Monday, January 4, 2010

Monday Morning Giveaway!

Recently, I posted about Lifetime.com's "Cook Yourself Thin" series of recipes and their new cookbook, and now I have the cookbook to give to one lucky reader!

"Cook Yourself Thin Faster" is the follow-up to "Cook Yourself Thin" (natch), which was a New York Times bestseller. While it isn't a "diet" book, the authors do include some good advice, such as counting calories, keeping a food diary, a list of 100-calorie or less healthy snacks, and of course, exercise (you knew that was coming).

The recipes look great - they use real food, just healthier versions (i.e. swapping a full-fat ingredient for a lesser-fat one). I made their Southwestern Slaw (using the scariest kitchen appliance ever, the mandoline) and I liked it...never would have thought of mixing ancho chile powder, honey, lime and orange juices into a cole slaw (actually, I used broccoli slaw), but it worked for me!
This side dish includes julienned jicima, which is what I used the mandoline for. But a regular knife would work pretty well and you probably wouldn't be as afraid as I was of losing a finger!

To enter this giveaway, which is open to U.S. residents only (sorry, international readers!), just leave a comment on this post telling me what kitchen appliance scares you the most. Giveaway ends at 10:00 pm on Thursday, January 7th, and a randomly-drawn winner will be announced on Friday. Good luck to everyone!

**In accordance with the FCC, I hereby disclaim that I received a copy of this cookbook to keep as well as one to give away.

75 comments:

  1. lordy. for me it is almost ALL except my blender :)

    I
    shall
    go
    with....
    hmmm....

    verysharpknives :)

    and I should say "no need to enter me" but I shant.
    cuz Id love to win!

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  2. The mandoline scares me too! I bought one recently but ended up slicing potatoes the regular way because I (a) couldn't figure out how to use the mandoline (there are parts) and (b) was afraid of slicing my finger off.

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  3. Well, I have to say after my Bombshells in the Kitchen post the other day, it would appear that the crock pot is my devil.

    Actually, everything scares me except the frig and the coffee pot.

    I NEED this book!

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  4. I'm not afraid of much - although my husband does not like watching me use the mandolin! I make him nervous :D

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  5. The dishwasher, if that baby goes out.WOW life would NOT be the same :)

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  6. I think the only appliance that I'm fearful of is the cheese grater. When you get near the end of that cheese block, your fingers could be in jeopardy..at least that's the case for me :P

    Dee~

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  7. The microwave is the only appliance I know. I really need the book!

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  8. For sure it is a Mandoline.
    msgb245 at gmail dot com

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  9. Pressure cooker. I saw one explode one time (around 35 years ago) and to this day have refused to own one!

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  10. Yes, its my mandoline, even though I love it. I made a few batches of 'pink' pears. It slices your fingers so cleanly that you don't even notice it at first.

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  11. I'm in! Scariest kitchen appliance to me is the pressure cooker. I won't even own one. I learned to be afraid, be very, very afraid of it from my mom. LOL

    THANK YOU!

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  12. The Pressure Cooker is not my friend. About, oh, 30 years ago we had one and my Nan and I decided to make Chutney.
    We pulled chunks of the stuff from the ceiling for years after.
    I still have nightmares.
    outofthemist AT gmail DOT com
    Terri aka GeorgiaMist

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  13. I would agree that the mandoline is terrifying. I even had one with a hand guard and managed to slice off a significant chunk of finger one time. Alton Brown recommended cut-resistant gloves on his show Good Eats, and I'm planning on buying some for my next mandoline (the old one broke, which is another story completely.)

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  14. just thinking about using the mandoline makes me shiver. I'm so glad you didn't hurt yourself (shudder)

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  15. Food processor. What if I cut my fingers off in it?

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  16. I am trying to cook more meals for my family this year so I would love a new cookbook!

    Sadly I'm very new to cooking and I JUST got a good chopping knife for Christmas and it scares me!

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  17. Scariest kitchen appliance: the cheese grater. I have had grated knuckles in my enchiladas more than once.

    Mandoline is probably a very close runner up. I have a scar from sslicing off the tip of my finger while trying to make pickles. Ouch!

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  18. I'm not a fan of the Food Processor. It's not that Im afraid of it, but clean up is a huge PITA ;-)

    Thanks for the giveaway offer - looks like an interesting book. I'm new to your blog (by way of Cranky Fitness) and loving it!

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  19. My canner. I canned last year and this year, and I'm still afraid I'm going to somehow blow up my kitchen :)
    If that's an appliance, lol?

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  20. I'm most scared of a food processor, which is why I don't have one :)

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  21. Pressure Cooker! I'm selling mine because I'm afraid to use it!

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  22. I just want to say that cole slaw looks incredible and is inspiring me.


    BODA weight loss

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  23. Mmmmm...the slaw sounds good. I love ancho chile powder!

    I have a kitchen blow-torch that scares me enough that I haven't even gotten around to buying the butane for it two years after I received it as a gift.

    Kinda weird that I'm scared of it because in all other ways, I'm a bit of a pyromaniac.

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  24. i would say a meat slicer, my grandmother had one and I thought it was the greatest thing but scared to death to use it myself. :)

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  25. I'm glad you added that disclaimer to the end of your post. =) I have to say that made me chuckle a bit.

    The kitchen appliance that scares me the most? I guess I'd have to go with a deep fat fryer. Everything about it is scary including the food you cook in it.

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  26. I've watched that show on lifetime several times, I love it!

    I guess the scariest kitchen appliance to me would be the broiler oven! I have the kind of stove where the broiler is on the bottom drawer (which I hate). I've hardly used it at all!

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  27. I don't think I'm scared of any kitchen appliances, but I do tread very carefully around the kitchen disposal. There's a scene from the first season of Heroes that always comes to mind when I use it.

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  28. Sounds like a good book and totally understand it's for US residents only.

    Salad looks great.

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  29. Funny, reading these comments - I don't even know what a pressure cooker is used for!

    I will have to say for me it is the food processor - those blades are sharp!

    This is the first time I have made a comment to your blog. I have gotten a lot of inspiration from your story and your posts. I have resolved to stop lurking and start playing this year! Thanks again.

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  30. Oh no! I love kitchen appliances, but I guess one that scares me a bit is a mandolin. I've always wanted one but am afraid I'd cut my finger off!

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  31. I love getting a new kitchen gadget but recently I got "the Ninja" blender/food processor and it works great but once I had it sitting crooked and when I turned it on it made an awful noise. I jumped about a foot in the air was afraid to turn it back on after that.

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  32. Hi! I'm okay with most appliances, but once in my first apartment I cinged my eyebrows trying to light a gas oven. Turned it on, realized the pilot was out, grabbed some matches to light it, match pack was empty, so went looking for some more and when I came back and struck the match the gas had built up in the oven, so I had a small explosion!

    bbmda@yahoo.com

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  33. every time i use the veggie peeler i have to be oh-so-careful about my fingers.

    mandolin slicers are awesome but scaaary indeed.

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  34. A box shredder. Always getting my knuckles. The cookbook looks awesome!

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  35. I second gas-powered ovens. I've always gone with electric b/c gas scares me (and I even used to use one in a restaurant). Too leery of things that can blow up my house!

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  36. Mandolin for sure! I must say the garbage dispose-all is a close second--maybe it's the sound!

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  37. The waffle iron! I usually burn my fingers, make a mess and rarely get crispy waffles.

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  38. I have a love-hate relationship with the box grater...and I have the scared knuckles to prove it.

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  39. I am scared of the pressure cooker -- if I do it wrong, it will explode and disfigure me.

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  40. The scariest appliance in my kitchen?? The hand mixer. I got one for my wedding and I think I've used it once....I've just never used one before, it seems so odd!!

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  41. the cheese grater, I'm terrified of slicing skin off my fingers!! I bought a mandolin but can't seem to make it work right, when I push down on it the blade gets wider and there doesn't seem to be a way to tighten it. It's stuck in the cupboard in it's box :(

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  42. That is so funny cause I bought a mandoline months ago and it sat and sat until I bought my first ever Jicama and used it for that - it was pretty scary and after that I packed the mandolin away and it hasn't seen the light again.
    Hubby came home and asked why I grated the apples - we had never eaten jicama before!
    I thin that is the scariest appliance and veggie!!

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  43. you mean I have to limit it to only one scary appliance? They all scare the crap outta me!

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  44. My kitchen aid mixer still scares me!
    The slaw looks really yummy.

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  45. "Monday Morning Giveaway" ???
    What, you mean you're giving away Monday Mornings? Lordy, woman, who'd take an offer like that? Saturdays, now, that I could understand :)

    Oh all right, I'll go away now. Honest. I'm going. Right now.
    Really. This is me.
    Out the door.
    Right now.
    Honest :)

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  46. A friend of mine once droped a knife and it landed sharp end down right through her bare foot. So, sharp knives scare me because I drop things all the time.

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  47. Yikes, the very word mandoline makes me want to run from the kitchen- and I am normally a fearless cook! Before I use a mandoline I imagine suiting up in armor first...!

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  48. Cheese grater. I hate nubby fingers!!

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  49. The mixer... I end up mixing by hand, or throwing things in the VitaMix, because every time I use the mixer, food flings everywhere!!

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  50. Ha - I had to laugh at MizFit about sharp knives! :D

    It used to be my food processor, but now I know how to put it together - no big deal.

    Happy Tuesday Shelley!

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  51. Ummmm, the kitchen torch for sure, haha. I just know one day my husband is going to catch himself on fire while "playing" with it, and I'll be a very unhappy wife taking him to the emergency room.

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  52. I would have to say the toaster b/c I can never get it right. It's sometime under toasted or over toasted. tdmercy7@gmail.com

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  53. Hmmm. . . last week I learned the hard way not to blend scalding hot soup in my blender. So I'm going with the blender.

    I recently found your blog, by the way, and am inspired by your journey. You're amazing!

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  54. I would say my refrigerator is the most scary appliance right now..the freezer side is full of leftovers (for the other members of the family to eat! Thanks for such a great blog...this is my first time reading it!

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  55. The stick blender. It's too easy to splatter soup everywhere.

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  56. For me it's the Wok. It's the one thing in my kitchen I have no idea how to use.

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  57. Hey - I'm a new reader - excited to find your blog! I am also scared of the Wok!! And I only know how to use the really really expensive food processor to blend.

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  58. Whats this mandolin everyone is talking about and why they use it in the kitchen??? Isn't it a musical instrument?

    Sorry if that sounds dumb..but I've never heard of that kitchen appliance...lol.

    What I really am afraid of in the kitchen is a whole raw turkey or chicken.. ya know after ya take it out of the packaging to rinse it and take out whatever guts are on the inside.....ewwww weeee yuck-o!

    My daughter or hubby take care of it for me. lol

    I think I need this book!
    Debi

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  59. Shoot! I just left a comment about my fear of chicken and turkey in the kitchen...lol..and they aren't appliances....

    Well, at least I get a kick out of how dumb I can really be sometimes.

    The only appliance I can really think of that I might fear is the potato peeler. Shoot that's not an appliance either...lol....Hey this is fun though...lol makin' me laugh.

    But honestly, those dang potato peelers take my nail with the peels. I don't like them AT ALL.

    :) Debi

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  60. I am most frightened by the food processor...it would probably help me to "Cook Myself Thin Faster" if I get over the fear!

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  61. I'm scared of the vegetable peeler b/c it once took a hunk out of my finger when I was peeling a butternut squash--I have a small scar!!

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  62. Electric carving knives terrify me! I'm comfortable with most other appliances.

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  63. Mine would be my stovetop....I have frequently gotten burned or caught stuff on fire via the stovetop. Not good lol.

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  64. For me it is the Microwave. I use it all the time but it scares me if I see a spark or I hear a pop. My microwave is about 10 years old and the plate has stopped spinning on it. I got it free when my parents microwave couldn't be fixed, they bought a new one, and I got a brand new replacement from Sears. Win-win for me. Now, I am frighten that it will go out one day. Maybe that would be a good thing. Hmmm?

    Love the series when it was on Lifetime and always wanted to buy the books. Lifetime needs to continue their shows. It is weird to have good shows and not carry them on or create new things for the channel. JMHO.

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  65. I have a thing about sharp knives, they scare me. I use them everyday, so you would think that I would get used to them, but not really.

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  66. I would have to say, Garlic Press...sorry I just don't get it or like it. LOL!

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  67. Ok, I don't know if this counts as an appliance, but I am scared to death of our garbage disposal! I don't even want to be in the room when those blades are whizzing and chopping. I make my husband wait until I leave the kitchen before he turns it on. Seriously. (Sorry about that, hon.)

    And while I'm humiliating myself here, I'll go ahead and confess that I've even had nightmares about *forgetting* to take my hand out of the disposal before turning it on. Eeeeeek!

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  68. I do not care about the book half as much as I'd like to win the mandoline. Please send one asap.
    Thanks.

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  69. I am not scared of my mandolin, funny, I didn't even know that is what it was called until 3 months ago when I pulled it out to cut potatoes for my daughters birthday dinner.

    ANYWAYS, I am afraid of my giant foodprocessor because it makes such a mess. MESSY.

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  70. Great giveaway, I've so been wanting to check out that book!

    Ummm...the broiler part of the oven. I burn myself way too much on that!

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  71. Sharp knives! I have cut myself TOO MANY TIMES!

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  72. Sadly the kitchen appliance that scares me the most is the microwave! it's an item that was invented to make meal making easier but tends to dry my food out something fierce!! I don't always have time to bake something healthy in the oven and it would be great if I knew how to cook healthy foods in the microwave!!

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