We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook: Happy Book Release Day!
Posted: August 5, 2013 Filed under: Book News, Book Reviews, Uncategorized | Tags: book release, book reviews, we laugh we cry we cook 3 Comments
Releases Today!
By 3:00 P.M. I was still in my PJs. My hair was uncombed. I looked homeless. I’d been up since early morning on the phone and computer, in Mom Mode, trying to help out in a family crisis. Then I’d switch to my Author/Blogger Role as I prepared for … (wooden spoon drum roll here) … today’s BIG RELEASE of … (insert cymbal sounds of two saucepan lids clapping together) … Our NEW BOOK: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook.
I found myself tipping back and forth between joy and worry. I was feeling fragile and disoriented. I could be easily blown, like a feather, toward tears or laughter, depending on the hour. Or minute.
What did I do to help calm and steady my emotions? I put on an apron and whipped up the first recipe from our book, a rich Puttanesca sauce that my daughter Rachel (a vegan) and I tossed together one day, working like a pair of well-olive-oiled machines. Puttanesca is an Italian sauce flavored with rich briny goodies like capers, pepperoncini, olives, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Instead of adding meat, I topped it, as Rachel does, with roasted chickpeas.
The dish, as always, was divine, a feast of taste sensations; however, the kitchen where I prepared the deep red vegan marinara looked as though I’d just butchered a hog. (I’m a good, fast cook; but not a neat one. The neat one would be my daughter who is probably reading this now, her eye twitching just a little at the thought of the image I just described.) The act of preparing a meal, tasting and tweaking … centered and calmed me, as it often does.
I looked over the day, half spent, and realized I’d laughed, I’d cried, I’d cooked.
Story of my life. And Rachel’s life. And perhaps, your life, too.
Now those stories can be yours for the reading, laughing along with, and sharing with others. Our food memoir (with lots of yummy recipes) can be purchased today on the most popular online bookstores including, Amazon, BN.com, and Christianbook.com in paperback, e-reader (Kindle, Nook) and audio form. (Rachel and I were honored do the voicing of the audio version.)
Please visit our Book Page to read more reviews, endorsements and samples of the book.
Here’s a few comments from others to whet your appetite:
“Amusing, endearing, and spiced with a close mother-daughter bond…. ” –Publisher’s Weekly
“We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook made me want to cook, made me want to call my mom, and made me want to gather the people I love into my home and around my table….” –Shauna Niequist, Author of Bread & Wine
“A poignant memoir. Each story is beautifully rendered, exposing one layer at a time until I felt as if Rachel and her mother Becky were in the kitchen with me as I sautéed and stirred. Written with honesty, humility, and spot-on prose.” –Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Into the Free
“….As engaging as a novel. A delicious book.” –Dianna Booher, Author of Creating Personal Presence
“Someone once said, ‘She who bakes bread without love nourishes only half the man.’ I have eaten at Becky’s table many times with her husband Greg, and I can tell you firsthand that when she serves something from her kitchen, it nourishes the whole of you.” –Ken Gire, Author of Moments with the Savior, Windows of the Soul, Relentless
“Unique. Special. Surprising. Entertaining. Humorous and heartwarming. You will be rolling on the floor laughing one minute and wiping a tear the next…” –Carol Kent, Speaker and author of Between a Rock and a Grace Place
“Food is increasingly dividing us. How we need B`ecky and her daughter Rachel, a vegan and a butter-loving mama to show us how to not only break bread together, but to make bread—and soups and all kinds of creative meals— together.” –Leslie Leyland Fields, Author/editor of The Spirit of Food: 34 Writers on Feasting
“From the moment I received We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook, it was constantly in one hand while the other tended to kid-tastrophies…” –Heather Riggleman, Speaker to MOPS moms and author of Mama Needs a Time Out
“A delicious, well-marinated read!…. I love this book!” –Sue Buchanan, Author of The Bigger the Hair the Closer to God
“…If they were kitchen utensils Rachel would be a bento box and Becky a salad spinner. Not just funny, these women are real…” –Lucille Zimmerman, Licensed Professional Counselor and author of Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World
There is nothing like word of mouth, or “word of internet” to get out good news. We would SO appreciate if you would tweet, facebook, pinterest, blog or send smoke signals sharing today’s post with others. We could not have done this without the love and support of our readers and friends.
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook Food Memoir Giveaway Times TWO!
Posted: July 30, 2013 Filed under: Dining Out, Foodie Gifts, Giveaways, Great Foodie Experiences, Uncategorized | Tags: becky johnson, englewood, florida, food memoirs, gelato, happy birthday jackson, little gasparilla island, placida, rachel randolph, tapas, vegan-friendly restaurants, vino loco, we laugh we cry we cook 85 Comments(Rachel)
Last week, we went on a long beach vacation to our favorite place in the world, the quaint little Island of Little Gasparilla. I wrote about it in our food memoir We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook (in stores next week.) It’s where Jared and I got married, where we took Jackson for his first beach experience, and where Jared’s family has been vacationing for twenty years. To put it mildly, it’s a special place for our family.
We took along the Mimi because we love her and Jackson loves her…and well, we knew it was the only way we’d get any alone time. Thanks to her, Jared and I enjoyed an amazing all vegan dinner at Vino Loco Tapas and Wine Bar one night to celebrate our sixth anniversary. We were the only diners (it’s off season right now), and we got special treatment from the chef, who hand delivered each organic, well-thought out plate to our table. Simple flavorful food made with quality organic ingredients that let the veggies be the star. My kind of food! And then there was vegan gelato made out of almond milk. Oh my. The gelato was so amazing, we swung by on our way home to get more for the long road home…and to share with Jackson and Mimi who missed out the first time. I ate my scoop with one of Jackson’s leftover chocolate birthday cupcakes. I can’t remember the last time I had cake and ice cream. It was like a party in my mouth.
Did I say chocolate cupcakes up there? Oh yes! My sweet Jackson turned two on Saturday….and my usually healthy little eater has a dark secret. He loves nothing more than chocolate cupcakes. I used my go-to Chocolate Cupcake Recipe from Chow.com. They are quick and easy and don’t call for any weird ingredients. I subbed almond milk, whole wheat flour, and coconut oil this time (working with our limited pantry on the island). They didn’t rise quite as much as the first time I made them with canola and white flour, but they were still fluffy and delicious…and healthier. 🙂 We skipped icing in lieu of a dusting of powdered sugar. We aren’t much of an icing family…and it’s usually just fat and sugar anyway. We let him blow the powdered sugar on his cupcake instead of blowing out a candle. He thought that was WAY fun!
Happy Birthday Jackson! I have a feeling we have an adventurous year ahead! Twos = double the fun, right?
In honor of Jackson turning two, we’re giving away TWO early release copies of We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook! Jackson just so happens to be a pretty big star in the book….so it seems fitting. To enter the giveaway, simply like our facebook page and leave us a comment HERE ON THE BLOG telling us you’ve done so. A birthday wish to Jackson would be like powdered sugar on the cupcake though. 🙂 Be sure to include the name that you use on Facebook so we can verify your entry and fill in the email section of our contact form so we can contact you if you are a winner.
Giveaway ends on at midnight central time Friday, August 2nd, We’ll pick the winners using a random number generator. Winners will have 24 hours to contact us before we choose another name.
Skillet Cheesy Italian Squash Casserole
Posted: July 25, 2013 Filed under: Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: basil, brown sugar, casserole, cheese, crackers, crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, squash, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama.)
In my home state of Texas zucchini grows in backyard gardens with such profusion that almost everyone I knew had a steady pile of it sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to be washed, diced, sliced, grated, grilled baked, steamed, frozen — or ignored until it grew mildew and could finally be thrown away without guilt. My mother remembers having to remove a bunch of zucchini from my kitchen sink in order to make room to give one of my newborn babies their first bath. During Texas summers it is almost impossible to walk to or from your car without at least one neighbor strong-arming you into accepting a bag or bucket of ever present green squash. Everywhere you turn, zucchini lurks.
To get my children to eat their share of it, I invented Skillet Italian Squash Casserole. By cooking the squash until just crisp tender, then topping it with an Italian style tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and buttery crackers, I had a winner! It was a family favorite for many years.
Soon after we married, nine years ago, my husband Greg let me know, “I’m not really a squash kind of guy.” So I avoided serving him squash in any form. But the other day, I threw caution to the wind and made this casserole anyway, since I liked it so much. He graciously agreed to try it. To my surprise, he loved it, too. Ate every bite. I made it again tonight, and there was not a speck of squash left on his plate,
“One day we came home from some errands to find a grocery sack of [zucchini] hanging on our mailbox. The perpetrator, of course, was nowhere in sight … Garrison Keillor says July is the only time of year when country people lock our cars in the church parking lot, so people won’t put squash on the front seat. I used to think that was a joke …” Barbara Kingsolver in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
Skillet Cheesy Italian Squash Casserole
5 smallish to medium squash, yellow or zucchini or a mixture of both
Salt & Pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 large clove grated garlic
1 cup crushed canned tomatoes (preferably the kind with basil)
½ t. oregano
2 t. brown sugar
1 c. grated cheese (I like mozzarella but really, any cheese you like & have on hand will be yummy)
3 T. butter
20 buttery crackers, such Ritz or Townhouse (I used Ritz wheat crackers)
2 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees
Slice squash about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an 10-12 inch iron skillet on high flame until very hot. Put squash and garlic into pan and saute until many of the pieces are golden on the outside and cooked until just crisp-tender.
Remove from stove top and pour crushed tomatoes evenly over the top of the squash. Sprinkle the tomatoes with oregano and brown sugar. Top with grated cheese. Melt butter in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave. Crumble crackers into the melted butter, add Parmesan and mix. Pour this crumb mixture on top of the cheese, then place the skillet in hot oven. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until squash is tender, cheese melted, and cracker crumb topping is golden.
Veganize This: Substitute vegan ‘Mozzarella” and “Parmesan” cheese and dairy-free butter and you are good to go on this one. Simple to do!
Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Pie with Warm Fudge Sauce
Posted: July 18, 2013 Filed under: Desserts, Uncategorized | Tags: Andes mints, chocolate, chocolate sauce, fudge, fudge sauce, ice cream, mint, mint chocolate chip ice cream pie, pie, warm 5 Comments
This week marked our wedding anniversary. I asked my six-year-old grandson George if he’d like to help me make an “Anniversary Pie” for his Poppy.
“Is it your secret recipe?” he asked. (He saw a cooking show where some chef talked about a secret recipe and has been curious about any “secret recipes” I might have lurking in my brain.)
“Yes!” I said. “It will be OUR secret recipe because I’m making it up right now, with you.”
“How long have you and Poppy been married?” Georgie asked.
“For nine years now!”
“And you and Poppy never fight and you never died! You did good!”
Forget Disneyland. In my husband’s arms is my happiest place on earth.
Indeed, that might be the hallmark of a great marriage: you don’t fight and you don’t die. In fact, in a great marriage, you thrive, you blossom, you grow.
Here’s what I wrote on my Facebook Status about Greg, my husband, the Love of My Life:
“Nine years ago today, I married Greg Johnson, and each day of those nine years have been the happiest and most peaceful, fulfilling and giving, romantic and stable of my entire life. When you live with someone whose eyes always mirror love, delight, acceptance… when you know you are cherished every moment of every day, it changes you into the best possible version of yourself. And you have so much more to give to the world, because your brain is no longer working so hard to simply try to survive or make sense of your life. Being well loved expands your capacity to love and be more present to others. I love and adore you, Mr. Johnson for who you are and who you have helped me become when I am with you. Who knew marriage could really be like this, ‘after all these years’?
A wonderful marriage is definitely worth celebrating. One of my husband’s favorite treats is mint chocolate chip ice cream. One of my favorite treats is warm chocolate sauce. This ice cream pie, like us, is the perfect marriage of both.
Now that I’ve shared our secret to a happy marriage (choose to cherish each other daily), I’ll go ahead share my “secret recipe” (shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone) for this absolutely mouth-watering, silly-easy, pie. It’s wonderfully refreshing on a hot summer day, and you’ll spend just a few minutes in the kitchen putting it together.
And speakin’ of happy marriages, and the color green… our lime green book, Nourished, is full of tips to nourish both your own life and your marriage! 
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Pie with Warm Fudge Sauce
Ingredients:
One pre-made chocolate graham cracker or chocolate cookie pie shell
1 quart of your favorite chocolate chip ice cream (I’m from Texas and partial to Blue Bell “the best ice cream in the country”)
One recipe chocolate sauce (below)
About 10 Andes Mint Candies
Chocolate Sauce
1 c. half n’ half
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ t. vanilla
Pinch salt
Instructions:
Let ice cream soften just enough so that you can scoop and pack it into pre-made chocolate pie shell. Decorate the top of the ice cream pie with Andes Chocolate Mints, by cutting them at a diagonal and placing around the pie in a pretty design.
Cover with plastic wrap and let harden in freezer.
Simmer half n’ half in a small saucepan, add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate is melted and well mixed. Add vanilla and salt. Remove from stove and let cool until warm but not piping hot. (Leftover sauce will keep in fridge for a week or more. Just microwave a few seconds to reheat and liquefy.)
Cut and serve the ice cream pie, drizzling some of the warm sauce over the top and serve immediately.
Crunchy Amaretto French Toast
Posted: July 7, 2013 Filed under: Breads, Breakfast Foods, Desserts, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: almond, amaretti, amaretto, butter, crunchy, French Toast, maple syrup, vegan 2 Comments
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but at some point Sunday nights became our traditional Breakfast-for-Dinner Night. In addition, when someone is feeling poorly, breakfast may be summoned at anytime of day. There’s something comforting about a bowl of soft scrambled eggs and buttered toast when you aren’t feeling quite up to par
Yesterday, my six-year-old grandson Georgie battled a headache off and on all day. By evening, when I got him in our tub — usually a special treat because it is so big — he looked a sad figure, sitting there in the water, holding his forehead in his hand. “Nonny,” he said pitifully,”will you please go to my Mom’s bathroom and get the Ocean Breeze soap that she usually uses? I just can’t deal with other people’s soap right now.”
I am pretty sure this will be our family’s new phrase in response to generic overwhelm: “I just can’t deal with other people’s soap right now.” Whether your family enjoys a traditional “Breakfast for Dinner Night,” or someone’s needing a little comfort food or “you just can’t deal with other’s people’s soap anymore,” here’s a dish sure to comfort and please, anytime of day or night.
I love French Toast, but when the bread has not only been dipped in egg (flavored with Amaretto) but also coated with a thin layer of sliced almonds before being grilled in butter… well, as my husband Greg said, “That’s the best French toast I’ve ever had in my life.” Top these crunchy, almondy French toast with butter, fresh sliced strawberries, real maple syrup and serve with a side of sizzling bacon or sausage and your day (whether it’s morning or evening) will take a sharp and instant turn for the cheerier. And vegans, do not worry! There’s a terrific vegan alternative for this recipe at the end of the post.
Crunchy Amoretto French Toast
Serves Two (Makes 4 pieces of toast)
4 slices bread (I’m partial to potato bread for French toast)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 T. almond milk (or dairy milk)
1 t. almond flavoring or amaretto liqueur
Small pinch salt
¼ c. sliced almonds
2 t. butter plus 1 t. olive oil for pan
Sliced fresh strawberries (or any kind of berries you like) – about ¼ cup per person
Softened butter and genuine maple syrup
Heat skillet to medium high, melting the butter with the olive oil and mixing in the pan with the edge of a pancake turner. In a low wide bowl mix beaten eggs, milk, almond flavoring or liqueur and pinch salt. Dip bread, both sides, into the egg mixture, shaking off excess. Lay each piece carefully in the hot skillet, and then sprinkle the tops, evenly, with about a tablespoon of the sliced almonds. Using the back of the spatula pat the nuts into the bread with gentle pressure (this will help them stick when you turn the bread). When the bottom of the toast is getting golden brown, gently turn the bread with a wide pancake turner, and cook until the almond-side of the toast is golden, fragrant, toasty and crunchy. Top with berries, soft butter and a nice drizzle of real maple syrup.
Vegan Version. Use 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk plus 1 T. flour, 1 T. nutritional yeast (gives it an “eggy flavor”) and 1 T. maple syrup and 1 t. almond flavoring or amaretto for the “egg mixture.” Substitute vegan butter for the dairy butter. This will actually coat six pieces of French toast rather than four.
More Variations: Try adding cinnamon or nutmeg to the egg batter; or use orange juice instead of almond milk and a bit of orange zest. Thawed, heated sweetened previously frozen dark sweet cherries would also be wonderful with this. Substitute vanilla or rum flavoring for the amaretto or almond.
Pineapple Chicken Stack Ups
Posted: July 1, 2013 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Uncategorized | Tags: chicken stack ups, dill, English Muffins, green onion, mayonaise, pineapple Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama)
I have literally been making this recipe for 30 years!
As a newlywed and college student, one of my best friends was Brenda Scott. We both married young (I was 17 and she was 18), so we swapped recipes and sometimes cooked together, too, trying to learn our way around the kitchen. One day we whipped up chocolate chip cookies in my small duplex kitchen. We each took a bite of a cookie at the same time, then both ran to spit it out in the sink, reaching for water to quench our sudden thirst.
“Becky, what did I do wrong?” Brenda asked, her Texas accent thick. “These taste like pure salt!”
I held up a clear canister that I’d filled with salt. (I never bothered with pesky things like “labels.”)
She looked at me, her eyes wide with confusion. “Who keeps salt in canister?”
All I could do, since I was laughing so hard, was to point to myself and shrug.
Eventually we both had children, and on a visit for lunch in her home, our kids everywhere around us, Brenda served this sweet-savory dish called Pineapple Chicken Stack-Ups. She thinks she may have found the recipe on the back of a Dole Pineapple can. Wherever she found it, for me, it was love at first bite. The toasted English muffin is smeared with a savory mayo dolled up with dill and chopped green onions, then layered with pineapple slices (fresh or canned), a piece of cooked boneless chicken (thighs or breasts or even tenders), a little more sauce and sprinkle of grated cheese… popped in the oven for about 10 minutes, and dinner is served. (All you need is a simple salad on the side.)
I went home from Brenda’s house and made this recipe that very evening and have been making them on a regular basis for 30 years now, as long as Brenda and I have been friends, as long as we’ve been laughing together about our own foibles . (I should mention she went on to become one of the finest nurses you can imagine. Since I still forget to label things, I decided not to inflict my personality on the medical world, and eventually turned to writing humor as a career.) I mentioned these Pineapple Chicken Stack Ups to Rachel the other day and she said, “I loved those! And see? There’s proof you DID actually cook for us when we were kids.” My youngest son, Gabe, chimed in as well. “I loved those things, too!”
You can make as many “stack ups” as you want (and can fit) on a cookie sheet by increasing the recipe, which is really easy to do. Because they spend very little time in the oven, they make a nice summer meal. Perfect for fancy ladies luncheons, too, as you can construct them ahead of time, and then pop them in the oven to heat and melt at the last minute. This recipe is also easily veganized by subbing Veganaise for the mayo; cooked vegan chik’n cutlets, and vegan cheese. I used fresh pineapple this time, but when the kids were young, and time short, I reached for a can of pineapple rings and the results were still yummy.
Brenda’s Pineapple Chicken Stack Ups
Makes 4 servings (If your gang is hungry, they might eat 2 of these each, making the yield just 2 servings)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Ingredients:
2 English muffins, split into 4 halves, and lightly toasted (I prefer multigrain)
4 boneless chicken thighs or smallish chicken breasts , seasoned with salt & pepper, and cooked on both sides, in a skillet, in a little olive oil until golden brown (or a vegan “chik’n” substitute)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (vegans use veganaise )
2 T. chopped green onions
1 T. dried dill or 2 T. fresh dill
4 fresh or canned pineapple slices
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese (vegans use a dairy-less cheese)
Directions:
Mix mayo, green onions and dill together in a small bowl. (Don’t skip the dill, it is truly what makes this dish special!) Spread the toasted muffin halves, cut side up, with a heaping Tablespoon of the may0-dlll-onion sauce. Place the muffins on a cookie sheet or large baking pan, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Next, place a slice of pineapple on each muffin. Then carefully lay one piece of boneless cooked chicken on top of the pineapple, followed by another scant tablespoon of mayo-dill-onion sauce and finally a heaping tablespoon of grated cheese on top of it all.
Stack Ups Ready for the Oven!
Carefully pop in the oven and let heat through until cheese is melted on top for about 10 minutes.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Pineapple Chicken Stack Ups
The URL:http://wp.me/p1UwM9-10A
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
Banana Nut Soft Serve [Two Ingredients, Dairy-Free, Sugar Free]
Posted: June 8, 2013 Filed under: Breakfast Foods, Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Gluten Free, Snacks, Toddler-Approved, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: banana nut soft serve, banana soft serve recipe, dairy-free, gluten-free, peanuts, sugar-free, vegan Leave a comment
Jackson is 22 months old now and at that stage where he’s learning new words every day and starting to string together words to make phrases and sentences like these:
“Hoo Hoo” (Whoohoo whith his hands thrown in the air.)
“Cool man” (I don’t know where he picked up this phrase, but it’s super cute.)
“Yayyy, I did it!” (Even if he didn’t actually do whatever IT is, he celebrates every little effort with such enthusiasm. It’s contagious.)
“Leeeeeet’s GO!” (That combined with “Run momma” is turning him into a little personal trainer!)
“Yes.” (Finally, he is saying “yes,” instead of always “no,” in the most adorably assertive and confident way.)
Of course, with this precious phase, also comes the less than adorable phrases, like “Chur turn” (Your turn…which actually means my turn. And it’s always “chur turn”) and “Miiiine!”
My favorite phrase of late, though, is “Tank choo ma ma.” He emphasizes each syllable and I can tell he really has to work to say it. It’s a sweet labor of love and it’s reserved for his truly most satisfying moments of deep gratitude, like when I served him chocolate “ice cream” made of bananas and cocoa for a morning snack last week. “Choc! Tank choo ma ma!”
This idea for banana soft serve has been circulating for years. It’s not new, but I’ve turned a few people toward it this week with my Instagram picture of Jackson enjoying his morning ice cream treat and thought maybe some of our readers have yet to try it as well. The basic recipe is just frozen bananas processed in a blender. It’s magical! The bananas just whip right into a thick creamy soft serve that is delicious on it’s own. You can make all sorts of flavors: chocolate peanut butter, strawberry banana, cinnamon and sugar…wherever your taste buds take you. This version is one of my favorites. You can use peanut butter instead of peanuts, but I really love the texture and flavor from the whole peanuts.
Ready in under five minutes, it makes the perfect healthy summer snack, or even breakfast. You’ll earn some serious cool mom or dad points putting a bowl of this in front of your kids first thing in the morning!
Banana Nut Soft Serve
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 frozen bananas, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons peanuts (I used organic unsalted)
sprinkle of sea salt (unless peanuts are salted)
Directions
Put ingredients in a food processor and blend, stopping and scraping the sides as needed until it turns to the texture of a thick soft serve ice cream. Then stop. You don’t want to over blend or it will have more of a melty soft serve texture (not bad, but not as good either).
For this portion size, I use the smallest bowl on my food processor so I don’t have to stop and scrape the sides as often. (It will be very loud at first, that’s okay, just be prepared.)
Serve immediately with a few extra peanuts and another sprinkle of sea salt on top for some extra crunch. I’ve heard this does not refreeze well, though I’ve never had any left to try. 🙂 You can buy yourself a little time keeping it chilled in the freezer, but it’s best to serve right away.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Banana Nut Soft Serve
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-ZP
Have you made Banana Soft Serve?
What are your favorite flavor combinations?
What are your favorite toddler phrases and phases?
A little book update:
Zondervan, our publisher, has been so supportive of our book (coming out August 6). We’re having such a great publishing experience! They just decided to do an audio version of We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook and invited my mom and I to record it. One of us will be recording in the studio most of the week, each of us having two 5-7 hour days in studio. Prayers for good health appreciated. The following week I’m heading to Colorado (with Jackson in tow) to join mom for a photo shoot for a major Christian publication. We’re so grateful for all the encouragement and support we’ve received…and for our fabulous readers at the blog.
We also got all of the endorsements in for the book. Wow! We are floored by the generosity of our fellow authors. Click on the picture of the book above to read the endorsements and find lots of knew authors to friend and follow.
Savory Turkey Burgers with Quick Mango Red Pepper Chutney
Posted: June 6, 2013 Filed under: Asian Dishes, Chicken, Main Dishes, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tags: balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, burgers, chutney, green onions, mango, red pepper, turkey Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama.)
A family story pops up almost every Thanksgiving. Decades ago, my adorable cousin Kenny, about age five, tiny and wearing enormous glasses took a bite of the day’s celebrated roast bird, smiled, and then with a slow southern munchkin voice, asked my mom, “What kind of chicken is this Aunt (pronounced “Ain’t”) Ruthie? Tur-key?”
I must confess, I’m not a big fan of turkey (even cousin Kenny’s “chicken kind of turkey”) — as it too often tends toward dry and flavorless. I’ve found three exceptions, however. One is a recipe for marinated grilled turkey tenderloin. Moist, delicious, a family favorite. Another is a savory-sweet recipe for Asian turkey meatballs. Finally there is this creation for savory turkey burgers loaded with flavor and topped with a sweet and spicy quick mango red pepper chutney. It’s beautiful on a serving plate, plus budget and waistline friendly dish. Yummy paired with a side of jasmine rice and my simple sesame avocado cucumber salad. For vegans or vegetarians, trying grilling Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages, and then simmer them in the sauce a few minutes before serving.
Savory Turkey Burgers with Quick Mango Red Pepper Chutney
Makes 6 to 8 patties depending on size you prefer
Burgers
1 lb ground turkey (you can also use ground beef if you prefer)
1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, out of casing and crumbled
2 t. seasoned salt or grill seasoning
1 egg
1/3 c. soft bread crumbs
Sauce
½ cup chicken or veggie broth
1 /4 c. brown sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. red wine or balsamic vinegar
Pinch salt and pepper
1 fresh mango diced (Or 3/4 c. fresh pineapple, chopped, is also delicious if you prefer)
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped
Directions:
Mix the ingredients for turkey burgers together and form into patties, any size you like. Grill or sauté with a little olive oil until brown and caramelized on the outside, cooked through on the inside. (You can cover the pan once the burgers are brown on the outside and let simmer a bit more if they need to cook through more on the inside.) Remove from pan to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm and let juices redistribute. To the same skillet, add veggie broth, brown sugar, mustard and vinegar to skillet. Turn heat on high to bring to boil and then back heat down to a simmer, until sauce begins to get thicken.. Add mango, red pepper and onions, pinch salt and pepper continue to cook until the chutney is hot again. Serve a spoonful of warm sauce over turkey patties.
Vegan or Vegetarian Alternative: Use Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages, split down the middle length-wise. Brown in a little olive oil, then continue recipe above.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Savory Turkey Burgers with Quick Mango Red Pepper Chutney
The recipe URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-ZD
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
Quick Skillet BBQ Chicken Thighs (or “Calm Down” Chicken)
Posted: May 30, 2013 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Uncategorized | Tags: "Calm Me Down" Chicken, Bar-b-que chicken, BBQ chicken, easy, quick, thighs 2 Comments
(Becky, the Mama)
We have been cleaning, decluttering and staging our house to sell. That sentence sounds so simple, but this has been the hardest physical work I’ve done in my life. I actually lost weight, even though –during the dawn to dark labor — I went on a two week drive-through-burger diet. And this, after two months of being mostly a healthy vegetarian and loving it. What can I say? Even for an avid foodie, there are times that McDonalds Happens.
Now we are “showing our house” — and this means that three adults and one six-year-old grandson have to keep our home mostly perfect, at all times, prepared for the random call from a realtor who wants to bring a client by to see it. We’ve been averaging about two showings a day, which has really cut into my napping and cooking time. Not to mention the toll it has taken on what’s left of my sanity.
Finally, this week, I had a few precious “spare” minutes and –determined not to eat another meal in a box, sack, or bucket –I decided to cook my simple recipe for quick bar-b-que chicken thighs in a skillet. My grandson George’s diet that day consisted of way too much sugar and carbs. He’d been hyper and cranky when I finally settled him down to eat a plate of this succulent, sweet and savory chicken dish. He ate as if in a happy trance, and then asked, “Nonny, can I please have some more of that Calm Down Chicken?”
If your life is a busy as mine right now, you don’t have time for lots of ingredients or a great big mess or something that’s going to take more than 10 minutes to throw together for supper. I bequeath to you this recipe for “Calm Me Down” BBQ Chicken Thighs.
P.S. An additional recipe comment from George: “Nonny, tell the people that this chicken also gives you en-gerny and makes yous muscles strong.” So there ya go.
Nonny and Georgie, happy together. This day he was a musician at Kindergarten Circus. But more often he is my sous chef.
Quick n’ Easy Skillet BBQ Chicken Thighs (or “Calm Down” Chicken)
Serves 2-3 people
Ingredients
6 boneless chicken thighs
Grill or Steak seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt)
1/3 to ½ c. BBQ Sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s)
Dash hot sauce if you like your Bar-b-que Spicy
1 – 2 T. olive oil
Directions
Put oil in a skillet (preferably an iron skillet), so that it covers the bottom of your pain in a thin layer. Turn the stove up to high heat. Rinse chicken thighs with water and then pat with paper towel until fairly dry. Flatten out the thighs a bit with your hands, and then sprinkle both sides with grill or steak seasoning or seasoned salt. Place in super hot skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until one side is golden brown and then flip and cook the other side until it is the same. Pour BBQ Sauce over the top of the thighs (adding a few shakes of hot sauce if you prefer spice), cover the skillet and then turn down the heat to medium and cook about another minute (to make they are thoroughly cooked). Finally remove the lid, crank heat up to medium high and cook the thighs until the sauce that has dripped to the bottom of the pan begans to thicken and caramelize. Turn chicken again, coating all sides with thickened sauce. Serve. (It is delicious and pretty to serve this on one big plate, with slices of fresh pineapple tucked around and if you like them, a sprinkle of green onions or chives.)
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Quick Skillet BBQ Chicken Thighs
The URL:http://wp.me/p1UwM9-X2
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
Simple Lentil Soup
Posted: May 9, 2013 Filed under: Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Soups, Toddler-Approved, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: 30 minute meals, gluten-free, high protein vegan meal, simple lentil soup, vegetarian lentil soup 4 Comments
Last week Jackson and I flew to Colorado to stay at my mom’s for a few days. It was one of the best visits we’ve had there. Jackson adores his Nonny and Poppy and he’s finally big enough to really play with his big cousin George, whom he thinks hung the moon. Jackson asks for George every day. Every single day. So we watch a lot of videos to hold him over between visits. And George is so good and patient with his little cousin.
The day we flew in, May 1, it snowed and snowed and snowed all day. Not your typical spring visit, but we made the best of it. It’s not every year you see snow in May.
Cousins George and Jackson, buddies for life.
No time like snow time to learn to ride a bike.
This Texas boy has never seen this much snow. He loved it.
The next day, we had pictures scheduled for the book. The sun came out, the snow mostly melted and we were able to get some great shots thanks to our fabulous photographer Molly McMillan. This one will be used for the back cover.
Because one of us is usually behind the camera, I don’t have many pictures of me and my mom. These pictures are one of the many blessings that have come from doing this blog and book together.
After the photo shoot, we were pretty wiped out…and hungry! We both declared we were retiring from our one-day modeling career. Way too much work and not enough food!
With my sister-in-law Julie heading back to the house with the boys and Greg (mom’s husband) on his way home, we quickly transitioned from top models to cooks in the kitchen. Mom was going to run to the grocery store to get fixins for Messy Greek Sandwiches and Reubens and I’d get started on some kind of soup to go along. I rummaged through her pantry and held up a bag of lentils, “How about lentil soup?” “Perfect! I’ve had those lentils for months and wasn’t sure what to do with them,” she admitted. “Oh it’s so easy,” I told her. “It takes no time to get started and will be finished simmering by the time you’re back from the store.” Mom headed to the grocery store and I got started chopping onions and carrots. By the time Julie walked in with Jackson and George, I had the soup covered and simmering, happy to step out of my author/foodie hat and into mommy and auntie role again.
Mom came home from the store and said the house smelled just like her Nonny’s, my great grandmother’s, kitchen. I didn’t know her well, but I’ve heard story after story of her in the kitchen. She was quite the cook. One of my favorite pictures of her is one of her standing in her old 1950s kitchen with a yellow apron tied around her neck. Something about recreating the comforting tastes and smells from her kitchen makes me feel connected to her. I can imagine her cooking up a simple soup like this to feed her nine children on their very tight budget.
What foods and smells bring back childhood memories for you?
Simple Lentil Soup
Makes 3.5 quarts
1/2 cup onion (~1 small or 1/4 big onion), diced
4 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
Olive oil (enough to coat pan)
1 lb lentils, sorted for rocks and rinsed
8 cups veggie broth (2 quarts)
1 32 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
Salt to taste (may not need if broth has salt)
In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil (or 1/2 cup of broth for a no fat version) with a pinch of salt until softened. Add lentils and tomatoes and broth. Cover and bring to boil. Uncover and lower to a simmer. Cover and simmer on med low for 20-30 min until lentils are cooked through. Season with steak seasoning and salt if needed.
I served this with crackers, roasted brussel sprouts, and smoky garlicky collard greens. It was husband and toddler approved.
Notes: I’ve found the type of pan and burner I use causes cook times to vary a lot. My heavy duty pans cook much quicker on my flat top stove than my old cheapies that don’t have that nice heavy flat bottoms…so cooking times may vary. It took closer to 45 minutes to cook on my mom’s gas stove top, but I think I may have left the pot uncovered there. If your pots tend to heat up slowly, give yourself some extra time.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Simple Lentil Soups
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-YF
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 