{Cookbook} More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea Review and Giveaway Ends 4/21

 

I feel like I've been missing out by not having this amazing cookbook, More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand New Recipes for Slow Cooker Meals on a Budget! The author, Stephanie O'Dea, began her journey of sharing her slow cooker recipes on her blog, A Year of Slow Cooking in 2008. For a whole year, she chronicled her slow cooker meals and soon enough became an internet sensation! She's even made appearances on Good Morning America, and The Rachael Ray Show! This cookbook is the sequel to her first cookbook, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking, and has more of an emphasis on saving money and making budget-friendly slow cooker meals.

All 200 recipes in the cookbook are gluten-free, family-friendly, and easy to make. Recipes are divided into 3 sections based on their cost to make: $7, $10, or $15. In each of those 3 sections, recipes are then divided by what type of recipe it is such as appetizers, soups & stews, side dishes, poultry, and desserts etc. You can also check out the index in the back for a full list of all the recipes for easy browsing. I am certainly a budget-conscious (former crazy couponing) mom, so I really appreciated the layout of this cookbook.

It's one thing to skim through a cookbook and make assessments about the recipes, and another to actually make them! So, I decided to put on my apron and get in the kitchen! Stephanie was so generous in sending me TWO copies of her fabulous cookbook, More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow. Keep reading and you'll get have the chance to win a copy for yourself!

First, I made the Chicken Enchilada Chili (click to view the full recipe). I have a Chili recipe that I love, but wanted to switch it up a bit and try something new! This is what all the ingredients looked like before I laid the raw chicken on top, and just before starting up the slow cooker:

Looks great, right? Easy ingredients, very little prep involved, and so easy to just walk away until its done. Here is what it looked like before serving with some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream:

So, what did my family think? Well, I thought the flavor was perfect! It's full of protein and is quite filling. It's a new favorite comfort food of mine, and it tasted even better the second day. Buddy practically licked his plate clean on day two (he was WAY over tired the first night and barely ate a thing before passing out cold shortly after dinner!), but Hubby decided it needed more chili powder. Stephanie's recipe calls for 1-2 teaspoons and I started with one so I wouldn't overdo it. I don't like really spicy foods, but Hubby LOVES anything spicy!

I also attempted the Peanut Butter Cup Cake recipe. Key word there...attempted. I'm sad to report I lack enough culinary skill to even make an easy slow cooker recipe turn out! Here's what mine looked like:

 

Actually, I think I have an idea of what I might need to change next time. I used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. Alright cooking smarties out there...is that really going to make that much of a difference? Also, I think my slow cooker cooks things too fast! I think I need to invest in new one. Recommendations, anyone? 

Instead of taking 2-4 hours on high to cook, the cake suddenly smelled a bit burned at only 1 hour and 15 minutes. That's when I turned off my slow cooker and tried to salvage what I could! The peanut butter cake is supposed to rise to the top above a layer of molten chocolate underneath. I did find a few small bites where the molten chocolate was at the bottom and it tasted pretty good. However, the rest was no where near edible. The cake was pretty dry, and the chocolate that was supposed to be on the bottom started to burn on the top. I was really looking forward to dessert too!

I should point out that my failed attempt doesn't mean Stephanie's recipe is not a good one. As mentioned above, the whole wheat flour, my fast-cooking slow cooker, and my lack of cooking experience are probably to blame! I'm looking forward to trying this recipe again, along with many, many other fantastic recipes from Stephanie's cookbook. Almost all of them look simple enough for someone like me to make and not feel completely terrified and intimidated. A lot of recipes I want to make from other cookbooks scare the heck out of me with a huge list of ingredients and loads of time-consuming prep work. This cookbook will hopefully help ease me into cooking more as I master some of these recipes.

Oh, on a side note, while testing out the Peanut Butter Cup Cake recipe, I discovered my cooking spray expired...in 2007!!! Oh the horror! Want to know something else? I still used it...and we're still alive! :) I guess that might tell you how often I don't actually cook. I'm not a great cook and I don't necessarily enjoy cooking. However, I do like my slow cooker and the convenience it brings, especially with a kiddo at my feet! I'm a bit of a perfectionist so sometimes cooking often frustrates me. I'm just a mom, who dreams of cooking at the same level as her mother who just dumps and pours without measuring almost every ingredient, and out comes a delicious masterpiece every time! Some day, I hope to be like my mother and have that ability. Until then, I'll have this cookbook and my slow cooker handy! Thanks Stephanie!! :)

Price: This cookbook is listed at 18.99, but can be purchased for only $10.79 at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com! A valuable cookbook at a bargain price!

Verdict: Oh delicious, yumminess! As the Amazon.com reviews suggest, this cookbook is actually a cookbook you will use again and again! Seemingly endless prep work to cook a simple meal for my family is such a discouraging task. That's why this cookbook works for me, and probably will for most busy families. I also love that this cookbook is aimed at maximizing your food budget, while still providing your family with healthy choices.

Buy It!
You can purchase More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow at Amazon.com.

Win It!
One winner will receive a copy of the book, More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow!

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Open to US residents only. This giveaway will end on April 21, 2011 at 10pm PST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org, emailed, and announced on my blog shortly after giveaway ends. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or I reserve the right to declare a new winner.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product(s) to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.