Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Amy Newmark (Review and Giveaway)

Closed.  Congrats to: Apple Blossom, Sunnie and Diana


 

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul; Original edition (November 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935096788
• ISBN-13: 978-1935096788
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches

Summary:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love will stir up those delectable feelings and memories that certain aromas and tastes always bring. Readers will relish in the succulent and tasty stories on how love and food together played a flavorful part in life, leaving them with a divine aftertaste and a pungent yearning to read more.

My Thoughts:

When I first received this book to review, I was excited to see that it contained recipes.  I love sharing recipes with others, and also trying out recipes that have been passed down within families, and that are tried and true.  I have not been disappointed yet with the books I have read from the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series.  And, seeing that they combined my love for reading inspirational stories and recipes, I knew this title would be a winner.  So, after I was done reading The Barefoot Executive this weekend, I buried my nose into this book, after putting the girls down for bed.  Usually I pick and choose stories to read from these types of books, but this time I couldn't.  I love when people write about food, and the added recipes at the end of most of these personal stories, had me folding down pages, so that I can go back and try out these recipes.  This book is jam packed with recipes that will make your mouth water.  Just be sure you don't read this book on an empty stomach -- as it will just be cruel punishment. :-)

Since reading the book over the weekend, I spent the better part of Sunday and Monday trying out a few recipes, so that I could include as part of my review of this book.  I ended up making an apple walnut coffee cake (page 152), Papo's tomato soup (page 214-15) and for last night's dinner, Hamburger Splatter (page 175).  Each of these recipes were quick and easy to make.  I especially loved the Hamburger Splatter dish, and the story behind it.  Growing up, I was never a fan of mustard, and would hate it when my parents would add it to hotdogs and hamburgers.  On a few occasions, my mom would blend it into other recipes that called for it, unbenounced to me.  It wasn't until I was older and asked her for a few of these recipes, that I saw she had added prepared yellow mustard.  At first, I thought she was joking about this ingredient being part of these dishes, until I prepared the dishes with her and saw her add this ingredient in.  How could she have fooled me all those years?  Why didn't I taste the mustard?  Like the author, now whenever I make their family favorites for my family, I laugh and smile when I add in the mustard, thinking back to when my mom would sneak this much hated ingredient in, behind my back.

If you love cooking, reading about food or other people's traditions, which usually center around the dinner table, then you will love this book from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.  It was hard to choose a favorite story from the 101 that are included in this book.  I loved how people shared special moments with their family and friends with the reader, as well as included family favorite recipes that coincided with these memories.  Thinking back on my childhood, many special memories centered around the holidays and spending time with family, while enjoying a good meal. There are some dishes, especially desserts, that I can still see and smell, when I reminisce.  And, now that I have a family of my own, I can't wait to get in the kitchen and cook with my girls and create some lasting memories, that they will want to share with their children someday!

---BUY NOW---

You can by this Chicken Soup for the Soul title, as well as others at your local bookseller, as well as online at Amazon.com.  Right now, Amazon has this title for only $10.91.

--GIVEAWAY--

Three (3) lucky readers will win a copy of this Chicken Soup for the Soul book, to enjoy and share with family and friends.  To enter, please complete the MANDATORY ENTRY first, and then as many EXTRA ENTRIES as you like.  Make sure you include your email address with each comment, so that I can contact you if you win.  Good luck!

MANDATORY ENTRY:
What has been your favorite Chicken Soup for the Soul title from this inspirational series?  And, why?

EXTRA ENTRIES:

(Please leave separate entries for each, along with your email address)

 

1) Subscribe to my blog via email (1 entry)

2) Follow me on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Vote for Inspired by Savannah on Startup Nations 2012 Leading Moms Competition --You can vote one time per day (2 entries)

4) Enter any of my other giveaways, leaving a comment with the name of the giveaway (1entry per giveaway entered)

5) Blog about this giveaway. It must include a link to this specific post, as well as a link to my blog, http://ctmomreviews.blogspot.com/. (In your comment, please leave a link directly to your post – 3 Entries)

6) Follow me on Twitter (1entry)

7) Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry per tweet, per day; please include link to tweet in comment below)

Enter to #win a Copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love (3 Winners) @rmccoy1234 http://ctmomreviews.blogspot.com/ #giveaway (Ends 3/20)

8) Vote for me on picket fence blogs (See button on right side of blog -- One entry per vote, per day; Note: You can only your one vote per day on ONE giveaway; duplicate comments on other giveaways on the same day with be void)

9) Add to a Giveaway Linky site (5 entries)

 

Open to US residents only -- NO PO BOXES. Giveaway ends on March 20, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. I will then use Random.org to choose a winner. Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond to my email to claim prize. If I don't hear back from selected winner, I will draw another winner. 

Disclosure:  I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.