Book Updates, Giveaways, and Last Day for E-Book Sale

It has been a little more than a month since We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook released. What an exciting month it has been! We wanted to update you on our book launch adventures and make sure you didn’t miss out on anything–giveaways, interviews and articles, and the ebook sale.

Ebook Sale Ends TODAY–get it for $2.99!

This sale launched us to the number one spot in our category (Gastronomy Essays) for ebooks and the #2 spot for all books in that category. Seeing our book surpass Anthony Bourdain’s, even if just for a few days, was thrilling! Thank you Zondervan for including our book in your ebook sale! (Update–as of Monday 9/16, the price is still at $2.99. We aren’t sure when it will end, so snatch it up before the price goes back up.)

In the News

Becky was interviewed on Chicago’s Moody Radio station last month. Listen to the interview here.

Becky & Rachel have a feature story in the September issue of Guideposts Magazine. Here’s the online link.

We each have an article on BeliefNet.com. Rachel wrote one on Raising Vegetarian (or Other Special Eaters) in a Meat-Lovers World. Becky wrote Make Every Meal Holy. We’d love you to check these out and share them with others if they resonate with you!

Rachel wrote a back-to-school blog for WeAreTeachers.com on starting a Teacher Lunch Club.  Welcome to all our new teacher friends on the blog! We are so glad you are here. Teachers have a special place in our hearts!

It looks like we will have our first television interview for the book next week on D The Broadcast, unless something changes. You never know in the world of tv–Becky was once bumped from a segment to interview a cat who dialed 911!

Though we’ve been a little quieter on the blog here, we’re still writing…not only are we working on our next book (manuscript due in November, in stores January 2015), but we’ve been busy writing guest posts for some of our other favorite bloggers. Rachel wrote a post for The Gourmet Housewife on how the book idea and blog formed from her desire to be able to stay at home with her son. And she wrote about the hilarious time Jared made her a special breakfast concoction–cinnamon eggs—as newlyweds over at Candice Calvert’s Author’s Galley: Manuscripts & Wooden Spoons. Becky did a fun S’more recipe and post for Doughmestic.

Speaking

Rachel just added her speaking topics to the blog and she has had a great response—calendar is filling up! If you live near Dallas, Texas, and are looking for a speaker for your MOPS group, ladies retreat, or health event, check out her new speaker page and contact her soon to book her for your event.

Giveaways

Several bloggers have done giveaways of We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook. A Big Shout Out to Wendy’s Bloggers for reviewing the book, posting pictures about the recipes you’ve made, and hosting giveaways. As food bloggers, we know a lot of work goes into those posts. Bless you! Also thank you to Michele Cushatt for hosting a special giveaway of not only a copy of the book, but also a homemade batch of your chocolate chip cookies featured in Chapter 12! That was one lucky winner!

There are several giveaways still open right now, most with very easy entries!

SoCal Coupon Mommy (9/16)

Pandora’s Deals (9/17)

Sonya’s Happenings (ends 9/20)

Chat With Vera (ends 9/21)

Tidbits of Experience (ends 9/21)

Inspired by Savannah (9/26)

Obsessive Mommy (ends 9/27)

A Year With Mom & Dad (ends 9/28)

Cheap is the New Classy (ends 9/30)

(If you’re hosting a giveaway that I missed, please leave a comment with the link and I’ll add it to the list.)

Have you read the book yet?

We would love to hear from you! And we also so appreciate Amazon and Goodreads reviews.

$2.99 We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook (E-Book, Nook, Kindle) (Ends Sunday, Sept 15)

Our humorous mom-daughter food memoir is on sale today through Sunday, Sept 15 via Kindle and Nook downloads at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

For Just $2.99!

We’d so appreciate your passing the news along to your friends via Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, E-mail or Smoke Signals! Word of mouth will always be our best advertisement. (Well, that, and a bargain.) Thank you, thank you! Becky and Rachel

Sweet n’ Buttery Blueberry Rice Bowls

(Becky, The Mama)

In big families life often feels like it’s balanced on a fulcrum, easily tipping toward The Waltons or The Jerry Springer Show, depending on the warm fuzzies or the latest drama of the day. One thing our big family is not, is boring. So, I am never lacking for comedic or dramatic  fodder for blogs or books.

After a recent trip with my eldest son to California, where I randomly lost and found my phone (in the airport bathroom), my shoes (left in hotel room), my computer (a doctor’s office), my keys (bottom of the dark hole that is my purse), my suitcase (left on the sidewalk outside hotel), my brand new prescription sun glasses (in rental car), I told God, “Really, I have enough material.”

We’ve compiled many of the stories that overflow from our crazy lives in our newly released food memoir: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook and we’re already gathering more for  next mom-daughter book.

It is my belief that life is stressful enough, so cooking shouldn’t have to be. Though I love those rare days when I can take my time in the kitchen, more often than not I lean toward the “fast, easy, healthy” recipes we typically post on this blog.

When life is nuts, trust me, I know how easy it is to give up on eating well. But after reading about Jamie Oliver’s recent scoop on the chemically “washed” pink goop that goes into McDonald’s burgers,  the thought of driving through a fast food joint makes me queasy.

In the middle of a  recent high-stress morning,  I was hungry, in a hurry, and in search of something sweet, but not too sweet, and relatively nutritious for breakfast. I grabbed a container of last night’s leftover Jasmine rice (not as healthy as brown rice, but boy, do we love it), a pint of fresh blueberries and some slivered almonds. One ingredient led to another as I thought, “Why not?” and proceeded to create a just-right-sweet and buttery blueberry almond rice bowl. Zapped it in the microwave for 35 seconds, took a bite, and fell in love.

The fresh blueberries, when warmed, are still firm on the outside but then burst in your mouth. Some also open a bit in the bowl, drizzling a lovely purple juice – that when blended with a little butter, brown sugar and pinch of sea salt – is simply divine. The almonds add crunch and protein.

In one minute you can go from layering ingredients to spooning this lovely concoction into your mouth. To up the nutritional value, use brown rice or another whole grain you enjoy. I used fresh blueberries and recommend them, but I am sure frozen berries would also be delicious (though not as firm).

Perfect for quick wholesome breakfasts on busy mornings, or a tummy-warming snack or before-bedtime dessert. Blueberries are what my good friend, Dr. Daniel Amen, refers to as brain berries. They are chocked full of antioxidants and brain-friendly phytonutrients. A great way to start, energize or end your day.

Sweet n’ Buttery Blueberry Rice Bowls

Makes 1 large breakfast bowl, or 2 snack/dessert portions

½ c. cooked rice (pretty packed in measuring cup)  (I used jasmine rice as it is what I had leftover, but of course brown rice would be the healthier choice.)
1/3 c. fresh blueberries
1 t. butter (vegans can use Earth Balance or any healthy buttery substitute of your choice)
1 T. brown sugar (feel free to sub your favorite sweetener here –maple syrup, stevia, etc.)
2 T. slivered almonds
Pinch sea salt

Directions:

Place the rice in a bowl and fluff with a fork. Put a dab of butter in the middle and sprinkle over the top with brown sugar. Put blueberries and slivered almonds on top.

Microwave for 35 seconds. Take a pinch of sea salt and sprinkle over all when you remove from the microwave. (This makes it taste even more “buttery”.) Gently fold all hot ingredients together and serve. Be prepared to be very surprised how amazing these simple ingredients taste when put all together!