Happy Anniversary to B&B! Giveaway: Le Creuset French Oven in Dune

 
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Bonnie C.! Bonnie, I hope you love your Le Creuset French Oven as much as I do.


 
Four years ago today, I posted for the first time to Bluebonnets & Brownies, this little blog o' mine. I couldn't know then the joy and knowledge it would bring to my life. Or the friendships.

Back when I started B&B, I was more homesick than you could imagine. Two years into our move to New Jersey from England, James and I still only had each other. As you might guess, working from home makes it very difficult to meet new people.

But then I started writing about the foods I missed from back home, and sometimes James's home favorites too. And suddenly, I was part of a community. The food blogging community saved me from a lot of unhappiness, a lot of loneliness.

Over the past four years, I've learned so much about myself, about food, and recipes, and baking, and that building a group of friends is much like perfecting a recipe. Over time, the ingredients work so harmoniously, becoming that perfect recipe you dreamed of.


Jen, me, and Tracy. P.S. Tracy, thanks for the photos!


A big bunch of wonderful, supportive food bloggers that I love dearly.

Yeah, I'm a bit sentimental today. Remembering back to when James and I moved to New Jersey and knew not a soul - gosh, it was overwhelmingly scary. B&B changed all that for me.

As I've learned and grown over the past 4 years, there are some items I've found essential to my little blogging world. This week, thanks to some of the wonderful brands I've had the privilege to work with, I'll be giving my favorites away.

First up: A 5 ½ Qt Le Creuset French Oven in Dune.

Years ago, Pam told me that she always felt like Le Creuset pieces were beautiful enough to simply leave on the stove top. "Besides," she said, "sometimes the hardest part of making dinner seems to be getting the pots and pans out of the cupboard. If the pot's already on the stove, it feels like half the work is already done."

I'm paraphrasing there, but it's definitely some of the best advice I ever received. My Le Creuset pieces are used, literally, every day.

From the mini cocotte I use as a salt cellar to the cast iron risotto pan I got last year at the outlet.. every single day I lay my hands on a bit of Le Crueset, and my cooking is better for it.

Quality cast iron cookware is hard to come by. Quality cast iron cookware that is beautiful enough to decorate your kitchen too? True love.

Dune is one of my favorite colors in the Le Creuset offerings, because it goes with everything. Whether you go for an outdoor-inspired kitchen like I did (lots of stone, sunshine yellow cabinets, slate grey-pink flooring) or apple reds and pepper greens, Dune is going to look fabulous living on your stove top.

I chose the 5 ½ Qt because I think it's the perfect starter size. Big enough for family soups, stews, roasts and even artisan bread. Small enough that there's still plenty of room on the stove top for other pots and pans while you're cooking. You're going to love it!

What you win:

5 ½ Qt Le Creuset French Oven in Dune

How you win:

  • Simply leave me a comment below. Tell me anything. The first thing you'll make in your French Oven, what you ate for breakfast, what you'd like to see on B&B in the coming year.

    To get extra entries, you can:

  • Follow @LeCreuset and @BluebonnetBaker on Twitter. Tweet the following phrase:Happy 4th Anniversary to @BluebonnetBaker! Come win a @LeCreuset French Oven to celebrate! http://su.pr/334R9k #giveaway

    You must leave a comment here telling me you tweeted.

  • Follow Le Creuseton Facebook. Leave a comment here telling me you did so.
  • Follow Bluebonnets & Brownies on Facebook. Leave a comment here telling me you did so.
  • Follow BluebonnetBaker on Pinterest and pin this post. Leave a comment here telling me you did so.

     


    Important Details:


    - This giveaway is open to USA residents only and will run until Wednesday, May 23rd at 11:59 pm EST.
    - This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook in any way.
    - Winner(s) will be generated via a random number generator software program. Winner will be notified via the contact email provided on the comment contact form.
    - Winner(s) will have until 5/26/12 to claim their Le Creuset French Oven or we will choose another winner.
    - Winner will receive (1) Le Creuset Cast Iron French Oven in Dune {$265.00 MSRP}. Product will be shipped by Le Creuset.

    Disclosure:

    This giveaway is provided to you by Le Creuset. The views and opinions expressed by Amber Bracegirdle on Bluebonnets & Brownies are my own, and based upon my experiences with the products listed.

  • [wpurp-searchable-recipe]Happy Anniversary to B&B! Giveaway: Le Creuset French Oven in Dune - - - [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

    588 Comments

    1. Congratulations on four years of blogging--what an achievement! I've admired these beautiful french ovens for some time, but have yet to make one my own. I'd feel so fancy making a hearty stew or roast in one of these beautiful pieces.

    2. Happy Happy 4th!

      This Texan gal hasn't lived in the Lone Star State since college - jobs have moved us from Hawaii to our current Maryland...so without a doubt, if I won, the VERY first thing I'd make is a thick, meaty chili (pass the Fritos please).

      (Following on FB, thanks)

    3. Oooohh, Le Crueset - what dreams are made of! My dreams, anyway. I think I would have to make something that started on the stove and then moved to the oven just so I could giggle that I had cookware that could be used for both!

    4. Hmmmmmm......I imagine Spaghetti Sauce and yummy casseroles and mac and cheese. Yummmmy.

    5. As a recent transplant from Ontario, Canada to Madison, WI ( to get married to my sweet husband) I also have felt the loneliness & the food blog community on fb has also given me hours & hours of enjoyment & sense of belonging. As I am adjusting to my new life, I am learning to share more of my life & traditions with my new family here & try to keep in touch with my loved ones back home. Thank you for your wonderful recipes & tidbits about your own life.
      I think I will use the Le Creuset piece to make more stews & chicken dishes.
      Thank you for the chance to win it. :o)
      Ana

    6. Congrats on four years. 😀 This Le Creuset french oven in dune has been on my wishlist. I'm envisioning a rich, hearty vegetarian chili. Cheers! I hope I win!

    Comments are closed.