A Quick and Easy GBP Giveaway!

Ok folks...I know it's been a while...again.  I'm awfully sorry I've been gone so very long!! 

This spring has flown by and I have been a very busy bee. Preparing for the end of the school year, wrapping up spring sports, Easter, Mothers Day, a few road trips to get some fresh spring air after a long winter and then....just when I was getting into the swing of things.... a computer virus!  Yes, again.  Believe it sister.  For weeks we have been without a computer.  I didn't realize how much I loved and could become distracted with my puter'.  Don't know what you've got til it's gone, lol!   Even my lil' notebook had the sniffles!

Well, unfortunately the post that I originally made for this giveaway was lost with all of the pictures that went with it....:( !! So very frustrating!  I was so itching to get this post up all month, it was such torture!  When I finally got my computer back all of my hardwork was gone...gone...gone!  I was upset to say the least.  But, the good news is that was the only thing that I lost, so I am very grateful!  Oh.... well,  "back to the drawing board"....and off I went to start again!

Well, what does this mean for all of you, you ask?  It means...another giveaway. 
Two at once to be exact. 

yes

Yippee!

Quick and Easy Christmas

Giveaway No. 1: 
Now you may think that it was hard to review a GBP christmas cookbook during the month of May right?  I first thought it might be also.  When I received this cookbook I grabbed a nice cold glass of homemade sweet tea and headed out to my front porch rocker for a spring time review of Gooseberry Patch's brand new Quick and Easy Christmas cookbook!   It was kind of strange really; me there basking in the sunlight, sitting amongst my freshly sprouting flower beds thumbing through a Christmas cookbook.

There were so many wonderful recipes in there though that could easily be adapted to the warmer months it occurred to me that I have sooo many GBP holiday cookbooks that I pack away until that time of year and only briefly go through picking my fav seasonal recipes for a particular season or holiday that I'm now ready to drag a few out on the next rainy summer afternoon and see which recipes I can use now.  Sometimes just changing a few ingredients can put a whole new twist on a recipe.

Well....
I found the most delish recipe in Quick and Easy Christmas that was easy to make, healthy, only a few ingredients (all on hand) and made in the crockpot!!!

Who wants to heat up their kitchen with the oven going in the warmer months to make delicious meals for their family?  Not me.  I try to cook mostly on the stovetop and grill all summer long. But this meal is perfect when you want to take a break from the usual summer meals and want something a little more filling.  It's also a great way to use up the summer surplus of Eggplant from your garden on a rainy summer's eve.  

Slow Cooker Baked Eggplant

by Megan Brooks

1 eggplant, peeled &  cut into 1" cubes

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, cut into 1" pieces

1 T. olive oil

16 -oz. can diced tomatoes

3T tomato sauce

1 T sugar

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1 t. dried oregano

optional:  1 T. capers, drained

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: Parmesan cheese

Combine eggplant, onions, celery, oil, undrained tomatoes, and tomato sauce in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low setting 3-4 hrs., until eggplant is tender. Stir in sugar, vinegar, oregano, and capers if using.  Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low setting 45 mins.- 1 hr., until heated through.  Garnish with parmesan cheese.  Makes 4-6 servings. 

I added sliced mushrooms instead of capers and served this with pasta on the side and a little parmesan sprinkled over it.  Easy and delicious!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now for dessert....

This next one was a big hit with my family and

a favorite of mine made easy without heating up the kitchen in the warm weather....

Fastest Cheesecake

by Erin Brock

8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided

1/4 c lemon juice

9" chcolate cookie crust

Garnish Whipped Cream, raspberry preserves

In a med. bowl, beat cheeses with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.  Gradually add half of the cond. milk, beating constantly.  When half of milk has been added, beat in lemon juice until smooth.  Beat in remaining cond. milk until smooth.  Pour over crust, cover and chill at least one hour.  Garnish with whipped cream and raspberry preserves to serve.  Makes 8-10 servings.

Ummmm....so good it hurts!  You're gonna want to eat the whole pie, but it's filling, just like cheesecake.  I thought this would be a great dessert to make while camping.  We have a small refridgerator in the camper and you don't have to bake it so this will be on the menu for the next camping trip. 

Giveaway No. 2

This one will be pulled out often in my house because I'm a quick and easy kinda momma in the kitchen now-a-days!

101 Easy Everyday Recipes

101 Easy Everyday Recipes

This book is filled with beautiful photographs that easily display the recipes (I like photos of the recipes, so I can visualize what I am making beforehand). And it is true to it's title....Quick and Easy...with a table of contents that reads Easy-Brezzy Breakfasts, Toss-Together Suppers, Dinner's in the oven, Sides in a Snap, and No-Fuss Desserts they should have thrown Great in the title too...

Now girls...I know what you're thinking....Watermelon and onions???  seriously?  But when I had a whole watermelon to eat up and I knew we would tire of it before finishing I found this recipe and decided to give it a try....and was pleasantly surprised!  It was really, really, good....and different...but so good!

Tangy Watermelon Salad

14c watermelon, cubed
1 red onion, halfed & thinly sliced
1 c. green onions, chopped
3/4 c. orange juice
5T red wine vinegar
2 T plus 1-1/2 t. honey
1 T green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 t salt
1/4 t EACH of pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard
3/4 c. oil

In large bowl, combine watermelon and onion; set aside. In a small bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, honey, green pepper & seasonings; slowly whisk in oil. Pour over watermelon mixture; toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. Serve w/ slotted spoon. Makes about 10 servings.

You are all not going to belive how this combination could be deliciously entertaining.  The sweet, with the savory combonation is really unique.  I loved it all the way home.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Next, I tried a B a n a n a s foster recipe for desert.
and I was so pleased with how quick this went together with only a few ingredients thrown into the crock pot (no watching) and tasted sooooo good!   This would be a nice addition to an ice cream social buffet.  On the other hand it is also fancy enough to serve as a quick and easy dessert to accompany a nice meal for company.

Bananas Foster

1/2 c. butter, meted

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

6 bananas, cut into 1 " slices

1/4 c. rum or 1/4 t. rum extract

Garnish: Vanilla ice cream

Stir together butter, brown sugar, bananas and rum/extract in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low setting for one hour.  Use a slotted spoon to place bananas into serving dishes.  Top with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with sauce from the slow cooker.  Makes 4 servings.

The Giveaway:

Because these are Quick and Easy recipe books, this will be a super speed, quick and easy giveaway as well.  I am also doing a double giveaway.

There is no time to waste now, this giveaway must go on. You are all going to be so excited.... these cookbooks are just GREAT!

To enter to win Quick and Easy Christmas:

 Please leave a comment here telling me your favorite summer recipe...this counts as one entry.  A post on your FB wall with a link to this post counts as a second entry. LEAVE A SECOND COMMENT HERE LETTING ME KNOW YOUR FACEBOOK LINK so I know you have  a total of two entries.  Of course you always have to be a FHCS follower to qualify.

To enter to win 101 Easy Everyday Recipes:

 Leave a comment on FHCS Facebook page under the Quick and Easy Giveaway Facebook post.  Giveaway entries close Saturday at Midnight, EST.  Winners will be chosen on Sunday, June 12th. 
So be Quick...Gooseberry Patch has made it easy!  You are going to LOVE these cookbooks gals!  Please visit Gooseberry Patch for more great recipes and cookbooks.  For those of you who simply want to purchase these great cookbooks then click HERE to go to Gooseberry Patch's site to purchase. 

Thanks for stoppin' on by gals!

Take care,
Dee