The Cheap Gourmet

Announcing the Goya Foods Birthday Bash

The Cheap Gourmet was recently contacted by Goya Foods with a request to let you know about their exciting Birthday Bash. The company is celebrating their 75th birthday and want to invite you to join the party!

The Goya Birthday Bash consists of a mega cash prize of a whopping $75,000. This promotion can be played four ways. There's an online game, an on-pack game, mail-in sweepstakes, and Goya's Greatest Fan video/photo/essay contest. Participants have 10 different opportunities to potentially win $75,000.

In addition to the Goya Birthday Bash promotion, participants can receive  the 75th Anniversary Series GOYA Recipe Booklets featuring cuisine from Mexico, Caribbean, South America, Central America, Spain, and Latin Fusion. These cookbooks can be yours at no cost by mailing in 75 UPC codes from Goya products. All participants will be entered into a drawing to receive 1 of 75 digital cameras.

I was introduced to Goya Foods years ago while working at a health food store. We used their beans, rice, and condiments in nearly all of our recipes. My personal all-time favorite is Adobo Seasoning. I use it on pretty much everything, but it is particularly tasty on chicken. It adds a hint of color and a delightful seasoning that eliminates the need for salt.

Goya carries over 1,500 products from every region of Latin America and Spain. Some of the more popular include: beans, seasoned rice mixes, green olives, olive oil, nectars and juices, tomato-based products, spices, hot sauces, and salsas.

The Goya website offers a wide range of delicious recipes including: Starters and Salads, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Desserts, Drinks, Quick Meals, Affordable Meals, New Classics, and Latin Fusion. Visitors can setup their own recipe box which allows them to personalize each recipe, add notes, and create customized meal plans.

Visitors can subscribe to the Goya Foods mailing list to receive regular newsletters consisting of cooking tips, brand new recipes,  special promotions, and money-saving coupons.

I have been enjoying playing the Goya Birthday Bash online game. All that is required is to put in your birthdate, hit the pinata until Goya products fall to the ground, and click on a product to reveal a number. Collect all numbers in your birthday and you could win $75,000.

I hope you will take a few minutes to check out the Goya Birthday Bash and Goya product line. These are great products that will infuse your meals with flavor and pizzazz!

 

Disclosure: The Cheap Gourmet received the Special Edition, 75th Anniversary Series Goya® Recipe Booklets as a thank you for sharing the word about their products.

Calling All Home Cooks! MasterChef Season 2 Casting Calls Now Taking Place

If you've ever dreamed of being a MasterChef now is your chance to shoot for the stars. Fox Broadcasting is hosting nationwide casting calls for MasterChef Season 2. Known as the 'American Idol' for home cooks, the winner of MasterChef takes home a $250,000 cash prize and a cookbook publishing contract.

In order to become a contestant for MasterChef, home cooks must attend a casting call to present their signature dish. MasterChef casting calls are being held across the nation from November 6 through December 11, 2010. Host cities include: Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, New Orleans, Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and Portland. A complete list of dates, times, and locations is available at MasterChefCasting.com.

While I'm not certain of the exact number of home cooks who attend casting calls, I'd venture to say there will be several hundred at each casting call. As one who has entered cooking competitions in the past, I encourage you to give plenty of thought to your signature dish.

One very important thing to consider is how well your dish will taste at room temperature. You see, there is no kitchen facility at MasterChef casting calls. Instead, contestants prepare their dish at home, transport it to the casting call, and stand in line until their name is called. Chances are it will be several hours before your food passes the lips of food judges.

MasterChef has taken this into consideration and encourages contestants to bring along a photo of their dish. Applicants are also encouraged to shoot a short video (less than 15 minutes in duration) and bring along to the casting call. Take advantage of all options available. That way, if you become tongue-tied during tryouts, you will have a video and photograph which can be viewed by casting producers.

Take time to review ALL of the information published at MasterChefCasting.com. Read it two or three times to ensure you understand the requirements. Then, fill out your application and prepare a few test drive dishes. After all, you are competing for a quarter of a million dollar prize and the opportunity to launch your very own cookbook.

I will be attending the Orlando MasterChef casting call. If you plan to attend, I'd love to hear from you! I will also be covering the event as a foodie journalist and am looking for contestants to interview, so if you are trying out, contact me so we can arrange an interview.

As a wise young man once told me, this isn't a matter of having good luck. It's a matter of having good skill. Hone your skills and you could very well be the next MasterChef!

Are You the Next MasterChef? Upcoming Casting Calls for Talented Home Cooks

 

 

FoodBuzz.com Project Food Blog Contest

The Cheap Gourmet is participating in Project Food Blog contest presented by FoodBuzz.com. Nearly 2,000 food bloggers will be competing in a series of 10 culinary challenges in hope of winning the title of Food Blogger of the Year and the grand prize of $10,000.

I am excited to participate in Project Food Blog and hope I make it to the end. The competition is stiff, but FoodBuzz has leveled the playing field so that every contestant has the opportunity to advance to the next round. The challenges are exciting and provide the opportunity to engage in culinary activities I have not yet tried.

The first challenge begins today and voting will begin on September 20th. In order to keep voting fair, FoodBuzz requires all voters to register as a FoodBuzz community member. There is no fee to join and members have access to thousands of delicious and unique recipes from passionate foodies. I would greatly appreciate your vote and encourage you to join the FoodBuzz community today by visiting www.FoodBuzz.com. 

Members of the FoodBuzz community are allowed to vote for their favorite contestants. The food blogger who receives the most community votes is given the Reader's Choice award which allows them to move into the next challenge. Reader's Choice is similar to winning immunity in a reality TV show competition.

Additionally, Project Food Blog contestants will have their blog posts critiqued by a panel of three judges including: Dana Cowin, Editor-in-Chief of FOOD & WINE magazine; Nancy Silverton, Founder of LaBrea Bakery; and Pim Techamuanivit, Author of ChezPim.com and The Foodie Handbook.

Honestly, I'm a little intimidated to be in the company of these food stars, but my mom always said if you want to get ahead in life you have to get out of your comfort zone. Unfortunately, my mom is no longer here to offer support and words of wisdom, so I'm counting on my fans to help me through and offer my sincere gratitude to those who help by casting their vote.

Voting for the first challenge begins on September 20th. Only 400 contestants will move into the second challenge, so I really need your votes during the first challenge. If you feel my blog post is worthy of your vote, simply click on the profile button which will be published at the bottom of each Project Food Buzz blog post.

Thank you for helping me work toward becoming the first FoodBuzz Food Blogger of the Year. I hope I make you proud! Please bookmark this page or subscribe to the mailing list by entering your email address in the subscription box on the right sidebar under the FoodBuzz ad to receive notification of upcoming Project Food Blog challenges. Each competition post will have the following profile graphic attached to make voting for The Cheap Gourmet quick and easy.

This blog post is not part of the Project Food Blog challenge. It is intended for informational purposes so you will know what to look for. I will be publishing my first challenge on Wednesday, September 15th and you will be allowed to vote between September 20-23rd. If all goes according to plan, I will be on the winner's list, which will be announced on September 24th, and allowed to move on to the second challenge. Wish me luck and thanks again for your support!

10 Things I Love About Real Simple Magazine

This month's giveaway is a one-year subscription to Real Simple magazine. Real Simple is one of my favorite publications because it truly does simplify my life. In the spirit of December countdown, I would like to share 10 Things I Love About Real Simple magazine:

10: Home and Organizing: New Uses for Old Things ~ Got rubber bands? Real Simple shows you how to use them to decorate Easter Eggs, open jars, bring order to your dishwasher or wrap a gift.  Have an old Twister game mat lying around? Use it as a tablecloth for a children's party (although grown-ups like it too!). Tired of searching for hair barrettes, scrunchies and ponytail ties? Use a… (click here for the answer).

9. Green Living: This section of Real Simple shows you how to recycle and reuse anything. Did you know you can use plastic grocery bags as knee pads, hand protectors, paint brush preservers, and rain hats? Discover more recycling tips and start the New Year off by being green!

8. How to Pack a Suitcase: Planning to travel during the holiday season? If so, you don't want to miss this great video on packing your suitcase. Learn the secrets of packing light and avoid expensive luggage fees!

7. Beauty and Fashion: Ever wonder what ingredients are in your skincare products? Real Simple provides a comprehensive list to help you determine what to look for and what to avoid.

6. Health and Nutrition: Ready to shed those extra pounds? Real Simple provides 20 Little Ways to Drop Pounds, which includes smart tips for taking off and keeping off unwanted baggage.

5. Mind and Mood: Do you worry too much? Are you stressed out? Need more energy? Too wound up? Real Simple provides simple techniques to stay calm, become energized and stop worrying, along with 29 low-cost, make-you-smile ideas.

4. Money: If you're like most people, you're looking for ways to slash expenses. Real Simple shows you How to Save $5,000 in 2010 without cutting back on essentials.

3. Holidays and Entertaining: Need help planning a party? Real Simple has you covered. From weddings to birthdays and baking to buying gifts, you'll find everything you need to make every occasion special.

2. Food and Recipes: Looking for decorative tabletop ideas? Real Simple provides a gallery of 26 Beautiful Table Settings guaranteed to make your guests feel special and turn you into a decorating goddess.

1. Food and Recipes – It only makes sense that my favorite section is Recipes! This year I plan to focus more on healthy foods that provide fewer calories but offer a burst of flavor. Have you ever noticed that a lot of healthy foods taste like cardboard? Well, no more! Real Simple offers an entire section dedicated to Healthy Meals. Start the New Year off in the right direction by including these tasty, yet healthy, recipes into your weekly meal planning.

Learn more about Real Simple magazine at www.RealSimple.com. Order a subscription for yourself and a friend. And, while you're there be certain to subscribe to Real Simple newsletters to receive Weekly Tips, Daily Finds, Daily Thought and Daily Recipes.

Second Announcement: Alouette Cheese Fall Gourmet Cheese Giveaway

Dear Readers,

I am attempting to give the amazing Alouette Cheese Fall Gourmet Cheese Giveaway to the randomly selected winner. The first winner was contacted three times via email and her name was published on the blog. Unfortunately, she never contacted The Cheap Gourmet to confirm her mailing address.

On Wednesday evening, a second winner was randomly selected by Contest Machine. The chosen winner is Jennifer Phillips of Indiana (yeah, Hoosiers! my home town!). Jennifer, if you are reading this please contact me no later than midnight tonight to claim your Alouette Cheese prize. Two emails have been sent to you using the email address provided when you entered the contest. Check your spam folder just in case the emails didn't arrive in your inbox.

If Jennifer has not claimed the Alouette Cheese giveaway prize by this 11:59pm EST on Friday, November 6th, I will select a third winner. This time, I will use a different selection method.

If you entered the Alouette Cheese contest, please submit your name, email address, phone number and mailing address (no P.O. Boxes) via the Comment box below. Please note, all comments are moderated and I will not publish your personal information.

If Jennifer does not claim her prize, I will select a person from the entrants who provide their information via the comment box below TODAY.

In order to be entered into the final drawing for the Alouette Cheese prize, you must have previously entered and you must provide your contact information as per the instructions above.

The final winner will be selected and contacted by email and phone. If I am unable to reach you, I will select the next person on the list until I find someone who confirms their mailing address. I need to submit this information to Allouette Cheese immediately so they can send the prize to the winner.

Don't delay! If you want a second chance at winning the gorgeous cheeseboard, free cheese and various other goodies, send your contact info to me TODAY!

Good Luck!

The Cheap Gourmet

P.S. Please take a moment to download The Cheap Gourmet's complementary "Gourmet Wine and Cheese Menu" by clicking on the link below. This is in PDF format and requires Adobe Reader.

Download Gourmet Wine and Cheese Party Menu

ANNOUNCEMENT: Winner of Alouette Gourmet Fall Cheese Giveaway

Drumroll please.... The winner of the Alouette Cheese: "Let's Slow Down and Savor Life Wine and Cheese Giveaway is.... Samantha Lim.

Samantha's suggestion to slow down and savor life is "When taking the bus home, get off a few stops earlier and enjoy the walk".

I couldn't agree more with Samantha's suggestion. It's amazing the wonderful things you can see, smell and hear when taking a leisurely stroll. Not to mention, walking is great exercise that increases endorphin production and makes you feel good!

Congratulations Samantha. Please check your email for instructions to confirm your mailing address. Once you have confirmed your address, I will submit to Corrinne, the marketing director of Alouette. Your prize package will be sent directly from Alouette.

May your gift help you create many slow down and savor life moments for years to come! Congratulations!

To those who entered, but did not win, don't worry. The Cheap Gourmet will continue to offer a variety of contests and prizes throughout the year.

In case you missed the previous post, I have created a wonderful Wine and Cheese menu planner complete with recipes for finger foods, fruit and veggie trays, dips and desserts. The menu is in PDF format and requires Adobe Reader to view.

Download Gourmet Wine and Cheese Party Menu

Alouette Cheese Gourmet Fall Cheese Party Giveaway

It's not too late to enter the Alouette Cheese Gourmet Fall Cheese Party Giveaway. But, you better hurry because the winner will be selected at midnight on Halloween night, October 31st. My dear friend, Maeme, was gracious enough to open her home and host The Cheap Gourmet's wine and cheese party. It was a huge success and tons of fun. Here's Maeme enjoying one of Alouette's spreadable cheeses.

Kim, shown below, brought two bottles of Chocolate Wine, which was a big hit. After all, who doesn't love chocolate? The chocolate wine is definitely more of an after-dinner dessert wine. A small glass or two is the perfect accompaniment with a piece of dark chocolate and a slice of brie cheese. Thanks for the chocolate wine Kim. It was delightful!

We indulged in a bounty of finger foods, salads, veggie tray, fruit platter, nuts, candies, crackers, breads and cheeses. As you can see, everyone loved the luscious Alouette cheeses and were extremely impressed by the gorgeous cheeseboard that's part of the Gourmet Fall Cheese Party giveaway.

Delane loved Alouette's spreadable spinach and artichoke dip.

Bonnie's favorites included the spreadable Sundried Tomato and Basil and and Creme de Brie.

I have compiled a Wine and Cheese menu which includes several of the dishes served at The Cheap Gourmet's Wine and Cheese party. I hope you enjoy the recipes and wish you the best of luck in the drawing. 

Click here to download The Cheap Gourmet Wine and Cheese Party Menu

The winner of Alouette's Slow Down and Savor Life Gourmet Cheese giveaway will be announced on the blog on Monday, November 2nd, 2009. The winner will be notified via email to confirm the mailing address for their prize. If the winner does not respond within three days, a new winner will be selected at random. Be sure to check the blog and your email to see if you win!

Alouette Cheese: Let's Slow Down and Savour Life Wine and Cheese Giveaway Fall 2009

I am thrilled to announce this month's contest. Readers of The Cheap Gourmet blog will have a chance to win a bountiful prize from Alouette; an industry leader in cheese making. Alouette is sponsoring the "Let's Slow Down and Savour Life Wine and Cheese Giveaway." One lucky winner will receive a Gourmet Fall Cheese Tasting Party Giveaway valued at $150.

Entering Alouette Cheese, "Let's Slow Down and Savour Life Wine and Cheese Giveaway" is simple. All that is required is to post a comment via the entry form below sharing what you do to slow down and savour life.

I'll begin...My tip for slowing down and savouring life is to reserve a minimum of one night per month to share good food and conversation with your best friends. Keep it simple by serving an assortment of cheeses, cheese spreads, crackers, breads and fruits. And, don't forget the wine or sparkling cider!

ALOUETTE GOURMET FALL CHEESE TASTING PARTY GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The Cheap Gourmet is hosting Alouette's "Let's Slow Down and Savour Life Wine and Cheese Giveaway". Readers will receive ONE entry by submitting their favorite tip for slowing down and savouring life in the box provided via the entry form.

The Gourmet Fall Cheese Tasting Party Giveaway begins October 5th and ends at 11:55pm Eastern Standard Time on October 31, 2009. The winner will be selected at random through the contest hosting site of Contest Machine. Contest is open to legal US citizens aged 18 and older. See contest entry form for additional terms and conditions.

The winner will be contacted via the email address provided in their entry on November 1, 2009. The winner will have three days to claim their prize. Otherwise, their entry will be disqualified and a new winner will be selected.

Upon verification of their prize, the winner must provide their mailing address to Alouette Cheese. The Gourmet Fall Cheese Tasting Party Giveaway prize will be awarded directly through Alouette.

Individuals who submit more than one entry will automatically be disqualified.


PRIZE DETAILS:

The winner of Alouette Cheese "Let's Slow Down and Savour Life Wine and Cheese Giveway will receive the following items:

• Mariposa Gourmet Two-Toned White Teak and Bamboo Wooden Cheese Board with Wine and Cheese Accessories
• Stainless Steel Cheese Name Picks with marker
• Customized Cheese Rating Cards with Pens (party of 10)
• Alouette recipe cards for entertaining
• Alouette coupons for Baby Brie, Spreadable and Crumbles
• Slow Down and Savour Tips

Submit your slow down and savour tip via the entry form below. Watch your inbox on November 1st to see if you are a winner. Additionally, the winners name will be posted on The Cheap Gourmet blog. Good Luck!

The Alouette logo emblazoned on the two-toned wooden cheese board.

The Alouette cheese board provides two fold-away compartments which store cheese and wine accessories. Cheese accessories include a fork, cheese spreader and cheese cutter. Wine accessories include a cork screw, wine ring and stopper.

Compartment doors slide underneath the elegant wooden cheese board for easy storage.

Discover a whole new world of cheeses at www.alouettecheese.com.

The First Official Cheap Gourmet Contest

On September 11, 2009, we launched the First Official Cheap Gourmet Contest. All that is required is to vote for your favorite food and enter your email address by filling out the form below. One lucky winner will receive an adorable "Barker's Dozen" Greeting Card gift pack containing 13 happy-yappy cards with envelopes packaged in a reusable vinyl tote.

Each 5x7 greeting card is graced by a photograph of dogs in action - running, playing, swimming, sleeping. Beneath the photo is an appropriate caption guaranteed to bring love and happiness to the recipient. Cards are blank inside so you can write a personal note, include your favorite Cheap Gourmet recipe, or photos of yourself, family or beloved pets.

There is no "catch" to The Cheap Gourmet Contest. Your email address will only be used to notify you when  you win the contest. One lucky winner winner will be chosen at random at midnight on October 2, 2009 and notified by email on or before October 5th. The "Barker's Dozen" Gift Pack will be mailed directly to your home or office at no charge to you.

With each sale of Dog Caption Cards, 25-percent of the proceeds are donated to animal rescue organizations. If you would like to offer support to our furry friends or interested in selling the cards to raise funds for your local animal shelter, visit www.HappyDogCards.com. (You can also earn 25-percent of each sale by joining the affiliate program!)

In the meantime, simply select your favorite food and enter your email for a chance to win. Only ONE ENTRY per email or ISP address.

P.S. Stop back often as we will be hosting another contest next month. We will be offering an amazing Cheese and Wine party gift set valued at $150. Stay tuned - you're going to love all the future Cheap Gourmet Contests!

Cooking.com: America's Test Kitchen Sweepstakes

Cooking.com is hosting "America's Test Kitchen Sweepstakes". The Grand Prize includes roundtrip airfare for two to Boston, Massachusetts. The winner and their guest will be given an exlusive tour of America's Test Kitchen studio where they will meet the show's host, Christopher Kimball, and attend a live taping.

America's Test Kitchen is public television's most watched cooking show. If you aren't familiar with the show, be sure to visit the website to obtain show times in your area. The site is filled with recipes, cooking tips, articles, and archives of previous shows.

In addition to the contest offered by Cooking.com, America's Test Kitchen is seeking Kitchen Shortcuts. If you have a cooking tip that shortens time or eases the process, you could win a free subscription to "Cook's Country" magazine.

In addition to visiting America's Test Kitchen, the Grand Prize winner will also receive: Hotel Room in Boston for 2 nights, dinner for two at one of Boston's restaurants, an America's Test Kitchen gift basket and a $250 gift certificate to Cooking.com.

All entries to Cooking.com "America's Test Kitchen Sweepstakes" must be received no later than April 23rd, 2009. Hurry on over and submit your email address to win this great prize!

Click here to enter America's Test Kitchen Sweepstakes.

Click here to visit America's Test Kitchen website to submit your Kitchen Shortcuts.

Good Luck!

 

HURRY! Don't Miss the Cooking.com Kitchen Makeover Contest

Cooking.com is currently hosting a $2500 Kitchen Makeover Contest. Entries must be received by midnight PST on Wednesday, February 11th. The winner can choose any products they would like from the Cooking.com website, with the exception of large appliances and products from merchant partners. A complete list of merchant partners and official sweepstakes rules are posted directly on the website.

If you have never visited Cooking.com, you're in for a treat! This is one of my favorite kitchenware merchants. They have pretty much anything you could possibly need for cooking, including a fabulous recipe collection.

One feature of Cooking.com's recipe collection is you can search recipes according to your lifestyle. With a few clicks of your mouse, you can find a variety of recipes suited to your needs. Cooking.com offers recipes for people on low-sodium diets, vegans, vegetarians, low-carb dieters and more. It's a nice feature that helps you find exactly what you are looking for quickly and effortlessly. Additionally, you can add your favorite recipes to the website - cool beans, eh?

Should you decide to shop during your visit to Cooking.com, be certain to take advantage of the $7.95 flat-rate shipping offer. Enter Coupon Code C98329 at checkout. Some restrictions apply. The flat rate is not available for residents of Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories or Canada.

I wish you the best of luck in the sweepstakes. If you win, please stop by and let us know! Now, hurry on over to Cooking.com and get your entry in. Time is ticking....

Campbell's Supper Swap Sweepstakes

Campbell's (the infamous soup company) is currently hosting the Campbell's Supper Swap Sweepstakes, which ends on February 28, 2009. The Grand Prize winner will receive four (4) Chicago Cutlery 18-piece Knife Sets valued at $720.

The sweepstakes corresponds with Campbell's "Supper Swap Club" -- an innovative way to share food amongst friends. Campbell's offers a free downloadable brochure explaining the idea, along with tips for making your supper swap successful.

In a nutshell, the Supper Swap Club involves preparing monthly meals for other families. Everyone makes a meal (or more), then swaps their meal for another. I think this is a great way to share and have enlisted by neighbors to give this a try for a month or two.

What's exciting is one of my neighbors is on a raw-food diet. Although raw food isn't really on the Campbell's list of food exchange ideas, I am excited to learn more about eating only raw foods. I'm game for anything involving food and am eager to try a raw food meal.

If you enjoy cooking and sharing your recipes with others, give the Campbell's Supper Swap a try. Start by visiting www.CampbellsSupperSwap.com. Enter the sweepstakes to win the Chicago Cutlery Knife Set for you and your friends. Download the Supper Swap Club brochure.

Click on "Get Started" to create personalized evites for potential club members. If you win the Grand Prize, share your knife sets with participants. Be sure to entice them by telling them you will be sharing your prize if they share their favorite dishes! Afterall, a litle bribery never hurts :-)

The Campbell's Supper Swap website provides tasty, delicious recipes for the entire year. If you can't find what you're looking for, then head over to www.CampbellsKitchen.com, where you'll find recipes for breakfast to dinner and everything in between. You can setup your own recipe box to save your favorite recipes and retrieve them whenever you want.

Between these two websites, you should never need to wonder "What's for Dinner Tonight?"

Good Luck with the Sweepstakes. I hope you Win!!

Calling All Top Chef Fans - Enter the QuickFire Challenge Today!

Are you a Top Chef fan? Personally, I'm addicted to it. Although Stefan definitely has talent, he's a bit too arrogant for me. I'm rooting for Hosea and Carla and would be happy for either of them to win. Fabio seems like a great guy, but I'm not so certain he'll make it to the final four. And, while I hold nothing against Leah, when she quit during the fish cleaning challenge, I question her abilities as a Top Chef. Chefs can't quit no matter how tough the situation.

While watching Episode 11 last night, Top Chef aired a commercial inviting all chefs to enter the Quaker Oats Quickfire Challenge. Winners will be flown to New York City to compete against other Top Chef fans.

The Quaker Oats Quickfire Challenge ends on February 27, 2009, so it's time to get creative in the kitchen and test, test, test. However, before you begin be certain to read the Quaker Oats Quickfire Challenge rules.

My mind is racing with ideas after browsing the Quaker Oats recipes. I didn't realize you could do so many different things with oats. All this time, I've only eaten oats for breakfast or made cookies. Suddenly, a whole new world has opened up! I can't wait to get in the kitchen and start experimenting.

Even if you decide not to enter the contest, you can find exciting new recipes at both the Quaker Oats and Bravo TV websites. And, you're always welcome to try any of the recipes presented on The Cheap Gourmet blog.

Good luck with the Quaker Oats QuickFire Challenge!

Delicious Living Magazine

I am SO excited! I recently stumbled upon Delicious Living magazine and feel like a kid in a candy shop. I was introduced to Delicious Living many moons ago while working at a popular health food store in Indianapolis. Our boss was incredibly creative and as soon as Delicious Living arrived on the counters, she would grab a copy so her chefs could get to work on creating something new.

When we moved to Colorado, the nearest health food store was 20 miles one-way and I kind of lost track of the magazine. Ironically, Delicious Living is published in Boulder and at one time I was only 15 miles away from their office. If only I knew then what I know now.

Anyway, to this day, I still have Delicious Living recipes glued on index cards which I use in our family's monthly meal planning. What I love most about the recipes offered in the magazine is they always taste so good that even my picky "meat-and-potato" husband enjoys them.

So, imagine my surprise when I discovered the Delicious Living website! I can subscribe to the magazine once again AND I have access to their vast database of recipes 24/7. Life can't get any better!

For those of you who love cooking contests, check out the Delicious Living Recipe Contest. I'm going to get to work tweeking one of my appetizer recipes and get it submitted. The first prize winner walks away with a $150 gift certificate to the health food store of their choice, while one runner-up in each category is rewarded with a $75 gift certificate. I'd be pleased to win, how about you?

Delicious Living is a fabulous website and I think you will be pleased with the content, recipes, health notes, podcasts and more. Check them out online at www.DeliciousLivingMag.com.

Epicurious Holiday Video Contest

Epicurious, a website for people who love to eat, is sponsoring a Holiday Video Contest. The Grand Prize winner receives a Michael Chiarello 10-piece cookware collection, an autographed copy of "At Home with Michael Chiarello" and 15-minutes of Internet Fame!

As the name implies, this cooking contest involves the submission of a holiday video. You can upload a video showing how you prepare classic holiday fare, demonstrate entertainment techniques such as how to create a centerpiece or arrange spectacular table settings, showcase a signature cocktail or submit a video showing your family enjoying a holiday meal.

Your video must be original and family-friendly. Sorry folks, no "R" or "X" rated videos! Epicurious will be providing prizes to 29 people, with one being the Grand Prize winner. Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, January 2nd. Believe it or not, that's only 4 days from now!

In addition to the Epicurious Holiday Video Contest, the website offers an abundance of recipes, articles, food and entertainment guides, cooking videos and a friendly forum for foodies. When you register with Epicurious you'll have access to a variety of cooking tools. You can add Epicurious recipes to your own personal recipe box, submit recipes, connect with other foodies in the forum, rate recipes submitted by others and more. You can connect with me on the forums by searching for my username of "thecheapgourmet".

Don't delay! Post your favorite family holiday video today and you could be the Grand Prize winner. Just imagine how fun it will be to have your video featured on the Epicurious website!

To enter your holiday video visit the Epicurious website at www.Epicurious.com. Read the rules before submitting and make certain your entry arrives before the deadline.

Good Luck!!

Buitoni's "Refresh with Pesto" Contest

Buitoni, provider of fresh pasta products, is featuring a "Refresh with Pesto" contest which offers some great prizes including a $500 grocery gift certificate and a $500 gift certificate to Crate and Barrel. However, you don't want to procrastinate about entering because this food contest ends January 2nd. Don't let the deadline stop you from entering because if you win you could make out like a bandit!

If you're not familiar with Buitoni, they offer a wide variety of fresh pasta products including ravioli, tortellini, pasta sauces, cheeses, cut pasta, bruschetta and pesto. Buitoni products are offered in the refrigerated section of your favorite grocery store.

My personal favorite Buitoni products include their Four Cheese Ravioli, Chicken and Garlic Ravioli and Spinach Cheese Tortellini. I'm also a huge fan of their Pesto with Sundried Tomatoes, Marinara sauce and my all-time favorite is Buitoni's Vodka sauce - Yum-O!

The Buitoni website is a wealth of information and includes a free newsletter, pasta and sauce pairing tool, entertaining tips, a dinner party planning kit that allows you to create and print your own menu cards and much more. To learn more about Buitoni products visit their website at www.Buitoni.com. 

To enter Buitoni's "Refresh with Pesto Contest" simply submit one of your favorite holiday recipes and in 150 words or less, explain why you'd like it refreshed. Ten winners will be selected by a panel of culinary professionals. Nine winners will receive $150 gift certificate to their favorite grocery store and a one-year supply of Buitoni products. The Grand Prize winner receives a $500 grocery gift certificate, a $500 gift certificate to Crate and Barrel and a one-year supply of Buitoni products.

Learn more about Buitoni's "Refresh with Pesto Contest" by clicking here. Remember, this contest ends January 2nd, which is only 4 days away. Winning the contest is the perfect way to kick off the New Year in style!

Good Luck and please remember to let us know if you are selected as the winner!

Comfort Food Recipe Contest

Nubella.com is a wonderful healthy food website that offers an abundance of recipes, health tips, health news, healthy blogs and a variety of sponsored giveaways. Nubella is currently hosting a "Comfort Food Recipe Contest" where the winner receives a Sunbeam breadmaker.

To enter the contest, you simply need to email your recipe, along with a photo and
include your name, address, and city, as well as a few sentences about why it’s your favorite healthy comfort food.

The Comfort Food Recipe Contest ends on November 26th, 2007 so don't procrastinate. For details, visit www.Nubella.com. While you're there be certain to check out all the excellent information provided to help you get on track and stay on track with your health program. You'll find hundreds of delicious, easy-to-prepare healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even holiday menus!

Emeril's Kitchen Challenge Sweepstakes

Emeril's Kitchen Challenge Sweepstakes is presented by B&G Foods. The Grand Prize winner receives roundtrip airfare for for two to Las Vegas, 3 days/2 nights accommodations at the Venetian Hotel, dinner for two at Emeril's renowned Delmonico Steakhouse, plus $1000 spending money. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Three First Prize winners will receive a 14-piece set of Emerilware Stainless Steel Cookware Set and five Second Prize winners will receive an Emerilware Grill and Panini Maker. The Sweepstakes end on November 30th and you can enter once per day. It's open to legal residents within the 48 contiguous states.

Click here to learn more about Emeril's Kitchen Challenge Sweepstakes. This contest has expired.

While you're at the website signing up for the sweepstakes, you MUST play the Kitchen Challenge Game. I'm one of those people who skim directions, so it took me a few tries to figure it out. Here's how it works...

1. Emeril tells you what ingredients he needs.
2. You click on the ingredient and a timer starts.
3. When the ingredient is ready, it turns green.
4. Click on the green ingredient and drag it over to the Emeril who ordered it.

Visit B&G Foods, Inc. to for future contests and information on brand-name products.

$1000 Best Burger Contest

How would you like to win $1000 for creating an enormous burger? Well, here's your chance; but there is a catch...

In order to enter the contest, you need to purchase The Giant Hamburger Kit. It's only $29.95 plus shipping and includes essential elements required to construct a burger of this magnitude. For instance, the kit includes a freshly baked 16-inch hamburger bun. Where else are you going to find those? It's not like your local grocer stocks them on the shelf.

There's also a meat patty maker to help you craft the perfect hamburger. After all, it's not easy to form a 16-inch patty with your bare hands. The kit includes a step-by-step guide, serving tray, and serving box so you can take the gigantic burger to your special event. If you're hosting the event at home, use the box to keep the burger warm.

One giant burger feeds up to 25 people, making them perfect for kids sports, birthday and tailgate parties, office luncheons and having fun with friends. With football season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to invest in The Giant Hamburger Kit and enter the $1000 Best Burger Contest. Somebody's going to win it. Why not you?

You can find everything you need to host a spectacular party and create unlimited giant hamburgers by shopping in The Giant Hamburger Store. Not only can you purchase hamburger kits, you can also pickup extra buns, various seasonings, pickles, kitchen tools, BBQ grill and even a disposable camera to capture your special event.

The Giant Hamburger is also hosting a "Who Can Do It ?" contest. If you can eat an entire giant hamburger by yourself within 2 hours, you can win $1000. The website provide contest details along with ideas for how to host a "Eat the Whole Thing" Challenge. If you or someone you know can eat it all, read the details at TheGiantHamburger.net.

Good Luck!

Celebrate the Grape Sweepstakes

Celebrate the Grape Sweepstakes is sponsored by Center for Wine Origins and includes 5 day/4 night vacation for two to Champagne France, Porto, Portugal or Jerez, Spain.

Celebrate the Grape Sweepstakes will send Three Grand Prize winners and their guest on the trip of their dreams where they can discover the origins of fine wine.

Prize packages include round-trip, coach class transportation from New York City to the France, Portugal or Spain and hotel accommodations. Winners must be 21 years of age on or before August 29, 2007.

To enter the contest, you must answer three questions about wine. Therefore, I highly recommend visiting the Center for Wine Origins website and honing up on your wine knowledge. While you're there be sure to check out the the cool interactive pairing wheel under the "Wine Cellar" link.

Don't delay entering Celebrate the Grape Sweepstakes (this contest has expired). The website is functional and offers a wealth of information and resources.

Summer Cool-Down Recipe Contest

What's your favorite summer cool-down recipe? Is it a frothy beverage, a cold and creamy soup or a tantalizing crisp salad? Perhaps you have a family recipe for homemade ice cream or gelato? Whatever it is, it could win you a KitchenAid Chef Series Food Chopper from Nubella.com.

If you aren't familiar with Nubella.com, stop by and check them out at www.Nubella.com. This website is packed with health and wellness information, free recipes, nutrition facts and more.

The Summer Cool-Down Recipe Contest ends on August 16th, so don't delay and enter today!  Good Luck!

UPDATE: This contest has expired. Check with Nubella for new contests, events and healthy lifestyle information.

Friendly's Restaurant iScream Contest

Guess what?? Today is my birthday! I'm super excited because my family is taking me to get ice cream at Friendly's Restaurant. You see, thanks to The Cheap Gourmet blog, I met a woman named Jessica who works for Friendly's. She let me know about this really cool contest Friendly's Restaurant is hosting.

The iScream Give Us a Shout (expired) contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States who are at least thirteen (13) years old at the time of entry. It's super easy to participate in the iScream contest. Simply submit a video or photo at the Friendly's Restaurant website that shows how much you love Friendly's or life itself. I LOVE this concept - it's so upbeat and positive!

Two winners in each category (video and photo) are selected on a weekly basis and receive a bounty of prizes including digital cameras, camcorders, iPods^® and more.

The contest ends at 11:59 P.M. ET on August 12, 2007 so don't delay! Go to the website and read the details so you can get started right away.

I wish you the best of luck. If you submit a photo or video, be sure to come back here and post the URL for it. Then, we can all go and vote for it!

UPDATE: Here's a photo of why I LOVE life. I caught this handsome Bonnethead Shark on Saturday, July 28th. No worries though, I released him so he could return to hang out with his friends ;-)

 

Win a Samsung Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes

Samsung is hosting a Dream Kitchen sweepstakes in conjunction with Disney/Pixnar's new movie, Ratatouille.

Grand prize is a 5 day/4night trip for four to Paris with hotel accommodations at the Hotel Royal St. Honore.

First prize includes a set stainless steel kitchen appliances including:

Samsung French Door refrigerator
Convection Range
Microwave Oven
Dishwasher

Personally, I'm hoping to win the Samsung Dream Kitchen, although a trip to Paris would be pretty incredible.

Don't delay! The contest ends August 31st, 2007.

UPDATE: THIS CONTEST HAS EXPIRED.

Click Here for more Cheap Gourmet Cooking Contests and Sweepstakes

Cooking Contests

Do you have a passion for cooking? Do you have a family recipe that everyone raves about? If so, you might want to consider entering cooking contests. There is a lot of money to be made in submitting recipes or competing in cook-offs. Prizes can range from free products to several thousand dollars. The infamous Pillsbury Bake-Off offers a whopping $1 million cash prize!

One excellent resource for locating cooking contests is Cooking Contest Central located at www.RecipeContests.com. This site offers a preview of various cooking contests across the U.S. However, for a mere $25, you can subscribe to their service which offers updated cooking contests throughout the year. It's quite a bargain for those who are involved in competitive cooking.

You'll find a tremendous amount of valuable information at Cooking Contest Central including ongoing contests, contest tips, and cooking news. Isn't it time for your recipe to receive recognition?

Discover more contests via The Cheap Gourmet's "Cooking Contest" database. New contests are added frequently, so take a moment to subscribe to our RSS feed. You will be notified the instant new contests are added. Simply enter your email address in the "Subscription" box located in the upper right corner.

The Cheap Gourmet does not rent, sell, trade or use your email address for any reason other than to send blog updates.

Pillsbury Bake-off Contest

This Pillsbury Bake-off contest has ended, but you can learn more about upcoming contests and download valuable manufacturer coupons at www.Pillsbury.com.

This year marks the 43rd Pillsbury Bake-off and this year the grand prize is a whopping $1 million buck-a-rooni's! That's a lot of moolah!

Pillsbury Bake-off recipe categories include: Breakfast and Brunches, Pizza Creations, Appetizers, Old El Paso Mexican favorites, and Sweet Treats. Recipes must be submitted by April 22nd, 2007, so put on your chef hat and create a delightfully delicious recipe. You never know, you could end up being a millionaire!

Click here to learn more about the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Good Luck!