Don't Panic: Quick, Easy, and Delicous Meals for your Family by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, and Bonnie Garcia

I love cooking, cookbooks, and new recipes.  I had never had a chance to review a cookbook before so I was really excited to test out some recipes on my family (which includes 2 very picky kids)! 

Before I get to the recipes, let's talk about the layout of the book.  It's very cook-friendly.  It has easy to find sections and includes the following sections:

• Small Bites and Appetizers
• Breakfast, Breads, and Brunch
• Soups, Salads, and Sides
• Pasta, Pasta
• Crockpot Collection
• Easy Baked Oven Dishes
• Grate Grills and Marinades
• Savory Skillets and Quick Sautes
• Desserts Divine

It also has a very helpful measurements, equivalents, weights, and servings section that helps take out all of the guesswork and in some cases, experimentations.  It also has the nutrition information, which I find extremely helpful.  It makes me want to cook out of it even more because there's no guessing has to what I'm eating and what a serving size is.

In this book, we tried the Chicken Fajitas Garcia with the Easy Spanish Rice.  We had a hard time choosing because this book had recipes for such a wide variety of foods.  It had Mexican, Asian, American and then whatever you want to call soups, dips, and desserts.  I'm sure I didn't use exact measurements in my testing because I never do, but it was great!  I'm definitely making it again and am looking forward to cooking out of this book many more times.  Now, here's the moment I know you've been waiting for.....A FREE RECIPE! 

Chicken Fajitas Garcia

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

MARINADE:

1 clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp. season salt

1-1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons lime juice

FAJITAS:

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 onion, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

FOR SERVING:

flour tortillas, warmed

salsa

cheese tomato

lettuce

avacado

This recipe yeilds 3 servings.  Prep time is 10 minutes.  Total time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all marinade ingredients in medium bowl; add chicken and toss to coat.  Marinade chicken in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.  In medium skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil and saute onion and green pepper until lightly browned.  Remove from pan.  Add remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and saute chicken and marinde in the same skillet until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Return vegetables to pan and mix until well combined.  Spoon fajita mixture into warm flour tortillas and top with favorite ingredients.

Calories: 239 per serving.  Total fat is 11.8g.  Protein is 17g.

It has contains instruction for freezing this meal, but you'll have to get the book for that! 

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"Available April 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group <http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Discovery by Dan Walsh

Are there any Nicholas Sparks lovers reading this blog?  If so, then you need to pick up this book by Dan Walsh and see for yourself how much his writing compares to Nicholas Sparks.  I absolutely LOVED this book.  It kept me turning page after page because I couldn't wait to discover the mystery of Gerard Warner.
Dan did a wonderful job putting a story within a story.  I was hooked on this book from the first page and had difficulty putting it down to go to sleep.  The "book" by Gerard had so many interesting twists and turns that I was amazed and had difficulty predicting what would happen next.  I absolutely loved the ending to this book.  Dan tied it up nicely and left you with the feeling that you just journeyed through history with an amazing man, Gerard.  I actually felt like he was a real character and I had discovered his story for myself! 

I can't wait to get his other books and read those.  I think that after you read this book, you'll decide that you want to do the same.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.



31 Days to a Happy Husband by Arlene Pellicane

This book was a delight to read. Because I was reviewing it, I chose to read it in sections and am going back to apply the daily lessons. This book was refreshing because it gave me practical ideas of how to make my husband happier. It's simple things, really. Things such as creating a peaceful atmosphere for them when they come home for work or even finding out what means a lot to them to have ready for them when they step through the doors. Some men like dinner on the table, some want a little bit of quiet, etc. The thing that has stuck with me the most is when she talked about those things that our husbands do that annoy us. Things like coffee cups on the counter, toilet seat up, dishes in the sink, etc. She gave an example of using that as a reminder to pray for them throughout the day. I loved that! The next time my husband forgets where the dishwasher is located, I told him that I would stop and pray for him instead of getting frustrated at his lack of GPS skills! He told me he'd do the same the next time he passed a full laundry basket filled with clean clothes! What a wonderful way to take something negative and turn it into something positive. This book would be a great book for all married women to read! Our husbands need a woman behind them that can build them up and help them as they go throughout their stressful days. Take 31 days to show your husband just how much you love him. It's just 31 days. Take the challenge.
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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Joslin

I was excited when I had the chance to review a children's book because I love cuddling up on the couch with my kids and previewing a new book.  My son also gets really excited when he gets to open a new book for him to keep. 

With that said, I was a little disappointed in this book.  I did like the illustrations and my children liked them.  I didn't enjoy the story that is apparently a traditional tale for Easter.  I thought that the book would tell the biblical account of Simon, but I was disappointed that it really didn't say much about it at all.  I hand never heard this traditional tale, but it wasn't something that I enjoyed reading to my kids.  My kids didn't particularly enjoy it either.

It is a hardback book, which is another plus, because it's more durable.  All in all, if you're looking for a biblical account of the meaning of Easter: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, then this book isn't really something you will enjoy reading.  If you aren't particular about what you share with your children at Easter, then you might enjoy this traditional story.

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I received this book free from Kregel Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman

I am so glad that I got to review the first part of this ebook but am so thankful I have the full book sitting on my desk to finish.  I don't think I would have been able to wait to finish it until the release date! This book is full of real life circumstances to a "normal" marriage. It's full of real temptations, of raw pain, and hiding that pain to the point that its no longer felt. It's full of good choices and bad choices. Most importantly, it's a story of a woman who seeks appreciation, isn't aware of what is being hidden from her by her children, and needs God now.

Darlene has decided that now that the children are older and don't need her as much, now would be the perfect time to get a part-time job. However, that part-time job turns into a full time job which she loves. It's not that she doesn't need the money, which she explains very delicately to Brad. It's that she wants to make a difference in somebody's life. So she takes on a job at a special needs facility where she becomes a one-on-one aide for Cora. Cora's dad has lost his wife a few years ago and is normally a man who is not very friendly. However, as he sees Cora relax around Darlene and even laugh, he can't help wanting to know that women a bit more deeply than he should.

In the meantime, the reason Darlene and Brad moved to the country is to protect their older son from the friends he was hanging out with and the choices he was making. Her daughter Grace is trying to hide her pain that no one knows that she feels so deeply, and Ansley is just a special girl with no problem in particular that anyone can explain fully. They just know that something is a bit "off."

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Need You Now (Part 1 ebook) by Beth Wiseman

I am so glad that I have this book sitting on my desk to finish because I don't think I would have been able to wait to finish it until the release date!  This book is full of real life circumstances to a "normal" marriage.  It's full of real temptations, of raw pain, and hiding that pain to the point that its no longer felt.  It's full of good choices and bad choices.  Most importantly, it's a story of a woman who seeks appreciation, isn't aware of what is being hidden from her by her children, and needs God now.

Darlene has decided that now that the children are older and don't need her as much, now would be the perfect time to get a part-time job.  However, that part-time job turns into a full time job which she loves.  It's not that she doesn't need the money, which she explains very delicately to Brad.  It's that she wants to make a difference in somebody's life.  So she takes on a job at a special needs facility where she becomes a one-on-one aide for Cora.  Cora's dad has lost his wife a few years ago and is normally a man who is not very friendly.  However, as he sees Cora relax around Darlene and even laugh, he can't help wanting to know that women a bit more deeply than he should.

In the meantime, the reason Darlene and Brad moved to the country is to protect their older son from the friends he was hanging out with and the choices he was making.  Her daughter Grace is trying to hide her pain that no one knows that she feels so deeply, and Ansley is just a special girl with no problem in particular that anyone can explain fully.  They just know that something is a bit "off."

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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates by Rob & Joanna Teigen



I was so excited to get this book mostly so I could save it for my husband to use in a few years with our daughter.  She's only one right now, but I know that he is going to need some help thinking of things to do with her that are meaningful to her and show her that he cares and loves her.

This book is a wonderful guide that is practical and full of ideas that make it easy for dads who are a little less creative at how to find ways to relate or spend time solely with their daughter.  It starts out with choosing an activity to do, such as putt putt and pictures or washing your wheels or being a blessing to mom, or even silly sock day. There are 80 dates to choose from in this book but there are also 8 Extreme Dates if a Dad chooses to go for a little more alone time with their daughter.  That includes things such as table for two or a camping trip or theme park.

Once you've chosen the date, you follow the "grab" list that tells you exactly what you need to take with you or get.  Then you get to the "Go" section.  This tells you what to do on your date, where to go, ideas to think about.  It lays out the blueprint for your date.  Finally, the most important part to me is the "Grow" section.  This has a list of questions to think about asking your daughter or conversation starters that will help you relate the date to personal experiences.  It even shares a Scripture that relates, as well as a prayer that you can pray with your daughter.  Included in that page are also a few quotes, which I loved.  This whole conversation isn't just you asking questions.  It reminds you to tell you daughter of a time that you experienced what you are talking about with her.  This makes it personal.

I can't wait for my husband to use this as a guide.  I know he will get lots of use out of it and hopefully it will help him think of other ideas as he goes along.  I recommend this book for EVERY father of a daughter.  In fact, I think Father's Day is coming up...

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.