The We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook - by Becky Johnson & Rachel Randolph (Paperback)

About the Book

In We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph, a butter and bacon loving mama and a vegan bean eating daughter share humorous stories about the differences that test them, the foods that entice them, and the love that binds them.

Book Synopsis

Becky Johnson and her daughter Rachel Randolph come from a long line of laughter. The female side of her family tree is dotted with funny storytellers, prolific authors, hospitable home cooks, and champion chatters.

In We Love, We Laugh, We Cook, Becky--a butter and bacon loving mama--and Rachel--a vegan bean eating daughter--share stories of their crazy, wonderful, and sometimes challenging lives as Rachel becomes a mother herself.

Becky is messy; Rachel craves order. Becky forgets what month it is; Rachel is an organizational genius. (At least before baby arrives.) Sprinkled throughout are the lip-smacking, nourishing recipes they love to make and share.

From food for a family reunion of thirty, to lunch for a party of one in a high chair, to a hot meal for a sick friend, the authors demonstrate grace, acceptance, and love to others through the bonding gifts of humor, attentive listening, and cooking ... whether diners prefer beef or tofu in their stew.

Review Quotes

Johnson, author of a number of books on subjects ranging from family humor to brain science, and Randolph, her grown daughter, team up in this quirky memoir with recipes, Johnson, diagnosed with Inattentive ADD, is scatterbrained, sloppy, and disorganized, while Randolph likes her ducks in a row. Organization was my form of teenage rebellion, ' writes Randolph, while her mom admits that during these years, the smoke alarm often served as the dinner bell. Johnson is a self-proclaimed bacon and butter lover; Randolph is vegan. The authors toss anecdotes back and forth throughout the folksy chapters, sharing stories of a loving family in which 'hospitality is a way of life.' Between slices of life, the mom-daughter duo offers an eclectic array of recipes (main entrees, sides, appetizers, soups, desserts, etc.) ranging from spicy puttanesca sauce to cashew queso and roasted-corn bean salsa (Randolph is lives in Texas, while Johnson resides in Colorado). Recognizing that many contemporary families, like theirs, include members with varying dietary preferences and needs, the authors provide instructions on how to alter recipes to please and appease vegetarians, vegans, and the gluten- free. Amusing, endearing, and spiced with a close mother-daughter bond, the authors interweave their humor and cooking advice with sincere gratitude for the blessings of breaking bread with family and friends.--Publishers Weekly