Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Savory Sweet Life Cookbook Giveaway
This pasta is delicious. It’s perfect for summer. It has tomatoes. Garlic. Butter. Basil and sweet fresh Dungeness crab. But, and don’t hate me for this, I’m not sharing the recipe with you here. Instead I’m giving you the opportunity to win a copy of Alice Currah’s new cookbook Savory Sweet Life that includes this delectable pasta and 99 other mouthwatering recipes.
During the 3+ years that I have been blogging, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of people. Bloggers from my community, bloggers from around the US and even a few from other countries. It’s really a great community and when one of my fellow bloggers, one whom I consider a friend, releases a cookbook well that is just pretty darn cool.
If you have never visited Alice’s blog you should check it out now. One of the reasons that I enjoy reading her blog, and one of the reasons I’m absolutely head over heels with this cookbook is that she cooks how I like to cook: simply. One look at her recipes and it is obvious that she too feels that food doesn’t have to be complicated or gourmet to be good. I think that is something we can all relate to.
There are 100 recipes in this cookbook. But unlike some more traditional cookbooks that are divided into appetizer, soups, entrees etc… this book is divided into occasions like Sunday Mornings, Game Day, Summer Fun in the Sun and Holiday Get Together to name a few. Each section is full of simple, down to earth recipes like Banana Cream Pie, Spicy Bacon Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Breakfast Pizzas, Grilled Top Sirloin with Herb Butter and Hawaiian Plate Lunch Macaroni Salad. And each recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous photo that Alice took herself. Really, you want this cookbook. Trust me. You need it. And I’m going to give you a chance to win one of four copies. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what your favorite summertime food is. Ice Cream? Macaroni Salad? Potato Salad? Grilled Corn? Whatever it is, I’d like to know. My favorite is tomatoes. Nothing beats a perfectly sun ripened tomato simply seasoned with a little salt, pepper and olive oil.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book. The opinions are my own. The 4 copies I am giving away I purchased personally.
The Details:
One entry per person.
Giveaway ends 5pm PST on Friday June 8.
Shipped to US mailing addresses only.
Winners notified by email. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY EMAIL.
Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Joyce
June 8, 2012 at 6:57 pmWatermelon! I could subsist on nothing more than bowls of watermelon cubes all summer long.
Lizvc
June 8, 2012 at 1:48 pmCorn on the Cob! And Potato Salad.
Michele W
June 8, 2012 at 1:39 pmCORN ON THE COB
Monica S
June 8, 2012 at 12:31 pmHi there,
my favorite summertime food is Pacific Northwest blackberries any way, anytime!
Greg
June 8, 2012 at 10:35 amCaprese salad with basil grown outside our kitchen window compliments any summertime meal!
V Estridge
June 8, 2012 at 8:39 amI love grilled Chiavetta’s chicken and my homemade pasta salad. So light, healthy and not overly creamy nor oily!
Lisa
June 8, 2012 at 8:31 amBlueberry Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!
ShannonW.
June 8, 2012 at 6:23 amHomemade Strawberry Pie and Ice Cream!
Alyson Harju
June 8, 2012 at 12:27 amThat is really hard! Definitely corn on the cob but also watermelon. Anything fresh!
Yael
June 7, 2012 at 8:23 pmHands down- ice cream!
Michelle
June 7, 2012 at 7:15 pmpasta salad
Alex
June 7, 2012 at 6:53 pmHeirloom tomatoes with sweet basil vinaigrette!
Michelle
June 7, 2012 at 5:49 pmI love ceviche and fresh corn salsa!
Larry
June 7, 2012 at 4:35 pmI enjoy corn on the cobb
Leslie
June 7, 2012 at 4:34 pmMy favorite summertime dish is homemade ice cream.
Andrea
June 7, 2012 at 1:32 pmMy favorite summertime food is grilled rainbow Kabobs, using a vegetable from every color of the rainbow and a delicious meat (chicken, shrimp, or beef) in a citrusy marinade.
Shannon
June 7, 2012 at 1:17 pmWatermelon and cantaloupe!
Tori
June 7, 2012 at 11:11 amGilled peaches, corn on the cob and salmon!
Cellabella
June 7, 2012 at 10:13 amMy favorite summertime foods are all the fresh fruits available, particularly watermelon, mangoes, and white nectarines!
Lisa
June 7, 2012 at 9:29 amMy fav would be corn on the cob with lime-cilantro butter!
Ardi
June 7, 2012 at 9:05 amTomatoes!!
Jennifer
June 7, 2012 at 9:04 amI love peaches and rainer cherries!
Natalie D
June 7, 2012 at 8:35 amMy favorite summer time food? Corn on the cob, for sure. I can be seen purchasing several dozen ears at a time from our local farmers, just to come home and blanch the ears and freeze the sweet little kernels! I haven’t purchased frozen corn from the supermarket for over 2 years. GO ME! :)
gail
June 7, 2012 at 6:48 amgrilled corn
Kim A
June 7, 2012 at 6:43 amCucumbers from my garden (it’s the only thing I plant).
Rachel
June 7, 2012 at 6:32 amMy Nana’s homemade strawberry icecream! Yummm!
Ilana
June 7, 2012 at 6:16 amThe cherries and peaches which grow in my area.
Lynsie
June 7, 2012 at 5:29 amSummer fruits! Watermelon, berries, mangos, guavas, and more!
Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon
June 7, 2012 at 5:17 amNothing say summer to me like potato salad.
Jen Blacker
June 7, 2012 at 4:59 amFresh corn on the cop bought from a roadside stand in August. Loaded with butter and salt. That is my absolute favorite thing to eat in the summer.
Pat
June 7, 2012 at 4:03 amA summer tomato! Straight from the garden with a sprinkle of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Yum.
amy
June 7, 2012 at 12:49 amIce Cream
Cyndi
June 6, 2012 at 9:59 pmPeaches! Pie, grilled, salsa… any way!!!
Tanja Fussell
June 6, 2012 at 7:49 pmAny kind of seafood for the summer with a gin and tonic WITH lime. Those definitely say summer to me!!
Grace Schroeder
June 6, 2012 at 7:38 pmHands down, watermelon. i go all the way through the white rind until i hit skin
Barbara Jacobs
June 6, 2012 at 5:30 pmMy favorite summer time recipe is simply a fresh green salad straight from the garden. Walk out about 4 pm and pick fresh lettuce of several varieties, spinach, radishes, cherry tomatoes, kale, and small green onions. Mix up a dressing of mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and your favorite herbs-delicious alone or with chicken or steak.
Sherri
June 6, 2012 at 4:30 pmFresh garden tomatoes w/ crushed garlic on top drizzled with olive oil! Yumm-o!
Donald C Hasson
June 6, 2012 at 2:41 pmI’m with you. I love tomatoes. When I was much, much younger, i was able to grow beautiful tomatoes. Then, I tried to grow them at my home in southern Delaware and failed every year. This year, I managed to get some aged horse manure and the plants are going bananas (I mean, Tomatoes). I expect to have my first fully grown Better Boy by the 4th of July.
Kathy
June 6, 2012 at 2:09 pmGreen beans, tomatoes, and more green beans !!!
Maurina
June 6, 2012 at 1:22 pmFresh-picked Strawberries … over homemade strawberry shortcake!
Carmen
June 6, 2012 at 12:51 pmMy fave summer salad: a big bowl of Leon Salad! simply the best.
Heidi
June 6, 2012 at 12:39 pmAll local ingredients, even fresh crab from pacific ocean! Yum!
Angie T
June 6, 2012 at 11:59 amCaprese salad with fresh tomatoes!!
Sarah
June 6, 2012 at 11:31 amAnything from the farmers market is great, but especially the local corn on the cob!
Jessica C
June 6, 2012 at 11:15 amAnything off the grill – shrimp, burgers, pineapple, you name it!
Betsy
June 6, 2012 at 11:00 amOne of our favortie summer foods are salads with greens from our garden.
Ally
June 6, 2012 at 10:53 amFresh watermelon…we loved having seed spitting contests as kids.
MassachusEATS
June 6, 2012 at 10:22 amOh man, its hard to pick just one but I definitely LOVE my mom’s potato salad!
mike r
June 6, 2012 at 10:11 amHomemade Ice Cream! Made with love, not electricity.
millie
June 6, 2012 at 10:10 amHot grilled corn with salt, pepper, lemon, a dash of paprika, and whatever herbs I can find! Perfect!
Mary Devine
June 6, 2012 at 9:51 amSummer time means outdoor grilling…veggies, potatoes, chicken, fish, beef…you name it as long as it can go on the BBQ!
Deeli
June 6, 2012 at 8:59 amYakitori fresh off the grill and Raspberry Granita!
Gwendolyn
June 6, 2012 at 8:41 amSorbet! I have recently or should i say finally got an icecream machine and i make fresh fruit sorbet all the time! my favorite so far is fresh watermelon with a lil lime zest!. fresh ight and deliciously cool for those hot summer days.
Rebekah Smith
June 6, 2012 at 8:23 amRootbeer floats. They are the BEST IN THE SUMMER!!!!!!
Maureen
June 6, 2012 at 7:45 amSummer is short here in the upper peninsula of Michigan, so summery foods are a necessity to enjoy fast and furious. PESTO in any form or in a salad is my favorite taste sensation. The format of this cook books sounds awesome, helping with the meal or occasion start to finish is a time saver. Great idea. Look forward to having this cookbook.
Milna R.
June 6, 2012 at 7:39 amMy favorite summer food is watermelon! So sweet and juicy to quench your thirst on a hot day.
Jennifer Lachman
June 6, 2012 at 7:32 amMy favorite summer time recipe is Shish Kabobs, heavy on the red peppers.
Cindy B.
June 6, 2012 at 7:13 amMy favorite summertime food are juicy sweet cherries!
Cynthia
June 6, 2012 at 7:02 amMy favorite summer recipe is a juicy grilled Hawaiian burger: One tasty sirloin beef patty topped with a slice of deli cheese & a slice of grilled pineapple. Add a kick of flavor with spicy mayo (half mayo/half sriracha) and you’re in paradise!
Sue Clark
June 6, 2012 at 6:59 am“By far and away my favorite food for summer has to be tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes!” I have ten plants now producing every day in my small patio home garden. Must list another though, fresn strawberries dipped in sour cream and then in brown sugar, YUM!
Renee B
June 6, 2012 at 6:42 amMy favorite food for summer is something light like a great salad with fresh fruit and veggies from the garden.
Natalie
June 6, 2012 at 6:25 amMy favorite summer time food would have to be strawberry and spinach salad. Tossed in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette with goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Yummy! :)
Martha T
June 6, 2012 at 6:24 amNothing beats fresh “from the garden” tomatoes!
Ashley
June 6, 2012 at 6:22 amwatermelon, definetely a refreshing crisp summer staple that never fails to hit the spot :-)
BMG
June 6, 2012 at 6:19 amMy favorite summer time food is this dessert my mother makes with blueberries and graham crackers it’s amazing!
Tashieka
June 6, 2012 at 6:11 ammy favorite summer time food is BBQ ribs *drool*
i’m a cookout kind of girl
Amy
June 6, 2012 at 6:07 amTostadas piled high with pork tinga and smothered with cheese, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream. Best served outside, surrounded by family and with a beer in hand : )
Latoya
June 6, 2012 at 6:04 amI have so many Summertime favorites and it’s really hard to choose just ONE :-( I love freshly-picked strawberries, chilled, juicy, watermelon, and ANYTHING off the grill…throw a salad on the side with fresh tomatoes and a light vinaigrette dressing and you’ve got and INSTANT SUMMERTIME DINNER! Homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries is oh so delicious as well!
Kesha
June 6, 2012 at 5:54 amMy favorite summertime food is easily a good old fashioned Italian Ice. It is as if summer in Chicago doesn’t begin until the small neighborhood Italian Ice stands open and lines form. :)
Carmen
June 6, 2012 at 5:50 amIt would be so lovely to have this delicious-sounding cookbook. I would try everything in it all summer long! Farmer’s Market, look out, I’m on my way!
Steven
June 6, 2012 at 5:46 amMy favorite summertime food has to be all that can be made from all the wonderful summertime produce!
Imane
June 6, 2012 at 5:08 amMy favorite summer dish is Grilled Halloumi cheese with cold water melon slices and some torn basil mixed together and enjoy, it’s so refreshing in a hot day…
Jessen
June 6, 2012 at 3:58 amA Greek Salad with Light Balsamic Dressing without Feta and . . . With or Without Chicken. Simple, Light, and Delicious! =)
Kim K.
June 6, 2012 at 3:35 amTomatoes. I’m just beginning to see a few small tomatoes on my plants. I can’t wait!!!
Nothing beats a warm tomato fresh from the garden.
ryan
June 5, 2012 at 11:35 pmany food from disneyland during the summer. churro, corn dog, ice cream, cotton candy, bbq even the grilled chicken.
Heidi
June 5, 2012 at 10:51 pmGrilled salmon and veggies
Larry
June 5, 2012 at 9:20 pmCorn on the cobb
Raechelle
June 5, 2012 at 9:15 pmI absolutely love a big old salad with as many veggies as I can get from the garden with some chicken, pasta and a bit of shredded cheese added to it then topped with some home made ranch dressing. Definitely a fave!
Kay Noble
June 5, 2012 at 8:25 pmHard to pick just one! A very simple favorite is cubed and seeded watermelon, the juice of a fresh lime, salt to taste but what makes this stand out is to add ground red chile powder, of course to taste! Gently toss and chill in the fridge and snack on it all day long!
Poopsey Marie
June 5, 2012 at 8:13 pmMy fave summer food?? Do I have to pick just ONE?? I can’t do it!! I love fresh summer veggies! Sliced homegrown tomatoes, skillet fried yellow squash, fresh picked green beans cooked with new potatoes & seasoned w/onions. Oh, and a cucumber & onion salad made with vinegar, salt, pepper & a lil sugar!! I’m a southern girl and these are all traditional southern favorites. When the garden comes in, these are the things we look forward to!
debra zafarullah
June 5, 2012 at 8:09 pmI love mediterranean salads; cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and red wine vinegar! I can eat it with anything!
Carly Byfield
June 5, 2012 at 7:52 pmAvacado + pretty much anything is deliscious!
Jeanne
June 5, 2012 at 7:51 pmIt is so difficult to pick just one! Tomatoes – still hot from the sun; or maybe corn on the cob; or my grandmother’s cucumber salad! But I will say fresh, sweet peas, freshly shucked but still uncooked!
Mary
June 5, 2012 at 7:48 pmNothing can compare to a vine-ripened tomato sandwich, especially heirloom tomatoes!!!!!
Emily
June 5, 2012 at 7:46 pmMy favorite summertime food is tomatoes picked off the vine and eaten right then and there. Warm from the sun–it’s heaven!
Erica
June 5, 2012 at 7:42 pmFresh chilled cucumber salad with sour cream & fresh dill… I’ve loved this since I was a little girl. Reminds me of picking the ingredients right out of the garden as a kid.
laurel
June 5, 2012 at 7:37 pmI’m in a rut and need some new recipes to add to my family’s menu. I’ve rediscovered farmer’s markets and love the organic freshness of everything sold there. I can’t wait for the Northwest summer to finally get here so I can make meals from stuff in my garden!
Stephanie
June 5, 2012 at 7:36 pmMy favourite summer food would be watermelon. We tend to go through one every two to three days! Yum :)
Alyssa
June 5, 2012 at 7:25 pmAnything farmers market. It tastes so much better because the people growing it care about the product more than the profit. It doesn’t have to look perfect, just taste spectacular.
Carole
June 5, 2012 at 7:21 pmMy favorite summertime salad is Caprese … home-grown tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil with a light balsamic dressing … what could be more satisfying than that!!
Stacey
June 5, 2012 at 5:10 pmMy favorite summer food is pulled pork sandwiches and homemade fries!
Allison
June 5, 2012 at 4:30 pmI love strawberries!
Lisa
June 5, 2012 at 4:27 pmMy favorite summer foods are ripe berries! I love the abundance of sweet fruit in the summer
Karina
June 5, 2012 at 2:39 pmI love lentil sala with green beans, kale, shredded carrot, and red onion AND grilled sustainable (:p) salmon
Lindsey
June 5, 2012 at 1:41 pmsandwiches made with homemade bread. summer makes me want to bake bread for some reason!
Heather
June 5, 2012 at 1:00 pmWarm summer tomatoes tossed with cool, mozzarella pearls, basil, olive oil and balsamic with a little s+p. I was born in Jersey so therefore I was spoiled by the best tomatoes on EARTH, I tell you. Dreaming of them now with a very large 37 week belly. I bet my son would appreciate them too!
Cassie
June 5, 2012 at 12:32 pmI love ice cream. I would eat it every day if I could.
Melissa C.
June 5, 2012 at 12:22 pmI LOVE Macaroni Salad!!
Kim N.
June 5, 2012 at 12:20 pmMy favorite summertime food is a fresh fruit salad!
Katie Rose
June 5, 2012 at 12:01 pmDefinitely all the fresh fruit!! Watermelon, Peaches, Cherries, you name it!
Jen
June 5, 2012 at 11:34 amI love being able to eat tons of fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market (or garden, if I’m lucky!) I also love being able to get fresh fruit from all of the orchards nearby
Teresa Grimm
June 5, 2012 at 11:25 amMy favorite summertime food has got to be fresh raspberries or maybe cherries! Any recipe, even savory recipes, with fresh raspberries or cherries has my vote.
Tina W.
June 5, 2012 at 11:02 amMy favorite summertime food is either fresh, sliced tomatoes or macaroni salad with tuna fish and green peas.
Buffy
June 5, 2012 at 10:49 amgazpacho made with fresh vegetables
Sara
June 5, 2012 at 9:51 amChicken and veggie kabobs!
Amanda B.
June 5, 2012 at 9:40 amThis is really hard, but I’m gonna have to go with ice cream. I love all forms of it- sorbet, frozen yogurt, soft serve especially! Very close runner up: fried seafood. YUM.
Fernando
June 5, 2012 at 9:28 amAnything off the grill, with a giant side of avocado or guacamole!
Jenny
June 5, 2012 at 9:28 amIm with Laura above, your Creamy Bacon Tomato and Avocado Pasta Salad is beyond amazing and easy to prepare! It’s my go to side dish where ever I go! Also, very glad to be checking out Alice’s website as well now!! Thanks!!!
amy
June 5, 2012 at 9:28 amgrilled corn on the cob
StephenC
June 5, 2012 at 9:13 amSimple, my favorite food for summer is potato salad. It can be made a thousand different ways, and I never make it the same way twice.
Melissa L
June 5, 2012 at 9:12 amDefinitely garden tomatoes!
Cheryl W.
June 5, 2012 at 9:08 amMy favorite summertime food is cantaloupe. We pick them from our garden and place them in the deep freezer for about 2 hours. Then slice and eat with a few shakes of salt. Ice cold goodness on a hot summers day.
Laura
June 5, 2012 at 8:49 amYour avocado blt pasta salad is my automatic summer go to- I just add some roasted chicken to make it a complete meal in a bowl! Every picnic I go to, I always have to bring it with me- or else! haha
Chelsi
June 5, 2012 at 8:45 amMy favorite summertime food is Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado salad with balsamic dressing. :)
Jessie O'Connor
June 5, 2012 at 8:45 amAnything off the grill! Grilled Corn, Sausage and Pepper Sandwich, Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs – ANYTHING!
Taylor
June 5, 2012 at 8:42 amMy favorite summertime recipe is my grandmother’s tomato cucumber vinegar salad!