Creative Slow-Cooker Meals by Cheryl Moeller

Creative Slow-Cooker Meals by Cheryl Moeller takes a little different approach than other slow-cooker cookbooks I've used. The meal plans are designed for use with two slow-cookers. I was initially leary of having to use two cookers, but quickly realized that using two was not really necessary. Each meal plan is actually two recipes and it is perfectly acceptable to just make one of the recipes.

One of my favorite things about this particular slow-cooker book is that the majority of the recipes are on the simple side. There are some complex recipes that require technique, but for someone with basic, not professional, cooking skills (like me), these recipes are perfect. Despite the simple recipes, the meals I tried tasted great. The first meal I made was the Salsa Chicken on page 44. The flavor was delicious, though it did have quite a bite. I've already picked out more recipes to try once I make a trip to the grocery store.

Other things to love about this cookbook include:

• The basic slow-cooker cooking tips.
• Chapters of recipes for specialized diets: Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, Gluten-free.

The only complaint I had was really very minor and it was that some of the recipes seem better suited to the oven than the crock-pot. For example: Little Piggies in a Blanket. Why would I cook it in the slow-cooker for 1.5 to 2 hours when I can make it much more quickly in the oven? One of the main reasons I use slow-cookers is because the recipes generally require longer (minimum of four hours) and can cook while I'm away at work. Again, that is a very minor complaint and I definitely recommend Creative Slow-Cooker Meals by Cheryl Moeller as a great resource for anyone who loves to use the slow-cooker.

Click here to visit the First Wild Card Tour for Creative Slow-Cooker Meals by Cheryl Moeller and view a chapter of the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part of FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

FIRST Wild Card Tour: Creative Slow-Cooker Meals

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:

Cheryl Moeller

and the book:

Creative Slow-Cooker Meals:
Use Two Slow Cookers for
Tasty and Easy Dinners [Spiral-Bound]

Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Karri James, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cheryl Moeller is a seasoned mother and a standup comic. She is also a syndicated columnist with her own blog (www.momlaughs.blogspot.com) and contributes monthly to several online parent websites. Cheryl has coauthored two books on marriage with her husband and has written for www.mops.org and Marriage Partnership. Cheryl does comedy for parenting classes, MOPS groups, wedding or baby showers, church retreats, women’s conferences, and those in line at the grocery store.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the celebrated coauthor of The Marriage Miracle comes a new kind of cookbook and a new attitude toward planning meals. With an eye toward the whole menu, not just part of it, columnist Cheryl Moeller teaches cooks to use two crockpots to easily create healthy, homemade dinners.

Don’t worry about your dinner being reduced to a mushy stew. Each of the more than 200 recipes has been taste-tested at Cheryl’s table. Join the Moeller family as you dig into:

• Harvest-time Halibut Chowder
• Salmon and Gingered Carrots
• Mediterranean Rice Pilaf
• Indian Chicken Curry
• Apricot-Pistachio Bread
• Shrimp Creole
• Rhubarb Crisp

... and many more! Perfect for the frazzled mom who never has enough time in the day, Creative Slow-Cooker Meals gives readers more time around the table with delicious, healthy, frugal, and easy meals!

Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Spiral-bound: 272 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736944915
ISBN-13: 978-0736944915


AND NOW...THE FIFTH CHAPTER (click on pages to enlarge):

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

The death of her father changed Annabel Chapman's life drastically. Unable to pay her family's debts and unwilling to marry the much older Baliff Tom, Annabel is forced into indentured servitude to the gruff Lord Ranulf le Wyse. Her intention is become a nun after serving her term under Ranulf, but as she encounters Ranulf, she finds herself sometimes pleasantly surprised. As Annabel struggles with her feelings, she witnesses an incident that could place Ranulf in danger. Will the truth preserve or destroy their lives? Is Annabel willing to give up her dream in exchange for an uncertain future?

The Merchant's Daughter is the first book I've read by Melanie Dickerson and I'll definitely be looking for more. Maybe it is because the story has a less common sort of historical setting, but I loved the setting and it was part of what really hooked my attention, even before the characters and storyline did. All characters were authentic, which is something important to me when I'm reading a book. The romance, struggles and action created a charming story. I would definitely read The Merchant's Daughter again.

I'm not sure why this was categorized as Young Adult (YA) Fiction. Annabel Chapman is a young woman, but I think this book could appeal to far more than the YA market – historical romance, historical fiction, romantic fiction. I recommend to anyone looking for a clean historical romance.

Click here to read an excerpt from The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson.
 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced reading copy of this book free from Zondervan Publishers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

Alexia Allen is a stong, competent firefighter. So when she finds herself under investigation and on leave, she makes the difficult decision to visit her estranged mother and attend her high school reunion. Upon her return home, she finds a dying man in her mother's home and she is suddenly the person of interest in his murder investigation. It's not the first time this town has looked on her with suspicion and the past still haunts her. When Detective Hunter Graham seems to take a personal interest in keeping her under supervision, Alexia balks, but soons comes to appreciate his protection when further incidents arise. Will Alexia be able to clear herself of present and past suspicions? Will her budding romance with Hunter survive the accusations, incidents and danger?

Lynette Eason is one of my favorite authors for Christian suspense/romance novels. When the Smoke Clears is the first book in the Deadly Reunions series and it did not disappoint. Eason's flawless writing combined with the mystery and suspense aspects of the plot kept me hooked throughout the whole story. Alexia's character was complex, well-developed and authentic. The story had plenty of closure and yet the epilogue now has me awaiting the next installment in the series. I recommend this book if you are looking for an inspirational, contemporary romance with plenty of suspense.

Available February 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."