Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes, in the popular recipe-card file size Stocking Stuffer format, is chock-full of the best recipes and notes about Scandinavian food and culture. Collected by Karen Berg Douglas of Lansing, Michigan, this cookbook contains wonderful recipes as well as information on Swedish culture. Karen learned the art of Scandinavian cooking from her mother. Many of the recipes here are from her own private collection! The cover shows a reproduction of a Rosemaling painting done by Sallie Haugen DeReus of Leighton, Iowa. In addition to recipes, this book also contains information on the history of the Smorgasbord and menus for creating a feast of your own. Karen has updated the traditional Smorgasbord, which usually consisted of bread and butter and fruits, into something that would work as a feast today!
Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes contains a wide variety of traditional recipes that are sure to please all your guests. A Sample Smorgasbord menu includes dishes of Matjes Herring, Crusty Stuffed Bread, Finnish Squeaky Cheese, Danish Liver Paste, Oysters Helsinki. The possibilities are endless! Top off your meal with some Baked Apples with Warm Gjetost Rum Sauce or try your hand at making Scandinavian Spiced Mead Honey Wine. There are even instructions on how to create an Arctic Ice Sculpture for your dinner table!
Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes is excellent for personal collections and as a gift for those interested in creating a Scandinavian feast for family and friends.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes

This spiral-bound index card size recipe book featurestraditional foods from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and more.

Click here for more information about Scandinavian Smorgasbord Recipes

Read More...

Halloween Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family (Holiday Celebrations) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I enjoyed the wonderfully festive pictures and I was able to glean some ideas from her book as a starting point for my own Hallowe'en projects. However, I'm not so sure there is enough substance nor wholly original ideas to make it a worthwhile purchase. It is a fun book to thumb through but most of the "magic" is to be found in the photographs. I tried some of the recipies: the cocoa cobweb cupcakes were not "chocolatey" enough and the pumpkin soup was okay but not spectacular.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Halloween Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family (Holiday Celebrations)

Click here for more information about Halloween Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family (Holiday Celebrations)

Read More...

Betty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook: All You Need to Cook a Foolproof Dinner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The trouble with a lot of Thanksgiving cookbooks is that they throw so many new and quite exotic dishes at the reader. I think most people still prefer their Thanksgiving with all of the traditional dishes.
Betty Crocker's book does just that while still giving you some new things to try, without making them too intimidating for the novice cook. Add to that the best sections of the book may be the sections on planning your dinner from shopping to all the make-aheads to getting the turkey ready for the oven.
You'll find all of the great traditional fare in this book with straight forward and easy to follow recipes no matter what the size of your gathering.
If your a traditionalist like me, then this is the book for you.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Betty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook: All You Need to Cook a Foolproof Dinner

The complete hands-on guide to cooking a great Thanksgiving dinner–from Americas most trusted friend in the kitchen
Thanksgiving showcases cooking like no other holiday, as family and friends from near and far gather to share this special harvest-time meal. But while it sparks joyous feelings of celebration, this focus on food can also mean major stress for those in charge of preparing the feast and getting it on the table.
At last! Betty Crocker comes to the rescue with this complete do-it-yourself guide to making a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings–and none of the headaches. Perfect for beginners and Thanksgiving "first-timers" as well as more experienced cooks, it includes 130 of Betty Crockers most popular and time-tested Thanksgiving recipes. The book covers a range of recipes, from traditional roasting to new and interesting cooking variations like brining, grilling, and even deep-frying turkeys, plus lots of great ideas for sides, desserts, and more. Twelve count-down menus cover every aspect of the meal–such as when to set the table and how to time the gravy so its ready to serve at just the right time. The menus suit a whole range of lifestyles and situations, from dinner for two to dinner for twenty, from vegetarian and low-fat menus to a super-simple, low-stress menu for first-time cooks.
Complete with eight pages of mouthwatering photographs, detailed line drawings, and easy how-tos for turkey stuffing, roasting, carving, and more, Betty Crockers Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook is one guest everyone will want to have in the kitchen this fall and in the years to come.

Get 63% OFF

Click here for more information about Betty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook: All You Need to Cook a Foolproof Dinner

Read More...

Martha Stewart's Christmas: Entertaining, Decorating and Giving Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Yesterday I made Noel Nut Balls and the chocolate-dipped almond cookies for the fifth or sixth Christmas in a row, and chances are I'll make several of the other recipes before the end of the holidays. The cookie recipes are easy to follow, guaranteed to please and the cookies themselves can be frozen for weeks without any change in texture, appearance or flavor. However, I can't imagine many busy people whipping up the cassoulet or even the fruitcake unless they are experienced cooks who can confidently evaluate and execute rather expensive (in terms of ingredients) recipes.
The craft and gift ideas run the range from easy and very rewarding (such as making your own wrapping paper, which turns out to be a great activity to do with children-- and those gold and coppery designs look sensational under the tree) to the fantastical...like using a jeweller's drill to make holes in nuts for decorative purposes. Still, this is a book full of ideas for holiday activities and creations for people with the full range of abilities and available time and it really is enjoyable to read and to look through.
I am buying a second copy because the first has literally fallen apart. This is the second Martha Stewart book to have broken into pieces (Entertaining did, as well) and I do question the quality of binding.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Martha Stewart's Christmas: Entertaining, Decorating and Giving

The paperback edition of the best-selling book in which Martha Stewart invites readers to join in her Christmas celebrations as she decorates her home, wraps special gifts, and prepares luscious meals for her friends and family throughout the holidays. Full-color phontographs.

Click here for more information about Martha Stewart's Christmas: Entertaining, Decorating and Giving

Read More...

Dinner Parties: Simple Recipes for Easy Entertaining Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book was "just okay". It was chockful of simple food items that I would not serve to guests that I am trying to impress at a dinner party. Boiled red potatoes with parsley....I don't think so....Not interesting enough for me, nothing in this book catches the eye....if you want extreme simple this is the book for you. Another dud....

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dinner Parties: Simple Recipes for Easy Entertaining

Fabulous food and good times are on the menu with this collection of delicious, no-fuss recipes from home entertaining expert Jessica Strand. From an intimate dinner for four to a festive feast for a dozen, this collection of simple, yet sensational, recipes will inspire both experienced dinner hosts and first-time party planners. Orchestrating a cozy double-date is an affair to remember with elegant cocktails, Dry Rub Pork Ribs, Asian Coleslaw, and a special treat -- Homemade Sundaes (one per couple for an extra dose of romance) -- and when a full-scale gala for twelve is what's in order, Moroccan-style Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Pesto is a show-stopper. Filled with enticing color photographs to whet the appetite as well as "menu managers" suggesting timelines for when to prepare and serve each delectable dish, Dinner Parties guarantees effortless entertaining at home.

Click here for more information about Dinner Parties: Simple Recipes for Easy Entertaining

Read More...

Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The only thing I would like to say about this book is that the recipes are good well tested recipes. I appreciate the time and energy that went into the making of this cookbook. It is well laid out and easy to follow and use. Thank You for putting this and your other book together.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

The Essential Mormon Cookbook was a runaway bestseller! Now you can find more secret combinations for your favorite foods in a new collection of home-style recipes. Essential Mormon Celebrations contains recipes for traditional holiday meals with sections like "The Night Before Christmas", "Easter Dinner", and "New Year's Brunch". This volume also includes recipes and ideas for the nontraditional parties and celebrations that are so much a part of our culture: tailgate picnics, wedding and baby showers, homecomings, Pioneer Day commemorations, family reunions, and much, much more. More than 200 recipes are divided by seasons and events in this second volume of irresistible Mormon comfort food.

Click here for more information about Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Read More...

Southern Living Christmas Cookbook: All-New Ultimate Holiday Entertaining Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this book and planned a week's worth of menus for Christmas company around these menus. Fortunately, for me and my guests -- they were detained because of snow, and my husband and I were the only ones to eat the food. I made eight recipes -- cookies, pie, bread, salads, salad dressing -- food one should not be able to mess up. Without exception, the cooking times were way off (not just oven variances), the ingredients did not blend well, and the cookies, pie, and bread were bland or the textures not pleasant. Did the authors actually test these recipes? I'm not sure. Buy another book; this one was pretty but totally unmemorable.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Southern Living Christmas Cookbook: All-New Ultimate Holiday Entertaining Guide

Throwing a party—big or small, simple or extravagant—just got easier. Whether you're planning your first big holiday celebration or your twentieth, you'll find this memory-making treasury an invaluable hospitality guide for all occasions.Over350 recipes, 32 menus, and nearly 250 color photographs team up to make this the ultimate holiday entertaining guide. Take the guesswork out of meal planning with complete menus and time-saving game plans–one for every menu. Make entertaining a joy with casual-fare menus, for when you're entertaining family and close friends, and more dressed-up menus, for when you want to go all out.You'll love the make-ahead ease of the Harvest Fare menu that features Bourbon-Glazed Ham and Out-of-this-World Scalloped Potatoes. The Easygoing, Family Breakfast, with its Breakfast Pizza and Cheesy Baked Grits, will delight the entire family. Don't miss the Coffee and Chocolate Party that offers such indulgences as Mocha Fondue, in addition to tips on setting up a coffee bar. The Classic Christmas Dinner, with its entrée choice of Marinated Cornish Hens or Marinated Turkey Breast, will have you preparing this meal year-round rather than waiting for Christmas Day! You'll be ready for every Yuletide event with menus for brunches, buffets, and cocktail parties, as well as a New Year's Day feast.A full-to-overflowing "Holiday Cooking" section encompasses every food category from appetizers and beverages to main dishes and sides; there are breads, as well as cakes, pies, and candies. Treats for Early Risers gives you at-a-glance breakfast and brunch ideas, from Basic Buttery Biscuits to Bananas Foster French Toast and cute, little Mini Sausage-and-Egg Casseroles baked in coffee mugs. You'll refer again and again to Simple Supper Solutions as a year-round source for family-friendly dishes. Whether it's Fiesta Turkey Soup and Green Chili Biscuits or Spicy Coleslaw Reubens, you'll discover a treasure trove of easy weeknight meals. Convenient prep and cook times are listed with every recipe to help you plan ahead.A bonus gift section—"5 Ingredient 15 Minute Gifts From the Kitchen"—shares a dozen quick-and-easy gifts from the heart of the home. Each recipe either has just 5 ingredients or takes only 15 minutes to prepare—and some feature both. Colorful photos show simple packaging ideas, so whether it's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix or Red-and-Green Pistachio Bark, you'll have delicious solutions to satisfy everyone on your gift list.Be sure to check out the "Holiday Entertaining Guide" for inspiring table-setting ideas, hostess tips, and a special selection of 12 year-round, all-occasion, mix-and-match menu ideas that will have you in good standing for party planning any season of the year.

Get 24% OFF

Click here for more information about Southern Living Christmas Cookbook: All-New Ultimate Holiday Entertaining Guide

Read More...

The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have read this newly-published cookbook from cover to cover today and I LOVE IT! It's not surprising Martha Stewart could put together a collection of recipes representing the Christmas holiday. Some cookbooks only focus on Christmas cookies or only Thanksgiving, but this cookbook highlights sophisticated recipes from drinks (I hadn't seen a Ramos Gin Fizz in a cookbook ever!) to entrees and of course, desserts. Sure, there are only so many things you can do with cranberries, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pumpkins, but these are not tired, redone recipes just so she could publish yet another cookbook. This book is polished, much like the format of her h'ors d'oeuvres book. Beautiful photographs, great recipes. Anyone who loves cooking during the Christmas holidays, and not just bake cookies, will definitely love this cookbook!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook

Since Martha Stewart Living Magazine's debut more than a decade ago, readers have come to look to its holiday issues for the best seasonal entertaining and menu ideas.Each issue of Living has included Martha's favorite recipes, as well as the staff's. For the first time, more than six hundred of these holiday dishes are collected in one volume: The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook. Throughout the ten chapters of recipes, every element of holiday entertaining—from hors d'oedvres and cocktails through main courses and desserts—is covered. Whether you're searching for an eggnog to sip on Christmas Eve, planning to serve a traditional roast goose for Christmas dinner, or putting together a festive brunch for overnight guests, The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook offers a comprehensive array of classics and new favorites to choose from. Guiding you are how-to photographs and illustrations, along with sixty-four pages of beautiful color photographs that will inspire even novices to get into the kitchen and start cooking. The book is filled with tips and techniques, and it also includes a special menu section to help you create the perfect meal.This collection of recipes—ranging from simple to extravagant—makes an indispensable cookbook, not just for Christmas Day, but for the entire holiday season.

Click here for more information about The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook

Read More...

Feast of the Seven Fishes: The Collected Comic Strip and Italian Holiday Cookbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In this age of detached irony and perennial coolness, Christmas has become about as hip as dinner with your Aunt Bertha. Kudos then to Robert Tinnell, Alex Saviuk and Ed Piskor, whose graphic novel "Feast of the Seven Fishes" captures the spirit of Christmas for a generation that doesn't quite know what to believe in anymore.
Part coming-of-age story, part loving remembrance, Feast balances humor, angst and joy in well-measured doses. Like life, the secret is not in the ultimate outcome, but in the journey itself. You'll spend time with characters that you'll swear you know (or wish you did). And you'll find yourself shaking your head in a "been there, done that" manner as this group of family and friends sorts out their relationships, past and present, over a memorable Christmas season from long ago. The story is told in a brisk and inviting manner-you'll learn a lot about this cantankerous clan in a short time and you'll find yourself wondering what happens after the story ends. That's the best compliment I can pay to any storytellers, graphic novel or not.
Smart without being smarmy, sentimental without being maudlin, Feast touches just the right Yuletide nerve. It may not make you believe in Santa Claus, but it will make you think about the years gone past, the people you've loved and the thread of tradition that holds it all together.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Feast of the Seven Fishes: The Collected Comic Strip and Italian Holiday Cookbook

The Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition comes to life in this popular online comic strip collected here for the first time, complete with a foreword by Steve Geppi and a cookbook for serving up your own Feast!

Click here for more information about Feast of the Seven Fishes: The Collected Comic Strip and Italian Holiday Cookbook

Read More...

The Passover Table: New and Traditional Recipes for Your Seders and the Entire Passover Week Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have used this cookbook for years to prepare dishes for my own Passover meals and those of friends, always producing rave reviews all around. The variations on traditional dishes make each Passover a little bit of a new adventure and prevent you and your guests from getting tired of the same old meal every year. I especially like the book for its desserts, since that is easily the most challenging part of the seder. It's hard to make anything really delicious without leavening, but try the chocolate apple nut cake and it will change your mind about that completely. I make it even when it's not Passover, as it's especially handy for bringing to friends who keep Kosher households. This might be the only Passover book you ever need! Enjoy!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Passover Table: New and Traditional Recipes for Your Seders and the Entire Passover Week

Click here for more information about The Passover Table: New and Traditional Recipes for Your Seders and the Entire Passover Week

Read More...

In Style Parties (The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Instyle's latest book "InStyle Parties (The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining), is a step by step guide to hosting your best party!
The 192 page hardcover, coffee table sized book (10x9x1/2)describes in detail the invitations, decor and menu for a variety of parties ranging from a backyard luau to a mediterranean dinner. Other parties include super bowl, afternoon spa, baby shower, birthday dinner, thanksgiving dinner and more. The super bowl party for example suggests a buffet menu that includes chili with turkey and white beans, sugar and spice pecans, tortilla chips with bean dip and an ice cream sundae dessert bar. Make the invites by writing on card stock glued on mini football pennants and decorate with mini plastic football players and goalposts. The book tells you exactly what to do from week to week to prepare for the party.
It also suggests modifications for each party. Don't feel like fixing food? Order a platter of preassembled gourmet deli sandwiches.
There are a lot of cute, novel ideas in the book. The holiday cocktail party has you crushing candy canes in martini glasses. Oscar night suggests sending invites in film canisters. The baby shower party would have you decorating with tea lights in baby food jars and serving goodies in silver baby cups with baby spoons.
The book serves as a launching pad for ideas. The spa party suggests you consider splurging on Swarovski crystal studded spa invites..well I am not likely to do that..but using this idea I might buy some crystals at a craft store and doctor up a another cute invite. The book does give some "over the top" ideas for parties but it also gives substitutes. It all depends on your budget and desire.
The book also includes chapters with some great basic information; how to stock a bar, the decor, the table, the food and the invitations. The table section for example, details tableware. linens, setting the table, serving styles, seating and extra help.
Choc o' bloc with full color photographs of different parties and interspersed with the occasional picture of a celeb noshing on this or that, Instyle Parties is a super resource and sure to make your next event even more special!
Lee Mellott


Click Here to see more reviews about: In Style Parties (The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining)

Want to throw an A-list party without spending heaps of time and money? "In Style: Parties", the complete guide to easy, elegant entertaining, is the one-stop guide to making every event stylish and personal, and it proves once and for all that entertaining at home can be easy, fabulous, and fun. Organized in three sections, the book includes: the basics of party preparation, including what to serve and how to create the perfect atmosphere; complete party guides for every occasion, from dinner parties for 8 to cocktail parties for 30;and a listing of the top resources for food, drink, and decor, from artisanal cheeses and exotic chocolates to flowers and flat wear. The book begins with the basics section, which arms readers with the essentials of party planning. In thorough yet accessible detail, this section provides tips on how to plan a menu, stock a bar, set a table, serve cocktails, and feed a crowd, efficiently and with finesse. Also covered are tips on invitations, decorations, and music, which set the tone for a special occasion. The heart of the book is twenty of the most popular party guides published in "In Style" magazine over the last five years.Playful themes, fresh and simple recipes, sexy drinks, elegant decor, handy timetables, and a non-stuffy approach make it easy to stay on top of all the little details. Readers can follow the guides closely, mix up elements from different guides to suit their unique vision, or simply use them as inspiration. With its elegant illustrations and vibrant images of celebrity-studded evens, colourful drinks, luscious foods, and sophisticated decor, "In Style: Parties" put the fun of parties first.

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about In Style Parties (The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining)

Read More...

The Thanksgiving Cookbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've got several Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving cookbooks, and always refer to my November back issues of Bon Appetit and Gourmet as well each year. After reading the 1st few chapters of this book, I already know where my ideas are coming from this year. This book is terrific - filled with many recipes the likes of which you won't find elsewhere. The author also gives great food and table decorating tips, as well as what not to do on Thanksgiving. She also has many recipes which can be made ahead of time. One on my list for this year is the Sweet Potato Balls - especially good for kids. Mashed sweet potatoes wrapped around a marshmallow, then rolled in crushed corn flakes and baked. If you are like me, and love planning and cooking for Thanksgiving, get a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Thanksgiving Cookbook

Click here for more information about The Thanksgiving Cookbook

Read More...

Around the Table: Easy Menus for Cozy Entertaining at Home Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was expecting a sophisticated collection of easy recipes, more in the vein of the Barefoot Contessa books, but this is merely a rehash of 70's suburban-housewife buffet food. Do we really need a recipe for franks and beans? And scrambled eggs with Velveeta? Also surprised that the apparently talented photographer took on this book...some of the food looks truly unappetizing, for instance the creamed spinach on page 121. Very disappointing book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Around the Table: Easy Menus for Cozy Entertaining at Home

In this book Ellen Wright offers 24 seasonal menus, accompanied by gorgeous color photographs, for easy but still stylish entertaining for family and friends.

Click here for more information about Around the Table: Easy Menus for Cozy Entertaining at Home

Read More...