Cascade #MyPlatinum - TLC for my Dishes, Dishwasher and Food

*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I must admit, even though I own a dishwasher, I am a chronic pre-washer. Yes, I am a little overzealous about making sure our dishes are spot-free and clean.

But let me explain. Growing up we didn't always have a dishwasher. When we did, the dishwasher in our rental was often old or gutless. I grew up with the idea that a dishwasher just sanitizes the dishes, it can't remove food. So, I soak, I scrub and then I load the dishwasher. The whole process from sink to cupboard can take up to 3 hours. As a food blogger, and busy Mom, my dishes just pile up.

Lately my husband has been pitching in more around the house. The baby is coming this week and by the end of the day I am exhausted and ready to run and hide from our dinner dishes. The biggest problem is, I married someone who doesn't believe in pre-washing. Oh, the horror!

There is nothing worse than opening up the dishwasher the following morning to find the food is now "sterilized" onto the dishes. You know what I mean? The heat cycle has done it's magic and now that dried on food is going to be even harder to chip off the dishes than before? I might as well break out the sandpaper.  Oh, yeah...

Each week I try to share my best recipe photos here on the blog. No one want to pin or recreate a meal that is presented on dirty, streaked or smudged dishware. I need my flatware to shine and my glasses to show off what is inside them, not stuck on them. All my tempting close-ups would be in vain without sparkling dishes.

So to cut down on my workload and put my best dishes forward, I tried Cascade Platinum Pacs. Usually I buy both dry dishwasher detergent and then a rinse aid to help keep my machine at it's best. Again, my old girl can use all the help she can get. These handy little packs cover both jobs.

No measuring, no pouring, just grab a pack and pop it into the detergent tray. Close the lid and run the dishwasher. It was simple and fast, and I am sure even while baby-sleep-deprived I will be able to do it. No more spilled detergent or overfilled trays is another bonus for me.

How did they stack up? Well, my dishes came out clean, spot-free and without any of the dried on food they went in with. I was also happy to just toss in a pack and turn on the machine. Simple is good, right?

Some other fun facts about the Cascade Platinum Pacs include:

• Contains the Grease Fighting Power of Dawn
• Fights Tea & Coffee Stains
• Helps Prevent Hard Water Filming for a Sparkling Machine
• Contains Tough Food Enzyme Action

Get Your Food Noticed

We eat with our eyes even before we can taste the food. This is evident on sites like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Even simple food's presentation can be enhanced with sparkling dishes and Cascade is partnering up with Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine Magazine, to discuss why this is important. Check out her tips from prep to plating and how Cascade Platinum can help. Learn more on the Cascade Facebook page and their Youtube page.

Enter the "My Platinum" Instagram Contest

I love taking food pics and Instagram has made sharing my culinary fun in the kitchen even easier. This month you can join in Cascade's "My Platinum" contest just by uploading photos related to their weekly themes. Register on the "My Platinum" contest site, then tag your photo with both #MyPlatinum and @MyCascade.

Each week, 2 lucky contestants will win a brand new Whirlpool Dishwasher, and one grand prize winner will get a Platinum kitchen makeover!

Here is the contest schedule:

• Week 1: My Platinum Plate (Entry Period: 6/3-6/9) - Show your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up.
• Week 2: My Platinum Bite (Entry Period: 6/10-6/16) - Show your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware.
• Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry: 6/17-6/23) - Show how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers.
• Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-6/30) - Show your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations.

So, are you a pre-washer? Want to change?