Amy Nelson Cannon, the owner of Euna Mae’s, a destination kitchen boutique in Northwest Arkansas, has created a new southern comfort cookbook titled LOVE WELCOME SERVE and it is an instant keeper for all chefs alike!

Amy has been a preacher’s wife in the south for more than 20 years. She uses food to Love, Welcome and Serve those around her. Her mission with this cookbook  is to encourage others to open their homes and hearts to connect with others over food and friendship. Her cookbook is designed to offer cooks simple, crowd pleasing, comfort recipes to fit any occasion. Her hope is that she will be able to ignite a passion in young cooks, as well as seasoned cooks, to open their hearts to hospitality and serving others.

 

Review:

First of all the cover of the cookbook is beautiful! It would totally catch my eye if I was walking through a store and saw it. The beginning of the book is an author’s note, really about the hopes she has, for her vision and mission of the cookbook. I won’t lie it’s inspirational. The next section is a set of hints and tips that I found were just the right length and really helpful. She discusses having the right stocked pantry; breaking it up into categories, having a well equipped kitchen, and my favorite part, where she discussed ingredients.

The cookbook is broken up into categories, Since it is turning cold here I choose to make a recipe from the Meats, Mains, and Sturdy Soups section. Living in the southwest I was so surprised and excited to see that there were a lot of recipes that had chili and southwest flavors. One that caught my eye was the White Chicken Chili with Cilantro and Lime. When I looked over the ingredients I was excited to see that I had most of the them, and that made my shopping trip that much easier. I choose to get a Rotisserie Chicken instead of shredding chicken, which was listed in her shortcut tips at the bottom of the recipe. (See recipe at the bottom) The recipe took about 45 minutes from start to finish and was absolutely heavenly. This will be one of my staple recipes from now on. Seeing that this recipe was such a success I am looking forward  to going through the cookbook and finding some more recipes to try.

This cookbook is a mix between budget and gourmet. I didn’t have any difficulty shopping for the ingredients, and the process was detailed and easy to follow.

Cooking chicken chili

Whether you are shopping for a Christmas present, a wedding gift, or simply adding to your own collection, this cookbook is a must buy!

Here is an Exerpt from Love Welcome Serve and the recipe I made and totally loved!

Oh my word. Y’all, it’s finally Fall! Fall is my favorite! If I had to list all the things I love about Fall in order of what I love best, it’d be nearly impossible. Football, crisp mornings, jeans and boots, apple everything, pumpkin everything, adding more blankets to the beds, and the anticipation of the holiday season! I mean, how’s a girl to choose?!

One other favorite of mine during this season is sturdy soups – a bowl full of earthy, warm goodness that gets at my soul. What’s the difference between regular soup and sturdy soup you might ask? Sturdy soups have girth. They are spoonfuls of hearty bites. And they fill bellies way up. You know, they’re sturdy. They can stand alone served with only a few fixins on top. Have I got a sturdy soup for you!

This recipe is an adaptation of one found in my church cookbook. Y’all know that if you can ever get your hands on a church cookbook, then it’s a keeper. Church cookbook recipes are those tried-and-true, time-tested, crowd-pleasing dishes. I know, because I’m a pastor’s wife, and I’ve been feeding people for more than 20 years. So you learn what’s good, what people come back for, and what people request recipes for. And this White Chicken Chili meets the criteria for sure! It is so creamy and loaded with flavor, and the texture is divine with hearty bites of tender chicken and white beans. Sturdy. This recipe is the first soup that my family asks for when the weather officially turns cooler and there’s football on TV. Here’s to fall! And here’s to full bellies and full hearts! – Amy Nelson Hannon, author of Love Welcome Serve: Recipes that Gather and Give

 

White Chicken Chili With Cilantro And Lime{serves 6-8}

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ – 2 cups yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 3-4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup dry white wine like Chardonnay (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf, broken in half
  • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 3 cans white beans of your choice, drained
  • 3 jalapeno peppers, minced
  • 3 cups fresh grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped (plus more for topping)
  • The juice of 3 limes

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (around 5-6qts).
  2. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until they’re tender and just starting to get color. 
  3. Add the garlic oregano, cumin, and ginger, cooking for one more minute.
  4. Stir continuously so the garlic doesn’t burn!  Add stock, wine (if using) and bay leaf. 
  5. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes over medium heat until somewhat reduced. 
  6. Add chicken, beans, and jalapenos. Simmer uncovered for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  7. Over low heat add a little cheese at a time, stirring until melted. 
  8. Add pepper, and taste for salt; add if needed.  Stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.
  9. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
  10. Remove bay leaf and serve! Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes, green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, or sliced avocado.

Buy this book: http://amzn.to/2AEE6d8

This book review is contributed by catherinepeel, please visit her blog for more book reviews.