southerncooker's Reviews
Cookbook Reviews
117 books reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Rating | Title 
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant
By Judy Rodgers, Gerald Asher
W.W. Norton & Co. - 2002
I placed this book on my wish list after a friend told me it was one of her husband's favorite cookbooks. I was thrilled with I got it from Paper Back Swap. I looked through it at the time then it got put on the shelf and i pretty much forgot about it..... Until cookbooker.com picked it as a challenge book. I pulled it back off the shelf for another look. I then begin reading and choosing recipes to cook.
I've learned some new ideas about some inventive ways to use some ingredients. Such as vinegar with eggs, kale on toast, eggs baked on leftovers and gizzards in pasta sauce. This book not only contains interesting and sometimes different recipes but also teaches you techniques such as how to remove a chicken breast from a whole bird, how to make perfect mayonnaise and risotto among other things.
When you start reading one of the recipes it's like Judy takes you by the hand and leads you in the right direction as you begin the cooking process. Even if you're a seasoned cook you'll find many useful tips and instructions in this book.
There are only two things that I don't like about this book. One is that not all recipes give serving sizes. The other is that there are ingredients used in several of the recipe that are hard for me to find. People who live in other areas might not have that problem. The other recipes more than make up for the few with hard to find ingredients though.
Weight watchers take out tonight
By
Weight Watchers Publishing Group - 2002
I love this book! Out of 150 recipes there are 111 I'd love to try. Several
more really but there are a few items in those that are harder to find here such
as miso, wakame, fresh tuna (can sometimes but the price is outrageous), mirin
and a few others. Most recipes use ingredients that are readily available in our
area or they offer substitutions that are.
This book includes lots of favorite take out items made healthier. Each of the
recipes includes easy how to tips and nutritional information as well as weight
watcher point values for each serving. Each recipe has a fraction of the fat and
calories of it's restaurant counterpart but in my opinion all the flavor. At
least that's true for the three recipes we've tried so far.
Mom picked this one up for me not too long ago at a yard sale. I'm sure glad
she did as I'm gong to be using this one quiet a bit since there are so many of
our favorite dishes included. Things like Hot and Sour Soup, Shrimp & Pork Won
tons, Shrimp Fried Rice, General Tso's Chicken, Chicken Empanadas, Spinach Rice
& Black Bean Burritos, Nachos Supreme, California Vegetable Rolls, Pizza
Margherita, Vegetable Calzones, Scampi, Shrimp Pad Thai, Tandoori Chicken, and
too many more to mention. Am I making you hungry yet?
To start off I made out a list of 25 recipes I thought our family would enjoy.
I then listed all the ingredients I don't normally have on hand beside the
recipe to take with me to the grocery store. That way I can check my list
against sale items and pick a dish or two to try each week.
Most of the recipes include a clever cook's tip. In the back are a dry and
liquid measurement equivalent charts, and three lined pages for notes. There is
also a section in each chapter for the perfect pantry for that particular
cuisine.
A few days ago I made two recipes from the Indian section, Dal with Spiced
Tomatoes and Potatoes and Chapati (an Indian Bread). Sarita and I loved them
both. Harold and Dexter don't care much for India food but Harold did taste of
it. When Sarita was in college we occasionally had lunch together at an Indian
Buffet place near her college either when I took her back or picked her up. Now
we can make some of these items when ever we're in the mood.
The Vegetarian Option
By Simon Hopkinson, Jason Lowe
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
his is the book I won from Serious Eats. It is filled with wonderful color photographs. The author is from London and is noted on the back cover as one of the UK's finest food writers. He has two other books, Roast Chicken and Other Stories and Second Helpings of Roast Chicken. You can tell by how some of the book is worded that it isn't an American Cookbook. I still enjoy reading the little blurbs included with each recipe and the recipes themselves.
The book is divided into the following sections: Vegetables, Herbs, Pasta, Legumes & Grains, Rice, Eggs, and finally, Fruit. There is one recipe from Mario Batali included in the book, almond and jalapeno relish. Before the recipe the author writes about his first trip to NY and meeting Mario at a party at Babbo. They share mutual friends.
Some of the recipes look and sound very inviting and I really enjoyed the tomato recipe I made recently for the ingredient contest, Tomato Salad with Basil Cream Dressing and Olive Oil. One problem with this book for me though is that quiet a few of the recipes call for ingredients that are either hard for me to find or too expensive for my budget. Some of those things are saffron, agar flakes, sunflower oil, Amontillado Sherry, Chervil, and carnaroli rice. I do occasionally purchase saffron but if you made several of the recipes that call for it, it could push up those numbers on the cash register considerably. He also uses Maldon Sea Salt in many of his recipes and white pepper. He says he prefers white over black pepper but you can use whatever you like.
There probably aren't a lot of recipes in this one I will make but it's a fun read and the photos are very easy on the eyes. Sarita does want to borrow this one and make the cauliflower with cheese and I can't wait for cooler weather to try the Lima Beans with Sage, Olive Oil and Dried Chili and the Thyme, Onion and Gruyere Tart sounds like one I'd make as well. I think I'll try the macaroni and cheese with tomatoes soon, with some of our garden tomatoes. So even though there are recipes I know I wouldn't make there are also some I will. I guess that is probably true of most of our cookbooks. I probably wouldn't have bought this one for myself but I'm sure glad I won a copy.
Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen: An Indispensable Guide for Anybody Who Likes to Cook
By Tyler Florence
Clarkson Potter - 2003
This book has great color photos of many of the dishes. I enjoy watching
Tyler's Ultimate and some of the other shows he has had on the Food Network
and so naturally I had to have this book.
I only have one complaint about this book some recipes continue on the
following page so you often have to keep turning the page back and forth when
making a recipe. This is Tyler's first cookbook and at the time it was wrote
he was host of Food 911.
You'll find recipes for down home country type food such as meatloaf and
chicken pot pie. Also included is the less familiar to home cooks, things
such as Dim Sum and Sushi. Finally there are also recipes that many might
consider gourmet, such as Chilled Pea Shots with Spicy Crab and Roast Prime
Rib of Beef with Horseradish Crust and Wild Mushrooms. Seems there is
something for everyone no matter what type of things you're looking to cook.
For Mother's day one year, Sarita chose to make me the Blueberry Scones with Lemon
Glaze. Unfortunately the blueberries weren't ripe in NC and they were
extremely expensive at the local stores, so she substitute strawberries
instead. They were delicious with the lemon sauce and even good cold. Besides
having a warm one on Mother's Day I took one a day for my morning coffee break
until the rest were all gone. Of course I shared a few with Harold and Sarita
as well. Dexter doesn't like them.
Tupelo Honey Cafe: Spirited Recipes from Asheville's New South Kitchen
By Elizabeth Sims, Chef Brian Sonoskus
Andrews McMeel Publishing - 2011
Tupelo Honey Cafe is in Asheville, NC. My daughter and I had the pleasure of eating there a couple years ago when we attended the bread festival in Asheville. There are actually two of the restaurants in Asheville now. We had wanted to eat there since we saw it featured on Rachael Ray's $40 a Day show. As soon as I learned they had a cookbook coming out I put it on my wish list at Paperback Swap. When it was offered to me recently I was thrilled and even more excited when it arrived this past Wed. I immediately read it from cover to cover and started drooling and planning what to make.
I have already made Warm Pimento Cheese p.55 (very good), Bacony Egg Salad p.87 (nice), Sweet Potato Pancakes (p. 199) with Peach Butter (p. 40) and Spiced Pecans (p 200). Rachael ate these pancakes on her show and as she would say Yum-O. I plan to make their Ginormous Biscuits later in the week to use up that left over Peach Butter. They give everyone one of those biscuits before your meal. I have so many more recipes marked to try including the Tomato Soup Sarita ate while we were there as well as the fried green tomatoes I had. I just wish they had included their recipe for Rosemary Peach Lemonade.
The recipes are what are called New South Cuisine, southern with a twist. What ever they're called I call them good eating. Besides all the delicious sounding recipes the book is filled with gorgeous photos of the recipes and scenes around Asheville. Most of the recipes have a little note at the beginning telling about the recipe. There are also interesting facts about some people and places famous to Asheville sprinkled through out. Asheville has over ten microbreweries and NC also has many wineries. Included in the book are suggestions for Beer and Wine pairings for many of the recipes. Can you tell I love this one?
Top Secret Recipes Lite
By Todd Wilbur
Penguin Group - 1998
This book gives you recipes for some of your favorite restaurant foods make lighter. It gives nutritional information for all the recipes. If you're familiar with Todd Wilbur's other restaurant copy cat recipes and enjoy them, you'll like this one two.
Taste of Home's Light and Tasty Annual Recipes 2002
By Julie Schnittka
Taste of Home Books - 2002
hese annuals have all the recipes from the previous years issues of the Light and Tasty Magazines. All nutritional information is included. There are also lots of color photos all through this one. I do enjoy many of Taste of Home's family of magazines and these are my favorites so I'm delighted when I find one of the annuals. I think Mom found this one for me at a yard sale.
Instead of being divided into months like the Cooking Light Annuals this book is divided into categories that are included in each issue of the magazine. As with the Cooking Light annuals it's nice to have a year's worth of magazine recipes in one place instead of stacks of magazines laying around.
Taste of Home\'s 1999 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes
By Julie Schnittka
Taste of Home Books - 1999
I love the Taste of Home Family of magazines and cookbooks. You can always count on some good eating from these books. The QC ones help you get dinner and even some breakfasts on the table in no time. A year's worth of the magazine in one place.
Taste of Home Recipe Book
By
Country Store Reiman Pubs - 1996
I love the taste of home family of books and magazines. This is one of the first ones filled with a year's worth of magazines. Great recipes.
Taste of Home Recipe Book
By
Country Store Reiman Pubs - 1996
You can't go wrong with Taste of Home books and magazines. Filled with wonderful recipes. This is one of the first ones with a year's worth of magazine recipes.
Taste of Home: Busy Family Cookbook: 370 Recipes for Weeknight Dinners
By Taste of Home
Readers Digest - 2008
This book has over 220 color photos and 370 recipes. The recipes take from 10 minutes up to 60 minutes and each recipe is labeled 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes or 30 minutes +. They are also labeled if you can use microwave shortcuts, or need to plan ahead for things like marinating,, chilling, freezing, or standing. The ingredient lists are usually short, use simple prep methods, easy techniques, and ingredients you can find easily at your local supermarket. This would be a great beginning cookbook or one for those who work and want to put a fast, easy but tasty meal on the table for their family after a busy day. I enjoy the Taste of Home family of cookbooks but hadn't heard of this one until I stumbled on it at a yard sale recently and for only a quarter! I'm so glad I found it. I think I see some great fast weeknight suppers from this one in our future.
Taste of Home 1996 Annual Recipes
By Janet Briggs, Julie Schnittka, Julie Schnittka
Reiman Publications, LLC - 1999
I have always enjoyed the Taste of Home magazines and love their annuals. A years worth of recipes in one neat package. Love the photos included as well.
Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day
By Padma Lakshmi
Weinstein Books - 2007
This book is filled with beautiful color photos, as well as interesting sounding recipes from around the world. Also included are personal essays about Padma's connection to food and cooking. I enjoyed reading the notes she included with each recipe, usually where the recipe came from or a bit about it.
One problem I found with this book is that many of the recipes call for hard to find ingredients. I'm listing some of them to give you an idea: Yuzu Juice, black cumin powder, sumac powder, za'atar powder and Labneh goat cheese to name a few. If you're lucky enough to live in an area that has many different ethnic grocery stores then this might not be a problem for you, as it is for me.
Despite the fact that some ingredients are hard for me to find there are several recipe I want to try that I wouldn't have that problem with. I started with the Chicken for the Bold recipe, which was very spicy and we really enjoyed.
I have enjoyed reading this one since I got it from paper back swap. I put it on my wish list there after making the Mexican Mac and Cheese (which was fantastic), for one of my Leite's Culinaria test recipes a few months ago. I was really surprised to get it so quickly since it is a fairly new book.
This book would be well suited to those that enjoy trying new and different dishes. It's a feast for the eyes as well, if you enjoy beautiful color photos in your cookbooks.
Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant (Cookery)
By Moosewood Collective
Fireside - 1990
This is a nice thick book with 734 pages. It includes a helpful chapter on a guide to ingredients, techniques and equipment. There is also a chapter on menu planning and one called "What we mean when we say one medium onion", as well as a suggested reading list if you want to know more about a particular cuisine.
I love trying new recipes from different cuisines and I enjoy the other Moosewood books that I have, so this was a welcome addition to my Moosewood collection.
If you don't already know or haven't already guessed Moosewood is a Vegetarian restaurant located in Ithaca, NY. It is collectively owned and operated by the same group who puts out the cookbooks. In the introduction they explain Sundays at Moosewood are different from the rest of the week. Sunday night is Ethnic night.
If you enjoy vegetarian cooking, experimenting with different cuisines, or are looking for some interesting recipes then this is a great book. Bits of info are included with most recipes so this is a fun one to read as well.
Spirit of the West: Cooking from Ranch House and Range
By Beverly Cox, Martin Jacobs
Stewart, Tabori and Chang - 2002
This book is filled with over 100 recipes that are from the first western ranchers who originated from Mexico, as early as the 16th century and continuing through those still working at dude ranches today. It tells the story of the American Frontier thorough the food they ate. Also included are stories about and from descendants of the first ranchers and those that work on today's ranches. The book is sprinkled with beautiful color photos of the foods, artfully displayed for the viewers enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history served along side their recipes, as well as those intrigued with the old west, cowboys, outdoor cooking, cast iron cooking and or the frontier. This is a very interesting read filled with tasty sounding recipes, many of which have a Mexican influence.
Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking
By Martin Jacobs, Beverly Cox
Stewart Tabori & Chang - 1991
This book is filled with information about the foods the Native Americans across the US ate and used in ceremonies. The recipes included are ones that you can make today. There are traditional dishes from tribes such as Cherokee, Chippewa, Navajo, Sioux, Mohegan, Iroquois, Comanche, Hopi, and many others.
Also included in the beautiful, artfully arranged photos of some of the recipes are an array of historic Indian artifacts. This book is equally fun to look at and read as it is to cook from. There is a map in the beginning to show you where each of the tribes was located and the foods they ate most, grew or harvested.
If you are interested in Native American food and history, I think you would enjoy this book.
Southern Plate: Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family
By Christy Jordan
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2010
I love this book. It's filled with southern recipes just like I grew up with and still make today. I enjoyed reading Christy's family stories in this book too. It's as much fun to read as it is to cook from. Christy's family sounds similar to mine in several ways and I can relate to the foods. I think this could finally be the book I can cook my way through.
Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories
By Alison Harris
GT Publishing Corporation - 1998
This is another fun one to read as well as cook from. If you enjoy Italian then you'll enjoy this book. I picked this one up in a bargain bin at a bookstore and was so happy when I got home and had time to enjoy reading and drooling over this one.
Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen
By Edward Lee
Artisan - 2013
I had read quiet a bit about this book and was intrigued. Did I really need another cookbook at this time? Was it one I'd cook from or did it contain hard to find ingredients? To help me answer these questions I decided to see if I could find it at my local library. They didn't have it but it was available through our inter library loan system, so I placed it on hold. I've enjoyed the three weeks I've been able to call this cookbook mine and now of course I know I have to have a copy of my own.
While we were in California for a few years our family fell in love with Korean food. I was surprised to find that I often thought of southern food when I was having a Korean meal. It seems Edward Lee came to the same conclusions. Koreans seem to use smoke to cook many of their meats as do us southerners (BBQ) and we love to pickle anything and everything and serve it with our meals as do Koreans (Kimchi).
I have so enjoyed reading his many stories scattered though out this book and the recipes as well. Not only does he include stories of growing up in Brooklyn and how he came to become a chef but he also shares stories of his life as a restaurant owner in Kentucky and how he came up with ideas for some of his recipes. There there are the places he explains some ingredients that everyone might not be familiar with. He often gives suggestions of things you can use instead if it's an ingredient that not everyone may be able to find easily and he give you tips on how to make these recipes successfully yourself.
The day I brought the book home I read it from cover to cover. Then I went back and read all the recipes that looked like something I'd want to cook.
His table of contents has interesting names and each chapter includes stories and recipes. They are as follows: Lamb & Whistles, Cows & Clover, Birds & Bluegrass, Pigs & Abattoirs, Seafood & Scrutiny, Pickles & Matrimony, Veggies & Charity, Bourbon & Bar Snacks and finally Buttermilk & Karaoke. One name gives you a hint as to what recipes are included and the other is about the story included. A fun read as well as fun to cook from.
Simple Asian Meals: Irresistibly Satisfying and Healthy Dishes for the Busy Cook
By Nina Simonds
Rodale Books - 2012
I won this book recently and it came at a wonderful time to keep my occupied while I'm healing from a fall. It's one of those cookbooks that I would love to make everything in. It has enticing photos and mouth watering recipes. I can see lots of tasty healthy meals in our future.
Semi-Homemade Weeknight Wonders: 139 Easy Fast Fix Dishes (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade)
By Sandra Lee
Wiley - 2009
I've had some really good luck on Paperback Swap lately and that's where this one came from. When I learned about this one I almost didn't add it to my wish list, but I'm sure glad I did. I've already made two things from it and both were great - Brie Hash brown Casserole andTomato Garlic Short Ribs. The short ribs took a little longer to cook than something I'd make during the week but it makes a great weekend supper. I made mashed potatoes and sweet potato biscuits to go with and it was a great fall meal. I also made a chicken version for my daughter, Sarita and regular biscuits for the guys. I tasted of Sarita's and it was good too.
Several other recipes I have my eye on for future meals: Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce, Farm Stand Tomato Tart, Queso Blanco Skirt Steak, Chili Garlic Pancakes, Sweet Potato Cake with Citrus Glaze, Orange Almond Tea Cakes, Spinach Ricotta Tart, and Red Eye Texas T-Bone.
Things I love about this book:
Color photos for every recipe.
Recipes for easy weeknight meals, plus a few great for the weekend.
Most ingredients are easily found at any supermarket and she lists brands to help in finding them.
Some recipes call for the Garden Gourmet line of spices like my sister and I won at the Southern Women's show.
Recipes are not continued on another page.
Chapters include: Dinner Delights; Asian American; Coast to Coast; Sassy Southern Style; Taste of Italy; American Classics; Amazing Mexican; Family Snacks and Finger Foods; Comfort Food Favorites
If you're not familiar with Semi-Homemade here's the definition from the inside front cover:
sem.i-home.made
adj. 1: a stress free solution based formula that provides savvy shortcuts and affordable, timesaving tips for overextended do-it-yourself homemakers 2: a quick and easy equation wherein 70% ready-made convenience products are added to 30% fresh ingredients with creative personal style, allowing homemakder to take 100% of the credit for something that looks, feels, or tastes homemade 3: a foolproof resource for having it all -- and having the time to enjoy it 4: a method created by Sandra Lee for home, garden, ccrafts, beauty, food, fashion, and entertaining wherein everything looks, tastes, and feel as if it was made from scratch
Semi-Homemade Money-Saving Slow-Cooking: 128 Quick-to-Cook Meals
By Sandra Lee
Wiley - 2009
I got this one recently from Paper Back Swap. I enjoy using my slow cooker, especially during the week when I can put things in the cooker before I leave for work and return to a nice hot meal. Since I'm always on a budget being money saving meals helped me to place this book on my wish list.
In the beginning of the book Sandra gives you hints, tips, and information about cooking in a slow cooker, as well as how to choose the best one for the job you want to do. She tells you about cuts of meats, flavor enhancers, cooking with wine, even baking, and sizes of slow cookers.
I know many people think of mixes, cans and prepackaged foods when they hear Sandra Lee's name but she uses lots of fresh and frozen ingredients in many of these recipes. She does use shortcuts and often some mixes, cans or prepackaged items in addition to the fresh ingredients.
There is a beautiful photo for every recipe. After the name of the recipe at the top she gives you prep time, cook time, slow cooker setting (high, Low), standing time, and makes (how many servings).
I have picked out several recipes to try including some calling for frozen seasoning blend. I wasn't sure what that was so I went to one of the web sites listed in her book, www.sandralee.com or www.semihomemade.com and searched around there a bit. When I didn't find what I was looking for I clicked on contact and asked. I received an answer in a couple days that it's a combination of frozen vegetables. There are two brands she suggests Pictsweet Seasoning Blend or McKenzie Seasoning Blend.
Seasoned in the South: Recipes from Crook's Corner and from Home
By Bill Smith
Algonquin Books - 2006
his is a small, seasonal book divided into Fall, Winter, Spring and summer.
It utilizes the foods of each season just as they do at the Crook's Corner
restaurant, located in Chapel Hill, NC, where many of these recipes are served.
I haven't had the pleasure of eating there but I have heard many good things
about this restaurant and it's on my someday places to eat list.
I wish I could say I have this one in my collection but it is one I checked
out from the library. It is on my wish list though and in the mean time I've
copied a few recipes I want to try. His version of Fried Green Tomatoes,
Honeysuckle Sorbet, and Green Tabasco Chicken sound like dishes our family would
really enjoy tasting.
Bon Appetit Magazine called Crook's Corner, " a legend", and Travel and
Leisure Magazine called it, " country cookin' gone cool". Delta Sky rated it
"the best place to eat in Chapel Hill, in NC and possibly on earth."
Bill Neal was the first chef there in 1982 and was there for several years. He
also has several wonderful southern cookbooks available and I have a few of his.
For more than a decade Bill Smith has resided over the kitchen. While there he
has reinvented Southern Classics and also offers imaginative interpretations of
bistro fare.
He puts together traditional and classic southern dishes with his own unique
style. He includes some information about each recipe, such as who he got it
from, what he based it on, or how it came to be. He also includes commentary
about when and where he first acquired a taste for a certain food and a little
about people who have worked or eaten at the restaurant.
Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook
By Martha Hall Foose
Clarkson Potter - 2008
I love this book. Just the name of it and the photo on the cover drew me in. It's a wonderful book to read as well as cook from. I sure enjoy cooking from this one.
Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals
By Sara Moulton
Broadway - 2005
I used to enjoy Sara Moulton's, Cooking Live and Sara's Secrets on the food network. I've had this book awhile and am just starting to catch some of the PBS shows that feature recipes from this book.
In this book Sara shares her secrets and recipes for getting good, healthy meals on your table during weeknights when many of us are tired after a long day's work. She also gives you tips and lists for stocking your pantry for ease of preparing recipes in the book. There are gorgeous color photos and the print is green and brownish but still quiet easy to read.
In most of the recipes she gives you suggestions for substitutions for many ingredients to suit your families tastes or what you might already have on hand. Most ingredients can be found at your local super market but for those few rare harder to find ones she lists mail order sources.
After the introduction she has a chapter called How to Use this book, where she gives a brief description of each chapter as well as suggestion on how to get your weeknight meals to the table faster. Then comes a chapter on Stocking your pantry. This is followed by chapters called: Basics; Soups for Supper; Entree Salads; The Substantial Sandwich; Breakfast for Dinner; Poultry; From the Meat Dept; From the Sea; Vegetable Plates; Shop and Serve; Just Open the Pantry; Cooking Ahead; Side Dishes Take Center Stage; Quick Sauces; Easy Desserts; Sources; and finally the Index.
Sara lists hands on and total prep time for every recipe. There are more than 200 recipes included and if you consider all the ingredient substitutions that can enhance and change a recipe, there are really many more than that. I love reading what the book cover refers to as Sara's warm, and friendly head notes" that are included in the recipes.
Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen
By Sara Foster, Lee Smith
Random House - 2011
The book is not only filled with delicious sounding southern recipes it also has gorgeous photos, as well as tips, hints, and stories from Sara. There is also a full page called Sidetracked in several places though out the book about a different southern restaurant or diner that is a tried and true place to eat a great southern favorite of one kind or another. Some of the states included are Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, New Orleans and of course NC since Sara lives in Durham. It's quiet thick with almost 400 pages. I'm enjoying reading and cooking and have so many more recipes marked to try.
Sara gives her own twist to southern cooking and I found it funny that she says while she thinks nothing of adding things like chipotle chilies, soy sauce, and fresh mozzarella to Southerner dishes her grandmother would say they have no business in southern food. Sara also says no matter how far she strays, southern cooking is her home base. I love the subtitle on this book: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal. If you love southern food with a modern updated twist then this is a book you'll want to read and cook from.
Sara Foster's Casual Cooking: More Fresh Simple Recipes from Foster's Market
By Sara Foster, Carolynn Carreño
Clarkson Potter - 2007
Since I live in NC I hope to someday visit one of Sara's Foster Markets. This book is loaded with recipes that look and sound great. She calls them simple recipes but the photos of the finished dishes look amazing. This is a fun book to read, look at and cook from.
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes
By Sandra Lee
Wiley - 2006
On the front cover it says "All new bonus chapter: Easy Oven-baked One-dish meals". The type is easy to read, black ink, with names of recipes, serving sizes, prep and cooking times in tan.
I know some people don't care for Sandra Lee, nor her Semi-homemade way of cooking but her recipes can be a life saver for many people today- those on a budget, busy Mom's and working families.
Although not a big fan of Sandra's way of cooking myself, I do enjoy some of her recipes from time to time. I didn't enjoy her old show with the table scapes that much, but I really enjoy her new Money Saving Show.
I enjoy using my slow cooker as it's so nice to come home from work to a simmering meal. Also with a slow cooker you don't heat up the kitchen in the summer.
Included is information on choosing a slow cooker, how to adapt some of your own favorite recipes for use in a slow cooker, and even easy entertaining from your slow cooker.
If you're partial to photos in your cookbooks this one has a color photo of every dish. Each recipe suggests the size of slow cooker to use and includes prep and cooking times. As with all her recipes she often uses canned and pre-packaged ingredients to make the recipe easier and faster on the cook.
Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue
By Carla Fitzgerald Williams
- 2003
If you like rotisserie chicken and want some great recipes to use them in then this is the book for you. Most of the recipes are quick and easy. I got this one at the LA Times Book Festival several years ago and got it signed by the author. She was a very nice lady.
Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures: Chef-Dad, Teenage Daughter, Recipes, and Stories
By Rick Bayless, Lanie Bayless
Harry N. Abrams - 2006
When I hear the name Rick Bayless I immediately think of Mexican food. This book written with his daughter Lanie contains not only Mexican recipes but also other recipes from the Bayless family's traveling cooking adventures and some of the recipes Rick grew up with in his home state of Oklahoma. Not only is this a fun book to cook from it's also a foodies dream book to read. Both Lanie and Rick give their take on how they remember the cooking adventure. At the beginning of each recipe each of them gets a turn to tell you about that particular recipe. Besides Mexico with a side trip to Peru you get recipes and stories from Oklahoma, France with side trips to Italy and Ireland, Morocco - starting in southern Spain, and Thailand with side trips to Japan and Hong Hong.
When I got this book I could barely put it down until I'd read it from cover to cover. Even the introduction is fun to read. In the intro you learn how they came to write the book and that it took several years to finish. As they traveled to many countries they cooked with families and ate in restaurants. When they tried to recreate the recipes at home they kept in mind ingredients that were easily found in the US. For recipes used in the book they used ones family and friends really liked. They also wanted the recipes to be clear enough so that almost anyone could recreate them in their own kitchens. There is also a note from Lanie about the pros and cons of growing up in a restaurant and having a famous world chef as a father. From Rick there is a sidebar about cooking with teens.
I love the ways the recipes a laid out. Titles of the recipes are in colored ink then the notes and recipes are in black ink. Each recipe starts off with Rick and Lanie giving you their thoughts about the recipe. Next you get a green box with white ink telling you what to do first. After that are the instructions and on the side the ingredient list. In each section you get things like cool things to buy in the type of store the section is about, music to play at parties you might have featuring recipes from that section, and tips and hints about using some ingredients from that particular country that might be new to you.
This book would be excellent for teens, beginning cooks, experienced cooks who want to try some new to them cuisines, fans of Rick, and foodies who love to read about traveling and cooking.
Recipes for the Good Life
By Patti LaBelle, Judith Choate, Karen Hunter
Karen Hunter - 2008
This is a fun colorful book with several mouth watering color photos. Patti's take on living the good life refers to eating healthy most of the time and living life to the fullest. She says you don't have to have money to live the good life but it does make it easier..
The book starts off with an introduction to the good life followed by Miss Patti's perfect pantry and then setting the right mood for the food. Next are the recipes.
Through out the book Patti shares personal stories and cooking tips.
Many of the recipes call for things from Patti LaBelle's Good Life product line. These include her all natural pepper products and blended seasonings. I haven't seen these in stores but she does give you a web site for more information.
http://www.pattilabellefoods.com/
I'm sure you can substitute whatever similar brand you have on hand, which is what I did.
Rachael Ray's Look + Cook
By Rachael Ray
Clarkson Potter - 2010
This is one of my favorite Rachael Ray books. I love that it has over 600 photos with the 100 main courses in pictures. Then it has 125 more 30 minute meals, sides, sauces and what she calls yum-o menus that don't have pictures. I have marked so many recipes to try from this one since I won it from a blog giveaway. It's autographed by Rachael too.
Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute Meals
By Rachael Ray
Clarkson Potter - 2006
We like Rachael Ray's recipes and have tried many we've saw on her show. This is the first cookbook of hers that I added to my collection. I got it by sending in Nabisco points and paying for shipping.
It's had handy shopping lists in the back of the book. This one is supposed to be for busy cooks to zip in the grocery store, pick up a few items and hit the express lane and get home and cooking.
Quick Fix Meals: 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy
By Robin Miller
Taunton - 2007
I really enjoy watching Quick Fix with Robin Miller on the Food Network. Although I don't always agree with some of the things she prepared ahead of time, for instance pasta and rice. They only take a few minutes to prepare and taste so much better when freshly made in most cases. I do find some of her ideas helpful though. One of those is to prepare extra of whatever you're cooking, like chicken, fish, beef or pork, to use in more than one dish later in the week. Robin calls this morphing.
There are a few color photos in the center of this book. Recipes are written in green and a brownish color. I like the information she includes with each recipe. In the side bars she also includes things like good health notes, quick fix notes, storage savvy, ingredients notes, variations, time saver tips and quick fix it your way tips. If you have a busy lifestyle but still want to put delicious meals that are easy to prepare, on the table for your family I think you'd also like this book.
Pretty Delicious: Lean and Lovely Recipes for a Healthy, Happy New You
By Candice Kumai
Rodale Books - 2011
Although I didn't watch, Candice Kumai was on the first season of Top Chef. I was intrigued with this book for it's low fat, healthy aspect, since I'm trying to loose weight and get healthier. Candice is also the host of Lifetimes Cook Yourself Thin and has a couple of other cookbooks out.
This book is a bit busy with lots going on the pages. Usually that bothers me but for some reason it seems to work in this book. It also has a girly feel which begins right on the dust jacket with part of an arm covered with pearls and a pink bracelet. The hand is reaching for some pancakes which are sitting on a pink cake stand. There are lots of gorgeous photos through out the book. All the pages have a border of what looks like flowers and sometimes lace. The book has hints and tips on almost every page along with a recipe and some background for the recipe. Most recipes include an ingredient she calls Foods with Benefits and is noted in the background section before each recipe as FWB. Nutritional info is also included with each recipe.
At the beginning of the book she has information on slimming ways to stretch food and save calories and cash, her Foods With Benefits Philosophy, Rules to cook by, Tips for staying slim and rich, and steps to shinny success. In addition to great sounding healthy recipes she devotes a chapter to Skinny Sweets and Splurges, which she notes is just for once in a while, and a chapter to The Pampered Pantry, with recipes for healthy hair, skin and nails.
So far I've tried three recipes, Chinese Chicken Salad Chop Cups, Asian Almonds, and Spicy Salmon Burgers with Creamy Chili Sauce. All were delicious. The Asian Almonds are especially addictive. My son and daughter in law tried the cover recipe, Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Apple Butter and I hope to try that one soon too, as they said it was delicious. I'm looking forward to many more healthy delicious meals from this book.
Candice Kumai cooks with real food and keeps calories and fat to a minimum. She's found a delicious way to feed your food cravings while eating healthy. If you're on the look out for recipes that fit that bill then this is a book you should check into.
Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day
By Peter Reinhart
Ten Speed Press - 2009
I had my daughter who works at the library get this one for me through interlibrary loan. Now I'm in trouble, since I know I'm going to have to buy a copy of my own. (I did get my own copy when I went to the Bread Festival in Asheville, NC. I also got to attend a session with Peter Reinhart and he signed my book.) This is a wonderful, informative bread baking book. I've learned so much just reading through it the past few days.
At the moment I have three doughs in the fridge, proofing for tomorrow. They are English Muffins, which I'll make in the morning, Many Seed Bread, which I plan on doing in two loaves so my daughter can take one home with her, and finally The soft sandwich bread and rolls, which I put in two bowls, one to share with my daughter for her to bake next week, and one for our supper tomorrow night.
I'm looking forward to making many more breads from this book.
Paula Deen's The Deen Family Cookbook
By Paula Deen, Melissa Clark
Simon & Schuster - 2009
This is a fun book with lots of color photos of the recipes as well as of Paula and her various family members. There is a great family photo on the back of the dust jacket. Of course there are recipes from Paula but also, her husband, Michael, his children and brother, her son's Jamie and Bobby and Jamie's wife, her Aunt Peggy, brother Bubba and his children, her cousin, Johnnie and several others as well as her friend, Katie Lee.
Each recipe includes a brief story of who the recipe is from and a little something about why it's a family favorite. This is a fun book to read as well as cook from. Many recipes are what you would expect from Paula with a few surprises. If you're a fan of Paula, love southern cooking, want to learn more about how her family really eats or want to get a peak into her family life, then this is the book for you.
For the most part recipes are either all on one page on continued on a facing page. There are a couple exceptions to this rule and you have to do a bit of page turning on a few recipes. Type is black ink with the recipe name and ingredient list in a green color.
I read this one from cover to cover when it arrived by way of a paperback swap friend. Then I marked several recipes to try and finally made the first one a couple weeks ago.
Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
By Paula Deen
Simon & Schuster - 2005
Paula Deen starts the book off just like she does her show -- Hey, Y'all!. I can hear her voice with the familiar southern drawl as I read the introduction. In the introduction she continues the story where she left off in a previous book. She shares some more about her and Michael and of marrying him on a food network special called Paula Deen's Wedding. She also shares a little about the movie Elizabethtown she played in. She ends the introduction similar to the way she always ends her shows, sending best dishes and love from Savannah, GA.
Lots of great sounding recipes Deen style are included in this book. If you enjoy Paula's Home Cooking, her other cookbooks, or southern cuisine, then this is the book for you. Paula and her friends share stories, ideas for southern style entertaining and their recipes in this wonderful book.
I like the little notes from Paula included with each recipe. Be forewarned though for those who don't enjoy colored ink, the ingredients for each recipe are in dark blue ink, the rest of the recipe is in black. I don't think the dark blue is hard to read at all though so maybe it won't distract from the recipe for anyone.
Passionate Vegetarian
By Crescent Dragonwagon
Workman Publishing Company - 2002
I love this book! It has 1100 pages and over 1,000 recipes as well as notes on cooking, eating, loving and living.
If you enjoy vegetarian cooking and eating, either all the time or part of the time, or just need some ideas for cooking veggie dishes this is a great book.
Passion for Potatoes
By Lydie Marshall
William Morrow Cookbooks - 1992
When I was growing up there were three things that were always on our table at supper time, one was some kind of meat, the 2nd was usually corn bread but occasionally biscuits, and the last and most important was potatoes, so naturally this was a book I had to add to my collection.
On the back of the book there are praises for the book from such famous people as Patricia Wells, and Alice Waters. Inside along with the recipes is a history of potatoes, how to store them, and potato folklore.
Chapters included are:
Appetizers; Soups; Potato Salads; Breads; Main Courses; Mashed Potatoes;
Baked,Sauteed, Braised and Roasted Potatoes; Fries; Gratins and Scalloped Potatoes; Potato Dumplings and Gnocchi; Potato Pancakes; and Desserts.
It only has a few pictures and they are black and white drawings, mostly of potatoes. I love the sidebars on each page. They tell something about
the recipe itself - such as where it came from, what to serve with the dish, or ideas, tips ect.
Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2007
I got this one for my daughter, Sarita's birthday a few years ago. We both enjoy watching
Nigella's show on the Food Network by the same name, Nigella Express.
Recipes from the shows are among the ones in this book. Of course there
are additional recipes that aren't from the shows.
As you can tell from the title the recipes in this book are quick to
make. Even though this is true they are very long on flavor. Not only
is this book fun to read, (like hearing Nigella talk to you), she
includes an interesting note before each recipe, it's also a great one to
cook from.
We've made the Breakfast
Bars p. 94, Croque Monsieur Bake p. 107, Cheddar Cheese Risotto p 176,
and the Doughnut French Toast p. 188.
If you enjoy Nigella Express the show then you'll love this book.
Nigellas brings back the fun to cooking even after you've had a long day
at work or play. This is one I know we'll be trying recipes from often
Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners -- Easy, Delectable Recipes For Any Occasion
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2002
I enjoyed watching the TV series by the same name so naturally had to have the cookbook. I love to read and cook from Nigella's cookbooks. It feels as if she's there with you talking you through the recipes and enjoying a meal.
New Soul Cooking: Updating a Cuisine Rich in Flavor and Tradition (Melting Pot)
By Tanya Holland, Ellen Silverman
Stewart, Tabori and Chang - 2003
his is a beautiful book from one of my favorite people from the now canceled, food network
show, Melting Pot. This book is also special since I got to see Tanya at the LA
Times book festival and she autographed the book to me. Growing up in the south
I grew up on good old southern type soul food and it's nice to have this book
that uses fresh and healthy ingredients. Even though there is no nutritional
values listed you can tell by the ingredients that these dishes are healthier
for you than many of the standard southern recipes.
There are 95 recipes included in this book, many with beautiful color photos.
At the festival from this book Tanya made Sweet Potato Blinis with Bourbon-cured
salmon and caviar; File-crusted scallops with tomato and okra ragout; and a most
unusual dish - Raspberry Grit parfaits. They looked really good and she said the
photographers son loved them as proved by the picture of him enjoying one in the
book.
The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, Concise Ed
By Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic - 2004
Nutritional information is included for all recipes. I made two recipes from
this book and plan on making more. Dad planted a large patch of fall greens including turnip, mustard and kale, so I have been searching for healthy ways of preparing some of them. One of the recipes I made used some mustard greens - Wilted Greens with warm Balsamic Vinegar. I didn't realize I was out of balsamic until I actually started making the dish so I substituted some of my homemade blackberry vinegar. Although the dish was pretty good it tasted as if it were lacking something. I think it might be better
suited to the balsamic.
I also found a recipe that uses kale - Braised Kale with Cherry Tomatoes.It was delicious with some grape tomatoes. The other recipe I made was Warm Potato Salad and it was very good with the fresh tuna steaks I made to round out our meal.
It has beautiful color photos. Some of the recipes do used ingredients that are a bit harder for me to find in our area like, fava beans, buck wheat groats and bulgur to name a few. I would probably have more luck when I head to the big city shopping.
There are also many recipes in this book I wouldn't make because
of personal taste preferences and hard to find ingredients.
Looking through the chapters I find that I would make 11 out of 24 of the
vegetable dishes, 4 out of 11 of the salads, 3 out of 13 of the soups, 1 out of
24 of the pasta and grains, 6 out of 20 of the beans and legumes, 2 out of 18 of
the fish and shellfish, 3 out of 12 of the poultry and meat, and 2 out of 14 of
the desserts. I think those dishes I would make makes having the book worthwhile
and you certainly can't beat the price I paid for it, $1 at a yard sale.
The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook
February 6th, 2010This is a wonderful healthy cookbook. All nutritional information is included with the recipes. Has beautiful photos of every dish... you know the kind that make you want to lick the page. You'd never know these are good for you dishes.
The Most Decadent Diet Ever!: The cookbook that reveals the secrets to cooking your favorites in a healthier way
By Devin Alexander
Broadway - 2008
Devin is also the author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook, The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, and Fast Food Fix.
I enjoy cooking from this one. Nutritional information is included for all the recipes. Sometimes she even gives two and in some cases even three different serving size nutritional information in case you want to eat a bigger or smaller serving size. I find this very helpful.
At the beginning of the book she gives you information on following a food plan like the way she eats. She has maintained a fifty-five pound weight loss for over 16 years. She is a chef and former LA, CA caterer. She also encourages you to follow your own plan, whatever it may be and incorporate the recipes in the book into your plan.
There is lots of great reading in this book. She includes interesting background information with each recipe. Things like how she came to make the recipe healthy and information on where to purchase some ingredients you may not be familiar with. At the beginning of the book she also shares her decadent pantry with you, as well as a section on explaining ingredients you might not be familiar with and a helpful tool list. There are lots of great color photos.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting some tasty healthy recipes. These recipes fit well if you are a weight watcher or just watching your calorie count or even want to follow her Healthy Decadent Diet.
Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table
By Moosewood Collective
Clarkson Potter - 2005
I'm loving this book. I've already made Nachos Grandes, Broccoli Slaw, Chipotle Scrambled Eggs, and just this morning, Poached Huevos Rancheros. I have many more recipes on my to try list. I'm looking forward to more delicious simple suppers and even a few breakfasts (which of course can also be served for supper).
Moosewood Restaurant's emphasis is in cooking with wholesome, fresh foods so this book even has recipes that are healthy. It doesn't contain nutritional values but it does give you menu and serving ideas with each recipe. For instance; it suggests serving the Nachos Grandes with the Broccoli Slaw, which I did and they were great together.
You'll find quiet a few recipes inspired by different cuisines (which I love). Cuisines like Asian, Mexican, Indian., Italian and Greek to name a few. I've found most of the recipes require little work as suggested by the title simple suppers and use ingredients easily found at most supermarkets for the most part. The recipes are mostly vegetarian as with the other Moosewood books. There are some fish and egg recipes as you'll probably notice from the chapters included.
Chapters included in this book are: Pasta; Sautes, Curries & More; Beans & Tofu; Egg Dishes; Main Dish Grains; Main Dish Salads; Soups; Sandwiches, Wraps & Rolls; Fish; Side Grains; Side Dishes; Side Salads; Dressings, Condiments & Seasonings; Sauces & Spreads; Desserts; The Well-Stocked Pantry; and finally a Guide to Ingredients, Tools & Techniques.
Some of the recipes serve 2, others 4-6 and I noticed at least one that served 8.
The Minimalist Entertains
By Mark Bittman
Broadway - 2003
This book is divided into the 4 seasons and then into menus for different types
of interesting dinner parties, cocktail parties, barbecues and more entertaining
occasions. The book is based on the popular NY Times column written by Mark
Bittman. There are 40 seasonal menus for entertaining included in this book.
For each menu it lists the items for the
meal, then a blurb about the menu, then keys to success, Wine suggestions and a
timetable. There are useful and interesting tips included with each recipe.
The writing in this book is green, ingredients and tips or information about the
recipe in a lighter green and instructions id darker green. This doesn't bother
me but it might some.
Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time")
By Rick Bayless, Christopher Hirsheimer, Deann Bayless
W. W. Norton - 2005
This book contains recipes from season 4 of the Public TV series Mexico One Plate at a Time. I like that at the end of each recipe Rick gives what he calls a Riff on the recipe. His Riff is a way you can vary the recipe to suit your tastes or season in which you choose to cook the dish. In the riff he also gives you helpful tips and tricks to get the food on the table faster.
At the beginning of the book Bayless gives you in site into the way he eats and feeds his family. He is a health conscious individual and he tries to make his recipes better for everyone. He also gives you a glossary of items you might not be familiar with that are used in Mexican cooking. He tells you how to choose, store and find these items.
Marcia Adams' Heirloom Recipes: Yesterday's Favorites, Tomorrow's Treasures
By Marcia Adams
Clarkson Potter - 1994
This is a companion book to one of Marcia Adams' PBS series, which I used to
enjoy watching when it was on PBS here.
This book is divided into seasons with more categories under each.
She includes postcards with information about the people and places she's
visited collecting her heirloom recipes and often some background information.
You will also often come across a page of travel notes about the places she has
visited and what she did during her travels. This book is filled not only with
treasured recipes from all over the US but, interesting reading material as
well.
Scattered thru out the book are pictures of antique kitchen tools. All the
photos are black and white which gives it an old timey feeling and I think this
goes great with the recipes she chose to include. If you enjoy some history
along with your recipes you'll love this one.