Mango & Tomato: eightdaysofhanukkahgiveaway

12/5/13

BONUS Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway :) $25 Whole Foods Gift Card!

I tricked you all! I made it sound like yesterday's post was the last one in the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway posts, but it wasn't!! You have one more chance to win a fun gift. This one is a $25 gift card from Whole Foods!

This card is limited edition, and not only is it really pretty, but it's made from sustainably harvested birch wood. Did you know birches are some of my favorite trees? They remind me of growing up in Russia.

This is a season of getting together with friends and family, hosting parties, and being invited to friends' houses. I thought it'd be fun to discuss what you can get with $25 at Whole Foods as a hostess gift!

Here are some of my ideas:

an orchid and a few bars of chocolate
2-3 bottles of wine from different countries
a selection of soaps and candles
a basket full of clementines and a few pomegranates
a Christmas tree (okay...maybe that's not a stellar idea)

Or, you can do a Morning After gift: something your hosts can use after throwing a party. Who would not love a mimosa with fresh fruit and piping hot scones?

All you need is a bottle of sparkling wine, a bottle of juice, a scone mix and a container of fresh fruit.

I decided to buy a bottle of prosecco, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, a mix of lemon poppy scones (it only requires you to add water!), and a container of sweet strawberries. I know what you are thinking: it's winter and not strawberry season, but the berries were super sweet.

All this turned into this :)

Who would not love this?

And now for your chance to win a $25 gift card to Whole Foods!

1) You must ♥ gift cards!!
2) You must have a legal US address.
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a $25 Whole Foods gift card, and the company is providing the same to one winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

12/4/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 8. Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes & a Recipe for Spicy Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup

We've made it!!! It's the last day of Hanukkah and the last day of Eight Days Of Hanukkah Giveaway.

This giveaway is only for those who live in DC area!!! But the rest of you can still enter the other 7 giveaways:

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate
Day 3: Bonne Maman Jams & Le Creuset Jam Jar
Day 4: Lindsay Olives
Day 5: Sabra
Day 6: Nudo olive oil set
Day 7: OXO tools

Today I am happy to share with you a lovely gift basket from Muir Glen Organic. I love having wonderful canned tomatoes in my pantry because they make whipping up a quick meal a breeze. Turn them into sauces, shakshuka, or even a quick salsa. And of course, there's always a soup. This time I made Spicy Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup using one of the cans of Muir Glen Organic tomatoes.

Before I give you the recipe, here's what one lucky DC area winner will get: a basket with 4 types of Muir Glen Organic tomatoes, a can opener, a few coupons for more products, a cute towel and a recipe book.

And now the recipe!

Spicy Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 chile in adobo, seeds removed, diced
14.5 ounce Muir Glen Organic fire roasted tomatoes
14 ounces roasted peppers, chopped
8 ounces vegetable stock
optional: salt & pepper, half & half
chopped basil

to serve: bread

Directions
1. Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onions and saute for about 6 minutes.
2. Add the chile in adobo, tomatoes, roasted peppers and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender very carefully puree the soup.
5. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary and a splash of half and half.
6. Serve with bread.

This soup is pretty thick, which I like. If you want a thinner version, add more vegetable stock: it's just that easy!

Oh, and if you ware wondering about the gorgeous bread, it was made by my friend Cecilia: check it out!

And now for the giveaway!

1) You must ♥ tomatoes!!
2) You must live in Washington DC area!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received one gift basket from Muir Glen Organic and one to give away to the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

12/3/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 7. OXO Products & a Recipe for Marinated Sauteed Tofu

You guys! We are in a home stretch of the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway. Who knew blogging every day for 8 days in a row would be a bit tiresome? But I'm not a quitter...well, at least in some aspects of my life.

Today you will have a chance to win two fun sets of products from OXO. Are these two sets essential to being an awesome cook? Well, no. BUT they are adorable, fun, and easy to store. One lucky winner will win a 3-piece cookie cutter set and a 4 piece mini measuring beaker set.

Let's do a little math, shall we? 3 + 4 = 7!!! Perfect for Day 7 of the giveaway :) I'm clever like that.

So how did I use these two fun OXO sets in my kitchen? I made Marinated Sauteed Tofu!

Marinated Sauteed Tofu
Ingredients
12 ounces firm tofu (I used black soybean variety)
1 1/2 ounce soy sauce
1 ounce Hoisin
3/4 tablespoon sriracha
1 teaspoon sesame oil
neutral oil for sauteing
sesame seeds

Directions
1. Cut the tofu into 3 planks. Using the cookie cutters, cut out shapes. {Of course you can just cut tofu into whichever shape you wish.}

2. Mix the soy, Hoisin, sriracha and sesame oil in a shallow dish. Add tofu and marinade for at least an hour.

Aren't these beakers adorable? They remind me of chemistry classes I took in High School and College....but are much more fun!

3. Remove the tofu from the marinade and saute in a neutral oil for 4-6 minutes on each side.
4. In a small saucepan, reduce leftover strained marinade until it becomes the consistency of barbecue sauce.
5. Serve tofu topped with the reduced marinade and sesame seeds.

I almost said that your kids would love these tofu heart and stars, but the sriracha might be a bit too much for them, so if you are making this recipe for your kids, reduce the amount of the hot red sauce.

Before you try your chances in winning OXO cookie cutter and beaker sets, make sure to enter the other 6 contests:

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate
Day 3: Bonne Maman Jams & Le Creuset Jam Jar
Day 4: Lindsay Olives
Day 5: Sabra
Day 6: Nudo olive oil set

And now the rules!
1) You must ♥ kitchen gadgets!!
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a set of cookie cutters and mini measuring beakers from OXO and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

12/2/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 6. Nudo Olive Oil Set & A Recipe for Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad

We are 3/4 of the way through the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway. Have you checked out the previous five days? Go for it! You still have a chance to win some fun products from some of my favorite companies.

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate
Day 3: Bonne Maman Jams & Le Creuset Jam Jar
Day 4: Lindsay Olives
Day 5: Sabra

Today I bring you a recipe for Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad using a lemon infused oil from Nudo Italia. Not only does Nudo Italia allows you to adopt your own olive tree in Italy (how cool is that?), they also ship great olive oils, pastas, and tapenades. I've given some of their products as gifts and everyone loved them.

For Day 6 of the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway, I received a beautiful Quattro Stagioni gift box. The set contains First Cold Press Extra virgin olive, Extra virgin olive oil crushed with real lemons, Extra virgin olive oil with Sicilian chillies, and Extra virgin olive oil crushed with fresh basil. Because I've already use the other three flavors in the past, I decided to give the oil with real crushed lemons a chance and create a recipe using it.

Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients
Brussels sprouts trimmed and shredded {feel free to use a mandoline or a food processor}
drizzle of the Olio D'Oliva Extra Vergine Al Limone
salt & pepper
freshly grated Parmesan
fresh lemon zest

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve.

If you are not willing to give raw Brussels sprouts a chance, you can saute the sprouts first in the oil and then add the rest of the ingredients for a cooked side dish.

If you don't want to take your chances on winning this beautiful set of four oils, you can partake in the specials Nudo Italia is having for Cyber Monday (today, December 2nd only):

Use the code MTCITRUS to receive 50% off the Citrus Club Box, which contains a tin each of extra virgin olive oil, zesty lemon oil, and stoneground mandarin oil. Perfect for any dish that needs some fresh citrusy inspiration. $19 with discount code.
Use the code MTFLAVOR to receive 40% off the Flavor Box Set, which contains 8 tins of Nudo's freshly pressed, beautifully packaged flavored olive oils, including Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon, Chili, Mandarin, Thyme, Basil, Garlic, and Mint. $60 with discount code.
$20 off your first delivery on all A dopt-an-Olive-Tree personal subscriptions (just use code CYBERNUD69), as well as 20% off Adopt an Olive Tree gifts (with code CYBERNUD49).

And now for a chance to win your own Quattro Stagioni gift box!

Rules:
1) You must ♥ olive oil!!
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a set of oils from Nudo Italia and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

12/1/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 5. Sabra. Fun Layered Dip for Any Party!

It's day 5 of Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway and I bring you a fun collection of Sabra products. Well, technically, Sabra will bring one lucky winner a collection of their products ;)

Of course you know Sabra for a variety of its humus flavors, but did you know they also make salsa, guacamole and an onion dip? Doesn't this just scream party???

Whether you are watching one of the many footballs games, have girlfriends over for a movie, or just hanging out at home and avoiding doing anything productive, this layered dip is perfect!

Fun Layered Dip for Any Party

Ingredients
1 part black beans, mashed {or you can just use hummus as the base of the dip}
1 part guacamole
1 part salsa
1 part Greek yogurt onion dip
sliced black olives for decoration
tortilla chips

Directions
In a dish layer black beans, guacamole, salsa, and onion dip. Top with black olives and serve with tortilla chips.

You can make the dish in a large container, but I thought it'd be really adorable served in individual portions: just use a round biscuit cutter as your mold!

Ready to win your own collection of Sabra products? Will you be the lucky one?

Rules:
1) You must ♥ hummus!!
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget about the other Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaways!

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate
Day 3: Bonne Maman Jams & Le Creuset Jam Jar
Day 4: Lindsay Olives

Disclosure: I received a set of Sabra products and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

11/30/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 4. Lindsay Olives & A Recipe for Super Easy Bruschetta

Today I would like to introduce you to Lindsay Olives. As the name implies, they sell olives. But that's not all: they also have a variety of roasted peppers, pepperoncini, capers, and sweet banana peppers, just to name a few. The company has been in business for over than 100 years, so they clearly know what they are doing.

For more than 100 years, Bell-Carter has been bringing fun and flavor to America’s kitchen table. With a full line of domestic and imported olives as well as specialty condiments, Bell-Carter offers a wide variety of flavors perfect for family-favorite recipes and new culinary adventures. The fourth generation, family-run company processes well over half of all California olives processed and sold in the nation and has deep roots in California’s environmental and agricultural industry. From the beginning, the company has been focused on providing its customers with the best products possible, at the highest quality available, while working to reduce the production facility’s carbon footprint.

Lindsay Olives sent me a box filled with their products and I decided to use some of them to make Super Easy Bruschetta. Don't worry, you will get a chance to win your own Lindsay Olives products and let your creativity go wild in your kitchen.

Super Easy Bruschetta
Ingredients

Equal parts of chopped
California ripe black olives
California green ripe olives
red roasted bell peppers
sliced golden Greek pepperoncini
sweet banana peppers
fresh tomato

sliced and toasted baguette

Directions

1. In a bowl combine all of the ingredients but the sliced baguette.

2. Top sliced toasted baguette with this concoction and serve.

If you like salty foods, you will love this recipe. You can also use this mixture as an addition to pasta or rice or as a topping for poached salmon or chicken.

And now it's YOUR chance to win a selection of Lindsay Olives products.

Rules:
1) You must ♥ olives
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget about the other Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaways!

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate
Day 3: Bonne Maman Jams & Le Creuset Jam Jar

Disclosure: I received a set of Lindsay Olives products and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

11/29/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 3. Bonne Maman Jam & Le Creuset Jam Jar. Cream Cheese & Jam Puff Pastry.

Did you all have a great Thanksgiving? I did! I'm ready for the weekend, but first there is a day of teleworking to deal with :)

But let's concentrate on fun things. It's time for Day 3 of Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway!

Today you have a chance to win 3 Bonne Maman Jams and a Jam Jar from Le Creuset!
I love Bonne Maman jars, and am completely in love with their cherry flavors. And of course you know that I love Le Creuset, so I love this addition to my collection.

If you are looking for a decadent breakfast that takes just minutes to make, make these Cream Cheese & Jam Puff Pastry!

Cream Cheese & Jam Puff Pastry
Slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted over night
6 teaspoons cherry jam
1 ounce cream cheese
1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Roll out the defrosted puff pastry and cut into 12 rectangles.
3. Top 6 of the rectangles with a bit of jam and cream cheese.
4. Top with the other 6 rectangles, and crimp the edges with a fork.
5. Whisk an egg with a bit of water and brush on the pastry.
6. Bake these puff pastry on a parchment lined cookie sheet for about 15 minutes.

Aren't these gorgeous???

Ok, time for you to take your chances and win your prize!

Rules:
1) You must ♥ jam
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget about the other Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaways!

Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio
Day 2: Kallari Chocolate

Disclosure: I received a set of 3 Bonne Maman Jams and a Le Creuset Jam Jar from my sponsor and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

11/28/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 2. Kallari Chocolate! Chocolate Covered Pretzels.

First, Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope you get to share this day (and at least one meal) with friends and/or family. I'm excited to go to my friend Laetitia's house and am bringing Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, mushroom and onion stuffing. I'm also planning on making rugelach (wish me luck!).

Second, are you ready for Day 2 of Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway? Today you have a chance to win a set of Kallari chocolate. I've worked with Kallari chocolate in the past and love it in baked goods or as an afternoon pick me up. This time, I decided to make a super simple snack or dessert: Chocolate Covered Pretzels.

"Kallari is committed to community viability and economic growth, through knowledge sharing, the preservation of Kichwa cultural traditions and natural resource conservation.

Kallari (Kahl-ya-di) is the Kichwa verb that means "to begin" or "to commence". Kallari also refers to the beginning times, or how our ancestors used to live. Our effort is a new beginning to empower future generations, meanwhile remembering the traditions of our Nation."

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Ingredients
1.76 ounce bar 72% Cacao Medium Dark Chocolate with Aji Chili, chopped
30 tiny twists pretzels
optional: ancho chile pepper

Directions
1. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate. {This chocolate melted incredibly easily and was smooth and silky.}
2. Dip the tiny twist pretzels into the chocolate and place on parchment paper.
3. If you like, sprinkle the dipped tiny twist pretzels with a bit of ancho chile peppers.
4. Refrigerate for at least a few hours.

Easy, right?? These are a great treat with coffee or just when you want a light dessert. I loved the deep flavor of chocolate mixed with a bit of the heat and the saltiness of the pretzels. These last for several weeks in a refrigerator in a tightly closed container.

If you want to learn more about Kallari Chocolate, make sure to follow it on twitter and Facebook.

Don't miss out on my other Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaways
Day 1: Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio

And now it's your chance to win your own 4 bars of Kallari chocolate!

Rules:
1) You must ♥ chocolate
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a set of 4 chocolate bars from Kallari chocolate and they will provide the same set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

11/27/13

Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway: Day 1. $25 worth of Prinstagram Greeting Cards from Social Print Studio.

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah!!! Fried food, the miracle of light, family, friends, gifts, and a menorah. To celebrate, I decided to ask some of my favorite companies to participate in the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway. For the next eight days make sure to check the blog to see what company I'm profiling and to see what you may be able to win!

For the first day of the Eight Days of Hanukkah Giveaway, I'm excited to introduce you to Social Print Studio.

This company allows you to use your instagram photos and turn them into calendars, picture collages, cards, and many other fun projects. I've used Social Print Studio to print some of my photos before and loved not only decorating with them, but also sharing them with my family and friends.

(below are the photos I printed with my own money and how I used them to decorate my condo)

Social Print Studio generously allowed me to print a set of 24 Classic 4" x 6" cards, and is giving one of Mango & Tomato readers the same opportunity!! Aren't these gorgeous? The paper is thick and smooth and the quality of the photos is wonderful. The cards also come with brown envelopes that have a strip of white paper you take off in order to glue the flap...you don't even have to lick the eeky glue!!

I've already sent a few of these cards to my family and friends, and everyone really liked them!

I also really like the heart sticker included with your order.

And here's how YOU can win your own set of cards using your own instagram photos:

Rules:
1) You must have an instagram account
2) You must have a legal US address
3) This giveaway ends Thursday, December 5th at midnight. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on Friday, December 6th ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To learn more about Social Print Studio, make sure to follow them on twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure: I received a free set of cards from Social Print Studio and they will provide a set for the winner of this giveaway. I have received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

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