51 Best Kitchen Tool: Thermometer {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}

Checking the temp of cooled milk for yogurt

An accurate kitchen thermometer is an essential tool, from candy making, yogurt, to checking the internal temperature of cooked meats when baking, smoking or grilling.

Checking the internal temp of cooked Pork Loin with LavaTools thermometer

I own several thermometers, each with a specific purpose. You do not want a cheap thermometer; you will get what you pay for. My $15 Pyrex digital thermometer only lasted two years.
You will want a thermometer that is:

• Accurate
• Easy to read
• Fast (digital)
• Splash-proof or waterproof
• Good warranty

 Glass thermometers are great for deep frying or making candy, as they clip on the side and can withstand high temperatures for long periods of time.

Making caramels

Digital thermometers, such as this Thermapen, measure temperatures quickly and accurately, with 3-4 second readings. It is a very popular choice with America's Test Kitchen and chefs. It feels heavy duty, the display can be read vertically/horizontally, and has a backlight for easy reading.

Testing the Keep Warm setting on my Instant Pot cooker

When I need a probe thermometer for cooking a turkey in the oven, smoking meats or grilling, this ThermoPro Wireless digital thermometer is my choice. I can clip the monitor onto my belt or have it on the counter, up to 300 feet away and it will beep when the internal temp is reached. This is the thermometer I used for testing my Instant Pot steam temp for canning.

Heating goat milk for yogurt

For everyday use in my kitchen, this is my overall favorite: LavaTools instant read thermometer. It's compact, fast, accurate, has decimal readings, splash resistant, and budget-friendly. It even has a magnet, so you know where it is at all times. I've had my LavaTools thermometer since 2015 and it works GREAT!

Instant Pot Ultra with LavaTools digital thermometer

Since I love my LavaTools thermometer, here's your chance to win your own LavaTools digital thermometer!
Giveaway begins April 19, 2019 and ends April 26, 2019.
Open to residents of the US 18 and over, winner will be notified via email.

Enjoy!

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0 National Tortilla Day at Costa Vida & A Giveaway!

JUNE 4th National Tortilla Day

National Tortilla Day is June 4th and Costa Vida is celebrating!

Smothered Sweet Pork burritos are $5 all day long ... and ...

FREE HOT Tortillas fresh from the comal to every guest!  I love fresh, hot tortillas. I tear a strip off at a time, stuff it in my mouth, and relish every carbolicious bite.

Last week, I was invited to Costa Vida at American Fork, met the chef and see what's new and happening. Costa Vida is a Mexican grill restaurant that uses fresh ingredients and caters to local tastes.

Did you know... Everything at Costa Vida is GLUTEN FREE? Well, except for the flour tortillas, of course, but this is WELCOME news to those with celiac and gluten intolerance!! Let the person who is going to prepare your meal know and they will change their gloves.  Sweet!

Chef Geoff

First, we were introduced to two new drinks: Limonada & Watermelon Agua Fresca.  These drinks are a great choice for those who do not want to drink carbonated soda. The Limonada is a perfect balance of tart and sweet and is made daily with freshly squeezed limes. Fresh watermelon is delicately balanced with water and tastes just like watermelon.

Next up... salsa. Pico de Gallo, Honey Habanero, Green Chile, and Guacamole with pico de gallo and cheese. The habanero was definitely a wee spicy for me, but it is balanced out with the sweetness of honey.

My fave was the Queso.  I could live on that stuff... hot, creamy deliciousness on a crunchy chip.

Shrimp Tacos are a popular favorite, served in a thick flour tortilla with honey butter, Mango salsa and a lime wedge. Not spicy at all and I found plenty of shrimp.

I was a little hesitant to try the Raspberry Chipotle Chicken salad. I hear the word chipotle, and I immediately think "spicy!" You have a choice of dressings: vinaigrette or Costa Vida ranch and I was pleasantly surprised by the vinagrette. Light, slightly sweet and not spicy at all. It was really good.

A trio of enchiladas came next. I LOVED the Grilled Chicken on a flour tortilla with Tomatillo Lime Sauce.... it was seriously lick the plate good. Sweet Pork was good and lived up to its name. What was different was the Braised Beef enchilada, served in a corn tortilla with enchilada sauce. The texture and taste reminded me of a smothered tamale. It would be my second pick next to the Grilled Chicken.

Check out this Grilled Steak Taco ~ I am in love with the thick, homestyle flour tortillas! There is plenty of steak, cotija cheese, and a little kick from the Honey Habenero salsa. Don't worry, you can choose to have a green chile sauce instead.

Don't go away just yet. You need to leave room for dessert!

We sampled a trio of the classics: Flan, Tres Leches, and Key Lime Pie.

The key lime is very tart, but I could NOT stop eating the flan. Smooth, creamy, and swirls of caramel had a party in my mouth. Seriously ~ where have you been all my life?

Hey! Here's the best part! Want to win a $25 gift card to Costa Vida? All you have to do is enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was treated to a sampling of their menu in exchange for posting and hosting a giveaway. All the opinions expressed are 100% mine and in no way influenced by the yummy food....

0 See's Chocolates & Candies & A Giveaway!

Do you love chocolate and sweets as much as I do?

Then you are in for a treat!

See's Candies have been around since 1921, using only the freshest ingredients in each recipe.

I walked into my local See's Chocolates & Candies store and this is what I found!

If you have a hard time choosing and need a gift, here are some ideas...

I LOVE these darling purse boxes! Perfect for a birthday!

Who can resist these speckled jelly bird eggs?

My favorite parts are when the See's hostess hands me a FREE sample chocolate and I get to choose my favorites from the display.

Here's what came home with me.  The Perfect Box.

Want a bite? I'm sure you do!

You can visit See's Candies locally or online and order whatever makes your mouth water.
Shipping is only $5 and FREE if your order is over $60.

Want another bite? How about a $25 See's Gift Card giveaway?
All you need to do is use the Rafflecopter below to enter.  Hurry, it won't last long! Good luck!


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This is a post sponsored by See's Candies. I was given a See's gift card in exchange for sharing my love of chocolates & sweets to my readers. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own and in no way influenced by the sweet, creamy, decadent centers... 

45 Cafe Zupas Now Open in Sugarhouse & A Giveaway!

I was lucky enough to attend a sneak preview of the new Zupas in Sugarhouse a couple of days ago.

They are now open at 2236 S. 1300 E., just west of the Michael's craft store in the shopping center.

Their Grand Opening begins Thursday, Nov. 15-16, 2012 with free food, discounts and giveaways:

     FREE dessert with every meal!
     First 50 people (doors open at 11 AM) get 50% their entire order!
     Enter to win a catered meal for your office (or group of friends)
               They'll be giving away a catered lunch every day during the grand opening!
    
Saturday, Nov. 17 is their Grand Opening party ~ you won't want to miss it!
     Along with FREE dessert with every meal and first 50 people receiving 50% off, here are the awesome giveaways ...

     Win free food for a year! One very lucky person will win a $520 gift certificate!
     A $25 gift card will be given away every 15 minutes!

You will LOVE your Cafe Zupas experience!  Here's what I experienced:

At the door, you will be handed a paper menu, with lots of choices ~

I love how you can individualize your meal (no tomatoes, please) and that they have a kid-friendly menu. 

This sign speaks to the great service at Zupas ... their staff was very friendly and courteous!

Not only does Zupas have crunchy salads and hot soups, they have many decadent desserts to choose from ...

Every meal comes with a complimentary crust slice of bread and a chocolate dipped strawberry!

I ordered the Honey Bacon Club grilled panini sandwich with a Shanghai Chicken salad.

I loved the sandwich salty/sweet flavor combo of turkey, bacon, ham, Muenster cheese and honey mustard dressing.

Zupa's salads are always perfect.  I hate it when my salad has way too much dressing, overpowering the taste of the other ingredients, and leaving a soupy, watery mess in the bottom of my bowl.  At Zupas, they mix the right amount of dressing with the salad greens in a separate bowl, return the mix to your serving bowl and top it with your requested ingredients.

Hubby ordered the Thai Lobster Curry soup and  the California Turkey sandwich.

The soup was a unique blend of lobster, Thai spices and coconut milk, lending a not-too-spicy, yet exotic taste.  The sandwich was perfect for my husband, who loves avocados and Ranch dressing on a hearty roll.

No meal is complete without trying dessert!

My husband picked out his favorite rich and creamy cheesecake.

 Me? My eyes were fixed on this Million Dollar Bar....reminiscent of the seven layer bars that I grew up with ... only much larger in size!

Is your mouth watering yet?  I'm getting hungry!

How about a giveaway?  I'm giving away one lucky reader the following:

The Cafe Zupas Blogger's Cookbook, a hard back spiral bound cookbook filled with over 50 seasonal recipes from Utah bloggers that have contributed to Cafe Zupas.

A $25 gift card to enjoy a meal with a friend a Cafe Zupas!

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment (what is your favorite Cafe Zupas menu item) on this post AND say you did on the Rafflecopter form.

UPDATE:  Many of my readers are saying that the Rafflecopter form is not appearing on this blog.  It could be that Rafflecopter is experiencing a surge/overload and has shut down temporarily. It could be the browser you are using. Readers using Internet Explorer cannot see the form; however, I have tested this post on Fire Fox, Safari, and on my mobile devices, Kindle Fire and Android phone, with no problems.  If you experience a problem, let me know in the comments below and I will make sure you are entered!  I have extended this giveaway by an additional week!

For additional entries: follow

Cafe Zupas on Facebook

Cafe Zupas on Twitter

Tweet about the giveaway: Enter to win a $25 Zupas GC and a Cookbook on Frieda Loves Bread!

and leave a separate comment for each additional entry.  Good luck!
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Giveaway is open to all US readers and will end November 28.  Cafe Zupas generously let me and my husband try a meal, gave us the cookbook and gift card to give away.  No other compensation was given to write this post; as always, the opinions expressed are 100% mine.

34 Kroger Buy 5, Save $5 + $25 Gift Card Giveaway!

Do you have a Kroger grocery store in your neighborhood?

If you do, you're in luck!

From October 14-24th, if you purchase 5 participating General Mills products, you will receive a $5 coupon for your next shopping order! (coupon printed at checkout)

Look for your favorite GM products like Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Betty Crocker cake and brownie mixes, Yoplait, and many more ... buy 5 in one shopping visit, and save $5 towards your next visit to Kroger!

This is a great deal, so mark your calenders for this event!

Want to win a $25 gift card to use at a Kroger store?  Here's how...
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Giveaway ends Oct. 15, 2012, with winner selected by Random.org via Rafflecopter.
Open to US readers only.

Promotion varies in different locations so please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores*** for specific deals and offers which include: Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy




Gift card, information, and additional sample have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  Opinions are 100% my own.

17 Stephens Fry Sauce, Utah State Fair, & TWO Giveaways!!

If you have been in Utah, you have heard of fry sauce.

If you try to ask for fry sauce anywhere outside of Utah, you will be met with a blank stare and the words, "Fry ... what?"

I've heard of many versions of fry sauce, but the basic formula is mayonnaise and ketchup.  My son prefers more ketchup, hubby prefers more mayo.

Now we have the perfect combination;  in a bottle, ready to dip and eat ~

introducing Stephen's Fry Sauce!

Yes, Stephen's makes my favorite mint chocolate gourmet cocoa, and now they are making another Utah favorite: fry sauce.

 Hey, it's not just for fries ...

 It's for hamburgers, corn dogs and whatever you can think of!

Doesn't that look good?  It is.  It is not simply ketchup and mayo... it is mild, with a very slight tang, which will be pleasing to even the pickiest of family members.

Never tried it?

Want to win some?

You can!

Stephen's has graciously given me TWO bottles to give away to two of my readers!

It's easy to enter.  Use the Rafflecopter widget below. It's open to ALL my US readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

But wait ...

There's more!

Wanna take your family to the Utah State Fair Sept 6-16?

Stephen's is offering two family passes (four tickets each) for TWO of my readers!  Yay!
I will also mail a bottle of Stephen's Fry sauce to each of the winners.  How does that sound?

Here's how to enter:
(1) Think of a recipe that highlights Stephen's Fry Sauce (beyond the burger) or what you love to dip into their fry sauce. Make sure you enter it as a comment at the bottom of this post. Be as creative as you can and Stephen's will feature your recipe on their FaceBook page!

(2) Enter using Rafflecopter.  There are four easy ways to enter!

At a local parade, the lady next to me was dipping her bagel into a bowl of fry sauce!  She told me she loved it better than cream cheese.  That's saying a lot.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Stephen's Fry Sauce on FaceBook
Follow Stephen's Fry Sauce on Twitter

$1 OFF Stephen's Gourmet Fry Sauce Coupon!!  Available till Sept 1, 2012 .... hurry!

Stephen's Fry Sauce is graciously sponsoring the Utah State Fair giveaway and has provided the bottles of Fry Sauce for sample and giveaway.  No other compensation was provided and all opinions stated are 100% my own and not influenced in any way.