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The Muffin Tin Cookbook: Fun and Easy Meals Your Family Will Love (Plus a Fish Tacos Recipe)

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The Muffin Tin Cookbook

A while back, I was sent a wonderful cookbook to review, The Muffin Tin Cookbook: 200 Fast, Delicious Mini-Pies, Pasta Cups, Gourmet Pockets, Veggie Cakes, and More!

Love it, love it, love it.

Cooking is more than just one of my favorite hobbies and pastimes – it’s a passion that I love greatly.  Even now, I’m sitting at my desk in my home office – working in a frenzy of  keyboard tapping and brainstorming, breaking only for much needed sips of coffee.  Yet all I can think about is what I’m going to cook for supper, what my next dessert will be, and wondering when I can try out a new stuffed chicken recipe I saw yesterday.

Cooking, baking, cooking, baking, cooking, baking… a peek inside my brain.

Given the fact that it’s something I love so much, I want others to get the same kind joy from cooking as I do. I think that’s one of the reasons I get so excited about fresh, fun, and creative new cookbooks like The Muffin Tin Cookbook.  Not only are new cookbooks a complete joy ride for me in my amusement park of a kitchen, I know that other foodies will get a huge kick out of them as well.

I also like to see cookbooks filled with recipes that people will actually make! Recipes that don’t call for you to visit a foreign country and bring back an extract you can only find there – then stir it into a broth using the feather of a virgin peahen… Please. Every single recipe in  The Muffin Tin Cookbook is one you’ll make and make again.

Another thing I like to see in a cookbook is plenty of recipes that are quick and easy.  A lot of people have to work outside of the home AND come home and cook supper. People who have a limited amount of time to work with don’t need fussy recipes. They need recipes that can be thrown together quickly, cooked in a flash, and don’t require a lot of cleaning up afterward. The Muffin Tin Cookbook is a dream come true for someone looking for such recipes.

Since the recipes on Get Cooking are gluten-free (as are all of the recipes I personally make and eat – health reasons), I will point out that this is NOT a “gluten-free cookbook.”  Many of the recipes call for flour and a host of other foods off limits to those of us why have to eat gluten-free. HOWEVER, as with most cookbooks in my collection and recipes I find in the wild, I simply make the necessary substitutions.

Book Description

Muffin Tins—They’re Not Just for Muffins Anymore

There’s nothing you can’t make in a muffin tin—and we’re not talking merely muffins. All you need is a muffin tin, paper liners, and this ingenious, one-of-a-kind cookbook, and you can whip up delicious dishes that are as easy to prepare and serve as they are good to eat.

From quick-serve appetizers and sides to gourmet entrees and desserts, you’ll find an amazing variety of mouthwatering options for your dining pleasure, including:

  • Shrimp Cakes with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
  • Egg Crescent Pockets
  • Deep-Dish Pizza Cups
  • Cornmeal-Crusted Mustard Chicken with Sweet Potato Coins
  • Duchess Potatoes
  • Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Cups
  • Mini Ice-Cream Cakes

The best part (besides the tasty goodness): It’s fast, easy, mess-free, and provides built-in portion control. Kids will love to help you make them—like cupcakes, only better for your family!—and leftovers are as easy as popping the muffin-meal into the microwave.It just doesn’t get any better than The Muffin Tin Cookbook . . . your next memorable meal is just a muffin tin away! – From Amazon

Fish Tacos Recipe

3 pieces tilapia, about 3-4 ounces each, cut in half
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and Pepper
6 taco-size flour tortillas
Light sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped tomato, lettuce, and salsa for serving

  1. Place the tilapia, chili powder, cilantro, oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl and allow to marinate 1/2 an hour, in the refrigerator.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare 6 jumbo muffin cups by spraying with cooking spray.
  3. Push one taco tortilla down into each cup and press any sections that bubble out against the sides.
  4. Place 1 piece of marinated tilapia in each cup and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of fish, until cooked through.
  5. Serve with toppings.

Taco tortillas are smaller tortillas and are just the right size to line jumbo muffin cups. Lemon juice can be substituted for the lime juice.

Muffin Tin Recipes

There’s an entire chapter in The Muffin Tin Cookbook devoted to Breakfast – a time of the day when few of us have unlimited time. Recipes in the Breakfast chapter include:

  • Egg Crescent Pockets
  • French Bread French Toast
  • Grits Casserole
  • Cheese Danish Cups
  • Bagel Sausage Sandwiches
  • And More!

Other chapters include:

  • Appetizers and Snacks (Asian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce, Spiced Pecan Cups, Hot Pretzel Bites…)
  • Beef and Pork (Mexican Meatloaf, Sloppy Joe Cupcakes, Taco Mini Pies…)
  • Chicken and Turkey (Teriyaki Turkey Cups, Chicken Tortilla Pies, Italian Chicken…)
  • Seafood (Salmon Cakes, Deviled Crab Tarts, Shrimp with Polenta…)
  • Potatoes, Rice, Pizza, and Pasta (Candied Yams, White Pizzas, Stuffed Gnocchi…)
  • Vegetables ( French Onion Pie, Edamame in Rice Paper Cups, Cherry Tomato Cups…)
  • Muffins and Breads (Corn Muffins, Monkey Bread, Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins…)
  • Desserts  (Hot Chocolate Muffins, Lemon Pound Cake, Apple Cupcakes..)

Each recipe indicates the size of muffin tin needed.  As the author says on page 8, “Keep in mind that you can make your dishes any size you like, but you will need to adjust cooking time up or down accordingly (if you make a bigger cup than the recipe suggests, baking time will be longer; if you make a smaller cup baking time will be shortened).”

Please see The Muffin Tin Cookbook  for more information.  When giving cookbook reviews, I like to suggest the sort of cook that the cookbook in question is “ideal” for.   Although this cookbook is PERFECT for busy cooks, it’s just as fun and enjoyable for those of us who are simply busy cooking!  It would make an excellent gift idea for someone who’s new to the world of cooking – maybe even in a bag with a brand-spanking new muffin tin.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Cookbook

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Is anyone even half as ready for autumn and winter as I am? Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of things about summer – baseball, fresh produce, songbirds at my bird feeders that aren’t there in cold weather, grilling out, and so on. Summer’s awesome in every way… but, having said that, autumn and winter are super special.

As a foodie, the cooler months make me think of soup, stew, chili, casseroles, chai tea lattes, and (of course) Halloween goodies, Thanksgiving dishes, and Christmas baking… how could a foodie NOT love this time of year???

I may be one of the biggest soup fanatics in the world, which is one of the reasons I’m excited about a new cookbook I was sent to review: 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Naturally, grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect all year. We certainly eat them year-round in our house. In fact, we’ve been known to enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches at all times of the day and night.  Talk about a delicious comfort food.  Cheesy deliciousness that comes together pretty darn fast – sign me up.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches is a perfect guide to getting extra creative with this wonderful comfort food.  Although the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich dates back to 1920 (when it became popular during the great depression, for obvious reasons), these delicious and inexpensive delicacies are currently a popular trend in cooking.  I think one of the reasons is the fact that they aren’t expensive to pull together.  I think the popularity of food trucks has also helped revive this wonderful sandwich.

Some people are even calling the grilled cheese sandwich the “new burger.”  The fact that so many people are eating less meat is another reason these sandwiches are so wildly popular.

From the Back Cover: A grilled cheese sandwich is classic comfort food and it’s enjoying an incredible resurgence in popularity. These fabulous recipes all begin with the grilled cheese we all know and love, and then from there, creative twists showcase just how incredibly versatile this sandwich can be.  The recipes reflect an almost endless and delicious variety of choices that include simple and timeless as well as gourmet and artisanal. From breakfast to dessert, there’s something for everyone in this book.

Another reason grilled cheese sandwiches are so popular is, let’s face it, they’re fast and easy to make.  You can have a warm, delicious, and comforting meal in a matter of minutes. This is one of the reasons they’re so popular with bachelors, college students, and beginner cooks.

Whether you enjoy your grilled cheese sandwiches with soup (one of my favorite meals), chips, or alone, nothing beats a great grilled cheese sandwich.

As I’ve probably mentioned on the food blog, when I had to totally give up wheat and gluten a number of years ago (health reasons), it threw my cooking persona into a tailspin. Imagine everything you are accustomed to cooking and baking for your family and yourself thrown out the door. Then finding yourself having to start over, pretty much, and discover a whole new way of both cooking and eating.

BUMMER!

It’s a hideous predicament for anyone but for an avid cook and food blogger who was extra keen on homemade breads, cornbread, cakes from scratch, pies, etc.. it knocked me on my backside for a bit. However, I (honestly) found out that many aspects of gluten-free food are actually as good as their gluten-y counterparts and some are even better in many ways.

For example, for whatever reasons, gluten-free fried catfish is actually better.  Don’t ask me why (please), but the combo of rice flour and yellow cornmeal makes the best fried catfish in the world. Trust me, this is a personal favorite and something I’ve been cooking since I was allowed to touch the stove.

Grilled cheese sandwiches have been another pleasant surprise (along with French Toast, for that matter). Gluten-Free bread, in my opinion, makes them even better. I think it’s because they’re denser and, sometimes, thicker, than regular bread. Then again, Texas Toast is a great way to go with grilled cheese sandwiches.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches includes so many creative, fun, and delicious recipes you won’t stop until you’ve made them all.  The cheese combinations, along with the additions of complimentary ingredients will boggle your mind.  I cook every single day (and have for years) and consider myself to be really creative in the kitchen, but even I found myself saying, “Ooooh, I would’ve never thought of that...”  One of the combinations that was wildly new to me was the one given in the recipe below.  I wouldn’t have ever invited Muenster Cheese to a grilled cheese party, but this recipe has me slapping myself for the oversight.

The recipe below is from the cookbook and is outstanding. I love it alongside tomato soup or chili and have been known to have it simply with a large dill pickle and Funyons.

I know how to live, after all.

Classic Grilled Two Cheese

Author: Alison Lewis
Serves 4

8 slices white or whole-grain bread (1/2 inch/1 cm thick slices)
2 TBS butter or margarine, softened
4 oz Muenster cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Brush one side of each bread slice with butter.
  2. Place on a work surface, buttered side down.
  3. Top 4 bread slices equally with Muenster and Cheddar cheeses.
  4. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up, and press gently.
  5. Place sandwiches on preheated panini grill or in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, turning once if using a skillet, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
  6. Serve immediately.

When it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, you have to really be careful with cheese combinations. Make the wrong move and the result will be thisclose to gross. You also have to be careful with what fillings you add and how you treat the bread. Again, the wrong move can leave your taste buds borderline depressed.  In this wonderful and fun cookbook, Alison Lewis has done all of the hard work for us and taken all of the guess work out of our hands.  We’re left with a ton of delicious recipes and combinations that’ll make us the Queen or King of Grilled Cheese.  Whether you use a Panini or Sandwich Press or a favorite skillet, you WILL use these recipes again and again and again.

Below are just some of the recipes included in 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

  • Roast Beef with Asiago and Watercress
  • Grilled Steak and Blue Cheese
  • Italian Tomato-Basil Bread
  • Hot Bacon Swiss Crostini
  • Havarti and Cucumber Sandwich
  • Grilled Spinach, Pepper Jack, and Bacon
  • Warm Peanut Butter Power Wrap
  • Italian Salami Panini
  • Sweet Pepper Relish
  • Hummus
  • The Pilgrim
  • And many, many, many more.

See 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for more information and to order your copy today… just in time for soup season!


Review: Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass

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Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass

Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World by Sam Kass

The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small amount when you click through and make a purchase. This (of course) costs you nothing extra – it simply allows me to support my cat in the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to!

As I’ve mentioned on the food blog a number of times, I collect cookbooks and have since I was a teenager. I have candy cookbooks, vegetarian cookbooks, meat lovers cookbooks, Paleo cookbooks, Keto cookbooks, cookie cookbooks, Indian cuisine cookbooks…. okay, I have just about every conceivable kind of cookbook you can imagine.

You’re looking at the newest member of the cookbook family above: Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass. 3-4 years ago, I had to give up all gluten and wheat (health reasons). Around that time, a close family member had to have a stint put in and these back-to-back health upheavals shook up my world as well as my kitchen. The fact that the way we eat directly effects the way we live hit home and I totally changed the way I looked at food.

I hope to never see another person I love in recovery of a cardiac hospital and I am determined to do my part to keep it from happening again. I’m also committed to stay as healthy as I possibly can because, if we’re being honest, this crazy family of mine needs me more than they realize!

For this reason, the majority of my cookbooks now focus on eating healthy. NOT counting calories, NOT depriving yourself of delicious food, and NOT obsessing to the point of making people want to throw an entire cheesecake at you…. but simply eating healthier food and making smarter choices at the store as well as in the kitchen.  You know, things that’ll help keep you playing horseshoes in the yard with your family as opposed to having them visit you in the hospital.

Books like Eat a Little Better make it easier because the food is DELICIOUS and… this is something we all appreciate… the recipes are completely doable, with ingredients we’ve heard of, can easily find, and very often already have on hand.

Grilled Vegetables Recipes in Eat a Little Better

Did you know that fried potato consumption (hello, French fries) beats out even soft drinks as an indicator for obesity?

From the Back Cover: As a chef, and then as a senior food policy advisor to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Sam Kass became an expert on the ins and outs of deliciousness, nutrition, and sustainability.

Recipes in Eat a Little Better Include…

  • Whipped Sweet Potatoes  with Maple-Cider Vinegar
  • Slow-Roasted Salmon
  • Barbecued Chicken
  • Roasted Chicken Stir-Fry
  • Dirty Brown Rice
  • White Bean Hummus
  • Canned Salad (fascinating!)
  • Mustard Green Salad
  • Celery-Radish Salad
  • Charred Zucchini
  • Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
  • Pork Chops with Tomato Corn Relish
  • Rigatoni with Pork Ragu
  • And many, many more…

While I do have to eat gluten-free and most of the recipes on Get Cooking are gluten-free…. this is not a gluten-free cookbook. However, as I always point out in all of my non-gluten-free cookbook reviews, all recipes are easy enough to tweak and twist in order to make them gluten-free. Simply substitute gluten-free options for the gluteny ones listed! For example, in the Rigatoni with Pork Ragu, it’s a cinch to substitute gluten-free pasta for the traditional rigatoni.

Sam Kass, former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor, makes it easier to do a little better for your diet–and the environment–every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes.

This book lays out Kass’s plan to eat a little better. Knowing that sustainability and healthfulness come most, well, sustainably when new habits and choices seem appealing rather than drastic and punitive, Kass shares his philosophy and methods to help make it easy to choose, cook, and eat delicious foods without depriving yourself of agency or pleasure. He knows that going organic, local, and so forth all the time is just not realistic for most people, and that’s ok–it’s all about choosing and doing a little bett er, and how those choices add up to big change. It’s the philosophy he helped the Obamas instill in their home, both in Chicago and that big white one in Washington.  – Amazon

Recipe from Eat a Little Better

 

I love everything about this beautiful cookbook. I love that it’s hardback (so much more durable!), I love the big gorgeous photographs, I love the creativity and the simplicity of the recipes (a rare combo), and I love the fact that the focus is on eating healthier.

But there’s something else I love… I love the peak we get inside President and Michelle Obama’s family – as in their efforts to eat healthier. This focus on health, of course, led Sam Kass and the First Lady to implement healthier meals in our public schools. Their efforts were incredibly commendable and I hope their hard work continues.

One thing that stands out the most from reading this book actually has to do with children. It’s up to us to provide them with better diets than French fries, soft

drinks, and hamburgers. Arming yourself with wonderful recipes is the single best way to provide healthier meals for your children, grandchildren, spouse… and, of course, yourself!

You will love Eat a Little Better – click through and read more about it (there’s even a recipe on the Amazon page for “Lucky Pasta!”).

Eat a Little Better 

 

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

The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson (Review)

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The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson

The Keto Reset Diet

Earlier my husband and I were talking about New Years Resolutions and how they relate to making powerful decisions about healthy eating.  These diet resolutions get a really bad rap simply because most people don’t stick with them. I think one of the THREE reasons is they’re looking for a quick fix rather than a lasting plan.

Big difference.

The second reason, in my opinion, people don’t stick with a lasting plan is they don’t choose one that allows for delicious food. Let’s face it, many of us are bona fide foodies (I’m raising my hand, here, and it has a fork in it) and we simply will NOT go down a road that doesn’t include good food. Period.

Third reason? This one may not seem as obvious, but I believe it’s because we don’t have a why. The how can be easy enough…. Cut out chips (How? don’t buy them.) Cut out sugar (How? Stop eating living your life like your Cookie Monster’s cousin.) Cut out diet soft drinks. (How? Put down the Diet Dr. Pepper and walk away.)

The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson

We know the hows. We’ve memorized the hows! What we need to know is WHY.

  • WHY should we turn our kitchen upside down?
  • WHY should we make a change that will not only effect us but most of the people in our family?
  • WHY should we change our eating out habits and, ultimately, leave places we’ve eaten at for over half our life by the wayside?
  • WHY should we go totally against the grain… against the familiar… against what feels comfortable?

The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson

The Ketogenic (Keto) Diet

You have, undoubtedly, heard of the Keto Diet. I recently published an article on Get Cooking titled, “What is the Ketogenic Diet and How Do You Get Started On It?” After reading this book review, you might want to check out this particular article for more information.

One of the most-trusted sources, online and off, for all things “Keto” is Mark Sisson.  His blog (Mark’s Daily Apple) is as popular as it is informative. Fortunately he has written a wonderful book, The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot Your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever, meaning you can have access to the information and recipes at any given time. More importantly… you’ll have access to what you need most of all – they WHY.

Mark Sisson—author of the mega-bestseller The Primal Blueprint—unveils his groundbreaking ketogenic diet plan that resets your metabolism in 21 days so you can burn fat forever.

Mounting scientific research is confirming that eating a ketogenic diet could represent one of the greatest nutritional breakthroughs of our time—and that it might be the healthiest and most effective weight loss strategy ever. Going “keto” by eating high fat, low-to-moderate protein and low-carb foods enables you to break free from the disastrous effects of carbohydrate dependency by resetting your metabolism and promoting metabolic flexibility—where your body learns to burns fat instead of sugar for energy, even when you go off plan.

Unlike many other ketogenic programs that require challenging restrictions and deprivation or offer misinformation, Mark Sisson, bestselling author of The Primal Blueprint and publisher of the #1 paleo blog MarksDailyApple.com, presents a unique two-step, scientifically validated approach for going keto the right way.  He first reveals the real secret to rapid and sustained weight loss, which is in becoming “fat-adapted” before entering full nutritional ketosis. This process allows your body to learn to burn fat more efficiently, resulting in increased and sustained weight loss over the long-term.  It takes as little as 21-days to reprogram your metabolism to burn fat for fuel, by ditching processed grains, sugars, and refined vegetable oils in favor of nutrient-dense, high fat, primal/paleo foods–and you’ll see immediate results. Next, you’ll fine-tune with Intermittent Fasting and then foray into full ketogenic eating for a further weight loss boost and improved health.

With The Keto Reset Diet, you can eat to total satisfaction by enjoying rich, high-satiety foods, and even weather occasional slip-ups. You’ll use keto as a lifelong tool to stay trim, healthy, energetic, and free from the disastrous health conditions caused by the typical American diet. With step-by-step guidance, daily meal plans and a recipe section with over 100 delicious keto-friendly recipes, this is the definitive guide to help the keto-beginner or the experienced health enthusiast understand the what, why, and how to succeed with ketogenic eating. Read More….

 

The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson

As we were looking at above, in order to make a healthy change to our eating, we need…

  1. A lasting plan rather than a quick fix.
  2. Food and meals our taste buds will approve of as much as our brain does.
  3. The all-important WHY.

In The Keto Reset Diet, Mark Sisson doesn’t just address each of these bullet points, he courts them and proposes – and you’re the one with the happily ever after!

Key Chapters and Sections of the Book

Chapter 1 “The Keto Diet 101 – What, WHY, and How”

Chapter 3 “The Health, Performance, and Disease Protection Benefits of Keto”

Chapter 5 “Ditch Toxic Foods and Replace with Nutrient-Dense Foods”

Chapter 7 “Live a Keto-Friendly Lifestyle”

Going Keto: Strategies and Recipes

Recipes Include…

  • Pizza Bites
  • Sweet Pepper Nacho Bites
  • Marinated Eggs
  • Turmeric Balls
  • Vanilla Protein Fudge
  • Parmesan Crisps
  • Lime Bars
  • Creamed Spinach
  • Next Level Baked Avocados
  • Caesar Salad with Anchovies and Pancetta
  • And many more delicious and healthy recipes.

If you are looking to improve your health (whether you want to lose weight or not), the Keto Diet is a fascinating road to take. The popularity of the diet, itself, lets us know that MANY people are having great success with it.

In full disclosure, I do not adhere strictly to the Keto Diet or any diet, for that matter. Rather, I incorporate the following diets together:

  • Mediterranean Diet
  • Paleo Diet
  • Ketogenic Diet
  • Bulletproof Diet

By researching and exploring each of these four diets, I’ve found a healthier way of eating and living and, quite frankly, I feel better than I ever have. I buy each book that addresses these diets and am constantly learning and arming myself with information.

I couldn’t recommend strongly enough that you do the same. We’re only as healthy as we eat – I hope that 2018 will be the year you don’t just read or believe these words but will fully live them out.

The Keto Reset Diet is an excellent addition to your own healthy-eating arsenal.

The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson The Keto Reset Diet

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

Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 Ways to Turn Salad Into Dinner

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Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook
I think I’ve finally figured out why I’m such a salad fanatic and the it turns out it isn’t much of a mystery at all… I’m all about vegetables. And, oddly enough, it doesn’t have anything to do with their nutritional value. That’s just a bonus. I love the taste, the crunch, and the visual appeal of vegetables and a salad is sort of a masterpiece where they all come together.

Okay, so that’s a little flowery, but you get the idea.

Food 52 Mighty Salads: 60 Ways to Turn Salad Into Dinner is, understandably, my latest cookbook obsession. Here’s the thing about cookbooks – you can (and should) try out the recipes, as instructed… only substituting where necessary – like for allergies or intolerances or for ingredients you either can’t find or have zero intention of paying for (I’m looking at you $saffron). However, you can (and most definitely SHOULD) also use recipes in cookbooks as “guides” and “inspiration.” Mighty Salads is a beautiful example of the latter, in particular.

Granted, when it comes to salads, I am a pro. If salad making were a sport, I’d be LeBron James, Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, and Albert Pujols rolled into one. Sorry, I just don’t have time for modesty today. However, even I found innumerable ideas and creative inspirations in Mighty Salads. There were techniques I’d never thought of and even ingredients I’d never considered.

While salads are beautiful and delicious, they can also be next level nutritious, especially when you can add a variety of vegetables or fruits to your creation. So, a cookbook that gives you countless ideas for doing so is… in my opinion… priceless.

From the Inside Cover:

A collection of 60 recipes for turning ordinary salads into one-dish worthy meals.

Does anybody need a recipe to make a salad? Of course not. But if you want your salad to hold strong in your lunch bag or carry the day as a one-bowl dinner, dressing on lettuce isn’t going to cut it.

Make way for Mighty Salads, in which the editors of Food52 present sixty salads hefty with vegetables, meats, grains, beans, fish, seafood, pasta, and bread. Think shrimp and radicchio tossed in a bacon vinaigrette, a make-ahead jumble of white beans with charred lemon and fennel, slow-roasted duck and apples scattered across spicy greens. It’s comforting food made captivating by simply charring one ingredient or marinating another—shaving some, or roasting a bunch.

But because we don’t always follow recipes, there are also loose formulas for confident off-roading, as well as back-pocket tips and genius tricks for improving any old salad. Because once you know how to fix too-salty dressing, wash greens once and for all, keep an avocado from browning, and even sprout your own grains, the humble salad starts looking a lot more interesting—and a whole lot more like dinner.

Salad recipes, tips, and ideas cover lettuce-based salads, pasta salads, and potato salads. While this is not a “gluten-free” cookbook, each recipe can be easily adapted to fit those of us who have to or choose to eat gluten-free.  Also, while there are a lot of recipes that call for meat, vegetarians will find them equally easy to tweak. In fact, I think this cookbook is IDEAL for vegetarians (as well as anyone looking for ways to add more vegetables to their diet.

I just can’t tell you how many innovative ideas and creative tips are included in this one very handsome cookbook. It’s packed with them!

{Continued Below….}

Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook
Recipes Include:

  • Fresh Corn Cakes With Crab-Tomato Salad
  • Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard-Walnut Vinaigrette
  • Wilted Escarole with Feta and Honey
  • Grilled Bread, Broccoli Rabe & Summer Squash Salad
  • Lemony Greek Pasta Salad
  • Thai Pork Salad with Crisped Rice
  • Charred Broccoli & Lentil Salad
  • Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Endive & Apple Salad
  • And many, many more great salad recipes and ideas.

“While Emily’s and the other recipes in this book are mighty, they are just the beginning. Even if you never make a single recipe in the book to completion but instead create a mash-up you like better or that serves as a happy home for your leftover vegetables, we’ve done our job.” – From the Introduction

Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook and Salad!

Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner
When doing cookbook reviews, I detest the idea of giving away any of the recipes or tips the author(s) work so hard to compile. However, sometimes a “tease” helps give the reader an idea of what they can expect – as well as a hint as to why I’m so excited about the book. One of the coolest ideas I take away from this book of beautiful and innovative recipes is the idea of “shaving” unexpected vegetables into salads. Brussels Sprouts, asparagus, and beets to name a few. The “shaving” technique makes them easier to incorporate into a salad, easier to eat, and… let’s face it… beautiful to behold (and photograph, if you’re a food blogger and/or foodie).

I also (as an experienced salad pro… still zero hint of modesty) found myself saying, “I agree!” or “Preach on!” again and again. For example, when making your salad’s dressing, they tout the importance of taste-testing the dressing, not on a spoon or finger, but on one of the salad’s stars. A great dressing is meant to be a co-star – it isn’t meant to be the star attraction. It should compliment the diva of the salad and the best way to see if it’s worthy of sharing the spotlight is to test it on a cast member.

I completely and whole-heartedly recommend Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner. It’s a great-looking cookbook that’ll make your kitchen healthier, more colorful, more creative, and (perhaps most importantly) more delicious. If you click through any of the links above, you’ll find a recipe from the book: Cobb Salad with Hard-Boiled Egg Dressing!


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

300 Best Potato Recipes: Cookbook Review from a Potato Fanatic….

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300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook
300 Best Potato Recipes
I love potatoes so much you’d think I came from Idaho instead of Kentucky… up until I opened my mouth that is. The y’alls would give me away. Sweet potatoes, Russet potatoes, new potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes… if it’s a potato, I’m a fan.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

  • No fat, sodium or cholesterol.
  • Excellent source of Vitamin C -one potato gives you nearly half of your daily requirement of this all-important vitamin.
  • One potato has more potassium than a banana.
  • Potatoes are  good sources of vitamin B6.
  • Potatoes also provide you with fiber, magnesium and healthy antioxidants.
  • I’ve often read potatoes mentioned in beauty magazines as being a great vegetable to add to your regular rotation.  Apparently they’re great for both skin and hair when it comes to anti-aging. For one thing, collagen requires Vitamin C to protect our skin from the aging effects of the sun. It also promotes collagen’s ability to smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Boom!

Read more health benefits of potatoes.

In addition to the fact that potatoes taste fantastic, they’re also budget-friendly and I’m always on board for that.

I was sent a copy of 300 Best Potato Recipes in exchange for telling you about the book and, given my history with potatoes, I’m only too happy to do so. This beautiful cookbook is packed with recipes you’ll use again and again. The author takes potatoes in a fun and sometimes even funky new direction and her creativity is nothing short of a joy ride.

The humble potato is a culinary powerhouse and inspires adventurous and tantalizing fare.

A “desert island” vegetable if ever there was one, the potato appeals to all of us, whether in the form of traditional comfort dishes or in the guise of the new and exotic. Versatile, nutritious, inexpensive and unfailingly delicious, no other vegetable, and few foods in general, can make those claims.

These are just some of the delicious possibilities that the humble potato offers in this wide and varied assortment of recipes:

  • Classic mash de luxe
  • Garlic roasties with rosemary
  • Real English chips
  • Gnocchi-roni and cheese
  • Saffron potato cakes
  • All-American potato pancakes
  • Sweet potato-crusted shrimp
  • East Coast chowder
  • Creole potato salad
  • French potato galette
  • Fennel, potato and white bean stew
  • Potato lasagna
  • Oyster pie with top mash
  • Sweet potato gnocchi
  • Mennonite country potato doughnuts
  • Potato fudge.

Appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, side dishes, main courses, hearty vegetarian main dishes, baked goods and desserts make up this vast and colorful collection of recipes. The author also includes a complete history and origins of potatoes as well as a comprehensive chapter that covers hundreds of potato varieties.

This is a wonderful cookbook and a must have for fellow potato lovers everywhere. See 300 Best Potato Recipes for ordering information.

300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook Pictures

Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent (Cookbook Review)

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Field Peas to Foie Gras
As I mentioned in my last cookbook review, I know they’re coming hot and heavy, but there are just so many to tell you about right now! I’m quickening my pace simply because these cookbooks would make excellent (and much-appreciated) gift ideas for the cooks in your life.

What’s more, cookbooks like the beauty pictured here (Field Peas to Foie Gras) will serve you beautifully with the upcoming holidays. The Southern recipes in this cookbook will make Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Years… and the entire year that follows even more delicious. I’ve already bookmarked the Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie (page 159) and Cranberry Orange Relish (page 20) for Thanksgiving and the Black-Eyed Pea Salad will be a fresh and delicious way to ensure good luck on New Year’s Day!

I also bookmarked the Blackberry Cobbler to make as soon as absolutely possible!

Field Peas to Foie Gras by Chef Jennifer Hill Booker features delicious recipes that are simple to make, with clear instructions and everyday ingredients.  It is not, obviously, a “Gluten Free” cookbook, per se. I only point this out because I do a lot of gluten free cookbook reviews. Some of the recipes are, by nature, already gluten free, but

It is, however, perfectly easy to substitute the non-gluten-free ingredients with gluten-free ingredients. With all of the gluten free flours on the market today, it’s simply not the issue it once was!

Thank goodness because I can’t wait to try ALL of these recipes!

Some of the recipes Include:

  • Frost Plum Jelly
  • Peaches in Syrup
  • Spiced Pear Preserves
  • Red Hot Pepper Relish
  • Pickled Tarragon Eggs
  • Green Tomato Cha Cha
  • Gram’s Coleslaw
  • Baked Tomatoes
  • Pan-Fried ‘Taters & Spring Onions
  • Buttermilk Cornbread
  • Applesauce & Fried Ham Steak
  • Barbecue Spareribs
  • Dry-Rubbed Smoked Pork Shoulder
  • Fried Grizzards
  • Pan-Fried Round Steaks & Brown Gravy
  • Roasted Chicken & Dumplings
  • Deep-Fried Mississippi Catfish
  • Roasted Turkey – With everything you need to know to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey.
  • Sage & Cornbread Stuffing
  • Giblet Gravy
  • Meringue Cookies
  • Coconut Christmas Cake
  • Many, many more!

Field Peas to Foie Gras

The awesome recipes are accompanied by absolutely gorgeous pictures. The food makes you want to dive right it and I absolutely love the pictures of the author and her 2 beautiful daughters and 1 beautiful niece. Being a mom to daughters makes me, “Awwww” anytime I see other people’s daughters.

You’re going to love Jennifer Hill Booker and her amazing recipes. You’ll be like me and find yourself wanting more from her! When I finished reading through the cookbook, my first thought was, “Why don’t you have your own cooking show on the Cooking Channel or Food Network?!”

I guarantee you’ll love everything about this beautiful cookbook. It’s a perfect salute to Southern cooking and what makes is so unforgettable.

{Review Continued Below….}

Field Peas to Foie Gras

Field Peas to Foie Gras

About the Author
Chef Jennifer Hill Booker Le Cordon Blue-certified chef, cookbook author, reality TV personality, culinary educator, business owner and GA Grown Executive Chef for the GA Department of Tourism and Travel discovered her passion for food early in life. As a little girl cooking beside her mother, grandmother and aunts she learned that through food she could touch people’s hearts and bring smiles of happiness.

Weaving her love of traditional Southern cuisine with her belief in incorporating healthy, seasonal foods and her classic French training Chef Jennifer created a unique style of cooking that she termed Modern Southern Healthy Cuisine with a French Accent. Her first cookbook, Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent. (Pelican Publishing, 2014) includes original recipes that the home cook can easily prepare for the family.

Chef Jennifer is fearless in her dedication to bring the best in cooking to her audience from creating recipes, to teaching culinary arts, presenting at live cooking demonstration, keynote-speaking engagements and in the digital world where she engages with her online community. Competing on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen with host Chef Alton Brown, Chef Jennifer demonstrated her creativity and tenacity to the Food TV world when she made it to the final round.

She is a member of James Beard Foundation, the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, the Georgia Restaurant Association, Slow Foods, and Georgia Organics. Chef Jennifer contributes original recipes to such publications as Garden & Gun, Atlanta Magazine, Essence Magazine, Jezebel, Southern Seasons, Urban Socialites and Basil Magazine.

Chef Jennifer spends her free time in her kitchen, garden, or the local farmer’s market. She currently resides in Lilburn, Georgia with her two daughters Jenelle and Regine along with their KorgieJack, Pudge.

See Field Peas to Foie Gras for more information. This one is a perfect 10.

Field Peas to Foie Gras

Chocolate Desserts to Die For: Beautiful Cookbook with Mouthwatering Recipes and Pictures

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Chocolate Desserts to Die For! Cookbook Recipe
The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small amount when you click through and make a purchase. This (of course) costs you nothing extra – it simply allows me to support my cat in the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to!

As a chocoholic, my cookbook collection includes plenty of cookbooks with one thing in mind – chocolate! A received a new one recently (Chocolate Desserts to Die For!) to review and I’d love to tell you all about it.

Now that Halloween has come and gone, thoughts are turning rapidly to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m featuring cookbooks (such as this one and Celebrations) on the food blog recently that pull double duty:

  1. They’ll be invaluable to you when you’re cooking your holiday meals.
  2. They make excellent gift ideas for cooks and foodies in your life.

Chocolate Desserts to Die For! actually pulls triple duty as it adds this to its resume: This cookbook is filled with beautiful and delicious gifts you can make for people in your life – after all, gifts don’t get any better than chocolate!

{Review Continued Below the Mini Chocolate Turnover…}

Chocolate Desserts to Die For! Cookbook Recipe

Chocolate Desserts to Die For! (Mini Chocolate Turnovers)

This is not a “Gluten Free” cookbook, obviously, but its recipes are either gluten free in the first place (such as the candies) or can be made gluten free with easy substitutions.

Some of the Recipes Include:

  • Not My Momma’s Rice Pudding with Cranberry Compote (would make a GORGEOUS Christmas dessert!)
  • Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookies (again, perfect for Christmas)
  • Bev’s Hot Fudge Sauce
  • Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
  • Chocolate Chocolate Chipotle Fudge Milkshake
  • Strawberry Saute’
  • Warm Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake (when I make it, I substitute the chocolate cake with a gluten free cake mix.. can you say easy?!)
  • The Kid in All Adults Marshmallow Truffles
  • Triple-Decker Chocolate Cookies
  • Fudgy Goes Latin Bars
  • And many, many, many more chocolate recipes.

Take a closer look at Chocolate Desserts to Die For! by clicking the link.

Chocolate Desserts to Die For! Cookbook Recipe

The Chile Pepper Bible: From Sweet to Fiery & Everything in Between

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The Chile Pepper Bible
When it comes to cooking, chile peppers are one of the most exciting ingredients you can use. Heck, it doesn’t even have to involve actual cooking. This summer, I discovered just how much better tossed salads were with chile peppers than without them. Some of my favorite chiles make salads extra special .. Cherry peppers, Fresno Peppers, Bell Peppers, and Banana Peppers – I’ve honestly lost all interest in salads that don’t have at least one chile pepper on board.

Other favorites are Chipotles, Ancho peppers, and jalapenos. I have to watch myself because left to my own devices I’d put anchos or jalapenos in everything  from eggs to tomato soup.

The Chile Pepper Bible is the best collection of Chile Pepper recipes I’ve ever seen. Not only does the author include a valuable lesson in all things chiles, she has rounded up 250 recipes that you’re going to turn to again and again.

I really love the charts in the front of the book that give a physical description, brief overview, and heat level of the various chiles. I will consult this regularly – I am forever Googling and trying to determine if this pepper is too hot or if that pepper will produce the desired effect. This will be invaluable to me.

Paella Recipe from The Chile Pepper Bible
Some of the Recipes Include:

  • Chinese Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup
  • Guacamole
  • Egyptian Hummus
  • Deviled Eggs
  • Spicy Sizzling Shrimp
  • Portuguese-Style Seafood with Rice
  • African peanut Stew
  • New World Arroz Con Pollo
  • Grilled Turkey Burgers with Chipotle Mayo
  • Buffalo Chicken Wings
  • Catalan Meatballs
  • Mexican Meatballs
  • Bobotie
  • Beef Fajitas
  • Thai-Style Grilled Beef Salad
  • Peppery Black Bean Soup
  • And many more – 250 recipes in all

The Chile Pepper Bible
I love that each recipe comes with “Tips” and greatly (make that GREATLY) appreciate the fact the author has taken the time to label the Gluten-Free Friendly Recipes as such. The vast, vast majority of the recipes have this label. The ones that do not can, of course, be easily adjusted with gluten free substitutions.

Contrary to popular belief, a pepper does not need to make your eyes water or start a fire in your mouth to qualify as a chile. Chile is simply the common name for the fruit of the capsicum plant. Chiles come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and flavors.

This comprehensive book (which serves as both a reference and a cookbook) from bestselling author and expert researcher Judith Finlayson takes you through the many varieties of chiles and provides absorbing information on everything from the historical and geographic origins of chiles, information on The Scoville Scale (it measures the hotness of a chile and was invented by Wilbur Scoville), health benefits and finally, 250 delicious and inventive recipes.

From fiery Tex-Mex inspired meals to savory and sweet Thai, this collection of recipes are sure to make you a lover of all things chile!

Here’s just a tempting sample of the dishes that await you:

  • Appetizers like Cheese Arepas, Fresh Cucumber Kimchi, Guacamole, Indian-Style Roti are the perfect jumping off point for any dinner and sumptuous soups like Mulligatawny, Thai Coconut Chicken and Pepper Black Bean Soup bring warmth and comfort on a cold winter’s day.

Chiles add their wonderful and distinctive flavor to fish and seafood and this is highlighted beautifully in Jamaican-Style Fish Cakes, Paella, Shrimp Creole, Bahia-Style Chowder. And Judith’s beef and veal recipes marry beautifully with chiles — resulting in delectable Mexican Meatballs, Chinese Beef with Orange, Beef Fajitas and Ropa Vieja.

There are also recipes for sides, fresh salsas, sambals and chutneys, not to mention sauces, marinades, dressings and condiments.

You’re sure to enjoy the wealth of information and recipe in this book that’s dedicated to the delights of chiles.

From the Back Cover:  Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and Thai; chiles in ice cream, chiles and chocolate, chiles with cheese – these are just a few of the cuisines and mouthwatering combinations you’ll find in this book. You will also learn about the intriguing history of this plucky little plant and share in its abundant, fascinating lore. Discover the myriad ways chiles are used, not only around the world but also within individual recipes, which maximize their flavor potential by balancing complex notes, such as fruity, pungent, smoky and sweet. With a delicious range of dishes, from salsas to chilis to desserts, this hugely engaging and informative book will make you a lover of all things chile.

The Chile Pepper Bible author Judith Finlayson is a best-selling author whose lifelong love of food and passion for cooking has translated into sales of more than 1 million cookbooks. Visit her at www.judithfinlayson.com.

Find The Chile Pepper Bible on Amazon – click the link for more information.


One of the Best Ways to Get More Vegetables in Your Diet: 150 Best Spiralizer Recipes!

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150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

If it were a secret, it’d be the WORST kept secret in the world… vegetables are good for you. Eating more vegetables improves your health greatly while reducing your odds of sitting in a doctor’s office as she tells you the name of the medical monster you’re up against. It may seem like over-simplifying, but MORE veggies = FEWER monsters.

But even I (the queen of tossed salads) know that you can only eat so many salads before you’re ready to hurl the French Dressing out the back door.

This is why I’m over-the-moon in love with my Spiralizer and with spiralizer-based meals. Spiralizing opens up a whole world of opportunities.  When I was sent a Spiralizer cookbook (150 Best Spiralizer Recipes) to review, my Spiralizer and I both got pretty darn excited.

This cookbook has opened my eyes to the possibilities with a Spiralizer. I, admittedly, had been limiting mine to zucchini, cucumbers, and squash. Seeing all the other options has my brain falling all over itself trying to decide which fun new recipe to try next.

I love the fact that the authors include an introduction to Spiralizing, along with descriptions of foods that are best for your spiralizer and a page of “Quick Tips for Best Results.” As someone who has to eat gluten free, I also love and appreciate the fact that an entire section is devoted to Gluten-Free Recipes, followed by a section for Paleo Recipes.  The fact that these two sections make up the bulk of the book shows just how healthy these recipes are!

Recipes Include:

  • Tilapia and Zucchini Pasta with Mustard Cream Sauce
  • Chinese Orange Chicken with Parsnip Noodles
  • The Ultimate Spiralized Greek Salad
  • Curly Beet and Crispy Sweet Onion Salad with Horseradish Cream
  • Hearty Mushroom Marinara over Sweet Potato Noodles
  • Sweet Potato Pizza
  • Mexican Squash Spaghetti Pie
  • Cucumber Noodles with Spicy Sesame Dressing
  • Sicilian Corkscrew Zuccini Salad
  • Crunchy Kale and Curly Vegetable Salad
  • Twisted Rainbow Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing
  • Curry Beef with Sweet Potato Noodles
  • Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce over Celery Root Noodles
  • Hot and Sour Mushroom, Cabbage and Squash Noodle Soup
  • Paleo Zuppa Toscana (a killer Italian Soup!)
  • Cabbage and Veggie Soup
  • Potato Noodles au Gratin
  • Chicken Tikka Masala over Potato Noodles
  • Confetti Veggie Pepperoni Soup
  • Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple, Curly Jicama, and Water Chestunuts
  • veggie Linguine with Gorgonzola, Green Beans, and Sage
  • And many, many more….

{Review Continued Below…}

150 Best Spiralizer Recipes
150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

Book Description: Spiralizers are taking home kitchens by storm. They are a fun way to introduce more vegetables, especially to finicky eaters, and reduce carbohydrates.

One of the simplest options is substituting typical wheat pastas in a dish with zucchini noodles. Quick, healthy and easy to make and so satisfying! 150 Best Spiralizer Recipes has many more delicious and creative dishes to explore, including updated versions of classic favorites.

There are recipes for vegetarians, gluten-free diets and low carbohydrate diets but also a wide variety of dishes for meat, poultry and fish lovers.

The 150 recipes feature some of these delicious offerings: Thai Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing; Pancetta and Lentils with Zucchini Pasta; Curry Beef with Sweet Potato Noodles; Tuna Noodle Casserole; Spanish Shrimp and Scallops with Butternut Squash; Spaghetti alla Carbonara; Spicy Shoe String Jicama Fries and Sweet Potato Pizza Pie.

16 pages of color photographs feature stunning food photography as well as the many ways you can maximize your spiralizer.

For a new twist on healthy cooking and more tantalizing ways to eat more vegetables and fruits, spiralizing is the answer.

About the Authors:
Jennifer Williams is the author of the bestselling 150 Best Breakfast Sandwich Maker Recipes.

Marilyn Haugen is a food blogger and co-author of Jams and Jellies: Preserving By the Pint in Minutes.

{Review Concludes Below…}

150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

This beautiful cookbook is filled with easy-to-make recipes with ingredients that couldn’t be simpler to find (most are in the produce section, which I LOVE). Something I always notice about cookbooks is whether or not they’re “Calendar-Friendly” cookbooks. When doing cookbook reviews, I love to be able to tell my readers that the recipes can be used “year round.” 150 Best Spiralizer Recipes is definitely a “Calendar-Friendly” cookbook because there are recipes for both summer, spring, winter, and fall.

What’s more, the recipes are healthy! When I find a cookbook that’s filled with delicious, easy-to-make recipes that are also healthy, I feel like I hit the lottery.  I absolutely recommend this beautiful cookbook to anyone and everyone – those who have to or choose to eat gluten-free, the Paleo crowd, vegetarians, vegans, meat-eaters, people trying to lose weight, people who never even think about their weight… everyone!

See 150 Best Spiralizer Recipes for more information. You’re going to love this cookbook.

150 Best Spiralizer Recipes
150 Best Spiralizer Recipes