southerncooker's Reviews
Cookbook Reviews
117 books reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Rating | Title 
1995 Taste of Home Annual Recipes
By Jean Steiner, Heidi Reuter Lloyd, Julie Schnittka, Julie Schnittka, Mark Hagen, Julie Schnittka
Reiman Assoc - 2000
I love the Taste of Home annual cookbooks. They contain a full years worth of the recipes from the magazine. I've enjoyed almost every recipe I've tried from them and many have become family staples.
1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes
By Kathy Pohl
Country Store Reiman Pubs - 1998
A year's worth of Taste of Home recipes in one place. What could be better? You're in for some good meals with these books.
The American Century Cookbook
By Jean Anderson
Clarkson Potter - 1997
This book is filled with wonderful recipes from the 20th century. It's also a great read. If you're interested in food history then this is the book for you.
The Art and Soul of Baking
By Sur La Table, Cindy Mushet
Andrews McMeel Publishing - 2008
This is a huge book. It weighs just over 5 pounds. It's filled with wonderful color photos of not only some of the finished products but some step by step photos as well. I won this book in a Project Foodie contest. (projectfoodie.com)
The first two chapters help you to learn what you need in a bakers kitchen and also the bakers pantry. Next are chapters on yest breads and rolls, layered pastries, quick breads, Pies, Turnovers, and dumplings, Tarts, fruit desserts, cookies, bars, and brownies, cakes, custards, bread puddings, and cheesecakes, souffles, meringues, and pate a choux, and finally basic recipes and finishing techniques.
The book is laced with some boxes with tips called What the Pro Knows. There are also many tips for success in your baking adventures. Did you know there are eight main ingredients in baking? Well you can find out what they are if you read this book.
There is lots of information included with each recipe, and often variations after the recipe to help you turn something into something even more. If you are a baker or just want to become one then this is the book for you. It's fun to read, browse through and bake from.
Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family
By Art Smith
Hyperion - 2001
This is a wonderful book to read. You can almost feel the love of cooking and feeding those that are special to you in Art's writing of this book. It is filled with great recipes you can make for those you want to share a table with. This is what he considers family, anyone you welcome to your table to enjoy food with.
I enjoyed reading the little blurbs included with each recipe. The names of the chapters are wonderful as well: Back to the Table; Setting the Table; Bless the Table; Breaking Bread; The Family Meal; Family Traditions; Food as Love; Family Celebrations; and finally Friends as Family. The book starts off with a list of all the recipes. It is filled with great photos as well.
I made the Red Beans and Brown Rice. This is noted as a healthful vegetarian version of the Creole Classic and was easy to make and delicious. I'm sure I'll cook more from this one. I've been wanting this one since I saw it on Oprah. Art is or was her personal chef and has appeared on her show several times.
Bake Happy: 100 Playful Desserts with Rainbow Layers, Hidden Fillings, Billowy Frostings, and more
By Judith Fertig
Running Press - 2015
I recently won this book and Cake Therapist by the same author from http://thecookbookjunkies.com/. Will do a review of Cake Therapist as soon as I’m finished reading. Today I had my first chance to cook from this book. I made Lime Chiffon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream and they were so good. Light as air with a hint of lime that complements the taste of the blackberries in the frosting.
If you’re wondering if you really need another baking book then the answer is YES! Since this book has so many new and interesting flavor combinations. Things like Blackberry and Lavender Turnovers, Meyer Lemon and Pomegrante Tart, Venezuelan Spiced Brownies, Coconut Lover’s Cupcakes with Secret Filling, Saffron Creme Burlee with Rosy Strawberry Compote, and so much more. There are recipes for bread puddings, flans, souffles, meringues, cakes, tarts, curds, cookies, pies, and lots more. The book is filled with 100 playful desserts to help you bake happy.
Not only will these recipes satisfy your sweet tooth they’ll help you have fun in the kitchen. There are quiet a few photos for those of us that love pictures with our recipes. I also like that there is some information included with each recipe that is fun to read and often filled with helpful information. I’ll be turning to this book often when I start craving something sweet or need something sweet to share at a celebration.
Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2006
I love watching the Barefoot Contessa on the food network and get great ideas for meals as well as trying many of her recipes. This book has beautiful color photos - one for almost every dish.
Each chapter begins with some interesting comments from Ina about topics such as: making a grocery list, outdoor parties, planning a menu, designing a kitchen, and developing a recipe. Included with each recipe is a paragraph just under the recipe title. Also on the side of almost every recipe is a hint or tip sometimes even two. These hints and tips as well as the recipe names are written in bright colors -- orange, green, blue, purple and red. The recipes and paragraphs before are in black ink.
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2008
If you like the Barefoot Contessa's other books I think you'll enjoy this one also. I love the green used in this book, it's my favorite color. Like her other books it has wonderful photography. You know the kind that makes you want to lick the pages!
In this one she gives you some hints and tips and even shares some of her food secrets at the beginning of the book. Also included on one page at the beginning of each chapter she gives you some good advice about different topics. At the end she answers some FAQ's to help with some basic food questions. She says you can go to her website barefootcontessa.com to see an ever evolving list. On her website are also menus using all her previous books and this one as well.
The book is divided into the following chapters: cocktail hour, soup, lunch, dinner, vegetables, dessert, and breakfast. She also includes a sources page, barn sources and resources, menus, index and a recipe index.
I also like the little tid bits she includes at the beginning of each recipe, something like when she made the recipe, where it came from originally, how she came up with it, or a hint or tip about it. There are also little tips included beside some of the recipes.
Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
I love the Barefoot Contessa books and this one is no exception. As with her other books this one includes fabulous photos and inspiring recipes.
Not only does this one include easier recipes but also great tips and a list of Ina's must have things for the kitchen. The recipes may be easy but they sure aren't boring. Even so most ingredients are easily found in a regular supermarket. She does use a few rather expensive ingredients in some of the recipes. For instance truffle butter. That is one thing I can't find in a regular supermarket but for the most part it's standard ingredients.
Most of the recipes are ones I'd love to cook and eat. I'm sure I'll be using this one for some time to come. I've already made the Herb roasted turkey breast for our Thanksgiving and the spicy turkey meatballs and spaghetti and both were fantastic.
Best of the Best from North Carolina Cookbook: Selected Recipes from North Carolina's Favorite Cookbooks (Best of the Best State Cookbook)
By Gwen McKee, Gwen McKee, Barbara Moseley
Quail Ridge Press - 2006
This is the Best of the Best from my home state, NC. It is filled with select recipes from North Carolina's favorite cookbooks as collected by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley. As with all the BOB state cookbooks it is illustrated by Tupper Davidson. ISBN: 0937552380 It is a spiral bound book and lays flat nicely when you want to cook from it. All the ones I have are spiral bound except the California one.
One of my favorite features of the BOB cookbooks is the catalog of contributing cookbooks listed in the back. I have eight of the thirty-eight listed in the NC edition. Of course I now have several more of those on my ever growing wish list. NC is one of my newest additions to my BOB state cookbook collection and I haven't cooked from it yet. It's kinda funny that I'd bought a few BOB NC ones to give away in swapson cookbooksetcetera but hadn't gotten one for myself until awhile back when I got it from paperbackswap.com
The Best-Kept Secrets of Healthy Cooking: Your Culinary Resource to Hundreds of Delicious Kitchen-Tested Dishes
By Sandra Woodruff
Avery Trade - 2000
This book lists nutritonal information for every recipe and includes tips and
hints among the recipes on how to make dishes lower in fat and healthier.
Besides the frittata we made there are several other varriations that also sound
good and may have to try soon as this makes a wonderful weekend breakfast -
Zucchini & Tomato, Spring Vegetable, Sausage Pepper & Onion, Shrimp & Bacon, and
Spinach & Ham. Other breakfast items I've marked to try are Cottage Cheese
Pancakes and Honey-Orange Syrup.
I love this book and think it will be one I'll cook from often as it has post its sticking
out in all directions. Don't know why it took me so long to plunge into this
one. I have a few others by the same author and plan to cook from them soon too.
Biker Billy's Freeway-A-Fire Cookbook: Life's Too Short to Eat Dull Food
By Bill Hufnagle
Cookbooks - 1999
This is a vegetarian cookbook filled with spicy recipes which range from mild to extremely hot. Besides the recipes there are also tips for growing, buying, handling, and cooking with the hot peppers that make the recipes sizzle. The Burpee Seed Company named an extremely hot hybrid jalapeno after Biker Billy. This is his second cookbook, the first being, Biker Billy Cooks with Fire.
In the first chapter there is a Scoville unit list and a list dividing the peppers into - mild, medium, hot and atomic. He also lists them by fresh and dry and describes each. He shares his biker pantry. There are recipes for salads, pasta, appetizers, breads, main dishes, and even drinks.
One thing some people might find irritating is that the names of recipes and list of ingredients are in a red ink.
If you are vegetarian and like you food on the spicy and sometimes wildly hot side or just want to add more wild and spicy vegetable dishes to your life, then I think this is a good book for you.
Bobby Flay's Throwdown!: More Than 100 Recipes from Food Network's Ultimate Cooking Challenge
By Bobby Flay, Stephanie Banyas, Miriam Garron
Clarkson Potter - 2010
Are you ready for a Throwdown? If you're a fan of Throwdown with Bobby Flay then you're familiar with that phrase. This book includes recipes from Throwdown seasons 1 through 7 and the pilot episode. For each episode you get the recipe from Bobby and the person he challenges. There are also favorite throwdown moments and behind the scenes peeks.
If you enjoy the show then you'll love this book. You can try some of the recipes and decide if the judges make the right picks. Even if you're not a fan of the show you might still enjoy this book as it's filled with regional favorites from across the USA.
The Bon Appetit Cookbook
By Barbara Fairchild
Wiley - 2006
This is a giant cookbook with more than 1,200 recipes. The recipes are best loved recipes from Bon Appetit magazine. It has a few color photos scattered through the book.
Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts
By Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin
Clarkson Potter - 1999
Chapters in this book are divided by ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, eggs, chocolate, citrus, fruit, nuts, cheese, spice, and finally one each for holidays and drinks. After the introduction is a chapter on the basics. If you are a seasoned baker you may already know and follow these basic tips, but it's helpful for those who don't bake often or are just starting. Even if you bake often you may find a helpful tip you hadn't thought of or maybe had forgotten.
There are lots of great dessert recipes included in this book. Some of them you may have saw on the food network and others on Baking with Julia on PBS. Still others may have been served at one of Rick and Gale's restaurants. I love the side bars included with each recipe, interesting things about the recipe. Each recipe also come with a drink suggestion.
This is Gale and Rick's 2nd book together, their first being American Brasserie, which was published in 1997. We've always had great results when using Gale's recipes. If you are looking for a dessert book you can't go wrong if you choose this one.
Carolina Thyme
By Junior League of Durham & Orange County
Favorite Recipes Press (FRP) - 2001
This is an excellent Junior League cookbook from the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties in NC. It has wonderful sounding recipes and my copy looks like a porcupine with all the little post it's sticking out of recipes I hope to try.
Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist: Fresh Takes on Favorite Dishes
By Cat Cora, Ann Kruegar Spivack
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2010
This book contains casual recipes that look as if you spent hours but only take minimal time. It includes healthy meals and is said to be meals that Cat makes after work for her own family. Cat puts her Greek and Southern roots twist on many foods and sneaks out calories when ever she can without sacrificing flavor. She encourages you to twist the recipes to make them your own. Her and her partner have 4 boys all under the age of seven and she includes some of their favorites such as Enchilada Pie, Easy Chicken Curry, Bucatini Pasta with bacon, and crispy baked fish sticks with honey mustard dipping sauce.
This book has wonderful color photos, mostly of the food but a few also of Cat and two of her and her partner's four sons preparing food. I love the layout of this book The recipes are on one page or continued on facing pages, where if the book is open then you can see the complete recipe, and sometimes a photo of it as well. The type is black with the names of recipes and headings in a green that matches the cover of the book.
Cat includes a note at the bottom of many recipes and a paragraph or two at the beginning. There are also boxes included at the bottom of some of the recipes called Twist It. In them she gives you hints and tips on doing something a little different with the recipe or some of the ingredients. Sometimes a recipe will be followed by another recipe also with Twist it at the top where you can turn one recipe into another recipe. There are even a few called Twist it again where you take the first recipe even farther. Sometimes a bonus recipe will be included following the main recipe. These are called chef's touches and can be served as a stand alone dish but also can be used to enhance the main recipe.
For instance one of the recipes I plan on trying is called Tom-mozz Skewers with Bloody Mary Vinaigrette and the chef's touch is Crispy Buttermilk-soaked Onions. The onions are served on top of the skewers if desired. In the paragraph along with the onions she tells how they compliment the Skewers and that they also go great with the Ginger-Marinated Steak recipe.
Contents: Introduction; appetizers and drinks; soups and salads; main dishes and sides; desserts; good to know; resources; index. In the Good to Know chapter there are recipes for things like stocks, homemade mayo, infused oils, pesto, salsas, herbes de provence, roasted garlic and southern corn bread.
Chocolate
By Susan Branch
Cedco Pub - 2000
his is a cute little book, 4 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/4 inches tall and 32 pages long. I love Susan Branch's books, filled with her drawings and hand written. It only contains a dozen recipes but what recipes they are.
If you're a Chocolate lover then you'll love this little book. The names of the recipes are written in different colored inks but the recipes themselves are in black. Some people might not like the cursive handwritten recipes and may even find it hard to read, but I think it gives the book a special feel along with Susan's art work and cute little sayings.
Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook: Breakfast, Brunch & Beyond from New York's Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant
By DeDe Lahman, Neil Kleinberg, Michael Harlan Turkell
Little, Brown and Company - 2010
One of the things I like about this book is that most of the recipes serve 2-4, except of course the muffins and desserts. Even though this is a cookbook of recipes from the restaurant, the authors have scaled down the recipes for home cooks. Clinton St. Baking company is known in NY for it's fabulous breakfasts and brunches. This book contains wonderful recipes as the sub title states for breakfast, brunch and beyond.
I haven't found many really great breakfast books but this one fits that category right up there with Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe. I've tried several of the recipes and look forward to trying more.
Another thing I like about this book is that there is dialog along with every recipe. There is a little writing about the recipe included with every one. If you like some stories, tips or some behind the looks at the how and why's of the recipes, like how they came to be, or why they are included on the menu, then you'll get a bit of interesting reading here. The introduction is also very interesting, it's called Love and Butter and is the story of how the authors met and came to own Clinton St. Baking.
If you want a good breakfast and brunch book then check this one out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Come Home to Supper: Over 200 Casseroles, Skillets, and Sides (Desserts, Too!) to Feed Your Family with Love
By Christy Jordan
Workman Publishing Company - 2013
I loved Christy's first cookbook and love this one as well. I like that it's so affordable. This is simple southern cooking at it's best. Christy's recipes remind me of the kinds of recipes I grew up on and continue to cook for my family. I love to cook and on the weekends I enjoy more complicated and time consuming recipes and even sometimes tackle a gourmet recipe. During the work week I come home exhausted and just want to prepare a simple but filling recipe and this book gives me lots of those. I like that there are slow cooker options for many recipes included in this book too. There's nothing like coming home to a meal already prepared or mostly prepared and ready to dig into. If you enjoy reading your cookbooks as I do you'll also enjoy the little stories and inspirational messages Christy includes. I've already made the Chinese Chicken Salad (great to take for my lunches at work), Italian Beef Sandwiches (I used the slow cooker version and only had to stir fry my peppers and onions when I got home from work) and beef gravy. I love that she gives you the option and recipes to make some of the things homemade instead of using things like Jared gravy or canned soup. I'm not against using those things to make my life simpler either but often homemade not only tastes better but is healthier and cheaper as well. I also have ingredients for the coming week to make Pizza Rolls, Steak Tips over Rice, and the Simple Fruit Crisp. I have lots more recipes marked and ingredient lists prepared for the coming weeks. Thanks Christy for helping me Come Home to Supper!
The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions
By Katie Lee
Simon Spotlight Entertainment - 2009
This is a beautiful menu book, filled with lots of color food photos. There are menus for a few holidays and special occasions as well as everyday occasions.
Katie says the most important thing her grandma taught her about being a hostess is that it isn't just about the food -- it's mostly about the way you make people feel in your home. I love what she says about the title of her book, if you put the words "comfort" and "table" together you get comfortable.
There's only one thing I don't like about this book. A few recipes are continued on a page where you have to flip back and forth. Thank goodness it's only a few.
I like that she includes a little story with each recipe. She also includes a few tips throughout the book. Along with the menu at the beginning of each chapter she includes a wine suggestion as well as a play list of music for the event.
My daughter, Sarita chose the Roasted Pumpkin and Pomegranate Salad from the Fall Harvest Dinner Menu, for part of her birthday supper 2009. It was wonderful. My sister, Sarah and son, Dexter who didn't think they'd like it really enjoyed it and my sister had two heaping helpings. We couldn't get my husband, Harold or Sarita's husband, Andrew to try it.
If you enjoy menu cookbooks or need a new book for entertaining ideas I think you'd enjoy this one.
Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals
By Silvana Nardone, Rachael Ray
Readers Digest - 2010
This book is gluten-free and dairy-free and was written because the author's son was diagnosed as both gluten and diary intolerant. The author does give you substitutions if you wish to either cook with gluten or dairy. The book is filled with gorgeous photos of the food and a few of Silvana and her family.
The foreword in this book is written by Rachael Ray. Nardone is the founding editor in chief of Rachael's magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray. She also is the no recipe zone and sweet spot columnist for the magazine.
Even though no one in my immediate family (my niece is gluten intolerant) suffers from gluten or dairy intolerance I have found so many recipes in this book that I want to try. So far I've made two and were very pleased with them. I made the double corn cornbread since I wanted to try the double-decker toasted cornbread and spicy greens stack. BTW she gives you her recipe for gluten free all-purpose flour as well as her gluten free pancake mix in the book. Even though the cornbread has some sugar in it, which I normally don't prefer in my cornbread, it was still good. I loved the spicy greens stack and can't wait to also try the toasted ham and tomato cornbread sandwiches with jalepeno mayonnaise which is also on this bread.
If someone you love is gluten or dairy intolerant I highly recommend this book. Even if you don't know someone affected by these allergies this is a great book to cook from.
Cooking From the Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals
By Cat Cora, Ann Krueger Spivack
Houghton Mifflin - 2007
This book is divided into five sections: Fast, Easy, Fun, Phenomenal, and Good
to Know. It also includes resources for hard to find ingredients, which some
people find really helpful. It has beautiful color photos and lots of notes
from Cat throughout the book.
Cat Cora is the Food Network's only female Iron Chef and I enjoy watching her
compete on that show.
I made the Two Bean Salad with Hearts of Palm and Blue Cheese and it was
great. It was so pretty layered in my glass pedestal serving bowl. I did have trouble
finding Sherry Vinegar so I used 1/2 red wine vinegar and 1/2 rice wine
vinegar. I also used black beans instead of kidney since I forgot to get more
kidney beans and had a couple cans of black beans already in the cabinet.
Dexter likes black beans better anyway. He also wants me to leave out the
chick peas and make this one again.
Cat encourages you to "cook from the hip" (hence the title of the book),
taking these recipes as guide lines. She suggests using what you have on hand
or your family enjoys and making substitutions if desired, which I did. This
is a beautiful, fun book to read, cook from and enjoy.
Cooking Healthy Across America
By JoAnna M. Lund, Barbara Alpert
Perigee Trade - 2001
I have many of JoAnna's books and this is one of my favorites. I love having
recipes from across the US remade to be more healthy. I also love reading the
little notes included with each recipe. It feels as if JoAnna is talking to me.
Even though JoAnna is no longer with us she lives on in her recipes. JoAnna passed away after a hard fought battle with breast cancer, May 20, 2006. I had the great pleasure of getting to know JoAnna thru a cookbook collectors group and we shared a couple of private cookbook swaps. She was an amazing lady with a wonderful attitude even while battling cancer.
As is true with all of her books the nutritional values are included which makes
these recipes great for anyone following the weight watchers program.They are also great for diabetics and anyone trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
To give you an idea of the recipes in this book I'm listing our families favorites I've made from the following chapters in Cooking Healthy Across America.
From the New England section I've made Fireside Chicken with Biscuits and Corned
Beef Hash.
From The Eastern Seaboard - Scaled-Down U.S. Senate Bean Soup, Jersey Tomato
Salad, Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches, Maryland Crab Cakes and Creamy Chicken
Cordon Bleu Skillet.
From The South - Dixie Grits Casserole, Brunswick Stew and Pulled-Pork
Sandwiches.
The Southwest - Come and Get it Chuck Wagon Chili, Green Chili Stew, and Alamo
Fudge.
While writing this review I just realized I've never made a recipe from the West
Section but think that needs to be remedied soon by trying The Golden State
Carrot Cake.
From the Northwest - Willamette Valley Blackberry Cobbler is often requested
when we have fresh blackberries to pick.
Fruit Kolaches is what I've tried from The Heartland and from All-American
Classics - Creamy coleslaw, Mainstay Meatloaf and Chocolate Cake with Chocolate
Frosting.
If you're trying to eat healthier but don't want to give up comfort food then I highly recomend any of JoAnna M. Lund's cookbooks. She even had a few that she wrote before she passed away that came out later.
Cooking Healthy with a Man in Mind
By JoAnna M. Lund
Putnam Adult - 1997
In this 338 page book you get to hear from JoAnna's husband Cliff since
he writes the introduction. The recipes included in this book not only
were approved by Cliff but many were tested by hundreds of visitors at
a taste-testing buffet. She has also included many of her sons
favorites as well.
If you want to cook healthy for the man or men in your life then the
recipes in this book are sure to please. My men are often reluctant to
try recipes if they think I'm trying to feed them healthy but they'll try
a JoAnna recipe anytime. When I first started cooking from her books my
son, Dexter would often say are you sure you can eat this on weight
watchers, it's too good to be good for you. The first time I went out to
Calif to spend some time with hubby, Harold I copied some recipes from
this one to cook for him and he enjoyed them too.
The Blazing Glory Chili was a big hit at our house the first time we
tried it and we've made it many times since. We also enjoyed the Golden
Onion Pie and the Bar-B-Que Beef Strips are to die for. If you or
someone you know enjoys sloppy Joes then you should try Healthy Jo's as they
are very good.
There are many more tasty, man pleasing, healthy recipes included in
this book and all of them are approved by JoAnna's truck driving husband
Cliff. As with her other books nutritional values are included for all
her recipes.
Cooking Healthy with the Kids in Mind
By JoAnna M. Lund
Booksales - 2002
I think I got this one from Ebay and it's signed by JoAnna. Big Plus for me.
Although this one is for cooking for kids the big kids and I enjoy so many of
the recipes included in this book. As with all of JoAnna's books all nutritional
information is included. The brief notes included with each recipe are an added
bonus.
Some Get Out of Bead Breakfast's we've enjoyed from this book are, Scrambled Egg
Hash, Ham Breakfast Casserole and Pineapple Upside-Down French Toast.
From the Soups section you can't go wrong with Minestrone in Minutes, Chicken
Pot Pie Chowder or Meatball Soup.
Two great sandwiches from that section we enjoy are Tuna Sandwich Melts and
Chicken Fruit Sandwiches.
We've also tried and enjoyed the following from the Main Dish section, Creamy
Tuna- Potato Scallop, Cheesy Chicken Pot Biscuit Cups, Country Chicken and
Biscuits, Deep Dish Turkey Pot Pie, Tom's Easy Cheesy Skillet, Pizza Popover Pie
and Quick Pork Parmigiana.
From Snack Time you can never go wrong with Cinnamon Crisps, Peanut Butter
Cookies or Apple Biscuit Drops.
Finally from the special occasion section Peanut Butter Cup Pie is often
requested by my oldest kid, hubby, Harold.
If you're looking for some kid friendly and kid pleasing recipes this is a great cookbook to add to your collection. I'm sure the kids would enjoy helping you make some of the delicious, healthy dishes in this one.
Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2003
April 28th, 2010These books hold all the wonderful recipes from the previous years issues of Cooking Light magazines. They also have several color photos of finished dishes.
They are divided into months just like the magazines. I like this since I can go to any of my annuals and choose the month we're in and find some good healthy recipes to prepare during that month. It's also nice to have the recipes in one place instead of having stacks and stacks of magazines laying around.
Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004
April 28th, 2010
They are divided into months just like the magazines. I like this since I can go to any of my annuals and choose the month we're in and find some good healthy recipes to prepare during that month. It's also nice to have the recipes in one place instead of having stacks and stacks of magazines laying around.
Another of my favorite things about these books are the nutritional information included with each recipe. This makes it easy for me to figure out weight watcher points. This particular annual says on the cover over 1,000 new recipes.
Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2006
By Editors of Cooking Light Magazine
Oxmoor House - 2005
I got this one from one of my favorite places to add to my collection, paperbackswap.com.
These books hold all the wonderful recipes from the previous years issues of Cooking Light magazines. They also have several color photos of finished dishes.
They are divided into months just like the magazines. I like this since I can go to any of my annuals and choose the month we're in and find some good healthy recipes to prepare during that month. It's also nice to have the recipes in one place instead of having stacks and stacks of magazines laying around.
Another of my favorite things about these books are the nutritional information included with each recipe. This makes it easy for me to figure out weight watcher points. This particular annual says on the cover over 1,000 new recipes. Isn't it wonderful to have that many healthy recipes at your fingertips?
Cowgirl Cuisine: Rustic Recipes and Cowgirl Adventures from a Texas Ranch
By Paula Disbrowe
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2007
I belong to a wonderful cookbook collectors group on yahoo called CookbooksEtCetera and I got this one in a state of the art swap from Anne in Texas in that group. It's wonderful read. It has a beautiful story weaved through the book and the author manages to connect the recipes to the chapters in her story of moving from NY to her ranch in TX. She shares the journey of her and her boyfriend, now husband and how city slickers became a cowboy and cowgirl. You get romance, adventure and comedy as well as some delicious recipes when you read this book.
Upon first glance at this book I marked several recipes to try; Greens with Red Chili Sauce, Garlic greens, Smoked Turkey wraps, Scorpion Tails with Sauce, Banana Bread with almonds and orange essence, Shiner Bock Beans with epazote and Chocolate Pecan Squares. I have already made the Garlic Greens (we loved them), Smoked turkey Wraps (amazing) and the choco Pecan Squares.
The only complaint I have about this book is the fact you have to turn the page to see all of some recipes, but the information she included with the recipes make this a minor complaint.
This is a fun read and I'm enjoying cooking from it and look forward to many delicious meals from it.
Coyote Cafe
By Mark Miller
Ten Speed Press - 2002
This is a wonderful book and I've enjoyed reading it so much. It is
filled with recipes made at The Coyote Cafe in Sante Fe, New Mexico.
Sounds like a wonderful place to eat. Before each recipe is a very
interesting blurb about the recipe from the author which describes the orgin of
the recipe or an anecdote connected with it.
Sprinkled throughout the book are great tips and hints, as well as how
to step by step photos and lots of great Native American art work, as
well as interesting Coyote stories. For instance, stories like "How
Coyote Brought the Chilies" and How the Coyote Got His Cunning". There are
also a few American Indian Poems. The introduction was a delightful
read about how the restaurant came to be and his previous work in other
restraunts including him working with Alice Waters.
Before each chapter is a couple pages of interesting information from
the author, often about his travels and experiences. The Coyote's Bag of
Tricks chapter includes dishes said to make you howl with delight. Some
interesting recipes included in this book are Texas Blue Crab Cakes,
Desert Prickly Pear Sauce, Blue Corn Bread, Cowboy Steak with Red Chile
Onion Rings, Pork Tacos with Wild Mushrooms and Tamarind Chipotle Sauce,
Orange Cumin Bread, and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Poblano Chilies.
If you love cooking and eating southwestern cusine or just reading
about it this is a wonderfully interesting book and I highly reccomend it.
The Deen Bros. Cookbook
By Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, Melissa Clark
Wiley - 2007
If you are a fan of the Food Network show Road Tasted that Bobbie and Jamie once hosted (it's now hosted by the Neely's who's BBQ place is in the book), and thought this book contained recipes from the people and places they visited, you'd be wrong. Even though the places and people are featured in the book the recipes are from Jamie and Bobby themselves. They include recipes in each chapter that reminds them of the places they visited.
The book is divided into The South, The West, The Midwest and the East. In each section there is information on and photos of the people and places they visited, the types of food served there, and the recipes, along with more color photos of the finished dishes, the brothers came up with for the book. The foreword for the book is written by proud Mom - Paula Deen.
If you enjoyed the show I think you'll enjoy this book. I got this one recently from paper back swap. I decided to try the boys version of Mac and cheese from the Midwest section. This recipe was inspired by Beechwood Cheese Company, Beechwood, Wisconsin as was, Classic Cheese Fondue and Pecan Crusted Cranberry Cheese Balls. We all loved the mac and cheese here.
Dessert Every Night!
By JoAnna M. Lund
Putnam Adult - 1998
Do you or someone you love feel like it's not a proper meal without a
little something sweet to finish up? Here's a book filled with desserts
that are good and still good for you. With the desserts in this book
you can enjoy a treat every day and still not feel guilty. Imagine having
such treats as Banana Peanut Butter Delights, Old Fashioned Bread
Pudding, Heavenly Layered Lemon Pie, Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie, Joyful
Almond Cheesecake, Hawaiian Strawberry Paradise Cheesecake, Black Forest
Trifle, Peach Praline Shortcakes, and Lemon Coconut Bars. You can if you
have this book.
The recipes are easy to make with ingredients that are easy to find at
your local market. The end products look and taste like you slaved all
day but they are quiet easy to put together. Need a dessert for a get
together or special dinner guests or to serve someone who has diabetics,
then this is the place to look and no one will know that they are
really made in the healthy way unless you spill the beans. Nutritional
information is included for all recipes.
dori sanders country cooking
By Dori Sanders
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill - 1995
I read this one from cover to cover in no time. It's one of those kinds of books
you can't put down until you've finished the last page. Then when you get to the
last page you don't want it to end. So many of these recipe are like ones I grew
up on.... good old fashioned, down home, country, Southern cooking, with a few
surprises thrown in for good measure. So many of the chapters and stories
brought back pleasant childhood memories for me. Like Dori, I always enjoyed
hog-killing time with my family -- Mom, Dad, grands, aunts, uncles, siblings and
cousins.. I love helping prepare the hams to cure and making liver mush,
sausage, pork skins and rendering the fat for lard.
Making Molasses was also lots of work but fun too. My uncle owned a boiler and
let family and friends use it. Most times it was used on weekends and would
start very early in the morning each day and go till way in the night. We would
roast marshmallows and hot dogs in the fire beneath the boiler and chill drinks
and watermelons in the creek. After the molasses were finished we always had a
cane stick to sop the boiler with.
If you like books with stories among and about the recipes then I know you'll enjoy this one. I have had this book for some time and recently got it autographed by Ms. Sanders at our local library. She is a very gracious southern lady.
Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook
By Patrick Neely, Gina Neely, Paula Disbrowe
Knopf - 2009
This book is more than just a cookbook. Also included is the story of how Pat and Gina met, married, and came to be on the food network. Before each recipe is a note from Pat or Gina and sometimes both of them about where the recipe came from, what one of them might do different, and sometimes hits or tips to help you successfully make the recipe yourself. It's a fun book to read as well as cook from.
If you love southern cooking then you'll enjoy this one. The recipes are tried and true family recipes from Pat, Gina, and their families. Some recipes are ones that have been in their families for generations. There are also some recipes from their restauants and a few you might have seen on their Food Network Show. They share their Barbecue seasoning and sauce recipes too. There is even a section from Pat's brother and restaurant partner, Tony giving you tips on grilling at home.
If you like photos in your cookbooks there are plenty of those here. Many family photos as well as mouth watering food photos. You shouldn't have any problem at all finding the ingredients called for in this book. The type is black ink with the ingriedents list and name of the recipe in brown. Most recipes are on one page with a few taking up two pages that you can easily read on facing pages with the book open.
I have wanted to try their siginature BBQ Spaghetti ever since I saw it on the Road Food show when the Deen brothers went to their restaurant. The recipe is in this book. The only problem for me is you have to make the seasoning recipe, sauce recipe, smoked BBQ and then the spaghetti. That wouldn't be a problem but both Dexter and Harold say they wouldn't even try it. That leaves me and if Sarita were here her, but I don't think Andrew would eat it either and this makes quiet a bit. I'd love to go to one of their restaurants and try it there. I do have the recipe though if I ever want to tackle it.
Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude
By Emeril Lagasse
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2004
I enjoy Emeril's cooking style
especially if he doesn't use overly expensive or hard to find ingredients. Some
of his books do have recipes with the hard to find ingredients but this one does
not. A few of the recipes do call for some of his spices like his essence but
you can make your own and the recipe can be easily found on the internet or in
some of his previous books.
There is an orange border up each side and across the top of the name of each recipe
and also a row of orange dots across the top and bottom of each list of
ingredients. There are also orange blocks with white writ ting in them with
hints and tips or bits of information scattered through out the book. There are
interesting little blurbs about each dish right after the title of the recipe.
Since this is a pot luck cookbook all recipes serve 8-10 people but it says to
not assume you're making too much since everyone will want seconds and maybe
even thirds.
Mom gave Dexter some Key Limes she got at a flea/farmers market so we decided
to make Mr. Lou's Key Lime Pie. It was a simple pie to make and quiet good. I did cheat and buy a premade Graham Cracker crust.
Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
By Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Clarkson Potter - 2007
This one contains recipes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. These recipes are great for weeknight meals.
Everyday Pasta
By Giada De Laurentiis
Clarkson Potter - 2007
I love watching Giada's Everyday Italian and now her new show, Giada At Home. I have tried some of her recipes from the shows and enjoyed them very much.
The book starts off with an introduction that includes -- The Origins of Pasta, Giada's top 10 Pasta cooking tips, and info on matching pasta shapes to sauces. It is divided into three sections -- Pasta Go-Withs, which has two chapters: Antipasti & Appetizers and Something on the Side. The second section - Pasta for all Seasons contains 5 chapters -- Soups & Pasta Salads; Hearty Pastas; On the Lighter Side; Quick & Easy Working Night Pastas; Pasta for Special Occasions. The final section Pasta Basics -- includes Basic Recipes; Menus; Credits; and the Index.
This is a beautiful book with very colorful borders and chapter beginnings, as well as lots of beautiful mouth watering color photos of the dishes. This book reminds me of The Barefoot Contessa's cookbooks and is published by the same publisher, Clarkson Potter.
If you enjoy pasta I think you'll like this book. I love the fact it has a lighter side chapter as well as a Quick and Easy weeknight one. Sometimes I find in Italian books and even in some of Giada's previous
books, recipes include ingredients that are hard to find. I don't find that to be true in this book. There are a few types of pasta that might be hard for some of us to find, but in that case she gives a recommendation for an alternate pasta.
Family and Friends Cookbook: From Casserole Comforts to Champagne Wishes, 50 Menus, Meal Plans and 200
By JoAnna M. Lund, Barbara Alpert
Perigee Trade - 2005
As always with JoAnna's books, this one starts with a poem by her Mother, Anges Carrington McAndrews. This book is divided into menus. Those menus are Meatless and Fish; Poultry; Beef; Pork Plus; and Entertaining: Sunday Dinners and Celebrations Meals. The final chapter is on making Healthy Exchanges work for you.
All recipes include nutritional information, as well as Diabetic Exchanges, and Healthy Exchanges. this book is perfect for diabetics, weight watchers, and calorie watchers, in addition to those using the Healthy Exchange program.
Features I like about this book:
The spiral bound lay flat binding
Tips for Cooking for a Crowd
Complete Nutritional Information for each recipe
This is one of the few JoAnna books I didn't have, so I was delighted when I was able to pick this one up from paperbackswap.com
Farmhouse Cookbook
By Susan Herrmann Loomis
Workman Publishing Company - 1991
This is an excellent book to read as well as cook from. I read this one from cover to cover when I first added it to my collection. My book now has many recipes marked to try.
Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites
By Devin Alexander
Rodale Books - 2006
Devin Alexander has a show on Discovery Health called Healthy Decadence She is also the author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook.
With this book you can have your fast food and still loose or maintain weight. Nutritional information is included for all recipes. In the first chapter she tells you how she choose the recipes for the book and how she came up with the healthier versions. I enjoyed reading this section as well as what she wrote about each recipe.
She includes Drive thru tips which are time savers, and Even Better tips which save more calories and use even less fat. Most recipes make only one serving but are easy to double or triple or what ever to make as many as you need for your family. She also uses a clock symbol to denote which recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less and there are 58 of those. There is also a Stop sign to indicate things you need to know before you start a recipe.
Feast: Food to Celebrate Life
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2004
This is a huge book, 462 pages not including the index and
with over 300 recipes for all kinds of celebrations and any time you want to get
together with friends and family and celebrate with good food.
I love the way she writes something to go along with each recipe. The photos
are great too.
If you've ever watched one of her shows you can tell Nigella loves to cook and
she loves to eat. She has a wonderful sense of humor and it often comes through
as she talks about her recipes. She includes a few meatless feasts in this book
but makes it plainly clear she is in no way a vegetarian, although she loves
vegetables
Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe
By Joanne Chang, Christie Matheson
Chronicle Books - 2010
I won this one from Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. The book is autographed by the author, she wrote: "Make life sweeter... eat dessert First! Joanne Chang"
I only have one complaint about this book the print is a little small in the ingredients listing. It's also a bit light there and in the directions. The information included with each recipe is in much bigger and darker print. The instructions are bigger type but still a bit light and hard on older eyes.
The book begins with a few in depth informational chapters to help your baking projects turn out their best. Chapters there include: an Introduction, Techniques, Equipment, Ingredients, and Joanne's Top 12 Baking Tips. The next chapters get to the goodies: Breakfast Treats, Cookies, Cakes, Pies + Tarts, Other Sweets, and Bread. At the end of the book you get Acknowledgments, the Index, and Table of Equivalents.
There is some interesting reading before each recipe about how it came to be on the menu, where she came up with the idea or some memory from the author. She gives both weights and measures for many of the ingredients. She also includes tips with some of the recipes she calls Baker's Bites. With some of the recipes at the end she gives you an option to change the recipe a bit and calls this Same recipe, different flavors.
The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life
By Ellie Krieger
Taunton - 2008
I fell in love with this book the moment I laid eyes on it. It has beautiful color photos throughout. Not only does it include nutritional information, it also tells you what nutrients the recipe is an excellent source of and a good source of. In the beginning she shows the essential nutrients for good health and their daily values and functions.
Ellie shares tips for a healthier way to eat and cook, and also shares her New Way Pantry to help get you started on the right track. There are boxes with tips throughout the book. Each recipe begins with an interesting brief note from Ellie.
As soon as I got home with this one I read it from cover to cover and was eager to begin cooking from it. I made a list of over 50 recipes I want to try.
I like Ellie's philosophy that recipes and foods fall into three categories, Usually, Sometimes, and Rarely and there is no Never. She says no ingredients are off limits, some just need to be saved for special occasions or the rare craving.
Forever Summer (Style Network's)
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2003
I love Nigella's book and her shows. I enjoyed watching the series by the same name so when I found the book while in CA I knew I had to have it. Hubby bought it for our anniversary and it was autographed. Her books are great to cook from as well as read.
Fresh from the Hearth: 100 Healthy, Heartwarming Recipes for Quick Breads, Muffins, and Coffee Cakes
By JoAnna M. Lund
A Perigee Book - 1999
I love this book. It's filled with quick breads, muffins and coffee cakes. The best part is that they're actually healthy. Nutritional information is included for all the recipes. I enjoy reading the little blurbs that JoAnna writes before each recipe. It feels like she's talking to you while you cook.
From Our Home to Yours
By Lisa Lofton Shively
Lisa Shively Cookbooks - 2007
This is one of the books I got at the Southern Women's Show in Charlotte, NC last September. Lisa autographed it for me while I was there. This is her first cookbook.
It's filled with down home, southern, country cooking. Lisa was born in Georgia but moved to NC where she grew up. She has also lived in Florida, Washington, DC and all over NC. She now lives in Eden, NC close to where she grew up.
She does use some convince products in some of her recipes. She includes recipes for main dishes, desserts, salads, appetizers, breads and soups. Lisa also shares some of her tips at the beginning of the book. This is a revised edition and she includes notes and sometimes stories along with the recipes. She said she learned that people who enjoy her cookbooks also enjoy the stories she sometimes included ,so she does that more often with her newer cookbooks.
Gale Gand's Short and Sweet: Quick Desserts with Eight Ingredients or Less
By Gale Gand, Julia Moskin
Clarkson Potter - 2004
This book actually belongs to my daughter, Sarita. I rarely pay full price for a cookbook and most of mine were previously owned. This one is one of the few exceptions. It is one of the books I purchased at the Cooks Library before going to the LA Times book festival in 2004. Since Sarita couldn't go with me and she loves cookbooks as much as I do and is also a better baker than I, I had Gail sign this one for her. She wrote " To Sarita - I hear you're the family Baker! Love & Dishes Gale Gand 4-25-04" I had a wonderful time at the festival and also a nice chat with Gale while she was signing the book.
Sarita has made a few things from this one and I always turn here when I want to make lemon curd. Sarita made the fruit pot stickers which are delicious. She's made them several times since using different fruits.
My great niece Tesia made the peanut butter worms. Since we needed somewhere to put our worms on we also made the Velvety Cocoa Cake from the 30 minute recipe section. We turned them into cupcakes and sprinkled the optional confectioners sugar over before placing the worms on top.
Not only is this a great book to cook from it brings back wonderful memories of the festival I got to attend.
The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks
By Edna Lewis, Scott Peacock
Knopf - 2003
I immediately read it from cover to cover when I got this one. This is one that was so interesting to me it was hard to put down. It's almost as if you can hear Miss Lewis and Scott Peacock talking to each other and you, while sharing their love of cooking and eating southern food. Many of the recipes combine the best from each of the authors recipes to make an even better one. They also share parts of their lives and families with you through recipes and wonderful photos. If you enjoy southern cooking then I think you'd enjoy having this book in your collection.
I love the way each recipe has some background information included with it. These are the places where you feel that you're being let in on the authors secrets of great southern cooking. This book isn't meant for those on a diet though since they often use butter and lard.
The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook: More Than 1,000 Recipes * 1,800 Photographs
By Susan Westmoreland, David Murray, Jules Selmes
Hearst - 1997
This book is filled with wonderful color photos, both of the food and of step preparations. The nutritional information is included for all recipes. They are often several recipes per page. With more than 1,000 recipes and 1,800 photographs this is a great book for both the beginning cook and those more accomplished.