Book Updates, Giveaways, and Last Day for E-Book Sale
Posted: September 15, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 Comments
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)
Posted: September 9, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentOur 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
Posted: September 3, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
(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!
Crockpot Pinto Beans (And this Coach’s Wife’s Back to School Woes)
Posted: August 28, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: fatfree, gluten-free, make your own frozen burritos, vegan crockpot pinto beans, vegan refried beans recipe 4 Comments“It’s so stupid. It’s laundry…why are we fighting about laundry and yard work? I mean seriously, let’s just wear dirty clothes and hire a lawn man. It’s not worth it.”
Last week was not good. It was a long, hard, hanging on by a thread in every way possible kind of way of week. The kind of week that drives you to a tearful angry clash over laundry … and yard work … because everything feels overwhelming … and because, as I told my mom in a pity party email, “I suck at everything this week–mothering, marriage, career.”
This is what the transition to football widow looks like in our home every year. It’s a big ugly awful transition from having our husband/daddy home 24-7 to him working seven days a week….long late hours several of those days. I dread it with every fiber in me…and then it somehow is even worse than I anticipated it would be. Jared assures me it gets better, I’m telling myself I always adjust and survive. I’m hoping that’s true again…though I’ve never had a toddler, a book deadline, and a new book release all in one football season. At least I won’t suffer of boredom like I did back in our newlywed days….that’s for sure.
Aside from the real possibilities of wearing dirty clothes and hiring a lawn man, I need a better vision for this season. So I’m working on this. Not a plan so much as a shift in attitude, in focus, a survivors guide of sorts. I’m jotting down some sanity savers for the school year. It’s Wednesday afternoon and so far, I have yet to melt down this week. Maybe they are working.
- Pray. Often. Quietly. Out loud. Whenever I think I need Jared. Because really, I probably actually need Jesus.
- Go Away. I’m going to try and getaway for a writing weekend once a month. I’m calling in Grandparents and friends and getting away to do my bulk of writing in short intense weekend spurts, because that’s how my mind works best.
- Wake Up Early. I am NOT a morning person, but now that I have a toddler who, bless his adorable heart, drains every ounce of energy from me by his 8:00pm bedtime, I’m no longer a night person either. So I’m trying to wake up early to be with God, my thoughts, and my writing…and coffee, probably lots of coffee. I’m not going to lie, I’m struggling on this one!
- Plan/shop for meals every two weeks. I will go major grocery shopping every other Sunday night while Jared is home with Jackson, so I know what is for dinner every night….and I can do the big shopping alone (the only way I enjoy this chore).
- Double and freeze meals as often as I cook (when possible). I’ve been cooking big and filling up my freezer this week and it feels so good to have pizza, falafel, bean burritos, pinto beans, cupcakes, extra chopped veggies and fruits, and Jackson’s morning oatmeal all ready when I need something quick.
- Apply to start a home group. This seems kind of counter intuitive…but our current group meets on Thursday nights and we can’t make it because of football and bedtimes, so we are going to try and start one every other Sunday afternoon, because we need people to invest in, because we don’t want to get lost in our little world that revolves around ourselves and football.
- Stay involved in MOPS, because these women are my girls…they are in the trenches of motherhood with me and they understand me and will pray for me when I ask them to and make me laugh when I think I’m going to fall apart. I stepped down from my steering team role, which was sad and hard, but the right choice. And now, for this season, I will let MOPS do what it does best, minister to my often overwhelmed mother heart…and equip me to be a better mom. Better Moms Make a Better World.
- Dig in the dirt. I’m going to devote time to dig in the dirt with Jackson, to go on slow picking up sticks and rocks along the way walks, build things with him on his workbench…without looking at my phone or quickly checking to see what email just popped in my inbox. Focused time with him, so his cup will be full when I do need to focus on something else.
- Savor nap time. I have a child that sleeps during the day. That’s awesome. It will end at some point…and until it does…oh I will savor that time, from the sweet snuggles while we read and rock to the quiet time to write, reflect, and decompress from busy mornings while he’s sleeping.
- Declare evenings stress-free. At about 5:00pm, my ability to handle stress goes way down. I might just declare a daily dance party in the kitchen at 5:00 to signal that the day is over and the stress free night has begun. Think I can convince a two-year old to go along with this?
I talked with some other coach’s wives at a coach’s cookout this week. One reminded me that the season is not very long, really just three to four months. Another whose husband was in the military before this gave me a little perspective about what it really feels like for your husband to be away while you’re raising young kids. Any other wisdom from coach’s wives, writer mamas, work-at-home moms? What are you doing to try and stay sane this fall? 🙂
On a really rough day, cooking these Spinach & Mushroom Mole Enchiladas and Roasted Butternut Squash Enchiladas (not pictured) with Jackson was the bright spot, the only time in a full day that all was well in our wold, the two of us cooking side by side happy to be doing something we both love together. (Then came the epic awful, rocking him for an hour and half starting at 6:30 because that’s all that was left in me, evening.)
As part of my meal plan last week, which believe it or not, made the week go WAAAAAY smoother than it could have gone, I made a huge pot of crockpot pinto beans. We ate them with Mushroom & Spinach Mole Enchiladas one night and Roasted Butternut Squash Mole Enchiladas another night. (I will share this recipe next time I make them. Let me just tell you, they were fantastic and I will be making them again…but I did not have the energy for the extra food blogging steps this time. Sorry!) Then I made several bean burritos to freeze for back up meals or quick lunches, and still I froze some extra pintos to reheat for future meals. I always forget how long the crockpot actually takes…they call it a slow cooker for a reason, but it’s worth the wait. Just plan ahead!
Crockpot Pinto Beans
Makes 5-6 quarts
2 pounds dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed and soaked*
2 onions, quartered
6 cloves, garlic (gently smashed and peels removed)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
approx 10 cups water
2-4 teaspoons salt
Equipment: 6-quart or larger crockpot (halve recipe for smaller crockpots), strainer
*Cover beans with lots of water. Let sit overnight at room temperature and rinse or follow package instructions for the quick soak method.
Beans after they’ve soaked overnight. Looking pretty and plump.
Put soaked beans in your crockpot. Pour water over the top until they are covered about an inch (to your thumb knuckle).
I don’t know where I learned this trick, but it’s how I do most of my dried beans. Just add water until it reaches my thumb knuckle when the tip of my thumb is touching the top of the beans.
Add onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Stir.
Everything except the salt goes into the crockpot (salt makes your beans tough).
Cover crockpot. Put on high. (My crockpot doesn’t seem to get very hot, even on high, so I cooked mine on high the whole time.) If you notice the liquid bubbling, lower your crockpot to medium. (If you do this in the morning before work, put it on high while you are getting ready, then lower it to medium or low while you are at work. Crank it back up when you get home if they aren’t done.)
Cook for five hours, or until the beans are cooked through. Add two teaspoons of salt, tilt lid to let some of the liquid evaporate, and cook for one more hour. Add more salt if needed. I used four teaspoons in ours.
You can eat them just like this or make refried beans.
“Refried” Beans
Scoop beans, onions & garlic with a slotted spoon into a food processor, process until desired consistency, adding cooking liquid as needed. If you plan on freezing or reheating, add a little extra liquid because they thicken each time you reheat them. (You can also do this in a big pan on medium low heat with a little oil and just mash them until they are the desired consistency.)
Perfect job for a motor-lovin’ helper.
To freeze refried beans: Put cooled leftovers into glass jars or ziptop bags and freeze.
Ready to reheat or freeze.
Defrost overnight in the fridge (or in a bowl of luke warm water), pour into a pan and heat on the stove top to desired temperature or consistency.
Frozen burritos
At about $2 a burrito for store-bought organic frozen burritos, this saves you tons of money. These 8 burritos here cost just a few dollars.
Scoop beans into a warm tortilla. Fold into a burrito with seam side down on a cookie sheet. Repeat. Freeze on the cookie sheet. Wrap each frozen burrito in saran wrap or sandwich baggies. To reheat, remove from plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel, reheat in microwave for 60 seconds on each side until heated through (2-3 minutes).
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Crockpot Pinto Beans
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-13O
S’more Kisses
Posted: August 21, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 Comments
(This was originally a guest post on August 6 to celebrate Susan Whetzel’s new S’more Cookbook. You’ve love Susan’s beautiful website with fabulous recipes at www.doughmesstic.com.)
A funny thing happened on the way to making this recipe for gooey, delicious S’more Kisses this morning. My 6 year-old grandson Georgie and I did a little practice cooking round last night, since he is a bit of a S’more connoisseur.
Apparently when I wasn’t looking, he also ate the rest of the bag of “mushmellows,” as he calls them
So off I ran to a nearby Walgreens, grabbed a bag of marshmallows, and placed them on the check-out counter.
The clerk put her hands on the bag and pressed them a little. (Who can resist squeezing a bag of marshmallows? They’re like edible Charmin.) “Will this be ALL you need today?”
I smiled at her. “Yep. All I really need at the moment to make my day perfect is a big bag of marshmallows.”
“No graham crackers or chocolate?” she asked. It was easy to see she had visions of S’mores dancing in her head. As Susie has discovered on her cookbook tour — strangers can become friends and adults morph into kids again at the very mention of S’mores.
“Actually,” I replied, “I have graham crackers and chocolate back at the house. They’re just waiting on me to bring the marshmallows.”
“Ahh, I see. Would you like a bag for that?”
“Nah,” I said. “Let’s save a tree.”
“Actually we only have plastic bags.”
“Okay, then. Let’s save some chemicals.”
And off I went to whip up this quick and easy treat. Just as I was pulling the fluffy golden mounds of hot marshmallow-topped grahams out of the oven, my husband walked in the kitchen. He watched with gathering interest as I put a Hershey’s kiss in the middle of each marshmallow, creating a warm soft pillow around the now melting chocolate. Unselfishly, he volunteered to sample the delectable results. What can I say? My husband is a saint. (The world needs S’more men just like him.)
Becky Johnson & her adult daughter Rachel Randolph are celebrating the release of their new funny food memoir (with recipes) – We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook- today! (Rachel is vegan, Becky loves her veggies but is still clinging to her bacon and butter for now.) If you would like “s’more” family-friendly recipes, they would LOVE you to drop by their blog and/or check out their new book below.
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook is available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats.
S’more Kisses
Makes 4 cookies
Ingredients:
4 graham cracker squares
4 large marshmallows
4 Hershey’s kisses, unwrapped
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
Place a marshmallow on top of each graham cracker, tall side up. (Like fat pillars.) Bake for around 5 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and turning toasty-golden. Remove from oven and immediately, gently, push a Hershey’s Kiss in the middle of each marshmallow as pictured.
Wait a few seconds to let the chocolate get warm and melty, and marshmallow to cool enough to eat, then enjoy, with a napkin and cold glass of milk.
Note: Fun thing about this recipe: though they are irresistible when fresh and warm from the oven, if you cannot eat all of the S’more Kisses you make right away, do not despair. After they’re cool, just place them in a Ziploc bag. When you want to eat one, pop it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds. The marshmallow will re-puff, get creamy and the Hershey’s kiss will get get warm and soft again. It’s magical, truly. I’ve also discovered that kids like them at room temp – so you can put them in a baggie for a special lunch box treat for Back to School days.
Cheesy Garlic, Fresh Tomato Bread with Oil & Balsamic Drizzle
Posted: August 12, 2013 Filed under: Appetizers, Breads, Italian, Sandwiches, Sides, Snacks, Uncategorized | Tags: Baguette, balsamic vinegar, basil, cheese, French bread, garlic, olive oil, oregano, tomato Leave a comment
Cheesy Hot Garlic Bread with Tomatoes, Drizzled with Olive OIl and Vinegar
What fun Rachel and I are having hearing back from readers enjoying We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook. Here’s one I got a kick out of today from Linda: “Becky I’m only on page 18 and I’m laughing out loud like a nutcase. You really have made a career out of telling on yourself! OMG, too funny and you’re not exaggerating, not even a little? Starting with misplacing your car keys in Nashville, your suitcase exploding at the airport, you can’t find your car once you arrive in Fort Worth, then when you do, the battery is dead? I’m dying over here.”
People often ask my daughter (now co-author), my friends, my husband, “Come on, tell the truth. Is Becky making this stuff up?” All they can say, with a slow head shake is, “We only wish she were.”
As I read the fun note above, I was in the middle of posting this episode on Facebook:
Leaving hotel room today. Close door, get 4 big suitcases in hall.
Me: “Uh I took my glasses off again.”
Greg: “Did you leave them in the room?”
Me: “I might have.”
All four of our keys are behind locked doors so Greg goes to get new ones. Upon his return, I say, “I also can’t seem to find my cell phone.” He enters the room and turns it upside down. I look on the carpet, I’ve been sitting on the phone in the hall. I find my glasses, in the case where I put them in my suitcase. I don’t remember doing that AT ALL. We close the door pick up our things and go on. Greg never gets mad, not even testy. No matter how many times we exit a hotel room this way.
Life has been so busy lately with the book’s release and travel and finding things I have lost, that when I do cook I want it to be fast and easy and delicious. One of the things I enjoy the most at some of the great Italian restaurants we’ve visited on our trip to Oregon this week, is fresh homemade bread dipped in a little plate of olive oil, good aged balsamic vinegar and a little garlic. Heaven.
Recently I found a way to turn Heaven into a quick snacky meal or a wonderfully easy appetizer for a bunch. Cutting a nice fresh loaf of French bread lengthwise, I sprinkled it with cheese, then layered sliced fresh garden tomatoes, followed tiny pinches of salt, pepper, basil or oregano (fresh or dried, whatever you have on hand), a little fresh grated garlic. Pop this in the oven until the cheese melts and tomatoes are sizzling. Then, here’s the fun part: drizzle it all with good olive oil and balsamic, cut in slices and serve with plenty of napkins.
Cheesy, Garlic, Fresh Tomato Bread with Oil & Balsamic
1 French baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
1 cup grated cheese (I used mozzarella, some white cheddar and feta. Use any combination you like.)
2-3 tomatoes (my baguette was small so Roma tomatoes were perfect size), sliced
Pinch fresh salt
Several turns of fresh pepper
1 t. dried oregano, or 2 t. minced fresh basil
1 clove fresh garlic, grated
¼ cup olive oil, approximate
2 T. good aged balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Put both baguette halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle about ½ cup grated cheese on each side. Slice tomatoes and place atop both pieces of bread, overlapping slightly as shown. Sprinkle each half with a little fresh salt, some turns of fresh pepper, the herbs and garlic.
Place in oven for about 5 minutes or until baguettes are hot, cheese is melted and tomatoes are sizzling.
Drizzle the baguettes with oil and vinegar, slice in 3 inch pieces and serve hot. (With plenty of napkins.)
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.
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 