Chic Galleria » Giveaways

Blue Nile Initial Pendants: Get the Look! – Giveaway

Editor — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:02:42 +0000

E! News’ anchor Giuliana Rancic and Maria Menounos, fresh off her perfect score on ABC’s hit series Dancing With the Stars, were both seen sporting the fashionable and popular Blue Nile White Topaz Initial Pendant.

This pendant is extremely versatile because of its simplicity; Maria wears pairs her pendant with casual workout clothes on her way to rehearsal, while Giuliana wears hers to an E! Network upfront event at Gotham Hall in New York. No matter the occasion, this pendant can match it. It really is a must-have!

Chic Galleria is giving away one White Topaz Initial Pendant (ARV $85.00) to one (1) lucky person.

*To enter, you must visit www.bluenile.com and take a look around. Then come back here and tell us what you found! Where would you wear your pendant? Leave a comment in the box below. *Disclaimer: Anyone who enters understands and agrees that their email address will be shared with Blue Nile.

Good Luck!

Tweet!

I entered to win a White Topaz Initial Pendant from @BlueNileDiamond on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST, Friday, May 18th. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Remember, you can get our weekly giveaways via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Fania Anthology Giveaways of Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades!

Editor — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:27:03 +0000

Fania Records is releasing Anthology albums for two of the greatest salsa singers of all time. The works of Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades have been reworked and remastered for the ultimate sound. You can also win one of these Anthology albums in an exclusive giveaway for our readers! Read below for information on the giveaway, to listen to a song, and to find out more about each artist.

The New Fania Anthology Series Starts Now!

Celebrating the timeless gems of its vast catalog – a real treasure trove of classic Afro-Caribbean music – Fania is launching a new series of two-disc retrospectives focusing on the label’s biggest names.

Our new Anthology series hand picks the most representative tracks of a given salsa star on two discs, accompanied by a booklet with rare photos and extensive liner notes in both English and Spanish. The first two releases pay tribute to the artistry of mercurial singer Héctor Lavoe and socially conscious troubadour Rubén Blades. Both of them created some of their best work in collaboration with trombonist, composer and producer Willie Colón.

The Héctor Lavoe Anthology includes all of the singer’s greatest hits, as well as a significant number of key album tracks. Highlights include the epic Afro-Caribbean workouts “Periódico de Ayer” and “El Cantante,” composed by Tite Curet Alonso and Rubén Blades respectively. Lavoe’s throaty vocals shine on these bittersweet narratives, embellished by an orchestration featuring string ensembles – taking tropical music to unsuspected levels of pathos and sophistication. The collection also features the Fania All Stars collaboration “El Rey De La Puntualidad” and the mega-hits “Che Che Colé,” “Calle Luna Calle Sol” and the Johnny Pacheco singalong “Mi Gente.”

The Rubén Blades Anthology spans the first 15 years of the Panamanian master’s career, focusing on the genre-defining Siembra album – for the longest time, salsa’s best selling record. Showcasing Blades’ eclectic personality, some of the songs find the singer collaborating with Ray Barretto (“Canto Abacuá”), the Fania All Stars (the Tito Rodríguez standard “Los Muchachos De Belén”) and returning to the studio for a fascinating version of his own “El Cantante.”

The Anthology series will delight salsa fans looking for definitive retrospectives of the genre’s biggest names.

Click Here to buy the Rubén Blades Anthology on CD or as a digital download today.
Click Here to buy the Héctor Lavoe Anthology on CD or as a digital download today.

Click Here to listen to the CD on Spotify or Here to listen to samples of Héctor Lavoe and Here for Rubén Blades on iTunes.

Click Here to visit Fania Records Facebook page.

Chic Galleria is giving away BOTH Anthology CDs (ARV $33.96) to one 1 lucky person.

Tweet it! I entered to win Héctor Lavoe Anthology CD and Rubén Blades Anthology CD from @Faniamusic on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

To enter, after visiting Fania.com, leave a comment below letting us know why you would like to win these CDs.

Entries will be accepted until midnight EST, May 11th. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winner Kat Riley!

Nicolas Mirabelli is a college graduate from the University of Washington with a degree in English. His passions are creative writing, movies, music, comedy, and adventures. He connects his passion for movies and writing and writes screenplays in his spare time and hopes to become a successful screenwriter. You can follow him on Twitter here, or Facebook here.

Cooking With T-fal and The Food Network’s Danny Boome + A Giveaway!

Editor — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:56:05 +0000

Check out these incredible recipes from The Food Network’s Chef Danny Boome and enter to win a T-fal Non-Stick 8″ and 10″ Pan set!

Dynamic young chef Danny Boome brings his passion for food and culinary exploration to America with fresh perspectives and unique quick-fix ideas. In his series, Rescue Chef, everyday cooks experiencing personal culinary obstacles welcome Danny into their homes to save the day.

T–fal is the inventor and world leader of non–stick cookware with coating properties first introduced over 40 years ago. The exclusive bases distribute heat evenly and offers durable nonstick interiors make cleanup fast and easy. Ergonomically designed stay–cool handles, and dishwasher Safe.

Frittata

Total Time: 20 min

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 10 min

Yield: 6 servings

Level: Easy
Ingredients

6 eggs, beaten

1-ounce Parmesan, grated

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon butter

1/2 cup chopped roasted onions

1/2 cup chopped country ham

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Method

Preheat oven to broil setting.

In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add asparagus and ham to pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley.

Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 0 min

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 40 min

Yield: 6 servings

Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. crushed garlic

2tsp fresh ginger

6 cups chicken stock

Nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Roast squash in a pre-heated oven (425) and cook for 20min. Once the squash has cooked, it should be soft to the touch, let it cool.

In large pot melt butter. Add onion, garlic, ginger and cook for about 8 minutes. Scoop out squash and add to the onion mixture.

Add stock and bring to a simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. With a blender blitz the stock, Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

8 ounces cubed processed cheese food

Method

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat melt butter or margarine. Whisk flour and stir vigorously. Add milk and cook until thick and bubbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add cheeses and stir until completely melted.

In a large bowl mix together the drained pasta and cheese sauce mixture. Toss to coat evenly.

Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pan Fried Salmon

Ingredients

4 (5-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets (about 1-inch-thick), skin on or off

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serving suggestions: honey mustard, horseradish mashed potatoes, mesclun greens

Method

Bring the salmon to room temperature 10 minutes before cooking.

Warm a large nonstick skillet with oil over medium-low heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high. Place the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes.

Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch and the skin is crisp if desired, about 3 minutes more.

The skin can be served or removed easily with a knife or spoon. Transfer to a plate and serve as desired.

Coq Au Vin

Total Time: 2 hr 5 min

Prep: 10 min

Inactive: 10 min

Cook: 1 hr 45 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

1 large chicken, (about 3 to 4 pounds), cut 10 pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped into bite size pieces

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped into bite size pieces

12 pearl onions

2 tablespoons brandy

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 sprigs fresh thyme

12 small mushrooms, cleaned, large ones cut in 1/2

2 cups chicken stock

1 bottle red wine

3 bay leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. When the pot is hot, add the butter and olive oil. Place the chicken pieces into the pot, skin side down so that they fit snugly yet have room to color. Turn them after 2 minutes then cook for a further 2 minutes on the bottom. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the bacon and cook until golden. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced onion, carrot and celery and cook for 2 minutes.

Blanch pearl onions in a 6 to 8-quart pot of boiling water 1 minute, then drain in a colander. When onions are cool enough to handle, peel. Set aside.

Next deglaze the bottom of the pot with 2 tablespoons of brandy. Stir all the ingredients well, lifting the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. While stirring, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. (This will create a roux and hold in all the flavors that have been created.)

Place the sprigs of thyme the pearl onions and the mushrooms into the pot and give them a stir, then return the chicken to the pot. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the red wine and the bay leaves; cover the pot and place into the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.

Serve straight from the pot with Parsnip and Turnip Mash, if desired.

Parsnip and Turnip Mash

Ingredients

3 large turnips

6 large parsnips

45g unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Peel and slice the turnips thinly. Peel and dice the parsnips (cutting the vegetables small and thin will help speed up cooking time).

Add the sliced and diced vegetables to a large saucepan and cover them with cold water. Add salt to the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil the vegetables for about 8 to 10 mins until quite soft. Vegetables are cooked when you can easily insert the tip of a knife.

Seared Scallops

Ingredients

3 avocados

3 teaspoons wasabi powder

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 slices pancetta

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, smashed

6 large sea scallops

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced for garnish

Method

Halve the 3 avocados and remove the pits. Spoon out flesh into a food processor and add wasabi, lemon juice, salt and pepper, to taste. Process until it’s a smooth consistency. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Cook pancetta until crispy and fat has rendered. Remove pancetta from pan reserving the fat and add butter and garlic. Once the butter has melted add the scallops to the pan and gently sear until lightly browned. About 1 minute per side. Spoon some avocado puree on each plate, arrange pancetta on top followed by the seared scallops. Dice your red pepper finely and garnish.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Red Cabbage

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small red cabbage or 1/2 large cabbage, finely sliced

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Set aside.

Trim the Brussels sprouts and peel off 1 outer layer of leaves. Cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, larger sprouts can be quartered. Place the sprouts in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring the sprouts to a boil and drain immediately. Transfer the sprouts to the bowl of ice water. (This will stop the cooking and preserve their color.) Drain well.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts. Cook for 1 minute then add the sliced cabbage. Cook until the cabbage has softened and the sprouts are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Potato Gratin Boome Style

Ingredients

1 pound baby new potatoes

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the baby new potatoes with skins on into a large saucepan of cold, salted water, place the saucepan onto a medium heat and bring the potatoes to boil. Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until a knife can easily be inserted, but potatoes are not falling apart.

Drain potatoes and place them back into the pan. Using a fork roughly mash up leaving nice big potato chunks. Mix in the grated cheese, heavy cream, butter and black pepper. Take a foil lined baking sheet and place 4 rings (2-inches wide) on top. Fill each ring with potato mixture and place in oven for 20 minutes until the top is nice and golden brown.

Using a wide spatula, transfer the ring of potatoes to each plate. Holding the edge of the hot ring with a kitchen towel, cut around the potatoes to loosen them. Remove the ring and serve hot.

Chic Galleria is giving away this Non Stick 8″ & 10″ pan set (ARV $29.99) to one (1) lucky person.

To enter, simply comment below if you’d like to receive these pans and what you will be cooking tonight.

Tweet! I entered to win a T-fal Non Stick 8″ &10″ pan set from @Tfal_Cookware on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST, May 1. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Remember, you can get our weekly giveaways via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Congratulations to our winner, SHAYNA!

Michael Todd True Organics Ultimate Giveaway!

Editor — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:50:03 +0000

Lewis Hendler, co-founded scunci International, the world’s best known hair accessory brand. When the company was sold in 2005, Lewis acquired start-up cosmetics company Michael Todd Cosmetics as a platform for a new approach to skincare. Lewis changed the name of the company to reflect his skin care philosophy … and today’s Michael Todd true organics was born.

Michael Todd true organics are made in the United States using unique and potent premium ingredients from organic farms for effective, results oriented organic skin care solutions tailored to individual skin types.

What you put on your skin matters. You want to use products from nature that nourish the skin the same way quality fresh unprocessed food nourishes your body. Plants and fruits grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers do not get to be called Michael Todd true organics.

Michael Todd true organics state on every package the precise percentage of organically grown plants and fruits used and if it is vegan so you know just what you’re getting. We never “water down” our products by adding water. And, we never, ever, use parabens, triclosans, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic dyes or fragrances, mineral oil or other petrochemicals to avoid health concerns.

Chic Galleria is giving away 1 Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub, 1 Charcoal Detoxifying Facial Mask, 1 Cleanse and Tone One Step Cleanser / Toner, 1 Rooibos Tea Gel Eye Treatment, 2 Antiox Serum with DMAE and Alpha Lipoic Acid, 1 Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum, 1 Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub, and 1 Liposome Antioxidant Moisturizer with DMAE and Hyaluronic Acid (ARV $455) to one (1) lucky person.

Tweet it! I entered to win @MichaelToddSkin True Organics products worth over $450 on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

To enter, after visiting www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com, leave a comment below letting us know why you would like to win these products.

Entries will be accepted until midnight EST, April 24th. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winner Debra F (fairydancer40)!

Lolly & A Scarf Giveaway

Editor — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:48:58 +0000

A new clothing boutique was recently brought to my attention: Lolly. Lolly is not exactly new, just new to me. I was so excited to see all of their gorgeous clothing. From bohemian tops and skirts to beautiful, beachy dresses, this store has this spring’s most adorable designs. I’ve found a few items I’d love to have for my honeymoon. Lolly is making me wish I weren’t saving my money so frugally!

I was so excited when I was gifted a beautiful scarf from Lolly (pictured below) in my favorite clothing color: mustard. I don’t know what it is about mustard but I find it absolutely fabulous. It goes with almost everything! I especially love it on my new scarf from Lolly. The scarf is so lightweight and gorgeous. I can’t wait to wear it!

As strange as it may seem, my fiancé came up with the idea that wearing the scarf as a sarong on the beach in Hawaii would be so cute. It may sound odd, but it would actually look amazing! It’s so thin and light that it would be perfect to double as a sarong. My fiancé is officially a genius. Although the winter is over, this scarf is still super thin and perfect for any breezy occasion.

I’m so happy to announce that for (1) lucky winner, we will be giving away another scarf from Lolly which is pictured below (ARV $64). With animal print and tie-dye appeal in a Purple/Pink/Mauve color combo, this scarf is perfect for any season!

TO ENTER:

Visit Lolly and comment below on your favorite item

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST, TODAY ONLY, April 16. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Feel free to connect with Lolly on Facebook, Twitter, and the Lolly blog!

Send out a Tweet! Chic scarf #giveaway today ONLY from @LollyClothing on @ChicGalleria bit.ly/cYr8Gq

Remember, you can get our giveaway announcements via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Congratulations to our winner Jane H (tomhoh) ! We know you will LOVE this scarf!

Kaitlin Vocker is the Style and Beauty Editor for Chic Galleria and loving every minute of it. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In her spare time, she runs her own blog www.secretivestyle.com! You can also follow her on twitter @secretivestyle or Facebook.