Cookbook review and Giveway: The Christmas Table (Recipe: Chili Rice Casserole)

Cookbooks. One of my favorite things in the whole big world. Christmas. One of my other favorite things in the whole big world.  A Christmas cookbook.  Now, we’re talking! This week, I started reviewing Gooseberry Patch’sThe Christmas Table. The book couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time. The weather has been so hot we all are about to swivel on the vine.  Enter: a cookbook about Christmas.  Ahhhhh…….the weather is suddenly more tolerable and my mood is lighter.  Mental images of Christmas don’t include sleigh rides and snowmen if you live in Central Florida. However, the days are milder, the nights are chilly and we can forget about 90+ degrees temperatures for a little while.  We revel in the Christmas festivities,  visit  friends and family, entertain and be entertained, cook, eat and worship.  It’s a remarkable time of the year.

Flipping through any Gooseberry Patch cookbook is a heartwarming experience.  Not only are they chock full of favorite recipes, they also contain cooking and entertaining tips and heartfelt sentiments. The Christmas Table is no exception.

For a thoughtful gift that’s easy on the wallet, purchase a calendar and fill in birthdays, anniversaries and other important family events….a nice gift for those new to the family!

 

The 220 page cookbook  contains 6 chapters.

Cozy Christmas Brunch. During the busy holiday season, brunch is ever more popular.  It’s a an easier meal for entertaining than dinner. Baked Hard-Boiled Egg Casserole, Quiché Muffins and Apple Cider Breakfast Oats are some of the interesting and versatile recipes found in this chapter.

Soup is always an option for a hearty, stress free meal.  Christmas Eve Pasta e Fagioli, Velvet Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Cheese Lasagna Soup are options included in Chill-Chasing Soups and Breads.  Round out those meals with Christmas Croissants, 4-way Versatile Quick Bread or Potato Biscuits.

After an evening of caroling, gather with your friends to share a meal using recipes from Caroling Party Supper.  Dive into Swiss Alps Casserole, Impossible Tex-Mex Chicken Pie or Homestyle Pot Roast.  

If preparing Christmas Dinner is a daunting task, fear no more.  Your will be the star of your celebration by offering such dishes as Lasagna Rolls, Christmas Celebration Salad or Mom’s Perfect Prime Rib found in Classic Christmas Dinner.  

Make your home welcoming by offering your guests some delicious appetizers and snacks found in Festive Holiday Fare. Everyone will enjoy Snow-Covered Cranberries, Cannoli Dip and BBQ Wontons.

Finally, there are many Sweet Treats to Share. What’s Christmas without a sugar overload? Whip up some Apricot-Coconut Bites, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies or Triple Chocolate Coffee Brownies. 

I’m already making plans to include  several recipes from The Christmas Table  in my Christmas festivities.   More than likely, you  will find a few of the decorating tips in my home this Christmas, too.

Chile Rice Casserole is  recipe from the Caroling Party Supper chapter.  It’s a nice alternative side dish to  Mexican Rice for a Tex-Mex Dinner. It’s hardy enough for an entree, also.

Chile Rice Casserole

Adapted from The Christmas Table, Gooseberry Patch

yield: 6 to 8 servings

I sprinkled the top with chili powder to add color and give an extra pop of chile flavor. The original directions called for the casserole to bake for 30 minutes.  It took an additional 10 minutes for the casserole to get become hot and bubbly. It’s assemble in one bowl and then popped into a casserole dish and baked.  Couldn’t be easier.

2 cups cooked white rice (I prefer Basmati)

16 ounces sour cream

8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded

4 ounces canned  mild green chili peppers, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Chili powder for topping

Mix all ingredients, except chili powder,  in  a mixing bowl. Adjust  for salt and pepper.   Pour into a greased 8×8 baking dish.  Sprinkle top with chili powder.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes  uncovered or until heated thoroughly and bubbly.

Syrup and Biscuits would like to sincerely thank Gooseberry Patch for opportunity to review this delightful cookbook. Purchase one for yourself and several to give as gifts.  It’s going to be a nice Christmas in 2012.

Gooseberry Patch furnished me with two copies of The Christmas Table in exchange for providing a review of the product.  All comments and opinions are mine.  Are you kidding?  No one else would claim them.

This contest is now closed. Congratulations to the winners!

Now, here’s your chance to win a copy of The Christmas Table.  The giveaway contest entry will be in two parts;  this post  and another coming up next week. To be eligible for the giveaway, here’s what you must do:

(1) Leave a comment on this post in the comment section saying, “I’m looking forward to eating ___________________ at Christmas.”  Fill in the blank with your favorite Christmas food.  It can be a sweet treat, a main dish, an appetizer….anything you associate with Christmas.

(2) Be on the lookout for the second part of the giveaway contest coming up next week in a separate post.

You can have additional chances to win.  Earn one additional chance for each of the following:

(1) Earn an additional chance by sharing this post on your Facebook page. You can use the button at the bottom of this post.

(2) Earn an additional chance by sharing this post on Twitter.  You can use the button at the bottom of this post.

(3) Earn an additional chance by liking Gooseberry Patch’s Facebook page.

(4) Earn an additional chance by liking Syrup and Biscuit’s Facebook page.

For each additional chance, you must leave me a comment telling me what you did.  Only comments left in the comment section below will be counted..

So, get started on this portion of the giveaway.  Time’s a wastin’.

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101 Soups, Salads and Sandwiches

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Mary Mac’s Tea Room, 65 of Recipes from Atlanta’s Favorite Dining Room

Quick-fix Southern, Homemade Hospitality in 30 minutes or Less

Tupelo Honey Cafe, Spirited Recipes from Asheville’s New South Kitchen