Better Brownies & Lemonade Chicken {Gooseberry Patch Rush Hour Recipes}

It's that time again for another tasty Early Bird Review from my friends at Gooseberry Patch. This months cookbook review is for "Rush Hour Recipes". This cookbook is for moms on the go and for cooks that don't have a whole lot of time to get dinner on the table. Rush Hour Recipes has over 230 budget- friendly meals your entire family will love.

I'm a busy mom just like you so this cookbook was made for moms like us. Whether you're a working mom, stay at home, or just someone who's always on the go. We all struggle with the same thing, getting a quick tasty meal on the table. Sometimes the same old rotation meals can get a bit boring.

Most of the dishes in Rush Hour recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Plus they don't use any fancy schmancy ingredients. Just familiar pantry staples that everyone has on hand. Dinner time just got so much easier my friends.

My first recipe to test was for Lemonade Chicken on page 90. This recipe comes from Kathy Werner of Minneola, FL. Kathy says that everyone loves this chicken dish. Her girls are all grown up now, but this was one of the first recipes she gave them.

This chicken dish is sweet and tangy all rolled into one. It gets it's lemon flavor from lemonade concentrate and it's sweetness from brown sugar and ketchup. We really enjoyed this dish. Next time I want to cut my chicken pieces smaller so it is more like the lemon chicken you find in Chinese restaurants.

The next recipe of choice was a dessert of course. I was intrigued by the Better than Brownies from page 215. Goodness how can you go wrong with a chocolate cake mix, cook and serve chocolate pudding,chocolate chips and nuts!!! That is a deadly combination my friends.

When the brownies were all cooked up it was more like a brownie cake to me. Moist and delicious the chocolate chips and nuts really took this dessert over the top. My family polished off these chocolaty brownies in 2 days.

Rush Hour Recipes has 6 delicious chapters to choose from. Slow Cookers and Make a Meal Sides was my absolute two favorite chapters. I have so many pages bookmarked for future use. Here is a sample of a few that I have saved.

Mexican Manicotti
Spanish Rice & Beef
Chicken on a Stick
Easy Peasy Pork Chops
Swedish Meatballs
Sausage Bean Gumbo
Dinner Theater Dessert & More

I don't want to forget to mention all the beautiful quotes and tips each recipe page has. I think that is what makes all the Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks so special. There's always a new tip or trick that I learn from every cookbook.


Still not sure about Rush Hour Recipes? Click on the video above and take a virtual tour of GP latest cookbook with Vickie and Jo Ann. The deep dish skillet pizza featured in the video looks really good and so easy to make. The Better Than Brownie recipe is also mentioned in the video. I guess it was a favorite of theirs too.

This Giveaway Has Ended. Congrats to Stacey Henning.

I wanted to let everyone know that Gooseberry Patch has been kind enough to send me an additional copy to share with one of my readers. Thank you Gooseberry Patch! If you can't wait to get your hands on a copy of Rush Hour Recipes you don't have to.

Right now you can order a copy from Amazon Books for $10.71. Which just so happens to be an awesome price. Would you like to get your hands on a free copy of this fabulous cookbook? Well you can! Just follow the rules below to find out how you can win a copy of Rush Hour Recipes.

How To Enter The Giveaway:
Just leave a comment on this post answering this question. What is your biggest dilemma when it comes to dinner time? (mandatory entry) For me it's trying not to make the same old dishes. I always have my favorite rotation meals, but they can get old.

Additional Entries:
You can do any or all of the following for extra entries. Please leave a separate comment for each one.

1. Become a Fan of Gooseberry Patch on Face book. When you have done that, return to this post and leave a separate comment letting me know that you are a fan.
2. Join Gooseberry Patch "Circle of Friends" so you can stay Gooseberry Patch updated.
3. Become a fan of Mommy's Kitchen on Face book. (If you're already a fan that counts too)
4. Mention this giveaway on your face book page. Come back and leave a comment telling me so.
5. Become a New Google Follower to Mommy Kitchen (left side of my blog page)
6. Tweet the following for another entry: Win a copy of @gooseberrypatch Rush Hour Recipes @mommyskitchen http://tinyurl.com/8xdcpbj #giveaway

Last day to enter this giveaway will be at Midnight on January 16Th, 2011 (CST). I will pick a random winner using random.org and announce the winner on this blog, face book and twitter. Good Luck everyone. Contest open to U.S & Canadian Residents only due to shipping charges. Winner had 48 hours to reply to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen.

If you leave an anonymous comment please include your email address in your comment. That way I can contact you in the event that you're the winner. Believe me when I tell you an anonymous reader almost always wins but never actually gets chosen for lack of leaving contact information.

Disclosure: Gooseberry Patch provided me with a copy of " Rush Hour Recipes" for the purpose of this review. They also provided me with an additional copy to use in a reader giveaway. With that being said the opinions & comments stated above are entirely my own. I would like to thank Gooseberry Patch for choosing Mommy's Kitchen as a "Early Bird Reviewer" .

Lemonade Chicken

8 - 10 chicken tenderloins
1/2 - cup all purpose flour
1 - teaspoon salt
1 to 2 - tablespoons oil
6 - oz frozen lemonade concentrate
3 - tablespoons brown sugar
3 - tablespoons ketchup
1 - teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 - tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 - cup cold water

Dredge chicken in flour mixed with salt. In a skillet over medium heat , cook chicken in oil until golden brown; drain. Transfer chicken to a slow cooker. mix lemonade, brown sugar, ketchup and vinegar; pour over chicken. I added about 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the mixture.

Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken to a platter; keep warm. Whisk cornstarch into cold water; add to juices in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting to desired sauce consistency, about 15 minutes. Serve chicken with sauce.


Better Than Brownies

1 - 3.4 oz package cook & serve chocolate pudding mix
2 - cups milk
1 - 18.5 oz chocolate cake mix, dry
1 - cup chocolate chips
1 - cup nuts

Prepare dry pudding with milk according to package directions.; Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in dry cake mix. 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.

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