Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
Introducing the 5 hour ENERGY� Yummification Video Contest Featuring Pomegranate Pink Lemonade Sparkler
These days, it seems like having a crazy-busy schedule is a foregone conclusion. Like me, everyone I talk to seems to have a “to do” list thats a mile long -- and they feel like there’s never enough hours in the day to get everything done. Sometimes, we all need a little pick-me-up. From time to time, I pick up a 5-hour ENERGY® shot to give me a quick burst of energy in the afternoons. That said, its taste can be a bit…ahem…strong for my palate! The makers of 5-hour ENERGY® recognized this, so they recently announced their Yummification Video contest to find the best-tasting recipe featuring one of their ENERGY shots! Heres the details:
5-hour ENERGY® recently asked me to share this contest with my readers by creating a tasty Yummification beverage featuring any 5-hour ENERGY® shot of my choosing. If you’ve never tried this product, here’s some handy information:
- 5-hour ENERGY® shots are dietary supplements that provide hours of energy and alertness.
- They contain a blend of B-vitamins, amino acids, and essential nutrients.
- They help people feel alert and energized for hours.
- They contain zero sugar, zero carbs, zero herbal stimulants…and only 4 calories!
- The amount of caffeine in a 5-hour ENERGY® shot is comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee.
- People may consume up to 2 bottles of 5-hour ENERGY®, spaced several hours apart. For moderate energy needs, simply drink half a bottle of 5-hour ENERGY®.
One quick note to keep in mind: 5-hour ENERGY® is not an energy drink or intended to be mixed with alcohol. It is not intended for children, women who are pregnant or nursing, or people with medical conditions. It does not increase physical performance, dexterity, or endurance – and it does not treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Do not drink more than two per day, and do not drink more than one at a time.For my personalized Yummification beverage, I created a simple and fizzy beverage with only 3-ingredients, including the 5-hour ENERGY® Pink Lemonade shot. My Summer-perfect Pomegranate Pink Lemonade Sparkler is fruity and fizzy…and it gives you a boost of added energy too! Ready to see the recipe?
Pomegranate Pink Lemonade Sparkler
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 1 5-hour ENERGY® Pink Lemonade shot
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 cup sugar-free, caffeine-free lemon-lime soda
Directions: Add all ingredients to a tall glass and add ice cubes. Add a straw and stir. That’s it!
This beverage is tart and fizzy…and perfect for lemonade lovers! Its super refreshing on a hot Summer afternoon. I especially like how the addition of the sugar-free soda and juice cuts the sour taste of the straight 5-hour ENERGY®. After drinking this beverage, I had plenty of energy for a couple of hours writing, dinner preparation, and even a bit of tidying up in the kitchen. I didn’t have any bothersome rebound energy drops later in the evening either!
So…want to enter the 5-hour ENERGY® Yummification video contest? Its so simple! The makers of 5-hour ENERGY® are holding a video contest, and winners will win a share of $100,000 for creating a video of their favorite way to mix a 5-hour ENERGY® shot with everyday beverages. The contest will be judged on two criteria: (1) the creativity of the video and (2) the taste of the creation. Check out these prizes!
- One Grand Prize winner will receive $50,000 – and the following prizes will also be awarded:
- Second Prize (1): Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000)
- Third Prize (1): Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000)
- Fourth Prizes (10): One Thousand Dollars ($1,000)
All entries must be received by August 19, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EDT to be eligible. No purchase necessary, and the contest is open to U.S. residents only (18 years and up). To enter and view the official contest rules, simply visit www.5houryummification.com and follow the instructions to complete the entry form. You can also Like 5-hour ENERGY® on Facebook and follow the instructions to click the contest tab. Make sure to follow 5-hour ENERGY® Twitter too.
Disclosure: The makers of 5-hour ENERGY® provided me with a variety pack of energy shots, along with a gift card, to facilitate this article. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Puff Pastry Breakfast Chimichanga Rolls for EBeggs yourbestrecipe Contest a Prize Pack Giveaway
May is National Egg Month, celebrating eggs...one of the most versatile foods that I know of! Do you have a fabulous original recipe in your repertoire that features eggs? If so, then Ive got great news to share with you today! You can now go visit the Eggland’s Best website to enter their 2014 Eggland’s Best Recipe Contest. Theyll accept original recipes containing at least TWO Egglands Best eggs via their website between now and July 31st. One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize and a years supply of EB eggs. In addition, category winners will receive a cash prize of $1,000 and a six-month supply of EB eggs. This year, Eggland’s Best is adding two new cash prize awards to their contest: the Kid Friendly Award and the Fan Favorite Award! Not all eggs are created the same! Eggland’s Best eggs are superior in nutrition, taste, and freshness. May is National Egg Month, celebrating one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen -- eggs! By choosing Eggland’s Best eggs over ordinary eggs, youre getting an egg that is fresher, tastes better, and contains more vitamins and nutrients. Did you know the majority of vitamins and nutrients of an egg are found in the yolk? Compared to ordinary eggs, EB eggs have:o Four times more vitamin D
o More than double the omega-3s
o Ten times more vitamin E
o 25% less saturated fat
Puff Pastry Breakfast Chimichanga Rolls
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 4 Eggland’s Best large eggs
• 1 tbs. butter
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 4 ounces cooked, crumbled Mexican chorizo
• 3/4 cup canned refried black beans
• 3/4 cup prepared pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 large avocado, diced small
• 3/4 cup shredded four-cheese Mexican blend
• Garlic salt and chili powder
Instructions:
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs and season with salt & pepper. Scramble the eggs and set aside. Cook the chorizo in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, breaking into crumbles as it cooks. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Combine the pico de gallo, corn, and diced avocado in a small bowl to make a chunky corn-avocado salsa. Preheat oven to 425. Top a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Cut the thawed puff pastry into four squares and arrange on top of the parchment.
Step 3: Spread each puff pastry square with one-fourth of the refried black beans. Then top with one-fourth of the scrambled eggs, chorizo, and cheese along the right side of each square. Top with one spoonful of the corn-avocado salsa.
Step 4: Carefully roll the puff pastry squares into a tight log, making sure the filling stays inside. Sprinkle the tops with salt and chili powder.Bake until golden-brown, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut in half with a serrated knife to show off the gorgeous filling inside!
Additional Notes:
(1) To make this dish veg-friendly, substitute soy chorizo.
(2) This dish is easily doubled if you have a crowd on hand.
(3) I served the sliced Puff Pastry Breakfast Chimichanga Rolls on a serving platter with the remaining corn-avocado salsa and ranch dressing on the side. I loved drizzling them
with a bit of the ranch and sprinkling more salsa on top like pretty confetti!
I totally loved these portable breakfast rolls! Stuffed inside flaky puff pastry is layers of fluffy scramble eggs, spicy chorizo and salsa, gooey melted cheese, and smoky refried beans. Add it all up, and youve got a winner of a dish...at least, Im hoping that this dish will be a contest winner! Speaking of winner...Egglands Best is offering a prize pack to help one lucky reader purchase ingredients to create their original recipe entry. The winner will receive TWO coupons for a free carton of Egglands Best eggs and a $25 Visa gift card! Follow the instructions below to enter. Ill accept entries until Friday, May 9th, and the winner will be notified via e-mail this weekend. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: The Eggland’s Best coupons, information, and two gift cards have been provided by Eggland’s Best.
I totally loved these portable breakfast rolls! Stuffed inside flaky puff pastry is layers of fluffy scramble eggs, spicy chorizo and salsa, gooey melted cheese, and smoky refried beans. Add it all up, and youve got a winner of a dish...at least, Im hoping that this dish will be a contest winner! Speaking of winner...Egglands Best is offering a prize pack to help one lucky reader purchase ingredients to create their original recipe entry. The winner will receive TWO coupons for a free carton of Egglands Best eggs and a $25 Visa gift card! Follow the instructions below to enter. Ill accept entries until Friday, May 9th, and the winner will be notified via e-mail this weekend. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: The Eggland’s Best coupons, information, and two gift cards have been provided by Eggland’s Best.
Announcing the 5 hour ENERGY� Yummification Contest Winner!
Disclosure: This is a compensated post for 5-hour ENERGY®. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
A Driscollsberry Strawberry Shortcake Contest Featuring Limoncello Strawberry Shortcake strawshort
May is National Strawberry Month…and June 14th is National Strawberry Shortcake Day. As much as we love strawberries, this is definitely cause for celebration in my house! The Daily Meal is partnering with Driscoll’s on a strawberry shortcake recipe contest for its Culinary Content Network. The winner will receive a year’s supply of Driscoll’s berries, so you can bet I jumped on the opportunity to take part! Driscolls are my favorite berries, because theyre consistently juicy and sweet. I put on my culinary thinking cap to come up with a great recipe. I love old-school strawberry shortcake – it’s one of my favorite Summertime desserts! I wanted to stay true to the original that features a sweet biscuit, ripe strawberries, and homemade whipped cream…but I wanted to amp it up a bit. My original creation is Limoncello Strawberry Shortcake. Just let that concept roll around in your brain for a moment or two!
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| Photograph courtesy of Driscolls |
If you’ve never had limoncello, let me clue you in. Limoncello is Italian lemon liqueur…and it’s downright addictive if you love citrus! I used this magical elixir to flavor my strawberries, as well as the whipped cream. To keep the lemon flavor going, I added lemon zest and a bit of lemon curd to my shortcake dough. The end result was just what I was hoping for! The sweet-tart limoncello and lemon curd complimented my organic Driscoll’s strawberries perfectly, without overwhelming them. The strawberries still take center stage, but the lemon flavor profile was amazing! This is my kind of dessert: easy to make, but impressive to look and totally delish! Even inexperienced bakers can whip up a batch of these Limoncello Strawberry Shortcakes and impress everyone around your dinner table tonight.
Limoncello Strawberry Shortcakes
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients (for four shortcakes):
For the strawberries:
- 1 16-ounce container Driscoll’s organic strawberries, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbs. limoncello (lemon liqueur)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
For the whipped cream:
- 8 ounces heavy cream
- 1 tbs. limoncello
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
For the shortcakes:
- 2 cups baking mix
- 3 tbs. granulated sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1/3 cup lemon curd
- Zest of one lemon
- Coarse sanding sugar – I found some that sparkles, which is gorgeous!
- Powdered sugar
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425. Place the chopped strawberries, limoncello, and sugar in a large airtight container. Stir well to combine the ingredients, seal, and refrigerate. Let the berries hang out and macerate for about an hour, while you prep the rest of the shortcake components. The berries will release their juice, forming a delicious syrup.
Step 2: Combine the shortcake ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir just until a soft dough forms. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Using a spoon, divide the dough into four mounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each shortcake liberally with the sanding sugar. Bake the shortcakes for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown. I rotated the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
Step 3: Let the shortcakes cool for at least 20 minutes before assembling. This give you a pocket of time to make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, limoncello, and vanilla to a chilled bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip on low for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar. Combine on low for 30 seconds, then increase speed to med-high. Whip until the cream forms stiff peaks – approximately 2-3 minutes longer.
Step 4: To assemble, cut the tops off the shortcakes with a serrated bread knife. Place the bottom half of the shortcake on a plate. Top with approximately ½ cup of the sweetened whipped cream, one quarter of the berries, and the top of the shortcake. Sprinkle the composed shortcake and the plate with powdered sugar. Serve immediately…and get ready for the compliments to start!
Mercy…this lemon-infused strawberry shortcake is truly divine! The Driscolls strawberries are juicy and sweet, with a nice citrus punch from the limoncello. The shortcake has a tender, moist interior…somewhere between a biscuit and cake. It’s crusty outside, with a nice crunch from the sanding sugar. You can definitely taste a subtle lemon flavor in the shortcake. The whipped cream has a subtle lemon flavor as well, and it’s perfectly sweetened. If you’ve never made whipped cream with powdered sugar, definitely give it a try! It’s my secret to long-lasting whipped cream. I find that powdered sugar provides more stability than granulated, and it gives the cream a nice structural integrity.
Add it all up, and you’ve got one fine strawberry shortcake. Michael took one bite of his shortcake last night and proclaimed it a keeper! That’s always spells success to me…if my husband comments profusely about something I bake, then I know its good. Now that strawberry season is here, you can bet I’ll be making this Limoncello Strawberry Shortcake again and again. For July 4th, you could also add some fresh blueberries to the mix for a patriotic dessert.
Disclosure: I received product coupons from Driscoll’s to facilitate recipe development for my contest entry. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Pritikin Longevity Institutes 35th Anniversary Blogger Contest
I was recently invited to take part in the Pritikin Longevity Centers 35th Anniversary Blogger Contest. If youre not familiar with Pritikin, they focus on healthy living via a three-pronged approach focused on healthy eating; cardiovascular, strength, and stretching activity; and a healthy mindset. I really like that their approach is holistic and focuses on health rather than a quick-fix approach to weight loss. For my entry, Im sharing a health goal that I want to reach by 2015. So...here it goes for all of the Internet to see: My health goal for 2015 is to lose 30 lbs. and lower my cholesterol under 200. Because of the nature of what I do via The Weekend Gourmet, this is going to be a challenge...but its one that I know must be done. Im closing in on 50 in a couple of years (not sure how THAT happened...), and maintaining a healthy weight is suddenly about more than rocking a bikini. Its about staying healthy and living a longer life. Im hoping that a weekend stay at the Pritikin Longevity Center will be the catalyst to make some changes in my health...and my waistline.
I love having a food blog...which started because of my love of good food and wine. I freely admit that being a food writer has a lot of great perks. I receive samples of food products several times a week, and were often invited to visit fabulous restaurants for menu tastings. This is great fun...but it has had one negative aspect that I dont write about much in here: weight gain. True confession time: Ive gained 30 lbs. since starting The Weekend Gourmet in 2010...or about 10 pounds per year (yikes!)...and the extra pounds definitely show when I take photographs. If I keep it up at that rate...its not going to be pretty. I dont want to buy clothes another size larger, so I have to do something pronto. Im hoping that Pritikin can be the spark that I need to make some much-needed changes. I need to find balance in my life. Between a busy day job and running an ever-growing blog? Sometimes exercise and taking time to focus on me fall by the wayside. I want to learn to balance my time so I can provide great content here...while finding time to go for a 30-minute evening walk. I want to enjoy the perks of being a food writer...but in a responsible way that allows me to steadily lose weight. 
Deprivation simply will not work for me...so Pritikins moderate, healthy approach really appeals to me! If Im selected as the winner in this contest, Ill receive a weekend at the exclusive Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami. While there, I would take part in the weekends official 35th anniversary celebration. Id also take part in fitness classes, and interactive nutrition and cooking classes. I think this weekend would be the jumpstart that I need to meet my health goal. Exercise and healthy eating will definitely help me lose weight and lower my cholesterol to a healthier level. If I am selected by Pritikin, Ill share the experience in here...and keep everyone updated on my progress throughout the rest of the year. To find out more about Pritikin and its program, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.Disclosure: I was invited to participate in Pritikin Longevity Centers 35th Anniversary Blogger Contest. All opinions expressed are my own.
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