Early Book Review: Crock Pot Essentials: 101 Recipes to Make with Your Slow Cooker by Anne Schaeffer

Crock Pot Essentials: 101 Recipes to Make with Your Slow Cooker by Anne Schaeffer is currently scheduled for release on August 1 2023. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day at work, and dinner is already done! This book features 101 slow cooker recipes that are easy to make, take minimal effort, and can either feed a couple or a big crowd. This collection of crock pot recipes includes ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. From breakfast burritos and blueberry cobbler to jambalaya, beef stew, barbecued ribs, and so more, 

Crock Pot Essentials caught my eye because I use my crock pot almost every Thursday. With two picky eaters in the house, my rotation of meals feels pretty boring to me, so I am always looking to try a new recipe or spice combination to liven things up while still getting everyone to eat. I appreciated that vegetarian and other dietary notes were made for applicable recipes and there were some substitution suggestions included. I also liked the serving suggestions, like some sandwiches recipes following the soup recipes they would pair with nicely. . One note- if you have made the switch to metric measurements you will have some converting to do, since all the recipes are in imperial measurements. I did find some recipes in the book, particularly for pot luck meals and lazy days at home, that I might try. I did also find a few things that I might use to add a new twist or flavor to things I already make. This is a solid collection for those that might be new to using their crock pot- but for long time users this is a book I would check out from the library rather than adding to your cookbook collection. 

Book Review: How to Grill Our Love, Volume 1 by Shiori Hanatsuka

How to Grill Our Love, Volume 1, by Shiori Hanatsuka is a manga style graphic novel. Dating can be tough when you nerd out over barbecue. Kenta, a practical pitmaster, looks for a grill-friend in Chihiro, an aloof and faultless business babe…or is she? Scared of being rejected for who they really are, the two of them find comfort in food and each other…and all is well until Kenta must transfer away. With their developing relationship at steak, Chihiro proposes they tie the knot and they marry for better or wurst. Winging a long-distance marriage is one thing, but here’s the rub—they barely know each other! It’s a rare marriage where all the awkwardness of dating meets a sizzling passion for grilling!

How to Grill Our Love is a fun and enjoyable read. I liked the story- and getting some recipes along the way. I liked the set up and I thought it was a very cute read. My only complaint is that at the end of the book I had a pretty good understanding of Kenta as a character and I really liked him. However, I have no more of an understanding of Chihiro than Kenta does. I understand doing a slow reveal, but I think her personality is completely left of the page, and while it might get explored in later volumes I am not sure that everyone will stick around to figure out who she is. I did enjoy the read, and I liked it overall, I just wish I knew more about Chihiro when the first volume ended. 

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: 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: A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson is a contemporary romance. Xavier Reynolds is doing less than stellar. He just got dumped, was passed over for a prestigious fellowship, and to top it all off he's right back home in Harper's Cove, Maine (population: 9,000). The last thing he wants to do is to work as a prep chef in the kitchen of the hip new restaurant in town, The Wharf. Especially since the hot, single-father chef who owns it can’t delegate to save his life. Logan O’Hare doesn’t understand Xavier or why every word out of his mouth is dipped in sarcasm. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to hire him—he needs more help in the kitchen and his tween daughter, Anne, can only mince so many onions. It might be a recipe for disaster, but Logan doesn’t have many options besides Xavier. Stuck between a stove and a hot place, Logan and Xavier discover an unexpected connection. But when the heat between them threatens to top the Scoville scale, they’ll have to decide if they can make their relationship work or if life has seasoned them too differently.

A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a romance with nuanced characters and a great sense of humor. I really enjoyed getting to know Xavier and Logan, and the secondary characters that brought a lot of heart to the story. I thought he back and forth between our couple was highly entertaining and I was very engaged in Xavier's personal growth as well as the romance. I loved the small town aspects and how no character was all good or bad, they were just real characters with plenty of grey- just like the people you run into every day. I loved the friendships and relationships between the main characters and secondary characters- and those those in the background have with each other. The only thing that I really did not like in the story was the ending. Of course there is a happy ending- I would not really label this a romance with out at least a happy for now. I saw two ore three ways for this to play out, but the chosen conclusion just fell flat for me, and I think even the same ending timed a bit differently in the action of the story would have worked better for me, but it just did not work for me. The book is still very much worth the read, and my disappointment is totally a matter of personal preference and other readers (including you) might very well disagree. 

A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a solid contemporary romance with all the feels. 

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: Comfort Baking: Feel-Good Food to Savor and Share by Stephanie Wise

Comfort Baking: Feel-Good Food to Savor and Share by Stephanie Wise focuses on easy-to-follow recipes that make people feel good from the inside out. For anyone who is looking for a moment in the kitchen as a time to create, worship, relax, or prepare a recipe for a friend in need, this is your guidebook. In addition to over 100 recipes that exude comfort from beginning to end, baker Stephanie Wise of Girl vs. Dough includes plenty of helpful tips along the way to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible. Whether you’re preparing a quiche or whipping up a late-night batch of cookies, the recipes in this book are guaranteed to bring you and the people you share your creations with comfort.

Comfort Baking: Feel-Good Food to Savor and Share has some great reminders for experienced bakers, and trick and tips for newcomers, and best of all the understanding that all of us are still learning. I love the encouragement to experiment once you are comfortable with a recipe and process to see what works (or tastes) best for you. As someone that finds baking comforting and soothing, and always has, this title called out for my attention, and it had some great offerings. I had not been a follower or fan of the author, All of the information and instructions are easy to understand and follow, I liked the organization of the sections, and how each section when from the basic recipes to the harder and more complicated options. The recipes were nicely varied, with something for everyone. All of the ingredients are in empirical measuring units, so if you usually bake using weight measurements rather than cups and tablespoons you might need to do some converting and adjustments. There were some recipes familiar to me, or close to something I have tried previously, some I would like to make, and some that are just not to the taste of me or my household- but that is as it should be since everyone is different. 

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: The Cookie Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

The Cookie Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum is currently scheduled for release on November 1 2022. This cookie-centric cookbook features nearly every cookie imaginable, from rustic Cranberry Chocolate Chippers to elegant French macarons, and everything in between. There are simple drop cookies, rolled-and-cut holiday cookies, brownies and other bars, pretty sandwich cookies, luxurious frosted or chocolate-dipped treats, and much more. Recipes feature detail-oriented instructions, notes for planning ahead, ingenious tips, and other golden rules for success. Featured recipes include: Rose’s Dream Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon Lumpies, Black Tahini Crisps, Peanut Butter and Jelly Buttons, Double Ginger Molasses Cookies, Caramel Surprise Snickerdoodles, Mom’s Coconut Snowball Kisses, Chocolate Sablés, Gingerbread Folks (with a special sturdy variation for gingerbread houses), Pecan Freezer Squares, Brownie Doughnuts, Brandy Snap Rolls, and more.

The Cookie Bible offers readers exactly what they expect from the title. A wide range of cookie recipes, complete with fabulous photographs by Matthew Septimus. If you are new to cookie baking, or want just one cookbook for cookies, this is an ideal resource. There is a wide range of cookie styles, organized by cookie type, so there is something for everyone. I found the recipes to be clearly written, and I like that the ingredient list include imperial and metric measurements so readers can use the style they are most comfortable with. I thought the tips and tricks, and variation options, are useful to new and seasoned bakers alike. I already have two books of cookie recipes in my personal collection, so I cannot justify buying one for myself, however I recommend it to those that can add it to their personal libraries. I just might be requesting it from my public library as soon as I can to try a recipe or two that vary from ones I have been using to compare the results. 

Book Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a romance with intense feels and humor. Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.  After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Love & Other Disasters had my attention from the very first page. The characters and their personal challenges and emotions were complex and multifaceted even before the romance came into play. Dahlia is still reeling from divorce and trying to figure out what she wants from life. London is still trying to figure out how to handle, well everything, as they work to figure out who they are and what they want. Friendship and more develops, and I enjoyed going along for the ride. I like that they had open communication about consent and intimacy. I love that their connection was slow growing and built mostly on friendship, respect, and trust. I also like that they each had a support system, and the story did tackle the intolerance of some but focused more of the relationship and growth of the main characters rather than focusing on hardships from outside their connection. I really enjoyed the read and felt for London and Dahlia as they got in their own way more often than not. 

Love & Other Disasters is a funny and emotional romance. 

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.

Early Book Review: Pies Are Awesome: The Definitive Pie Art Book: Step-by-Step Designs for All Occasions by Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin

Pies Are Awesome: The Definitive Pie Art Book: Step-by-Step Designs for All Occasions by Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin is currently scheduled for release on November 23 2001. The pie art projects in this book are centered around some of our most popular and cherished celebrations in the hopes that they will encourage you to develop your own tasty new traditions with friends and family. The ample step-by-step photos take you through Jessica’s easy-to-follow, groundbreaking pie art techniques, while the writing style encourages experimentation and creative discovery. From decorative patterns to more elaborate themes, the pie art designs in this book, ranging from easy to difficult, for novice and experienced bakers alike, include amazing-looking and -tasting pies to celebrate Birthdays (children and adults)Weddings, Baby Showers, New Year’s Eve/Day, Super Bowl, Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Pi Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Bastille Day, Diwali, Halloween, Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. The book also includes tricks for working with your own tried-and-true dough recipes and store-bought dough; modifications to personalize projects; and online resources for printable templates, pie communities, friendly challenges, and more.

Pies Are Awesome offers readers exactly what the title promises. The information and techniques are well described with easy to follow instructions. The tone of the writing is fun, occasionally geeky, and simply very personable. I liked that the author stressed the importance for certain steps or actions for success, they also encouraged creativity and trying things your own way to find out what works best to fit their own needs. They never seemed to take themselves too seriously or became condescending or superior in their writing tone, which sometimes happens in this type of book. As someone who enjoys baking and has always been a bit intimidated by dealing with pie crust in general, this book made the prospect both more and less intimidating at the same time. She made everything seem so doable, but the photographs of some of the completed pies are just so beautiful and complex that it still feels a bit daunting. If I do attempt some of this pie art, I think I will start with some of the simpler projects, like the Monster Mouth pie. I love that the author included encouragement ad inspiration for people to tackle this edible art for, and included resources for templates and further information to readers that want to explore the art and community involved in it if they so choose. 

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: No Recipe? No Problem! How to Pull Together Tasty Meals without a Recipe by Phyllis Good

No Recipe? No Problem! How to Pull Together Tasty Meals without a Recipe by Phyllis Good is currently scheduled for release on May 11 2021. Cook anything without a recipe—just let the ingredients lead the way! This book offers tips, tricks, and inspiration for winging it in the kitchen. Each chapter offers practical kitchen and cooking advice, from an overview of essential tools and pantry items to keep on hand to how to combine flavors and find good substitute ingredients, whether it’s sheet pan chicken, vegetables, pasta, grain bowls, or pizza for tonight’s dinner. Freestyle Cooking charts provide a scaffolding for building a finished dish from what cooks have available; Kitchen Cheat Sheets lend guidance on preparing meats, vegetables, and grains with correct cooking times and temperatures; and stories from Good’s Cooking Circle offer personal experiences and techniques for successfully improvising for delicious results, such as how to combine flavors that work well together or how to use acid to draw out the sweetness in unripened fruit. Like being in the kitchen with a trusted friend or family member who delivers valuable information in a friendly, encouraging way, this book will inspire readers to pull ingredients together, dream up a dish, stir in a little imagination, and make something delicious take shape.

No Recipe? No Problem! is not a recipe book. It is a collection of information, stories, and ideas that will make those looking to be more creative or inventive in the kitchen. This book encourages thoughtful and sustainable cooking, respecting ingredients and reducing waste as much as possible. I liked the stories from Good's cooking circle, reading stories of successes, and failures, in the kitchen from others makes the prospect of trying things yourself much less intimidating. I have always been one to alter recipes that i am comfortable with- like meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, or muffins. However, less familiar recipes often make me more nervous about substitutes or additions. This book helped me consider cooking methods and ingredients, and how I can better create my own unique creations and take a more mindful approach in the kitchen, and in my grocery shopping. There is instruction- particularly how to best cook certain foods, and some suggestions for things that go together well. I also liked the tools and tips given that help with meal prep and freezing certain components or entire meals.  I just wish this book had come out before the pandemic and related lock downs, because now that I am back to working on site rather than at home the nightly cooking is back in the hands of my wonderful husband- which means I do not get to dabble and try new things in the kitchen nearly as often.

No Recipe? No Problem! is a good read, and a wonderful resource to becoming more comfortable, creative, and mindful in the kitchen.

Book Review: Gardening to Eat: Connecting People and Plants by Becky Dickinson

Gardening to Eat: Connecting People and Plants by Becky Dickinson is a nonfiction book. Embrace a plant-based lifestyle all the way from seed to plate. This inspiring and informative book takes the mystery out of gardening and reveals how to grow an array of fruits and vegetables using simple, organic techniques. Packed with fresh ideas for turning home-grown produce into delicious, nutritious meals, you'll find heaps of no-nonsense recipes created for real people with busy lives and healthy appetites. No fads, no fuss, no fancy ingredients, just real, honest, ethical food. With a passion for connecting people and plants, Gardening to Eat brings the garden into the kitchen. For people who love food and love to know where it's come from.

Gardening to Eat is a book for those that want to be more self sufficient, and grow their own fresh fruits and veggies. I liked the idea of the book- and there was some good advice. However, some of it was over the top. Many of us do not have the room for things like greenhouses or the processes of crop rotation, and in that regard I think the book felt a little uneven. Support for even growing some herbs indoors is given- and then the importance of going large and going all out is stated. Once the book got to the individual crop possibilities- and recipes for the rewards and possible over abundance- I was much happier with the read. Granted, I am in the states so there were a few things that were not relevant to me (like hedgehogs for slug control) a great deal was universal.

Book Review: Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith is a contemporary romance. Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn’t be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn’t expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten—or the competition to be so smoking hot. But Tiva’s Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn’t care how delectable the British food truck owner is—he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He’s stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks. The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum…a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

Simmer Down is a well written romance, but one that I had trouble getting lost in. This could very well have been because I read it during election week and the world was more than a little stressful. It took me a while to get into the story, and I did enjoy the heart of it once it got going. I thought the chemistry between Callum and Nikki was well done, and the circumstances that landed them both in food trucks in Maui at the same time were handled well as well. I got a kick out of some of their heated interactions, and understood some of the reluctance for opening up as well. However, I will admit that I was annoyed with Nikki more than once, and I saw the majority of their issues coming. A good conversation rather than avoidance would have been a good start, and not necessarily have wrapped things up too early to make a good story. I did enjoy the read despite my annoyance with Nikki and the distractions from the outside world. Although, it did make me hungry while reading.

Simmer Down is a solid contemporary romance, but I just could not get as engaged in it as much as I hoped.

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. 

Book Review: The Flexible Family Cookbook: 75 Quick and Easy Recipes with Over 200 Options to Keep the Whole Family Happy by Jo Pratt

 

The Flexible Family Cookbook: 75 Quick and Easy Recipes with Over 200 Options to Keep the Whole Family Happy by Jo Pratt is full of simple and delicious recipes to keep the whole family happy. Jo Pratt provides flexible adaptations for each recipe to account for allergies, intolerances, and lifestyle choices. Traybakes and one-pot roasts make for easy and convenient time-savers, whilst scrumptious puds and simple bakes help get smaller hands involved in the cooking. Covering everything from gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free cooking and veganism, to suggestions for flavor and spice adjustments for younger or fussier palettes, this book will be a lifesaver in the kitchen and a crowd-pleaser at the table.

The Flexible Family Cookbook is an well organized and attractive cookbook. I thought the recipes and instructions were clearly written and easy to follow. I liked the options, suggestions, and adjustments that were included with most recipes to account for allergies, picky eaters, and personal tastes. The photographs of the food were very appealing, and I think they put a good light on the selected dishes. I just wish that more of the dishes were more centered on ingredients families are likely to already have on hand, or would readily find (at a reasonable price) in the average grocery store. While there are substitutions, I just felt like the ingredients were often a little to upscale for me, and possibly many other households. I am interested in broadening my family's culinary appreciation and the dishes that  make everyone happy, but not when it means stretching our already tight budget and patients to find pomegranate molasses, no matter how good that picture looked.