College Inn Ultimate Recipe Challenge Exchange

What a couple of weeks! I don't know about everyone else, but I'm just about ready to curl up in a big (red) blankie and hibernate until Spring. After getting everyone outfitted for school, finishing up a huge project, driving my mother to, from and all over Indiana for a week, I need a nap.

 Before anyone, woman or animal, can hibernate, you need to stock up the old tummy reserves, right? Of course. There's no better way this time of year to do that than a good old fashioned roast, soup, stew or casserole and one of my personal favorite additions for flavor is College Inn Broth. Boxed or canned, it's just the right balance of flavor I'm looking for when I don't have time to make my own stocks or broths from scratch (which doesn't seem to be too often lately!).

So, when I received some College Inn Broth goodies and recipes from Amanda Freitag for a dinner party, I got right on it. First, I made Amanda Freitag's Beer Braised Bold Beef Stew and Smashed Potatoes. Everyone loved it. Several of us ate it at home and it made enough for me to share at work, as well. The flavor and color was so rich and it went together easily. If you get the chance to make this, do it!

 Beautiful, isn't it? 

Next, I made my mom and grandmother's chuck roast, which I've posted about before, but instead of the usual water added, I used College Inn Tender Beef Bold Stock. I can say there was not a shred of meat left on that platter at the end of the meal. For that recipe, go HERE.

Our family chuck roast, even better.

Fun times at the dinner table. Not sure what all the giggling was about, but it's all good.

Now my favorite store-bought broth has paired with Amanda Freitag for a fantastic contest and fun giveaway. See what you think of this:

The Facebook contest is running until October 28th . The grand prize winner will win a $5,000 cash prize and a three day trip to San Francisco for two to attend a charity dinner with Amanda Freitag. (Who doesn't love Amanda Freitag?) Click HERE for the College Inn Facebook page and HERE for the contest app.

Two category winners will each receive a $500 cash prize AND Chef Amanda Freitag is one of the judges. Contestants may enter up to 10 recipes in the following categories:

Entrees
Soups
Stews
Side Dishes

For each eligible recipe entry, College Inn will donate $1.00 towards the Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry Campaign, up to $20,000! That. Is. Awesome. I've partnered with Share Our Strength for more than a few campaigns and this one is just another step toward ending childhood hunger. Good deal.

Now, the giveaway part happens right here. I have a little package of goodies for one lucky winner that includes College Inn products and branded cooking utensils and goodies:

o Five-piece cutting board set
o Soup to-go mug
o 60-minute kitchen timer shaped like a cooking pot (this is SO cute!)

Leave a comment and you will be instantly entered! Make sure to leave an email where you can be reached.

Contest ends Monday, November 5th at 11:59 PM so enter today!



**Disclaimer: All College Inn Product, branded products and gift card for ingredients was provided free of charge. All views are my own and not influenced in any way by College Inn.

Blow It When It's Hot

Do you believe that there's not enough emphasis on soup in contemporary culture? Have you ever wondered why nobody has ever written a rap about soup? Have you ever dreamed of being in a music video about soup?

Here's a mugshot ... er, photo, of the rapper himself.

Okay... probably not, but just in case the whole idea appeals to your strange and twisted sense of humor, then why not get involved with this little project: http://t.co/uSywHZoo

John Inverness is an armchair philosopher. He does philosophise about other things, but it is mainly about armchairs. John loves soup. So much so, that he has written a rap about it, based on Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot". It's very funny, but he needs a bit of moolah to make a video. He needs your help.

Head on over to watch this very silly video and drop a buck or two to help John reach his goal!

Simplify Your First Week Back with Kraft Foods Giveaway

UPDATED 8/31/12 We have a winner! Each comment was given a number and the numbers were run through a randomizer - the capture below shows the number to be 1 which is RHONDA! Congratulations Rhonda, and thank you everyone for participating!

There is quite possibly nothing more difficult for caregivers of school-aged children than back-to-school time. The rush, the runaround, the paperwork, the planning, the meals. It can make your head spin. With 5 off to school myself this year, I know this all too well.

Kraft has stepped in once again with a fabulous giveaway chock full of time-savers and sanity savers. I'd be hard-pressed to name my very favorite from this list of goodies I have to share, but I think the organizer in me is completely in love with the Weekly Meal Planner Pad  and Calendar Stickers. The Meal planner pad has a large magnet across the back so I can hang this at Family Central, a.k.a. the refrigerator. There are spaces for lunch, dinner and snacks/dessert along with a Notes section for AM, NOON and PM appointments and such. There's also a handy "Need to Buy" column - this really does keep everything all in one spot and ends the age-old question of "what's for dinner?" Now I point and they read.

The stickers are totally adorable as well and have everything you'll need for the whole year: travel, birthdays, wedding, shopping days, dr. appointments, work-outs and more! A quick label makes viewing your day at-a-glance so much easier.

The kids, of course, LOVE the CHIPS AHOY! Chewy Gooey Caramel and Chewy CHIPS AHOY! made with Reese’s ® Peanut Butter Cups. Here's a little hint, 5 seconds in the microwave make the centers even MORE gooey. Just in case you needed more.

The backpack is large and sturdy with lots and lots of pockets for pens, notes and change etc. and the sweat-free ice pack is perfect for use anywhere as it won't leak onto books or papers. As soon as the kids hit the door, have them use germ-X Hand sanitizer to save yourself the headache of back-to-school viruses. And once they're all clean, sit them down with those cookies and a glass of milk served with a classic Krazy Straw. My kids use these for everything they drink and they're sturdy so they can be washed and reused over and over.

There's also the cutest little notepad EVER ... shaped like an apple and very handy for those little notes you want to tuck into the kids' lunches or for the few things you need to grab on a shopping trip. Go have a look at it!

What else is in this pack? Lots more!

• A full box of CAPRI SUN Super V Fruit and Vegetable Juice Drink(Fruit Punch):  CAPRI SUN Super V is a new refreshing fruit & vegetable juice drink that kids will enjoy and moms will feel good about serving. The new ready-to-drink beverage, which comes in the popular CAPRI SUN pouch, contains a combined serving of fruits and vegetables (3/4 from fruit juice and 1/4 from vegetable juice) and is a good source of fiber, offering a perfect blend of nutrition, great taste and “kid cool.” 

• A coupon for LUNCHABLES with Smoothie: New Turkey and Cheddar Sub Sandwich with Chiquita® Strawberry Banana Smoothie and Double Stuf OREO cookies is the perfect first-day lunch time option that combines all of your kids’ favorites! You can also try the new Chicken Strips and Deep Dish Pizza options to add some variety to lunchtime! Also, look out for more exciting Lunchables news coming your way next month directly from the Lunchables team J

• A coupon for JELL-O with Mix-Ins Pudding Packs:  Feed your family a snack you can feel good about with new JELL-O with Mix-Ins. Mix your favorite toppings into your favorite pudding flavors to create your new favorite dessert. Kids will love trying the six fun flavors like Strawberry Shortcake, OREO Dirt Cup, Birthday Cake, German Chocolate Cake, Turtle Sundae and Banana Caramel Pie. And you’ll love that they’re made with real milk.

• And two boxes of New! VELVEETA CHEESY SKILLETS Dinner Kits in Creamy Beef Stroganoff and Lasagna: Craft your family a quick, easy, molten and melty dinner made with the liquid gold of VELVEETA. Wield your skillet and one pound of ground beef to forge a feast of new Creamy Beef Stroganoff, with premium seasonings, curly ribbon pasta, and creamy VELVEETA cheese sauce. Or, forge VELVEETA CHEESY SKILLETS Lasagna by smiting together one pound of ground beef, lasagna noodles, red sauce and premium seasonings together with the liquid gold of VELVEETA.

OK now - I KNOW you'll love this prize box as much as we did, so here's how to enter for your chance to WIN this $100 gift pack!

Each one of the following actions will count as a single entry for this great prize, so the more you do, the higher your chances of winning.

1. Follow @CookingwithAnne on Twitter and Tweet the following:
I'm entered to WIN KRAFT prizes and more @CookingwithAnne http://bit.ly/MZ1bsi !
Come back here to the blog and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet.

2. LIKE the Cooking with Anne page on Facebook. Come back here to the blog and leave a comment letting me know you've done so.

3. Follow me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/annecoleman/  and come back here to the blog to leave a comment letting me know you've done so.

That's THREE ways to win! 

Contest ends August 30th at 12:01 AM EST.

*Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value for review.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Cooking with Anne.

Back-to-School Giveaway with Polly-O String Cheese and Crayola

Updated 8/16/12 We have a WINNER! All the entrants were given a number, one number for each entry. The numbers were fed into the randomizer at Randomizer.org and the following screen capture shows the number to be 3 which is MANDA. Congratulations to our winner and thank you all for entering! Stay tuned for the next great giveaway starting tomorrow!

********************
The most hectic time of year for me has to be the weeks before and just after the back-to-school rush. This year the five youngest are off to school and the constant questions are already plaguing me: What are they wearing? What are they eating? What supplies do they need? This year I hope to help one lucky winner with at least a little of that worry.

Kraft and Crayola (two of my favorites) have teamed up to help feed our kids' hunger and creativity by offering the following terrific prizes, worth $70:

·         Two POLLY-O/KRAFT Sting Cheese Gratuity Coupons

·         Dry-Erase Bright Crayons

·         Dry-Erase Washable Markers

·         Dry-Erase Board Set

·         Twistable Colored Pencils

·         Wild Notes 1 subject

·         Wild Notes Journal

·         Wild Notes Refill Paper

·         A Lunch Box to pack their favorite lunches in

Everything in this photo PLUS two coupons for FREE Polly-O String Cheese!

How fun is that? Here's the deal. Below all this prize-winning mumbo jumbo, I'll share my own ideas for what to do with Polly-O String cheese and some more information for you to peruse, and then you'll enter and cross all you have!

Each one of the following actions will count as a single entry for this great prize, so the more you do, the higher your chances of winning.

1. Follow @CookingwithAnne on Twitter and Tweet the following:
I'm entered to WIN Crayola prizes and more @CookingwithAnne http://bit.ly/MZ1bsi  #KRAFTStringCheeseB2S!
Come back and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet.

2. LIKE the Cooking with Anne page on Facebook. Come back and leave a comment letting me know you've done so.

3. Tweet your favorite snack or lunch idea using Kraft Polly-O String cheese using the tag #KRAFTStringCheeseB2S. Come back here and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet - one Tweet per person.

4. Follow me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/annecoleman/ and come back to leave a comment letting me know you've done so.

That's FOUR ways to win! Go ahead and do that and I'll have coffee while you're gone...


All done? Good! Now, here's what I've done with Polly-O String Cheese to help feed the little minds I'm in charge of.

I STUFFED them! What? Really. I got to thinking about "ants on a log" and, honestly, my kids are only a fan of one part of those and it's not the ants or the log. So, I cut each stick of string cheese almost all the way through to the bottom, lengthwise, and got out some of the kids' favorite "little" foods and stuffed each one. Think of the possibilities! Once stuffed, wrap in plastic and pop them in their lunches or save them in the refrigerator for after-school snacks. Simple and really yummy. See what ideas you can come up with on your own.

From the left: Red pepper, red seedless grapes, all-natural no sugar added peanut butter, dried cranberries, almonds and salami.

Make sure you check out the following links for fun and information on Kraft and Crayola. Also, be sure to look for specially marked packages of Polly-O String Cheese from July 15th until September 30th that contain a coupon for $3.00 off your next $10.00 purchase of Crayola products. Who doesn't love that?


www.kraftbrands.com/kraftstringcheese 

www.kraftbrands.com/pollyostringcheese

www.crayola.com/kraftstringcheese

www.crayola.com/pollyostringcheese 


Thanks so much for reading and entering and best of luck to you!

Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value for review.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Cooking with Anne. This contest will run until August 16th at 12:01 AM EST so enter today!

 

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

Cooking with Anne turns 7 this year on July 4th, and in honor of my new-found maturity at such a ripe old age, I thought I'd come clean.

When I started this blog, it was sort of like every other blog out there; chatty, filled with personal info, serious at times, silly at times. I feel like I've gotten away from that (I know I have) so I want to share where I'm at.

Blogs are supposed to be personal in nature and I realize most of what I've shared lately hasn't been very personal other than the fact that my recipes are mine. Big deal. There are thousands of blogs that share personal recipes and mine is really no different in that respect.

I shared my grandmother's passing here, I shared my father's illness and death here, I shared a pregnancy and birth here, and I shared a personal family tragedy here and through each was supported with an unimaginable caring by my readers.

Here's the deal. I'm divorced. I divorced last August after 22 years of marriage. I'm sure a few of you, the ones who read through each update about my ex-husband's fall and subsequent hospitalizations and recovery are wondering why.

The truth is, beyond that tragedy was another tragedy that was happening every day for many, many years. I've been called a "saint" by close friends and I don't think I am at all, but I do know what I and my children survived for a very long time, and I finally had the courage to say, "enough". I won't get detailed, I don't think it's necessary, but those times where there are large blanks in my posting were the times when things were hardest.

I was presented with an amazing person who helps me daily to see me for me, not the person I was made to think I was; who keeps me smiling and genuinely cares about me. Without that person, I don't think I would have stood my ground and moved on. God is very funny that way ... I think He holds out on you until you're hanging by your last thread only to throw you the strongest rope you've ever had.

The point is, I'm here. I'm probably here for the long haul. Know this though, silence now is more likely the result of something GOOD happening here instead of something not-so-good. For everyone who still reads, I love you. I really do. Some of you have been here from the very start and you know who you are - I appreciate you - some days you were the light that pulled me through.

And, to the amazing someone who still keeps me going now (and the seven amazing kids who love me no matter what) ... I love you, too.