A Book Review and a Giveaway

Summer is perhaps the time of year that I love freezer cooking the best. It keeps me out of the kitchen and prevents me from having to have the oven on every day since much of what I make can be reheated in the microwave.

This summer I'm actually working my way through a new freezer cookbook given to me by the author herself. Nancy Slagle (aka The 30 Day Gourmet) is a co-worker of my husband and one of the original freezer cooking ladies. I remember seeing her presentation at a local library in the mid 90s and falling in love with the concept of cooking in bulk.

Let me just tell you that I LOVE this new cookbook!! It is perfectly arranged in such a way to take all of the work out of freezer cooking (well, at least the planning part). Each recipe is multiplied out several times. The instructions are specific to the freezing and reheating of each recipe. And (my favorite) the nutritional information is provided. If you are new to freezer cooking, there are great tips, pictures and step by step instructions throughout to get you started.

We've tried about twelve of these recipes so far and have really liked each one. I appreciate the variety that this cookbook provides. It really does steer away from the common casseroles and provides a great variety of recipes from appetizers to soups to desserts to entrees.

That being said, I'm offering a giveaway of my new favorite cookbook, 30 Day Gourmet's Big Book of Freezer Cooking. Check out this website for sample recipes. You can put your name in by just leaving a comment. If you link this giveaway on your blog, just let me know and I'll enter your name a second time. I'll close the entrees on July 4th.

I'm off the Wyoming this week and excited to try some delicious home cooking that I don't have to make. Hopefully, I'll come back with some new ideas and recipes to share.

Chef Salad

Summer is a difficult time for me in the kitchen. I feel less inspired to look through cook books and turn on the oven. It also seems that we are always running low groceries. I think all of the outside activities results in bigger appetites.

Last week I found myself scavenging through the fridge to put together dinner. I had just a little bit of this and a little bit of that. What came together was surprisingly received by the whole family. With a bit of chopping, dicing and arranging, the kids loved creating their own salads. In the end there wasn't a scrap left.

What are some quick meals you are able to pull off from what you have on hand?