16 Giveaway from Bon Ami!

Happy Friday Giveaway!

Bon Ami, the much-revered American icon of cleaning, is generously giving away an assortment of their gentle, earth-friendly cleaners to FIVE Bentobloggy readers!  (Open to U.S. residents only.) 


I am especially excited because as some of you may know, I have quite a collection of vintage Descoware and  Le Creuset.  What do I use to clean these enameled cast iron pieces?  Bon Ami, of course!  It does an amazing job at getting off really tough spots of cooked-on food, with just a bit of elbow grease.  They also sent me their all-purpose spray which does a wonderful job AND smells good!  I just adore that it's safe for the environment being biodegradable, non-toxic and hypoallergenic.  Their packaging is even green - they use 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (so keep recycling, kids!)

"Bon Ami was originally developed as a gentle alternative to the gritty quartz-based scouring powders on store shelves in the 1880s. An enterprising young man noticed that the tools used to separate the unused feldspar mineral from the harder quartz were as shiny as silver. Bon Ami was born taking that waste product — feldspar — and mixing it with soap to make a cleanser that polished away dirt and stains without scratching. These days we call that “zero waste.” Back then it was a thrifty way to make a better cleanser."

HOW TO ENTER:

You must be a follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. See all those cool people in the upper left hand side under the title "followers"? You want to be one of them.  So click the little follow button and you're set for the rest.

Mandatory Entry:   Take a look at Bon Ami and in your FIRST entry comment tell us which Bon Ami product would help you most.

Want to increase your chances of winning? 
Here are some additional ways to get entries:

- Follow Bentobloggy on Facebook and/or Twitter:   Click to go to my Facebook page or Twitter.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you "Like" and/or follow Bentobloggy.  Besides, I do Facebook-only giveaways from time to time, and the winner will also be announced there!  If you already follow Bentobloggy on Facebook/Twitter, just leave a comment letting me know (one comment for each.) 
 Follow Bon Ami on Facebook - Click and "Like" Bon Ami's Facebook page, and leave a comment here to confirm.

- Tweet about this giveaway. Leave another comment telling me you tweeted it with a link back to your Twitter post which includes #Bentobloggy.

- Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment indicating that you've done so and post the link in a comment for me to see.

- Add a link to Bentobloggy to your blog roll.  Leave one last comment with the verifiable link, and if you already have Bentobloggy on your blog, just leave a comment saying so!

That's  a bunch of ways to enter, and to win.  Remember to leave a seperate comment for every entry you have.  Otherwise, your entries may not be valid.  Anyone who lives outside my house (but still within the U.S. ) can enter.   All winning entries will be validated.


Gosh, don't you just love these vintage ads?

You have until Sunday, November 6th, by 11:59 PM EST time to enter.

The winners will be chosen at random and announced the following day, on this blog and on Bentobloggy's Facebook page.  The winners have about 48 hours to claim their prizes - I reserve the right to choose a new winner after that. This giveaway is sponsored by Bon Ami.

1 All Things For Sale Bento Giveaway Winner!

So jealous, I really wanted this two-tier smiley bento box for myself!  So super cute.  

I'm very pleased to announce the winner of the latest AllThingsForSale bento giveaway is...comment #42, Diana - FreestyleMama!  

Congrats, Diana!  Please contact me within about 48 hours at emily AT bentobloggy DOT COM

If you didn't win, never fear!  You can order this bento box and more at AllThingsForSale.com and use the code BENTOBLOGGY2 to save 5% on your entire purchase!

I have a bunch of giveaways coming up, like, now, so come back in a bit!

52 All Things For Sale Bento Giveaway

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Our friends at AllThingsForSale.com are sponsoring another giveaway!

If you just can't wait to find out who the winner is, get 5% off your total by using the code BENTOBLOGGY2

One Bentobloggy reader will receive this two-tier smiley bento box with elastic strap, and a 60-count package of decorative candy eyeballs!  Super cute!

HOW TO ENTER:

Mandatory Entry: You must be a follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. See all those cool people in the upper left hand side under the title "followers"? You want to be one of them.  So click the little follow button, leave a comment telling me that you follow my blog, and you're automatically entered!  Take a look at AllThingsForSale and in your FIRST entry comment post a link to a bento item you'd like for your collection.

Want to increase your chances of winning? 
Here are some additional ways to get entries:

- Follow Bentobloggy on Facebook and/or Twitter:   Click to go to my Facebook page or Twitter.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you "Like" and/or follow Bentobloggy.  Besides, I do Facebook-only giveaways from time to time, and the winner will also be announced there!  If you already follow Bentobloggy on Facebook/Twitter, just leave a comment letting me know (one comment for each.) 
 Follow AllThingsForSale on Facebook - Click and "Like" AllThingsForSale Facebook page, and leave a comment here to confirm.

- Tweet about this giveaway. Leave another comment telling me you tweeted it with a link back to your Twitter post which includes #Bentobloggy.

- Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment indicating that you've done so and post the link in a comment for me to see.

- Add a link to Bentobloggy to your blog roll.  Leave one last comment with the verifiable link, and if you already have Bentobloggy on your blog, just leave a comment saying so!

That's  a bunch of ways to enter, and to win.  Remember to leave a seperate comment for every entry you have.  Otherwise, your entries may not be valid.  Anyone who lives outside my house (but still within the U.S. ) can enter.   All winning entries will be validated.

You have until Sunday, October 16th, by 11:59 PM EST time to enter.

The winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day, on this blog and on Bentobloggy's Facebook page.  The winner has about 48 hours to claim their prizes - I reserve the right to choose a new winner after that. This giveaway is sponsored by AllThingsForSale.


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1 Grilled Chicken Ravioli au Gratin with Bacon

Okay.  YUM.  I was so, so excited to try this last ravioli idea out.  The method is like a traditional gratin, but using this delicious grilled chicken & herb ravioli (again, compliments of Pasta Prima.)

Ingredients:

1 package of Grilled Chicken & Mozzarella Ravioli , uncooked
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup heavy cream
4-5 strips of cooked and chopped crispy bacon
salt & pepper
soft butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter an oven and stove top-safe au gratin or baking dish.

Next, layer the ravioli pieces evenly in the bottom of the dish, and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.

Sprinkle chopped bacon on top of the ravioli.

Spread shredded Swiss on top of the bacon.

Repeat with additional ravioli, if desired, topping with more salt, pepper, bacon and cheese.  After topping with the last bit of cheese, slowly add the cream over the top.  You may or may not need the whole cup, just so it comes about halfway up the dish.

Set the entire dish over a medium-low flame on the stove, and bring to just barely a bubble.  As soon as you see that, take it off and pop it in the hot oven.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling gently.  If it bubbles more than gently, turn down the heat so that the sauce doesn't break.

Voila!

Creamy, cheesy yumminess!  Serve and top with a bit of parsley or thyme on top.  The melted Swiss top is crunchy and amazing just by itself.  I'd love to try this method out with other ravioli fillings too, like spinach.  Easy and delicious, comfort food at its finest.

0 Five Cheese Ravioli with Basil Portabella Mushroom Compote

This second Pasta Prima recipe is an entree dish I'm calling Five Cheese Ravioli with Basil Portabella Mushroom Compote.  It's rich and savory, and even vegetarian!  Miss E adored it and ate it all (in fact, this was her plate.)

Ingredients:

1 package of Pasta Prima Five Cheese Ravioli cooked according to package directions
16 baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced green onions, greens and whites
1/4 cup red wine
1/8 cup cream
2 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbs whole grain prepared brown mustard
1 Tbs basil pesto (homemade is best - here is my recipe)
1 tsp thyme
butter
olive oil
salt & pepper
parsley

Directions:

Begin by sauteing the mushrooms and garlic over medium-high heat in about 3 Tbs butter, and a little olive oil, salt and pepper until they are browned, about 10 minutes.

Next, add the green onions and cook until softened, lower heat then add the mustard, wine and thyme and stir to combine, letting it bubble gently for 3-4 minutes.  Add the pesto and cream, and stir, slightly bubbling to reduce to a thick, creamy consistency.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with the Five Cheese Ravioli and garnish with parsley and fresh cracked pepper.

The mushroom compote really gives meaty and savory substance to this creamy cheese ravioli, which is delicious!

I have one more really exciting recipe to post tomorrow!

0 Panko & Sage Crusted Butternut Squash Ravioli

I have a couple of ravioli recipes to get out of my system. I was invited by Pasta Prima Foods to come up with a few original recipes for some of their tasty, all-natural ravioli in their Ravioli Reinvention contest.  Well, I'm happy to oblige!  They sent me a great package with a couple pieces of kitchen items, plus packages of their delicious ravioli.

The first dish I'm posting is a crunchy, savory appetizer made with their beautiful Butternut Squash Ravioli.  I just love the contrast of the light crunchy breading with the creamy interior.  Big hit with my 5-year-old as well as my sister-in-law, the only ones lucky enough to snag some of these before they were gone.  Miss E kept saying, "Mom...this is...REALLY good!"

Ingredients:

1 package of Pasta Prima Butternut Squash Ravioli
2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tsp dried sage
1 tsp EACH of paprika, sea salt and garlic powder
3/4 tsp EACH of black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and dried thyme
dash nutmeg
light olive oil for frying

Directions:

In a large heavy pan (I used a 3 qt cast iron braiser) heat about 1/2" of light olive oil (enough to submerge half a ravioli) over a medium flame

Combine all dry ingredients except nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl.
In a second bowl add the cream.
In a third bowl lightly beat the eggs with the nutmeg.

Arrange your panko, cream and eggs in bowls in whatever order works for you.

Start by dunking the ravioli in the cream, shake off the excess and then coat in the egg mixture.  After letting the excess egg drip off, coat the ravioli in the seasoned panko and again gently shake any loose crumbs off.  If you want a thicker crust, dunk in the egg and then panko once more.

When the olive oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add the breaded ravioli one at a time, slowly enough so that the oil temperature doesn't drop too low. I did these in three batches. It's important for the oil to be hot enough so that the ravioli cooks quickly and doesn't hold onto excess oil.  

Cook about 1 minute per side, or until they turn golden brown and puff up.  

Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to paper towels.  Serve piping hot.  They look so pretty with the red and white stripes, and are insanely delicious to boot with the complementary sage and panko.  Perfect little finger food for a dinner party, give them a try!

66 Greentainer USA Giveaway!

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As promised, I am very excited to announce an awesome Greentainer giveaway from GreentainerUSA in honor of the school year ending (and our last day today!)  They have a very nice selection of versatile stainless steel lunch containers and trays which are perfect to add to any bento collection.  What's really great about these guys is that they are very easy to clean in the dishwasher - no hand washing required, as many plastic items are, and of course they are extremely eco-friendly, and naturally BPA-free. GreentainerUSA sent me one of each of their products to try out, and as you can see in the past few lunches, I've really enjoyed using them!  My favorite so far is the two-tier large round container with clips, and the large trays.  My only [small] complaint is the paper label stickers...those suckers wouldn't come off without the use of a trusty Magic Eraser.  But once you've tackled those, the containers are ready to go!

GreentainerUSA is generously giving away one (1) Greentainer of the winner's choice to one Bentobloggy reader living in the U.S.A..


Take a look at some of the offerings they have.

HOW TO ENTER:

Mandatory Entry: You must be a follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. See all those cool people in the upper left hand side under the title "followers"? You want to be one of them.  So click the little follow button, leave a comment telling me that you follow my blog, and you're automatically entered!  Take a look at GreentainerUSA and in your comment post a link to an item you'd like to add to (or start) your collection.

Want to increase your chances of winning? 
Here are some additional ways to get entries:

- Follow Bentobloggy on Facebook and/or Twitter:   Click to go to my Facebook page or Twitter.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you "Like" and/or follow Bentobloggy. If you already follow Bentobloggy on Facebook/Twitter, just leave a comment letting me know (one comment for each.) 

- Tweet about this giveaway. Leave another comment telling me you tweeted it with a link back to your Twitter post.

- Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment indicating that you've done so and post the link in a comment for me to see.

- Add a link to Bentobloggy to your blog roll.  Leave one last comment with the verifiable link, and if you already have Bentobloggy on your blog, just leave a comment saying so!

That's (6) ways to enter, and (6) ways to win. Remember to leave a seperate comment for every entry you have.  Otherwise, your entries may not be valid.  Anyone who lives outside my house (but still within the U.S. or Canada) can enter. 

You have until Sunday, June 5th, by 11:59 PM EST time to enter.

The winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day, and the winner has about 48 hours to claim their prizes - I reserve the right to choose a new winner after that. This giveaway is sponsored by GreentainerUSA.com




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4 Primo27 Spice Winner!

Congrats to commenter #6 - The Jewett Family!  Please email me at emily AT bentobloggy DOT com within about 48 hours to claim your prize - some deliciousness awaits!

Remember, you can visit Spice Crafters and order your very own, and get 20% off your order when you use the code BENTOBLOGGYSPICE.

10 ***CLOSED*** Spice Crafters Primo27 Giveaway!

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In November of last year I received a couple bottles of Primo27 seasoning salt and original spice blend from Spice Crafters to review. I was intrigued by the complex flavors, and I've experimented with it in some delicious meals, including baked pork chops and a mouth-watering Hungarian stew.  As I said:

"Best of all, no fillers or free flow agents and it's always freshly ground.  And, priced at $7.99, it's a fantastic deal, especially considering how much spice you get! It includes allspice, annatto seed, bay leaf, chilies, cloves, cumin, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, paprika, sea salt, star anise, turmeric, and more."

I was very impressed with the blends, and so when Spice Crafters approached me about doing a giveaway on Bentobloggy, I thought it was an excellent idea. 

The prize is a pack of two bottles, one each of the Primo27 Original Blend and Seasoning Salt, shipped free anywhere in the U.S..

Even more exciting...we can potentially have three winners!  If this giveaway gets 100 entries, Spice Crafters will give away two prize packs.  If this giveaway gets 200 or more entries, they will give away three!

If you just can't wait to see if you've won the contest, you can visit Spice Crafters and order your very own, and get 20% off your order when you use the code BENTOBLOGGYSPICE

HOW TO ENTER

Mandatory Entry:  All you need to do to enter is be a follower of this blog (either by clicking 'Follow' in the top left corner or through Google Friend Connect) AND Spice Crafter's Facebook page.  To enter you must leave a comment answering the question below and telling me you follow in BOTH places.  

The contest is:  "What would you make with Primo27 spice blends?"  Your first comment should include your creative idea.

Want to increase your chances of winning? 

Here are some additional ways to get entries:

- Follow Bentobloggy on Facebook. Click to go to my Facebook page.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you follow Bentobloggy.  

- Follow Bentobloggy on Twitter. Click to go to my Twitter page.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you follow Bentobloggy.  

- Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment indicating that you've done so and post the link in a comment for me to see.

- Tweet about this giveaway. Leave another comment telling me you tweeted a link to this giveaway with a link back to your Twitter post.

- Add a link to Bentobloggy to your blog roll.  Leave one last comment with the verifiable link, and if you already have Bentobloggy on your blog, just leave a comment saying so!

That's six ways to enter, and six ways to win. Remember to leave a seperate comment for every entry you have. Otherwise, your entries may not be valid.  This contest is open to everyone with a valid ship-to address who lives outside my house.  Void where prohibited and all that jazz.  

You have until Sunday, April 10th, by 11:59 PM EST time to enter.

The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced the following day, and the winner has about 48 hours to claim their prize - I reserve the right to choose a new winner after that.   Winner posted here.

This contest is sponsored by Spice Crafters. View my disclosure.

3 Winner!

Well, I have to say that today presents a great opportunity for teaching my daughter that you can't win all the time, not even mommies and daddies!  Bentobloggy came in a very close second to the first place blog in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards, and even though we didn't achieve first place, I'm still ecstatic to have been recognized as having a worthy message and a great blog. You can check out the standings here.  Thanks to everyone who supported Bentobloggy!

From About.com:

Blogger is Google's free blogging service. This year we asked you to find the best blogs on blogger, and you delivered. We had five great choices which were voted on by some very passionate fans. The voting was very close for the top two blogs, so they both deserve a big round of applause for having such dedicated fans.


Bentobloggy
Bento is a Japanese tradition of ornate lunches prepared for school children, and the tradition has become trendy in the US as a way to get picky children to try new foods. Bentobloggy's author, Emily, describes her blog as "An on-the-go mom seeks to keep her kid interested in healthy and adventurous eating through creative lunches and cooking."


This blog was a very close second place in this year's Readers' Choice Award. Well done, Bentobloggy!

Now, on to the real winner of the subject of this blog post - the Le Creuset Tarte Tatin dish!

The winner is commenter #7!

Congratulations!  Please contact me at emily AT bentobloggy DOT com within 48 hours to claim your prize.

I'm having a spice giveaway next, stay tuned!

75 A BIG Thank You, and a BIG Giveaway

I want to thank each and every one of you who voted for Bentobloggy in the About.com's Readers' Choice Awards!  It's an enormous honor to even be nominated, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you SO much.  No matter who wins, it was fun and exciting.

We won't know until next Tuesday the 15th who the official winner is but until then...I have a little surprise which I've been saving for a special occasion, and I think now's the perfect time.

You saw that luscious-looking Tarte Tatin the other day, right?  Well, it was created in a wonderful Le Creuset Tarte Tatin 2 quart enameled cast iron dish from their new (old?) Heritage Collection.  I'm giving away one of these babies in the classic Flame color you see below (my personal favorite, which I collect like a fiend.)  And it's not just for tarts.  You can use it to cook absolutely anything - quiche, pizza, vegetables, you name it. If it fits, it'll cook beautifully on the stove and in the oven.  And how about those cool handles, huh?

HOW TO ENTER

Mandatory Entry:  All you need to do to enter is be a follower of this blog (either by clicking 'Follow' in the top left corner or through Google Friend Connect) AND Bentobloggy's Facebook page.  To enter you must leave a comment below telling me you follow in BOTH places.  Tell me what would you make in your new Tarte Tatin dish if you win.

Want to increase your chances of winning? 

Here are some additional ways to get entries:

- Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment indicating that you've done so and post the link in a comment for me to see.

- Follow me on Twitter. Click to go to my Twitter page.  Leave a comment in this post telling me that you follow Bentobloggy.  

- Tweet about this giveaway. Leave another comment telling me you tweeted a link to this giveaway with a link back to your Twitter post.

- Add a link to Bentobloggy to your blog roll.  Leave one last comment with the verifiable link, and if you already have Bentobloggy on your blog, just leave a comment saying so!

That's five ways to enter, and five ways to win. Remember to leave a seperate comment for every entry you have. Otherwise, your entries may not be valid.  This contest is open to everyone with a valid ship-to address who lives outside my house.  Void where prohibited and all that jazz.  

You have until Monday, March 14th, by 11:59 PM EST time to enter.

The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced the following day, and the winner has about 48 hours to claim their prize - I reserve the right to choose a new winner after that. 

This contest is sponsored by Bentobloggy (me.)  This giveaway has no affiliation with any of the brands or links listed.

I also would like to take a moment to congratulate my competitors on their nominations.  I'm certain they appreciate their fans as much as I appreciate mine.  Here are their links in order of voting appearance:

Cake Wrecks 

Single Dad Laughing 
Mouses Houses 
Born Gay Born This Way 

Bentobloggy garnered approximately 8,625 unofficial votes.

Thank You!