QuirkyFusionGiveaways | QuirkyFusion

Win Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles for a Year… and a Yummy Recipe

Christy — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:56:20 +0000

When I was growing up, I associated egg noodles with cream of chicken soup because they always seemed to come hand-in-hand. It’s one of my comfort food dishes. But when I found out that we were receiving a supply of Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles for a whole year, I knew that I’d need some more options, preferably with a grown-up slant. I found just the right recipe for us. I hope you enjoy it as well. I apologize for the lack of picture – we were so hungry when dinner was ready that we dug in before I had the chance to snap a shot!

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

* This goes nicely with chicken. We cut up chicken into bit-sized pieces, dredged them in salt, pepper and flour, and then cooked them. We dredged the pan with the wine and cooked the sauce in the same pan. Easy-peasy. Another option is to add sausage slices. Also yum.

Ingredients

4 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 C Sun-dried Tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons basil
One package Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles.

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sautee for about one minute.
Add the white wine, cream, and basil and bring just to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened. It should be 3-5 minutes.
For a creamier sauce, place the sauce in a food processor or blend with an immersion blender.
Prepare noodles as directed on package and serve with the sauce.

Sound delicious? It is, but you’ll need to throw your New Year’s Eve resolutions out the window for this dish. Anyway, now I also have a great chance for you to try the recipes on the Pennsylvania Dutch website or experiment with your own. You can win Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles for a year (24 packs of noodles!). In the meantime, if you “like” Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles on Facebook, you can download a coupon for $1 off two packs.

Please note that this giveaway is open to those who reside in/near New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Hartford/New Haven, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Albany. The sponsor will have final determination of eligibility due to residency.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: We received a a similar package of noodles. There was no promise of a positive review and the opinions contained in this post are my own. Pennsylvania Dutch is sponsoring this giveaway.

Win a Family Four-Pack of Tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Boston

Christy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:35:11 +0000

I saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York City ages ago. My boyfriend at the time really wanted to take me and I was honestly a bit reluctant. It turned out to be a really amazing show, however, and I’ve always wanted to go back. This year, I have the opportunity to take my own kids in Boston and I’m pretty sure they’ll be just as mesmerized by the spectacle. But since this is the season of giving, I also have super-special tickets to give to one of my readers.

The tickets (a pack of four) are for the December 28th performance in Boston at 5pm and they include a Meet and Greet with The Rockettes before the show! We’re using Rafflecopter for the giveaway and the mandatory entry is a comment about your favorite holiday memory. *If you don’t see the Rafflecopter widget below, please reload the page.

Here’s the blurb about the show:

This holiday season, THE RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR® starring THE WORLD-FAMOUS ROCKETTES® returns to Boston… and if you’ve never seen it before, this is DEFINITELY the year to go! Playing the Citi Performing Arts Center-Wang Theatre Friday December 2^nd – Wednesday, Dec 28^th!

This year’s show features brand-new scenes and songs, spectacular new sets, dazzling new costumes, an amazing 50-foot LED screen, and an unforgettable new finale! You’ll marvel at the incredible precision dancing of The Rockettes® in beloved scenes like the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the stunning reenactment of the first Christmas in the “Living Nativity.” An you’ll adore the new number “Christmas in New York,” featuring a chorus of Broadway-style singers and a life-sized double-decker bus! This year, through new technology and jaw-dropping new special effects, Christmas becomes more magical than ever before!

You can also purchase select tickets at 25% off:

How to Buy Tickets at 25% off*:
Log onto: www.citicenter.org/radiocity
Select a NON Peak Performance between Sat, Dec 7^th – Dec 28^th for your 25% off discount. For non-peak performances, choose weekday (Monday-Thursday) and evenings during school vacation week.
Enter Promo Code: ROXMOM11
*Offer is not valid for Gold Circle – $130 seats, for which there are no discounts. There is a 8 ticket limit on this event.
Tickets range in cost from $25-$130, depending on the location.

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets to the show for review purposes. There was no promise of a positive review and any opinions contained in this post are my own.

Win a Four-Pack of Tickets to Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove

Christy — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:25:05 +0000

Who are your favorite Disney characters? Rapunzel? Jasmine? Pumbaa and Timon? The Queen of Hearts? Tinker Bell? No matter which Disney movies are your favorites, there’s a good chance you’ll see some of the characters in Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove. The show includes all of the Disney Princesses, as well as beloved characters from Peter Pan, The Lion King, and Alice in Wonderland.

Curious how they’ll weave all of those characters into one show? You can find out. We’re giving away a four-pack of tickets to Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove at Boston’s TD Garden. The tickets are for the 7pm performance on Monday, December 26th – perfect for a great Christmas surprise! The show runs all that week, so you can also buy tickets for a time that is convenient for your family.

This contest is via the Rafflecopter widget – just click “I did it!” when you complete each entry. The mandatory entry is a comment below answering the question: Which of the characters in the show are you most excited to see? You can check out the video below to help you make your decision. And, of course, if you have any questions, please ask.

Holiday Cards with FedEx Office Printing Online–Review and Giveaway

Christy — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:44:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again… Big Guy hates them, but I insist on sending Christmas/Holiday cards every year. We send out 75 or so cards and Big Guy has to help with labeling them. I mean, it’s not that much work. I do all of the design and we don’t generally write personal messages. Sometimes I do a newsletter, but he doesn’t have to be involved in that, either. This year, we were asked if we wanted to try out FedEx Office Design & Print Center, formerly Kinko’s.

I had never used the FedEx Office Printing so I was both surprised and impressed by the extent of services available. In addition to their photo cards, there are hats, t-shirts, calendars, brochures, and even lawn signs. The holiday cards start at $19.99 for 20 cards and have a wide range of options including both flat and folded designs. There are regular holiday cards that can be customized and also photo cards that hold one or more pictures. There are more than 600 designs available in just the single photo category alone.

It took me forever to decide on a design. There are cute images, formal, bold and colorful, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, snow, topical, religious, and the list goes on… In the end, I chose a flat card with a matte finish and a somewhat formal design. Our holiday picture is on the beach, so the cards with winter scenes weren’t a good match. I also found some of the designs to be completely impractical for a photo holiday card. The spot for the images is so small that they get lost in the overall design. On the other hand, all of the cards I looked at were completely customizable in terms of the greeting, signature and inside/backside message. We prefer “Happy Holidays” as a message since we have such a diverse group of friends and family. Luckily, there are options for everyone.

If you’re interested in purchasing your holiday cards with the FedEx Office Design & Print Center, you should pay attention to the following shipping deadlines:

FedEx Ground Last Day to Ship: December 16
FedEx Express Last Day to Ship: December 23

I’ve also got a little FedEx Office Printing Online Gift pack to give away. Start with a comment below to tell us your favorite greeting card message for the holidays – just for fun!

Updated: We received our holiday cards from the FedEx Office Design & Print Center and I love them. It took me awhile to find a design that spoke to me, but it was worth the effort. The card stock is a good weight and out image looks crisp and bright, even with the matte printing we selected.

Disclosure: I received a gift card in order to try out the FedEx Office Design & Print Center. There was no promise of a positive review and the opinions contained in this post are my own. FedEx Office is sponsoring the giveaway, but are not responsible for the administration of the contest or the winner selection.

Win a Little Pim Language DVD for Kids

Christy — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:55:07 +0000

Do you want your little one to learn a new language? If so, here’s your chance to win a copy of one of the Little Pim language DVDs. I reviewed the language DVDs for kids earlier this week. If you’re interested, check out my review and then visit the Little Pim website. Leave a comment below and tell us know which language you would choose.

I’m trying out Rafflecopter for managing giveaway entries. Please let me know if you have any problems or feedback. Thanks!

Win a Four-Pack of Tickets to Six Flags New England

Christy — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 03:57:17 +0000

Tomorrow my family is heading out for our first adventure to Six Flags New England. I wasn’t entirely sure about taking my kids, but the park does in fact have plenty of rides for younger kids. You can check out the height restrictions in advance on their website and get a sense of what your kids will and won’t be able to do.

In the meantime, I have a family four-pack of tickets to give away to a reader. Interested?

Want to win?

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THE TWO RULES. IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, JUST ASK!

The Prize: Family Four-Pack of Passes to Six Flags New England (for this season)

To Enter (once per person/household):

Leave a comment on THIS post (right down below) with your favorite amusement park ride.
Make sure you enter the correct email address in the email spot on the comment form so I can reach you. Please DON’T put your email in the actual comment.

Details:

Contest will end at 11:59 pm Eastern on August 20, 2011 (contest deadline postponed due to a technical glitch). Entries received after that time will not be valid.
U.S. addresses only (sorry, international friends!)
Adults (18+) only
Winners will be chosen via “And the Winner Is” random plug-in. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. I will have the final decision in this matter.
I will email the winner who will have roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.

Bonus Entries:

Subscribe to this blog via email/RSS (once) – Already a subscriber? That counts!
Blog about this contest using the full url *no shortened links* (once)
Tweet about this contest (max 1 per day)
Fan/Like Quirky Fusion on Facebook (once) – If you’ve already “Liked” us, you can claim this one!

To claim bonus entries, please post one comment on this post per bonus entry (include permalink or tweet url).

Questions? Contact me.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Six Flags New England. I also received passes for my family for review purposes. There was no promise of a positive review and the opinions contained in this post are my own.

Blue Bunny Sends a Chill Box O’ Fun (and a Giveaway for YOU!)

Christy — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 03:40:42 +0000

Imagine a box arriving on a hot summer day. Inside, packed on dry ice, are three boxes of Blue Bunny ice cream novelties. Pretty amazing surprise, right? Ok, it wasn’t that much of a surprise. I had signed on to sample some Blue Bunny treats, but I didn’t know they were going to send actual ice cream in the mail. They had also sent a hint… a few days before, I got an envelope that said something along the lines of , “Hold on to this… The best is yet to come.” Inside was a single blue Blue Bunny napkin. What a way to build anticipation!

We received Champ! Mini Swirls Birthday Party Ice Cream Cones, Champ! Mini Swirls Vanilla Ice Cream Cones and Mini Ice cream Sandwiches Variety Pack. My personal favorite are the birthday party cones. They have cake batter ice cream covered with some sort of white chocolate shell and sprinkles. There’s blue frosting INSIDE and a lovely little sugar cone. Yum.

The kids liked those, but they also liked the vanilla cones (enough that I only had ONE). They kept telling people that there was a surprise inside the cones, but it turned out that the surprise is that there is ice cream in the cone. Yeah, my kids don’t ever really get ice cream in a cone. It’s already a challenge to make sure the ice cream is safe for Bug (allergic to peanuts/tree-nuts), never mind a cone. Blue Bunny sent me three Bug-friendly flavors. Double-win! All of the Blue Bunny flavors have allergy info clearly labeled on the package and none of them had nuts. You can actually search their website based on nut-free, kosher, dairy-free, sugar free, and fat-free options. I know they make some products with nuts, so those who have to be hyper-vigilant with cross-contamination may still have issues (I haven’t called to ask about manufacturing processes). Still, a lot of peanut and tree-nut allergy kids will be doing a happy dance with any of these Blue Bunny ice cream novelties.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that all of these varieties are mini, ranging from 100-160 calories per serving. They’re a perfect size for young kids and for parents who just want a little treat.

With all this talk of ice cream, I bet you want to win some of your own now, right? Blue Bunny isn’t going to send you a box of ice cream in the mail, but they will give “Bunny Bucks” so you can choose your favorite ice cream product. If I had a coupon, I’d try Duff Goldman’s Red Carpet Red Velvet. In fact, I’ll be trying it anyway. Make sure to check out the Blue Bunny recipe section, by the way, for some really cute (and delicious) ideas for making the ice cream/treats even more special (or incorporating them into other parts of the meal). I have my eye on the fried ice cream…

Want to win?

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THE TWO RULES. IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, JUST ASK!

The Prize: Blue Bunny Bunny Bucks (good for one free product)

To Enter (once per person/household):

Leave a comment on THIS post (right down below) with your favorite ice cream flavor.
Make sure you enter the correct email address in the email spot on the comment form so I can reach you. Please DON’T put your email in the actual comment.

Details:

Contest will end at 11:59 pm Eastern on July 28, 2011. Entries received after that time will not be valid.
U.S. addresses only (sorry, international friends!)
Adults (18+) only
Winners will be chosen via “And the Winner Is” random plug-in. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. I will have the final decision in this matter.
I will email the winner who will have roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.

Bonus Entries:

Subscribe to this blog via email/RSS (once) – Already a subscriber? That counts!
Blog about this contest using the full url *no shortened links* (once)
Tweet about this contest (max 1 per day)
Fan/Like Quirky Fusion on Facebook (once) – If you’ve already “Liked” us, you can claim this one!

To claim bonus entries, please post one comment on this post per bonus entry (include permalink or tweet url).

Questions? Contact me.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Blue Bunny and Mom Select. We received free product for review purposes. There was no additional compensation and no promise of a positive review.

Day 40–Pay It Forward Netbook Giveaway

Christy — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:12:01 +0000

This is the 40th Day of the 40 Days of Giveaways… hurray!

Can you imagine what it feels like to win not one, not two, but three computers in just one day? It happened to me at the Mom 2.0 Conference in April and I’ll tell you, it’s a pretty crazy experience. I was in shock most of the day.

Microsoft sponsored several giveaways based on an online scavenger hunt they had organized. I really want to win, so I made sure to get as many entries as I could. It paid off! They were giving away two sets of netbooks (each set had two netbooks) and another laptop. I won one of the netbook sets. Later that day, I found out that I had won an HP Touchsmart All-in-one from HP in a business card draw, which was a dream come true. My friends are still teasing me about my luck and I guess I can’t blame them!

Microsoft had suggested that we keep one netbook and give one away, but left the final decision up to us. I thought long and hard about how to do the most good with the netbook situation. I already have a netbook and we have no shortage of PCs in the house (especially with the addition of the HP Touchsmart), so I was pretty sure I wanted to give both netbooks away. I know there are people who need them more than we do.

The answer came to me in April when I was following up from a Philanthropy Day hosted by Weber Shandwick. Every year, they invite local non-profits in to learn more about spreading their message. They asked me to sit in on their media panel and talk about the best way reach out to bloggers to get a message out. Chatting with the representatives from these organizations, most of which were relatively small, brought me back to my own non-profit experience. I remembered how every little thing made such a big difference and I knew I had the answer.

How It Works!

I am giving away two netbooks (Acer Aspire ONE). One will go to a Quirky Fusion reader, and the other will go to one of the non-profits listed below. Here’s how it works:

To enter the giveaway, a reader must select one of the non-profit organizations below to “sponsor”. By sponsoring an organization, a reader agrees to visit their website, learn a bit more and, hopefully, help spread the message by talking about it on Facebook or Twitter. I’m not going to police this, but I don’t think it’s much to ask in exchange for a new computer.
At the end of the giveaway period, I will randomly select one winner. This person will win the netbook, and their sponsored organization will win as well.
This is not a voting contest. It’s a chance for someone to win, and then be able to pass along the good fortune to someone else, just as I am doing.

The Fine Print

I won these netbooks. They are both new in their original packaging. I will ship them in proper packaging to the winners. I will not be held accountable if, for any reason, they do not arrive as planned or do not function upon arrival.

Want to Win?

Here are our organizations:

Massachusetts Hospital School Foundation – Providing educational opportunities to kids with disabilities
Rosie’s Place – Helping poor and homeless women
Casa Myrna – Working to end domestic abuse and supporting those in need
The Theater Offensive – Advocacy and awareness of LGBTQ issues through theater
Friends of the Children-Boston – Mentoring children in need
Families United in Educational Leadership – Helping families send their kids to college
Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation – Strengthening community
Community Research Initiative – Clinical AIDS/HIV research

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THE TWO RULES. IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, JUST ASK!

To Enter (once per person/household):

Choose one of the organizations above, learn a bit more about them, and then come back HERE and tell us what you learned. Leave a comment on THIS post (right down below). * Please take a moment to Tweet, comment on Facebook or otherwise promote/support your chosen organization. They’re all great causes!
Make sure you enter the correct email address in the email spot on the comment form so I can reach you. Please DON’T put your email in the actual comment.

Rules:

Contest will end at 11:59 pm Eastern on August 22, 2011. Entries received after that time will not be valid.
One regular entry and up to two bonus entries (see below) per person/email.
U.S. addresses only (sorry, international friends!)
Adults (18+) only
Winners will be chosen via “And the Winner Is” random plug-in. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. I will have the final decision in this matter.
I will email the winner who will have roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.

Bonus Entries:

If you have entered any of the other 40 Days of Giveaways prior to today, one bonus entry.
If you have ever posted a non-giveaway comment prior to today, one bonus entry.

To claim bonus entries, please post one comment on this post per bonus entry (include a link to the post in question).

Questions? Contact me.

Day 39–Ultimate 40th Anniversary Disney World Mousketeer Giveaway

Christy — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:25:51 +0000

While I love most things Disney, I am at heart a Mickey Mouse fan. I have loved him since I was very young, and have always seen Mickey Mouse as a symbol for happiness and joy. That love extends to one of his homes, Walt Disney World. In fact, it is a running joke with my husband that I knew we were meant to be when I found out that he was born on the day Disney World opened. It’s fate!

When I started planning my 40 Days of Giveaways, I knew that I wanted to celebrate not only my 40th birthday, but the 40th anniversary of Disney World. If I’m highlighting brands and products that I love, it would be incomplete without a nod to a brand that inspired my career path and influences my daily life. My lovely friends at the Disney Store agreed to come on board for this very special giveaway. You can see the whole thing in the picture above, but here’s what you could win:

40th Anniversary Mickey Mouse Ears for adults – These are so cute for a Disney fan. The hat is covered with pictures of memorabilia from Walt Disney World over the years. With a 40th Anniversary embroidered patch and pins for Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, these ears are extra special.

40th Anniversary Walt Disney World Tee for Women – This has a great vintage look to it and I love the way these T-shirts fit.

40th Anniversary Walt Disney World Lanyard Medal and Pin Set (2 piece) – Mickey, Goofy and Donald celebrate 40 Years of Magic.

40th Anniversary Walt Disney World Starter Pin Set – Whether you’re new to pin trading or a long-time collector, this set is amazing. It includes pins of Mickey, Pluto, Goofy and Donald, all with the 40th Anniversary logo.

40th Anniversary Walt Disney World Spinner Pin – This one is just plain fun. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy spin around a pin with a lenticular plate in the center containing the 40th Anniversary logo.

This gorgeous set is worth more than $100 and is enough for a whole family to enjoy.

Want to win?

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THE TWO RULES. IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, JUST ASK!

The Prize: Ultimate Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary Mouseketeer Gift Pack

To Enter (once per person/household):

Leave a comment on THIS post (right down below) with your favorite Disney memory, whether it be a visit to the parks, an encounter with Mickey Mouse, piece of memorabilia from your childhood, etc.
Make sure you enter the correct email address in the email spot on the comment form so I can reach you. Please DON’T put your email in the actual comment.

Details:

Contest will end at 11:59 pm Eastern on July 28, 2011. Entries received after that time will not be valid.
U.S. addresses only (sorry, international friends!)
Adults (18+) only
Winners will be chosen via “And the Winner Is” random plug-in. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. I will have the final decision in this matter.
I will email the winner who will have roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.

Bonus Entries:

Subscribe to this blog via email/RSS (once) – Already a subscriber? That counts!
Blog about this contest using the full url *no shortened links* (once)
Tweet about this contest (max 1 per day)
Fan/Like Quirky Fusion on Facebook (once) – If you’ve already “Liked” us, you can claim this one!

To claim bonus entries, please post one comment on this post per bonus entry (include permalink or tweet url).

Questions? Contact me.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by the Disney Store. I received a set as well for review purposes. There was no promise of a positive review and the opinions contained in this post are my own.

Day 38 – Bloco Toys Savanna in Pyjamas Giveaway

Christy — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 17:19:58 +0000

This is Day 38 (sigh) of the 40 Days of Giveaways.

Zip on over and read my review of Savanna in Pyjamas from Bloco Toys. It’s my favorite Bloco set so far and I’ve got one to give away!

Want to win?

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THE TWO RULES. IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, JUST ASK!

The Prizes: A Savanna in Pyjamas Building Kit

To Enter (once per person/household):

Leave a comment on THIS post (right down below) and tell me your favorite of the four animals in the kit.
Make sure you enter the correct email address in the email spot on the comment form so I can reach you. Please DON’T put your email in the actual comment.

Details:

Contest will end at 11:59 pm Eastern on July 25, 2011. Entries received after that time will not be valid.
U.S. addresses only (sorry, international friends!)
Adults (18+) only
Winners will be chosen via “And the Winner Is” random plug-in. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. I will have the final decision in this matter.
I will email the winner who will have roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.

Bonus Entries:

Subscribe to this blog via email/RSS (once) – Already a subscriber? That counts!
Blog about this contest using the full url *no shortened links* (once)
Tweet about this contest (max 1 per day)
Fan/Like Quirky Fusion on Facebook (once) – If you’ve already “Liked” us, you can claim this one!

To claim bonus entries, please post one comment on this post per bonus entry (include permalink or tweet url).

Questions? Contact me.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Bloco Toys. We received a copy for review purposes, but no other compensation. This post contains affiliate links.