A Grand Giveaway with OXO to Celebrate the Release of The CSA Cookbook!

I’ve been using OXO products ever since I started cooking… actually, before I started cooking. I still remember my first serious stroll through the kitchen section at Macy’s when I was 20 and living away from home. What did I find there that I thought I absolutely needed for my first kitchen in my first apartment? Not a pan, not a knife, not even a spatula… but an apple corer. I couldn’t believe that such a contraption existed! Imagine the countless apples I’d be able to core and slice in one fell swoop!

That corer is still in my kitchen 14 years, 1 cross-country move, 4 apartments and 1 house later. It’s joined by a whole family of OXO products collected over time, including measuring cups, measuring spoons, slotted spoons, silicone brushes, dish brushes, and not one, but two salad spinners.

You could say my kitchen style is anything but minimal. I believe having the right tools on hand will not only inspire you to cook more often, they will help you become a better cook. And that’s why I’m so excited to team up with OXO on this grand giveaway in conjunction with The CSA Cookbook!

I dedicate a section in my book to the tools I rely on in my day-to-day cooking. While they’re not imperative for every kitchen, they’re the ones I used in developing my recipes and having the same or similar tools will greatly improve how you cook, especially if you’re new to cooking.

One such tool is a mandoline. For my book release party, I used OXO’s Simple Mandoline to make perfect, super thin slices for my Japanese quick-pickled cucumbers.

This mandoline replaced a very old model that I inherited from my husband, who probably inherited it from his mother. I was so used to pressing down on the blade so much more on my old mandoline, I’d forgotten how sharp a new one can be! After slicing a pound of cucumbers in mere minutes, I started looking for other things in the kitchen that I could slice as well… it’s so fun!

Needless to say, I love this mandoline. It’s lightweight, easy to clean, and comes with adjustable thicknesses as well as an option for julienne slices. There’s also a spring-loaded food holder to protect your fingers.

In my book, I hailed the food scale as an “unsung hero of the kitchen.” And this 11 lb Food Scale with Pull-Out Display is an excellent choice for a home cook.

What sets it apart from many other food scales is a digital display that can be pulled out a few inches, so you can place a large bowl on top and still be able to read the weight. (I’m even using it as a shipping scale.) So simple, yet so brilliant.

Another simple but brilliant product? This 1 Cup Angled Measuring Cup.

How many times do you find yourself bending down to read the measurements on those other measuring cups? (Yep, I’m guilty.) The special angled surface on this one makes it possible for you to see the measurements as you fill the cup, eliminating the need to check and adjust the liquid like you normally do. Like I said, brilliant!

This 3 Piece Silicone Spatula Set is a workhorse in my kitchen. I use them for a myriad of tasks: scraping down the sides of my food processor (like here, for my fennel frond-ginger pesto), reaching into tall jars and scooping the last bits out, pushing brownie batter into the corners of my pan, and all manner of mixing and stirring over a hot stove without fear of melting the tools. These things are rigid, hefty and tough!

New to the OXO line this year are their GreenSaver food storage containers. I’ll admit that I was skeptical at first; I tend to keep it simple and store my produce in towels or bags. But these GreenSavers have proven themselves to be very effective in keeping my vegetables crisp and fresh the last couple weeks, from snap peas and fava beans to strawberries and grapes.

Each GreenSaver is a complete system, comprising a clear outer container, removable inner basket, activated carbon filter, and a vent that can be open or closed.

The basket functions as a colander to rinse your vegetables, and stays slightly elevated inside the container to promote proper airflow and prevent moisture buildup.

The replaceable carbon filter traps and absorbs ethylene gas, slowing down the rate of spoilage and keeping your produce fresher longer. Lift the sliding vent cover and you’ll find a handy chart illustrating which fruits and vegetables should be vented or not.

The GreenSaver containers come in three sizes (5, 4.3, and 1.6 quart) but I found the largest size to be a bit cumbersome. Its rectangular shape makes it easy to stack and fit in your fridge, but it still takes up a good amount of real estate if your shelves are fairly narrow. If you eat a lot of salad every day, you’ll love it. You can also remove the baskets and they become standard storage bins for your leftovers.

In this giveaway, OXO and I are making one winner’s life easier in the kitchen by including all of the products mentioned above, plus a personally signed copy of The CSA Cookbook! (A $194 total value!) That means you have a chance to win a Simple Mandoline, 11 lb Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, 1 Cup Angled Measuring Cup, 3 Piece Silicone Spatula Set, GreenSaver food storage containers (all three sizes), and my new book all in one shot! Everything you need to get started cooking!

How to enter: Head over to The CSA Cookbook page on Amazon, click on the cover image to “Look Inside,” and leave a comment below telling me which recipes from the Table of Contents you’d like to try first. To receive an additional entry, follow @gardenbetty on Instagram, and leave a second comment below indicating your Instagram username. You have two chances to win!

(If you’re reading this post as an email subscriber, please go to the post and leave your comment on my blog.)

The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time on Friday, April 24, 2015. Winner will be drawn at random and announced the following week. Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

1. Giveaway begins April 20, 2015 and ends April 24, 2015.
2. No purchase is necessary. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post.
3. Only US residents ages 18 and older are eligible to enter.
4. Two entries allowed per person.
5. Odds of winning are based on number of entries received.
6. Winner will be drawn at random.
7. If winner does not respond within 48 hours after time of contact, that entry will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.

This post is brought to you by OXO. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support Garden Betty.

Update: A big thanks to everyone who entered!
This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Irene from Connecticut.