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Cookbook Review: Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food

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Rachael Ray Cookbooks

Two of My Rachael Ray Cookbooks

I have collections within my cookbook collections (as you’d expect from a Crazy Cookbook Lady). I have Michael Symon cookbooks, Food Network cookbooks, Gluten Free Cookbooks, Cooking Light cookbooks… and you’d darn well better believe I  have a Rachael Ray cookbook collection.  It may or may not require it’s own shelf.

It does.

One of the coolest little cookbooks in this collection is pictured here. It’s the Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food cookbook and it’s a lot of yum for such a little guy.

Like all Rachael Ray cookbooks, Comfort Food reads just as you’d expect a Rachael Ray cookbook to read – just like you’re watching a 30 Minute Meals episode.

From the Back Cover:

Curl up in front of the fire with the delicious homespun fare of Rachael’s comfort food. Treat yourself with these Top 30 meals, a collection of her greatest hits. The perfect way to unwind after a busy day―you deserve it!

Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food Cookbook
Rachael Ray Comfort Food
Recipes from the 30 Comfort Food Meals Include:

  • Chunky Guacamole
  • Pork Chops with Golden Applesauce
  • Rosemary Grilled Chicken and Wild Mushroom Sauce
  • Chili Mac
  • Super-Stuffed Monte Cristo Sandwiches
  • Quick Creole Shrimp with White Rice
  • Turkey Corn Chili
  • Quick Potato & Carrot Latkes
  • Chicken, Corizo & Tortilla Stoup
  • Everything Jambalaya on White Rice

Each meal takes 30-minutes or less to prepare and the ingredients are easy peasy to find. This particular cookbook wouldn’t be a great investment for vegans or vegetarians (unless you’re adding to a collection, of course) but it’s a can’t miss for everyone else.

The little spiral-bound, hardback cookbook is also available for Kindle or, of course, the free Kindle reading app.

See Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food for more information.

Review: America’s Best Breakfasts

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America's Best Breakfasts
America’s Best Breakfasts
I am probably the biggest Food Network and Cooking Channel fan in the world. As a foodie and food blogger, I’m drawn to them like my husband is drawn to home improvement stores.

As a cookbook collector AND Food Network/Cooking Channel fanatic, I’ve found a cookbook that seems custom made for me: America’s Best Breakfasts  by Lee Brian Schrager and Adeena Sussman.

This beautiful, fun, and highly unique cookbook is packed with breakfast recipes that are NOT your grandmother’s breakfast recipes. They’re insanely original, exciting, and F-U-N.

The authors have attacked a meal of the day (the one most people consider the most important one) that can get pretty boring. They didn’t just give breakfasts a wake up call, they’ve infused new life into the whole shebang.

Whether you love breakfasts first thing in the morning, tend to prefer “brunches,” or love breakfast meals for supper – this is a cookbook that’ll give you endless options, ideas, and inspiration.

From the Inside Cover:

Rise and dine! If there’s one meal of the day to get passionate about—no matter where you’re from in this great land—it’s breakfast with all the fixings. Featuring down-home diners, iconic establishments, and the newest local hot spots, America’s Best Breakfasts is a celebration of two of this nation’s honored traditions: hitting the open road and enjoying an endless variety of breakfasts. Even without a road trip, you can re-create favorites that will satisfy any time of day:

Shrimp and Grits, Hominy Grill, Charleston
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches, Tartine, San Francisco
Kimchi Pancakes, Sunshine Tavern, Portland
Filipino Steak with Garlic Fried Rice, Uncle Mike’s, Chicago
Cannoli French Toast, Café Lift, Philadelphia
Brioche Cinnamon Buns, Honey Bee, Oxford
Morning Glory Muffins, Panther Coffee, Miami

America’s Best Breakfasts isn’t just a great cookbook, it’s an especially fun read because it reads like a Food Network episode – you not only get to see (and then make) delicious looking food, you “meet” the colorful people behind the restaurants and food.

As I read through the book, I kept thinking, “I wish they’d turn this into a series.” Seriously, it’d be a winner. The great recipes are, of course, the best thing about the cookbook – they’re easy to make and delicious to eat. What’s more, they’re highly unique – like “Pacos” (pancake tacos), “Old Fashioned Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothies,” “Coconut Pancakes,” and “Roasted Potato Phyllo Pie” (just to name a few).

America's Best Breakfasts
America’s Best Breakfasts
Big, beautiful pictures are throughout the book, which is something else I love – pictures of the food, restaurants, and people you get to know along the way.

This is just a really exceptional cookbook and I know you’ll love it as much as I do.

And I still wish they’d turn this into a Food Network series….

America's Best Breakfasts Cookbook
America’s Best Breakfasts

About the Authors

LEE BRIAN SCHRAGER is the founder and director of the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals. He is also the vice president of corporate communications and national events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America and the author of Fried and True and The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Lee has appeared on Today and Rachael Ray, and serves on the board of directors for the Food Bank of New York City. He lives in Miami and New York City.

ADEENA SUSSMAN is a cookbook writer and recipe authority. In addition to this book she also collaborated with Lee Schrager on Fried and True, and is the coauthor of many other cookbooks. Her work has also been published in Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart Living, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and on Epicurious and Food Republic.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Review)

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The Chew An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining Cookbook

I was sent a copy of a fun new cookbook (packed with personality), The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining to review on the food blog a few weeks ago. I actually waited a little while just to let it get closer to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day shopping because this book is a perfect gift idea.

Just be sure to grab yourself one while you’re at it.

I love everything about this cookbook. The recipes are just the sort of recipes you’d expect with the names you see on the cover and the same can be said of the “spirit” of the cookbook. When you see the characters on the cover and see them in action on The Chew, you know they march to the beat of their own wooden spoons and that makes for pure entertainment.

It also makes for a must have cookbook – whether you watch the show or not.

The hosts bring their positive energy to every page of this cookbook – as well as their expertise in the kitchen.

Some of My Fave Recipes from this Cookbook Are:

  • French Onion Soup – Clinton Kelly
  • “Blow Your Mind” Baked Chicken Wings – Daphne Oz
  • Omelette in a Jar (made in the microwave!) – Carla Hall
  • Slow-Roasted Salmon with Avocado Salad – Michael Symon
  • Oven-Roasted BLT with Tangy Mayo – Michael Symon
  • Hush Puppies (with Dipping Sauce) – Carla Hall
  • Basic Tomato Sauce – Mario Batali
  • Classic Basic Pesto – Mario Batali
  • Hash Brown Frittata – Clinton Kelly
  • Grilled Cheese Espanol – Mario Batali
  • Whipped Pina Colada Dip – Daphne Oz
  • Clinton’s General Tso’s Chicken – Clinton Kelly
  • Spicy Queso Dip – Clinton Kelly
  • Dad’s Death by Chocolate – Michael Symon
  • Dynamite Disco Fries – Carla Hall
  • Popcorn Shrimp – Daphne Oz
  • Mario’s Spicy Dollar-Saving Pasta – Mario Batali
  • Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter – Michael Symon
  • Banana Dippers – Daphne Oz
  • Chicken Potpie with Cheddar-Chive Biscuits – Carla Hall

As you can see and even expect from most cookbooks, the majority of the recipes aren’t “gluten free,” however thanks be to God we live in a time where gluten free all purpose flour and gluten free bread exist – meaning that any recipe you see in a cookbook can be made gluten free.

Mario Batli’s DELICIOUS SOUNDING Spicy Dollar-Saving Pasta is simple to gluten free-ize – simply substitute gluten free pasta and use gluten free panko bread crumbs for the bread-crumb topping. Get a load of the ingredients in this dish – yellow onion, pasta, garlic cloves, scallions, Italian sausage, tomato paste, jalapenos, and a panko bread crumb topping.

I don’t know about you, but this recipe, is making my mouth water. So much so, in fact, I’m going to make it one night this week.

Of course, there are recipes that are already gluten free – such as Daphne Oz’s Banana Dippers and Popcorn Shrimp (which uses rice flour), Carla Hall’s Disco Fries, and Clinton Kelly’s General Tso’s Chicken (just be sure to substitute Tamari for the soy sauce).

Michael Symon’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter uses a combo of almond flour and all-purpose flour (simply sub gluten free all-purpose flour for the all purpose flour) is at the top of my “make soon” list.

Review Continued Below….

The Chew An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining Cookbook

From the Back Cover:

Everything You Love About The Chew Captured in One Book!

In The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining, the five hosts of the hit ABC daytime show invite you to enjoy the fun and flavor of cooking without the hassle and expense.  Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael Symon provide mouthwatering recipes and useful entertaining tips to make cooking for your family and friends simple, cost-effective, delicious, and fun.  In this fourth cookbook from The Chew, the hosts bring their wit, wisdom, and practicality straight into your home.

In Back to Basics, learn how Daphne Oz prepares her Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast that is both delicious and a time-saver. Clinton Kelly’s Eggs Benedict recipe is a Comfort Classic that will make Sunday Brunch the best part of your weekend. Michael Symon’s Pizza Rolls are guaranteed to become one of your Feel-Good Family Favorites.  In Old Faves, New Flaves, Carla Hall offers up her Cheesy Pull-Apart Pesto Bread, putting an exciting twist on garlic rolls. And Mario Batali’s Meat Loaf with Creamy Shells ‘n’ Peas is the definitive guilty pleasure.

And There’s More:

  • Answers to viewer questions that give you added details and insights from The Chew hosts.
  • Delicious favorites handed down from the hosts’ families to yours.
  • Mouthwatering meals that can be made ahead of time or in a slow cooker.
  • Several innovative ways to put a new spin on a favorite recipe.
  • A wide range of recipes from breakfast to dessert, from the lighter side to guilty pleasures, and everything in between.

Review continued below…

The Chew An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining Cookbook
 

I can’t say enough about the GREAT recipes in this book – they really are exceptional. I also love all the fun pictures from the show and behind the scenes. This fun group seems to really love each others company and it shows. There’s just a wonderful vibe about the entire book and it, along with fantastic recipes, makes it one of my favorite cookbooks, period.

What is it about cookbooks Michael Symon is tied to? They’re always among the best. Golden touch, much?

I cannot think of anyone this cookbook wouldn’t be ideal for – new cooks, veteran cooks, moms, dads, college kids, bachelors, bachelorettes, new brides, new grooms…  as long as the individual enjoys positive energy and great food, The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining is a book they’re going to love.

Also See:

5 in 5 For Every Season by Michael Symon (Review)

5 in 5 by Michael Symon (Review)

Top 10 Reasons Printed Cookbooks will Never Become Extinct

More Cookbook Reviews


Cookbook Review: The Duluth Grill Cookbook II

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The Duluth Grill Cookbook II
I was recently sent a beautiful new cookbook to review: The Duluth Grill Cookbook II.  The Duluth Grill (in Duluth, Minnesota) has been on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. If you’re a fan of Guy’s, you’re probably with them.

Needless to say, I was very excited to get my hands on this cookbook!

I love cookbooks of all shapes, colors, sizes, genres, and attitudes. As a collector, I’m not very picky. If it says Cookbook on the cover, I’m going to hear it out. However, I do prefer cookbooks with the following traits…

  • Beautiful Pictures – I’m a really visual person and I love colorful photographs.
  • Creative Recipes – Ones that you don’t see a million and one times online, on Pinterest alone!
  • Recipes I’ll Make – Ingredients I’ve heard of and can readily get and recipes that don’t take the patience of Job to make.
  • Easy to Make Substitutions for the gluten free diet I must adhere to.
  • It’s a “little thing” to most, but I love for recipes that are Gluten Free to tell me right off the bat. Sure, a quick scan and common sense lets me know, but when the cookbook provides the information on gluten (as well providing information for vegans), I know they care. That means a lot.

The Duluth Grill Cookbook II
The Duluth Grill Cookbook II nails each of the above preferences and brings something extra to the party… a personality that’s outta this world. This cookbook doesn’t read like a cookbook so much as it reads like a letter from a favorite family member – the one you love to see coming and hate to see leaving.

The spirit of the book is light-hearted and fun and were they to make 100 cookbooks, I’d want each and every one.

Looks and personality? That’s worth a WOW.

As for the recipes, they are even more impressive. They’re easy to make, yet are beautifully creative and imaginative.  They’ll add fun and spark – to say nothing of deliciousness – to your kitchen.

From the Back Cover:

The Duluth Grill is back for its second cookbook. It’s big. It’s bad. And after gaining fans from around the country, it’s better than ever.

Do you want to know why it’s taken so long to get that fish farm going?  That’s in here. Wondering about that time the catering van almost got set on fire? That’s in here too. From digging up the back parking lot for a new garden to (not) getting sued by Heinz to having a Real Housewife of Miami endorse their first book, the last three years have been a whirlwind.

But the food is really the star here. You’ll find raw vegan marinara, but also a bacon ice cream sundae; gluten free options, but also homemade flaky biscuits. From the cilantro lime vinaigrette to the North Shore paella, from the beet lemonade to the bison stuffed peppers, this is Minnesotan food like you’ve never seen at a potluck. Whether you’re making the carrot cake (good), the sriracha aioli (good), or the bacon-blue cheese coleslaw (real good), you’ll be glad you picked this up.

So treat yourself. Support a family-owned business. And most of all, enjoy the read. Because when a New York Times published food writer, an award winning photographer and designer, and a nationally famous restaurant get together, you’re not going to be disappointed.

How creative and awesome are the recipes? Check out a few of my favorites listed below…

The Duluth Grill Cookbook II
Recipes Include:

  • Pork Rub
  • Pickled Jalapeno
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
  • Kale & White Bean Soup
  • Italian Sausage
  • Carrot-Daikon Slaw
  • Cuban Black Beans
  • Salmon Salad
  • Swedish Meatballs
  • Lemon Chicken
  • Vanilla, Chocolate, and Peppermint Whipped Cream
  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Hummus with Preserved Lemon
  • Marinated Kale
  • Bacon-Blue Cheese Coleslaw
  • Besan Chilla (Vegan Omelet)
  • Gluten Free Buckwheat Caraway Bread (pumpkin, chia seeds, carraway seeds, honey….)
  • Chorizo
  • Cold Press Coffee
  • Blueberry Lemonade, Mint Lemonade, Beet Lemonade
  • Raspberry Syrup
  • Cashew Sour Cream
  • And many more – 100 GREAT recipes in all.

Order a copy of  The Duluth Grill Cookbook II on The Duluth Grill’s website. They also have a “first cookbook” that I’m sure would be a great choice too. This one’s extra special.

The Duluth Grill Cookbook II
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Review: 5 in 5 For Every Season by Chef Michael Symon

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5 in 5 for Every Season by Chef Michael Symon

Michael Symon’s Newest Cookbook, 5 in 5 For Every Season

I’ve been hoping a follow up  Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 (published in 2013) since I first opened it. It was everything a cookbook should be (and nothing it should not be) and it quickly became one of my favorite cookbooks ever.

Given the huge success and popularity of the book, I had a feeling there’d be a similar book in the future.  Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long. The newly released 5 in 5 for Every Season is here and I’m thrilled to have my hands on it.

My copy actually came in the mail a few days ago and I did what any obsessive food blogger would do. I rushed to my favorite grocery store to get what I needed to make one of the recipes immediately. Because of the brilliant simplicity of these recipes, I actually had everything I needed except for one spice.

Chef Michael Symon is cut from a different cloth than a lot of celebrity cooks. He somehow seems more approachable, doesn’t he? It’s kind of like we know him, without ever having met him. This unique quality comes through in each of his cookbooks. In addition to, quite frankly, being one of the best recipe creators on the planet, his upbeat disposition set him apart.

Given the fact that he’s a unique chef, tv personality/host, and cookbook author – I thought it only fitting that this cookbook review be a little different too. Instead of a traditional review,  In keeping with the 5 theme, I’ll give you 5 reasons this is the next cookbook you have to buy!

  1. Quick and Easy Recipes with Simple Ingredients.  Most of us just don’t have time to Google substitutes for exotic ingredients we’ve never heard of. We don’t all live in or near large cities and I think that’s something a lot of cookbook authors fail to realize. 5 in 5 For Every Season, like its predecessor, is built on the fact that you don’t have to have tons of ingredients and the ones you do have don’t have to be weird – they just have to be flavorful.  5 Fresh ingredients is all it takes – and they’re ingredients that’ll keep you off Google.
  2. Beautiful Color Pictures for the Vast Majority of the Recipes. Okay, this one’s just a personal thing – but I love for cookbooks to come with lots of pictures. I realize that “back in the day,” cookbooks seldom included anything more than drawings – maybe a photograph at the beginning of each section, but certainly not a picture for the majority of the recipes. But… well… this isn’t “back in the day” and this foodie is a very visual foodie.  5 in 5 for Every Season has gorgeous pictures throughout the book. I kinda love that a lot.
  3. It’ll Help Make You a Better Cook. Seriously. When you follow recipes and tips from a trained chef, you pick up things that you wouldn’t pick up on on your own. You learn about flavor combinations, you experiment with different techniques, and you gain confidence that’ll be evident in every bite. Even if you’re already a great cook, it’ll only make you better. It’ll also make you more creative – which, in the kitchen, is an especially good thing. Creativity is what will separate you from the rest of the cooks and will make your food stand out.
  4. Very Gluten Free Friendly. When I had to got to start eating gluten free, it turned my little caffeinated world upside down. It touched two vital areas of my life – eating and cooking. I soon realized that even one of my life-long hobbies (collecting cookbooks) would be touched as well. Some cookbooks are what I call “gluten-free friendly” while others are like total strangers. Both of the 5 in 5 cookbooks are off the charts gluten free friendly. Many recipes are, as is, gluten free. Others are ridiculously easy to adjust. For example, in 5 in 5 for Every Season, on page 216 is a recipe I plan to make for Christmas – Cheesy Broccoli Gratin. It looks so delicious! As a bonus, the vivid green will be gorgeous on the Christmas table. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs. The fact that you can find gluten free bread crumbs pre-made at the grocery store makes it a VERY easy swap. Another example is the Kale Bread Salad with Feta on page 230 (not waiting for Christmas on this beauty!) – the recipe calls for 3 cups medium-diced crusty bread. A loaf of gluten free bread makes this a cinch. Naturally, any recipes that call for pasta.. simply use gluten free pasta. Because the ingredients are so fresh, gluten rarely rears his head – and when he does, gluten free bread or other swaps make it a non-issue. More about the gluten free friendliness below.
  5. These are recipes that’ll quickly become family favorites. You will make and re-make the recipes again and again. With the first  5 in 5 I have a certain number of recipes that I’ve made so often, I know them by heart. A quick look through 5 in 5 for Every Season lets me know that history is about to repeat itself. These beautiful, fresh, and flavorful, recipes span the entire year – holidays included. This will be a cookbook you’ll keep out on your counter from January through December.

Some of the Recipes In 5 in 5 for Every Season :

  • Fried Calamari with Okra & Hot Sauce
  • Grilled Skirt Steak with Radish & Blue Cheese
  • Vegetable Stir Fry (to make gluten free, use Tamari in place of regular soy sauce)
  • Sirloin Steak with Sweet & Sour Onions & Arugula
  • Grilled Chicken Thighs with Edamame & Grapefruit
  • Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino
  • Mashed Potato Cakes with Parmesan
  • Cubed Pork with Cabbage & Walnuts (again, Tamari, if you’re gluten free)
  • Beef Tri-Tip with Broccoli & Fresno Chile
  • Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks
  • Thai-Style Shrimp Salad
  • And MANY more – for a total of 165 recipes.

Review Continued Beneath the Deliciousness….

Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa from 5 in 5 for Every Season

Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa- Crazy Delicious!

The first recipe I made from 5 in 5 for Every Season was the Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa (the best tacos I’ve ever had). They’re pictured on the back of the cookbook and they caught my eye immediately.  If you’ve had to give up gluten, you know by now that it’s almost impossible to find a taco seasoning that’s gluten free. As someone who’d always enjoyed Taco Tuesdays, I missed the yummy tacos I’d grown so in love with.

Then along comes the best tacos I’ve ever had…. and they’re naturally gluten free.

Did I mention they were the best tacos I’ve ever had?

By using a few spices (most you’ll have on hand), you create a taco filling that puts every other taco seasoning to shame. These are spicy, packed with flavor, and absolutely addictive.

Even if you don’t eat gluten free, you’ll never buy another packet of taco seasoning again.

Flavor, flavor, FLAVOR!

Back to the subject of eating gluten free. Not only has this cookbook given me a fantastic new, easy  “go to” gluten free taco recipe (pictured above and below), there’s also a recipe for Fried Calamari with Okra & Hot Sauce (page 91) that calls for rice flour and cornstarch – another wonderful gluten free recipe that’s going to reunite me with fried okra.

I love you,  5 in 5 for Every Season.

Yet another recipe, Tempura Green Beans (page 101), takes a traditionally gluten-laden recipe and makes it gluten free by using rice flour.

No.  I really, really love you,  5 in 5 for Every Season.

Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa from 5 in 5 for Every Season

Best. Tacos. Ever.

Like every Michael Symon recipe I’ve ever made, the food makes an impression on you – and everyone else – before you even take a bite. He’s a master,  not only of flavorful food combinations, but also at creating recipes that are also beautiful.

I guess he’s a visual foodie too.  And we are all reaping the rewards of it.

I was pretty intent on sticking with the 5 theme and only listed the 5 reasons – but you could also add the fact that this cookbook is ridiculously inexpensive. You can actually buy it on Amazon right now for less than $14, which is just nuts. This cookbook is worth at least twice that. I hope you’ll grab your own copy immediately, if not sooner. You’re going to love everything about this cookbook.

5 in 5 for Every Season by Chef Michael Symon
 

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

Review: Tyler Florence Inside the Test Kitchen

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Tyler Florence Inside the Test Kitchen
Imagine having a front row seat as Tyler Florence tests and perfects recipes for some of your favorite foods. You watch (and listen) as he finds ways to make a great recipe a perfect recipe.  His knowledge, experience, and expertise… all for you and you, alone.There’s a book for that.

Inside the Test Kitchen: 120 New Recipes, Perfected is the next best thing to the scenario above. I guess you could make it even with the scenario because, after all, you get to keep the book and use it anytime you choose to.

Before I get to the recipes, I just want to say a few things about the unique beauty of this cookbook. It’s a hardback beauty that’s filled with wonderful pictures. The approach of the book, appropriately enough, reminds you of an expensive college textbook in a way. I say appropriately enough because this IS an education.

It’s like Recipes 101… taught by Professor Florence… in the comfort of your own home.

How can you beat that?!

A few of the recipes included in Inside the Test Kitchen are:

  • Risotto
  • Caesar Salad with Anchovy-Parmesan Potato Croutons
  • Creamy Carolina Grits
  • Extra Light Cornbread (light as in NOT dense)
  • Polenta Gnocchi
  • Modern Burger Buns
  • Crispy Smoked Pork Shoulder or St. Louis Ribs
  • House-Smoked Bacon
  • Three Minute Blender Hollandaise
  • Marge’s Potato Salad
  • Spinach-Ricotta Tortellini
  • Five-In-One Mix (Muffins, Pancakes, Waffles, Cakes, and Cookies)
  • Super Fast Roast Turkey
  • Super Crisp Roast Chicken
  • Modern Grilled Cheese
  • And so many more – 120 recipes in all!

Having tons of great recipes and pictures is where Inside the Test Kitchen: 120 New Recipes, Perfected parts ways with most cookbooks, though.  The thing that sets this one apart is the details. Not only do you have “behind the scenes” access to Tyler Florence making and perfecting the recipes, you have priceless tips that’ll serve you for the rest of your culinary life! Pages are filled with his notations, as though he has hand-written tips and ideas for you personally.

I don’t want to give anything away – in fairness to the author or the reader – so I’ll just give a few teasers…

  1. Learn the importance to more flavor absorption when making potato salad.
  2. Learn a technique for making mashed potatoes that doesn’t involve boiling the potatoes in water.
  3. How to make gluten free gnocchi.
  4. How to make the most delicious deviled eggs you ever tasted.. or served.
  5. Learn how to make 12 perfectly poached eggs at once.
  6. Plus countless other tips you’ll use forever. And ever.

Although I love the entire cookbook – front to cover – and look forward to trying each of the many recipes, I may be the most excited about the Mashed Potatoes recipe (and unique technique), Perfect Steamed “Boiled” Eggs, Grits, the Gluten Free Gnocchi, and the Three Minute Hollandaise Sauce.  Three minutes! For sauce that’s creamy and delicious whether it’s on asparagus or poached eggs.

Three minutes. In a blender. Game changer.

Whether you’re new to cooking or have been doing it for more years than you could count with BOTH hands and BOTH feet, you’ll love

. It’d make a wonderful (can you say perfect?) gift for any cook or foodie.

It’s just a very unique, friendly, fun-to-read, and information-filled book.  It’d actually make a wonderful basis for a Food Network or Cooking Channel series – Tyler Florence deconstructing and perfecting favorite recipes.

I’d never miss an episode!

Click through any of the links for more information about this wonderful cookbook. You’ll be as excited about it as I am.

Tyler Florence Inside theTest Kitchen Review

 About the Author: Tyler Florence is a Food Network star, author of twelve books, product designer, and the chef-owner of Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco and El Paseo in Mill Valley, California. He also produces wines under his California Crush label, and will open the Tyler Florence Test Kitchen, a culinary laboratory, think tank, and event space, in late 2014. He lives in California with his family.

From the Back Cover:

Have you ever wondered which cheese, exactly, will make the stretchiest, cheesiest mac and cheese? Or if you can make Hollandaise sauce without fear, a double boiler, or even a whisk? Or if, instead of having to choose between onion rings or French fries, you can make onion rings crusted with French fries? Tyler Florence has. These are the kinds of questions he obsesses over when he thinks about how to make cooking both easier and more exciting.

For years, while shuttling between his restaurants and TV shoots, Tyler’s kept a notebook of ideas to push his own recipes out of their comfort zone. Now, for the first time in his career, he’s established a culinary lab where he can dive deep into the hows, whys, and why-nots of his cooking. He brings you Inside the Test Kitchen to see his experiments, the wins and the fails, and of course, the delicious, foolproof, and surprising recipes that come out of it.

Go from tricks to make basics brilliant—like saucing Double-Creamed Spinach with pureed spinach, or using boiling-hot brine to make a Super-Crisp Roast Chicken— to simpler ways to make the classics, like a nearly no-stir Time Saver Risotto and a Three-Minute Hollandaise, to pure reinvention, like Fronion Rings and almost-instant Modern Burger Buns.

Through these 120 recipes, Tyler invites you to question culinary sacred cows, push your skills to the next level, and make food more delicious than they would have thought possible.

See more:  Inside the Test Kitchen: 120 New Recipes, Perfected

Tyler Florence: Inside the Test Kitchen (Review)
Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

 

Mark Bittman’s New Cookbook is a “Must Have”

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The VB6 Cookbook by Mark Bittman

Earlier I wrote a review of The VB6 Cookbook by Mark Bittman. I wrote the review on my Self Help Blog because the concept behind The VB6 program and recipes is a life changer.

Whether you’re interested in eating more vegan meals and less meat-based meals or you’re simply interested in fantastic flavors and fresh, fun recipes – I hope you’ll click through and take a look.  I highly recommend this wonderful cookbook.

In fact, I think it should be the next book you buy!

 

Chef Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 (Raving Review)

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Chef Michael Symon's 5 in 5

Every now and then (quite often, actually), my husband does something super cool.  His recent act of coolness involved ordering me a new cookbook from Amazon. Not just any cookbook, mind you. This was the newest cookbook by our favorite Food Network Chef, Michael Symon.

Major bonus points racked up right there.

Like any good Food Network groupie, I knew Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners was about to hit stores (online and off) and like any good Food Network groupie, my plans were in place to grab a copy asap. I was beaten to the punch, but the only thing that matters is that 5 in 5 is in my grubby hands and it’s even better than I’d expected.

From the Back Cover:

With his boisterous laugh and Midwestern charm, Michael Symon has become one of the most beloved cooking personalities on television. For ABC’s The Chew, he developed a brilliant, simple formula to help home cooks pull together fresh, from-scratch meals on weeknights: a maximum of five fresh ingredients that cook in five minutes. This cookbook ties into the segment, featuring dazzlingly quick, satisfying dinners that the whole family will love.

Michael first teaches readers how to set up their pantries with essentials that make whipping up dinner easy. Then he shares 120 recipes for pastas, skillet dinners, egg dishes, grilled mains, kebabs, foil packets, and sandwiches illustrated in 75 photographs. This is streamlined cooking for busy families and firmly solves the “what’s for dinner?” conundrum for home cooks everywhere. With a 5 in 5 recipe, there’s always time for a home-cooked meal.

Unless you don’t own a television, never heard of Twitter, and just really don’t get out much – you know who Chef Michael Symon is.  He’s the co-host of ABC’s The Chew, he’s an Iron Chef on Food Network’s wonderful Iron Chef America and he has his own – equally wonderful – show on the Cooking Channel called Symon’s Suppers.

He has also served as a judge on Food Network’s Next Iron Chef. It’s the consensus in our household that he may just be the most knowledgeable, colorful and fair judge to ever sit on a cooking show panel.

Chef Symon is also the chef and co-owner of Cleveland, Ohio restaurants Lola and Lolita, the B Spot burger restaurants outside Cleveland, and Roast in Detroit, Michigan.

How he has found time to write cookbooks is beyond me but I’m thrilled he has. His cookbooks (to date!) are: Michael Symon’s Live to Cook, Michael Symon’s Carnivore: 120 Recipes for Meat Lovers, and his newest must have collection, 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners.

The only exception I take with the description is this: I’ve made two of these dinners, so far, and Fantastic doesn’t even begin to cover it. These. Recipes. Will. Blow. Your. Mind.

The First Recipe I Tried: Orecchiette With Sausage and Kale

 Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale

When I was scouring through the newest addition to my cookbook collection, trying to figure out which recipe to make first, I came across one titled, “Orecchiette with Sausage & Kale.” The picture looked fantastic and the ingredients sounded full of promise, but the thing that sealed the deal for me was the fact that Chef Symon said it was his and his wife’s favorite pasta.

Good enough for me!

I was THRILLED to find that my favorite grocery store carried Orecchiette Pasta. I totally had my doubts. My celebration was short-lived, though, when I found that they were out of fresh blocks of Parmesan Cheese. I went with the next best thing:  Buitoni Shredded Parmesan Cheese. It’s excellent.

Ingredients for Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale Orecchiette Pasta

I’ve never used Orecchiette Pasta before, but I’m a raging fan now. People often describe it as being shaped like little “ears” but, personally it remind me of little Samurai Warrior helmets.  As a matter of fact, yes, my imagination is a fruit loop in a  world full of Cherrios.

The pasta is deliciously fun and I can’t wait to use it again.

As you can see in the picture on the left, this recipe is true to form – there are only 5 ingredients. How in the world SO MUCH FLAVOR and deliciousness can be achieved with just 5 ingredients is a mystery – one that can only be answered with one name: Michael Symon.

These 5 ingredients produce (in an incredibly short amount of time) one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever made or eaten.  I might just call it THE best because, truth be told, I can’t think of one that tops it.  Again, the flavors are beyond amazing. If you use spicy Italian Sausage, however, be warned – it isn’t called spicy for nothing. There’s a great deal of heat involved. If you aren’t a big fan of fiery food, go with mild Italian Sausage or even 1/2 of each.

Spicy Sausage and Kale

When I added the kale to the spicy Italian Sausage in the pan, it turned such a beautifully vibrant color of green that I had to take a picture (above). If only I could’ve “captured” the aroma that filled the kitchen!

Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale

This recipe is simply unbelievably delicious and went immediately into my family’s Favorite Recipe Hall of Fame. Instant classic.

The Second Recipe I Tried: Salisbury Steak

 Salisbury Steak (Recipe from 5 in 5)

Normally, when I get a new cookbook, I’ll try one of the recipes right away (can you say kid with a new toy?). However, I usually wait a week or two before I try the next recipe from the book.

With 5 in 5, I waited a really, really long time. The next day. I don’t know how I showed such restraint.

As soon as I tasted the Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale, I immediately reached for my copy of 5 in 5 to plot my next creation. Yes, it would mean another trip to the store. Yes, it would mean getting back out when I’d rather stay in – but, what can I say, I don’t mind suffering for my craft.

Fortunately, the next recipe I chose to make (Salisbury Steak) proved to be more than worth it. I knew it would be.

I chose Salisbury Steak because, to me, it’s a comfort food of the highest order. Salisbury Steak and mashed potatoes was one of my mom’s favorite meals to make while I was growing up. As I made this one, I knew she was looking down from Heaven, as intrigued by the process as I was.

I decided to make the Salisbury Steak recipe on Football Sunday – the first one of the season no less. This is made all the more impressive by the fact that every Football Sunday is a holiday in our house. The meal to kick of the string of holidays always has to be extra special and this year it was BEYOND special. I put the potatoes on to boil before the start of the first game and challenged myself to make the Salisbury Steak during halftime. I lined up the ingredients I’d need, but didn’t do any prep work.

When halftime arrived, I shot off for the kitchen. This was the simplest, most beautiful, and most delicious Salisbury Steak of all time. Not only was the meat, itself, mouth-watering and delicious, the sauce was a culinary experience for the ages all by itself.

And, again, with very few ingredients and a very short amount of time.

Mind, blown.

As the teams ran back onto the field for the second half, I marched triumphantly into the family room with Salisbury Steak and Mashed potatoes.  I took the picture below before I did the only thing that made sense at the time – I poured the delicious sauce all over the mashed potatoes. Man oh man, is it ever good.

Salisbury Steak and Mashed Potatoes

Why You’ll Want to Buy 5 in 5 Before the End of the Day

I am completely infatuated with this cookbook and wish there was a way I could put a copy in everyone’s hands. When I think of words to describe 5 in 5,  the first to pop to mind are exciting, fun, and delicious.  Delicious is a given – with it being Chef Symon and all – but exciting and fun aren’t often words that come to mind with cookbooks. Yet, look at the evidence:  Here I am – Exhibit A – someone who has been a food blogger for YEARS and an avid cook/cookbook collector for twice as long as that. … and yet, here I am, running for a camera because of “extra vibrant colors” and having fun with a new little pasta.

I may or may not have held one up and pictured a little Samurai Warrior underneath it.

And, there I was challenging myself to cook a recipe within a set amount of time. I sort of had my own little cooking competition with myself.  Of course I won. Yay, me!

The recipes in this collection are, obviously, ideal for game days – they’ll get you in and out of the kitchen in no time at all. The Lazy Meatball Kebabs with Yogurt are lined up to be my meal next Football Sunday.

Below are a few of the other recipes from 5 in 5:

  • Cavatelli with Cauliflower and Red Pepper Flakes
  • Lazy Meatball Kebabs with Yogurt
  • Fried Bologna & Egg
  • Spicy 50/50 Burger
  • Chicken Marsala
  • Garlic Chicken with Asparagus
  • Pork Schnitzel
  • Swiss Steak
  • Bricked Grilled Chicken with White Bean Salad
  • Grilled Skirt Steak with Chickpea Salad
  • Caramelized Banana Sundae
  • Salted Caramel Sundae
  • Ultimate BLT
  • Philly Cheesesteak with Provolone
  • Salmon with Rosemary and Garlic
  • Turkey and Avocado Melt
  • Poached Eggs Parmesan
  • Sloppy Mikes
  • Eggs in Hell
  • Plus Many more!

In the front of the book, you’ll find timesaving tips, Chef Symon’s favorite flavor combinations, and great pantry advice.  The book’s filled with gorgeous photos, including photos of Michael Symon and his ridiculously beautiful wife.

If you love great food and love looking like a superhero to your family, you’ll want to order your own copy of Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners today. This cookbook would also make an IDEAL gift for just about everyone on your Christmas list.

As for me, I have to end now. I’m still undecided on the next recipe I’m going to make.  Will it be Sloppy Mikes, Ultimate BLTs, Salted Caramel Sundaes....

 

 

A Healthy Cookbook You’re Going to Love: My Crazy Sexy Kitchen Review

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Crazy Sexy Kitchen Cookbook Review

A while back my husband ordered me a few cookbooks off of Amazon – just because he’s cool like that. One of these cookbooks was the one you see pictured above, Crazy Sexy Kitchen: 150 Plant-Empowered Recipes to Ignite a Mouthwatering Revolution.

As I’ve mentioned (as in over and over and over..) on the food blog, I’m a firm believer that we should all try to feed our families, and ourselves, the healthiest meals possible.  Author Kris Carr has a great quote on page 28 of Crazy Sexy Kitchen, “… some foods have the power to heal, while others have the power to harm.”  I love that so much, I’m trying to think of an artsy way to put these very words in our kitchen. Near the refrigerator.  But, you know, something short of red markers on a poster board.

I do have a little class, after all.

There are a great number of “Raw Food,” “Vegan,” “Green Smoothie,” “Cruelty-Free Eating,” etc cookbooks on the market.  I’ve even reviewed a few excellent ones right here. It’s a great sign that there’s a proliferation of these cookbooks – it shows that all of us finally GET that we have to break the chain of unhealthy eating. As diabetes and obesity rates soar, we realize that if we’re going to protect ourselves and the ones we love, we have to wage our battle in the kitchen.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen is one of the best Plans of Attack I’ve come across.  Not only are the recipes outstanding (what would you expect when chefs are in charge of recipes?), the sound advice and wonderfully written health information could stand on their own even if there weren’t 150 recipes tagging along.

Book Description

The woman who made prevention hot is now making it delicious! Crazy Sexy Kitchen, the follow-up to Kris Carr’s New York Times bestseller Crazy Sexy Diet, is a

Veggie Manifesto for plant-empowered gourmands and novices alike, and it’s filled with inspiration, education, cooking tips, and over 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Infused with her signature humor, style, and personal stories, Crazy Sexy Kitchen redefines the kitchen as headquarters for America’s wellness revolution. The goodness born in the Crazy Sexy Kitchen will reach deep into the rest of your life—enriching your health, your home, your heart, and the planet.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen gives readers all the tools and know-how needed to adopt a joyful and vibrant Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle. What is the Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle, you ask? A nutrient-dense, plant-happy approach to eating and living that harmonizes your beautiful body at the cellular level. It’s a celebratory way of life that’s deeply connected, healthy, awake and engaged. Now that’s SEXY!

Like a long, luxurious meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen is laid out in courses. You’ll start with a detailed review of the Crazy Sexy Diet. Next you’ll learn how to stock your culinary arsenal. Kris will show you how to find the best kitchen tools and equipment, and prep you with basic culinary skills and lingo. Handy symbols like, gluten-free, soy-free, kid-friendly—and for the time pressed—Crazy Sexy Quickies, help you to easily identify the recipes that are perfect for your dietary needs. Not sure how to put a whole meal together? No problem. Crazy Sexy Kitchen covers that, too—with a hearty dose of menu plans and recipes to inspire and delight.

Joined by Whole Foods chef, Chad Sarno, Crazy Sexy Kitchen offers over 150 delicious, nutrient-dense recipes designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul. From juicing to planning a three-course meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen has all the essentials to fill your kitchen (and life!) with health, happiness, family, friends, and good times.

While I love the information (including fascinating FAQs with a dietician) and am as excited by the recipes as any foodie would be –  a few of my favorite things about this book are the beautiful photographs and the personal history Kris Carr shares with her readers. Pictures of her lovely grandmother and her stories of growing up in her grandmother’s restaurant are extra special.  I could have read an entire book about the author’s grandmother!

Why Should You Listen to Kris Carr When it Comes to Healthy and Healing Foods?

One look at the cover, and you can tell that the author is a beauty.  Slender, radiant, and sporting a smile that could light up a room. At the risk of judging a book by its cover (see what I did there?), I’d have taken her foodie advice without knowing a thing about her.  However, when I read about the strong woman behind the smile, I was even more committed to hanging on her every word.  In 2003 (ten years ago, if we’re keeping count), Kris was handed the news that she had a “rare and incurable stage IV sarcoma.”

The big C.

Her cancer diagnosis was the worst kind possible – the one that came with a warranty.  Kris wasn’t given long to live, but apparently that arrangement didn’t set well with her.

I knew in my gut that I needed to fully participate in my well-being. That’s when I went back to my roots – food. I discovered I loved being an artist in the kitchen, just like Grandma. Except I added a revolutionary twist to her culinary foundation: cooking consciously and compassionately for the health and happiness of my body and the world around me.

Since that time I’ve not only been surviving, I’ve been thriving – with cancer. In fact, thanks in part to a healthy and active lifestyle, I actually feel better with the disease than I did without it.  If I can feel healthy and happy while living with a life-threatening condition, just imagine how great you can feel! – Kris Carr, Page 15, Crazy Sexy Kitchen

Ten years – way past the “shelf life” her doctors gave her. Now just try and tell me it doesn’t matter what we put into our bodies!

As Kris Carr points out in the book, you don’t have to dive in to the deep end with the changes you make in your diet. You don’t have to swear off all red meat and there’s no need to pinkie swear to drink only green smoothies for breakfast for the rest of your life.  Just make healthy steps in the right direction – the more the better.  I couldn’t possibly recommend Crazy Sexy Kitchen any more than I do. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s so past 10 it can’t even see it in its rear view mirror.

Some of the recipes in Crazy Sexy Kitchen:

  • Juices such as Iron Machine, The Sicilian, and Morning Glorious…
  • Smoothies that include Crazy Sexy Goddess Smoothie, Chai Latte, and Vanilla Mystic…
  • Tofu Country Scramble
  • French Toast with Amaretto Creme
  • Cornmeal Banana Walnut Pancakes
  • Chickpea Crepe with Mushrooms and Artichokes
  • Mediterranean Wrap with Cashew Cream Cheese
  • Fruit and Almond Sandwiches
  • Hummus Pinwheels
  • Crazy Sexy Veggie Quesadilla
  • Pita Pizzas
  • Crazy Sexy Kale
  • Tomatoes and Herbs
  • Chile Rellenos with Red and Green Sauces
  • Garlicky Mushrooms
  • Sage Polenta with Nana’s Marinara
  • Dijon Vinaigrette
  • Tomato Relish
  • Fiery Pistachios
  • Sea Salt and Pepper Almonds
  • Raw Apple Spiced-Rum Shortcake with Maple Vanilla Glaze
  • Plus MANY, MANY more healthy, creative, and beautiful recipes!

These recipes will allow you to feel really good about the food you’re feeding your family (as well as yourself). They’ll also allow you to show off with great looking and delicious dishes that’ll probably earn you standing ovations.

Seriously, don’t wait another minute. Order Crazy Sexy Kitchen today.