"Rush-Hour Recipes" Review and GIVEAWAY!

Hey there, buds! Today I will show you a sneak-peek at Gooseberry Patch's new cookbook, "Rush-Hour Recipes."

I am so glad that I was selected to review this cookbook. As the cover says, it contains, "More than 230 quick-to-fix dinner recipes your family will love...even slow-cooker meals and potluck dishes!" Awesome. Exactly what I need! The six sections are: 5-Ingredient Favorites; One-Dish Dinners; Slow Cookers to the Rescue; Soup's On!; Make-A-Meal Sides; and Speedy Potluck & Party Foods. I selected three recipes to test, and I'm including them here. The first one I tried was "Tomato & Chicken Penne." (please note: Although I am reprinting the original recipe, I cut the amounts in half. Except for the garlic, I used that full-strength!)

(I don't need the casserole dish for this recipe...but I couldn't resist showing it here. A Christmas gift from Dave's brother and sister-in-law. Isn't it great??)

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz. package penne pasta, uncooked
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (I used Roasted Garlic and Onion flavored)
1/2 Cup fresh basil chopped, or 1 tsp. dried basil
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
8-oz. package shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; saute for one minute.

Stir in tomatoes and basil; continue cooking for two minutes.

Add chicken to skillet. Simmer for about five minutes, until heated through.

Transfer mixture in skillet to a large serving bowl; toss with pasta and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

VERDICT:  Yummy, easy and quick. I poached two chicken breasts, but if you have leftover roast chicken, even quicker. I topped each serving with grated parmesan cheese, which added a lot to the flavor. I will certainly make this again! Got the thumbs-up from all who ate it! (Oh, and yes, there are some rotini mixed in there. I didn't have quite enough penne.)

OK, on to the next recipe! Here is one I couldn't resist making..."Better Than Brownies."

INGREDIENTS: 
3.4-oz. package cook & serve chocolate pudding mix
2 Cups milk (I used 2%)
18-1/2 oz. package chocolate cake mix
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup chopped nuts (I left these out)

Prepare dry pudding mix with milk according to package directions; cook until slightly thickened.

 From lumpy to smooth!

Remove from heat. Stir in dry cake mix. (Careful, don't make a mess, like I did!)

Spread batter in a greased 13" x 9" baking pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cool; cut into squares. Makes about 2 dozen.

VERDICT: I was wondering what this would be more like, cake or brownies. I think it can best be described as a very fudgy cake! Delish. I really like the addition of the chocolate chips on top. This was VERY simple to make and really good too!

The last recipe I chose for this review is "Sauteed Greens & Warm Pecan Dressing."

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard
2 tsps. honey
1/2 Cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsps. canola or olive oil
1 to 2 bunches kale, spinach or Swiss chard, chopped (I used one bunch of green Swiss chard.)

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, honey, and pecans; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add greens and toss until well coated with oil. (It looks like a lot, but it cooks down quite a bit.)

Cook and stir until greens are wilted but still bright green. (Just enough for two of us now!)

Add vinegar mixture to skillet, stirring lightly. Cook for about one minute and serve immediately. Serves 6.

VERDICT: I chose this recipe because Dave and I really enjoy sauteed greens; I usually just use olive oil and garlic, so it was great to try something different. The pecans add such a great flavor ~ and the sweetness of the honey, the tang of the vinegar, and the spiciness of the mustard give this dish a tremendous taste.

"Rush-Hour Recipes" is a great addition to my cookbook library. As always, I *love* the sprinklings of helpful facts and tips throughout the book...for example, "Oversize cookie bars are tempting, but for a change, slice them into one-inch squares and set them in frilly paper candy cups. Guests will feel free to sample 'just a bite' of several different treats." I also like that idea for portion control!

Would you like to win a copy of "Rush-Hour Recipes?" To enter, please leave a comment on this post by Monday, January 16th. I will use the random-number-generator-thingy to select a winner. As always, if your email address is not linked/included, I will have to omit your entry. So please make sure I have it! If you'd like to purchase it now, you can do so here!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my review!

♥ Jen