Book Review: Foil Pack Dinners: 100 Delicious, Quick-Prep Recipes for the Grill and Oven by Julia Rutland

Foil Pack Dinners: 100 Delicious, Quick-Prep Recipes for the Grill and Oven by Julia Rutland offers readers a variety of meals with less than an hour of cooking time. Steaming food in packets has been a tried and tested method of cooking that the French and Italians have used for generations. Perfect for grilling, campfire cooking, or making a quick meal in the oven, there’s absolutely no other cooking method out there that’s as fast, fun, mess-free, and versatile as foil packs. Recipes include Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pepperoni Cheese Bread, Louisiana-Style BBQ Shrimp, Black Bean Enchiladas, and Summer Squash Spirals with Ricotta and Basil. With recipes for both carnivores and vegetarians alike, this book includes a little something for everyone.

Foil Pack Dinners is a book that grabbed my attention easily. We have all been cooking more at home, and now that we are in the heat of summer using the grill or quick and easy options are priority. Getting to try something new and different, that I can still tailor to my family's taste is great too. I like that the author gave more detail about the different kinds of foil, and the logistics of folding, moving, and cooking in foil packets before getting to the recipes. I thought I would already know the majority of it, but I learned a great deal and it helped me have a much more enjoyable and successful experience when I started doing this more often. I found the recipes themselves to be very clear and easy to follow, and nicely varied and with plenty of room for personalization. There is a great deal of fresh produce and various spices used- so as always read through the recipes first to make sure you have all the called for ingredients- or something you would like to substitute. I am still finding random things missing from store shelves, so planning ahead and with specific recipes or possibilities in mind is important. I thought the recipes were well organized. I like that the metric conversion charts were included at the end of the book, and thought that the images used nicely represented the food described. 

Foil Pack Dinners is a well written and organized cookbook. I recommend giving it a look, but think that for myself it would be a library borrow rather than a purchase since I have no cookbook shelving space left.

Book Review: Easy Frugal Cookbook: 100 Satisfying Recipes That Won't Break the Bank by Sarah Walker Caron

Easy Frugal Cookbook: 100 Satisfying Recipes That Won't Break the Bank by Sarah Walker Caron aims to give readers the ability to make hearty meals that are tasty, budget-friendly, and nutritious. Recipes include dishes like Crispy Coconut Drumsticks or Open-Face Turkey Sandwiches for everyone in the house for just $5. All it takes is the right recipe, a few tricks, and a little planning to make the most of your food budget. The cookbook offers budget tricks and tips to lower the cost of ingredients even further.

Easy Frugal Cookbook is a book that offered something very much needed, ideas for keeping your family fed for less money than you might expect. The recipes are easy to follow, practical, and include ingredients that are common and generally easy to get. I did find it to be very simple, and as someone that grew up in a very frugal home as a child and still of the same mentality, a little condescending. However, that could just be because of my mindset when reading and the fact that very little of the book was new to me. I think this book would be most helpful for readers that are just getting started in their adult lives, or those that have never really thought about cooking or a budget before. Some of the recipes gave me ideas, but for me including recipes like scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and wraps was a bit basic- although I know there people that need instruction for the things I no longer need to think about.

Easy Frugal Cookbook is a cookbook for those just starting out cooking and thinking about budgeting. This might be a good gift to those striking out as lone adults for the first time or adding members to their household and needing to readjust the budget.

Book Review: The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook: 60 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Your Oven and Mini Donut Maker by Sara Mellas

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook: 60 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Your Oven and Mini Donut Maker by Sara Mellas is newly published cookbook. Who doesn’t love a good donut? From sugared or sprinkled to frosted or filled, donuts are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and sweeten your day. The best part is you don’t need to fuss with frying to whip up these fun, flavorful treats at home. Theses donuts can be made in an oven or donut maker, providing plenty of tried-and-true tricks and tasty recipes for beautifully baked donuts, donut holes, mini donuts, and more. From sweet staples, such as Old-Fashioned Cake Donuts to creative savory bakes like Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread Donuts, this donut cookbook serves you dozens of delightfully simple recipes to match every craving, along with perfectly paired frostings, glazes, and toppings.

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook is a cookbook for every donut lover, particularly those of use that do not want to fry. Spending the last twelve weeks or so home with my family I have made all of my tried and true recipes, ran out of flour and yeast, and resupplied while looking for new things to try. This book was well timed, and inspired me to make some donuts. I am lucky enough to have a donut pan, and plenty of other pans, and was happy to find some new things for my weekend baking. I thought the introduction, including the basic techniques and supply lists were nicely done, and as a fellow New Englander the explanation behind writing the book resonated with me. I thought the recipes were easy to follow, well labeled, and detailed. I like the variants and options were also included, because I love to fiddle with recipes and find these suggestions helpful both in deciding if my idea will work and if the author already came up with something even better. There are several recipes that really caught my eye, some I was ready to try right away and others needed a shopping trip to complete so had to wait a bit. I was impressed that there were gluten free, vegan, and boozy recipes. The classics went over the best in my house, like the chocolate cake and pumpkin donuts- but the glazed blueberry and several filled donuts were also well received. 

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook is a great resource for bakers that want to try their hand at donuts, without frying anything. Frequent bakers might want to add this to their cookbook collection, dabbles might want to borrow it from the library for the first look through to decide if they will use it often enough- I have a feeling I will be needed a paper copy.

Early Book Review: New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads; With Recipes for Birote, Bagels, Pan de Coco, Beignets, and More by Bryan Ford

New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads; With Recipes for Birote, Bagels, Pan de Coco, Beignets, and More by Bryan Ford is currently scheduled for release on June 16 2020. Learn how to make a sourdough starter, basic breads, as well as other innovative baked goods from start to finish with Instagram star Bryan Ford's (@artisanbryan) nontraditional approach to home baking. With less emphasis on perfecting crumb structure or obsessive temperature monitoring, Ford focuses on the tips and techniques he's developed in his own practice, inspired by his Honduran roots and New Orleans upbringing, to ensure your success and a good return on your time and effort. Ford's recipes include step-by-step instructions and photographs of all of the mixing, shaping, and baking techniques you'll need to know, with special attention paid to developing flavor as well as your own instincts.

New World Sourdough offers readers exactly what the title promises, an accessible guide to sourdough and recipes to use the starter. The descriptions and instructions are well written and easy to follow, and the photographs of the dough and finished product are very well done. I am still not a fan of the ingredients list being off to the side rather than at the top of the recipe, but it worked better for me here than it has in other cookbooks. I like the approachable style of this book, and it has made me a little more comfortable with my attempts at sourdough, which was feeling a bit too much work after some less than successful attempts while home  maintaining social distance from the rest of the world. There are a few recipe that on my list of things to try out soon, and we will see if they turn out nearly as well as I hope.

Book Review: Beginner's Baking Bible 130+ Recipes and Techniques for New Bakers by Heather Perine

Beginner's Baking Bible 130+ Recipes and Techniques for New Bakers by Heather Perine walks readers through all the essential techniques they need to bake over 130 sweet and savory recipes.. For a beginner, baking might seem like magic: mix the right ingredients, add heat, and watch a transformation happen before your eyes. But you don’t have to be a sorcerer to bake a flavorful pie, decadent layer cake, or pillowy loaf of bread. Learn the tools and staple ingredients you’ll need for baking (don’t worry, it’s not as much as you think). Pick up building block skills like measuring, mixing, kneading, creaming butter and sugar, and whipping egg whites. Soon, you’ll impress your family and friends with muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, quiches, and even savory galettes. 

Beginner's Baking Bible is a well organized and written cookbook. I like that the author takes the time to share what different instructions in the recipes mean, like the difference between folding, mixing, creaming, and so on. So many people make the attempt to bake, follow the recipes as best they can, and little things like mixing technique or forgetting to grease a pan ruin their good efforts. I grew up in a house where baking and canning was the norm, so I have a good foundation and have been baking on my own for years and binge watch baking shows whenever possible. However, reading these reminders and basic baking information only served to refresh my understanding- it did not feel condescending or simplistic. There were also some measurement charts and information at the end of the book that readers might find informative. I also think that the photography is well done. I think the only change I would make is moving the possible substitutions or additions to recipes closer to the ingredients list to help bakers prepare accordingly- if you are missing an ingredient some bakers might just give up on the recipe rather than reading to the end to discover that they could still make it work.  I think that while this is a perfect book for those that have dabbled in baking and want some instruction to improve their skills and results. I think long time home bakers might get just as much out of a read through as new bakers. Sometimes we get moving too fast and forget some of the basics as we go about our day.  As I just got some new baking tools over the holidays, I have a list of recipes from the book to try out, for instance I see some garlic dinner rolls in my near future.

Beginner's Baking Bible is a solid resource for new and long time bakers alike, while knowledgeable bakers might want to check it out from the library and newcomers might want to add it to their home library. 

Book Review: The Easy 30-Minute Cookbook: 100 Fast and Healthy Recipes for Busy People by Taylor Ellingson

The Easy 30-Minute Cookbook: 100 Fast and Healthy Recipes for Busy People by Taylor Ellingson is a collection of recipes that are budget-friendly, health-conscious, and super tasty—and all of them can be made in half an hour or less. No need to be an experienced home chef. This cookbook can show you how to make good, fresh food at any skill level and help you make your kitchen as convenient as possible, with guides to the best equipment and ingredients to keep on hand. Some of the included recipes are: Mixed Berry Pancake Muffins, Pesto Turkey Burgers, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, and One-Skillet Cashew Chicken. This cookbook includes recipes tagged with icons for No Cook, One Pot, 5-Ingredient, or Superfast (10-minute) meals.

The Easy 30-Minute Cookbook is a book geared towards helping people eat healthier, faster. I like that the book starts with the basics, the information and tricks that new cooks might need to make informed decisions and speed up their cooking time. I found all of it to be common sense, and things I had been doing for years, but those just striking out on their own or just moving past pasta and the basics. The recipes are easy to follow with, with clear instructions and good tips and tricks for substitutions and shortcuts when applicable. I like that while the recipes aim for healthy and using fresh ingredients when possible, there is still some fat and richness with lower fat suggestions rather than ignoring the fact that we can all treat ourselves to an alfredo sauce if the mood strikes. Some of the recipes looked fantastic, and gave me ideas of things I might try to mix things up in my own cooking. However, not much struck me as terribly new or original- perhaps because I spend way too much time watching the Food and Cooking channels. I do think that this might be a valuable book for those just starting to have an interest in cooking more, or cutting back on take out for whatever reason. 

The Easy 30-Minute Cookbook is a well organized and accessible cookbook. I think it would be the most valuable to those just starting to cook on their own.

Book Review: Cookies for Everyone: 99 Deliciously Customizable Bakeshop Recipes by Mimi Council

Cookies for Everyone: 99 Deliciously Customizable Bakeshop Recipes by Mimi Council offers readers the recipes and detailed instructions for baking a variety of cookies. From soft and chewy basics to sandwich cookies, biscotti, macarons, and Florentines, easy recipes to help home bakers master the art of cookies, including tips for gluten-free, vegan, and high-altitude baking. Mimi's Tips and Tricks walk readers through key steps and techniques, demystifying baking; her clear instructions cover everything from basic cookies to sandwich cookies and biscotti. And for anyone who thinks more sophisticated cookies (such as macarons and Florentines) are impossible to make at home, let alone for "special diets," think again -- Mimi's excellent counsel will have you baking up a storm in no time.

Cookies for Everyone is a well organized cookbook for cookie lovers. I love giving cookies for gifts around the holidays- so this book was perfectly timed for me. I like that the book offers the basic how to's, equipment advice, and ingredient information before even touching on the recipes, so that those that have never been bakers can catch up to the more experienced readers right away. I also liked that there are specific instructions at the beginning of each chapter- because making some styles of cookies require some different techniques even if the basic ingredients are the same. I also like the there are instructions for changing up recipes to be gluten free or at high altitudes included for recipes. No one needs to miss out on their favorite cookie or guess at how to make changes to a recipe. I enjoyed the selection of cookies in the book, and how well organized it was. I do have a collection of cookie cookbooks, and am someone that spends much time researching for the perfect set of recipes for my holiday baking. I have to admit that I am not likely to buy any more cookbooks, but if I were this might just make it in my collection. I do highly recommend it for library collections, and would certainly borrow it from my local library to revisit some of the recipes.

Cookies for Everyone is a solid cookbook with some great cookie recipes. It is well structured and written- making it accessible to new and experienced bakers alike. 

Early Book Review: Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker: Reinvent the Slow-Cooked Meal; 77 Mouthwatering Recipes by Nicki Sizemore

Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker: Reinvent the Slow-Cooked Meal; 77 Mouthwatering Recipes by Nicki Sizemore is currently scheduled for release on October 15 2019. This book is filled with slow-simmered main dishes, plus 35 recipes for sauces and sides, that replace canned ingredients with fresh vegetables, boost flavor with aromatic herbs and spices, and feature a tantalizing array of global tastes in dishes that span the menu. Overnight Pumpkin-Brown Rice Pudding with crunchy pecans is a wholesome, hands-off breakfast treat, Thai Curried Chicken with Rice Noodles gets a spicy kick from curry broth, and Shredded Mole Beef Tacos are accented with the sweet heat of Quick Pickled Jalapeños. Whether you’re feeding a family or entertaining a crowd, each recipe highlights prep work that can be knocked out days in advance, making serving meals worthy of every occasion easy and delicious.

Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker has a good variety of dishes, and taught me a few tricks for using my crock pot- even as I need to retire my old one due to seal failure after a solid ten years of use- and get a new one. While there are some recipes I do not see myself trying (only because if it only needs to be in there for an hour I do not see the point of using it) there are plenty they I fully expect to be trying in the coming months. I have one adult picky eater and one kid of a similar mindset, so it is easy to fall into a rut of eating the same meals all the time, because I know what everyone will actually eat. However, the rest of us get tired of the repeats, and I am looking forward to trying some of these recipes out to see what I can add to the rotation and to test out some of the ideas reading these recipes have given me. I really liked the basic information at the beginning of the book- laying out what type of slow cooker might be right for you, and why some of the preparations can or cannot be done in advance. In my need to replace my trusty crock pot I found the information to be helpful. 

Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker is a wonderful resource for tips and tricks in crock pot use, new recipes, and inspiration for further experimentation. I fully expect to be consulting this book many times in the future when planning family meals.

Book Review: 5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook: Easy Dinners from Your Skillet, Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan & More by Linda Kurniadi

5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook: Easy Dinners from Your Skillet, Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan & More by Linda Kurniadi offers readers a selection of one pot meals to help make meal planning and cooking easier, more enjoyable, and healthy. From waking up with a Tex-Mex Omelette to winding down your day with Chicken Cordon Bleu or a Ravioli and Spinach Bake for dinner, this cookbook offers low-effort, delicious dishes that need only one pot and 5 main ingredients to make. With most recipes requiring only 30 minutes or less to prepare, cook, and serve—and others that only take 20 minutes or less— the 5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook gets you in and out of the kitchen in no time at all. The book also includes shopping and storage tips, along with an overview of cooking techniques for every piece of cookware. It is organized by cooking vessel and features skillet, saucepan, Dutch oven, sheet pan, baking dish, roasting pan, and no-cook bowl recipes.

5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook was a well organized and useful resource. I like the way the book is organized, the information given on the different cookware, and how tips to adapt recipes to change ingredients or cooking tools can be done. Since I changed jobs this past summer, I have become more intent on meal planning and keeping the dishes simple, since my husband has had to take over the actual cooking part. I get the groceries, some of the prep work, and gather everything together for cooking ease. This also means a slow cooker meal about once a week. The recipes in the book help me get new recipes together, while not making my husband feel like a short order cook or under pressure to put together something complicated- while still mixing things up a little and making food the whole family will eat. It is hard to meet all those requirements in a single meal, but some of these recipes will fit the bill, or inspired me. The instructions and information is easy to understand and put into practice. I learned some great tips that I had never heard before, and am looking forward to trying out some new dishes.

Early Book Review: Double Awesome Chinese Food: Irresistible and Totally Achievable Recipes from Our Chinese-American Kitchen by Margaret Li; Irene Li; Andrew Li

Double Awesome Chinese Food: Irresistible and Totally Achievable Recipes from Our Chinese-American Kitchen by Margaret Li, Irene Li, and Andrew Li is currently schedule for release on February 9 2019. This book is from  three fun-loving, food-loving Chinese-American siblings--Margaret, Andrew, and Irene Li, the siblings behind Boston's acclaimed Mei Mei Restaurant and Street Kitchen--directly to your kitchen table. Their recipes take familiar dishes and add classic Chinese techniques, a fresh seasonal twist to beloved Chinese restaurant dishes, and layer of Asian ingredients into everyday family meals. Celebrate local veggies with a quick weeknight meal of Farmers Market Fried Rice or Summer Noodle Salad with Ginger Garlic Dressing. Invite all your friends over for an action-packed dumpling-making party featuring Sweet Potato, Feta, and Brown Butter Dumplings and the famous Double Awesome scallion pancake sandwich. Or go low-key and let the Five-Spice Pork Shoulder roast in your oven all day, transforming into a glorious meal for the whole family. The book offers a glimpse behind the scenes of a modern restaurant family, including start-up stories alongside go-to sauces to amp up any meal, and even vegetable-centric desserts. Packed with pro cooking tips, sustainable sourcing advice, and over 100 delicious recipes, Double Awesome Chinese Food will bring fascinating new flavors and crave-worthy dishes to your home kitchen.

Double Awesome Chinese Food starts with an introduction to the siblings that work, cook, and write together. I enjoyed reading about their family, philosophies, and how they got where they are. I also enjoy that they work so hard to be good to the environment and local food system, using local and sustainable ingredients. Including the use of quality and sustainable ingredients in their instructions to readers continues that trend. More experienced cooks might be tempted to skip the tips and tricks that are offered in the beginning of the book, but I highly recommend slowing down to read them. Some might seem obvious, like having a good knife and cutting board, but some others were so smart and simple I could not believe I was not already doing them. I found the information on finding the best ingredients useful as well, since have not been staples in my home and I want to make good choices when adding new things to the mix.

Now the important part, the recipes. I like that each section includes the story behind the dishes, and some options for changing things up a bit, as well as how to create the dish or sauce. The ingredient lists and instructions are easy to understand and leave readers hungry and willing to give it a try themselves. I have to admit to wanting to both run to the grocery store and get going in the kitchen as soon as I read each chapter, but had to hold myself back since I have to ease the picky eaters in my house into new flavors and trying new things.  I do plan on spending my next free day mixing up some of the basic sauces, and trying out a few recipes. There are some dumplings, fritters, and noodle based dishes that are the most likely (hopefully) to go over well with my family that I plan on trying. There are some great recipes that will just be for me, that I will gladly take to work with me and enjoy. I also liked the additional resources at the end of the book to help readers find what they need to achieve the best results. Readers that are looking to expand their cooking knowledge and skill set to include Chinese-n American cuisine will find what they are looking for here. 

Double Awesome Chinese Food is a well written and enjoyable cookbook to explore. I love Chinese-American food but have often felt too intimidated to give it a go. Even though I am no longer the primary cook in the house thanks to my work schedule, I fully plan on trying out a recipe (or two) for my next day off or inspired weekend of cooking.

Book Review: Countertop Gardens: Easily Grow Kitchen Edibles Indoors for Year-Round Enjoyment by Shelley Levis

Countertop Gardens: Easily Grow Kitchen Edibles Indoors for Year-Round Enjoyment by Shelley Levis is for readers that want to grow some of their own food in their kitchen. Whether you have a huge yard in a warm climate or a tiny apartment in a city with harsh winters, you can grow edibles year-round in the comfort and convenience of your own kitchen. The book walks readers through the challenges, benefits, and how-tos of growing inside and presenting the wide array of methods available. In addition to going over the pros and cons of a wide range of ready-made hydroponic, aquaponic, and vertical gardening systems, author Shelley Levis describes how to make your own DIY setups--from simple space-saving container designs to more creative and complex soil-free solutions. 

Countertop Gardens: Easily Grow Kitchen Edibles Indoors for Year-Round Enjoyment is a well organized and comprehensive guide to growing indoors. The book detailed the factors necessary in growing indoors and the variety of needs plants can have. She also offered solutions and tips for the majority of problems that gardeners might face, as well as sharing some of the difficulties that she has faced over the years.  I like that Levis listed several different types of growing mediums and methods, this was not just another book about making sure your indoor plants get enough light and water. Instead she detailed the whys and hows as well as offering commercial and do-it-yourself options for getting a kitchen (or house-wide really) indoor garden going. THe included recipes and index at the end of the book were helpful as well. I already have some visions of rearranging my kitchen and den to make room for some herbs, spinach, and lettuce. Since light is usually what my plants are lacking- and some of the products suggested were already on my wish list- I feel better prepared to make this happen.

 

Countertop Gardens: Easily Grow Kitchen Edibles Indoors for Year-Round Enjoyment is a great resource for growing indoors, and can offer valuable information and inspiration for gardeners that want to move some of their efforts indoors. 

Early Book Review: Cooking with Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, Stems, and Other Odds and Ends into Delicious Meals by Lindsay-Jean Hard

Cooking with Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, Stems, and Other Odds and Ends into Delicious Meals by Lindsay-Jean Hard is currently scheduled for release on October 16 2018. Do you want to stop throwing away food scraps or composting them? Well, you can start enjoying some of them on your table! This book is a collection of 80 surprising, creative, delicious recipes for anyone who wants to cook smart, sustainable, and impressive meals out of unused bits of produce, cheese rinds, stale bread, and other oft-discarded foods.

Cooking With Scraps is a well written and forgiving cookbook. I like that it opens with the idea that no recipe or person is perfect, or unchangeable. Doing the best we can in our shopping and cooking is the goal. I found the recipes to be well organized, in alphabetical order by the type of food you are using in the process. This makes finding a recipe to deal with a specific type of scrap easier. I like that there are alternatives and further suggestions for foods that can be used recipes as applicable. There are also some hints and tricks included through the book, some of which will be helpful to new cooks, and others that will be useful to everyone. Some I found to be common sense, but I also grew up in a household that saved everything, canned, and scrimped much more than I currently do. The instructions and ingredient lists are well written and clear, letting even new cooks keep up and find success in their cooking. While many of the recipes are thing that would not be well received in my house, there were some idea that I will be using and some changed I will be making to my cooking and baking habits. I found the read to be interesting, inspiring, and important to those that will make the effort to create as little waste as possible.

Cooking With Scraps is a valuable cookbook for those looking to save money and resources, while willing to put in the necessary planning and work. I found it interesting, and it helped me plan my meals with the idea of limiting the waste I produce.

Book Review: New Favorites for New Cooks: 50 Delicious Recipes For Kids to Make by Carolyn Federman

New Favorites for New Cooks: 50 Delicious Recipes For Kids to Make by Carolyn Federman utilizes easy techniques and recipes to teach basic cooking skills to budding chefs through simple dishes for children as well as adults. Recipes such as Savory Scones with Fresh Herb Butter, Black Bean Taco Bar, Two-Minute Guacamole, Meatballs and Tomato Sauce, and Yogurt and Berry Compote Parfait showcase healthy, seasonal ingredients and engage every sense with bright colors, fresh flavors, and exciting textures. Packed with information about kitchen science (like making pickles), garden ideas (like planting seeds from kitchen scraps and starting a compost bin), and heavily illustrated (every recipe is photographed), this cookbook makes being in the kitchen fun for everyone.

New Favorites for New Cooks: 50 Delicious Recipes For Kids to Make is a nice, well organized cookbook for fairly simple recipes. I like that kitchen safety, techniques, and science are regularly focused on- letting even the youngest chefs work safely and know when they will, or won't, need help. Reminders of how to read a recipe, check the pantry and refrigerator before staring, and the explanation of key vocabulary words further aids chefs of all ages have success in the kitchen.  Some of the recipes are basics, and things everyone should know how to do before they leave home and need to fend for themselves. Some are very nutritious and fun to learn. Other recipes are very trendy and current- things my picky eaters would not be willing to cook or eat. The pictures and instructions are great, easy to understand and follow. Terms that might be new to readers are in bold, and the book encourages readers to look up cooking terms, ingredients, and other words that might not immediately recognize up to help them understand and follow the recipe. I also like that the author assures readers that sometimes recipes just do not work out perfectly, especially the first time we try them. The encouragement to try and have less that perfect results, and to be okay with that, is important and a great aspect of the collection.

Book Review: Make Your Own Ice Cream: Classic Recipes for Ice Cream, Sorbet, Italian Ice, Sherbet, and Other Frozen Desserts by Sarah Tyson Rorer

Make Your Own Ice Cream: Classic Recipes for Ice Cream, Sorbet, Italian Ice, Sherbet, and Other Frozen Desserts by Sarah Tyson Rorer is a reprint of a vintage book. The author passed away in 1937, so this book makes no mention of electric ice cream makers or microwaves, but was slightly updated for more modern kitchens. This book offers recipes for dozens of different types of ice cream and sherbet, the recipes cover frozen puddings, soufflés, parfaits, and mousses as well as tasty toppings. Numerous dairy-free options include sorbets, Italian ices, and fruit ices. It uses easy-to-find ingredients, which include a variety of fruits and nuts to the traditional flavors of chocolate and vanilla. Brief explanations identify the differences between ices, sorbet, and sherbet and offers the general instructions. 

Make Your Own Ice Cream: Classic Recipes for Ice Cream, Sorbet, Italian Ice, Sherbet, and Other Frozen Desserts is a good and varied collection of recipes for frozen treats. I have to admit that I was confused by some of the wording in the instructions, but that was solved when I realized that those instructions were for use with an old fashioned crank ice cream maker, which I am currently lacking. I did like there there is such a wide variety of flavors, and that they are all based on using the best, fresh ingredients. I might test out a few of these recipes this summer with the kids, but I will admit to being a little lazy and find that I enjoy the instant gratification of buying a half gallon of ice cream and having some to often being preferable to cooking and freezing some of these recipes no mater how tempting they sound. 

Book Review: 10-Minute Recipes by Liana Werner-Gray

10-Minute Recipes by Liana Werner-Gray is a cookbook for those that want to eat healthier, but need recipes that are quick and easy- and go beyond salads and grilled chicken.  In 10-Minute Recipes, you will find more than 100 recipes to get more of the essential vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients your body needs—each of which can be prepared in 10 minutes or less. Whether you're a meat eater or a raw vegan, this inclusive book offers options for juices, smoothies, salads, entrees, desserts, and more that will delight any palate. There is also advice on proper nutrition; tips for shifting out of toxic habits; and guides for specific goals such as weight loss, reducing inflammation, and increasing energy.

10-Minute Recipes is a well organized and easily understood cookbook. I have to admit that it was not the recipes or text that caught my eye though. As soon as I started reading I notice the beautiful, full-color pictures. The images are very well done and spaced through the book perfectly to enhance the text and catch the eye. The book describes the “Earth Diet” and there is a lot of information about nutrition and changing eating habits, and what you might expect in your body and mindset when you make these changes. Honestly, I was looking for recipe ideas and inspiration rather than this- so I was a little annoyed at how much of this there was, but some readers might find interesting and useful. I did like that she included information on the tools and equipment that the recipes would require before hand and the most likely ingredients that you might not already have on hand.. Nothing worse than planning on a recipe, buying all the ingredients, only to discover you are missing something important when you reread the recipe prior to getting started. However, it was not until page 40 in the book, chapter 5, before even getting to the recipes and them the first 4 chapters are all juices, drinks, and smoothies. In chapter 10 we finally get to things that require teeth.He recipes were alright, and certainly healthy. However, not much I could really use. When I saw 10-Minute recipes as the title I was expecting more things that I could toss together after helping my kids with their homework, and that we all would enjoy eating. IO did get some ideas for my own mornings, but not much that my family would eat for other meals. 

10-Minute Recipes is a good resource to those trying o change their lifestyle and eating habits to go very green and healthy, particularly if they want the philosophy and coaching to go along with it. It is not meant for the casual reader looking for inspiration and ideas to sneak in a little something healthier into their families dinner- quick before they notice. So, it was not meant for me- however I think those looking for this kind of help information, and support will get a lot out for this book.

Book Review: Everybody Loves Ramen by Eric Hites

Everybody Loves Ramen by Eric Hites is a book for everyone that have developed a taste for instant ramen noodles, whether from necessity or choice. This book offers related fun facts, stories, puzzles, and fifty recipes that anyone can make using the packets of Ramen. The combinations range from obvious to “really?” and stem from the experiments of the author and his friends conducted to concoct original, and hopefully taste, ways to cook a staple in their lives. 

Everybody Loves Ramen is a fun gift for students and adults making their way on their own for the first time. Almost everyone on a limited budget has turned to Ramen Noodles at some point, and these recipes are entertaining, and some sound appetizing. I will admit that I was a little disappointed, because I did not read the description and was hoping for a book on making traditional Ramen, but I was still entertained and have considered some taste combinations that had not been on my radar before. The book is fun and humorously written, well worth a look if you have any fond memories of Ramen, or are just starting to branch out into the hungry realm of “I’m broke” cuisine.  

Book Spotlight: Mimi’s Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men

Mimi’s Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men

SYNOPSIS

Embark on a baking adventure with Mimi where she will measure, mix, and bake her way to the perfect batch of gingerbread men. If Mimi can do it, so can you!

Mimi's Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men is the third book in the Mimis Adventures in Baking series.

   

PURCHASE

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

THE AUTHOR

Alyssa’s Website / Twitter / Facebook

Chef Alyssa has been baking since she was a little girl in her grandmother's kitchen. Since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America she has worked for famous chefs and elite companies such as the Ritz Carlton, Tom Colicchio, Norman Van Aken and Gray Kunz. She currently is the Executive Chef at Riverwalk Bar and Grill on the Historic nook of New York City, Roosevelt Island. She also has a boutique custom cake company called AllyCakesNYC where she creates cakes to appease the imagination. Through her journey of baking she developed Mimi, her very own miniature version of herself.
   
As a child she loved baking and everything that came with it. As an adult and food lover she realized there was something missing when she frequented bookstores. A interactive children's cookbook. And we are not talking about a boring old cookbook for kids with lots and lots of recipes, and some pictures. Children these days have just as much interest in the kitchen as there parents do, but the ordinary cookbook is just not going to cut it. She created Mimi's Adventures in Baking  to give children and adults a way to get into the kitchen and allow the child to become the chef and the adult the assistant. With each book has one recipe and an interactive storyline the child can read, and at the end go into the kitchen and do what Mimi did!  And for the "non-baking" parent, these elite pastry chef recipes are tested and ready for even the most inexperienced baker! Impress other moms with Mimi's creations!
    
Mimi's Adventures in Baking will also teach children how to measure, mix and bake their way through the kitchen while also giving safety tips along the way. No more boring cookbooks! Now there is a fun, exciting and educational way to learn how to bake!

Brought to you by Worldwind Virtual Book Tours