When my stepson Kylen spent his first summer in Iowa, the two of us spent a lot of time in the kitchen together.  It was a way to ease the transition and a neutral ground as we really got to know each other. Kylen is a very picky eater and his list of “likes” at the time wasn’t very extensive.  I quickly found that as long as the key ingredients were peanut butter and chocolate he would eat it.

I wanted him to return to PA that fall with memories of our time spent in the kitchen, as well as his favorite recipes to make while he was away from us.  So the two of us decided to compile a cookbook of recipes he liked, as well of the pictures of him making them. This turned out to be a fun undertaking for us both, and when we would try or eat something new we would have great conversations as to if they should be included in the book or not!

Make sure to include the date of the book, or in my case the age of Kylen.

Here are a few simple things to think about in creating your own:

• What site/software to use? I used Shutterfly (we also recommend Nero Kwik Media) and found the entire process to be very straightforward and simple.  Having previously creating simple scrapbooks before, I was able to upload my pictures and complete the project in only a few hours.
• What layout will you be using? Some sites/software will have a cookbook/recipe layout template.  I chose to simply use a basic layout, using text only for the recipe side and picture layouts for the corresponding opposite page.
  

  The bright colors of this page layout add a fun vibe to the book. And don't those Scotcheroos look yummy!

• Theme?  Most photo sites, like shutterfly, have a wide array of themes for you to choose from .  This allows you to really add a personal touch to your project.  If you are doing a Holiday Goodie themed book, to a freezer meal recipe book for a new mom – the possibilities are limitless.  Get creative,  mix up a few themes throughout the book to spice it up a bit!  Or if your project is more of a heritage recipe cookbook, you may choose to use very simple, neutral and muted layouts.
• Plan Ahead! Have your camera handy to take pictures of the entire process. Make sure you have all of your recipes rounded up, whether they come from your recipe box or from a magazine clipping. Having an idea of how many recipes and what types you want to include before you start is helpful as well.

All of his Favorite Foods...Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Sweet Corn, Coffee, Peanut Butter and apples, Gummi Bears!

When the project was finished, I chose to print 2 copies of the  5×7 softcover book.  This allowed Kylen to take one with him, and one to remain in my kitchen as well. The project was fun for us both, and I love received the text and emails from him with his cooking projects while he is away!

Thank you to everyone who entered! Be sure to follow Erin them on Twitter – @5dollardinners. And remember, if you didn’t win the cookbook there are plenty of places for you to purchase your own copy. Make sure you get one!

Here was the random number: 70

Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook for myself and one to be distributed to a winner. However, I will be purchasing additional copies for myself and others I know. And I would have bought the cookbook if I hadn’t received it for free.

To celebrate the premiere of the book Erin has come out with a $5 Dinner Mom Does Holiday Dinner Plan that you can download. It comes with great recipes (obviously budget friendly), grocery lists and teasers for the cookbook. Be sure to download it so you have something to tide you over until your official copy arrives.

What I love about the cookbook (other than the inexpensive meal options) is that the recipes and ingredients are broken down by price giving you the total price for each meal as well. No guessing if you are trying to plan a meal for you family on a strict budget. In addition, each meal is a complete meal, not just one recipe. In addition to the recipe for making the main dish side dishes are included. How is that for not having to think through your menu? Erin also includes some great shopping suggestions for saving money.

Here is how you can enter to win a copy for yourself (you can comment using the following criteria for up to 3 entries):

1. Comment – What is your favorite recipe from $5 Dollar Dinners website?

Additional ways to enter:

2. Tweet or Facebook the following phrase. Have you gotten your copy of  @5dollardinners cookbook? Enter to win 1 @onceamonthmom. And don’t forget to leave a comment below stating you have done so.

3. Subscribe to the Once A Month Mom blog via RSS or email. Let me know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.

This giveaway ends Saturday, December 26th at 5 pm. Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook for myself and one to be distributed to a winner. However, had I will be purchasing additional copies for myself and others I know. And I would have bought the cookbook if I hadn’t received it for free.

Since then I have had the privilege of calling her a friend, conversing with her regularly, sharing pregnancy adventures and rooming together at Blogher ’09. She is an amazing person. I can’t believe all that she is able to accomplish in the course of a single day.

And it is finally time to see the “birth” of her first cookbook! How exciting for her. And the rest of us who get to benefit from her recipes and cookbook. The cookbook – $5 Dinner Mom – is officially available for pre-order now! This would make a great Christmas gift for a friend or family member that enjoys cooking on a budget. The released date of the book is December 22nd so most of you should be able to have it in hand before the Christmas holiday.

So go on over and pre-order!

Tere who said “I subscribe” but also commented elsewhere “My greatest challenge is satisfying the appetites of my four guys… 1. My husband of 5 years, 2. My 14 year old son, and 3 & 4 … my stepsons who are 12 and 9… they are all very different and like different things… we seem to manage okay, but there are days where I need to cook different things to satisfy all of them and cook enough to feed all of them….” She is the winner of the Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn (and it sounds like she needs it with all of those boys)!

Thank you to everyone who entered! Thanks also to our sponsor to Lucinda Scala Quinn for sponsoring this giveaway. Be sure to follow her on Twitter – @madhungryLSQ.

Here was the random number: 43

Again, my husband encouraged me to attend. Who was I to pass up an opportunity to get out of the house on my own for a few moments? Is there any mother out there that would pass on this opportunity? I think NOT!

I went early and spent a little more time going through the cookbook. I was actually giggling outloud at some of the call outs and information in this book. So many little truths about men and eating. If you have ever cooked for a man (husband, brother, son, neighbor, friend) you will not only love the recipes in this book, but the wit and humor that go along with it.

The book? Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn. Lucinda is the Executive Food Director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and, more importantly, the sister of five brothers and mother of three sons. I think she might know what she is talking about when it comes to feeding men/boys!

One of the author taglines is, “Never be caught without bacon.” How true is that? I knew from the moment of reading that line that this cookbook would be a MUST in our home. Not only that, one of the reasons I was drawn to the cookbook in the first place was its beauty. Yes, I just said its beauty. It is a work of art! There are so many great pictures and captions and tidbits of information. I have sat looking at it for hours this evening, mesmerized. And hungry.

Beyond the beauty and humor are real life recipes. What I mean by that is that they are meals that you and I, or more importantly, the men in our lives, will enjoy. And it isn’t just all meat, potatoes and bacon. There are lots of recipes for vegetables, desserts and so much more. It is a wealth of information and great recipes.

We have a couple of all-star menus coming up the next few months as I will be busy with a new little one but come the first of the year I promise to include a recipe or two from this cookbook on our menus. She has some great ones that can be made and frozen as well. Really, this is a great all-around cookbook to have at hand.

If you know someone that likes to cook, is a mother to many boys, or a grandparent to may grandsons this would make a perfect Christmas gift. Hence the reason I am telling you about it now instead of waiting until the first of the year when I include it on a menu. I don’t normally buy cookbooks (just being honest, that is what the library is for) BUT I did purchase this book. I fell in love with it and couldn’t resist splurging.

And after wards, I got to meet the author and talk with her a bit. She was incredibly kind and gracious and has agreed to provide one of you lovely readers with a copy of her new cookbook. We love cookbook giveaways!

Here is how you can enter to win a copy for yourself (you can comment using the following criteria for up to 5 entries):

1. Comment – What is your greatest challenge when attempting to feed the men/boys in your life?

Additional ways to enter:

2. Tweet or Facebook the following phrase. Another gr8 Christmas Idea @onceamonthmom - @madhungryLSQ from @artisanbooks http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=4461. And don’t forget to leave a comment below stating you have done so.

3. Subscribe to the Once A Month Mom blog via RSS or email. Let me know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.

4. Subscribe to the Mad Hungry blog. Let me know that you have done so.

5. Join the Mad Hungry Facebook Fan Page. Leave a comment below after you join.

This giveaway ends Tuesday, November 10th at 5 pm. Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.

Disclosure: I purchased my own copy of Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys. However, I was provided with a copy of the cookbook to giveaway to readers courtesy of the author. The opinions listed above are my own.

Thank you to everyone who entered! Thank you to everyone who entered! If you are interested in the cookbook you can find it on Amazon.com. Also, visit their website for more information and resources. You can also follow Stephanie on Twitter – @stephanieodea.

Here was the random number: 182

This cookbook has been much anticipated by me for the last few months. I started following Stephanie O’Dea’s blog A Year of Slow Cooking last year while on bedrest before the birth of my son. I LOVED it. Who doesn’t love an easy meal in the crockpot? And she has so many recipes on her site with great pictures, instructions and opinions. You really can’t go wrong. In fact, here is a little OAMM secret: when I am stumped for those last 2 or 3 menu items to put on a monthly men, I usually visit Stephanie’s site for some great complimentary dishes.

And this month’s menu even includes Stephanie’s recipe for Cranberry Pork Roast (I might have known the cookbook was coming out in advance. He he). And I was pleasantly surprised that that recipe is also included in the cookbook.

And folks, I have spent several hours pouring over this cookbook. I love, love, love it. The recipes are practical and simple. They are recipes that I would eat. They have great commentary in them from Stephanie and the great thing is you can always go to her blog to view the original, see some pictures, or see what readers had to say (at least for most of the recipes). There are over 300 recipes in this cookbook too so you are definitely getting your money’s worth. Oh, did I mention that the recipes are gluten-free? Yep, that too!

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking was released October 13, 2009 (yes, just this week) and Stephanie began her book debute with an appearance on Good Morning America. Her blog is still up and running but now includes additional information about the book and her upcoming appearances. Keep watch to see if she is coming to a book signing near you. I sure hope that she plans a stop in our area!

So, of course, this is a giveaway so there is a chance to win this book. But if you ask me, you should just head on over and buy it right away. Then, if you win it, you can give it to that special someone who likes to cook (or doesn’t because the recipes are that easy) on your Christmas list.

Let me just end by saying, one of the greatest things about this author is not her cookbook (which is really good), it is her kind and very personable presence. Any time I have linked to her site she has written a personal comment thanking me. And despite her overwhelming success, she still manages to respond to emails in a timely, and very personal, manner. I had the privilege of meeting her at Blogher and can’t say enough for how nice she is in person as well (and how cute she is pregnant). I think you should buy her book because she is as nice as she is a good cook, which means A LOT in my book!

Entering the Contest:

You may enter up to 4 times. PLEASE remember to leave a separate comment for EACH entry, otherwise it won’t get counted as multiple entries.

1. Comment - What is your favorite dish to make in your slow cooker?

Additional ways to enter:

2. Tweet or Facebook this contest: @onceamonthmom says @stephanieodea ‘s cookbook makes a great Christmas Gift! http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=4111

3. Drop a link to a past post or leave a comment on the post, Think Ahead Thursday: Christmas Gift Giving. Come back and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

4. Subscribe to Once A Month Mom via RSS or email. Let us know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.

This giveaway ends Tuesday, October 20th at midnight. Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.

Oops, with all of the craziness surrounding the Tweet-Up I forgot to draw a winner for the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money Cookbook by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. Sorry Folks!

Congratulations to Connie who said “I don’t know why I haven’t started. I need to that’s why I’m here!” She is the winner of the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money Cookbook! Sounds like she needs it.

Thank you to everyone who entered! If you are interested in the cookbook you can find it on Amazon.com. Also, visit their website for more information and resources.

Here was the random number: 98

Thank you to everyone who entered! If you are interested in purchasing the Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms cookbook you can do so on Amazon.com or through Jane’s website. If you didn’t win, I encourage you to purchase Jane’s book, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, or at least add it to your Christmas Wish List.

Here was the random number: 29

Don’t fret! I have more cookbook giveaways in store for you this month! For a chance to win another great cookbook, visit this week’s cookbook giveaway – Once-A-Month Cooking: Family Favorites – Cookbook Giveaway

The Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg is a cookbook designed for the true once a month cooking (also referred to as freezer cooking, bulk cooking and oamc) with complete menus, recipes, grocery lists, instructions and more. Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg expand on their original cookbook, Once-A-Month Cooking, Revised and Expanded: A Proven System for Spending Less Time in the Kitchen and Enjoying Delicious, Homemade Meals Every Day, with this new cookbook full of family favorites.

With the October menu packed with so many good treats and Tweet-Up highlights, I couldn’t fit in one of Mimi and Mary Beth’s recipes. However, I can guarantee you will be seeing one or more of them very soon.

For a deeper glimpse into the book and authors you can go to the following links:

• Once-a-Month Cooking cookbook website
• A free one-week menu plan for sampling
• A listing of ALL of the meal plans included in the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Cookbook
• Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Facebook Fan Page

About the Authors:

Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson’s original bestseller Once-a-Month Cooking™ started the bulk freezer cooking phenomenon from recipes made for their own families. Both live in Colorado and continue to share a passion to help today’s cooks save time and money while building family relationships over delicious meals.

Mary Beth is the creator of the website dwellingspace.com, providing tools on creating a home full of acceptance and creativity. She is also the former media director for MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers). Mimi travels extensively to regions like Jordan, Ecuador, and Rwanda, and teaches Once-a-Month Cooking principles and benefits internationally.

Entering the Contest:

You may enter up to 7 times. PLEASE remember to leave a separate comment for EACH entry, otherwise it won’t get counted as multiple entries.

1. Comment - What is your favorite thing about once-a-month cooking? Haven’t started – why not?

Additional ways to enter:

2. Tweet or Facebook this contest (if you look below the title of this post you will find a short url for easier posting). Make sure to use @onceamonthmom and  in your Tweet or Facebook status. And don’t forget to leave a comment below stating you have done so.

3. RSVP for the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up (in-house or online), you know the one where I am giving away over $3,000 in prizes/giveaways! Please only RSVP if you are REALLY planning on attending. Leave a comment below that you RSVP’ed or have RSVP’ed prior to now.

4. Add the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up Badge to your website/blog (Code found in the right side bar). Leave a comment below that you added the badge or have done so previously.

5. Join the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Facebook Fan Page. Leave a comment below if you joined or are already a member.

7. Subscribe to the blog via RSS or email. Let us know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.

This giveaway ends Friday, October 9th  at midnight. Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.

Thank you to everyone who entered! Thanks also to our sponsor for this prize, authors of Don’t Panic–More Dinner’s in the Freezer. If you were not the winner, don’t fret, you can still get the book through Amazon.com at a very reasonable price. Simply click on the links or the product picture and it will take you right to the ordering information.

Here was the random number: 48 (I added the cooking story peeps, actually only Misty at time the giveaway ended, to the front and the back of the contestants. It changes the numbering a bit).

Did you hear that we have been nominated for the Tastiest Blog award over at Social Luxe Lounge. We would be honored if you would take a moment and vote for us. You can vote once a day for each category, so keep voting.  Thank you.

From now until June 1st you can enter to win a copy of this great cookbook. It is great for menu ideas and recipes for buying and cooking in bulk. You can also order it from Amazon.com if you don’t win or are just itching to get your hands on a copy.

Here is how you can enter:

1. If you participated in cooking the May menu make sure to link up or leave a comment here. All links and comments on that post will be added 2x to this contest (once at the front and once at the end of all the comments on this post) before choosing the random number.

Other ways to enter (leave separate comments for each):

2. Tweet or Facebook about the giveaway and leave a comment.

3. Write a post on this giveaway on your blog.

4. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or email updates (located in the upper right hand corner). Tell us if you already subscribe.

Good Luck. Winner will be drawn using random.org.