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. 

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.