Astrid5555's Reviews
58 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title
The Accidental Vegetarian: Delicious and Eclectic Food Without Meat
By Simon Rimmer
Cassell Illustrated - 2004
Simple to make and very tasty - exquisite flavor combination!
useful (1)
Rose's Heavenly Cakes
By Rose Levy Beranbaum
Wiley - 2009
The recipe yields exactly the amount of dough needed for a classic brioche mold. Very little hands-on time, but it takes 2 days until the final result can be tasted. Unfortunately with all the rising time needed this is not a breakfast staple, but it was excellent with some butter and jam and a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. I will definitely make it again.
useful (1)
Best marble cake ever!
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The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accessories
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press,U.S. - 2007
Best chocolate ice cream ever - my first attempt at home-made ice cream worked out really well!
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Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
Spicy, sweet, crunchy, healthy - yummy! Mine yielded 9 instead of 8 and lots more streusel topping than needed.
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Pure Dessert
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2007
If you like sesame this is THE cake to bake. Exotic looking black sesame seeds give this cake a nice little crunch which is a great contrast to the velvet texture of the cake.
useful (2)
Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen
By Gina DePalma, Mario Batali
W.W. Norton & Co. - 2007
Even Cranberry-hating hubby loved it. Since I could not wait for the dough (which has a nice chewy texture from the polenta) to be chilled long enough to roll it out, I just pressed it into the tart pan and it worked perfectly as well.
useful (1)
Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
Excellent cookies - no one tasted the secret ingredient whole-wheat flour. I made only half a batch (i.e. 10 cookies) and they were gone within hours.
useful (2)
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
Delicious - I just love the saltiness of the nuts in these cookies!
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Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
Foolproof recipe! Even though it takes some time - mostly letting the dough rest and rise though - this is an easy recipe. Everybody loved these delicious homemade baguettes.
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Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
If you love peanut butter these are your cookies! Lots of peanut flavor and very little time involved. Try it!
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Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate
By Alice Medrich, Deborah Jones
Artisan - 2003
This has become my go-to chocolate cake recipe! Quick and easy to make this recipe produces a rich cake for every chocolate lover.
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Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
I used buttermilk instead of cream to reduce the calories and the waffles turned out to be delicious! A definite keeper!
useful (1)
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
These lovely little desserts are just the right size for a quick chocolate pick-me-up and come together in no time! I will definitely make them again!
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Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery
By Rose Carrarini
Phaidon Press - 2006
Simple, quick and delicious! I flatten the cookies with a fork before baking though since they do not spread at all.
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Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine
By Bryant Terry
Da Capo Press - 2009
A great hearty dish for a cold winter day. Unfortunately it takes more than 3 hours until it is finished, so start in time! I had basmati rice as a side and it really tasted delicious.
useful (2)
Coming Home to Eat: Wholefood for the Family
By Jude Blereau
Murdoch Books - 2008
A variation on the classic chickpea hummus this version adds a completely new twist to sandwiches or wraps. Simply delicious!
useful (2)
This one is definitely not on the quick-and-easy list. However, if you have time this is a must-make and your reward is a meal the whole family will like. Even my kids who would never eat mushrooms otherwise asked for seconds.
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Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate
By Alice Medrich, Deborah Jones
Artisan - 2003
Not very nice to look at, thus the name fallen, but a definite keeper and very quick to put together. This cake got rave reviews from my dinner guests.
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Super Natural Cooking: Five Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking
By Heidi Swanson
Celestial Arts - 2007
I made these as part of a crostini combination and they were a winner! Even though easy and quick to make (just prepare everything a day ahead and assemble before serving) they are a real crowd pleaser!
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Unlike any other tomato soup you have ever tried. Just let the vegetables bake in the oven and soon you will have a hearty satisfying soup you want to cook over and over again!
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Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
By Heidi Swanson
Ten Speed Press - 2011
My children declared these to be the best pancakes ever, and we have already tried our share. They are really light and fluffy with a nice tang from the buttermilk. These will be our go-to pancakes from now on!
useful (1)
A Year in my Kitchen
By Skye Gyngell
Quadrille Publishing Ltd - 2008
This is a delicious spring salad! The raw asparagus was a positive surprise.
I tweaked the original recipe a little though: I used raw baby spinach leaves plus lemon basil, left the asparagus spears whole and blanched them for 1 minute and put a poached egg on top.
useful (1)
Fresh Food Fast: Delicious, Seasonal Vegetarian Meals in Under an Hour
By Peter Berley
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2004
This is a lovely salad for a warm summer evening I would like to eat over and over again. Since I did not have currants at hand I used raisins instead and it worked out really well.
useful (0)
The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accessories
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press,U.S. - 2007
If you happen to have ripe apricots on hand this is a very easy one to make.
Since I had made the strawberry frozen yoghurt on page 91 previously and just loved it, I used yoghurt instead of heavy cream (also to cut down on the calories) which added a nice tang and made it into a little bit of an adult but very delicious ice cream.
useful (1)
Weekend Baking
By Sarah Randell
Ryland Peters & Small - 2010
This was the first roulade I managed to roll up without any issues. Nothing stuck - it was a real joy to work with!
The apricot filling was also excellent and I will definitely make this one again!
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Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
This one's another winner! I used agave syrup instead of molasses and they turned out excellently!
useful (1)
These were lovely! The hazelnuts paired incredibly well with the teff flour and keeping the skins on added an incredible taste and saved a lot of time.
useful (1)
Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens--Inventive Salads with Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken, and More
By Catherine Walthers
Lake Isle Press - 2007
Wow, what a great salad for a warm spring day! Roasting the canned artichokes really made a difference. Asparagus and lemon lovers this one is for you - don't miss out!
useful (2)
Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery
By Rose Carrarini
Phaidon Press - 2006
Once you have made the meringues this a quick and easy dessert that everybody loves. I made it with strawberries this time but will definitely try again with other fruit.
useful (2)
Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
By Heidi Swanson
Ten Speed Press - 2011
If you can't be bothered by making a traditional pie crust and love coconut then this one is for you. Simply press the dough into the tart pan, add the fruit and macaroon filling and enjoy!
I used whole spelt flour and cherries instead of whole wheat flour and blackberries and the tart got rave reviews.
useful (2)
The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accessories
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press,U.S. - 2007
I know I am repeating myself - every recipe from this book turns out great. This one was especially easy to prepare. No need to make a custard, just macerate the berries, puree them with the yogurt, put the whole thing into your ice-cream maker - and there it is, the best strawberry frozen yogurt ever!!
useful (2)
Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market
By Deborah Madison
Broadway - 2010
More of a batter than a pie pastry, this one is put together in minutes. Just press it into the tart pan with your fingers and you have an excellent tart base for any recipe.
useful (2)
With the silky tart dough from page 136 as a base this is the quickest tart I have ever made - it takes no more than an hour until the tart comes out of the oven.
I used blackberries and blueberries as a topping and the whole tart was devoured within an hour!
useful (1)
The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion
By Bill Yosses, Melissa Clark
W. W. Norton & Company - 2010
Wow! This was a surprise! We just could not stop eating this bundt cake, which was incredibly tender, fruity and had a lovely tang from the buttermilk. I did not make the orange glaze and I was so happy about it - this cake was perfect with out it!
useful (2)
Plenty
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Ebury Press - 2010
Wow - very easy to make and incredibly delicious!
I did not know that roasting peppers yourself can be that easy and makes such a difference. Since I did not find any watercress I used arugula instead.
useful (0)
Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens--Inventive Salads with Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken, and More
By Catherine Walthers
Lake Isle Press - 2007
This makes an excellent and refreshing side for a barbecue! Use lots of fresh cilantro for your salsa and you will be in salad heaven!
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A Year in my Kitchen
By Skye Gyngell
Quadrille Publishing Ltd - 2008
This is the highlight of your summer dinner party! Use only perfect fruit and you will not be disappointed.
The only issue I had with the recipe is that my crème anglaise took more than 30 minutes to reach the desired consistency not the 10 mentioned by the author. Thank god I used a thermometer to take the temperature of the custard so I knew I had to turn up the heat, otherwise I would be still stirring at the lowest possible heat waiting for my custard to thicken ;-).
useful (1)
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
Excellent taste - however only 4 stars due the fact that I just could not roll out the dough and use the cookie cutters. The dough was either too hard to be rolled out or stuck to the recommended wax paper. In the end I shaped a log, put it in the freezer and then sliced it with a sharp knife.
useful (1)
Pure Dessert
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2007
I used these as a healthier alternative for cutout cookies with my kids. They just loved these cookies and we will definitely make them again.
useful (0)
Fresh Food Fast: Delicious, Seasonal Vegetarian Meals in Under an Hour
By Peter Berley
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2004
This was a lovely meal and reminded my a little bit of coq au vin without the chicken and the wine ;-). I added Shiitake mushrooms and prepared the pilaf with bulgur only. However, as with all of Peter Berley's recipes it takes much longer than the intended one hour. Maybe it is just my knife-skills that need some more practicing!
useful (1)
Leon: Ingredients and Recipes
By Allegra McEvedy
Conran Octopus Ltd - 2008
These have become our go-to meatballs for the whole family. Just leave out the harissa and you have family-friendly version as well.
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Baking: From My Home to Yours
By Dorie Greenspan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2006
This is a delicious cheesecake though quite substantial (as mentioned in Dorie's comment). I would have preferred more apple flavor. Next time I will cut the apples into smaller pieces in order to get them more evenly distributed in the batter or even use apple butter as in the proposed variation.
useful (1)
Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
By Heidi Swanson
Ten Speed Press - 2011
4 stars only because my mung beans were mushy. The tempeh, however, was really tasty and the broccoli added a nice crunch. A definite must cook again!
useful (0)
Weekend Baking
By Sarah Randell
Ryland Peters & Small - 2010
This is a very easy to make chocolate cake which everybody will like. Excellent for your kids' birthday parties!
useful (0)
Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate
By Alice Medrich, Deborah Jones
Artisan - 2003
4 stars only because it is a very "adult" cheesecake and my boys did not like it. But if you were always looking for a less sweet and more chocolatey cheesecake give it a try.
A note re baking time: my cake took took 15 minutes more to reach the described puffiness on the outer edges without being overly fluid in the center.
useful (1)
Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
By Heidi Swanson
Ten Speed Press - 2011
This is a quick and easy meal for a warm summer night. 4 stars only because it was not as outstanding as most of Heidi's other dishes I have tried from this book but still very nice.
useful (1)
Perfect Pops
By Charity Ferriera
Chronicle Books - 2011
Nice chocolatey flavor, not too sweet and a bit tangy - excellent reviews by children and adults alike. 4 stars only because of the calories involved - 1 cup of crème fraiche, 1 cup half&half and 4 ounces of chocolate - all in 6 pops!
useful (1)
Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful
By Barbara Fairchild
Andrews McMeel Publishing - 2010
This was a gorgeous looking light and creamy cheesecake which tasted delicious. 4 stars only because it was lacking the pistachio flavor despite of 1 expensive cup used in the recipe. Next time I will try it with peanuts or almonds instead.
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Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
Even though I am a big chestnut lover, these cookies turned out strange. I loved the walnut part of the cookie, but the chestnut flour added a very strange taste. Next time I will just add the walnuts and leave out the chestnut flour.
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