Early Book Review: Betty Crocker Found Recipes: Beloved Vintage Recipes Worth Sharing by Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker Found Recipes: Beloved Vintage Recipes Worth Sharing by Betty Crocker is currently scheduled for release on November 26 2024. Over the last century, Betty Crocker has created thousands of well-tested recipes, some especially that spark fond memories today. Here you can find these rediscovered vintage but timeless favorites. Some of these rare recipes were most frequently requested by lifelong Betty Crocker fans, which you'll see by the Found Recipes icon throughout the book. Others are ones that rose to the top of the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens recipe boxes over the years. And, during the search for favorite recipes to be included in this book, Betty Crocker fans shared stories of favorite recipes they’ve lost and couldn’t find—so the Betty Crocker Kitchens recreated them for the Recreated Lost Recipes Features, along with the fans’ heartwarming memories behind them.

Like any cookbook, Betty Crocker Found Recipes, there are some recipes that are ones that I am eager to try my hand at and others that just hold no appeal to me. It was interesting to see the way the face of Betty Crocker has changed over the years, and how tastes and styles of cooking have changed as well. I will still never understand the love of cheese balls and mayonnaise based salads, but some of the nostalgic recipes included really did stand the test of time and are classics. It was good to see some recipes found or recreated and I found the letters and stories that surround some of the recipes interesting. I think this is a great cookbook for those that might have missed out on or lost the original cookbooks- and for those interested in the history.

Early Book Review: 100 Afternoon Sweets: With Snacking Cakes, Brownies, Blondies, and More by Sarah Kieffer

100 Afternoon Sweets: With Snacking Cakes, Brownies, Blondies, and More by Sarah Kieffer is currently scheduled for release on October 1 2024.

From one-bowl snacking cakes to bigger baking projects, here are 100 afternoon treats to help you push past the midday slump, including: Pecan Espresso Bars, Roasted Strawberry Cream Pie, Kitchen Sink Crispy Treats, Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake, Straight-Up Yellow Snacking Cake, Giant Pop Tart, Fig Scones, and more. Filled with more than 120 photographs, including how-tos for doughs, shaping, and flavor variations, 100 Afternoon Sweets is the third book in the trilogy of Kieffer's 100-themed baking books.

100 Afternoon Sweets is a well organized collection with a little something for all bakers looking to bake easy to eat treats. As a person that loves to bake, but is not overly fond of the washing of dishes that inevitably follows- I have to admit that I was thrilled that the first section is for one bowl bakes. There are times when I am more than willing to do something more complicated (for a party or during cookie tray season), but for the most part I like the simpler bakes and this was right up my alley for my normal weekend baking.  There are a handful of recipes here that I am eager to try- especially the Chocolate Meringue Bars and Coffee Blondies. I like the recipes for toppings and extras at the end of the book, and am going to try my hand at homemade chocolate shell very soon. I also like that the conversion chart was included, and that each recipe included imperial and weight measurements.

Early Book Review: The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget by Hermine Dossou

The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget by Hermine Dossou is currently scheduled for release on September 12 2023. It offers readers sixty five delicious, affordable and impressive recipes, complete with gluten-free options, plus advice, tips and hacks covering many areas of shopping, baking and cooking in general. Filled with clever ideas and useful features, the book is written with a realism and empathy that comes from the heart, from a lived experience. It isn’t just a book of great recipes, but an essential manual for anyone baking today.

The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget is a well written and informative cookbook. I loved the honest and real tone of the book, and the focus on not just cost but reducing waste. I thought the introduction with instructions on how to make things like your own muffin liners and piping bags was great, and the information on tools and ingredients are things that I might have known but those just starting out on their own are not likely to even think about in advance. I also appreciated that each recipe included all measurement systems- so everyone can use this book without having to do conversions. As someone that is always looking to do my baking in the most efficient way, both cost and time wise, I found all the information about the best use of the baking time and multitasking to limit waste of ingredients and energy to be helpful. I really loved that while there is a wide variety of recipes, most are ones that appeal to me and my family and normal life. Yes there are fancy items, but there are also hot dog pretzels and mug cakes- which my teenagers would love and can help make. I think this is a great book for bakers that are looking to learn, are looking to conserve, and just want to eat well with limited funds and waste. 

The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget is a cookbook that I just might be looking to squeeze into my overcrowded bookcase. If not, it is one I will be borrowing from the library to re read and make great use of. 

Early Book Review:100 Morning Treats: With Muffins, Rolls, Biscuits, Sweet and Savory Breakfast Breads, and More by Sarah Kieffer

100 Morning Treats: With Muffins, Rolls, Biscuits, Sweet and Savory Breakfast Breads, and More by Sarah Kieffer is currently scheduled for release on May 9 2023. These baking projects will bring delight to your family breakfast, a Sunday brunch or bake sale, a morning at the office, or kids' soccer practice. Whatever your preference alongside your morning cup of coffee or tea—sweet or savory, buttery or flaky, hot off the griddle or taken to go—you'll find a recipe for it here, from coffee cakes to danishes, doughnuts, scones, quick breads, quiches, and muffins galore! Filled with more than 120 inspiring photographs, including how-tos for doughs and shaping, and instructions for prepping the night before and baking in the morning.

100 Morning Treats is a well rounded book for those that love to bake, and those that want to improve their knowledge and recipe base in baking. I thought the introduction and tips and other information included in the beginning of the book was well written and chosen, and that the book was laid out and organized well. The pictures were well chosen and made me eager to try my hand at the recipes, and if I am honest reading the descriptions and looking at the pictures made me a bit hungry and craving something freshly baked. I like that the ingredient measurements are given in metric and imperial units- so everyone can easily follow the recipes without having to do conversions and extra calculations. I thought the recipes were easy to follow and well written. The extra informational box content through out the book was helpful and interesting. There was a nice variety of recipes, something for everyone. While the classics were covered, so were some recipes I have never seen. I honestly cannot wait to test a few of these out in coming weeks. Ones I am looking forward to the most are: Grapefruit Glazed Muffins, Lemon Meringue Bread, Strawberry Knots, and the Chocolate Pudding Bundt Cake. 

100 Morning Treats is a wonderful collection of recipes, and if I had anymore room for physical books this would be joining my collection. It just might anyway. 

Early Book Review: Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak

Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak is a cookbook that is currently scheduled for release on April 4 2023. This book features 65 mix-and-match cookie sandwiches for every occasion and craving, including both sweet and savory bakes that range from childhood classics with a twist (Nutter Butters! Chipwiches!) to sophisticated, party-ready treats (Strawberry Shortcake Macarons, Parmesan Polenta Crackers with Chive Cream Cheese). There is a chapter dedicated to swirly buttercreams, smooth ganache, fruity jams, and more lets you experiment with different cookie-filling pairings to your heart's content. The option to leave out the filling altogether for a super simple bake is also at the baker's discretion. Home bakers of all levels will appreciate the flexible, choose-your-own-adventure format.

Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book is a well written and organized cookbook with wonderful photographs of the featured cookies. I thought the introductory information about the ingredients and equipment was well done. Too often we more experienced bakers skip over this (sometimes myself included) but I thought the insights and information included here would be gook for bakers of all skill levels. I love that the author includes information about adjusting these recipes to be gluten free, and how to achieve the best possible bake. I also like that metric and imperial measurements are included- so regardless of a baker's personal preference there is no need to mess around with conversions. I liked the wide variety of cookies, and I liked the author's voice. I found the little introductions to be interesting and entertaining. This is exactly the book I needed right before Christmas baking started- to look over grand ideas only to end up making my tried and true recipes. There are several recipes here that I will attempt, and several more that I will use flavor combinations or technique from to help improve my baking results. In fact, this just might be a baking weekend so I can test some of these out.  I just do not have the freezer space for all of the ones I want to make.

Early Book Review: The Everything Low-Cholesterol Cookbook: 200 Heart-Healthy Recipes for Reducing Cholesterol and Losing Weight by Laura Livesey

The Everything Low-Cholesterol Cookbook: 200 Heart-Healthy Recipes for Reducing Cholesterol and Losing Weight by Laura Livesey is currently scheduled for release on March 28 2023. Keep your cholesterol levels in check and reduce your risk for developing heart disease and other chronic conditions with these 200 healthy and satisfying low-cholesterol recipes. Is your health care professional concerned about your high blood cholesterol levels? Do you worry that excess weight could have a detrimental effect on your health? Or are you simply looking for a healthier lifestyle? Changing your diet can be an effective way to lose weight and reduce your cholesterol level. This cookbook is your introduction to the benefits of a heart-healthy diet. Learn about cholesterol and its role in heart disease, how lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions, and how losing excess weight can improve your health. Each recipe is low in sugar but high in flavor, so you don’t have to sacrifice delicious foods to be healthy!

The Everything Low-Cholesterol Cookbook is exactly what the title promises. It offers readers suggestions on changing how you eat, because the order you eat the food on your plate and when you eat different food can have a big impact, as well as what to eat. The encouragement and note that being health and making this changes for yourself is a process and not a zero sum game, doing your best and taking things at a pace that fits your needs and life will make the change in habits easier to stick with. I thought the recipes were well varied and written, with a healthy something that will appeal to most everyone. Each recipe includes the nutrients per serving if the recipe is made as printed. I am big on substitutions and changing things up once I have done a recipe once or twice, so this will not hold true long for me, but it is good to have a starting point. To be honest, there are not many of these recipes that I will be adding to my repertoire. I cook for a family of four (with one picky kid eater and one picky adult eater), and while there are some I can get by with, there are not a whole lot that would be eaten. There are a couple meals I will try for the family, and a few more I might try out just for myself on the weekend.  Also, there are several ingredients that are just not regularly in my house (like kelp noodles and bee pollen) but that all  might be less problematic for others. I think the book is well written and provides exactly what it promises- but it is just not practical for my household.

Book Review: The Princess Bride: The Official Cookbook by Jenn Fujikawa

The Princess Bride: The Official Cookbook by Jenn Fujikawa features more than 50 recipes for dishes seen in, and inspired by, the film, including: Buttercup Buttermilk Scones, Hash You Wish, Farm Boy Breakfast, Six-Fingered Sandwiches, Chips of Insanity, MLT, The Grandson’s Soup and Sandwich, Vizzini’s Sicilian Meatballs, Fezzik’s Stew. The Spaniard’s Paella, Bread Pirate Roberts, Twu Wove’s Kiss Cookies, Iocane Powder Punch, and Inigo Montoya’s Taste of Revenge. Perfect for fans, families, and Brute Squads, this cookbook is a way for home cooks to plate up the adventure, comedy, and romance of everyone’s favorite film.

The Princess Bride: The Official Cookbook is a fun novelty cookbook. It has some good recipes with punny titles. I liked the movie quotes, pictures, and information that was included in the text as well. Most of the recipes are ones you can find elsewhere- with a title change. However, I did like that they were labeled, both in the table of contents and at the start of the recipe, for if they were gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan and sometimes included suggested modifications to make it vegetarian if it was not in the recipe. If you prefer metric measurements, here you are out of luck and will need to do some conversions since it is all in imperial units. 

The Princess Bride: The Official Cookbook is exactly what it promises- a cookbook for fans of the movie that might want to put together a pun filled meal (or series of meals) to share.

Book Review: Indian for Everyone: 100 Easy, Healthy Dishes the Whole Family Will Love by Hari Ghotra

Indian for Everyone: 100 Easy, Healthy Dishes the Whole Family Will Love by Hari Ghotra was released for sale on October 4 2022. Fresh, flavorful, and full of spices, veggies, and healthy proteins, Indian for Everyone presents over 100 curries, daals, and other classic Indian dishes to make and enjoy with your kids (or without). A former chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Tamarind, as well as a creator of a popular line of curry kits and sauces, Hari Ghotra’s mission is to demystify Indian cooking so everyone can enjoy its benefits. She explores the many perks of traditional Indian spices—including reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and easing pain—and shows how to stock your pantry with the most versatile ingredients. She covers basics like biryani and rogan josh, as well as street food, snacks, drinks, and holiday specialties. Many of the recipes are naturally vegan or vegetarian, but can easily be made with meat as well, as detailed in the substitutions section. And she even includes some flavorful Indian twists on beloved American foods like mac and cheese and chicken wings.

Indian for Everyone: 100 Easy, Healthy Dishes the Whole Family Will Love is a very well written cook book, with instructions and encouragement for readers. I have always enjoyed Indian food and the flavor profile, but I have been so unsure as to how to get started, especially with my less than adventurous and fairly picky household. I will admit to being a little worried when the importance of onions was discussed in the introduction- since I am not necessarily a fan- but Ghotra offered solutions, ideas, and substitutions for a variety of dietary restrictions and preferences- including onions. I liked that each recipe included imperial and metric measurements, making them easily accessible to readers, and offers suggestions and tip on how to personalize the recipe and how to make aspects of cooking easier (like prepping and freezing masala in advance). I thought it was well organized and the recipes were easy to understand and follow. While I might not have all of the ingredients for all of the recipes in my house already, most of the items I was missing are easily obtained in large grocery stores, although some require a little extra leg work. I am looking forward to trying my hand at some of these recipes (starting with the naan, turmeric and honey bread, and a few desserts). More importantly, I have a better understanding of spices I love and how I can use them to better  effect and with different combinations than I have tried before. I think this is the perfect cookbook for those looking to learn more about Indian Cuisine and how they might better understand and incorporate the spices and intent of it more effectively. 

Early Book Review: Everyday Cake: 45 Simple Recipes for Layer, Bundt, Loaf, and Sheet Cakes by Polina Chesnakova

Everyday Cake: 45 Simple Recipes for Layer, Bundt, Loaf, and Sheet Cakes by Polina Chesnakova is currently scheduled for release on August 16 2022. Using ingredients that are readily available, these cakes are unfussy yet sweetly indulgent. Recipes are arranged using pans most of us already have in our kitchens: round, square, loaf, rectangle, sheet, and bundt. Flavors include warm spices, herbs and flowers, and sweet essences, plus chocolate, fruit, nuts, and seeds. An wide range of cakes will tickle every fancy. For instance a Vanilla Malted Milk with Milk Chocolate Frosting would be perfect for a birthday celebration, Lemon and Lavender Yogurt cake would be quick to make and satisfying with cup of tea, and Roasted Strawberry with Whipped Crème Fraiche Shortcake would be the perfect way to end a summer supper.

Everyday Cake is the perfect cookbook for cake lovers.I love a simple and delicious recipe, and this book offers both. I like that for the most part ingredients and kitchen tools are things most of us have handy already, and the recipes are well organized and easy to follow. I liked that the recipes included metric and imperial measurements- so that everyone can use the ingredients lists without conversions and calculations. I do need to argue with the idea that these recipes are not fussy, and that everything is simple and available. Some of these recipes fall firmly on the side of fussy for me, which is fine because sometimes that is what you are looking for. Some oft he recipes call for florals, semolina flour, tahini, and things that are clearly not universal pantry staples. Again, sometimes you are looking for something to do with an abundance or rhubarb, extra candied citrus peels, or persimmons I guess. While all of these thongs can be found in a good grocery store or supplier- not everyone has the funds, time, and access needed to track some of these things down. While I enjoyed the cookbook for what it was, a good collection of cakes, I think pushing it as simple cakes for everyone is a little off and kind of frustrated me. I did find some flavor combinations that I might be trying out, but nothing struck me as terribly new or exciting that would lead me to adding this to me cookbook collection. 

Early Book Review: Hot Honey Cookbook: 60 Recipes to Infuse Sweet Heat into Your Favorite Foods by Ames Russell; Sara Quessenberry

Hot Honey Cookbook: 60 Recipes to Infuse Sweet Heat into Your Favorite Foods by Ames Russell and Sara Quessenberry is currently scheduled for release on August 2 2022.  The condiment that’s getting all the buzz these days, hot honey, can enhance the flavor of any meal, and no one knows this better than Ames Russell, the founder of AR’s Southern Hot Honey. From drizzling to incorporating hot honey into marinades, glazes, dressings, sauces, and cake batters, the 60 mouthwatering recipes in Hot Honey Cookbook—inspired by Southern, Asian, and Latin flavors—are guaranteed to bring the sweet heat all day long, from breakfast to cocktails. Some of the recipes include: Bourbon Pecan Coffee Cake, Korean-Style Chicken Wings, Smoky Barbecue Ribs, Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Tacos, Shrimp and Grits, Grilled Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad, Baked Beans, and Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler. With Hot Honey Cookbook showing all the ways you can enjoy this versatile condiment, you’ll only need to decide whether to choose mild or hot, or a little or a lot.

Hot Honey Cookbook is coming out at the perfect time for me. I just had some timing changes and am back to being the main cook for the family, so trying new recipes and ingredients is on my to do list. I have always loved using chili and honey together, searching for that perfect balance of sweet heat, but if someone will make that balance for me and then suggest recipes to try it in, well I am all for it. I had never bought Hot Honey before, just adjusted a combinations of the flavors for my own cooking needs, but now I am pretty excited to give it a try. I thought the recipes were well written and easy to follow, organized in sensible groupings. Some of the recipes were very much not for me, but others had me shopping my grocery app and updating this weeks shopping list. I think there is a little something here for everyone that likes sweet heat. 

Early Book Review: Kids Cook Dinner: 25 Healthy, Budget-Friendly Meals from the Best-Selling Cooking Class Series by Deanna F. Cook

Kids Cook Dinner: 25 Healthy, Budget-Friendly Meals from the Best-Selling Cooking Class Series by Deanna F. Cook is currently scheduled for release on May 24 2022. This book is a selection of 25 easy, budget-friendly dinner recipes that teaches kids how to make healthy meals with step-by-step photos. The recipes feature a range of kid favorites, including Popcorn Chicken, Easy Cheesy Quesadillas, Pasta with Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella, Black Beans & Rice, Pizza, Meatballs with Creamy Sauce, Super Sliders, and Supper Salad have been specially selected for their budget-friendliness (averaging $2 a serving) and use of easy-to-find pantry staples, as well as their nutritional value. With instructions on basic cooking skills, like chopping vegetables and stir frying, grocery shopping, and kitchen safety, Kids Cook Dinner offers aspiring chefs ages 8 to 12 everything they need to know to successfully--and proudly-- put a healthy, homecooked meal on the table that the whole family will love. 

Kids Cook Dinner is a great cookbook for families that want to cook together, and children that want to take a more active role in the kitchen. I thought the skills and information shared in the beginning of the book, and the safety reminders, are very important and well done. I thought the recipes were varied enough that there should be something for every young chef, even those picky eaters. The book offers readers exactly what the title promises, and I think it would be a valuable resource for young readers and their families. 

Early Book Review: The Flexible Baker: 75 Delicious Recipes with Adaptable Options for Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, and Vegan Bakes by Jo Pratt

The Flexible Baker: 75 Delicious Recipes with Adaptable Options for Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, and Vegan Bakes by Jo Pratt is currently scheduled for release on April 12 2022. Covering a wide-range of bakes including sweet & savory, cakes & tray bakes, biscuits & cookies, pastries, puddings & deserts, each recipe also includes flexible adaptations that can help cater for a variety of allergies, intolerances and lifestyle choices. The recipes include delights such as: Smoky bacon scones with salted maple butter, Sweet onion and blue cheese swirls, Chicken & chorizo sausage rolls, 'Sourdough' for the impatient, Multi-millionaire's shortbread, Pecan pumpkin pie, and Salted honey & pistachio puddings. Each page also includes a clear dietary index covering everything from gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free cooking and veganism, so the reader can see at a glance which recipe suits their requirements, without compromising flavor or appeal.

The Flexible Baker is a well written and organized cookbook. I liked that both common forms of measurement were included for all recipes, so those clinging to imperial measurements and those use to or switching to metric have equal access to these recipes without having to convert. I loved the variety of bakes included in this cook book, and the amount of information included about the dietary options for substitutions and what will (or wont) work to fit the needs of those you may be cooking for. I like how easy it is to find which recipes are gluten, dairy, nut, or animal product free- and which can easy be adapted further to fit the needed restrictions. I thought the page design, photograph choices, and organization were all very well done. This is the perfect cookbook for those that love to bake while keeping in mind the dietary restrictions of those around you. The instructions, including possible substitutions, are all easy to understand and follow for novice and frequent bakers alike. If you have room on your cookbook self and love to bake then this is a great addition to a personal collection. I think it would be a great addition to library shelves so that everyone can have access to this inclusive cookbook. 

Early Book Review: The Modern Proper: Simple Dinners for Every Day by Holly Erickson; Natalie Mortimer

The Modern Proper: Simple Dinners for Every Day by Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer is currently scheduled for release on April 5 2022. For pretty much everyone, life gets busy—but you still want to cook up a good meal. Ideally a meal  that is accessible, efficient, and doesn’t sacrifice any of the delicious flavors you love. This book can expand your “go-to” list and help you become a more intuitive, creative cook. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, a busy parent or a workaholic, this book will arm you with tools, tricks, and shortcuts to get dinner on the table. Every ingredient is easy to find, plus you’ll find plenty of swaps and options throughout. Each of the 100 recipes (some all-time fan favorites and many brand-new) includes prep time, cook time, and quick-reference tags. Recipes include: Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mozzarella and Creamy Kale, Stir-Fried Pork Cutlets with Buttermilk Ranch, Sweet Cider Scallops with Wilted Spinach, Tofu Enchiladas with Red Sauce, and more. 

The Modern Proper is a well organized and comprehensive cookbook. I found that the descriptions, instructions, and suggestions were all well thought out and written. I like that the recipes leave plenty of room for home cooks to use the vegetables and ingredients that work best for their family. The recipes are pretty varied and do use mostly common, or at least readily available, ingredients for those that have good supermarkets accessible to them.  There were several recipes that I would love to try for an adult only meal. However, I have to admit that I found most of the meals a little to involved and fussy for my house, aside from special occasions. For those that love cooking and entertaining, or have the family interest in trying new foods, this would be a great cookbook. I enjoyed looking at the photographs, and gleaned a few tips and inspirations, but this is not a book that would be added to my personal library. I think there are people that love to cook like this, and I think they will love this book and have the time and resources to put the recipes inside to good use. 

Book Review: Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen

Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen is the Official Nutella® Cookbook.  The  hazelnut cocoa spread that is a staple of the breakfasts and snacks for some is taken to a new level here by Chef Grégory Cohen in 60 recipes. Discover a delicious array of cakes, pastries and desserts made with the classic store cupboard ingredient. Bakes include Nutella® mixed berry muffins, babka and orange cake, alongside delights such as Tarte Tatin, vanilla & praline éclairs and Yule log. With techniques and recipes to suit every level of expertise, this book will appeal to everyone with a shared love of the World-famous spread.

Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes gives readers exactly what the title promises. The recipes vary from things that I would be perfectly comfortable whipping up this weekend, some that I might pull out for my annual holiday treat trays, some I might pull out for special occasions, and some that I find a little to fussy and fancy for my kitchen. All that washes out to, there is something here for every fan of this ingredient. I found the instructions and information to be well organized and written, with photographs that were a great match. I like that imperial and metric measurement where included, so bakers of either preference can jump in without doing additional calculations. I do think that the recipes are geared a bit towards more experienced bakers, as some of the recipes could be challenging and more than a little intimidating to real beginners. However, I think some of these recipes might be doable for more novice bakers, but as someone that has spent a good amount of time baking some of these recipes are well beyond my comfort zone. 

Book Review: Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts by Dorothy Kern

Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts by Dorothy Kern offers readers tested-to-perfection recipes are easy to make and full of creative new flavor ideas. In these pages, she serves up more than 85 recipes, each with its own color photo. Detailed instructions will demonstrate how to make cookies in batches big or small and offer expert tips on how to store them so they stay fresh for a long time. What’s more, she guides you in taking your cookie skills in new directions, into the delectable world of brownies (lots of different kinds of brownies!), blondies, shortbreads, shortcakes, cookie cakes, and more. Her book includes recipes that range from traditional favorites to all-new concepts: Seriously the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookies, Raspberry Almond Spirals, Nana’s Drop Sugar Cookies, Orange Dream Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies, Brown Butter Pecan Blondies, Apple Shortbread Bars, Caramel Crunch Bars, Bacon and Caramel Brownies, Vanilla Lovers’ White Chocolate Brownies, Fruit Tart Cookie Cups, Birthday Cookie Cake, and more. 

Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars is a great collection of recipes. I found the instructions, tips and ticks, and the recipes to be well written and easy to understand and follow. I like that the recipes include empirical and weight measurements, so everyone can follow recipes without extra math. I also thought to substitution and customization suggestions were well chosen and helpful to those bakers  less comfortable with making those changes on their own. I think the recipes chosen are well balanced, with both basic and much more challenging.  I know I saw more than one recipe that I have never seen before, and some ideas that I want to play with next time I get to baking. I know some of those stuffed cookies are on my agenda.I got to smile at the fact that she even included cookies for our furry friends. I am not sure that my bookshelves can stand another cookbook- especially another one focused on baking- but I just might be willing to try. If you have the shelf space for a good cookie and brownie cookbook, I think this would be a great addition. It should definitely be added to public libraries so those without the ability to bring another book home to stay can still enjoy this. 

Early Book Review: Good Enough: A Cookbook: Embracing the Joys of Imperfection, in and out of the Kitchen by Leanne Brown

Good Enough: A Cookbook: Embracing the Joys of Imperfection, in and out of the Kitchen by Leanne Brown is currently scheduled for release on January 4 2022. After writing and launching Good and Cheap, the cookbook with a social purpose that has over 500,000 copies in print, Leanne Brown went into a tailspin. She was burnt out and depressed, and fell into a pattern of using guilt and fear to get herself back into facing the day. Her dream of becoming a cookbook author was turning into a nightmare. Something had to change. What changed, and how, is the journey of Good Enough, a deeply personal cookbook with a profoundly uplifting, relatable message.  A generous mix of essays, stories and nearly 100 dazzling recipes, Good Enough is about self-compassion, and knowing it's OK to have a cheese plate for dinner. About the practice of gratitude, and ten breakfasts to start your morning right, like Creamy Hands-Off Scrambled Eggs. About cooking as self-care, and healing your spirit with a comforting Salmon Dinner Pie. About overcoming barriers like social anxiety, and embracing entertaining with Smoky Honey Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Fennel Slaw. About knowing it’s hard but you’re completely worth it—and indulging yourself with My Spicy Umami Noodles. About giving yourself permission to feel great—so go ahead, have another Sticky Toffee Cookie. There are no judgments here. And ultimately, it's about embracing the joy of imperfection to find peace and happiness in and out of the kitchen. Because good enough is great.

Good Enough is a cookbook that embraces mindfulness and kindness, toward ourselves and others. We all have moments of being overwhelmed, burned out, depressed, or just out of it enough that putting in the effort to feed ourselves (and/or our families) seems like it is too much. This book offers a judgement free look at how we can be prepared enough to already have most necessary ingredients around so that we do not have to make an extra trip to the store, and the understanding to know that a dinner of snack like foods is just fine if that is what we want or all that we can handle on any given day. It gives great recipes and tip to make cooking less stressful, and offers readers the sense of forgiveness and kindness that so many of us offer others while failing to provide it for ourselves. The majority of the book is not the recipes, but essays and suggestions for self care and taking care of yourself even when it might feel like it is too much effort. Looking at the last two years, I think this book could be a helpful and interesting read for many. I would have preferred more recipes, preferably with more photographs of the food. I also had some serious issues with formatting in the digital galley- however I am going to hope that formatting will be a non issue with the final version of the book.

Good Enough is a book about self care and kindness towards ourselves, with a selection of recipes and cooking tips to make the process more mindful than stressful.

Book Review: Country Kitchen Cookbook: A Collection of Traditional American Home-Cooked Recipes by Jennifer Boudinot

Country Kitchen Cookbook: A Collection of Traditional American Home-Cooked Recipes by Jennifer Boudinot is full of recipes for anyone who is a fan of bacon, cheese, buttermilk, savory casseroles, the sweetest pies, or anything deep fried. With a flexi-bind format that stays open while you cook, Country Kitchen Cookbook provides  Perfect for hanging around at home or inviting guests for a late, light supper, there is a recipe for everything. Recipes include Strawberry Shortcake, Loaded Baked Potato Soup, Apple-Smothered Pork Chops, Beef Stew with Dumplings, Country Corn Fritters, Collard Greens and Bacon, Hush Puppies, Home-Fried Sausage Casserole, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and more!

Country Kitchen Cookbook is well organized and full of southern inspired comfort food recipes and corresponding photographs. The recipes are divided by themes and are easy to navigate. This is not a collection for those that are trying to eat healthy or have dietary restrictions. However, for those that are looking to master some favorite comfort food recipes or to treat yourself (and/or others) to a down home meal this will hit all the notes you need. As someone that does not often indulge in this style of cooking, this would be a book I would gladly check out from the library in order to master a few recipes for special occasions or days that I just fill the need to treat myself or my friends and family to something special. I think this would be a great addition to most public libraries fr that very reason. Those that tend to cook this style of food more often, or want to learn how, just might want to add it to their personal collection

Country Kitchen Cookbook is a great collection of recipes for those looking to serve up some comfort food.

Early Book Review: Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish Friends Baking Cookbook: Nearly 200 Delightful Baked Goods Recipes from Amish Kitchens by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish Friends Baking Cookbook:  Nearly 200 Delightful Baked Goods Recipes from Amish Kitchens by Wanda E. Brunstetter is currently scheduled for release on September 1 2021. This review is based on a good sized sample of the book provided through Netgalley.

Fresh-baked buns or cookies waiting for a child’s after-school snack is a delight many of us remember from our own mothers’ and grandmothers’ kitchens. You can now share the joy of baking for and with your own family through dozens of recipes provided by Amish bakers. Ideas for breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, and more will keep you busy taste testing and sharing all the goodies. Also included are step-by-step instructions, baking tips, and anecdotes from Amish bakers. Encased in a lay-flat binding and presented in full color, home bakers of all ages will be delighted to add this cookbook to their collections.

Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish Friends Baking Cookbook is a well written and organized cookbook for baked goods. I thought the baking tips and explanations were helpful, even as a fairly experienced baker. I even enjoyed learning a bit about the history of the Amish and Mennonite history, when usually I skim through the background and personal stories and rush ahead to the actual recipes. I found the recipes and instructions to be well written and easy to follow, and the pictures enticing to the point where I am going to try out a couple this weekend. I think this book will be perfect for those interested in the author and the subject matter. It might not be one for my personal collect (thinks to being out of room) but is one that I would definitely borrow from the library or recommend for those looking to expand their collection. 

Early Book Review: Live Well Bake Cookies: 75 Classic Cookie Recipes for Every Occasion by Danielle Rye

Live Well Bake Cookies: 75 Classic Cookie Recipes for Every Occasion by Danielle Rye is currently scheduled for release on August 24 2021.  Danielle Rye, the creator of the popular baking blog Live Well Bake Often, believes that anyone can become an expert baker, and in this book she will help you do just that by gently guiding you in the kitchen with foolproof recipes for cookies and treats that come out perfectly portioned and dependably delicious every single time. Recipes include a range of classic, oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate, holiday, seasonal, and Christmas cookies, including: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies, Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars, Double Chocolate M&M’s Cookies, Iced Maple Cinnamon Cookies, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Apple Cinnamon Snickerdoodles, Peppermint Snowball Cookies, Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars Complete with helpful tips and tricks, make-ahead and freezing instructions, small-batch recipes, and a gorgeous photograph accompanying every recipe, this cookbook will truly have you living your best baking life.

Live Well Bake Cookies offers readers exactly what the title suggests, 75 cookie recipes with enough variety to satisfy just about every cookie eater. I like that the recipes include both metric and standard US measurements so that bakers used to both can enjoy the recipes without extra math and calculations. I liked that tips and tricks were included, along with freezing ad storage information. I think the small batch information was also a nice touch, because not everyone needs or wants the temptation of extra cookies in the freezer. The recipes are well written and easy to follow. There were some formatting issues that made readability a struggle in some places, but I am going with the assumption that this is because I was reading a digital galley and these problems will be solved before the print version is shipped. I think fans of the blogger and dedicated cookie bakers looking to add to their cookbook collection will want to add this to their collection. For those of us that really love to bake but are completely out of shelf space for cookbooks- I highly recommend borrowing from a library (or buying and then donating to a local library) to find your favorite recipes and hints to add to your knowledge base.

Early Book Review: A Good Bake: The Art and Science of Making Perfect Pastries, Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Breads at Home by Melissa Weller; Carolynn Carreno

A Good Bake: The Art and Science of Making Perfect Pastries, Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Breads at Home by Melissa Weller; Carolynn Carreno is currently scheduled for release on November 17 2020. 

In A Good Bake, Weller shares detailed recipes for producing delicious, and beautiful, baked goods. A chemical engineer before she became a baker, Weller uses her scientific background to explain the whys and hows of baking, so home cooks can achieve perfect results every time. Here are recipes both sweet (Pumpkin Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream and Brown Sugar Frosting) and savory (Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds); beloved classics (Croissants and Chocolate Babka) and new sure-to-be favorites (Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies)--as well as Salted Caramel Sticky Buns, all written and tested for even the most novice home baker to re-create. With photographs by the award-winning Johnny Miller, and tutorials that demystify all of the stuff that sounds complicated, like working with yeast, sourdough starters, and laminating dough Weller's book is a comprehensive guide.

A Good Bake is a great look at the science and detail that can make or break our bake. I love getting down to the reason my muffins did not rise, or a loaf of bread did not turn out quite like I expected- even when I swear I did everything right. I am also the type of baker that after I do the same recipe a few time I like to switch up ingredients or eyeball amounts, and knowing what the key ingredients do for the final product, this kind of information is extremely helpful in having those experiments turn out successfully. Weller starts by giving the basic advice that we all know, but rarely follow- a careful reading of the recipe and planning of the bake based on its details. She goes on to explain some of the common pitfalls, tools and ingredients, and of course the tools and terms of the trade. While some more experienced bakers might just skip over this bit, I will admit to simply skimming it in most cookbooks, but I found it well worth a more thorough read in this case. I found the recipes to be very detailed, and nicely organized.  I liked the bits of extra information included in the recipes about how or why something happens or is important. Although, I will admit that I could have done without the  information about where she came up with a recipe or I also like that the measurements are given in both common cups and weights, giving even those unable or unwilling to make the switch equal opportunity to enjoy the recipes.  I found the variety of recipes, and the ideas included to be informative. I thought the photographs were a great match, and liked that there were some step by step photographs- which I found very helpful particularly with the shaping of some bread. No matter how good the phrasing is, sometimes a good picture is key to understanding the way a twist, plait, or fold is meant to go. A well written and informative cookbook that covers the hows and whys of a good bake.

A Good Bake is a great cookbook for bakers that like knowing the science involved in getting the perfect bake.