Gooseberry Patch Review and Giveaway: Mom Knows Best

It's always an exciting time when Gooseberry Patch releases a new cookbook. The first spiral-bound cookbook from Gooseberry Patch for 2015 is the Mom Knows Best Cookbook and it is filled with everything you've come to know and love from Gooseberry Patch. The recipes are simple and comforting and are created with easily accessible ingredients, the one thing I look for when choosing recipes to try. As you can see from these chapters, there are plenty of recipes to cover your cooking style.

• Grab & Go Breakfasts
• Brown-Bagging It
• Healthy Bites for Snacking
• Dinners for the Daily Dash
• Kids in the Kitchen
• Sweet Treats

It was refreshing to see so many recipes for wraps, roll-ups, sandwiches, and salads - perfect for those of us who carry a lunch every day and need ideas to break the monotony. The comforting dishes are the ones that I associate more closely with Gooseberry Patch and you'll find plenty of those here, too - casseroles, soups, and stews abound in Mom Knows Best.

The recipe I chose to feature here, Balsamic Chicken & Penne, appealed to me because I love the flavor of balsamic vinegar plus my favorite vegetable is asparagus. All of the flavors combined well and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

Balsamic Chicken & Penne

Submitted by Mary Nehring

Belmont, NC

Balsamic Chicken & Penne

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. country Dijon mustard
2 T. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8-oz. pkg. whole-wheat penne pasta, uncooked
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, chopped and steamed
Optional: shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large plastic zipping bag, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, sugar, garlic and seasonings. Squeeze bag to mix well. Add chicken to bag; turn to coat. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight, turning bag occasionally. When read to prepare chicken, drain marinade into a saucepan; heat to boiling for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Broil chicken until chicken juices run clear, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. To serve, combine chicken, marinade, asparagus and pasta. Toss to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 8 servings.


Disclaimer: Gooseberry Patch provided me with a copy of this cookbook to review; however, the opinion expressed here is my own.

***GIVEAWAY***

Gooseberry Patch has provided me with a copy of this cookbook to give away to one of my readers. Please enter to win with the widget provided. Be patient. It may take a few seconds to load. Deadline for entering is March 28, 2015. Thanks! a Rafflecopter giveaway