Win a $25 Gift Card to Sam’s Club!

If you didn’t win the last giveaway don’t worry I have another one!!

Did you know you could give back by purchasing your favorite cereal or snack? This October, by making simple everyday purchases at Sam’s Club, you can help support breast cancer education and research. Beginning September 19th, Sam’s Club stores will feature exclusive pink packaging on some of your favorite participating General Mills products in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

For 5 years, General Mills has partnered with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Foundation to bring breast cancer support to local communities, and this year they are making their annual donation of $2 million to the foundation to advance breast cancer research and support education and community outreach projects.

Purchase specially-marked General Mills products like Cheerios and Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies at your local Sam’s Club and help decide how half of that contribution will be donated by voting at PinkTogether.com from now until April 14, 2012.

General Mills’ donations will be divided between two important Komen programs: the Treatment and Assistance Program, which assists women in securing care they otherwise may not be able to afford, and Prevention Research, which helps unlock the keys to preventing breast cancer. Voting results will be announced on Mother’s Day 2012.

Today’s prize pack has been provided by Sam’s Club and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

For your first MANDATORY entry, tell me which of your favorite General Mills products are they most excited to see featured in the Pink Promotion at Sam’s Club? Giveaway ends 10-12-11 at midnight.

Bonus Entries:

+1 Like Sam’s Club on Facebook and leave me your FB name (1st name & last initial ok)

+1 Like Pink Together on Facebook and leave me your FB name (1st name & last initial ok)

+2 follow me on Twitter @crazystar_allie leave twitter ID in comment

+1 follow Sam’s Club on Twitter leave twitter ID in comment

+1 (can do daily) tweet this giveaway, Share my giveaway on twitter and leave me a link in a comment, please be sure to use hashtag #MyBlogSpark and handle @SamsClub in your tweet . (Click on the time stamp and copy the link in the address bar).

+2 additional entries become a Finding Inspiration In Food follower and leave a comment that you do. Be sure to leave 2 separate comments telling me your a follower!!

+2 additional entries “like” Finding Inspiration In Food on Facebook and leave a comment that you did. Be sure to leave 2 separate comments telling me you liked the page or already do!!

+1 add this to any giveaway linky, sweeps site, & leave link so I can check it out.

+2 add my button to your blog sidebar, or put me in your blogroll

+2 Leave a comment any non-giveaway post and let me know in a comment which one you left it on.

+1 Blog, Stumble, Digg or share this giveaway on any open public forum and leave me the link to it.

+1 per item pinned. Pin one of Finding Inspiration in Food’s items on Pinterest. Post the link here.

That's it! You can do as many or as little as you want-it's all up to you! Good Luck!!

Disclosure: The information and gift card(s) have been provided by Sam’s Club and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

Results from Katy Rice Festival

Wow what a weekend! So Saturday was the Katy Rice Festival and I’m proud to say we did really well woohoo!! Out of my 4 dishes 3 placed and I couldn’t be any more excited. Here’s a quick recap and if you want the recipes click the title of the dish and it’ll take you to a printer friendly version.

My dad's entries:
Rice'n Eggplant Veggie Patty (Heart Healthy) 3rd place $50 prize
Tofu Rice Baskets (Anything Using Rice) didn't place

 
My entries:
Grilled Shrimp with Sweet and Spicy Rice (Anything Using Rice) 1st place $100 prize
Coconut Cupcakes (Desserts) 1st place $100 prize

 
My husband’s entries:
Warm Rice Pecan Vinaigrette (Heart Healthy) 2nd place $75 prize
Broccoli Rice Salad (Appetizer/Side Dish/Salad) didn't place

While we didn’t walk away with the Best in Show $200 prize we still did pretty good overall!

I also attended the photo contest results reception last night and here’s how that turned out. All of my photos made the top 10, but I didn’t place. I’m very proud of my nephew Josh who entered his first photo contest. He had 2 pictures which both made the top 10 and one got honorable mention. I’m so happy for him and I think I created a monster, because he’s already asking when the next photo contest I’m entering is. Even though he beat me I’m more proud that I was there to cheer him on and encourage him into following his passion.

Beef Burgundy

First I want to congratulate our winner of the autographed copy of The Casserole Queens Cookbook……Teslaca!!! Loved hearing all of your favorite casseroles, you’ve given me some new ideas to try. Don’t worry if you didn’t win here’s one of the recipes from the book and I might share a few more later on down the road. I also have another giveaway starting Friday so swing back by to check it out!

I want to introduce you to a dear friend of mine Laura who has been a faithful friend, taste tester and supporter of all things I do. She’s been sweet enough to guest blog for me today (she’s also crafty and I just adore her so be sure to check out her blog)! We started out as co-workers and now I’m thrilled to say she’s done me proud by taking over my spot in the office when I left.

Howdy ya'll, I'm Laura coming to you from Peace Love and Funky Junk, my fresh from the farm blog. I've been lucky enough to be friends with Allison for about four years, and I've truly enjoyed every minute of it. I am truly inspired by her, and the amazing dishes she creates. I'm also lucky enough to get to sample the goodies from time to time. Boy does that excite me.

Allison shared my Christmas present with me early, and man alive was I excited. I mean who doesn't love getting Christmas presents months in advance?! The best part was under the holiday wrapping...a signed copy of The Casserole Queens Cookbooks! Best gift a girl with a 9X13 pan could ever ask for. Seriously. I couldn't wait to get home and make out my grocery list.

First delish dish I tried was the Beef Burgundy. Located on page 68 if you're lucky enough to get your hands on a copy of this little jewel.

Beef Burgundy
(Adapted from The Casserole Queens)
Makes 8 Servings

Printer Friendly Version

8 slices of bacon, chopped
3 lbs stew meat or boneless beef chuck
Salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb sliced button mushrooms
5 large garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1 bottle dry red wine, preferably Burgundy
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme leave
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf

Wheew, I know that sounds like a lot. Trust me it's worth every single bit of work in purchase and prep!

Look I'm going to give you the quickie version of this, but if you click on the printer friendly version above you can print the full recipe.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Get out your muscles and move that big 'ol Dutch oven to the stovetop.

Cook up your bacon, take out to drain on paper towels, leave grease in the pot.

Brown your veggies in the grease. Remove.

Dredge the stew meat in the flour...brown in the pot, and remove.

Place 1 cup beef broth into the pot, scraping the bottom on the pan/pot to make a delish reduction sauce.

Once sauce boils, place meats and veggies into the pot, pour in the rest of the beef broth and the entire bottle of wine, minus a few sips for good measure. Toss in herbs and salt and pepper.

Place that big 'ol heavy thing into the oven for 2 hours.

It'll come out hot and tender. No doubt the best thing eva. It's no doubt worth the time it takes waiting for it to get done.

Being from the south I served mine on top of sweet cornbread, you could do rice.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Somehow these pictures got tucked away, but I made these cupcakes for a young lady in our office who just graduated high school a couple years ago! She's a huge Nutella fan so I knew I had to come up with something good to impress her.

 

I found a recipe on the web for the buttercream and wishing now I would have researched it a little better. It tasted ok, but didn't form the way I thought it would have like the bakeries do. Don't know if I over mixed it or what, but somewhere I went wrong. Why does it always screw up when I use my last 4 eggs and it's for a special occasion?!?! I'll attempted the buttercream again using a different recipe and see if it gets me anywhere better.

 

So anyway back to Sam..... I wish her all the best in the future and the offer is still there if she wants to be a guest blogger one day since she studying to be a Nutritionist. (Maybe cupcakes wasn't the best thing to make for her lol)

 

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Makes 24 regular cupcakes or 12 jumbo

Printer Friendly Version

Cupcake -
1 box Triple Chocolate Cake Mix
3 teaspoons instant espresso coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine ingredients listed on cake mix according to directions reserving 1/3 cup water. Mix the 1/3 cup water with the espresso. Once dissolved stir into cake batter. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake according to directions on box.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream -
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
8 ounces butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons nutella

Combine the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get without the egg whites cooking.

With the whisk attachment on your mixer, whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature.

Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon or two of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again.

Add the vanilla extract and Nutella and mix on medium speed until the buttercream is a good piping texture.

Assembling the cupcakes -
Once the cupcakes have cooled, cut out a portion of each cupcake and insert a teaspoon of Nutella and a roasted hazelnut. Replace the portion of cupcake and then top with a swirl of Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream and chopped hazelnuts. Then drizzle some melted dark chocolate over the top or melted Nutella, and finally top with half of a Ferrero Rocher.

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Grilled Scallops

Hope you all had a great weekend! If you haven’t entered be sure you get your entry in to win an autographed copy of The Casserole Queens new cookbook. Even commenting on this post puts you in the running!! Click HERE for details.

Back in July I entered a photo contest for Australian Lamb in hopes to win some good meat and a grill. I don’t need another grill, but lamb isn’t cheap around here so I had my sights on that. I didn’t win, but here’s my photo I entered.

Can’t win them all, but here’s what I was grilling. I also tossed on a couple scallops and made it a yummy surf and turf dish.

Garlic Rosemary-Marinated Lamb Chops
(Adapted from Epicurious)

Printer Friendly Version

1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bone-in thick lamb loin chops

Preheat the broiler. (I grilled mine instead of making it in the oven.) In a small bowl stir together the zest, the garlic paste, the rosemary, the oil, and pepper to taste, rub the lamb chops with the marinade, and let them marinate on a plate for 20 minutes.

Broil the lamb chops on the rack of a broiler pan about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat.

For the scallops I just coated them in olive oil and sprinkled on some of my hubby’s 5 spice. They don’t take long on the grill so don’t walk away from these babies.

What’s been going on lately?

First of all happy Friday! I’ve had one of those crazy weeks and time is flying by too fast! I have a couple a fun things to share with you guys, but first have you entered my giveaway going on right now? If not click HERE for details and get your entry in by September 23rd!

I made the top 10 for Oak Farms milkshake contest. The disappointing thing was I was never notified and there for didn’t get to pester you guys for votes so I don’t think I’m gonna win, but it’s still pretty cool that I made the top 10 out of so many entries. (Click HERE for details.) I made a Banana Fosters Milkshake. Not the most healthy dish I’ve made, but it’s amazing!

I was also recently asked to do an interview for The Hectic Gourmet which is a newer site that you can order gourmet cooking products their blog highlights food bloggers and I think it’s a pretty neat thing. If you want to learn more about me be sure to click HERE for my interview.

I’m making progress on my rice entries and finally narrowed down my photos for the photo contest. As soon as they are over I’ll be sure to share the results! Hope you have a great weekend!!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

(Photo from Kraft Foods)

Strawberries where recently on sale and I had this simple ice cream recipe I’ve been wanting to try so I thought I would give it a shot. I wish I hadn’t mixed up the berries and graham crackers in the food processor because it didn’t give me the chunks as the picture above shows. I liked that it doesn’t make a whole lot so you’re not stuck eating it forever too. Overall I really enjoyed it and will make it again for sure.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
(Adapted from Kraft Foods)

Printer Friendly Version

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 can  (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tsp.  lemon zest, I used dried
1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries
3   HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, coarsely chopped

Mix first 4 ingredients with mixer until well blended. Freeze 4 hours or until almost solid.

Beat cream cheese mixture with mixer until creamy. Blend berries in blender until smooth. I would just dice them small and stir in next time.

Add to cream cheese mixture with chopped grahams; mix well.

Freeze 8 hours or until firm.

Remove dessert from freezer 15 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before scooping into dishes.