Cookbook Review - Simply Suppers By Jennifer Chandler

I recently received a copy of Simply Supper By Jennifer Chandler. What an awesome cookbook for budget conscious families! Comfort foods that are budget friendly, quick and don't have an intimidatingly long list of ingredients. There are recipes for entrees, soups, side dishes and desserts.
Each recipe is accompanied by a full color photo. I can't tell you how much I love that! Especially for dishes I've never cooked. I always like to know what my finished dish should look like. Each recipe also includes Cooking Tips, Variations and Time-Saving Tips.

From the press release:

30 in about 30: 30 recipes that can be whipped up in about 30 minutes. Includes soups, poultry, fish, beef, pork, pasta, sandwiches.

10 leftover chicken makeovers: 10 ways to turn leftovers into something delicious.

20 "Freezer Go-To" items: Recipes to make double batches of for freezing...and to save you when you don't have time to cook.

About the Author

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class with Le Grand Diplome and a MentionLe Cordon Bleu in Paris. She moved back to her hometown of Memphis Tres Bien in Pastry from and in 1999 and opened the highly-acclaimed and award-winning (including Best New Restaurant in Memphis) Cheffie's Market and More - a prepared foods market and bakery. Jennifer is a full-time mother of two, a freelance magazine writer and a professional salad eater.

• Jennifer was recently named national spokesperson for French’s Mustard ™
• Jennifer also recently partnered with Whole Foods Market in Memphis, TN as a featured author and chef.

Follow Jennifer on Twitter: @cookwjennifer

Sunday we made "Mashed Potato Soup" and "Arroz Con Pollo".

For the mashed potato soup we actually made a batch of mashed potatoes from scratch because there is no such thing as leftovers in my house. Lol! I'm sure in a pinch you could use instant mashed potatoes or a package of ready made mashed potatoes and the recipe would turn out just as delicious. Once we had our mashed potatoes done the soup came together very quickly and it was delicious! The recipe calls for 1/4 Cup Crumpled Cooked Bacon (optional) for garnish. (Ahem! Bacon optional? Seriously?) We opted for extra bacon and we also added shredded cheese for garnish. Simply delicious!

Mashed Potato Soup from Simply Supper By Jennifer Chandler page 17.
4 Tbs Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup finely diced Yellow Onion (1/2 small onion)
4 Tbs All-Purpose Flour
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 1/2 Cups leftover Mashed Potatoes
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt and finely ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup crumbled cooked Bacon (optional)
1 small Tomato, diced (optional)
2 Tbs thinly sliced Scallions (optional)

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the Butter. Add the Onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Dust the Onions with the Flour and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the Chicken Stock. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the Mashed Potatoes until you have a smooth consistency.

Gradually whisk in the Heavy Cream. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Cook until mixture is heated through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with crumbled Bacon, diced Tomatoes, and Scallions, if desired.

Serves 4.

The Arroz Con Pollo was also delicious!

Chicken Tortilla Soup (page 7) is one of my favorites when I dine out, and while the it may have gone better with our entree, it was my daughter's choice this weekend and she chose the dishes. Every Sunday we get together with friends for da Bears game and cook up new recipes.

There are so many delicious looking recipes that I'm sure this is going to be one of my go-to cookbooks for some time to come and it would make an excellent gift for newlyweds or a great housewarming gift.

Simply Supper By Jennifer Chandler is available now at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Borders.com and your local bookstore.

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given this cookbook to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Review - XXX Rated Product Review

FOR ADULTS ONLY
A while ago I became part of Eden Fantasys Ambassador Program and had a chance to choose a product to review. I selected Belladonna's Toybox, a 3 dvd set.

I have to say the format of these dvd's was unusual. The premise is that the female host of a talk show invites 2 female guests to talk a bit about their bedroom lives and then invites them to select toys from her toy box and use them...on camera. It's kind of a very long infomercial for adult toys. While the first 2 dvds were somewhat educational, in that you had an opportunity to see how the toys are used, the 3rd dvd really didn't involve the toy box. While it may seem impressive and a bargain to basically get 3 dvds for the price of one, really only 2 dvds followed the format.

So, did the dvds have the intended effect? I would say so, and I think that one might possibly learn about a few new toys they might want to add to their own personal toy box.

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given product to review by EdenFantasys.com to facilitate my review as part of their Ambassador Program. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. Links within this post will direct readers to EdenFantasys' site, which contains adult material.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Job Hunting

Ok, so I'm job hunting, like millions of Americans out there. I saw this and about bust a gut.



So who wants to be my wing person and be the crazy applicant that drives everyone else away?

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Review - KT Tunstall "Tiger Suit" Cd

I was thrilled when the One2One Network invited me to review KT Tunstall's 3rd album, "Tiger Suit". It's been in stores since October 5th. From KTTunstall.com - Story:

"Tunstall has coined the term “nature techno” to encapsulate the album’s collision of raw, upfront rootsiness and sleek electronic textures -“think Eddie Cochrane meets Leftfield” she suggests. “The songs exist in other worlds for me,” she says, “and I was trying to evoke place through how they sounded.” And so, without sacrificing any of her personal storytelling touch, the sonic landscape shifts from the uninhibited tribal yelp of Uummannaq Song, inspired by her Greenland foray, to the analogue drone-meets-oriental chime and flutter of Lost, by way of Push That Knot Away – “a signature track of the album for me. I see it as taking place in a forest at night and it’s about confronting fear rather than running away”."

I have to say, I am not a fan of techno-pop, or , "nature techno", as KT Tunstall refers to it. Because I liked KT Tunstall's previous album, Eye To The Telescope, I decided to give it a try. I did manage to find 2 songs I really like on the new album, "Difficulty" and "(Still A) Weirdo" which has a beautiful acoustic guitar line.

* KT is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum, Scottish-born singer-songwriter

* Tiger Suit was released October 5th and her rollicking first single "Fade Like A Shadow" is a Top 20 hit at radio.

* KT will be on tour this Fall (10/31-12/1)

* KT's previous hit songs include - the Grammy-nominated "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," "Suddenly I See," Other Side of the World" or "Hold On".

CD Track listing (you can listen to song samples on Amazon):
1. Uummannaq Song
2. Glamour Puss
3. Push That Knot Away
4. Difficulty
5. Fade Like A Shadow
6. Lost
7. Golden Frames
8. Come On, Get In
9. (Still A) Weirdo
10. Madame Trudeaux
11. The Entertainer

KT will be on 17 city U.S. tour this Fall beginning on October 31st though December 1st. Click HERE to find a city near you. Tickets are on sale NOW!

To find out the latest and greatest on KT... check out her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given this cd by One2One Network to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this review. This post also qualifies as an entry for a gift card drawing sponsored by One2One Network.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Company Coming

I'm big on cooking and entertaining and I enjoy having "company" over, but it's a bit difficult to accommodate much more than my immediate family because of my blue light special dining table.

With the holidays approaching, it seems like a good time to upgrade my dining room table. I don't have a lot of space, so I'd really like to get a new drop leaf table, or a table that has leaves that can be added or taken away as needed.

Something like this would be perfect because it would work well with my modern oak kitchen cabinets.
I guess when I purchased my first new (not hand-me-down, not garage sale) dining set I wasn't thinking ahead to entertaining and having guests over.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Pumpkin Patch

These photos are from this weekend when we went to visit a pumpkin patch.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Randomness

How 'bout dem Bears!

I have been a bit incommunicado lately. I am job hunting because all the signs are there that I'm going to lose my disability benefits.

I went to the doctor today. So that meant another weigh in. Since the last time I went to the doctor at the end of June I have lost...........................................................................................................
drumroll please!

25 pounds!

Back in June my weight loss total was 45 pounds since February.

You do the math!

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010