Monday, November 28, 2011

One Year Anniversary and a Giveaway ...


**The giveaway has now closed. Congratulations to Debbie of comment #22, the number picked by Random.org!

I'm throwing a party today and you are all invited - would you like a piece of cake? What's the occasion? The Mama Me Gluten Free blog is having its first anniversary today! That's right - one year ago today, I posted for the first time on this blog, not sure how it was all going to turn out. Thanks to all of you, dear readers, it's been a huge blessing for me and my family.

Have some ice cream, too, while I talk with you some more ...


I have learned so much this past year. I have learned how to take better food photos - a non-stop learning process that I hope I continue to get better at. If you go to my early photos, you'll see what I mean - however, some of my photos lately have been very quick ones so may not look much different!

I have learned much from fellow food bloggers. I have learned much from my readers. I have learned more and more in my kitchen, continuing to push myself, to create great gluten-free food. I have learned much about myself. I have learned (over and over again) that I don't possess skills to do everything, and trying to post recipes several times a week while also finding time to create them, cook them, bake them, photograph them, edit the photos and feed my family, just isn't possible.

This blog has become such a fun thing for me, and I intend to keep it that way. I have been encouraged by so many of you - and I thank you. It has blessed me so much when you have told me that I have helped you, or that you have enjoyed one of my recipes. I have enjoyed getting to know so many in the food blogging community. My life has been so much more enriched this past year, and I plan to keep on going.

Have some pie while I tell you how I'm celebrating today ...


Those of you who have read my blog know my baking got better in some recipes when I began to weigh my flour instead of measure by the cup. I was finally able to make my four-egg cake the way it was supposed to be made. After two years of trying and failing with the texture, I finally got it!

Then I was introduced to Michael Ruhlman's Ratio cookbook and the Gluten-Free Ratio Rally, and I was in awe at the endless possibilities that weight and ratio gave me in creativity of recipes.

I want to share that awe and joy with you, whether you bake and cook gluten-free or not. Weight and ratio is for anyone. It's super-easy. And just because you get to liking it doesn't mean you have to stop using cups. Do both if you want.

So, one lucky reader will win a 5 lb. Oxo food scale(in either black or white, my choice) and a copy of Ruhlman's Ratio cookbook.

With these two tools, I have created this delicious lemon cake ...


And this pasta ...


And these key lime cream puffs ...


And I also created these savory scones using a ratio and the scale ...


Those aren't the only things, of course, but you get the idea. I want you to have these tools, too, so here's what you need to do:

**The giveaway has now closed. Congratulations to Debbie of comment #22, the number picked by Random.org!

Giveaway for one OXO 5 lb. food scale, in black or white (my choice) and one copy of Michael Ruhlman's Ratio cookbook to one reader begins today, Monday, November 28, 2011, and ends Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) CST. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents, I'm sorry. The winner will be picked through the Random Sequence Generator on Random.org.

You are eligible for up to six entries in this giveaway. To enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me what you would like to make with these tools if you win (only one comment per person will be counted this way).

Additional entries may be earned by leaving a comment EACH TIME you do one of the following (you get an entry for each one ONLY if you leave a comment for each):

1. "Like" Mama Me Gluten Free on Facebook (if you already "like" the blog on facebook, that also counts as an entry), then leave a comment here telling me you have done this.

2. Follow @MamaMeGF on Twitter (if you already follow, that counts as an entry), then leave a comment here telling me you've done this.

3. Share this giveaway on Twitter: "I want to win an OXO food scale and Ratio book @MamaMeGF! http://bit.ly/rxYO2i " and leave a comment here telling me you've done this. 

4. Share this giveaway on Facebook with a link to this post, and leave a comment here telling me you've done this.

5. Subscribe to Mama Me Gluten Free RSS feed, then leave a comment here telling me you've done this. (If you already subscribe, then that counts too - just leave a comment letting me know!)

You must leave a comment on this post for each of things if you want an entry for each one. Only one comment per item per person will be counted. In other words, if you comment more than one time saying you "like" Mama Me on facebook, only one of those comments will be counted, etc. On the other hand, if you only leave one comment saying you did all of these things, you will only get one entry rather than six.
********Be sure to leave a contact email if you are posting anonymously or don't have a way to contact you listed in your profile!


Good luck! (And I apologize in advance for not responding to comments immediately - I don't want to mess up the numbers and blogger doesn't have a reply feature that follows under individual comments.)

29 comments:

  1. Hi Caneel! So excited for you & your blogaversary! I just want to say how proud I am of you and all of your hard work, and I love how our lives have paralleled on food adventures, reconnecting us after college roommate days (way too) many years ago. Love, Ginny

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  2. Hi Caneel! Congrats to you on your blogaversary! I just checked out your FB page & liked it. :-)

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  3. Oh...I've been following you on Twitter for a little while too... :-) I ♥ your giveaway idea & definitely want to enter in the drawing!

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  4. Just shared the giveaway on Twitter. Yippee! Hope more folks join in! :-)

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  5. Just shared (with a link) on FB too...I don't have many GF folks on my personal profile, so I shared this on my gf pages. :-)

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  6. You are now in my google reader, so I'll see your updates quickly! I love to use feedly to access my google reader acct online or on my phone...looking forward to reading more of your blog. :-)

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  7. I would love to win the OXO scale to replace my little IKEA one. I would make your cream puff recipe by ratio. Thanks, Dee

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  8. I subscribe to your blog with email

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  9. I think I would try my moms chocolate cake recipe first. I always requested she make it for my birthday which is next month so it is perfect timing :)

    Congrats on the anniversary and best wishes for many more years!

    lesliemiller17@gmail.com

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  10. I follow you on twitter. Love the updates and recipe ideas!
    lesliemiller17@gmail.com

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  11. woww.. Wat an idea. Just love it. I liked it on FB also.

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  12. Happy Blogging Anniversary to you!! Your lemon cake is tops on my list to make! Ratio is on my Amazon wish list right now, so I'd love to win a copy :-) I'd try and make gluten-free sourdough bread....have you ever tried making it???

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  13. Love it! Dream come true to finally bake a gluten free pie crust that is flaky and delicious... definitely need a scale. Happy anniversary, great job!

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  14. I re-tweeted your contest! Sorry if you get multiple comments from me - computer went CRAZY for this contest..

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  15. I would love to win, I am new to gluten free cooking, so I know this would come in handy in the kitchen.Those cream puffs look delicious
    ufg8trj@yahoo.com

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  16. congrats on the one-year mark! look forward to tomorrow's ratios too... :)

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  17. Thank you so much for starting this blog. I have found it very helpful since having to go GF back in May. I was rather sad about it because it was at the begining of the farmers market season here in Michigan, and many of the items I was planning to bake this season, I could no longer make. I have spent this past summer, fall, and now winter doing research and will soon start doing some baking to figure out what GF foods will make my list of baked goods for this next season. If I were to win the anniversary give-a-way, it would provide me with more tools to meet a need for others who are searching for GF foods. ~Sarah Gallimore ( I also follow you on FB)

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  18. Congratulations on all your hard work. Love checking in to see what goodies you've cooked up!

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  19. Sorry last post was mine. I "liked you on fblong time ago! ;) lizetcammans@yahoo.com

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  20. Congrats! Happy Anniversary. I enjoy reading your blog and your delicious recipes. I have been meaning to go out and purchase a scale ever since I read your post on ratio cooking. Thank you Caneel, I have learned so much from your blog. :)

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  21. I follow you on tweeter! :)
    lizetcammans@yahoo.com

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  22. I already like you on Facebook. :)

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  23. I already subscribe RRS feed....how could I not. I enjoy reading your posts.

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  24. Hi Caneel! I LOVE your blog & think you're just the most amazing gf cook ever! If I won the scale, I would start weighing ingredients when I'm baking and cooking b/c I never know exactly how much food I need when they call for ounces, grams, etc. Kristen Pardue

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  25. The giveaway has now closed - congratulations to Debbie of comment #22, the number picked by Random.org!

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  26. And now that I won't ruin the comment numbers for the giveaway - thank you all SO MUCH for the kind words and compliments. It's been so much fun this past year and my readers have made it what it is. Here's to many more years! :)

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