Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts

Friday, November 4, 2011

Foodie Friday: homemade jalapeño dressing

After reading Danielle's short and sweet (well, spicy!) recipe of her favorite homemade salad dressing, I had to try it myself! I never even knew jalapeño mustard existed, but it does, and it is awesome. Good for sandwiches, hot dogs and this here salad dressing.





What you will need:

Jalapeño mustard
Balsamic vinegar
Salad of your choosing
Small container to mix your dressing in

Directions:

Throw a generous amount of jalapeño mustard in your dressing container, add a little bit uh balsamic vinegar and shake, shake, shake!





(and for those of you wondering, I bought this bottle of mustard at Target)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

SweetBricks Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Fall is my absolute favorite season, all the smells, the colors and the initial chill of winter. I've noticed this season really brings out the bakers and the candy makers... so who better to share it with us than Ms. Jena and a tasty giveaway from SweetBricks!

In 2010 Jena and her two brothers started SweetBricks by handcrafting delicious gourmet butter toffee in their very own kitchen here in San Diego. Their original flavor is based on a family recipe that was handed down, but that hasn't stopped them from playing with flavors to create more delicious combinations. Now the family business is expanding coast-to-coast and creating even more exciting product like cotton candy, ice cream toppers and even starting their own restaurant!






Pumpkin Spice


Cookies n Cream


Pretzel (seasonal)


Peppermint (seasonal)


Peanut Butter Chocolate


Dark Chocolate Cherry


Giveaway item: Any bag of your choice to THREE lucky winners!



How to enter

Leave a comment letting us know what your favorite fall tradition is!

:: please include your email address with each entry ::

Earn extra entries

• "Like" SweetBricks on Facebook (1 entry)

• Share a link to this giveaway on your blog and/or Facebook, please leave a link to the entry or status update in your comment. (up to 2 entries)

• Tweet about the giveaway, using this:
"win a yummy bag of toffee from @sweetbricks on @ainsjfox blog! http://tinyurl.com/4y9jglh" (1 entry)


That's five ways to win! I will be drawing three winners at random next Thursday, October 20th at 8pm!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A Wild Tonic print giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Lauren from a wild tonic vintage makes some adorable handmade prints with travel quotes using upcycled maps on etsy. I travel a lot, so after entering and winning one myself on her cute little blog, I was excited to have Lauren as a sponsor and couldn't wait to have her host a little giveaway over here!

Giveaway Item: One handmade travel print of your choice



Mandatory Entry:

- Leave a comment on this post specifying your favorite item from a wild tonic vintage

:: please include your email address with each entry ::

Additional Entries:

- Let us know which print you would choose if you win (1 entry)

- Follow a wild tonic blog via GFC or BlogLovin' (1 entry)

- Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter and/or Facebook. Please leave additional comment(s) with a link to the blog, tweet and/or status update (up to 3 entries)


That's six ways to win! I will be drawing one winner at random next Tuesday, June 7th at 8pm!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Lightlife Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Recently Lightlife generously offered to send me some new products to try. I already use and love a lot of their stuff, so I was pleasantly surprised and more than happy to use it as an excuse to write some reviews and feedback on a few of their awesome products.

Now Lightlife is extending some of their yummy vegetarian and vegan products to YOU with this wonderful and delicious giveaway!

Giveaway item: One lucky winner gets to choose FOUR items of their choice from Lightlife's website.



Mandatory Entry

Follow my blog via GFC or Bloglovin' and leave a comment specifying which Lightlife item you can't wait to try!

:: please include your email address with each entry ::

Additional Entries

- Follow Lightlife on Twitter. (1 entry)

- "Like" Lightlife on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Add this button to your blog or website. (1 entry)




- Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter and/or Facebook. Please leave additional comment(s) with a link to the blog, tweet and/or status update. (up to 3 entries)

Overall, that's seven ways to win! I will be drawing one winner at random next Thursday, May 26th at 7pm!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Soaktree Earrings Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Jihee from The Soaktree has recently opened her new etsy shop, selling adorable handmade scarves and stylish feather earrings. We've been blogging pals for a few months now and I was thrilled when she wanted to sponsor my blog and host one of her very first giveaways here on my little artichoke!



Giveaway item: The winner gets to choose one pair of earrings from The Soaktree



Mandatory Entry::

Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from The Soaktree

:: please include your email address with each entry ::

Additional Entries:

- Follow The Soaktree blog via GFC or BlogLovin' (1 entry)

- Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter and/or Facebook. Please leave additional comment(s) with a link to the blog, tweet and/or status update. (up to 3 entries)

Overall, that's five ways to win! I will be drawing one winner at random next Thursday, May 12th at midnight!

Jihee is also offering free shipping for the month of May to her shop by entering LoveArtichoke at checkout!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

CAPow! Print Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED



What primarily drew me to CAPow! was Crystal's awesome Hometown Hearts collection. Lucky for me, shortly after stumbling upon her etsy, I won my favorite print on a giveaway over at Sometimes Sweet. I'm so excited that Crystal is here to offer you a chance to win YOUR favorite print!



Giveaway item: The winner gets to choose any print of your choice from CAPow!









Mandatory entry:

Visit CAPow!, then come back here and leave a comment below specifying which print you would like if you win!

:: please include your email address with each entry ::

Bonus entries:

- Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter and/or Facebook. Please leave additional comment(s) with a link to the blog, tweet and/or status update. (up to 3 entries)

- Follow Windshield Diaries blog via GFC or Bloglovin' (1 entry)

- Like CAPow! Art & Design on Facebook (1 entry)

That's it! I'll be drawing one name at random next Friday, April 22nd at midnight!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Giveaway: Earrings from Peach Treats

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED



I've been counting down the days to introduce to you one of the most important people in my life. Not only my aunt, but one of my best friends and confidant, she's been there for me from the day I was born to now. Talk about a beautiful, strong, loyal, smart, loving, talented woman... this babe is the whole package. I give you, Tif Blue!




I'm Tif Blue; a wife, mom, and lover of all things crafty! In between bed-time stories and home-work, I'm rolling out clay or designing custom jewelry for my etsy shop, Peach Treats. I create custom one-of-a-kind polymer earrings for stretched lobes. (and for you fakers too!)


Giveaway item: $30 to Peach Treats etsy shop! (custom jewelry available)








How to enter: Visit Peach Treats, then come back here and leave a comment below specifying which pair of earrings are your favorite! (please include your email address)

You may enter once per day.

To get a second additinal entry: Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter OR Facebook (please leave a second comment with a link to the blog, tweet or status update along with your contact info again).

To get a third additional entry: Add Tif's Facebook (please leave a third comment stating that you have added her).


That's it! I'll be drawing one name at random next Thursday, April 7th at midnight!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Giveaway: Tumbleweeds Grab Bag

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Beca from Tumbleweeds Odd Shop is here to share a grab bag giveaway!

On top of being one of my lovely March sponsors, we recently came to the conclusion through blogging that we're neighbors! That's right, we live only a few blocks from each other. So not only am I in love and awe with all the globes and matryoshka dolls (aka russian nesting dolls) she finds around these parts, I'm totally jealous. Everyone, meet Beca!





"Tumbleweeds Odd Shop is a collaboration between myself and my incredible boyfriend Doug. We are recent transplants to Southern California from the sweltering deserts of Arizona and have been procuring oddities for our etsy shop for the past 7 months. We're pretty new to the virtual marketplace, but have come into it full force. Although we both have full time jobs (as a carpenter and a Baker) we spend much of our "free" time restoring junk store treasures and hand crafting items for the shop. It has always been a dream of ours to work for ourselves, making beautiful treasures available for people all over the world. Thanks to this shop, we can. Although the workaholics in us have kept us at our day jobs, for now at least. We have had everything in our shop from the much coveted vintage Raybans, replogle globes and kewpie dolls, to the strangest of sorts - preserved birds in jars, turn of the century French magic books and doll limbs. If it's weird, hard to find, rare, strange and a conversation starter, we'll put it in our shop. There really is something for everyone. We have also recently started including our repurposed leather jewelery. We have a lot of fun making it and I think that reflects in the designs. We're excited for whats to come with both our vintage treasures and hand crafted items in our shop. We hope to expand our inventory and bring even more goodness into the store! Thank you, Ainsley, for letting us giveaway a really fun hodgepodge of treasures for your readers!"



Giveaway Items: Grab bag of pretty little items



This instant collection consists of a brass owl book end, a few vintage 1970s dog show ribbons, a tiny matryoshka doll, a vintage patina rocking horse bank and a handcrafted, repurposed suede bracelet with a pretty metallic bow. An eclectic collection that reflects Tumbleweeds Odd Shop and the treasures they sell.






How to Enter:
Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from tumbleweeds odd shop! (please include your email address)

You may enter once per day.

Additional Entry:
Post a link to this giveaway either on your blog, Twitter or Facebook (please leave an additional comment with a link to the blog, tweet or status update along with your contact info again)

That's it! I will be drawing one winner at random next Tuesday, March 29th at midnight!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Foodie Friday: Banana "Ice Cream" via Windshield Diaries

I read Crystal's blog habitually, she's always posting pictures of her upstate New York life and I love love love her little letters series, such a cute idea! Since Crystal is sponsoring my blog, she opted to share a wonderful recipe for banana + nutella ice cream! Welcome, Crystal...

Hi, I'm Crystal from Windshield Diaries / CAPow! Art and Design. I live in Upstate NY with my boyfriend and my two strange cats. Ever since the new year, I've been obsessed with being healthier and eating clean. So I've been scouring the internet for healthy alternatives to my vices. One of my big time vices: ice cream and frozen yogurt. And even since discovering this recipe, the blender has become my best friend and my cravings have been satisfied a more healthy way!


Step 1:
Slice a frozen banana and take the peel off. To make your life easier, you can peel and slice before freezing. But I throw a whole bunch of ripe bananas in the freezer at once, so I peel and slice the hard way.



Step 2:
Put the frozen banana slices in your blender.



Step 3:
Pulse the frozen bananas until it looks like ice cream! You'll probably have to scrape the sides a couple of times to get all the banana blended well. You might think it's not working, but keep pulsing and it will come together like MAGIC out of nowhere!



Step 4:
Once the bananas look like a nice soft serve, it's time to add flavor! I like to add a scoop of Nutella, but sometimes if I'm out of Nutella I add a scoop of natural peanut butter and a scoop of unsweetened dark cocoa powder.



Step 5:
Continue to pulse your added flavorings until it is blended well.



Step 6:
When you're done it should have a soft serve texture and the banana flavor isn't as over powering as you would imagine it to be. Serve in a bowl and ENJOY your healthy dessert!!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Veg Sloppy Joes via That Much Further West

When I emailed Megan about doing a guest post here I knew right away that I wanted a recipe/step-by-step. Her blog always makes me hungry as it's full of awesome recipes and wonderful pictures of food. Seriously, this girl should take pictures of food for a living! Anyway, It just so happened that she offered this mouth-watering (vegetarian/vegan) sloppy joe recipe just as Jon and I were talking over making some! Thanks for sharing Megan, we'll be having these tonight! For more recipes, definitely check out her blog.



Hey Guys! I'm Megan from That Much Further West and I'm one of My Little Artichoke's sponsors. My blog is filled with day-to-day updates and recipes. I'm all about cooking even if cleaning up and doing the dishes is a drag. I've been craving sloppy joes for quite some time now and when Ainsley asked me if I wanted to do a DIY and/or recipe post, I figured this would be the perfect time to make some. Fortunately, her and her boyfriend had just been discussing sloppy joes too!

At first, I was going to use Rachel Ray's recipe but when I showed my boyfriend he said they weren't "sloppy" enough. So, I went on a hunt for ones that looked sloppy enough for him and this recipe is what we agreed on. I tweaked the recipe a little bit as I do not like cooked celery (weird, I know) and added ketchup to get a more sloppy joe vibe. These didn't taste quite like a true blue sloppy joe but we both devoured them within seconds and my boyfriend even had seconds! You definitely have to be a BBQ fan to enjoy these.


Sloppy Joes


minus mushrooms, totally forgot to photograph

Ingredients:
4 Kaiser rolls
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or more as needed
1 onion, diced
12 ounces soy ground beef, crumbled
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Dashes hot pepper sauce to taste, optional (I used Tapatio)
4 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese



















Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Slice the rolls in half, cutting off the upper third of the roll to leave the larger bottom section. Scoop out the inner portion of each bottom section, and set the tops and bottoms aside on a large baking sheet.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the soy ground beef, celery, mushrooms, barbecue sauce, stock and hot pepper sauce, if using. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through. Remove from the heat.

5. Spoon equal portions of the mixture into the bottom sections of the rolls. Sprinkle each filled roll with cheese, and spray the insides of the top sections of the rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Set the tops on the baking sheet, cut side up.

6. Bake the tops and bottoms for about 5 minutes, or until the tops brown and the cheese melts and spills down the sides of the rolls. Remove from the oven, and serve.

Tweaks I made:
I skipped scooping out the inner portion since I couldn't find kaiser rolls and used hamburger buns which weren't thick. I also added more bbq and veggie broth because it just kept soaking everything up but you don't have to. It depends how sloppy you want yours to be. I added about 1/4 cup of ketchup too but that's not necessary although I'd definitely do it again. I butted my rolls instead of spraying cooking spray since I don't have that in my kitchen.

Ps: Don't forget dessert!