, so it’s grand parent antithesis activity — and none of us is getting any younger… it’s a neat memory to hang on the wall…
BONUS – I Plurked (wow, I never thought I would type or say that stupid word aloud)
I’m offsideher
I would go for a black & white of my great uncle doing a handstand on the beach in the 30′s or 40′s. It’s unique, personal and would look great over our couch in a mish mosh of pictures ala Domino Magazine.
wondeful giveaway! thanks for the chance to get some wonderful items…
This is going to sound cheesy but I would probably print the first photo that is taken when my hubby and I see our child for the first time–even though I’m sure I’ll look like crap after giving birth, it’s such a huge life-changing moment and it’d be so great to have that reminder in the house (esp later when it’s 3 am and the baby can’t sleep again and we’re ready to pull our hair out!)
Bonus–linked to facebook
I would get one of my favorite photos of my fiance and me with our dogs to put on the “guestbook table” at the wedding and also to hang in our new home.
It’s hard to say, I have many favorites, but it would probably be a picture of me and my boyfriend when we went hiking at Sugar Creek Glen Falls.
Oh, one of me on the lovely beach in Destin, Florida! Of Course ! For my room….
On to my Facebook so I can say something great and get another entry! woohoo
BONUS! (linked on my Facebook) – So exciting! Hope I win!
I would still like to have a pic of me on the beach in Destin, that was a GREAT beach, great vacation.
I have the greatest silhouette of me with the ocean in the background, with the sunset filtering behind me. Very pretty….
Woohoo! I hope I win!
I think I’d like to have some various vacation/scenery photos that I’ve taken over the years- great gifts by the way!
A favorite picture of my son 3 years ago on a wonderful beach trip to Fripp Island, SC.
Phenominal Giveaway! We just had our family picture taken in Jamaica this year, that would go perfect on canvas!
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/bluerosecafe
and blogged
http://bluerose-cafe.blogspot.com/2008/12/12-days-of-christmas-cookies-2008-day-2.html
Thank you for the chance to win one of the fabulous prizes!!
i’d print an engagement picture of me and my fiance since now we have awesome professional shots that are perfect to enlarge and hang around the house!
i love the one of the two of them kissing; i’m going to have try that one on my kids. what lens did you use for that pic?
BONUS: StumbledUpon
I would print the picture of me and my family on a boat with the lake in the background. We look so genuinely happy and the sky was such a beautiful blue.
Oh… What would I print on canvas? That’s a tough one… But since I just took some pretty cool photos at my favorite Korean restaurant I think a few prints of my shots of Bibimbap, Kimchee and Kunmandoo (sp?) would be pretty cool in my kitchen!
BONUS! Twittered and Facebook statused!
I’d canvas a photo that was taken of hubby and I back when we were still engaged. We were on a beach in Florida, the sun was setting and we just looked so happy. It would be a reminder of all the wonderful things that have happened as well as a reminder of the things that are yet to come.
I can’t believe the wonderful prizes! I’ve learned so much from you just reading your blogs and your very funny too (flattery will get me everywhere??). I’m sincere about the things I’ve learned from you, especially how to sharpen my knives and how to peel a pomegranite correctly. I first started following your articles in the Tampa Tribune and I love your sarcasm and humor.
Mrs. Claus, since you are doing the random drawing on Christmas morning my wishlist would be to win the very cool New West Knifeworks knife or the canvas. I have a toddler who keeps me young and young at heart. I’d have his cute little mug on the canvas. Thanks for the opportunities.
Merry Christmas!!
I’d love to print our wedding picture. We have an amazing black and white one with the veil all spread out – it’s gorgeous and I’d love to have it in our bedroom.
Thanks for all your amazing giveaways!
For a canvas I would definitely have an up close
picture of kids.
I would love to have our pictures from Hawaii on canvas. They are unreal
Thanks for being so generous!
my 4 younger sisters and i when we were little and now
I love your contests I always read about something new before posting! The salt blocks sound…strange but really neat I had never heard of them before. I’m in it for the knife, again I would love to get my hand on one of those! As for the picture it would be of one or both of the boys we would have to go through all the pictures we have but I have a few ideas of some good ones. Be ready for a bonus entry from 365Motorwerks on twitter!
Twitter bonus me up please! The tweet has been sent to the world!
Jaden, the canvases of your boys turned out BEAUTIFULLY! Love them.
We just got a Cannon XS SLR camera. My husband has been playing with it and captured some detailed close up pictures that are really cool! It would make a great canvas- very artsy.
Oooohhh… this contest looks great.
The picture I would get would be one of my boyfriend and I vacationing in Door County, Wisconsin.
I’ve got a terific black & white that my best friend took of the two kids 7 years ago that I love. She was taking photography classes & really really captured some neat stuff on that one photo.
I got married in June 2007, and still have not found the ‘perfect’ way to display my favorite pictures. I have never seen anything like this before – it’s a beautiful way to cherish your memories! I love it, this is it!!
It would be wonderful if I can have a canvas picture of my little niece who’s already 2 months old and I’ve not gotten to see in person and probably won’t get to see in a long long time.
Aww… those pictures of your boys are so cute! I think that if I got a picture printed, I might have to go with the picture of one of my roommates dressed as a deer with my brother in the background posing as a hunter. It is a really hilarious picture.
My canvas would totally be a wedding picture as I am getting married this Saturday 5 days before christmas!!!!