Jamie's America: Not Just About Burgers {Christmas Giveaway #1}

If you take a look at my cookbook collection, you'll realise that Jamie Oliver keeps popping up.

Yes, I'm a fan-girl: guilty as charged. I can't help it. I arrived in the UK for a study stint years ago and was faced with the prospect of having to cook (or buy or beg or steal) to sustain myself. Having ZERO cooking experience under my belt, it was Jamie Oliver The Naked Chef who taught me that cooking could be fun and easy. And oh yes, taste good too. 

So when a friend first brought my attention to the fact that Jamie's America was retailing at a substantial discount at The Groovy Giraffe, I immediately snapped it up. Mainly because I just cannot resist a good deal (more than 60% off!) but also on the basis of my faith in the man's recipes. It certainly wasn't because I was interested in American food. Oh no. Isn't American food just fast food anyway?

I was glad to discover that I was wrong -- there IS more to American food than simply a good burger. Yes, the burger is in there and yes, it is the first recipe, but there's plenty of other stuff on offer. When researching this book, Jamie Oliver traveled through the United States to discover what real American food is about and this cookbook with its rich and diverse recipes is the result. The food in this book is categorised into six sections, namely New York, Louisiana, Arizona, LA, Georgia and the "Wild West". I'm sure that list already gives you an idea of the wide variety that you're going to find between the pages! 

And that's exactly what I found. From the traditional classics like Mac 'N' Cheese, Waldorf Salad, Deep Pan Pizza and NYC Cheesecake to the exotic. There's a recipe in there for Cajun Alligator with Sweet Potato Salsa that I'm not sure I'm ever going to be able to re-create! But being someone who used to seeing a lot of Italian and French-inspired fare in cookbooks, I must say that the recipes in this book are quite a breath of fresh air.

The proof of a cookbook however, is in the tasting. How is the food?

I've only managed to cook a handful of recipes so far -- I flagged more than 20 to try! -- and they have all, hand on heart, been delicious. There, I knew my faith in Jamie Oliver would not have been misplaced!

I was most interested in the recipes in the Louisiana section of the book as I was thrilled to discover that most of them were to be eaten with rice. Hurray, especially if you have rice-loving kids like mine. The first dish I decided to make was the Southern Sausage Stew. I chose this because of the minimal prep time required, and indeed it took only about an hour from fridge to table. A big plus in my book! The verdict: "Deeeeeelicious!" said the kids and husband. I had to omit the cayenne pepper and chillies because of the children, but the resulting tomato-y stew was still yummers and definitely went well with the rice. Noey polished off three whole sausages so I was well pleased.

Southern Sausage Stew

Not being as much of a sausage fan as the rest of the family, my favourite dish so far has been the Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya. Or in my case, the Chicken, Sausage, Shrimp and Clam Jambalaya. The word Jambalaya is thought to have its origins in a French word that means jumbled, and in the original version, any Louisiana critter that was unlucky enough to get caught would go into it. So I guess you can say I was acting in the right spirit to have thrown in the clams, something I did as I was concerned that they'd spoil if they sat in the fridge any longer.

If it looks similar to paella, it's because it is. And boy, does it taste good! I had used our regular Thai rice so the texture was a bit mushy but still tasty. I've already gotten myself some long-grain rice to use on my next attempt to see if it would make any difference. Incidentally, Noey's favourite Carpenters' song is Jambalaya and he was most amused when I told him it was what we were having for dinner.

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp (and Clam) Jambalaya

Another dish that went down well with the kids and husband was the simply named Traybaked Chicken. From the Wild West section of the book, this dish is apparently inspired by the al forno that is made in those parts with sliced sweet potatoes, Yukon potatoes, sage and onions. With the addition of chicken and a bit of cream, it becomes a rather rich and tasty one dish meal. You would think that chicken done this way would be a bit dry, but no. Thanks to the fact that the chicken is marinated in brine overnight, it is, instead, incredibly tender.

Traybaked Chicken 

I've a few more on my list this week, including a chicken noodle soup, lovingly called Jewish Penicillin in the book, so I'll let you know how it pans out. Do check out my Instagram account (@mummybean) to see my food exploits and more!

So I can say, thus far the recipes have all been hits. But don't just take my word for it: you can try them for yourself as I have ONE COPY OF JAMIE'S AMERICA (RRP: $46.88) to give away! To stand a chance of winning this book, you MUST do the following using the Rafflecopter widget below:

1. Be a fan of The Groovy Giraffe Facebook Page

2. Be a fan of the Life is in the Small Things Facebook Page

3. Like this post on Facebook and leave your e-mail address on the Facebook post.

You can also follow the additional optional steps in the Rafflecopter widget to gain more chances. (Do note that this giveaway is only open to Singapore residents.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This book will be a great addition to any cookbook collection, so don't hesitate -- join now! Even if you don't cook, I'm sure this will make a good gift for a friend or family member who does this Christmas. And honestly, the book is quite a visual treat, with the recipes beautifully photographed and laid out, and strewn with stories and pictures from Jamie Oliver's travel through the country.

If you can't wait and want to get a copy of the book right now, you can purchase it at The Groovy Giraffe for just $14.90, more than 60% off it's retail price! What's more, you can use the code "GET5OFF" to get an additional 5% discount. There are also other Cookbooks (including Gordon Ramsey and Nigella Lawson titles) going at great discounts, and a good selection of Children's Books too! You can check out my previous post on The Groovy Giraffe too to find out more and get more recommendations. 

Good luck and I'll be back next week with another giveaway so stay tuned!

*This giveaway was kindly sponsored by The Groovy Giraffe, and I am a member of their affiliate programme. All opinions remain my own.