Review: Mastering the Art of French Eating (Audio)

Summary: The memoir of a young diplomat’s wife who must reinvent her dream of living in Paris—one dish at a time

When journalist Ann Mah’s diplomat husband is given a three-year assignment in Paris, Ann is overjoyed. A lifelong foodie and Francophile, she immediately begins plotting gastronomic adventures à deux. Then her husband is called away to Iraq on a year-long post—alone. Suddenly, Ann’s vision of a romantic sojourn in the City of Light is turned upside down.

So, not unlike another diplomatic wife, Julia Child, Ann must find a life for herself in a new city. Journeying through Paris and the surrounding regions of France, Ann combats her loneliness by seeking out the perfect pain au chocolat and learning the way the andouillette sausage is really made. She explores the history and taste of everything from boeuf Bourguignon to soupe au pistou to the crispiest of buckwheat crepes. And somewhere between Paris and the south of France, she uncovers a few of life’s truths.

Like Sarah Turnbull’s Almost French and Julie Powell’s New York Times bestseller Julie and Julia, Mastering the Art of French Eating is interwoven with the lively characters Ann meets and the traditional recipes she samples. Both funny and intelligent, this is a story about love—of food, family, and France. -- Random House Audio

I normally listen to audiobooks which are mysteries or thrillers, but every once in a while, I enjoy a good memoir. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING: LESSONS IN FOOD AND LOVE FROM A YEAR IN PARIS by Ann Mah isn't a traditional memoir in that it tells the author's life story. Rather this book is part travelogue, part cookbook, part history book, and part coming-of-age story. It's not something I'd normally pick up, but I'm sure glad I did.

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING is Ms. Mah's story about a year she lived in Paris. When her diplomat husband was assigned to Paris, Ms. Mah was absolutely thrilled. She pictured them discovering the sights and sounds of France... together. However, he was immediately transferred to Iraq and she found herself all alone in Paris. It wasn't exactly what she had in mind!

As a way to deal with her disappointment (and loneliness), her husband suggested that she start traveling a little and trying out some of the foods for which France is known. Ms. Mah begins a year-long quest to sample and learn the history behind many traditional French foods including Boeuf Bourguignon, crepes, and andouillette sausage (YUCK!) In the process, she also learns some very important things about love, marriage, friendship, and herself.

I thought MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING was delightful albeit it probably wasn't the best book to listen to while working out! I loved "discovering" France along with the author, and she did a fabulous job of bringing the country and it's food to life. In addition, I enjoyed the parts where Ms. Mah discussed her personal life and the struggles she was experiencing. I guess I'd say that I appreciated the balance between memoir, food, and history!

Each chapter was about a different traditional French food. Ms. Mah not only went into detail about describing the food but she also provided a recipe at the end of each chapter for those readers daring enough to try them! In addition, she provided a great deal of background about the region where the food was initially created and the history of the recipe. I found it all to be very interesting, but I'm still reeling from the sausage chapter!

The audio of MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING was read by Mozhan Marno, and I thought she did a fabulous job. She had no problems going back and forth between English and French phrases and her voice was just pleasant -- if that makes sense. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another audiobook read by her.

If you think you might be interested in MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING on audio,  you can take a quick listen:



Overall, I found MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING to be a fun listen. I actually was surprised by how much I learned about France and its food, but I also enjoyed learning about Ms. Mah's personal journey. Highly recommended to fans of memoirs and foodie books!

Thanks to BermudaOnion for sharing her review copy of this book.

Review: Shirley J Cookie Mixes & Giveaway

Over the last few months, I've shared with you how much I love Shirley J products. Not only does Shirley J make cooking easier - just like they promise, but they are also perfect for gift-giving. And since it is officially November, I feel like I can start blogging about great ideas for holiday gifts!

First, I reviewed the Mugging! Mixes, and Booking Daughter and I agreed that these products are as delicious as they are adorable. Then I was lucky enough to try out a few of the Slow Cooker Seasonings -- you can read my review here. Booking Daughter loved the French Dip sandwiches so much that she's always asking for them.

My most recent experience with Shirley J products is the cookie mix line; and surprise, surprise... I love them too. I received an assortment of cookies mixes, but the three that most appealed to me were the Oatmeal Jumbles, the Coconutty Macaroons, and the Classic Sugar Cookies. Shirley J also makes a Soft Ginger Molasses Cookie Mix along with a New York B&W Cookie Mix. I just love the variety of cookie types!

Because these products have Shirley J's name on them, they are not only delicious but also extremely simple to make. For example, the Oatmeal Jumbles required just water and butter. (Some mixes just require water!) You can make regular, soft oatmeal cookies or you can add a cup of chocolate chips, nuts or raisins. I decided instead to add Craisins and I was extremely happy with the results. The cookies were so good that I served them to my parents and didn't even mention that they weren't exactly "homemade."

There are so many things to love about Shirley J products, and especially the Cookie Mixes. First of all, the cookies are extremely versatile. You can make the basic cookie recipe, but there are always instructions on how to make them a little more special. In addition, I love how quick the cookies are to prepare. All you have to do is add an ingredient or two, and in a few minutes, you have delicious, warm cookies!

The Shirley Cookie Mixes are reasonably priced at $9.95 and make fantastic gifts... for yourself or your friends. I think these mixes are perfect for the holiday season because even the busiest person can find the time to make a batch or two of these cookies.

Once again, the fine folks at Shirley J have offered to provide one lucky Booking Mama reader with a five pack assortment of cookies mixes. To enter, just fill out the form below before November 18th at 11:59 p.m. ET. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

Review: Taste of the Town

Summary: College football culture is captured through the food, small town characters, and college life that makes Saturdays in autumn something fans look forward to every year. 

 In TASTE OF THE TOWN, Todd Blackledge, host of the enormously popular ESPN segment "Taste of the Town," focuses on popular college towns by telling you where to eat, what to eat, and great stories about college football traditions across America. With over 100 recipes from the chefs of the featured restaurants and the coach (or wife) of the hometown team you will be left hungry and excited to try out the popular football food for yourselves! 

Behind-the-scenes photos, shot on location, enhance the energy of the fun and food featured in each town. This book about football, food, and college culture showcases the coaches, players, chefs, and rabid fans who regularly join together to talk about their common passion. - Center Street

I was so excited to receive a copy of TASTE OF THE TOWN: A GUIDED TOUR OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST PLACES TO EAT by Todd Blackledge and J.R. Rosenthal. I have been a huge fan of Mr. Blackledge's for quite some time. It began when I was in middle school and he was the starting quarterback for Penn State. After he led PSU to their first national championship, I continued to follow his time in the pros and then his career in broadcasting. Recently, I respected Mr. Blackledge even more when he spoke out about the Sandusky scandal and how Penn State handled it. So combine Mr. Blackledge and a cookbook and I'm definitely in!

College football fans probably know Mr. Blackledge for his ESPN feature called "Taste of the Town." This segment which showcases famous eateries in college football towns has become very popular. Not only does he taste some of the specialties, but he also shares some of the amazing college football traditions in each location. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing quite like college football, and Mr. Blackledge does a darn good job of sharing his love for the sport.. and food in TASTE OF THE TOWN.

It will come as no surprise that I loved TASTE OF THE TOWN. It's a terrific resource for fans who follow their college teams to away games, but it also has some wonderful recipes. I am pretty sure that any fan of the ESPN segment or college football will find a few things to like about this book.

The book is set up by college divisions with the SEC at the beginning, then Texas and the South, to The Best of the Rest. A total of twenty different colleges/college towns are featured including University of Alabama, Ohio State University, and Florida State University. The last two chapters are titled "Coaches Can Cook" and "The Blackledge Family Culinary Tradition;" and I thought these were fun sections too.

Naturally, Mr. Blackledge featured Penn State; and of course, it was my very favorite chapter. I had a feeling that I already knew which restaurants he would feature, and I can tell you that I've spent quite a bit of time and consumed many calories in a few of them.

To give you an idea of what's included for each school, I thought I'd use the Penn State chapter as an example. It begins with The Berkey Creamery, the on-campus dairy store which has the most amazing ice cream. He provides a little history on the Creamery and then describes some of the most popular flavors. (Penn State is one of my very favorite places in the entire world, and the Creamery is a place I HAVE to visit every time we go to State College.)

Mr. Blackledge lists a few more of the popular restaurants in State College with a description of the must-have dishes! Then, he provides recipes from some of the restaurants including the Berkey Creamery's Penn State Ice Cream Mix. There are also photos of the various restaurants as well as some of Penn State.

Finally, Mr. Blackledge gives some fun information about the football traditions at Penn State -- Riding the Blue Buses, The Uniform, We Are... Penn State, and Success with Honor. Mr. Blackledge played for three years under Joe Paterno and he remained friends with the Paterno family; and I absolutely love how he addressed the scandal that has rocked our university. It actually made me cry!

Joe Paterno established "Success with Honor" as the Penn State football mission statement during his illustrious career as the head coach. Penn State teams were made up of men who competed just as hard int he classroom as on the football field. We won games, went to bowls, and competed for championships, while at the same time annually graduating one of the highest percentages of players in the nation. Doing things the right way, not occasionally but all of the time, was the Penn State credo. That is success with honor, and despite what some uninformed outsiders have said in the past couple of years, the phrase defines the true football culture at Penn State. That mantra was always adhered to during Joe Paterno's forty-six-year tenure as head football coach, and will continue to be upheld under Bill O'Brien's watch.
*Quoted from ARC

Overall, I enjoyed TASTE OF THE TOWN, but I especially loved how it focused on the amazing traditions of college football! Of course, the food and recipes didn't hurt either!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Giveaway: Shirley J Mugging!

Hopefully, you read my review a few days ago for the Shirley J Mugging! mixes. My family has fallen in love with these quick and easy dessert and savory snacks in a mug. And now, I'm so excited to offer you the chance to win a set of mugs and Mugging! mixes.

Thanks to the fine folks at Shirley J, I am giving away this awesome Mugging! prize pack:

* 2 Mugs
* Chocolate Brownie Cake in a Mug Mix (5-pack)
* Yellow Cake and Cobbler Mug Mix (5-pack)
* No-Pan Pancake Mug Mix (5-pack)

To enter, just fill out the form below before June 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only -- no PO boxes please. Good luck!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.  

Review: Shirley J Mugging!

I'm not quite sure that this review of Shirley J Mugging! line should count as part of Weekend Cooking because the "recipe" is so very simple. However, I absolutely adore these products and couldn't wait to share them with you. Plus, you are "making" something which can be eaten, so I figured what the heck!

When I arrived home from BEA, there was a pretty large box waiting for me. I knew it wasn't books and I wasn't really expecting anything, so I couldn't wait to open it and see what was inside. Much to my surprise, it was four big (and colorful) mugs along with some packages of Shirley J Mugging! mixes. Booking Daughter immediately started examining all of the boxes and wanted to test the products and give her opinion.

There were so many wonderful samples that we hardly knew where to start. Or at least, I wasn't sure. Booking Daughter immediately wanted to make the Mugging! Chocolate Brownie Cake. Since Shirley J claims that these mixes are simple enough even for a child, I decided to let her do it by herself. (If you knew how much a control freak I am, you'd understand my reluctance!)

Basically, all she had to do was dump the mix into the mug, add 5 tablespoons water, and mix. Naturally, she was fascinated that there were "options" to doctor the recipe, so she decided to add a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips. She just as easily could have prepared the Rocky Road version where you add chocolate chips, nuts, and mini marshmallows. Then she placed the mug in the microwave and had warm chocolate cake in less than two minutes.

I know what you're probably thinking -- that this version of chocolate cake couldn't taste like real chocolate cake; however, you'd be dead wrong. Booking Daughter loved it! And I have to say, that I enjoyed it too. I thought the portion size was generous and the cake was very rich. In fact, she had a hard time finishing the entire serving.

The next morning, Booking Daughter couldn't wait to make the No-Pan Pancakes. Once again, all she had to do was add water to the mix and stir, but she decided to add chocolate chips. Personally, I thought the recipes for banana pancakes and blueberry pancakes sounded even better, but what kid can resist chocolate? She loved the giant pancake in a mug and even admitted that she was surprised since the pancakes were whole-grain. As a mom, I loved the quickness of the preparation as well as the idea that she was getting a somewhat healthy breakfast. Now, if I could just get her to substitute fruit for the chocolate!

Besides the chocolate cake and the pancake mixes, we also received a yellow cake mix that can be made into a cobbler, a corn bread mix, a walnut bread mix, a pumpkin spice bread mix, a quiche mix, and a gluten-free chocolate cake mix. Since I already knew that these products tasted good, I decided to test the gluten-free one.

All I did was add water and some chocolate chips to the mix and nuke for a little over a minute. I didn't really have high expectations for a gluten-free product, but I ended up liking it quite a bit. I actually added a little whipped cream to the warm cake and ate almost the entire serving. Booking Daughter even tested it and she gave it a thumbs up too!

There are so many great things about these Shirley J Mugging mixes, but one that sticks out to me is how perfect they are for gifts. You can order the mixes in a single 4 oz. pack ($3.00) or a package of five mixes ($12.95). You can also purchase the mixes as part of a gift set or bundle. How cute would a little mug with an assortment of mixes be for a teacher or a friend?

Overall, I am extremely impressed with the Shirley J Mugging! line. Each mix is better than the next and I love the ease and quickness of preparation. It's been a huge hit in our house these past few days!

Make sure you check out the entire Shirley J website. In addition to the Mugging! line, they have other delicious-sounding products.

Thanks to Shirley J for providing us with the Mugging! samples.
Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. 

Review: Snack Foods & Giveaway

Summary: Introducing Welch’s filled licorice. Welch’s filled licorice comes in Concord Grape and Strawberry. Real fruit flavors are used to create an incredible tasting licorice that will leave you wanting more. The great Welch’s licorice taste is enhanced by a soft and flavorful filling that sets Welch’s licorice apart from everything else. This is not typical licorice. This is licorice that you’d expect from Welch’s.

 Try Concord Grape and Strawberry today!

Both of my kids are home for the summer and I've quickly discovered that they all of the time! While I attempt for them to eat healthy at meal times, I have to admit that I also let them have their fair share of snack foods. One new product that caught my interest is Welch's Filled Licorice. My kids and I all love licorice -- and it's actually a type of candy that Booking Son can usually eat despite his food allergies.

I received two samples of the Welch's Filled Licorice to sample -- the Concord Grape and Strawberry. The first thing I noticed is that these items weren't allergy-friendly for Booking Son -- they have a dairy ingredient -- so sadly I had to eat them (ha, ha!) Then I noticed something which made me extremely happy. These little goodies are virtually fat-free! I try to watch my fat and calories, but every once in awhile, I just need a little bit of candy. For those of you interested, all of the nutritional information is available here.

Welch's Filled Licorice is just that -- licorice with a Welch's jelly-like filling. I tried the strawberry one first and liked it a lot. It's much sweeter than most other types of strawberry licorice, and I liked that it was soft and chewy. After completing that package in less than a day, I decided to wait a few days before trying the Concord grape flavor. I have to say I think I liked the grape one even more than the strawberry because it was a more unusual licorice flavor!

Welch’s Filled Licorice is available in Concord Grape and Strawberry flavors.  It is offered in 1.75 oz (SRP $1.09) and 3.5oz (SRP $1.59).

Recommended for fans of licorice, sweet treats, and of course, jelly!

The next products that I sampled were a variety of potato chips from Snyder of Berlin. (It's tough to be me, right?) For years, I have eaten Snyder's pretzels -- heck, they are practically a local business for us in Central PA; however, I don't know if I have every eaten their chips!

Snyder of Berlin has a huge variety of snacks. You can see their offerings here. I was fortunate enough to receive the Original Potato Chips, Original Bar-B-Q Flavored Potato Chips, Hot & Spicy Jalapeno Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, Hawaiian Sweet Onion Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, and Baked Cheese Curls. I hardly knew where to start although it only took me a few seconds to break open the Hot & Spicy Jalapeno Kettle chips. All I can say is yum! They had just the right amount of kick without being too hot, and I think they would go perfectly with a turkey sandwich.

Because I take my job seriously as a reviewer, I had to sample all of the other four snacks. I enjoyed all of them (who wouldn't), but I especially liked the taste and texture of the kettle chips. They were just crispier and flavorful and they really satisfied my chip cravings.

This year, Snyder of Hanover is celebrating their 65th anniversary and they want to share their excitement with all of the fans (both present and future ones.)

From May 15, 2012 until December 31, 2012, snack lovers everywhere are asked to submit a photo of themselves, alone, or with family and friends, showing how they enjoy snacks from Snyder of Berlin brands. Pictures from picnics, lunch time, or family BBQ’s are all great occasions to take pleasure in Snyder of Berlin snacks, but use your creativity to win big!

One grand prize winner will receive $1,000 in cash, a new camera valued at $150, and a year’s supply of Snyder of Berlin snacks. Three runners-up will each receive $500 cash, and a year’s supply of Snyder of Berlin snacks. In addition to the grand prize winner and runner ups, there will be monthly winners who will automatically win a Snyder of Berlin Party Pack of Snacks, and become a contender to be a finalist or grand prize winner. Only 1 entry per person, e-mail and/or household is allowed. For more information and official rules please log onto www.snyderofberlin.com and click on the “Snyder SnackShots” contest banner.

Giveaway alert: I am so excited to announce that I have Snyder of Hanover snack sets in assorted chip flavors to share with two lucky Booking Mama readers. To enter, just fill out the form below before Saturday, July 21st at 11:59 p.m. ET. I will randomly select and notify the winners on the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

Thanks to Bender Hammerling Group for providing samples for me to review.

Review: Bien Fait Specialty Cakes

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the cakemaster at Bien Fait Specialty Cakes in Greensboro, Vermont. She asked if I was interested in sampling some of their "preservative free, fresh, tasty treats." Of course, I jumped at the chance. A short time later, I received a box full of goodies including a small loaves of Apple Cider Cake, Cranberry Almond Teacake, and Bourbon Fruitcake. In addition, I received a large loaf of a Maple Pecan Teacake.

I probably don't have to even tell you how delicious these cakes were. It was immediately apparent to me that these cakes were made with fresh ingredients -- not preservatives -- because they didn't taste "fake." (For those of you who bake, I think you know what I mean.) All of the cakes were chock full of nuts and candies and they were also quite pretty. In addition, the cakes will last for weeks in your refrigerator and even longer in the freezer.

The taste of these cakes is the most important aspect to me, but I also wanted to mention some other wonderful things about Bien Fait Cakes. First of all, they try to use as many local ingredients as possible including maple syrup from a mile down the road, fresh organic eggs from a farm three miles away, butter from a creamery less than 10 miles away, flour from a nearby mill, and cranberries picked a few miles from the bakery. They also package their products very nicely with handwritten notes and cards with the ingredients listed. Each cake was wrapped in tissue paper too!

Bien Fait Cakes are true artisan bakers. They aren't mass producing their cakes and all of their products are preservative free. And if that's not enough to convince you, they donate 100% of their profits to benefit social and cultural enrichment programming at Wonder & Wisdom Inc. Wonder & Wisdom is a nonprofit organization devoted to life-long learning through imaginative programming for people of all ages. I can't tell you how impressed I am with this company!

While I loved the samples I received, I couldn't help but look through the catalog to see what else is available. Needless to say, there are many other cakes that are also very appealing. Bien Fait is known for their fruitcakes (Brandied Fruitcake and Bourbon Fruitcake), but I have to tell you that the Amaretto Nutcake and the Lemon Berry Teacake sound fabulous. There is also a Sugar Free Cake for those of you who like to stay away from refined sugar and spirits. In addition, there is a variety of dessert bars and Vermont specialties available.

I am so happy that I "discovered" Bien Fait Specialty Cakes and I highly suggest taking a look at their website. Make sure you check out the Taster's Club!

Review: Sandra Lee Money Saving Meals & Round 2 Recipes

Summary: In Money Saving Meals and Round 2 Recipes, Sandra Lee helps readers save more money than ever before one meal at a time, as she does in her highly popular Food Network show.

These dishes are easy, quick-scratch style, and include dishes such as Slow Cooker Short Ribs, Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa, Chicken Tacos with Cucumber Salsa, Beanless Beef Chili, S’mores Pudding Parfait, and much more.

Each recipe combination offers money-saving pricing and total savings for delicious healthful, quick, easy meals so that readers see what they save with every dish. The savings, and your repertoire of tasty, effortless meals, quickly add up on cooking. In these budget-conscious times, Sandra’s Money Saving Meals truly hits home, offering “the maximum joy with the minimum kitchen and grocery shopping stress.” -- Hyperion

If you follow my blog at all, then you know I absolutely adore cookbooks. I am always on the lookout for recipes that are quick and easy, yet also healthy. So when I read the sub-title of SANDRA LEE MONEY SAVING MEALS & ROUND 2 RECIPES: 149 EASY QUICK-SCRATCH RECIPES YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE!, then I decided that it definitely warranted a further look. Not only were the recipes being billed as "easy", but they were also supposedly "money-saving." Two huge pluses in my book!

If I'm being entirely honest with you, I haven't always been the biggest fan of Sandra Lee. I like her show and I love many of her entertaining ideas, but I've been a little bit disappointed with some of her cookbooks in the past. Many of the recipes are easy (which I love!), but they also tend to have a lot of pre-packaged ingredients. I'm the first to tell you that I don't always cook or eat healthy; however, I do my best to use as many fresh ingredients as possible. As a result, I don't think I've picked up one of Ms. Lee's cookbooks in some time.

So I was curious to check out MONEY SAVING MEALS AND ROUND 2 RECIPES because it does state right on the cover that the recipes are "quick-scratch." (Those words are music to my ears!) And I will say that this cookbook is much improved over some of her older ones as far as I'm concerned. I was pleasantly surprised that almost all of the recipes used fresh ingredients, and the recipes were actually pretty easy to prepare. Having said that, some of the recipes (like the one I tested) aren't all-together healthy. But that's not what this book claims to be. Plus, many of the recipes are perfect for entertaining; and who wants to cook low-fat and healthy for guests -- they just might not come back!

The format of this cookbook is a little different from other cookbooks. It is divided into sections based on recipes for an entire meal. For example, there is a chapter for "Big Easy Dinner" and one for "Feeding a Crowd." There are about 25 different meal/entertaining ideas from Mexican themed dinners to holiday ones, and I can confidently say that they are all relatively simple and inexpensive to prepare.

Now this is what makes this book even more different -- there are "Round 2" options for each meal. By that, I mean that Ms. Lee advises you to save part of one recipe and use it another meal or another course. While I think this is a fantastic idea, I'm not sure that I'm geared towards this concept (I know....) You almost have to make the entire meal to take advantage of these savings, and I usually like to pick and choose the sides, desserts, appetizers, etc. So if I had an "issue" with this cookbook, it's that some of the recipes weren't exactly stand-alone -- they depended on making a prior dish. Not a big deal, but I would have liked to have seen some other options.

There is also another very nice feature of MONEY SAVING MEALS AND ROUND 2 RECIPES. Since it is geared towards those of you who like to save a penny or two when cooking, there are also cost breakdowns for each ingredient in every recipe. So you can get an idea of what the entire meal costs to prepare or just a portion of it. I probably don't pay too much attention to the total costs, but maybe I should!

There were many recipes that I was interested in trying; however, I decided to make something I thought was appropriate for this time of year -- the Pumpkin Mousse. It came from the chapter called "A Bountiful Harvest" and was one of five different ideas for a Thanksgiving Dinner. (If you are interested, here are the other four recipes: Roasted Turkey Breast with Spicy Herb Oil, Golden Raisin and Walnut Stuffing, Baked Mashed Potatoes,  and Pumpkin Pie Martini. There are also two Round 2 recipes -- Turkey Soup and Fried Potato Cakes.) The pumpkin mousse was extremely easy to prepare and tasted amazing -- of course, it was not low-fat after I added 2 cups of heavy cream! I will be serving it to friends this weekend and I look forward to their reactions.

Now here's the fun part. I saved two tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture (pre-heavy cream) to use to make the Pumpkin Pie Martini. I've never had a Pumpkin Pie Martini, but it sounds wonderful with half-and-half, pumpkin, spices, sparkling water and vanilla vodka!

If you are a fan of Sandra Lee's or someone who is always on the lookout for inexpensive, easy and healthy meals, then I highly suggest checking out MONEY SAVING MEALS AND ROUND 2 RECIPES.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this cookbook.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Guest Blogger: Phyllis Pellman Good

Earlier today, I reviewed a fantastic new cookbook called FIX-IT AND ENJOY-IT! HEALTHY COOKBOOK by Phyllis Pellman Good. I thought this cookbook has so many ideas on how to incorporate healthier eating into our busy lifestyles. I'd like to share with you some of Ms. Pellman Good's tips for moms.

Tips for Helping Children Eat Healthy
by Phyllis Pellman Good,
Author of Fix-It and Enjoy It! Healthy Cookbook: 400 Great Stove-Top and Oven Recipes

Helping kids eat a healthy diet doesn't have to be difficult. Here are 12 tips:

1. Make it fun. Serve broccoli and other veggies with a favorite fat-free dip or sauce. Cut foods into various shapes with cookie cutters.

2. Recruit your child's help. At the grocery store, ask your child to help you select fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Don't buy anything that you don't want your child to eat. At home, let your child help choose what to eat, and also help you rinse veggies, stir batter, or set the table.

3. Be cunning. Add chopped broccoli or green peppers to spaghetti sauce, top cereal with fruit slices, and mix grated zucchini and carrots into casseroles and soups. Serve veggies first at mealtime, when children are hungriest.

4. Don't offer dessert as a reward. Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which may only increase your child's desire for sweets. You might select one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the week. Or redefine dessert as fruit, yogurt, or other healthy choices.

5. Designate a snacking zone. Restrict snacking to the kitchen. You'll save your children countless calories from mindless munching in front of the TV.

6. Make it quick. If your children need to snack on the go, think beyond a bag of potato chips. Offer string cheese, fresh fruit, cereal bars, or other drip-free items.

7. Go for the grain. Whole-grain snacks -- such as whole-grain pretzels or tortillas and low-sugar, whole-grain cereals -- can give your children energy with some staying power.

8. Pull out the blender. Use skim milk, fat-free yogurt, and fresh fruit to make your own smoothies.

9. Promote independence. Make it east for older children to help themselves. Keep a selection of ready-to-eat veggies in the refrigerator. Leave fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter. Store low-sugar, whole-grain cereal in an easily accessible cabinet. Stock fruit, either canned or packaged in its own juice, in your pantry.

10. Use some imagination. Offer something new, such as fresh pineapple, cranberries, red or yellow peppers, or roasted soy nuts. Slice a whole-wheat pita and serve with hummus.

11. Mix and match. Serve baby carrots or other raw veggies with fat-free ranch dressing. Dip graham crackers or fresh fruit in fat-free yogurt. Top celery, apple, or bananas with peanut butter.

12. Set a good example. Let your children catch you munching raw vegetables or snacking on a bowl of grapes. If you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to follow suit.

My Favorite New Cookbook

I admit that I have an obsession with all types of books, but I especially love leafing through cookbooks. I definitely don't do gourmet (that's up to my husband), but I do want to feed my family somewhat healthy dinners. That's why I'm so excited that my sister-in-law recommended The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families by Aviva Goldfarb. What mom is not totally busy around dinnertime with kids getting home from school, homework, and evening activites? This book has such healthy, simple recipes that I've been cooking almost every night during January (think: New Year's Resolution to cook more). The cookbook is divided into 52 weeks of recipes according to seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer; and the author tailors the meals for what's in season. I've just begun trying recipes from this book, but so far I've had some pretty good results. Some of our favorites include Salmon in a Foil Packet, Light Cheese Tortellini with Broccoli, and Ginger Chicken. One of my favorite things about this cookbook is that the recipes use mainly fresh (healthy) ingredients that even my 3 year old with severe food allergies can eat. In addition to the cookbook, Ms. Goldfarb also has a website where you can learn more about the cookbook and get a paid subscription to her weekly newsletter.

Celestial Seasonings Book Club

I recently stumbled across Celestial Seasonings Book Club - An Adventure at Every Turn when I was surfing on the web. I was thrilled to find this site since it combines two of my favorite things - books and teas! Their latest pick is THE END OF THE ALPHABET by CS Richardson. The site includes tea suggestions, decorating ideas, music selections and other activities to enhance your book club experience. You can sign up on the website to join the book club -- all you need is two UPS codes from Celestial Seasonings tea boxes. You will receive free shipping on featured books, downloadable discussion guides and e-mail invites. I signed up a few weeks ago and a gorgeous pillow box of goodies came in the mail on Tuesday filled with a welcome letter, some bags of tea, and recipe cards with bookmarks to share with my book club.