Friday Roundup...and Kicking Off Pomegranate Week With a GIVEAWAY!

Well, another work week is in the books, and it's finally Friday...time for the weekend! There's lots of excitement at Casa Garcia this weekend...my POM Wonderful Dinner Party preparations are in full swing ahead of my upcoming party! All the kitchen prep work and decorating gets underway tomorrow. We're going to see our Houston Rockets play the Spurs here in San Antonio tomorrow night. Add in the Texans football game on Sunday afternoon, and you've go the makings of a TERRIFIC weekend!!!

Mom's New England Clam Chowder from The Comfort of Cooking. This blog always has recipes that catch my attention, and the photography is fabulous too! I tried clam chowder for the first time while in vacationing in San Francisco last spring...and I was hooked! I wasn't sure of the best way to make it at home. When I saw this recipe, I knew that I HAD to try it. I'm so glad I did...the taste is fabulous, and takes less than an hour to make from start to finish.

Carrot Cake, decorated with fall-colored M&Ms. Now I want to share this award with a few food bloggers who I wasn't able to recognize the first go round. So...I'd like to pass this Lovely Blog award to the following blogs:

1. Quit Eating Out. I like this blog because Kim is an advocate of cooking and eating at home. While I love dining out as much as the next gal, it's easier on my wallet to cook at home. Cooking a meal for those I love is a great pleasure for me...one that Kim shares as well!
2. Tasty Trials. I enjoy reading this blog because Karen never fails to offer up food that has that extra something to take the flavors in a recipe to a new level!
3. Gourmet Cooking On a Dime. This blog proves that you don't have to spend a fortune to have meals that are full of flavor! The recipes here are full of flavor, but easy on the wallet!
4. KC In the Kitchen. I just discovered this blog this week, but I like what I've seen so far!! 

Now...it's time for the official kickoff of 's Pomegranate Week!! In honor of my upcoming POM Wonderful Dinner Party, I'll be spotlighting pomegranates in here over the next week. I'll share recipes and pictures from my party, ideas for pomegranate-themed decor, and a few party-planning tips to keep in mind as the holiday season approaches. Let's get the fun started with a fun giveaway!! As part of my amazing party package from POM Wonderful, I received tote bags filled with goodies for my guests. 

Although y'all won't be able to attend my dinner party in person, one of you WILL be the winner of one of these POM Wonderful goodie bags! In addition to the adorable fabric tote bag, you'll also receive some fun goodies! Inside is a coupon for a FREE 16-ounce bottle of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, 2010 Chef Series pomegranate recipe cards, and a Wonderful Inside bracelet!

To enter the drawing for the giveaway, all you have to do is comment on this post. Tell me what you would do with your free bottle of pomegranate juice...will you create a signature cocktail? Will you use it in a dessert? Or maybe you want to do something entirely different? Comment between now and next Friday 11/12 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be selected at random and will be announced next Saturday! One last ting...please make sure to leave an e-mail address or blog url so I know how to reach you if you're the winner...

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