Into the Heart of Italy ~ Give Away & A Chance to Win a Culinary Vacation in Italy!

Exciting News!

Recently I was approached by representatives for Bertolli to participate in a give away in conjunction with segment 5 of their 6 part series "Into the Heart of Italy" discovering "Secrets of the Cantina". The adventure features Rocco DiSpirito, Marisa Tomei and Dan Cortese. (Video link below)




The folks at Bertolli have allowed me to host the most generous give-away to date on my blog, and when you click the link above you can also enter to win a chance to win a culinary vacation in Italy!




THE GIVE AWAY

Bertolli sent me a VERY generous gift box filled with wonderful gifts, and requested that I host a food and wine paring party (featuring Bertolli Frozen meals for two) matched with complementary wines then blog about it. I was delighted to participate!

It was so much fun, and the GOOD news is that the lucky winner of "Into the Heart of Italy" Give-Away will receive identical gifts as those that I received, valued at $175.00!:

Here is what the winner will receive:

VIP coupons for four Bertolli Frozen Meals for two that will transport you to Italy in just 10 minutes. [Those equals 8 FREE servings of Bertolli's delicious and easy to prepare entrees!]

PLUS the following:


Two, CB2 (Crate & Barrel 2) "Verona" Pasta Serving Bowls
Four, Crate & Barrel "Rotate" Plates
Crate & Barrel Marble Wine Chiller
Crate & Barrel Wine Decanter
Bertolli Wine Pairing Guide
$50 of gift cards; you can use them to purchase wines complimentary to your meals if you wish.

I incorporated the surprise gifts into the food and wine paring we hosted for 4, and you can see them throughout pictures of our party table.

Following my pictures you'll find details of how to enter the give away.

The winner will receive an envelope like this one, containing the Bertolli Wine Parings chart, as well as Fifty dollars in American Express Gift Cards.

~*~*~*~*~

Here is how I used my gifts:

It was a beautiful afternoon, which compelled me to set the table out on the lawn so we could enjoy the outdoors.

This was such an easy way to host a party, and I would have no hesitation serving the complete meals for two as party entrees again.

One of the Bertolli entrees I served was Chicken Florentine & Farfalle. (Bowtie shaped pasta and white chicken meat with spinach in a delicious Parmesan cheese sauce), and to my surprise all of this delicious flavor it is prepared in a skillet and ready in just 10 minutes.

To round out the meal I made a simple salad and served bread sticks to nibble on.

Using the wine pairing chart, I chose Pinot Grigio ; a crisp and clean tasting medium-bodied white. Perfect pairing for the chicken dish.

The other pasta dish I served was Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells (with four cheeses in the filling), served in a flavorful tomato-basil sauce. It is from Bertolli's Oven-Baked selection, and grated Parmesan cheese is included to sprinkle over the shells after they have baked. Just arrange the shells and sauce in an oven safe dish, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes (or 30 minutes in a convection oven), uncover and sprinkle the cheese over and allow it to melt.

The time-saving entrees allowed me more time to take photos, and visit with our guests!

I love the square plates and how they automatically arrange themselves in a spiral shape when stacked. (These are the "Rotate" plates from Crate & Barrel, four are included in the give-away.)

The beautiful marble wine chiller on the left is also one of the gifts.

I can also picture using this as a vase; imagine a big bouquet of white hydrangeas with deep green foliage as a centerpiece ~ striking!

I chose a classic Chianti to complement the flavorful Sausage-4 cheese Shells in Tomato-Basil Sauce. Chianti is Italy's famous Tuscan red wine, full flavored but just mildly acidic. Bella!

Wine pours beautifully from the elegant Crate & Barrel glass wine decanter, another of the gifts the winner will receive.

Serving from a decanter is also a very civilized way to serve (even inexpensive) wine!

I served our salad in the big serving bowls from CB2.

Our winner will receive 2 of these, they make great pasta serving bowls, too.

I served tomatoes and ciliegine (small fresh-mozzarella balls) on skewers atop the spring greens. This method makes for easy serving (and eating) at a casual buffet; each person can grab a skewer, then serve themselves the dressed greens.

I garnished the Sausage & Cheese Stuffed shells with a little fresh oregano, snipped from the herb garden. I also offered additional freshly grated Parmesan (but it wasn't necessary, because everything you need to serve comes in the Bertolli entree pouch.)

Store-bought Italian Grissini (very thin bread sticks). You could make your own, but this kind of party is designed to be easy on the cook!

I honestly couldn't believe how simple this little party was to throw together at the last minute. The food was delicious and I can't say I would have enjoyed the gathering more if I had spent a few hours in the kitchen. A big thank you is in order to the folks at Bertolli!

I believe there are at least 21 Bertolli entree choices; pasta and vegetables combined with meat, chicken, or shrimp ~ so there are plenty of choices to please everyone.

If you follow my blog, you know I'm very much dedicated to serving fresh, homemade, "from scratch" foods, but I must say that the Bertolli frozen entrees I tried have truly impressed me with their high, restaurant quality and ease of preparation.

The Bertolli entrees could easily pass for homemade.

I hope I've helped whet your appetite...
To enter the Give Away:
1.) Watch the following video.

2.) After watching the video leave a comment here describing your favorite part.

3.) If you are a Google-friend follower of my blog (side bar), mention it and your name will be entered twice.

"In this episode, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito and actors Marisa Tomei and Dan Cortese explore Italian wine cellars, learn how to taste wine, visit Montepulciano and prepare Chicken Marsala. But you don’t need to search a wine cellar to enjoy the authentic taste of a slow-simmered wine sauce in your Chicken Marsala. With Bertolli Frozen meals you’re just minutes away from a luscious Italian experience in the comfort of your own home."

All entries for the giveaway must be located in the US.

Entries will be accepted up until May 22nd, 9PM, Pacific time.

Winner will be chosen randomly and announced Sunday, May 23rd.

Good LUCK to all who enter!!