Thursday, August 29, 2013

"We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook" by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph (Review & Giveaway)


ISBN 13: 9780310330837
Softcover $14.99
Now "Why?" I ask you would a lady-of-a-certain-age who has raised five children, married them off, and fed their offspring (13 of them) agree to review a COOKBOOK???? Do I NEED another cookbook? Am I REALLY interested in ANOTHER cookbook? Well, the answer to all of those is NO! But then there is the teaser.......

"A MOM and DAUGHTER DISH
ABOUT the FOOD that DELIGHTS THEM
and the LOVE that BINDS THEM."

That, folks, puts it in a different category altogether.  Authors Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph spill the beans (oops! that would be a kitchen mess, wouldn't it?) and share some heart (theirs, of course) as well as ways to cook some good old standbys and some new taste treats. Let's see.

First of all, these two ladies have a great sense of humor. As they tandem write the pages of this "cookbook," the situations they have found themselves in will tickle your funny bone and then tantalize your taste buds.

Becky and Rachel recount the wondrous event of daughter's first pregnancy.  All the ups and downs, the emotional rollercoaster, and then especially the occasion when Rachel goes to purchase nursing bras. Rachel began as a tiny little young lady and she, like many other ladies nearing the time of giving birth, grew to great proportions. Then at eight months the search for the new lingerie began. Oh what a tale that was. Having birthed five children of my own and having had three of my own daughters go through several pregnancies, this hit a homerun in the field of humor. 

Having a hankering to try one of the recipes these two ladies endorse, I decided to try the meat loaf. The basic meat loaf recipe was very similar to what I always prepare here in my home, the kicker was the topping sauce. I'd never heard of a sweet-tart-tomato sauce topping a meat loaf, so I took the challenge. Now their recipe calls for quality ground beef or bison. But since I have a son that hunts and keeps us all supplied generously with venison, I used that instead. It is "free-range" and hormone and antibiotic free which I feel is a great plus. Pictured is my attempt using their recipe and the picture only shows half of the meat loaf (but it is a large platter and the fork is a serving fork). The instructions are to bake it in a 9x13 pan and actually divide it into 4 sections (making 4 smaller loaves).

I was quite pleased with the flavor and texture of the meatloaf.  You blend the ingredients prior to mixing with the ground beef. The sweet and spicy sauce was very good and I enjoyed the way the salsa, ketchup, and sugar blended to tantalize my taste buds. 

What this book is really all about is the sharing of love between a mother and daughter. The joy they experience as they bounce ideas, hopes, dreams, recipes and what-all off each other. Being a mother of three daughters, I too know the joy of being there to love and support when the baby is born (or newborn), cooking for them when they are sick, encouraging them when they lose that lovely slim-me shape for the soon-to-be-a-mom shape. In other words, bonds of mother and daughter are precious and this book gives you a glimpse into the beauty of it.
 
After reading "We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook" it makes me want to have the opportunity to just run next door (well, if Becky and Rachel lived there) and sit down at their kitchen table with a cup of coffee and chat. I think you'll wish for the same thing once you read their delightful book.

GIVEAWAY:  One autographed copy of We Laugh, We Cry, We cook is being offered as a blessing to one of Chat With Vera's readers from the good folks at Zondervan. Use the Rafflcopter entry form below.  Begins September 1 & ENDS September 21 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to US addresses only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now just who are these two ladies?.....  
Becky Johnson is the author, co-author or collaborator of more than forty books ranging from family humor to brain science to inspiration and now, memoir. She’s a natural storyteller and spent many years entertaining and inspiring audiences of women. Today she loves getting creative in the kitchen and writes a humorous food blog with her daughter Rachel (www.welaughwecrywecook.com).

Rachel Randolph writes and speaks about young married life, parenting a toddler, and her and her husband’s unlikely journey to veganism with humor and honesty. She shares a food blog with her mom, Becky Johnson. In their “virtual kitchen” laughter and love are the key ingredients to every dish. Rachel is married to Jared, a high school football and baseball coach.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy of We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook  as one of Wendy's Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. An autographed giveaway copy valued at $14.99 is also being provided for one of Chat With Vera's winners compliments Zondervan and authors and will be shipped directly to the winner.  Only one winner per household, email address or home address. If you have won this book on another giveaway, you are ineligible to win another copy. I was under no obligation write a positive review. This disclosure is in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255 regarding the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

19 comments:

  1. My mom, bless her soul has been gone for years) I remember when my family of 4 boys and hubby were growing up how we would go to grandmoms house for dinner on Sundays, a lot of times it was cause we did not have much to eat and others for fun or holidays. She could throw together a great meal and we loved her cooking.

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    1. Dorothy, thanks for sharing your "Mom's kitchen" story. My Mother was an absolutely wonderful cook and was magic in the kitchen. We all loved her meals and she prepared so man and with so much love. Happy memories.

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  2. A dish that is dear to my heart? My mom's lentil soup. I remember it from my childhood and now I am a grandmother and she still cooks it often. It's her best soup recipe and no one seems to be able to match it.

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    1. Sonja, you make me hungry for lentil soup. My Mom's special soup was vegetable. Oh she was wonderful with chopped veggies and a "ham hoc" to flavor it.

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  3. Hi, I love the thought of cooking with my mom. We shared many kitchens. I wish I had a large one now so she could come up and visit with me over coffee. Love this book. If I win, I will have to get a gift copy for her.

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    1. Mary, be sure you get a copy, anyway. And as for coffee with Mom, well, I recall sitting at Mom's table with a slice of cake or a tin of cookies (of course she cooked them herself) and visiting over a cup of coffee.

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  4. I grew up on a farm, & my mother cooked lunch for all the men helping work the crops every day. This is when my mother taught my brother & I how to make biscuits & pies. Another memory of mine was sitting with my grandmother & helping prepare bushels of fruits & vegetables for my mother to can.

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  5. Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday! It looks like a really fun cookbook!
    Tina from mommynificent.com

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  6. Woo hoo! We sure wish you did live next door to us, Vera, after reading this fun and encouraging review of our book, We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook. So glad you enjoyed the meatloaf too. Will now commence to tweeting, fb-ing and generally singing your praises and sharing this post everywhere we can. Hugs from one southern woman to another!

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    1. Well, Ms Becky Johnson, I've got some Constant Comment tea or some berry tea right ready for you. But if you prefer coffee, I've got some really good grounds to brew up for ya. So come on back and we'll chat. But bring some of those cookies in your book with you.

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  7. I am going to be posting my review and giveaway of this book on Saturday. I loved how you worded your review. I was curious what your thoughts were on this awesome little book, and see which choices you picked for your recipes. Low and behold, we both chose the meatloaf (it's almost identical to the one I make too, but a slight difference.)

    I hope I can make my review sound as good as your's is of this book because it truly is a delightful read.

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    1. Crystal - You honor me with your sweet comments. I'd love to try some of the other recipes, too. We'll see. I can hardly wait to pass this book along to my youngest daughter who has 4 little girls. She cooks a lot.

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  8. I used to work as a vegetarian chef at a retreat center, and the kitchen was open to guests, they used to come in and thank us after dinner sometimes the gratitude would just make you tear up!

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  9. Baking xmas cookies with my Busia(Polish for grandma)...a pinch of this a dash of that, she never followed a recipe and they all turned out delicious!

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  10. Vera, I love the review and I love the concept of a Mother/Daughter cookbook. My daughter and I are fortunate enough to live within a mile of each other. Cooking and tastings go on all the time for us. I am also fortunate enough to still have my mother within a mile from me as well and a beautiful granddaughter. Yes, four generations that have and will have so many wonderful memories of our times together and preparing delicious foods.Thank you for the chance.

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    1. Oh Melanie, what a wonderful opportunity you have with 4 generations still living and so close geographically. My mother's been gone about 6 years now, but it wonderful while we had her to share meals and especially her tremendously wonderful cooking. Enjoy it while you can and do let all 4 generations get in there and stir the pot together.

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  11. every year for Christmas my grandma makes homemade candies and cookies. It is my favorite time of the year :)

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  12. i remember baking sunkist orange cupcakes with my grandma and i picked the mixer out of the bowl and it turned on and we had orange frosting all over our faces and laughed about it for years

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  13. A laugh: we had to laugh the time our young daughter made brownies and used the flavored variety of Pam to grease the baking dish!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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