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You are here: Home / Archives for favorite cookbooks

favorite cookbooks

Chef Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners (Raving Review)

April 29, 2023 By Joi Sigers

Michael Symon's 5 in 5 Cookbook

Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 Cookbook

Since having to give up gluten and wheat, I have had to go back and edit a few of my cookbook reviews. I’m focusing more on gluten-free/wheat-free foods and don’t want to risk recipes or photos that could be confusing to anyone who has to eat gluten-free. The Cookbook review I’m editing and republishing today is one I absolutely love, Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 (Amazon link). Not long ago, when I told someone I collected cookbooks, she asked what my top 6 cookbook recommendations would be. The first thing out of my mouth (well, actually fingers, we were talking through Twitter DMs), was “Anything by Michael Symon…. but I’d start with his wonderful 5 in 5.”

A Few Thoughts Before Publishing my Edited Review:

  • Every cookbook can easily be altered in order to make the recipes gluten-free. You simply have to be diligent about making certain your replacements are in fact gluten-free. If you have Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease, an intolerance, or an allergy, I HIGHLY recommend always looking for the gluten-free label on the product, itself. Don’t trust the label on the grocery store shelf – look at the product. When it comes to substituting pasta, for example in the wonderful Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale recipe in this very cookbook, more times than not I simply replace the ingredient with potatoes. I’ve used gluten-free pasta many times as well, but always love the extra goodness and flavor potatoes bring to a recipe. Bread is also very easy to “clean up,” whether it’s by using gluten-free bread, a wrap, or (my “go t0”), simply putting shredded lettuce in a bowl, adding the sandwich components, and calling it a “bowl.” The Fried Bologna and Egg recipe in this cookbook is delicious this way… you cut out extra calories AND the crunchy iceberg or Romaine lettuce adds so much to the flavors.
  • The original review was posted back in 2013 (before I had to leave gluten and wheat behind), yet this remains one of the cookbooks in my collection I turn to the most often. Most of the recipes, in fact, are memorized by now! Want to know another one I use just as often? Michael Symon’s Fix it With Food (Amazon link). There’s simply something about his extraordinary recipes I love – they’re PACKED with flavor, healthy, and never too highbrow. At this point, if he writes a cookbook, I’m one of the first to order it.

(Review Continued Below…)

Michael Symon's 5 in 5 Cookbook

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 one of our favorite Food Network Chefs, Michael Symon.

Like any good Food Network groupie, I knew Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 (Amazon link) was about to hit stores 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 things that matter are that 5 in 5 is in my eager hands and that 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.

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.

Michael Symon's 5 in 5 Cookbook

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

(reminder: if you have to eat gluten-free, simply make safe substitutions you’re absolutely sure of)

  • Cavatelli with Cauliflower and Red Pepper Flakes
  • Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale
  • 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 beautiful wife. As one of the most genuinely likable celebrity chefs (or any celebrity or any chef for that matter!), one of the best things Michael Symon’s books have going for them is his personality – it comes through alongside his skills as a chef and the result is a cookbook you’ll always keep in plain sight.

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 anyone, whether it’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Graduation, or “Here’s this because you’ll love it…” basically any occasion.


Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews, Food Blog, Gift Ideas, Quick and Easy Recipes Tagged With: best cookbooks, favorite cookbooks, Food Network, Michael Symon

One of My Favorite Cookbooks: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2

June 2, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2 Cookbook
Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2
If you’ve read the food blog for any length of time you know I collect cookbooks as eagerly as a Reality TV Star collects compliments.  I’m so bad, I even have cookbook collections within my cookbook collections. The following are a few of these “extra special” collections..

  •  Rachael Ray
  • Michael Symon
  • Food Network-Related
  • Cooking Channel-Related
  • Cooking Light
  • Christmas-Themed
  • Thanksgiving-Themed
  • Gluten Free

Before I had to give up gluten/wheat, Cookie cookbooks, Bread cookbooks, Pie cookbooks, and Cake cookbooks were on the list. But I don’t want to think about that now. Some wounds never heal.

I take a great deal of pride in my Rachael Ray cookbook collection. I’m a huge fan of Rachael Ray’s and actually collect just about all things RR, not just her cookbooks.

The cookbook pictured above is one of my favorites: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2. Like each of her cookbooks, this is one I turn to again and again. I’ve memorized which recipes are in which cookbooks, so retrieving them is quick and easy.

Some of my favorite recipes from this cookbook are:

  • Sirloin Burgers with Mushrooms, Swiss, and Balsamic Mayo
  • Black & White Shakes
  • Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad
  • Red Bean Salad
  • Root Beer Floats
  • Philly Steak Sandwiches
  • Ice Cream Sundae Sandwiches (use gluten free cookies to make it gf)
  • Fried Mozzarella Bites (I use gluten free breadcrumbs)
  • Burrito Bar
  • Special Fried Rice
  • Sausage Calzones (use gluten free pizza crust to make it gf)
  • Warm White Beans with Thyme
  • Balsamic (or Honey) Glazed Vegetables
  • Green Bean Salad with Red Onion and Tomato
  • Crispy-Topped Baked Beans with Bacon
  • Mexican Chunk Vegetable Salad
  • Rio Grande Spice Rub Strip Steaks
  • Honey Mustard Barbecued Chicken
  • Butter Bean Salad
  • Corn on the Cob with Chili and Lime
  • Maple Mustard Pork Chops with Grilled Apples
  • Emmanuel’s Baked Artichoke Hearts
  • Fresh Oranges with Lime Sorbet
  • Meatball and Macaroni Soup
  • Southern Green Beans
  • Winter Vegetable Stew
  • Spanish Beef and Rice
  • Mexican Rice
  • MANY More!

I’m actually making the Mexican Rice for supper tonight. It’s outstanding.

With such an overwhelming passion for cookbooks, I spend a great deal of time on Amazon. I’ve recently discovered something that has been a real game-changer: Used Cookbooks. I have had great success with these – I always “mark” the results I want with “Like New” and each time they have been, indeed, like new.  If you look, you can even find NEW cookbooks at Used cookbook prices.

My Motto: Money saved on one cookbook means money I can spend on the next.

Find Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2 on Amazon, it’s easily one of my favorites in my collection.

Also See:

  • Top 10 Reasons Cookbooks Will Never Become Extinct!
  • More Cookbook Reviews

Rachael Ray Cookbooks

Just two of MANY Rachael Ray Cookbooks in my collection.

Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews, Rachael Ray Tagged With: cookbook review, Cookbook Reviews, favorite cookbooks, Rachael Ray cookbook review

Crazy About Pies by Krystina Castella: A Collection of Pie Recipes Like None Other!

May 6, 2013 By Joi Sigers

This cookbook review was written before I had to give up wheat/gluten for health reasons and before the blog and I both went gluten-free! It is not, obviously, at all a gluten-free cookbook BUT the recipes can certainly be adapted to gluten-free cooking with substitutions.

Crazy About Pies and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Pie

The most recent cookbook I was sent to review was Crazy About Pies (Amazon link) by Krystina Castella.  Being a pie fanatic, I tore into this cookbook the minute it arrived.  The first thing I noticed was all the gorgeous, high quality pictures included throughout Crazy About Pies.  While I love (and even collect) ALL cookbooks, I have a special place in my heart for cookbooks with beautiful, colorful pictures.

Choosing which pie I wanted to make first was a toughie.  The author has managed to round up the most incredible pies in the world for one essential pie recipe collection.

Here are just some of the pie, filling, and crust recipes included:

  • Happy Pop-in-the-Oven Tarts (think homemade Pop Tarts!)
  • Fruit Tarts
  • Blackbird Pie
  • Chilly Mil Chocolate S’more Pie
  • Pina Colada Cream Pies
  • Shaker Lemon Pie
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Marshmallow Pie (!!!)
  • Concord Grape Pies
  • White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Pie with Pretzel Crust (Ideal for Christmas)
  • Mincemeat Pie
  • Graham Cracker Cookie Crust
  • Gingersnap Crust
  • Cream Cheese Crust
  • Blueberry Pies
  • Three Citrus Chiffon Pie
  • Truffle Pies
  • German Chocolate Pie (have mercy!)
  • Chocolate Almond Tart
  • Banana Cream Pie with Candied Walnuts
  • Pie in a Jar (unique, beautiful, and delicious gift idea)
  • Coconut Custard Pie
  • Rhubarb Pie with Graham-Flour Crust
  • Sweet Cherry Pie with Cream Cheese Crust
  • Classic Apple Pie
  • Baked Strawberry Pie with Oatmeal Crust
  • Christmas Grasshopper Pie
  • And A LOT more!

This list is just to whet your appetite, there are countless other pie recipes, crust recipes, and filling recipes.  There’s also a wealth of information every true pie lover must have at his or her disposal.  From making the perfect pie crust to decorating tips – with a slew of other tips and helpful advice in between.

Crazy About Pies (Amazon link) isn’t just a pie recipe collection – it’s an education in making perfect pies. Pies 101, if you will.

As I said, above, one of the first things that made me fall in love with this cookbook was the beautiful pictures. Another thing I love about Crazy About Pies is the fact that includes “special occasion” recipes and “holiday recipes.”  I’m ALL ABOUT holidays and special occasions, so when cookbooks include recipes and ideas to make these special days even more special, I get giddy.  This cookbook includes pie recipes for Christmas, Weddings, Valentine’s Day, Showers, summer events, Fourth of July, Easter, Halloween, Jewish holidays, and Thanksgiving/Autumn.

Basically, Crazy About Pies has everything I love and nothing I don’t.

If you love pies, I promise you one thing: You will be wild about Crazy About Pies! Whether you’re just learning to make crusts and pies or you’ve been making pies for more years than you care to count, this simply must be the next cookbook you buy.

You can find Crazy About Pies (Amazon link) on Amazon. However, due to the awesomeness of the cookbook (and stellar reputation of the author), the quantities are dwindling fast! I’d head over to Amazon right away and grab one if I were you.  Amazon always replenishes their stock quickly, so don’t sweat it if the quantities actually run out – simply check back on it in a day or two.

 Photo Above: The pie shown in the photo at the top is the first pie I made from the cookbook. It’s the Salted Caramel Ice Cream Pie (with a Pretzel Crust).  Click the link for the recipe!

More Krystina Castella Cookbooks.

 

Filed Under: Food Blog, Pies and Pastries Tagged With: Cookbook Reviews, Crazy About Pies, favorite cookbooks, pie cookbook review, pie recipes

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Welcome to the Get Cooking Food Blog

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and Get Cooking is where I celebrate some of my greatest passions: Recipes, kitchen gadgets, gluten free food reviews, gluten free recipes, pig collectibles, chocolate, cookbooks, and coffee.

Lots of coffee…

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What’s New on the Food Blog?

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Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles

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Fast & Easy Summer Meal: Meatless Tostadas

Gluten-Free White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

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Air Fryer and Rotisserie in One!

Instant Vortex Plus 10 Quart Air Fryer, Rotisserie and Convection Oven (Amazon link)

A Reminder for all Cooks…

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If my accident can prevent you, a pet, or a child from being hurt, it will have been worth it to me… read more here!

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T-fal… As Good as Good Gets

The T-Fal Cookware Set (Amazon link), above, is absolutely one of the best cooking sets you’ll ever find. It’s on Amazon and available in several gorgeous colors.

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Contact me through e-mail at joitsigers@gmail.com and/or connect with me through social media (see above). ~ Joi (“Joy”)

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