southerncooker's Reviews
Cookbook Reviews
117 books reviewed. Showing 51 to 100Sort by: Rating 
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Greenmarket Cookbook : Recipes, Tips, and Lore from the World Famous Urban Farmers' Market
By Joel Patraker, Joan Schwartz
Viking Adult - 2000
This book is divided into seasons.
There are great photographs through out this book, of scenes from the farmers
market. There is also a list of farmers markets across the US in the back of
the book. Included are great stories from the farmers, shoppers, chefs, and
celebrities who make Union Square Market a wonderful success. There is lots of
information on the different varieties of produce and fruits available at the
farmers market.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys
By David Tanis
Artisan - 2010
I'm loving this book already. It's divided into seasons and also contains a chapter of some of the author's favorite meals for when eating alone or only cooking for two, and one for what he calls simple meals for a long table, for when you feed a crowd. The author believes in eating what's in season. I like being able to search for meals using whats fresh and in season. The only thing I don't like about this book is the author doesn't always tell how many people a recipe serves.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
By Joy Wilson
Hyperion - 2012
I recently won this from The Inspired Dish Blog. Cathy who runs the blog had Joy send the book to me and Joy graciously autographed it to me personally. I only knew a little about Joy and her blog before winning the book so I did some investigating and found she has lots of great recipes and interesting writing on her blog, Joy the Baker.
Her book is just as wonderful as her blog. I love that the book has a photo for every recipe. I have so many recipes marked to try and have already gave a few a go and loved them. I have made Chocolate and Goat Cheese Black Pepper Truffles, Whole Wheat and Honey Drop Biscuits, and Carrot Cake Pancakes and they were all hits at my house. Before the book arrived I had the pleasure of testing a couple of the recipes for the LC website, Chili Cheese Fries and Mommom’s Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread, both of which were delicious.
I also like the little story she includes with each recipe. Joy connects memories to food and shares those memories with her readers.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Intimate Gatherings: Great Food for Good Friends
By Ellen Rose, Jessica Strand, Maura McEvoy
Chronicle Books - 1998
This is a menu book seperated into the seasons with beautiful color photos. This
book is very special to me as I got it at the Cook's Library and Ellen signed it
to me.
It is divided into
Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. In each season there are recipes for
gatherings for Dinner for Two, Dinner for Four, and Dinner for Six. At the
begining of each menu there is included a very helpful Menu Manager, with tips
to do 1 day before dinner, day of diner, about 1 hour before serving, 10 minutes
before serving, and just before serving. In some cases there are things to do
from 1 month to 4 days before the dinner.
This book would make a great addition to anyone's collection but especially if
you enjoy entertaining or just love to cook.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Macaroni & Cheese: 52 Recipes from Simple to Sublime
By Joan Schwartz
Villard - 2001
We all love mac and cheese here but especially my daughter, Sarita, who's been
experimenting with different recipes since she first started cooking. She
even had one of her macaroni and cheese recipes published in the cookbook
Hungry for Home, Stories from food across the Carolinas.
It was hard to choose which recipe to pick to try first, but we finally decided on Baked Four Cheese Pasta. It was fantastic.
The only color photo in this one is the great looking bowl of mac and cheese
on the front cover. There are cute nostalgic looking black and white drawings
through out the book. In addition to the recipes from the author there are
recipes from many well-known chefs, including Bobby Flay, Rocco Despirito,
Rick Bayless and many more. Also in the back, included are the chefs'
Biographies.
There are recipe that are truly simple, using only a few ingredients and one
or two well known cheeses and also those more spectacular, which use things
like lobster, truffles or truffle oils, wild mushrooms and exotic cheeses. I
can't wait to try more recipes from this book and I'm sure I'll use this book
many times. If you love mac and cheese too then this would be a great addition
to your cookbook collection.