So as I was making my gumbo for this post, I thought, “February is such an unpleasant, yucky, soggy month.” And then I thought, “I love my Le Creuset pot…it makes even the dreariest tasks, like making a roux for gumbo, delightful.” And then I thought, “Hey! Someone else should have this bright, shiny, colorful pot of joy in their kitchen, too!” And so was born the spontaneous Our Best Bites Le Creuset giveaway.
If you’re not familiar with Le Creuset pots, they are hard-core–these are heavy-duty cast iron enamel-coated French ovens (often called Dutch ovens). If you take care of it, it will last forever. You can use it to make artisan breads and pot roasts and carnitas and soups and stews and candies and soups and fried chicken. They heat up evenly, retain the heat well, and clean up like a dream. I use mine nearly every day.
So we’re giving away one 7 1/4-quart Le Creuset French oven and color of your choice (any of the colors above–you can check them out in further detail HERE.) That’s a $298 value!
Here are the details:
*Giveaway runs through Sunday, February 17.
*One entry per person. When entering, please use an email address that you check often because that’s how the winner will be notified.
*Once notified, the winner has 48 hours to respond and claim their prize. If they don’t respond, another winner will be chosen.
*To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what makes you happy in the middle of February.
*One winner will be selected by a random integer generator and will be notified by email.
*Winner must have a U.S. address (so sorry…we wish those weren’t the laws!)
*This giveaway is completely paid for by us, Kate and Sara, because we love you.
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With 5 kids, I am happy for the middle of february , because….wait for it…wait for it…birthday and holiday seasion in our house is over. On to planning for the summer.
Eeeee I’m the first to enter! Maybe that’ll mean I’m lucky enough to win! :D What makes me happy THIS February is the return of The Walking Dead (which I’m watching right now) and I ALWAYS love Valentine’s Day with all it’s treats and goodies!
I’m watching right now, too!! The end freaked me out. :)
Valentines day cheers me up in February!!
The best part of February is looking in the department stores for swim suits! Also make heart shaped cookies and candies for Valentines Day!
I am in desperate need of sunshine this February. Even if it is cold outside, nothing makes me happier than a crisp, sun-filled day!
Celebrating my little guy’s birthday! And, knowing that Spring is right around the corner.
Valentine’s Day, fresh snowfall, and visitors from California all make me happy in the middle of February.
The thing that makes me happy in the middle of February is that it is no longer January. Honestly, who decided that making January 31 days long was a good idea?!
Trip to Maui is the only thing that gets me through Feb!
I love getting my garden ready to start planting after President’s Day, as live in AZ and that is possible. It is a great month: Only son and two grandsons were born this month. We celebrate the heck out of it, and what better way, than with a new, lovely, expensive, did I mention lovely, pan.
Being able to snuggle in the cold weather makes me happy in the middle of February.
At first I’m excited about winter…but at this point the thing that makes me the happiest is that spring is just around the corner :-)
I’m happy that American Idol is ready to start the competition…no more auditions!
By the middle of February I am so sick of winter. But then I realize that Valentine’s Day is coming. I start making heart shaped cookies and valentine’s with my kids.
February is finally the light at the end of the tunnel that spring is getting closer!
I also love having a fun Valentine’s family night. Love holidays that help you get creative and be the fun mom!
Oh my goodness! I would love love LOVE a le creuset dutch oven. I’ve drooled and drooled over them for a long time. What makes me happy in the middle of February? Making Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourginon (just made it yesterday)…and how fun would that recipe be to make in a le creuset? Actually, I love all sorts of baking and cooking during February – the winter is my time to cook and bake because in the summer it gets too hot where I live to do much cooking at all.
Winter is closer to being over!!!
A nice crispy winter day…filled with plenty of snow & sunshine! Just like today!
February can be extra gloomy with the Oregon rain and my husband working crazy hours as a CPA. The thing that cheers me up most is that we always find a way to do bedtime prayers and reading together. Thank goodness for FaceTime on the iPhone :)
Valentine m&m’s, heart shaped cookies, melting snow, tulips will be coming up soon! What’s not to love!
My birthday is February 17th, so between that and Valentine’s Day, I normally get to enjoy a few celebrations including delicious food. And my favorite thing to do for my birthday is invite over some friends and family and prepare a delicious meal. Last year was pumpkin rosemary soup, but I have not yet decided what we will be having this year.
Chocolate makes me happy in the middle of February. Thankfully there is plenty of chocolate to be had…chocolate hearts, chocolate kisses, hot chocolate.
I love yummy homemade soups and breads. Of course…it’s always about food for me!
What makes me the happiest mid February is the excitement of our kids over baking Valentine’s treats.
Knowing that my birthday is just weeks away!:)
Celebrating Valentine’s Day and my hsusband’s birthday makes me happy!
Tulips and Daffodils brighten my February.
I’m a school teacher and we have a week off called “Ski Week” at the end of February! It’s the best!
This February I get to celebrate my son’s first birthday! So planning the theme, food, and decorations is making me happy!
Today marks 12 years ago that my husband asked me to marry him. :)
It’s still winter here in Alaska but the days are noticebly longer and brighter and that’s enough to make me happy. Plus my husband of 14 years proposed to me mid-February!
Heart shaped sugar cookies with delicious frosting and sprinkles!
I love that the weather starts getting warmer, usually, and I can feel spring on its way!
Sweettarts candy hearts make me happy in February. I’m not a huge fan of Valentines, but those little hearts really make me smile!
Valentines day is my favorite holiday! Time to spread the love! :)
Valentine’s day! Oh, and? Tax return time! =) That ALWAYS makes me smile!
The poppies start peaking out here in Southern California…signalling spring is coming!
As a true Louisiana native I loved the gumbo post! I also love most cajun/Louisiana traditions, including Mardi Gras! Right now having a 4 day weekend with my cute family for Mardi Gras is making me happy! Also, getting out and doing something for someone. Making other people smile makes me smile. :-)
I teach kindergarten, so watching my students get excited about their very first Valentine’s party at school makes me happy!
The thing that makes me happy in the middle of February is reading while cuddled up in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate!
I hope I win!!
valentine sugar cookies
Baking Valentine’s treats brightens up the middle of February for me!
We’ve been wanting one of these for years! The yellow is my favorite, although all the colors are great! BTW, our family continues to keep your Southwest Pasta Salad on our list of favorite dinners.
I love Valentine’s Day!
My wife makes the best soups in the winter! February is the perfect soup month!
The beach in february makes me happy :)
I’m excited for my first Valentine’s Day with my husband! But, on another note – what makes me happy during long winter months: pedicures. It somehow restores my hope that summer will come!
The thing that makes me happy in February is soups and stews. That and conversation hearts !
February is my birthday month, so it keeps me smiling. Moving to So California last year also helps! :) Thanks for the awesome giveaway.
My husband cooks for me on Valentines Day, I love how creative he gets and that I get to take a break.
Things that make me happy in the middle of February are the first daffodils. To me they are a sign of hope -that winter is nearly over with the promise of spring. I also love watching the birds at my feeders.
Making a specisl dinner for my family on valentine’s day!
Well, since I live in AZ, this is one of my favorite months. The weather is usually awesome, warm, but not hot. I hate when it gets really hot, so I spend as much time outside now as I can. However, this February (today in fact) my best friend had her baby and so now February is even better! Nothing better than holding a brand new baby. I hope you get some sunshine soon, to all those in yucky weather places :)
I enjoy the excitement my kids have about sharing Valentines with everyone. :)
My birthday the 13th and valentines day make the middle of February special for me :)
I am blessed to live in California, so spring is already on it’s way by mid-February. I love that feeling!!
My husband always comes up with something sweet to do for Valentine’s Day… last year we painted pottery (throwback to our first date)! So that usually makes me smile. But the cheesy holiday is also a good reminder to be thankful for each other, our love, and our marriage… while we wait for the babies we want. <3
We’re traveling to China next week to adopt our new daughter. That’s definitely going to be a bright spot in my February! :)
Being able to celebrate my lovely wife on Valentine’s day makes February one of my favorite months.
My birthday and Valentine’s day! February is a great month for me! :)
Valentine decorations and sugar cookies always make me happy! A good sugar cookie can chase away the doldrums.
I like February because it means January is over! January seems like such a long dreary month and February goes faster!
Seed catalogs :)
I love Valentine’s Day, that’s about the only good thing about February!
What makes me the happiest in February is sewing my granddaughters cute little things for Valentines Day. and the thought that Spring is on it’s way.
Making Valentine’s with my daughter for her classmates.
February brings strawberries in southern California. It brings tulips in southern California. It is good to think of why February is wonderful, I love also decorating my home with hearts. Such a delightful time. I hope this year it brings an additional smile with winning this amazing Dutch Oven, it is one I have been wanting (desiring) for a long, long time. Thank you!
Valentines day makes me really happy in the middle of Feb! My two little girls adore all holidays and we love to craft, bake, and decorate for the occasion.
Spending time with my family always makes me happy.
I love curling up with a nice cup of hot cocoa and a good book. I also love making cold weather food like chili and enchiladas.
I love Valentine’s day! Well..maybe it is all the candy and chocolate that I should not eat, but can’t help myself :) It also doesn’t hurt that I feel like it is over the halfway point of winter!
Chocolate always helps me to be happy, reguardless of the time of year. ;)
definitely Valentines Day!!! Love doing special v-day gifts to show my husband how much I love him and also receiving that in return, BEST part of the month for sure!
What makes me happy in the middle of February is two days off from school, for the kids and myself! Conversation hearts don’t hurt either! ;)
I love February because its my husbands birthday! I also love Valentine’s treats :)
I love Valentine’s Day and that it is getting closer to Spring!
My anniversary is in February and I love to be reminded of one of my favorite days!!! :) Plus, it means spring is THAT MUCH CLOSER!!!! :)
My anniversary is next week! It’s the only thing getting me through this gloomy month.
What makes me happy is staying inside and eating things like gumbo for dinner! I am a cozy indoor gal – rain and snow make my day, so February is my kind of month :)
I’m a huge fan of February, it brings my birthday! I have been wanting one of these for-ev-er! It would be a great birthday present and treat to cook the rest of winter away.
The best part of mid-February (this year) is looking forward to the cooking class that I signed my husband and I up for as part of our year of dates!
Fewer freezing days, but still cold enough to bake without heating the house too much. Also my birthday!
I love that by the middle of February, I can start telling that it is staying lighter outside a little later!
This particular February, what makes me happy is my 3 month old son. He is smiling so much now, just learning how much he can influence the world around him. He is delightful to watch, and he is my last child, so I am really trying to relish the experience.
Sending valentines to family far away makes me happy!
I like February because it’s still cold enough to make soup, stew, or chili, but with the anticipation of spring.
The middle of February makes me happy because I get to bake Valentine’s goodies with my daughter!
Definitely heart shaped food for valentines day:)
Award season! Watching the Grammy’s as I type this.
In February I love when the sky is blue and the sun is warm reminding me of summer days.
Hmmm…happiness in February has to be the magic of Valentines Day for a 6 year old, AND the possibility that I can now really make my husband some Gumbo this year!
My anniversary (it’s tomorrow) is what makes me happy in the middle of February!!!!!
Snow days and warm, homemade bread!
I am loving the nicer weather yet love the occasional cold days so we can still enjoy yummy soups!!
Knowing that spring is that much closer is what makes me happy in the middle of February. I don’t mind winter, but we’ve had so much snow this year and I’m so done with it!
A trip to phoenix! Yay for warm weather!
My husband.
Having a new sweetie on Valentine’s Day this year makes me happy. :) And I would love to make gumbo for him!
What makes me happy in February is that the weather here in AZ is perfect. Not too hot or too cold.
Since it just snowed all weekend in my neck of the woods… warm quilts, hot cocoa , and yummy soup make me happy. I NEED this pot, I have coveted them for years! :-)
Making sour cream cookies (super soft sugar cookies) with my kids and decorating them for valentines day. Every year growing up my mom would make these for valentines day. I have many memories baking and decorating these with my mom and grandma as a kid and I love that the tradition continues on with my children. To this day if myself or any of my siblings receives a care package from my mom at valentines day she includes these cookies and we all have to call and tell each other to talk about how awesome our mom is and how much we love these cookies.
Mid-February is when our weather starts to warm up and you know Spring is on the way! Love those warmer days and celebrating Valentine’s Day with my hubby and this year our son, too :)
February makes me happy because it’s high school basketball season!
This February my hubby and I are headed to HAWAII!! Yahoo!
I love my birthday and Valentine’s and how they always happen to be tax return week ;)
Valentines day makes me happy, because that means spring is just around the corner in Alabama!
I live in California and I’m a big sissy when it comes to weather. So in these parts, February is usually the first signs of sun and spring and I love it! Of course March comes in with all the rain and wind, but February? Ahh, February is welcomed loveliness.
The daffodils coming up in Seattle!
We usually have one warm day in the midst of winter to give you hope that spring is really around the corner. One sort-of warmish day makes me happy in February. We had it last week – it was 65 degrees and I believed that warmer temperatures were on their way!!
My favorite thing that cheers me up in the middle of February is Valentine’s Day! Not because I have a valentine, but because I LOVE the pink, red and white color combination that comes with it! It just makes me happy! AND I can bake delicious treats in the shape of hearts; what could be better?!
Heart shaped PB&Js in the lunch all week!
(secretly my 6 year old loves them! I’m not looking forward to the day
He tells me to stop….)
Valentines Day makes me happy in February. I love love!!!
What makes me happy this time of year is noticing how the daylight is hanging on just a little bit longer each evening. Spring is on the way!
As this is my last year in my 20′s, I’ve decided I’m not going to lay down and die when it comes to fitness. This is my year to get in shape and be ready to start my “flirty thirties” in grand style. So I’ve been learning to really love that even though it’s blah outside, I can work out (with my kids giggling along) and take control of my life. I”d love this pot to try making gumbo, but also Indian food and obb’s yummy white bean chicken chili…
Between Valentine’s day and the return of Girl Scout cookies February is all about chocolate and decadence :)
Chocolate from Valentines Day!!
I love February b/c of Valentines day – we eat shrimp scampi and steaks. I know, I’m original;)
OBB recipes and giveaways make me happy mid February, but my first baby’s birthday is what brightens the month the most. He’ll be 5 this year!
Chocolate from my sweetheart is what makes me happy in the middle of February. (Especially this year since I’m hugely pregnant!)
The THREE things that make me most happy in February are my THREE kids that were all born in February! February is our PARTY MONTH! We celebrate all month long, and while that can sometimes be a bit exhausting, we use it as an excuse to find great things to do and friends and family to be with in the dead of winter.
My favorite thing in the middle of Feb. is Valentines Day. I go all out, I decorate my house inside and out and sent Valentines I make to all my friends and family.
What makes me happy in the middle of February is that Valentine’s day gives me the excuse to make everything heart-shaped: sandwiches, cheese slices, cupcakes, pancakes… and the list goes on :)
Happiness in February for me is watching the animals start to wake up and begin the trek to higher mountain elevations :)
Thinking up ways to spoil my hubby and little man for Valentine’s Day makes me pretty dang happy!
The one thing that makes me happy in the middle of February is my birthday! I’m turning the big 3-Oh in just a few days. I would LOVE to have one of these in purple. Le Creuset makes the best stuff!
The best part about February is my birthday….which just happens to fall on Valentine’s Day!!! I just read a recipe for baking bread in a pot like this, so this would be perfect timing to win one! :)
Cupcakes from the Sweet Tooth Fairy brighten my February.
The highlight of my February is always Valentine’s Day. With 3 young daughters they love the ‘girly’ holiday as my 5 year old puts it. Plus, where we live it’s finally past the rainy season and the sun is coming out more often :)
Fresh flowers — right now we have some tulips. Brightens the room and smell delicious.
February makes me happy just because it’s not January!!!
You’re right-Feb’s kind of lame, but not as bad as January. Valentine’s helps I think.
The best part about the middle of this February is we’re taking the family to Disneyland to celebrate to of my sons birthdays! Wahoo! The gumbo looks amazing and totally want to try it!
Galentine’s Day! (In case you don’t know, it’s from Parks and Rec and I’m totally celebrating this year.)
Our Fat Tuesday party gets me through February, but should I really be complaining about February? I live in sunny So Cal!
I love a good pedicure in the middle of February! It helps me feel good and get excited for the Spring!
Watching the joy in my daughters’ faces as they sled down the mountain brightens any dreary day!
Celebrating Valentine’s Day/month with fun activities and treats makes me happy in February. It’s also the month my husband & I became engaged so we always celebrate that too.
Oh, definitely the sun! And especially if it decides to melt some snow too!
I really like to go for walks in the rain and February is perfect for that. I take my sons, we splash in puddles, come home drenched, take a warm bath then drink hot cocoa. That’s my perfect February day!
Doing things with my family to show them I love them (thanks to Valentine’s day) is what makes me happy in the middle of February.
The best part of February for me is Mardis Gras king cake and gumbo :)
I love making soups in winter. This month I’m making like 2 a week!
Flowers make me happy. And heart-shaped pizzas. And hot chocolate after playing in the snow… I love my kids for helping me enjoy life, even in February.
Stressful holidays are over and getting ready for spring and summer!
I love watching all the spring bulbs peak their heads out of the ground.
February is an in-between month. The holidays are over (whew!) and spring with all its planting and cleaning hasn’t yet begun. So I try to remember to enjoy this quiet in-between month.
Whaaaaat! Awesome!
I keep my house clean. Is that lame? :) Having a clean house makes me feel so good! Also, this February (since Easter’s early), I’ll be participating in Lent, which also makes me happy.
Our family of 6 has all our birthdays between October 23 & January 27 (plus 4 other family member’s birthdays in there too). I LOVE February because it means i’m done with 3 major holidays and 6 birthdays for the next 9 months!!! February means I have my head above water again! :) thanks for doing such a wonderful give away
Middle of February = middle if winter…so dark, dreary, gray sadness inspiring days are half over! That certainly makes me happy :-)
I love then in the middle of a cold, grey, unlovely day the sun breaks through the clouds and warms your body and brightens your spirit!
Three day weekends make me super happy in the middle of February!
Warm soup and good cuddles with my husband. :) chases all the grumps away.
Both of my nephews’ birthdays are in February, so I love the time I get to spend with my family. Also, this February is awesome because the Hubs and I have a kick butt Valentine’s day planned with our son!
I’m happy I live in Southern Arizona- it’s warm here!
Yes! Love Le Creuset.
Getting away for the weekend makes me happy in the middle of February!
Valentines CANDY is the best part of February! Oh the caaandy!
Living in Mesa AZ. It is the valley of the sun. Sure we have had a few clouds and a bit of rain but the weather is amazing this time of year. Cool but not really cold or dreary.
President’s Day weekend. I used to work in a flower shop full time and after I had my kids I just go back for Valentine’s Day. I feel like President’s day was ordered by florists who are just trying to catch their breath after the holiday.
I’m happy this week because I get to continue our new tradition of making King Cake for Mardi Gras AND I get to make treats for Valentine’s Day!
Knowing that spring is on the way!
We took my four year old daughter skiing for her first time last week. Her excitement and desire to go again just might get us through the rest of this freezing weather.
Girl scout cookies make February better!
What I love about the middle of February is that I love Valentines Day now that I can fully enjoy it (being married and all…). I love all the romance in the air and that the snow is starting to retreat and the sun is finally coming out!!
The thing I love most this February is Downten Abbey. It started last night in Australia. I have been looking forward to it for ever! But mostly I love the slight cooling of weather as the rain kicks in at our small country town.
I’m happy to be celebrating my first Valentine’s Day as a married woman :)
Making Valentines special for my kids.
Winter clearances at all my favorite stores and seeing all the new, colorful spring items!
This giveaway! …and chocolates.
I like making treats for my family for Valentine’s Day.
My grandbabies make me happy in the middle of February…of course they make me happy pretty much all the time :-)
I’m in a chorus, and we have one of our performances in February. We just hit the stage on Friday, and it’s an amazing way to perk up any bleak February!
Things that make me happy in the middle of February, tomorrow in particular, is an empty calendar square. It happens so infrequently in my month that I savor those days! Sure, I still need to take kids to school and play with two more at home and make dinner, but I don’t have errands to run, activities to go to, or things people are expecting from me. That’s the best!
Living in SoCal while I watch the rest of the country freezing and shoveling snow masked me pretty happy in Feb. Especially since I lived in the snow for a long time.
My nieces and nephews!!
First off I LOVE the Caribbean blue! Honestly, the best part of February is Valentine’s Day, and all of the weekends I get to spend with my husband and little man! It is my break from school and I cherish every moment with them! Family is everything to me, so I can’t wait to be finished with school to have more time with my family!
I am happy in the middle of February to get to make all my delicious soups.
Getting my tax refund makes me happy! Even though it goes mostly to bills, we still splurge on ourselves a little bit. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the Cheryl flowers! Sunshiney days and Valentine’s Day make my February happy. :)
And that was supposed to say that I love the cheery colors! Oh, autocorrect.
In the middle of February I bake….a lot….because what else will make you smile when it is cold and dreary outside than something warm and wonderful emerging from the oven?!
February is a hard month for my family, but something that cheers me up is my 3 week old baby girl!
My birthday!!
My daughters birthday. It’s sad that they grow but so awesome at the same time.
I love that Valentine’s Day is in February. It makes me happy to do fun things for my husband and children for all the holidays, but Valentine’s Day is one of my favorites! I like making valentines with my kids and our special family sweetheart dinner! Thanks for the chance to win!
I am heading to Tucson. It is warm and sunny there.
Snuggling with my boys, reading a book.
My youngest child’s birthday is in February and this always makes me happy because there is always some milestone to celebrate. She turns 3 this year, which means we will soon be a diaper free home!
I’m from Arizona, and Febrary is beautiful here (August, not so much)! I love mid February because it’s time for park days. I also LOVE Valentines day! Love making sugar cookies and decorating my boys’ bedroom doors and heart attacking my husband’s car! Thanks for the giveaway!
I adore everything about Valentine’s Day–the colors, the candy and the love. :)
Valentina’s Day definitely makes me happy in the middle of February!
I love my annual valentine tea party with tomato basil soup. We also have a fun family get together most years around president’s day.
I look forward to Valentine’s Day :) cheesey… I know. Date with mi esposo, and fun crafts and treats with my sweet babies!
Valentine’s Day… Valentine’s party with the grandbabies… 3 birthdays make me happy in the middle of February!
In the middle of February I get to celebrate Valentine’s with my DH and my son’s birthday (14 this year! Ack!). Our family also enjoys Pancake Night on Fat Tuesday :-)
Happiness in February is seeing my kids be excited to do nice things for each other and friends for Valentine’s Day (actually, seeing my kids do ANYthing nice warms my heart:) Aided by anything chocolate, of course!
A beautiful sunny day after weeks of gloomy rainy weather makes me happy!
I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s day nor do I get excited about snow (though we desperately need it here in CO) but what I do love is that I start all my seeds for the vegetable garden. And just so you know, I never have nor will I ever in the future plant okra! :-D
Making treats for Valentine’s Day makes me happy! But I might have to put it off for a week this year, because I just had my tonsils out and I can hardly swallow water. :(
Making valentines with my 4 kiddos makes me happy in February!
my 2 yr old son since he was born in feb!
My little man’s birthday… He gets so excited about everything!
February holds both Valentine’s Day and my boyfriend’s and my anaversary.
The middle of February makes me happy because it is a time to remind me of love and those who are most important in my life.