Christmas Giveaway #1: Get Spicy!
‘Tis the season of giving all over the world right now, and that includes the blogosphere. From cookbooks to edible gifts, those of us who write about food are donning our Santa hats and sharing some great foodie swag with our fine readers. Yours truly’s blog is no different, especially considering I have, hands-down, THE best, most generous readers in the food blogging world! As a thank you for all your incredible support, I wanted to do a few different giveaways this Christmas season. Most of what I have to raffle off comes from the fantastic swag I’ve gotten over the past few months from some of the awesome foodie events I’ve attended and either have duplicates of, or simply no room/use for them. Other gifts come courtesy of some fabulous folks I’ve met through said foodie events, and are wonderful additions to anyone’s food & wine repertoire. Regardless, everything I’m giving away is brand new, of the highest quality, and sure to please any food lover out there.
Just a quick note about these giveaways before we get started: because we’re so close to the Christmas holiday, I want to make sure you all have a chance to get your prizes on time, which means these are going to move very quickly! So if you want to win something, be sure to enter ASAP, lest you miss out on some great goodies.
For the first giveaway, I’m starting out with a small set of gifts, but one that packs a serious flavor punch, which I’m calling my “Get Spicy!” set. A modest mix of tasty spice rubs and fiery, peppery ingredients, this is perfect for anyone who has a fearless palate. Here’s what you’ll receive:
- 1 2 oz. package of Chef Jason McClure’s Homemade Spice Rub (for chicken, fish, steak, veggies, etc.)
- 1 5.5 oz. Steak Barbecue Rub from Steven Raichlen
- 1 2.5 oz. Harissa Spice Mix from Whole Spice
- 1 16 oz. jar Golden Peperoncinis from Mezzetta
Use any of these fabulous ingredients to spice up your meats & veggies, create new soups or sauces (particularly with that harissa mix), or just add new flavors & textures to any of your favorite dishes.
Entering to win this spicy little package is easy! Simply comment below and tell me what your “must-have” herbs & spices are! Are you a fan of the fiery peppers? Or the more mysterious, exotic tasting turmerics, cumins, and sumacs? Are you more of an herb person, preferring the aromatic coolness of thymes & tarragons? Whatever herbs & spices are your faves, just comment below before 3pm on Thursday, December 16th, for your chance to win this great set of goodies. One lucky winner will be selected at random on Thursday evening.
For bonus entries, tweet about the contest by posting the following: “PGEW Christmas giveaway #1: Win the Get Spicy prize pack from @PoorGrlEatsWell at http://www.poorgirleatswell.com! #giveaway“. Please note that you must still comment below in order to be officially entered into the contest (a tweet alone will not count!).
Good luck, everyone! Stay tuned for a new recipe tomorrow, as well as Giveaway #2! They’ll both be good ones!
My must haves?
Cumin
Tony Cacheres with no salt
Parsley
I always have Basil, Cilantro and garlic on hand as well as Santa Maria Spice from the Far Western Tavern.
I couldn't live without cilantro! I use it in EVERYTHING!
Chili powder and cumin!
we are a curry, garlic, and cumin kinda family. (though I once bought a 5lb bag of chervil and own 3 different thymes) this gift set would be perfect for my husband who LOVES things spicy! THANKS for the fun contest!
tumeric, garlic, spike, braggs, white pepper, chili,salt, yeast.
Tumeric, nutricional yeast and rosemary are what I use to flavor tofu as a chicken replacement. Also, don't know if it counts as a spice but Bragg's Amino Acid sauce is a must have in my vegetarian kitchen; it really enhances the flavors of soups, sauces, gravies, marinades, etc. and is much better for you the soy sauce
Must haves…
Rosemary, garlic and sriracha hot sauce!
love the spicy spices, garlic, pepper, fresh sweet basil…love peperoncinis…i used to sip the liquid from the jar what i was preggo
THX!
Garlic, cilantro, dill, cumin, red pepper,curry
llisa@matsubu.com
I am a big fan of cumin, I use it to make a take on ranch dressing that is so good. I cook a lot with turmeric & cinnamon, too. I'm a lover of Indian & Nepalese foods.
Oh wow, where do I begin. Garlic has always been #1 and is always on hand. Next are the spicy seasonings such as chili powder, turmeric, cumin, chili flakes. Next are the herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, Italian seasonings. These all are on hand. In the fridge I like to have on hand peppers such as jalapenos and pepperoncinis. They're great in sandwichs and as garnishes on beans and rice
I just commented as anonymous but neglected to include my name, Bonnie. I also tweeted under the name Grobiemum. Sorry, I don't have a blog.
I always have Fresh sage, thyme, oregano, chives, garlic and some type of pepper handy.
katrina.deaton@yahoo.com
Jen here…
Nice gift set.
No spot taken..
I keep fresh garlic, basil, oregano, cilantro (fresh only) and black pepper around at all times.
You can wip up anything with those.
must have spices? cinnamon, cumin, ancho chile pepper, oregano, basil, and garlic. not exactly coordinating spices, but i go through so much of these it's absurd.
Must haves: garlic, curry, smoky paprika & rosemary.
Cat@thewyricks.com
I adore cilantro, dill, basil, chili powder, and nutmeg (for sweeter dishes). I've recently discovered the yumminess of freshly-ground sea salt, and once I use up my current supply of ground black pepper, I'm going with peppercorns to grind myself.
I have to have thyme, rosemary, and garlic for my savory cooking, and cinnamon and nutmeg for baking. My husband is a huge fan of any and all apple desserts, so I go through quite a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg.
I adore Tony Chachere's blend. I also know a local merchant who blends his own spices, some of which he makes up for me.
That would have to be basil, fresh peppercorns and bay leaves. They add so much flavor to all of my dishes. Thank you!
Madly in love with white pepper. I'm not sure if its the fact that you can't *see* it in a dish or the fact that its usually ground a little finer than black pepper. Regardless, white pepper goes in just about everything I cook.
LOVE THIS! I was just focusing on spices & which ones to try.
Me, always seems to come back to pepper. Fresh ground, white, red, black… mixes, you name it pepper it is!
Cumin, without a doubt. Cumin seeds, ground cumin, cumin, cumin cumin.
My must have is currey lol
Definitely Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle — for croutons, in eggs, etc.
Garlic
Oregano
My dry spice must-haves: kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, cumin seeds and powder, curry powder, chili powder, paprika, basil, and oregano!
Cilantro is my favorite, followed closely by saffron.
I often cook in someone else's kitchen. (Often a non-cook's kitchen, so the spice selection could be quite limited.) My list below is of the spices I often find missing that I can't do without – when I need one of these spices and it's not there, the dish simply won't work (no substitutions possible).
Bay Leaves
Saffron
Curry
I love cumin in my black bean dip and turkey chili, but my absolute favorite is blending up a can of chipotles in adobo amd brushing it on chicken wings or fish, or even mixing it with mayo, garlic, cilantro and lime juice for a yummy sandwich spread!
garlic, onion, thai chilies, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, sage, chef prudhommes poultry magic, white and black pepper, and cinnamon
Peperocinis are a favorite treat. Tony Cacheres livens up anything. A good balsamic vinegar adds great flavor. Fresh thyme. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Favorite place to get herbs in bulk is Sacramento Natural Food Coop. Thanks for having a giveaway!
Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, bay leaves, chives, salt and pepper. At heart and by birth I'm "olde English" and when I prepare the traditional stuff (stuffed chine, hazelet, pork pies, roast lamb), I use these wonderful old favorites. Now, as for the "modern" goodies, I start with cumin and coriander and garlic and morph into pepper and chillis. Yum1
I'm loving dill at the moment – in deviled eggs, dips, tomato-based foods.
Cilantro – fresh. Ginger – fresh. Lemon juice and rind – fresh. Garlic – fresh and pickled! Asian chili sauce – the kind that comes in a jar and you spoon it out. Bohnenkraut – An herb that is usually used for beans in Germany but I use it for potatoes and whatever. The closest thing to it here is Savory. Horseradish. SUGAR (not a spice but, wow, it adds something to everything. Nutmeg – grated
I'm still learning about uses of herbs in my own cooking, so my spice rack currently includes these basics: rosemary, black pepper, basil, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and cumin.
I should probably get some coriander and curry soon.
I'm all about aromatics and herbs. Of I had to be limited to ways to flavor my foods, I'll take garlic, onion, basil, parsley, mint, thyme, salt, pepper and I could still be pretty creative. I'm a Mediterranean girl at heart I guess.
cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and ancho chiles…
cinnamon for sure! but garlic is a close second…
Szechwan Peppercorns
Serrano Chili Peppers
Mint
Parsley
Curry Powder
paprika, pepper, and rosemary!
Due to an insatiable sweet-tooth, tarragon & basil are my favorites, but if I can find a way to work in cinnamon and/or nutmeg, even better! Oh, and garlic goes in everything.
Kosher salt, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic. Thyme and Emeril's Essence are big ones too. Really depends on what we're cooking. My bf loves garlic chili paste and sriracha in virtually anything he eats so obviously spicy food is right up his alley.
Basil, Cilanto, and Cumin are my favorites!!
Garlic and course salt. I love them on everything. And parsley!
I couldn't do without cumin, cayenne, basil, and garlic!
The usual: salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, red pepper, parsley, and cayenne. Merry Christmas!
Salt pepper cumin pesto in the freezer is my lifesaver! cheers!
tweeted!
garlic, basil, sugar (brown and white), parsley, oregano, rosemary, chili powder, Cinnamon, salt, and pepper are the things i tend to use, but not all at the same time. happy holidays.
I am a junky for Thai spices. I love the combination of chilies and lemon grass!
My must haves are basil, garlic, rosemary, oregano…and dill!
i cook like i have tourettes
salsa in my spaghetti sauce
crushed triscuit crackers breading my chicken (the black pepper ones are to die for)
coconut milk and tumeric rice (then refrigerated, indonesian style)
whatever can add flavor goes in. my fav additions to any dish are hot sauce and sauteed garlic and onions
sea salt, black pepper, basil, paprika,
fresh garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, basil, ginger, cumin, rock salt, cayenne pepper
I think curry is my favorite spice. I guess curry really isn't "a" spice but a blend of spices right? Fresh… I love garlic and ginger (especially together)… yummo!
Love, love, love curries and garlic!
garlic, cumin, paprika!!
garlic, garlic, garlic
anything fresh from our garden… cilantro, thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, parsley, coriander seeds
culantro (that's not a typo)
fresh ground nutmeg
crushed red pepper, cayenne, etc.
curry, garam masala, miso…i could go on and on ; )
Mmmm… even the baby eats garlic at our house! cumin, tumeric, oregano, marjoram, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne- they all get major play at our house. We love many pepper varieties and actually put up 7 different kinds from our own garden this year.
Cumin, Scotch Bonnets, cayenne and Sriracha. I can't live without them!
Chili powder and Herbs de Provence…not together, but between those two I can season just about anything!
Garlic, thyme, and hot sauce.
Chipotle powder, cumin and fennel seeds.
Must haves are basil and garlic.
I luv nutmeg to and use it a lot even in savory dishes. Great giveaway, thanks!