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Stephanie O’Dea with Totally Together: Shortcuts to An Organized Life Review & Giveaway

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Full disclosure:  One complimentary copy of Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life was provided to me by Stephanie O’Dea. The copies for the giveaway were purchased by me. This is an uncompensated review. Opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed.

Stephanie O’Dea is one of the most talented, inspiring, and yet down-to-earth folks I know. Long before she became one of my very good friends, I loved the gluten-free recipes she shared on her now famous blog, A Year of Slow Cooking. As most of you know, Steph launched her blog back in 2008 with the commitment to make a recipe in her slow cooker every day for a year. She shared the recipe and her results with a photo and “The Verdict.” Although Steph doesn’t make a recipe in her slow cooker daily any more, she still shares a lot of recipes on her slow cooking blog. Steph will be the first to tell you that she relies on her slow cookers (yes, plural!) as a way to simplify her life and provide meals and desserts that run from frugally delicious to divine. She also still delivers “The Verdict” for all her recipes. Steph comes up with some really great recipes (her comments attest to that), but every now and then she comes up with a dud. I love that she still shares these recipes … with repeated warnings. Most recently, she shared her “Fail” on Pineapple Salmon. It’s reassuring to know that even kitchen gurus like Steph have fails.

This month, for my adoption of Stephanie for Sea’s (Book of Yum) Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger event, I made Steph’s Brown Sugar Chicken. Served over basmati rice with some of the heavenly sauce ladled over both the chicken and the rice, this dish was very good. Eaten cold right out of the refrigerator the next morning, for breakfast, lunch, for dinner … whatever … this dish is nirvana. Seriously. I will make this recipe again and again just so I can eat it cold. Mr. GFE can have his served hot, but I’m eating mine cold. Maybe I’ll have another Lemon Drop Martini with it, too. (For dinner, of course.) The two seemed to be a winning combination.

I’ve written about Steph and her recipes before, here and here. The truth is I’ve made so many recipes of Steph’s over the years, I don’t remember them all (and I don’t have photos of many). Some were from Steph’s blog and others have been from her two cookbooks, the New York Times bestseller, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow, and her follow-up, budget-friendly slow cooker cookbook, More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow. All of Steph’s recipes have been winners and here are a few from her slow cooking blog that I recommend wholeheartedly!

Carnitas

Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip

Sweet Potato Chili

Salsa Chicken

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Wassail

A few of Steph’s recipes even led to some new gfe recipes:

My Black-Eyed Pea with Ham and Chicken Soup was adapted from Steph’s Black-Eyed Pea Soup

My Garlic Teriyaki Chicken Wings were inspired by 20 to 40 Clove Garlic Chicken

My POM’d Pork was inspired by Pomegranate Beef

Another gluten-free friend and her family love Steph’s Pizza Soup. As soon as the weather cools off, I’ll be giving that one a try for sure.

Steph’s second blogging venture is Totally Together Journal—“an organizational site for the busy household.” Released just this week, her “companion” book, Totally Together: Shortcuts to An Organized Life, is a compact, daily journal that offers exactly what it says. In the making for several years, this book is designed to make “you feel better—more in control, calm, and at peace when at home.” There are daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal checklists and tips. Meal planning is covered, with a ready-to-go grocery list and a chart. Inspirational quotes, easy recipes, and simple craft ideas are interspersed throughout. Stephanie just shared some of her organizational ideas in this article at the Huffington Post. Wendy’s (Celiacs in the House) comment on that article summarizes the best of Stephanie and her book.

“Stephanie really lives her own advice and still manages to be a successful author, business woman and mom. It takes a lot of courage to say no to a lot of the online world and just get down to living life with a family and yet she does it and still succeeds in her career. The meal planning advice is also crucial to smoothly running household, especially if special diets are involved. There are so many distractio­ns and ‘shoulds’ that eat into family time and I admire Stephanie’­s ability to focus on what’s most important so she doesn’t miss out on the best of being a mom.”

Steph also hosts her WebTV, including Gluten-Free TV (she interviewed me for the very first episode—so honored!). All of her online ventures can be found on her new “umbrella” site, www.stephanieodea.com. Her recipes are also featured on ABC’s Good Morning America website. Stephanie is amazing! How does she do it all? Just like Wendy said … “she lives her own advice.”

Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life can help you reach your own daily goals with ease and grace.

Here are some other reviews (and some giveaways) of Totally Together.

Hunter’s Lyonesse

Moneywise Moms

Crystal and Co.

Bonggamom Finds

I’m giving away five copies of Steph’s new book, Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life. The giveaway ends Friday, August 12, at midnight, Eastern. 

Only one entry is required to enter the giveaway, but you may do more (as shown below) to get additional chances: 

Leave a comment sharing a favorite recipe of Stephanie’s from A Year of Slow Cooking, share benefits of being a Totally Together Journal reader, or just state why you’d like to win Steph’s new book.

~ Subscribe to gfe via reader or email. Leave a comment.

~ Follow gfe on Twitter. Leave a comment.

~ Like gfe on Facebook. Leave a comment.

~ Subscribe to Totally Together Journal and/or A Year of Slow Cooking. Leave a comment.

~ Follow Steph on Twitter. Leave a comment.

~ Tweet about the giveaway. Leave a comment.

~ Share the giveaway on Facebook. Leave a comment.

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Comments

  1. Valerie @ City|Life|Eats says

    Great adoption! So I have been totally eyeing this book ever since I first heard about it, and now am going to enter the giveaway. I think I need this book/organizer because staying on top of household chores is definitely my biggest challenge – sure, the kitchen is always clean and i pack great lunchboxes, but much to my husband’s chagrin, I rarely fold my laundry.

    Reply

  8. Robin says

    I love Stephanie’s Slow Cooking site and have both of her books. I’m not sure that I can pick a favorite recipe, because I’ve made so many that my family loves! It is my go to book for meal planning 🙂 I love organizational books and I admire Stephanie’s determination to get it published. I’d be thrilled to win a copy!

    Reply

  12. Sharon says

    I love Stephanie and her cookbooks. She is a great tole model for all us moms out there and has the best sense of humor!!

    Reply

  17. Mary C. says

    I follow gfe on Facebook and am thrilled with this new resource. I’m in the process of “starting over” with my second husband after being widowed 4 years ago. The older you are the harder it is to start over … but it’s oh, so worth it 🙂 Anything to help with the organizing of our daily lives would be a huge blessing! m.

    Reply

  28. Kim says

    I totally need to win this book! LOL! As you saw by my post the other day about organization, I am really struggling & feel overwhelmed. I get caught up playing online when I should be working, though I am getting better at that part. I have tried so many things. I just need to find something & stick with it.

    Reply

  37. Melanie Binkley says

    Would really love to win as I am a new to parenting (I am an international host mom of 3 kids) cleaning and trying to organize my Mom’s house and clean up her hoarding and now realize that I too have waaaaaay to much stuff and I am always running out of time or something slips through the cracks and I need all the organizational help I can possibly get!

    Reply

  38. Kerry says

    This is the first time I’ve heard of Stephanie and her recipes – thanks for the introduction! Love my slow cooker and while it mostly gets used in Fall/Winter, I’ve been known to plug it in outdoors in summer, so I don’t heat up the house 🙂

    Reply

  41. Susan R says

    I have made so many of her recipes but can only think of the fun picture of the crockpot peanut butter cup (or cupcakes?) right now.

    Reply

  44. Carole says

    I WOULD LOVE TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK TO LEARN HOW TO USE MY CROCK POT BETTER. I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO USE SIMPLE SPICES TOGETHER.

    Reply

  45. Ricki says

    Wow, what a review! Steph sounds like my idol! 😀 And I would love a copy of that book. I definitely need some daily tips on finding time for myself during the busy workdays!

    Reply

  54. Nikki L'Hommedieu says

    I’m not sure how I found you (a link on my facebook??) but I’m so glad I did!!

    I desperately need help getting organized because I am battling advanced cancer and really struggle between symptoms of pain/sick/fatigue. My brain doesn’t work right, plus I have extreme food intolerances, and my therapy is a full time job. Need help for my battle:) Big time.

    Reply

  60. Sue says

    I follow all of you everywhere! I love the idea of that pizza soup. Will make changes for what I have, am thinking to make tomorrow!

    Reply

  66. Marissa GF says

    I would LOVE this book because I am always trying to be more in control, calm, collected, and at peace when at home. 🙂
    The daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal checklists and tips sound like exactly what I need!
    I’m also trying to get on making meal plans and the book even covers that!
    Obviously I am needing this! 🙂

    Reply

  68. Kristen says

    I’d love to win this book. I read the first Year of Slow Cooking and LOVE that everything can be made gluten-free. I could really use a more organized live, as well. 😉

    Reply

  70. cheryl says

    love Wendy’s comments-I don’t think there’s a higher compliment you can give! The pumpkin pie dip sounds incredible.
    and organization is probably my weakest spot…it’s not natural for me…yet.

    Reply

  79. Kim Halpern says

    I follow gfe on fb! I have 3 young children and have Celiac. I need to be more organized so that I can continue to make healthy, GF, delicious meals-without running to the store 6 times or forgetting to pack a lunch. Things are a bit hectic here! More planning ahead would help! I would love this book:) thanks for all the great resources!

    Reply

  80. Joy says

    I tried her recipe for 16 Bean Soup and it was good. I printed out her recipe for 5 Layer Brownie, but haven’t made it yet. It looks and sounds sooo good 🙂 I would love to have Stephanie’s new book because I need to get organized very badly before our school year starts back (we homeschool).

    Reply

  86. Shannon Lewis says

    I would love to win a copy of the book. I’ve lost faith in my ability to get/stay organized…Is this the miracle cure for which I have been waiting? Oh say it’s so!!!! Pick me! Pick ME! PLEASE, of course.

    Reply

  87. glutenfreeforgood says

    OMG, I had to scroll for 5 minutes to get to the bottom of all these comments! Geez, this is a hot topic. I need some help being “Totally Together” and with finding an “Organized Life.” =) And you’re right, Stephanie is awesome and someone who really does appear to be “totally together and organized.” Plus, her recipes are a testament to saving time and being organized. BTW, I had missed that black-eyed pea recipe when you posted it the first time around, glad you added it to this post. It looks wonderful and Shirley, that photo is awesome. It reminds me of the tips Penny De Los Santos gave at IFBC.

    Anyway, just thought I’d say hello to you and Steph! Wonderful book. I need some serious organizational tips. Must get this book ASAP!

    Melissa

    Reply

  90. dori slater says

    I guess I have come late to the party; never heard of her or her books, but sounds intriguing…on my way to subscribe to her 2 sites! Thanks for the info!

    Reply

  92. Kay Guest says

    Hey Shirley! I would love this cookbook just because Stephanie is so doggone FUNNY! I know the recipes are good, but I need to laugh more than anything these days…Also, do you have the link here to the two of you together? I thought that was the funniest thing I saw all year!
    Kay

    Reply

  93. Melissa C. says

    I subscribe to gfe and Stephanie’s blog. Would love to win her book to help me to be more organized. I need all the help I can get!

    Melissa C.

    Reply

  94. InTolerantChef says

    Wow that chicken sounds sweet indeed! I’ve used coke for braising beef ribs before, so I shouldn’t be suprised at lemon soda for chicken I guess- and I bet it tastes great too!

    Reply

  97. Andrea says

    I would love to win Stephanie’s journal too! I thought I subscribed to your blogs but I am now! 🙂
    Thanks for doing the great review, I need organization in my life for sure. xo

    Reply

  98. Christine says

    I was diagnosed with Celiac in July. At the same time I was told I have a major intolerance to several vegetables. No folks I am NOT making this up!!! All that to say I NEED THIS BOOK! Learning to live gluten free is hard enough (I really hate cooking) but now I also have to find (or fudge) recipes that don’t have a lot of these veggies and still get all the nutrients I need. The really funny thing is that before I was tested I became a vegan to help my stomach problems. Ironic, huh.

    Reply

  100. Ellen Cairns says

    I subscribe to GFE via email. I ventured on Stephanie’s slow cooker blog and I was very intrigued by her recipes. I love to use my slow cooker and am always looking for new recipes, especially since I have Celiac and must eat gluten free. I would love to win Stephanie O’Dea’s new book because I need help with organization too. LOL! This girl needs all the help she can get!!! Thank you and God bless you all!

    Reply

  101. Susan Johnson says

    Omgosh! I would totally benefit from this book! I just found out we have two additional teenagers (neices) coming to live with us for the school year. If ever I could use some common sense help with organization it is now! Four teens and a twenty…. Whee! 🙂 I have been checking out the slow cooker recipes and I think I may love this woman!

    Reply

  103. Karen Diskin says

    i follow you on Facebook. I would love this book to add to my collections. All the new recipes are making my ROUTINE meals less boring!

    Reply

  106. Nancykrenek says

    Well, I would love to win the journal for several reasons, 1, I never win anythimg, 2, it would be a daily reminder I am not alone, this journey, almost twenty years, ofd gluten free, is a bit lonely, lots of conversations in my head, 3rd, it sounds proactive,,,,,,,, planning, living, and glutenfree,,,,,, picki me!

    Reply

  107. Mary says

    I would love to win the Totally Together Journal because I NEED to get it all together! I would love to see the checklists and have some organized way to get myself organized!

    Also, I subscribed to Totally Together Journal

    And I subscribe to A Year of Slow Cooking!

    Reply

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