The I Hate To Cook Book Review & Giveaway...

I don't technically hate to cook.  Technically.  I want to be a good cook but I just find myself getting busy with the kids and forgetting that cooking generally takes time and effort.  Ugh.  So, technically, I don't hate to cook but I am short on time and effort which is why I was super excited to read and review The I Hate to Cook Book.

The I Hate To Cook Book was actually written and released back in 1960 by Peg Bracken.  The copy I received is the 50th Anniversary Edition of this American Classic.  Here is a bit of the forward by Peg's daughter, Jo Bracken...


The I Hate to Cook Book was born from a group of professional women who would have been much happier sipping martinis with their husbands than spending the cocktail hour in the kitchen, slaving over a hot stove.....The reason The I Hate to Cook Book is still as timely as it is now as it was in 1960 is because, simply put, it will make you smile, it will make you laugh, and you can do that while whipping up a meal that your family will enjoy an still find time to run a few miles or enjoy that glass of wine while you watch the sun set. 

Sign me up!  Who doesn't want more time to do the things we love but still be able to nourish our families?  I couldn't wait to start reading. 

First of all, this book is a riot. There are funny little gems peppered throughout like "your husband won't take you out for enchilada's if he knows he can get a good enchilada at home" or (about those who like cook) "invite us over and often but stay away from our husbands".  I found myself cracking up before I even got to the recipes!  Now for the recipes....in 1960 people were not thinking about cholesterol or heart disease or the obesity epidemic so lots of these recipes are heavy on the "heavy".  To me this pretty much means delicious but you can, if you wish, replace some of the higher fat items with their lower fat counterparts. 

The books are broken up into sections like "30 Day-by-Day Entrees or The Rock Pile", "Potluck Suppers or How to Bring the Water for the Lemonade" and "Last-Minute Suppers or This is the Story of Your Life".  See what I mean about funny??  Nice to see that some things are still just as humorous 50 years later! 

I found a bunch of recipes I want to try out in this book and they all look quick and easy not to mention tasty!  Some on the top of my list?  Dr. Martin's Mix (a sausage dish over rice invented by a busy doctor), Pedro's Special (a steak dish with tomato, beans and corn chips) and Cockeyed Cake (a homemade chocolate cake you can whip up in 5.5 minutes!).  These are only the beginning of what I want to try from the 200 recipes in this timeless cookbook.  There is also a section on household hints that will make you laugh and reminisce (put a towel under a typewriter as you pound on the keys to make it less noisy!) or things that are still good to know (apply a sliced onion to a bee sting to stop pain and swelling).

My take on The I Hate to Cook Book?  Love it!  I had some great laughs and I have some new, quick and easy recipes to try out on the family.  Thanks Peg Bracken for recipes and humor that are still as helpful and witty as they were 50 years ago!

You can pre-order this book from Amazon here.  The release date is July 26th.  Now for some exciting news...2 Reviewed By Mom readers will receive a copy of The I Hate to Cook Book by Peg Bracken.  You will laugh out loud, I promise!  Here is how to enter...

Mandatory Entry:   Leave a comment and tell me what you hate (or love but if you do this you will have to invite me over!) about cooking. 

For Extra Entries:

1.  Follow this blog= 1 entry

2.  Like Reviewed By Mom on Facebook =1 entry

3.  Like I Hate to Cook Book on Facebook = 1 entry

4.  Enter one of my other giveaways & let me know you have done so = 1 entry

5.  Follow Reviewed By Mom on Twitter = 1 entry

6.  Blog, Tweet or Facebook about this giveaway & let me know where to find it = 1 entry

Please leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to include your e-mail.  Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada only and will end on July 24th.     The lucky winners will be announced by e-mail on July 25th and also here on Reviewed By Mom.  Good Luck!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I was provided with a copy of The I Hate to Cook Book to review.  The opinions in this post are entirely my own. Your experience may differ from mine. This post has not been reviewed or edited by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this review. The sponsor of this giveaway is responsible for prize fulfillment and shipping the winner(s) their prize.

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