Saturday, March 30, 2013

Homemade With Love by Jennifer Perillo

How many of you like to cook? I personally love cooking and it is kind of a release as well as a joy, especially when people compliment you on the food or how it looks. You know how you feel when someone asks for your recipe because they liked it so much? Well, today I have a review for a cookbook titled, Homemade with Love, Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's Kitchen. This is written by Jennifer Perillo, who many people know from the blog, In Jennie's Kitchen.

With its delectable recipes and charming girl-next-door tone, Homemade With Love is sure to be a welcome addition to the kitchens of longtime readers of the blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen. Jennifer Perillo has long written on the pleasures and importance of cooking from scratch, buying local, and eating at home. Jennie shares her love for her farmers’ markets and local purveyors while dishing out a hearty dose of practical culinary know-how for the working parent—or any busy cook.

Jennie has been writing online since 2006, and developing recipes for more than 15 years, even after the sudden death of her young husband, Mikey, in 2011. Gathering her family together around the table was her recipe for healing; though many things about her life have changed, her commitment to eating for nourishment—physical and spiritual—has not. A seasoned recipe developer and personal chef, Jennie has crafted shortcuts (like two homemade all-purpose baking mixes, used as a base for baked goods such as breads, muffins, and cupcakes) to make good eating just a little easier. Try recipes like Orange-Scented Waffles, Carrot Fennel Soup, Lentil Ricotta Meatballs, Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie, Strawberry Blender Sherbet, and Lemon Buttermilk Doughnuts. Simple, soulful recipes for every meal of the day emphasize farm-fresh produce and whole foods. Jennie’s distinctive voice is an evangelist for eating close to home, lingering around the table.


This is a big hardback book that I enjoyed looking through. Some of the recipes I have on my list to prepare in the future. A lot of these foods are things I wouldn't normally cook but there are some things that will be a go-to. Things like the 20-Minute Marinara Sauce, Homemade Pizza Dough, Veggie Pizza, etc. The thing I like about this book is all the homemade from scratch recipes. Things like the dough, the sauce, croutons, beans, etc. We are talking back to the basics and teaching you how to make things you would normally just buy from the store. It is all about fresh, organic foods that don't have the preservatives and contamination in them.

Now some of these recipes are different. Things I wouldn't ever make, but overall the book has many good foods. I will say that the pictures could be done better. I guess they look older and could be more appealing than they are. It is not anything major, but when I purchase a cookbook I want the pictures to look good and make me want to cook it up. Just a little something I caught. Otherwise an excellent cookbook that I will be putting on my shelf. I LOVE the size!! You are getting exactly what you pay for with this one.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Scorned Justice CFBA Tour!!





This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Scorned Justice

Abingdon Press (April 1, 2013)

by

Margaret Daley


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines, romantic suspense for Abingdon Press and historical romance for Summerside Press. She has sold eighty-three books to date.


Margaret was the president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization of Christia writers with over 2300 members. She was one of the founding members of the first ACFW local chapter, WIN in Oklahoma. She has taught numerous classes for online groups, ACFW and RWA chapters. She enjoys mentoring other authors.


Until she retired a few years ago, she was a teacher of students with special needs for twenty-seven years and volunteered with Special Olympics as a coach. She currently is on the Outreach committee at her church, working on several projects in her community as well as serving on her church’s vestry.


On a more personal note, she has been married for over forty years to Mike and has one son and four granddaughters. She treasures her time with her family and friends.


ABOUT THE BOOK



Texas Ranger Brody Calhoun is with his parents in west Texas when an unexpected attack injures the brother of Rebecca Morgan, Brody's high school sweetheart. The local sheriff, a good friend, asks for Brody's help. At first, it seems like an open-and-shut case. However, as Brody digs deeper, he realizes the attack may be related to an organized crime trial Rebecca will be overseeing. With Rebecca's help, he compiles evidence which involves cattle rustlers, bribery, and dirty payoffs that shatter the entire community and put Rebecca directly in the line of fire.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Scorned Justice, go HERE.


MY THOUGHTS-Wow! I just love the way that Margaret Daley writes. In Scorned Justice you will learn about the justice side of the law, along with totally falling in love with the characters. This book pulls you in from the first chapter and then keeps you hooked throughout the whole story. I personally loved Brody and Rebecca. Such a perfect couple, even though they had lost each other for a while. This is one of those stories my sister doesn't like because Rebecca was married before:) Wonderful story!!



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Friday, March 29, 2013

Thank You Cards and Letter Writing.

How many of you like thank you cards? I know my family does. It is so much fun getting them. In this day and age many people don't even write letters or send out personal mail, it is always on the internet. We try to get the kids interested in pen pals who they write at least twice a month. It is amazing how many kids have never written a letter. I have recently heard of barkingmad.com and they have some really nice stuff on there. This is a company that sells cards as well as other art prints like watercolour. I could spend an hour browsing their store:) It is a lot of fun to look, so long as you don't spend too much time. And you can always purchase something for a gift or an upcoming party. 



**DISCLOSURE: I have not used this site. All thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Shaving Tips From a Guy!

Along with the other things I have for you today is an article about shaving. I know I have talked about this in the past but today I want to hit it from a male perspective. No, I am not doing most of the writing:) I have actually commissioned my younger brother to talk about his shaving ritual and just give some tips on what he uses, how he does things and his favorite items that appear in his shaving kit. You know, shaving oil, cologne, aftershave, razor, etc. I will take up a little bit after he is done but most of this is all from J.


"Hi everyone! I am J and am 19 years old. Here is my shaving routine, along with some tips on things I use and products I like.
1st 
I use hot water(as hot as the face can take it) to get my face damp, then I use a pre-shave balm. (I use this to help the razor glide over my face easily.)
2nd. 
I wash off my razor every couple swipes. (I use an electric razor by Gillette.)  Generally I wash it once in hot water, dry it off, and then get it wet again before starting to shave.
3rd. 
I then start to shave but after every one or two swipes I wash the blade off again to get all the hair off. This helps for a smoother and cleaner shave.
4th.
I wash my razor off when I am finished. And use an after-shave. My favorite is one of the Stetson brands. Either Stetson Black or Stetson Original.  Not only do I like the smell, but they also seem to work better than some others that I have tried."

So, there you have it. This is the ultimate shaving routine from a guy's perspective. Actually, I am sure everyone shaves differently, just as most women have a little secret or quirk they have developed through the years. But I thought you all might enjoy getting something different than my routine. Personally I would hate to have to shave my face so I was glad to get some help from him. Thanks J for the tips!!


This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Carmex Healing Cream & Hydrating Lotion R&G!!!

Ahhh. That was a relaxing moan of pleasure for the sun has finally come out from hiding and our snow is melting. I can actually see our front yard again and the bird bath is out ready to be filled for our little feathered friends. I don't know about you, but I am definitely ready for the warm weather to arrive. But, I am still the type of person who likes to use my lotion. What about you? If you like to use lotion whether the weather is hot or cold, you will be very excited about the newest product I have for you today. Carmex!!

Now these are not really new products. But they do have new packaging. And I really like the new look. I received my kit and it included the Healing Cream, Hydrating Lotion and a bright yellow hoodie as a thank you to me. I will never have to worry about a car not seeing me when I am wearing this:) But I have to admit, I was more interested in the products for review. I for one am a firm believer in being brand loyal. I attended a Twitter party yesterday and we were talking some about this. If I like a product and it works great, I will purchase it on a regular basis. That is how I feel about Carmex. Their lotions and creams are amazing and I love their lip lotion even more! Hard to believe I know but I do:)

My favorite out of these two is the Healing Cream. It is so light and airy that it feels like there is nothing on your hands. But it works tremendously! These have a nice fresh scent to them that is not overpowering but you can smell it every once in a while on your hands. I like to put this on at night as I am heading to bed and then in the morning after my shower and this really keeps my skin hydrated. If you are the type of person who has skin trouble, I would urge you to give this a try. It works great!!

Now for those of you who are interested in trying this, I have a giveaway where one winner will receive the Healing Cream and the Hydrating Lotion. This giveaway does NOT include the jacket.This is US only. Giveaway will end 4/12. Winner will be chosen through Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Lawn Mower Fights?


Have any of you ever fought with your lawn mower? I know, sure sounds funny, right? But it is a very real question that I was thinking about after the topic of discussion today. With the weather being a lot nicer we have been getting outside and doing some cleanup after the winter months. The snow layers on top of everything and the grass doesn't grow much, but we still get the lawn mower ready to go for the upcoming months. I personally like the zero turn lawn mowers. But they are just not what we have right now. You guessed it, we have the regular push mower that the boys often complain about when they are outside mowing twice a month:) I think they would prefer a riding mower but we just can't afford it at this point. Who knows though, maybe at some time in the future.

We have been getting the area ready for our flowers to be put back in the front yard. I will have to get some pictures here soon and post them so you can see our roses and pansies. We also have some little pine trees started along our walkway up front. This area has also turned into the bird watching place. We have many birds who come through and the feeders are hung all over along with the bird bath. It is quite fun to watch them bathing and they often fight over the food. In the back yard we are getting the garden ready. Last year we grew a little bit but we are hoping to do a lot more this year. We would like to put the seeds in early enough we can grow more vegetables and reap more.

I have a friend online who is part of a community garden. I had never heard of these but we were talking the other day, okay chatting on here, and she mentioned that the base has a plot of ground where several people put in seeds and then they all share the crops that are yielded. I thought this was a nice idea and I can see the benefits of it. What do you think? Got any plans for a garden this year?



This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my ownPlease read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Thursday, March 28, 2013

SEO Services and Your Company


As a blogger, a big part of my day is spent in finding companies to work with, corresponding with the groups and pr groups that I deal with daily, and also getting marketing for my blog. As such, I enjoy finding things like orangesoda local seo services, sites that ping your blog, etc. In this day and age of online marketing and social media, there is really so much stock put into how well you can sell your business. And yes, my blog is looked upon as a business. I have my work hours(normally late in the evening as I am sure you can see many times), people to make happy, services to provide and product to feature. So yes, a blog sounds like fun and many people don't realize how much work goes into it or how much it is like a regular job. I have had people approach me about how nice it is to get free things and it must be great to try out new products. And believe me, it is wonderful to try out a new item before it hits the market, or to have something nice to give a friend, etc. But at the same time, they envision you just sitting on a computer all day and free product is just flowing in. Not exactly the way it works:)

As I was saying about marketing, before I got started on all the other stuff, this is a daily part of life for any business. You have to get people seeing your product, services, business, etc. And sure some people will be looking for a new laundry detergent, but not everyone is and not everyone will find your company. And that is where marketing comes into play. Especially search engine optimization. Otherwise known as seo. This is where traffic is picked up from free search listings. Like if you look up the name of my blog on Google, what will pull up? Am I the first result shown? That is where I want to be and I believe I have made it there. This is crucial for any company or blog. Things like this can make or break a company. And it doesn't matter how small or big you are, you have to get the marketing like this. So please, check it out and see what can be done for your site or business. If you need any answers, just let me know. I will see what I can do to help.



This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE:  This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.
Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Massage Pillows


Do any of you struggle with back pain? Or maybe aches and pains that you deal with on a regular basis? I know that I often have back aches from sitting in my chair for work, and many times this travels to my neck if I don't get it taken care of. So I have started using some very neat products. Did you know there are many items out there that can help alleviate back pain? Things like tempurpedic pillows? Massaging chairs, etc? It is amazing what you can find when you actually go searching for things like this. I personally love the massaging chair and they also have the pieces that vibrate which you can take out of the chair. There are all types of settings and stuff you can play with so you can settle for a mild massage or something a bit more vigorous. I tend to spend a lot of time in a chair, mainly for my blogging and helping with school, but I know there are people who work from a chair and a desk job can be very irritating on your back and neck. Take a minute and look at my tips below for alleviating back aches and maybe get some hints for working out the kinks.

1.Posture
My number one tip is posture. This will be a big help in how you feel throughout your day. When you are sitting, make sure to sit up straight, tuck in your stomach and pull your shoulders back. If you do this often you will find pressure being taken off your back and neck. Especially when you stare at a computer a lot, you tend to lean forward, almost to the point of being hunched over. Take a minute and check yourself now:)

2.Stretch
I try to get up and stretch every 30 minutes. This doesn't take much but if you stand up and do some simple stretches, such as the Cat(rounding your back and then stretching down), walking in place, etc. this will do more than you realize. I always feel better after getting up and stretching.

One last thing I will say is make sure you drink plenty of fluids. This really helps with making you feel alert and just an overall better outlook. What about you all? Any tips on easing that back pain?



This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

$35 Shabby Apple Gift Certificate Giveaway!!

Hey readers! Today I have a giveaway for a really neat store. I always love browsing their store and though I have never bought anything there, plenty of the dresses are on my wish list:) Shabby Apple specializes in vintage modest clothing for ladies. And when I say vintage, I mean like retro, cute stuff. The polka dots, flowers, etc just make these look really sweet. They are adorable! If you like this type of dress or skirt, you will love Shabby Apple.

Check out this Serenade Dress. I love the lines of this that flatter the body. 

This sweet Ticket Booth Tie Blouse is very chic and stylish. 

And one of my favorite categories to go browse is their aprons. This Blueberry Pie Apron is just adorable!!

As you can see, they have some really cute things. I would love to have an unlimited amount of money to go shopping:) Well, one of you can go shopping with a $35 gift certificate to Shabby Apple. One of my blog readers will win this and it is US only. Get ready to go shopping!!

This giveaway will end 4/11 and winner will be chosen through Random.org. They will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Talking About Tickets.

Do you know I have never in my life gotten a ticket? It is very hard to believe but definitely true. While I do know others who have never gotten a ticket it is very rare to find in this day and age. Believe me, I have some friends, who at 19 have already had several Tickets. And yes they are young males but still it is amazing how easily tickets are acquired. The only time I have ever been pulled over was about 3 months ago I was driving somebody to work. It was kind of late, around dinner time, and for some reason I could tell my brights were not working right. I just couldn't figure out what it was or if I was messed up. I was about 5 minutes away from dropping them off and took a back way near a hospital. You guessed it! An officer sitting there pulled out with his lights on. I knew I had not been going over the speed limit so I had no idea why I was pulled over. Turns out that I had a headlight out and that is why they weren't working properly. He was very nice and only gave me a warning but I have to tell you, I was flipping out as this was my first time ever getting pulled over:)


Now I have a theory. And it isn't always true but if you follow my hints and tips below, I think this will stop you from getting a ticket. The only reason I can see it not working is the times you run into an officer who just wants to give a ticket. But that normally doesn't happen. I did hear of it once though so don't come back to me if these don't work.

1.Obey the Speed Limit.
This is the main thing they are going to pull you over for. If you just obey the speed limit signs this will keep that from happening. Especially in small towns. Sure I go over a little bit on an interstate, but I have people flying by me and they don't seem to care about the law. Yes I am probably one of those you get upset at on the highway as I am going to slow:D

2.Follow Rules.
Again, an easy one but very easy to even train yourself to disregard this. Stop signs, yield, even school areas are all places that I have seen people not heed the rules.

So these are just some things that have kept me from getting a ticket throughout the years. Let me know if you think of another tip!



This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Here or There? Awards are Everywhere!!

Have any of you ever competed in a challenge? Or maybe your children have participated in a quiz or class where there are trophies as the prize? We personally have done many of these type things and I have to tell you, the trophy or medal at the end of the line is quite a motivation to the children. I think for many of the adults it is the same way. When you think of that grand prize, or even the second prize medal, it gets you going even faster and better. I want to tell you about some of our challenges below but first I wanted to let you all know about medals and trophies. We often think of just a plain trophy for a race. Or maybe your mind goes to the medals and trophies given out in the Olympics. But I have gone searching before and there are many different types of prizes to be found out there. For a couple examples, just click here. There are plenty of neat and interesting ones that will appeal to different age levels and the types of awards and prizes are many.


One of the competitions the kids participated in was a small quiz at our local church. Basically they had to learn a chapter or a part of a book, and then there were questions given out every week in the Church bulletin. And they weren't allowed to look in the Bible for their answers, they had to be from memory. Needless to say, this is harder than it sounds. There were several children who participated and they all enjoyed it. I think they would have enjoyed it without the promise of a trophy at the end. But the prize just made them work harder at it and they were so happy whe two of them walked away with a small trophy.

The other challenge we have done is a much larger competition. We have participated several years in a row and this is made up of teams who have to know their Bible very well. There are relays, quizzes, question and answer cards, putting things in order, etc. It is pretty hard. But the kids love it and the thing they look forward to most is the end where all the awards are given. And yes, they come home every year with several trophies and medals. But they love how the trophies adds to the excitement and fun!!


This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE:This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.
 Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Plumbing Stories and Tips!

Ah, the good ole days of summer. Spring has sprung and so have the leaks. And once it hits spring, summer is not far behind. This is when we normally have our problems with plumbing. Any of you ever had them? Ours range from a leaky pipe, to a pipe that froze over the winter, to a tub drain that just would not come unclogged, and last but not least, a backed up sewer leak all over the front yard. We can laugh and have a good time about it now but believe me, when these things happened, it was not a good situation. Imagine going in to shower one morning and your tub is draining slow. Not a problem right? Just use some draino and make sure it is plunged and voila! Tub should be draining properly by that evening. WRONG!! It took us at least three weeks of trying to fix, bottle after bottle of draino and pipe cleaner, snakes down the drain, and nothing worked. We were so upset. It would work right for a day or two and then it would back up again. And we aren't talking just a little bit of water in the bottom of the tub, we are talking it would fill up several inches by the time you got done with your shower. And those were the fast ones:) Needless to say, after three weeks we were getting irritated. And that is when we called a friend who happened to be pretty good at fixing things. Plumbing, electrical problems, roofing, etc. He is a perfect handyman. He came over, found out where it was backed up and cut into the pipe. Turns out there was so much hair in the pipe it clogged up bad. After that it worked great. We now have a catch in there for the junk.

For those of you with plumbing problems, it is much better to keep something from happening than fixing it afterwards. Sure things happen but if you can stop if beforehand it will be better in the long run. Like we did, make sure you have a catch for your drain. This would have saved us so much trouble if we had one in first. One time we had problems with a pipe because when it was put in it was too sharp a turn and stuff kept getting stuck. This can be fixed by a professional or someone who knows what they are doing. We had it done to ours. See what you can do to keep things draining right.

This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Here for Auto Repair!!


Have you ever had your car break down and you didn't know what you were going to do? Or maybe it started acting funny and you couldn't figure out what the problem was? Well, that is when an auto repair is in order. We have a dealership, where we bought our vehicle, that we take our car to every year to make sure things are running smoothly and we don't have any major problems. If you are in need of some info on a car repair, make sure to click here. But for us, we like our own personal repairman. And believe me, ours is the best. Sure there are sometimes little errors or mistakes, like the time the vehicle was up on the ramp and something swung over clipping the bumper. Yes it left a dent but they had it fixed up fine and dandy by the time we got there to pick it up that evening. They actually took off the whole piece by the tire and did body work on it! And then they finished up by touching up the paint job in that area. Sure it was their fault it happened but they went above and beyond in taking care of the problem.

Just recently our other vehicle started making a clicking noise when you turn on the heat or air conditioning. It is a very loud noise and it does it whether the air is off or on. It is really wacky and kind of annoying in all honesty. Eventually if you leave it and let it click it will stop, but you have to sit through probably 10 minutes of it doing this. And it sounds like it is coming from right there next to the driver. We have taken it in and they looked at it saying it is nothing that can cause a problem, just something rubbing when the fan is blowing. Sure hope so:) Wouldn't want a breakdown and it turns out to be something else.

Anyways, it is best to have a repair place that you trust. I know sometimes a breakdown happens and you have to go to a person you don't know. Had to do that plenty of times. But I always go back where I trust my repairman:)



This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.
Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Shopping for Real Estate?

I have to admit, going shopping for real estate is kind of fun. Even if you are not exactly looking for a house, I enjoy checking them out and browsing the ads for homes. You can even do research for in the future when you are looking for a home. Maybe you will find a certain floor plan or a way that a kitchen is set up that you could use for a later time. Especially if you are planning on building your own house. We recently went looking for a home to rent because we had friends coming to visit us for an extended period of time. Needless to say we had a lot of fun:) You can also look in other areas of the United States and get ideas of good property, homes and real estate. Like say Kansas City Real Estate? I have driven through Kansas City before and it is a great area. Sometimes you can find a nice piece of property that you might be interested in buying as an investment, or a place you could use as a vacation home, etc. I don't know, there are a lot of fun things about looking for real estate.

One place I would love to move to is Tennessee. With the scenery and the mountains it is a beautiful area. Kind of God's creation if you know what I mean:)  There is just something about that area that is nice. Of course, I am sure people in that area would like to move to another area too. But I have always liked it. One thing I enjoy with browsing real estate is seeing other peoples designing abilities. We went to look at a house before that had some very interesting colors. As in gothic black in one bedroom with splotches of neon colors thrown in odd areas. Then it had light up moons and solar planets hanging from the ceiling. Needless to say, we would have changed the colors. But we have also seen some nice designs and settings that I have fallen in love with. A beautiful garden, kitchen placements that make for a wonderful time of cooking, etc. Again, I have had a nice time before searching real estate. Try it out, you just might enjoy it:)


This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.




**DISCLOSURE:This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

FIRST WildCard Tour for Mountain Homecoming


It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books.  A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured.  The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between!  Enjoy your free peek into the book!


You never know when I might play a wild card on you!





Today's Wild Card author is:



Sandra Robbins



and the book:



Mountain Homecoming


Harvest House Publishers (March 1, 2013)

MY REVIEW-I really enjoyed this book about the people of Cades Cove. It is the second in a series, the first one being about Rani's mother, Annie(Angel of the Cove). If you have read the first book, you will meet up with many of the same characters who became friends. In this one Rani is upset because many of her friends are leaving the Cove and she feels like she is being left alone. She also hates the Lumber company which happens to be cutting down her beloved trees. When she is found by a young man she mistakenly thinks he works for the lumber company and dislikes him from the beginning. Of course, she doesn't know he is Matthew Jackson, a good friend of her mothers and Granny. There is a lot of bad blood between the Cove people and Matthew because of his father but he wants to set things right. Again, this was an excellent book with lots of relevant material for today. Loved it!!

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen for sending me a review copy.***



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Sandra Robbins and her husband live in the small college town in Tennessee where she grew up. They count their four children and five grandchildren as the greatest blessings in their lives. Her published books include stories in historical romance and romantic suspense. When not writing or spending time with her family, Sandra enjoys reading, collecting flow blue china, and playing the piano.

Visit the author's website.



SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In the second book in the Smoky Mountain Dreams series, acclaimed author Sandra Robbins spins a tender tale of God's faithfulness throughout the generations.

Rani Martin, Simon and Anna's only daughter, is a beautiful and spirited young woman living deep in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. She has plenty of ideas about the man she'll marry someday, but none of them could have prepared her for the return of Matthew Jackson.

Matthew left Cades Cove as a child after his father's death. Now he's come back to build a new life for himself, and it's his dearest wish that Rani be a part of that life. But the people of the Cove won't let him forget the sins of his father, and Matthew can't forget the darkness of his own past.

Is there a place for Matthew in the Cove? And can the light of Rani's love overcome his pain?







Product Details:
List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (March 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736948864
ISBN-13: 978-0736948869



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:





Cades Cove, Tennessee
June, 1914

Rani Martin stared through the cabin window at the Smoky
Mountains rising above the valley she loved. Usually the sight of the foggy mists curling around the hills made her happy. But try as she might, she couldn’t find anything to cheer her up today.

There had to be something that would take away the misery gnawing in the pit of her stomach. Poppa always told her she could do anything she set her mind to, but she didn’t know how she could be happy about losing the best friend any girl could ever have.

After today, there would be no reason for her to visit this cabin. Tomorrow Josie Ferguson and her husband, Ted, would load their belongings in their wagon, take their baby, and do what many of their friends and neighbors had already done—move out of Cades Cove. Josie, the one she’d shared secrets with all her life, would be gone, and Rani would be left behind with only memories of her best friend since childhood.

She didn’t understand what any of the folks who’d left the Cove were thinking. How could they leave the most beautiful place on God’s good earth?

It was springtime, the best time of year in the Cove. The winter snow had melted and the mountain laurel was in bloom. It wouldn’t be long before rhododendrons dotted the mountainsides and azaleas reappeared on Gregory’s Bald. This year, however, Josie wouldn’t be with her to share the wonder of the Cove coming back to life after a hard winter.

To Rani the prospect of living anywhere except the mountain valley where she’d been born scared her. She’d had an opportunity to see what existed in the outside world when she spent a year attending school while living with Uncle Charles in Maryville. It had been enough to convince her that life wasn’t nearly as good anywhere else as it was in the Cove. But others didn’t share her thoughts, and they’d left. And now Josie was going too.

With a sigh she turned back to the task she’d abandoned moments ago, helping pack up the kitchen utensils. Her throat constricted as she pulled the cake plate she and her mother had given Josie from the kitchen cupboard. She wrapped her fingers around the pierced handles and stared down at the hand-painted red and yellow roses on the delicate china dish. She’d thought it the most beautiful plate she’d ever seen when she first spied it at the store in Pigeon Forge.

Tears filled her eyes, and she loosened her grip with one hand so she could trace the gold band on the fluted rim. “I can’t believe it’s been three years since your wedding.”

Josie Ferguson bit down on her lip and nodded. “Ted’s always said this was his favorite of all our wedding gifts. It reminds him of the molasses cake your mother let him and his sister help make the day George was born.”

“I’ve heard Mama tell that story so many times. But she has one about every baby she’s helped deliver.”

“She’s been a blessing to the women she’s helped birth their babies. Everybody loves Anna Martin.” Josie’s eyes grew wide. “And of course your father too. I don’t think I can ever love another pastor like I do your pa. I’ve listened to him on Sundays ever since I can remember.”

“But you won’t be there anymore.” Rani set the plate down on the table and glanced at the baskets and tubs scattered across the kitchen floor. Pots, pans, and cooking utensils protruded above their sides. The tears she’d been holding back poured down her face, and she covered her eyes with her fingers. “First my brother decides to spend the summer at Uncle Robert’s farm in Strawberry Plains instead of coming home from school, then my cousin Annie gets married and moves to Townsend. Now you’re going too. What will I do with all of you gone? I’m going to feel so alone.”

“No, you won’t.”

Rani dug her fists into her eyes to stop the tears and gritted her teeth. “Why couldn’t Stephen have come home when school was out at Milligan College instead of spending the summer on Uncle Robert’s farm?”

Josie propped her hands on her hips and tilted her head to one side. “You know why.”

“Yeah,” Rani sighed. “He didn’t want to hear Poppa talk to him all summer about following in his footsteps. I don’t know why Poppa can’t see that Stephen doesn’t feel led to preach even though he agreed to that year at Milligan College. He wants to go to medical school. Of course that’s what Mama wants too. I’m glad they don’t have that problem with me. I don’t want to live anywhere but right here in Cades Cove…even if I am going to be alone.”

Josie rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Like I said, you won’t be alone. You’ll have your ma and pa, and Stephen will be here for a visit in July.” Josie wrapped her arms around Rani’s shoulders and hugged her close. “I’m the one who’s going to be alone. I won’t know anybody over at Townsend. You know Ted never has taken to farming, and there’s nothing else for him in the Cove. His new job pays real good. They’re going to furnish us a house too.”

Rani drew back in shock and gaped at Josie. “House? Have you seen what that high and mighty Little River Logging Company calls houses? I went with Poppa to Townsend last month, and I couldn’t believe what the workers were living in. They call them setoff houses because they bring them in on railroad cars and set them off on the hillsides or even right next to the railroad. They’re nothing more than one-room shacks with tar paper roofs. When the lumber company gets through cutting all the trees in one place, they load the houses onto a train and ship them to the next spot for their workers.”

Josie’s lip trembled, and her forehead wrinkled. “I know.” Her voice was almost a whisper. “But what can I do, Rani? Ted is my husband. We have to go where he can find work.”

Rani gazed past Josie to the cradle in the next room. “I can’t stand to think about you living in one of those things, especially now since you have a baby. Can’t you convince Ted to stay in Cades Cove? This is the only life you know.”

Josie pulled the corner of her apron up and wiped her eyes. She took a deep breath. “We’ll be fine. I’ll come back to visit, and you can come to Townsend to see me.”

Rani snorted and shook her head. “No thanks. I have no desire to share a one-room setoff house with you and your husband, not to mention your baby. I can’t believe Ted would be so disloyal to the Cove to go work for a company that’s trying to destroy our mountains.”

“Are you accusing my husband of turning his back on his friends?” Josie’s eyes flared and grew dark with anger.

Rani had seen that look before and realized she’d gone too far. She really needed to follow her mother’s advice and not be so outspoken about the company she thought was using the Smokies as a quick way to make money. Her opinion of Little River Lumber differed from that of many who’d left to work for the logging company. Now she had sounded like she believed Ted to be a traitor to his friends.

She reached out and grasped Josie’s arm. “I’m sorry, Josie. I didn’t mean to criticize Ted. It’s just that I’ve been so upset over what Little River’s doing to our mountains. Colonel Townsend has bought 86,000 acres of forest land all the way from Tuckaleechee to Clingman’s Dome. I don’t care if he does own the company, he’s a foolish man. They’re cutting every tree in their path. If somebody doesn’t stop them, the Smokies will end up as barren hillsides.”

Josie waved her hand in dismissal. “As usual, you’re being overly dramatic. That’s not going to happen. Like I said before, they pay well, and we need the money. End of discussion.”

Rani opened her mouth to respond, but the set of Josie’s jaw told her it would be useless. With a sigh, she picked up the cake plate from the table and handed it to Josie. “I hope you’ll think of me every time you use this.”

Josie took the plate and clasped it in her hands like she held a priceless treasure. For the first time Rani caught a glimpse of fear in Josie’s eyes, and the truth struck her. Josie didn’t want to leave Cades Cove, but she had no choice.

“I will,” Josie whispered. “I wanted this to be the last thing I packed. After all, you’re my best friend.”

Rani burst into tears and threw her arms around Josie. “We’re more than best friends. I think of you as the sister I never had. ”

“Me too.” Josie pulled back and wiped at the corner of her eyes. “But you know we could really be sisters.”

Josie’s words shattered the mood of moments ago and swept all the sadness from Rani’s mind. She took a step backward and wagged her finger in Josie’s direction. “Oh no. Don’t start that again.”

“Why not? George is crazy about you. All he talks about is how he wants to marry you, and you won’t give him any encouragement. If you married him, we’d be family. Sisters-in-law.”

Rani couldn’t believe they were having this conversation again. “I’ve told you at least a hundred times that George is a good friend, but I don’t love him. Even if I did, I don’t think I’d marry him.”

A skeptical expression crossed Josie’s face. “What’s the matter? Isn’t he good looking enough for you?”

Rani’s mouth gaped open at the ridiculous suggestion. “Oh, Josie, you know I would never think that. The truth is George is the youngest child in his family, and he’s spoiled rotten. If he doesn’t get his way, he sulks for days. I wouldn’t want a husband that I have to coddle and give in to all the time.”

Josie dropped her gaze to the cake plate she held and wrapped a burlap sack around it before she tucked it in the side of one of the baskets. “I have to admit you’re right. As a matter of fact, Ted told me George had an awful argument with his pa the other night. It seems he’s upset because he’s going to be left behind in the Cove after we leave.”

Rani held up her hands in exasperation. “You see what I mean. George can only see what he wants. He doesn’t realize what a great opportunity he has to work with his father on one of the best farms in the Cove.”

“But, Rani, you know he’s in love with you. That ought to be enough to make him a good husband.”

“Maybe it would be for somebody else, but not for me. I’m just eighteen years old. I have plenty of time to think about getting married. When I do, it’s going to be because I love a man so much my heart aches when I’m away from him.”

Josie turned to Rani and propped her hands on her hips. “Yeah, you’ve always had those romantic ideas. I think it must come from all those stories about how hard it was for your pa to get your mother to marry him.” She leaned closer to Rani. “Well, for those of us who don’t have a great love like that happen in our lives, we have to settle for the next best thing. It’s not like there’s a lot of men to choose from in the Cove. Being married to George is better than ending up an old maid.”

Rani flinched at Josie’s words. She remembered how Josie had cried four years ago when Charlie Simmons left the Cove, bound for California. At the time she’d thought it was because he was Ted’s friend. Now she wasn’t so sure. “Is that what you did, Josie? You settled for the next best thing?”

Josie’s face drained of color, and she put her hand to her throat. “Rani, I didn’t mean…”

“What’s goin’ on in here?”

At the sound of her husband’s voice at the back door Josie’s body stiffened, and she glanced over her shoulder. Rani’s heart lurched at the lack of expression on Josie’s face. She might very well have been looking at a stranger who’d come to her door instead of her husband. “I need to check on the baby,” she said, and hurried from the kitchen.

Ted Ferguson frowned and gazed after his wife as she hurried into the next room. His eyes darkened, and the look in his eyes told Rani he longed for something he would never have from Josie. After a moment he took a deep breath and smiled at her. “You two havin’ another one of your friendly arguments?”

Rani forced a laugh from her throat and wiped her eyes. “No argument. We’re just a little emotional over the two of you leaving the Cove. It seems all my friends are taking off for different places. My family may be the only one left before long.”

Ted shook his head. “Naw, you won’t be. They’ll have to drag my pa out of the Cove to get him to leave. He says he intends to be buried at the church he’s gone to all his life.”

“That’s what my pa says too.” Rani picked up the empty basket sitting on the table. “I left you some fried chicken and a fresh loaf of bread that Mama sent. She thought you might get hungry on your way to Townsend tomorrow.”

“She always thinks about other folks. Tell her I’m mighty obliged, and I hope I see her soon.”

“I will.”

Ted followed Rani into the next room where Josie was holding her son. No one spoke for a moment, then Josie swallowed and handed the baby to Ted. “Take care of Jimmy a minute while I walk Rani out.”

As Rani stepped onto the front porch, she glanced down at her dog lying next to the door. She snapped her fingers, and he jumped to his feet. He shook his shaggy body, wagged his tail, and awaited her command. It was so easy to communicate with animals. Give them love, feed them well, and reward them for good behavior, and they’d do anything you asked. Too bad people weren’t like that.

Josie had a husband who did all that for her, but today Rani had discovered the secret Josie had kept so well hidden—she would never be able to return Ted’s love. Rani didn’t want to end up like that.

With a sigh, she reached down and stroked her dog’s head. “Good boy, Scout. You did what I said. Now let’s go home.”

With Scout at her heels, she and Josie walked to the road that ran in front of the cabin. As they neared the edge of the yard, Rani turned to Josie. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you too. We’re leaving early in the morning. So I guess I won’t see you again. I hope you will come visit me in Townsend. We’ll make room.”

Rani nodded. “We’ll see. You take care of yourself. And Ted and little Jimmy too.”

Josie smiled, but Rani could see the tears she was fighting to control. “Goodbye, Rani.”

Rani started to speak, but the words froze in her throat. She pressed her lips together and hugged her friend before she turned and started the long walk home. Scout trotted along beside her, and she didn’t look back. She wanted to, but she didn’t think she could stand the sight of Josie watching her walk away.

She glanced down at the dog and smiled. “Well, Scout, it’s a two-mile walk home. Do you think you can make it?”

The dog stared up at her and yelped a reply without breaking his stride.

“I think I can too.”

She didn’t mind walking. It had always been her way of getting around the Cove, and it gave her time to think. Today she had a lot to mull over. Her discovery about Josie’s feelings that she had settled for the next best thing still bothered her. She’d never imagined that Josie might have been in love with someone else.

Now that she thought back to four years ago, she remembered Josie seeming happy all summer. At the time, all she would say was that she’d had her first kiss and was in love. Rani thought it had to be Ted because he had been in love with Josie for years. But it must have been Charlie Simmons, and things hadn’t worked out. And soon after Charlie’s departure from the Cove, Josie had agreed to marry Ted after putting him off for so long.

Today she had learned the truth. Josie had settled for something—someone—she didn’t want. How could she have done that? She must have thought she was doing the right thing, but she’d been wrong. And she was wrong about something else. Being an old maid wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to a woman. To Rani’s way of thinking, being married to someone you didn’t love was far worse.

She squared her shoulders, clenched her fists at her side, and looked down at Scout. “I promise you, Scout, I will never settle for second best, even if it means I never get married.”







From the moment he rode into Cades Cove a peace like he hadn’t experienced in years came over Matthew Jackson. He pulled his horse to a stop and breathed in the sweet scent of mountain laurel drifting on the air. It smelled like home. He was back where his heart had remained.

Had it really been twenty years since he left the Cove? He closed his eyes and tried to recall every memory of the days following the death of his drunkard father. Even now the thought of the life he, his mother, and his little brother had endured made the old anger he’d tried to bury resurface. With his father drunk most of the time, survival had been hard. But his mother had seen to it that there was always food on the table. Then their lives had taken a turn for the worse when a tavern brawl had ended with his father lying dead of a gunshot wound.

Matthew had been almost ten years old at the time, but overnight he became the man of the family. He’d turned to a newcomer in the Cove, Anna Prentiss. Of course she was Anna Martin now. But to him she’d always be the angel who’d found a place for his family to live and had seen they were taken care of.

He even remembered the last words he’d spoken to her the day they left the Cove. She stood beside the wagon loaded with his family’s few belongings, and he’d said, “I’ll be back here someday.” And now, thanks to the money he’d saved working for the Little River Company, he had returned with the deed to his old homestead in his pocket.

But would the people of the Cove welcome the return of Luke Jackson’s son? His father had been a troublemaker and a bully, not to mention an abuser of his wife and children. The sturdy mountain folks didn’t have time for a man who didn’t take care of his family. As his mother used to say, people have long memories, and he was sure they could recall every one of his father’s misdeeds. Now he was about to see if those memories had labeled him a ne’er-do-well like his father.

He could count on one hand the folks who would welcome him back. Simon and Anna Martin. Granny Lawson. They were the ones who made his childhood bearable, and he could hardly wait to see them. But first things first. He had to go to the place where he was born and fulfill a promise he’d made to his dying mother fifteen years ago.

He’d leaned close to her frail, fever-ridden body to catch her last words spoken in that familiar mountain twang: “When you git back to the Cove, see if    ’n my mountain laurel bush is still there, the one yore pa planted for me when we was first married.”

After all the heartache his father had put her through, she still held to the memory of the early days of her marriage when she’d been so happy. Even now the thought of how her eyes had sparkled for a moment, reliving a happier time, made him feel as if a hammer had crushed his heart. His mother and little Eli, his brother. Gone too soon.

He cleared his throat and swiped at his eyes. No need to think about those things now. This was homecoming day, but it was different from what he’d dreamed about when he was a boy. He’d come back alone.

Straightening in the saddle, he spurred the horse forward and concentrated on the road twisting through the valley he loved. All around him were the sights and sounds he’d longed for, but he focused on getting home and seeing the place he’d left twenty years ago.

When he pulled the horse to a halt at what had once been the cabin where he’d lived, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. It was worse than he’d expected. The skeleton of a cabin sat near the tulip poplar tree he’d climbed as a boy—bigger now than he remembered. The house’s roof had long ago succumbed to the forces of nature and had caved in. A few timbers marked the spot where it had once been. Weeds grew across what had once been a yard.

Even in its best days the cabin hadn’t been much, but it could have been if his father had concentrated on making a life for his family instead of spending his time in a drunken stupor. The old hatred welled up in his heart, and he whispered the plea he’d prayed every day since he could remember. “God, don’t let me be like him. Make me a better man.”

The promise he’d made his mother flashed into his mind, and he climbed down from the horse and tied the reins to a sapling. Taking a deep breath to slow his racing heart, he headed around the side of the house. Had the mountain laurel plant survived the years?

His gaze drifted to his feet, and a warning flickered in his head. The weeds along what used to be a path had been trampled. Someone else had passed this way not long ago.

With hesitant steps, he inched forward. The knee-high weeds swished against his legs. He caught sight of his mother’s plant that now towered higher than his head, and he stopped in amazement. It wasn’t the bloom-covered bush that made his breath catch in his throat. It was a young woman who appeared unaware of his presence. With her arms outstretched and her face turned up to the sun, she whirled in circles in front of the mountain laurel bush while saying something in a language he didn’t understand.

Her bare feet hammered the hardened earth around the plant in a pounding rhythm. Pink blooms from the mountain laurel bush ringed the top of her head and several more protruded from the mass of black hair that reached below her shoulders.

She moved with the grace and elegance of a queen, and he thought he had never seen anyone more beautiful. He tried to speak, to alert her she wasn’t alone, but he felt as if he had come under her spell and had been forbidden to move.

Suddenly the air crackled with frantic barking, and a dog emerged from the other side of the bush. His hackles raised, he positioned himself between Matthew and the girl. She jerked to a stop and stared at him, wide-eyed. The dog snarled and inched forward.

Her dark eyes narrowed, and with one snap of her fingers she quieted the dog. She didn’t move, and her arched eyebrow told him his company wasn’t welcomed. “Stay back, mister, or I’ll sic my dog on you.”

He glanced down at the dog, whose body still bristled as if he was ready to attack. “I don’t mean you any harm, miss.”

“Then why did you sneak up on me?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t. I stopped when I heard your voice. What were you saying?”

“Just some words I learned from a Cherokee woman.” She frowned and glanced past him. “Are you alone?”

“I am. I just rode into the Cove from Townsend.”

Her body stiffened, and her lips curled into a sneer. “Townsend? Are you with the Little River Company?”

“I have been.”

“It figures.” She spit the words at him as if they were distasteful. “We get a lot of Little River workers checking out the Cove. You people are always searching for another stand of timber to cut down, aren’t you?” She bent down, grabbed her discarded shoes, and slipped them on her feet. Then with her arms rigid at her sides and her fists clenched, she took a step toward him. “Well, you can go back and tell your bosses we don’t sell our land and our trees to outsiders who want to clear cut their way through the Smokies.”

The defiant look in her eyes shot daggers at him, and they felt as if they poked deep holes in his heart. This girl’s words echoed the fierce pride shared by all the Cove residents for this valley, his valley, the place he called home. He wanted to tell her he agreed with her, that all he wanted was to live again among the people he remembered. Instead, other words emerged from his lips. “I worked for their railroad, not the logging company.”

She shook her head, and one of the blooms tumbled to the ground. Her eyes widened, and she glanced up as if she’d forgotten she wore a crown of flowers. A flush covered her cheeks, and she yanked the blossoms from her thick hair. “They’re the same to me. Maybe you didn’t cut our trees, but you carried them away.”

Matthew swallowed hard. There was something so familiar about this girl. Her brown eyes, dark complexion, and the high cheekbones reminded him of someone. It wasn’t possible he could have met her before. She probably hadn’t even been born when he had left the Cove. But still, there was something. He took a step closer, and the dog growled. With a smile he stopped and held up his hands. “I’m not coming closer.”

“Good.” She sniffed and snapped her fingers again. “Let’s go, Scout. It’s time we got home.”

He didn’t move as she strode past him, her head held high and her dog at her side. He turned and watched her disappear around the side of what had once been his home. Her straight back and determined stride reminded him of the spirited mountain women he’d known. They attacked the harsh life in the Cove and planted the seed of unyielding loyalty to the land in their children. Just like his mother had done with him.

Someone had instilled that same devotion in this girl. He hoped he’d get to meet the person who had done that, for he had just encountered the fierce mountain pride that had ruled his life. And it thrived in the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.






**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Six Sisters' Stuff Blog Tour with Review!!

I have to tell you, I have found a new favorite book!! Six Sisters' Stuff is a book chock full of recipes, crafts, tips and so much more. I was unsure of how much I would use it but after I saw it I knew it would be on my keeper shelf. This is a book you will find yourself pulling out again and again. I know I sure have. Check it out!!


With busy schedules, after-school activities, late workdays and long commutes, is sitting down to a family dinner still possible? 
The authors of Six Sisters’ Stuff (Shadow Mountain, ISBN: 978-1-60907-324-4, $21.99, March 2013) say YES! 
In their debut cookbook, the sisters (yes, six biological sisters— Camille, Kristen, Elyse, Stephanie, Lauren, and Kendra) show families just how simple putting dinner on the table can be.  From Baked Chicken Fajitas to Slow Cooker Pot Roast Sliders to Mini Oreo Cheesecakes, Six Sisters’ Stuff has nearly 100 easy-to-follow recipes that use ingredients commonly found in your pantry.  Each recipe includes easy-to-follow instructions and photographs that eliminate any guess work.

Six Sisters’ Stuff evolved from the sisters’ blog SixSistersStuff.com, that began in February 2011 out of their love to cook, craft, and create. After years of living close to one another, they suddenly found themselves living in different parts of the country and used the blog to stay in touch and share ideas. In just two short years, SixSistersStuff.com has quickly become one of the most popular food and craft blogs, receiving on average 5 million page views per month, with over 130,000 Facebook fans and more than 190,000 Pinterest followers (as of 2/7/13).
Six Sisters’ Stuff also includes a collection of simple and inexpensive craft ideas – how to make hand puppets, felt bows, decorative wreaths, and more – plus lists of fun family activities for road trips, entertaining rainy-day ideas, healthy snack suggestions, and even some recommendations for cheap date nights. This family-focused cookbook is really more of an idea book to help families create fun, lasting memories together.


I am not really one of those who likes trying out new recipes. I like having recipes I can fix fast and easy. Often with a new recipes it takes you an extra 30 minutes because it is new. So I wanted to try some of these, but I wasn't too keen on the extra time I knew I was going to need. Well, I sat down and flipped through the book and the Mexican Enchilada Casserole just caught my eye. There were a lot to choose from and I was soo tempted to try several. Believe me, they are on the list for this coming week:) The family loves mexican food and this one looked easy to double and to cook as well. Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think.

THE MEAT MIXTURE

READY TO GO IN THE OVEN

JUST OUT OF THE OVEN

ALL READY TO DIG IN!!

Now, I did change things a little bit from the recipe in the book. I didn't have some things handy and other things were changed because I doubled it. Such as no corn and I used a larger dish so the tortillas were a bit different. I kind of did a puzzle out of them:) It was very easy to swap things out for what I had on hand. And I have to say, this meal was almost gone that night and I had one piece left for the next day at lunch. This was wolfed down by the whole family!! They loved it and I enjoyed how fast it was to prepare and how easy it was. I thought it would be quite a bit later for dinner but we were right on time. This is so easy to make it has definitely made it on my favorites list. 

Again, this book is one you will pull out over and over. Not only are there plenty of good recipes but also fun things to do, check-lists, etc. And many of the recipes are lightened a bit so you don't have to feel bad over what you are eating. I so enjoyed this new book and how well it was done. Pictures that make you want to eat the food and great advice! Loved Six Sisters' Stuff!!




**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**
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