The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Chicken Review

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(More customer reviews)Chicken...The Ooooold standby!....Whether you are doing a high protein diet,dinner on budget,entertaining dinner guests, or just looking for some new and flavorful recipes to jazz up your meals, this "Williams-Sonoma: Chicken" cookbook should meet your needs.
There are recipes for any occasion. The book is sectioned to easily find what your looking for. In 'The Classics' you'll find everything from how to roast the perfect chicken,to chicken pot pie. 'Spicy Chicken and Basil Stir Fry' and 'Chicken Saltimbocca' are among the easy fixes in 'Quick Suppers'. There are impressive recipes for 'Dinner With Friends", healthy 'On The Grill" meals and even a section to help you figure out great ways to prepare the leftovers!
The recipes and text by Rick Rodgers have good instuctions and are easy to follow. Most of the ingrediants may be found year round in your local market. Each recipe has a full page colorful picture of what the result might look like, and even if they don't look exactly like the picture, don't worry, they are still delicious and flavorful changes from the same old thing . Each recipe page also has an inset with some other helpful information. How to grind spices,using skewers,perfect pasta, are among the useful tidbits.
If you are a little tired of chicken, there are also included a few tempting dishes made with turkey, duck and quail. You'll find helpful tips on carving, making stock and how to choose and store chicken. There's a nice glossary and Index as well.It's a great collection with many choices.
Forget the Colonel....You'll get all the praise on these fabulous meals!.....enjoy.....Laurie

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The amazing versatility of chicken lets you quickly prepare it in a stir-fry, grill it to perfection outdoors on a summer's day, or slowly simmer it in a satisfying pot of chicken noodle soup.Williams-Sonoma Collection Chicken offers more than 40 easy-to-follow recipes, including both classic favorites and fresh new ideas. In these pages, you'll find chicken dishes designed to suit any occasion -- from a casual lunch to a hearty Sunday dinner. This beautifully photographed recipe collection, appealing to both novice and experienced cooks, will become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf."It is my hope that cooking your way through this book deepens the pleasure you take in the kitchen!"

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Williams-Sonoma: Savoring Fish & Shellfish (Savoring ...) Review

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(More customer reviews)Unlike their small Fish cookbooks, published in 1993 and 2002, which remain among my all-time favorite cookbooks for fish, this Williams-Sonoma cookbook is much larger and far broader in scope. Focusing on fish preparations from around the world, the book features the "best recipes from award-winning international cookbooks," not recipes developed for American kitchens by Williams-Sonoma. As always, the photography is gorgeous, focusing both on individual recipe presentations and on scenic photos from the areas of the world where these fish dishes originate.
The emphasis is definitely international, rather than North American. The North America section, which also includes a number of recipes from Mexico, is a mere 39 pages long. The 51-page Asia section features recipes from China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. France is given 45 pages of its own, Italy has 33, and Spain and Portugal have 31 pages.
Rock cod, bream, pomfret, carp, porgy, hilsa, cuttlefish, salt cod, fresh sardines, lingcod, fresh anchovies, eel, and sea robins are among the fish featured here--fish not usually found in the local fish market--though the cookbook usually makes suggestions for substitutions (except for the sea robins). Recipe directions are clear and fairly straightforward, though the preparations all seem geared to cooking and then serving immediately, rather than making ahead, a disadvantage for the home cook who may also be entertaining guests at a dinner party.
Though I am an adventurous cook (and eater), I have found far fewer recipes here to prepare and serve to guests than I have found in the earlier Williams-Sonoma fish cookbooks, both of which are favorites which have provided me with some of my all-time best recipes. Eel kabobs, monkfish with pine nut sauce, and Vietnamese catfish simmered in a clay pot are interesting to read about, but they are not going to appear at my next dinner party. Additionally, about twenty of these recipes are served European-style, with the fish's head, tail, and skin intact, a presentation which many American cooks (and eaters) will find unattractive.
Overall, this is a wonderful resource to have in a culinary library, with recipes which have all appeared in award-winning cookbooks, but most American cooks (even the most venturesome) may find themselves reading this for ideas and then going elsewhere (or to an earlier Williams Sonoma Fish cookbook) for a recipe to prepare for guests. n Mary Whipple


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Savoring Fish & Shellfish offers a wealth of recipes and techniques from around the world. In one beautiful volume, you'll discover the cultural and culinary customs of a dozen countries remarkable for their grand coastlines and freshwater lakes and rivers. From an all-American clambake to tangy Mexican scallop ceviche, from spicy Chinese crab in black bean sauce and Indian tandoori grilled fish to Provençal tuna niçoise, irresistible Italian stuffed clams, and garlic-laced Spanish shrimp, Savoring Fish & Shellfish brings the world of seafood right to your table.

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Thanksgiving Dinner: Recipes, Techniques, and Tips for America's Favorite Celebration Review

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(More customer reviews)This little book is my Thanksgiving Bible, as it were. I have other cookbooks that are designed with the Thanksgiving feast in mind, but only this one has proven to be my "go to" volume, year after year. It provides everything you could possible need, whether you are a novice or an experienced cook--how to prep and cook the bird (including a very helpful timetable, broken down by bird size and stuffed vs. unstuffed cooking times), how to plan a meal for various group sizes from family size to "oh my God, what was I thinking when I invited all these people" size, and recipes for all sorts of appetizers, starter courses, sidedishes, gravies, relishes, breads and desserts--more than you could ever need or want. Some of the recipes I'm asked about year after year have come from this one under-appreciated slim volume. Find a copy; it'll be worth every penny.

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A reissue of a holiday crowd-pleasing cookbook that features more than 160 creative and delicious recipes for America's favorite feast--from soup to leftovers--beautifully illustrated in two colors and praised by food critics and connoisseurs around the country. Originally published in 1990 by HarperCollins.

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Williams-Sonoma The Weeknight Cook: Fresh & Simple Recipes for Good Food Everyday Review

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(More customer reviews)A few years ago I bought W-S's Food Made Fast: Weeknight (Williams-Sonoma) cookbook and since then it's gotten heavy use. I've had my eye on the rest of the Food Made Fast series, but just never got around to collecting. When I saw this book at a W-S store, it was shrink-wrapped and there were no display copies I could look at. So I gambled and took it home with me.
Good thing I didn't collect the Food Made Fast series. Paging through, I realized that several of the FMF: Weeknight recipes were in this book and that led me to wonder if this isn't more of a "greatest hits" compendium of recipes from the series. Good for me since that saves me some room on my cookbook shelf. However, if you've collected the FMF series, you might want to pass on this book since there's likely to be a degree of duplication. Not having the series, myself, I can't tell if there are any unique recipes in this book.
All that said, this is a great book for someone who's getting started with cooking or who is looking for simple, easy (even economical) recipes that don't take all day to make. There's a section for "basic recipes" like stocks, sauces, and doughs which I found particularly exciting -- because, you know, we always get most hung-up on the basics. References abound: There's a section for shopping smarter (minimizing waste, cooking seasonally, making a meal plan, etc.), stocking a pantry, and food/wine pairings, among other good info. At the end of every section are guides and tips on preparation, cooking methods, doneness temperatures, and storage. There are also menu suggestions for "weeknight" and "fit for company" which helps this book do double-duty for entertaining. The inside covers also sport measurements and equivalents, and ingredient substitutions.
Is there anything missing from this book? Yes: Breakfast. Even though the title is "The Weeknight Cook" I know plenty of people who have "breakfast for dinner" nights at home (I'm one of them). Even so, this book also has tips on "making more to store" which might take care of breakfast and lunch the next day.
Overall, a fine addition to one's cooking library and the best volume to buy if you can only buy 1 cookbook.

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The secret to getting dinner on the table during a hectic workweek isn't spending more time in the kitchen-it's cooking smarter. You can do just that with inspired recipes, a well-stocked and well-organized pantry, a weekly meal plan, and a few strategic shopping trips. Your efforts will yield simple, satisfying dishes ready to eat after less than 30 minutes of hands-on cooking, giving you plenty of time to sit down to a home-cooked supper with your loved ones. With this binder in hand, you'll find a wide variety of recipes to keep your family happy at the table every night of the week. When you maintain a well-stocked pantry, you'll have the foundation for all your weekday suppers. And if you plan your menus each week, you'll shop more efficiently and make fewer trips to the store. In the following pages, you'll discover dozens of tips for managing your time and stocking your kitchen-the keys to becoming a smarter cook.

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Christmas Entertaining (Williams-Sonoma) Review

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(More customer reviews)These Williams-Sonoma books have always been good but the newer editions are better because in addition to the menu, they also provide a work plan. I made the entire Italian Christmas dinner almost without a hitch (had trouble finding squid and had to improvise with octopus). But wow - it was amazing.

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Christmas EntertainingChristmas is a time for entertaining, and for the host that means hours spent planning, shopping, cooking, and decorating the house. With a good guidebook in hand, the work of holiday entertaining can be one of the joys of the season. In Williams-Sonoma Christmas Entertaining, you'll discover everything you need to know to welcome guests into your home with style and ease.Organized around six festive holiday occasions, this book provides complete menus and decorating ideas, all designed to fit the way people like to entertain and spend time together today: a cozy Fireside Cocktail Party; an Italian Christmas Eve supper; a chic Christmas Eve in the City; a lavish, traditional New England Christmas; a sparkling Snow Country Breakfast; and a casual New Year's Day Open House.There are some fifty easy-to-master recipes for everything from make-ahead finger food to appetizers, main courses, and desserts. The beautiful color photography and step-by-step tyle and drink ideas make it easy to create elegant centerpieces, signature beverages, and delightful welcoming touches that transform the table and the house. helpful reference sections provide guidelines on tableware, setting up a buffet, selecting wine, and more.You can follow the detailed work plans included in each chapter to create a complete party, or mix and match recipes and ideas to assemble your menus. Either way, you'll find everything you need for hosting memorable holiday get-togethers with style and confidence.

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A Late Dinner: Discovering the Food of Spain Review

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(More customer reviews)A Late Dinner is an entertaining culinary journey through Spain. The author writes in the first person, so you feel like you make the trip with him. I should state here that I read the book first from the library, then bought several copies to give as gifts plus one for myself. Then I gave that one away, so I had to buy another one for myself. This book is a must for lovers of Spanish cuisine, particularly if they are planning a trip to Spain. The author goes into exquisite detail about the history of the cuisine of each region as he travels around the country. He tells what foods each region is famous for and the best restaurants to enjoy it. The title refers to the Spanish custom of eating dinner at what would be considered a late hour to Americans.

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Williams-Sonoma Mastering: Beef & Veal: made easy with step-by-step photographs Review

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(More customer reviews)I first borrowed this book from a friend. The books was so helpful that I had to go out and buy my own copy from Amazon. It is a great cook book. The illustrations are very helpful. It is written clearly, with step by step directions. It explains which cuts of meats are best used in different methods of cooking such as braising, roasting, and stir frying. It teaches you how to cook with meat and the recipes are simply amazing. I LOVE IT!

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Beautifully prepared beef -- elegant Bacon-Wrapped Filets Mignons, tender Herb-Rubbed Veal Loin, old-fashioned Pot-Roast -- can be the showpiece of any meal. The idea of making such well-known dishes intimidates many cooks, however. But you will soon master these classic beef and veal recipes and many more with this book.Williams-Sonoma Mastering Beef & Veal is a complete cooking course in single volume. The opening describes the different cuts of beef and veal, how to buy them, and how to trim them. You will also learn how to cook, season, and serve beef and veal, from readying your mise en place to expertly carving a bone-in roast.Basic recipes and key techniques then illustrate dozens of indispensable culinary building blocks, such as how to prepare a stock or how to chop fresh herbs. Troubleshooting tips show you what can go wrong and how to fix it without having to start all over again. Next the master recipes lead you step-by-step, with friendly text and instructive photographs, through every step of preparation. These recipes include helpful advice other cookbooks assume you already know, and explain how to test beef and veal for doneness -- one of the most valuable kitchen skills any cook can master. The shorter recipes and variations in each chapter encourage you to continue practicing your newfound skills, building your repertory and confidence at the same time. Finally, a guide to equipment and a glossary of ingredients will help you stock your kitchen with all the essentials.In these pages, you will find more than fifty classic recipes that tell you, in both pictures and words, how every dish you make should look and taste from beginning to end. Whether you are an aspiring novice or an experienced home cook, Mastering Beef & Veal will teach you all you need to know to prepare any beef or veal recipe with ease.

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Williams-Sonoma Entertaining: Thanksgiving Entertaining Review

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(More customer reviews)I made my first T-day dinner and used many recipes from this book. The Sourdough/Apple stuffing was a huge hit!! As will all WS books, it is a beautiful text. This is truly an entertaining cookbook with decor tips, beverages, and after holiday meals.

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Thanksgiving EntertainingThanksgiving is perhaps the most American holiday of all, a celebration of beloved foods, and customs that evoke happy memories of good times shared with family and friends. Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining is a complete guide to creating those favorite traditions in your own home. Equal parts cookbook and how-to manual, it presents five menus for entertaining over the Thanksgiving weekend, including three distinctive ideas for the holiday feast.Fot traditionalists, there is a classic New England Thanksgiving dinner featuring roasted turkey with pan gravy and all the trimmings, including an old-fashioned oyster stuffing,, cranberry relish, and buttery mashed potatoes. A contemporary California-style holiday menu showcases a butterflied turkey and light, seasonal Mediterranean-inspired accompaniments, while an elegant southern buffet offers a glorious glazed ham, spooned bread, and collard greens.Because Thanksgiving entertaining often extends beyond the holiday meal, this book includes menus for a casual Day-After Lunch, with turkey sandwiches and snacks, and a homey weekend breakfast, with French toast, smoothies, and an irresistible Pumpkin Bread.In addition to the nearly fifty recipes, there are step-by-step instructions for decorating your home, setting an attractive table, and making a variety of festive drinks -- all lavishly illustrated with color photographs. Detailed work plans accompany each menu, and helpful reference sections provide guidelines on tableware and glassware, setting up a buffet, pairing food and wine, and more. You'll find everything you need to know to host a memorable Thanksgiving that both you and your guests will enjoy.

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

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(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.

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

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Thanksgiving (Williams-Sonoma) Review

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(More customer reviews)From Williams-Sonoma, "Thanksgiving" has 40 essential recipes that you can count on to be delicious. Thanksgiving is all about the experiance of enjoying home cooking. Learn to make a no fail classic roast turkey, or Hickory-Smoked Roast Turkey with Horseradish-Apple Sauce if you want to get fancy. All the side dishes are here and maybe some new ones too including wild rice and chestnut stuffing, butternut squash Soup, dressings, breads, cranberry sauce and more. A whole chapter is dedicated to the important staple "potatoes" and they varied ways you can prepare the humble spuds. Sweet Candied Yams are here too. Desserts are not forgotten such as Creamy Pumpkin Pie
One of the nice things about this company is that they include large color photos of their completed dishes, and these help with presentation as well. The recipes are accessible and easy to follow for any level cook. You will rely on this book every year, a worthwhile investment. And it looks prettier on the shelf than most cookbooks I have seen.


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No other holiday captures the spirit of home cooking the way Thanksgiving does. From the perfect roast turkey with wild rice and chestnut stuffing to a rich, old-fashioned pumpkin pie, good food shared with family and friends is what makes this day so special.Williams-Sonoma Collection Thanksgiving offers easy-to-follow recipes you will want to include in your own holiday menu year after year. In these pages, you'll find inspiring first courses and a tempting variety of side dishes and desserts as well as some new ideas for the main course. This vividly photographed, full-color recipe collection will become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf. "Whether it's your first time preparing a Thanksgiving meal or your twentieth, I hope these recipes make your feast enjoyable."

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The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book: Essential Recipes for Today's Home Baker Review

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(More customer reviews)I stumbled accross this cookbook at Borders this weekend and upon flipping through it decided I needed to have it. I already had the William Sonoma Dessert book, but this has SO MANY more recipes. And the beautiful thing about it is that I want to make most of them!!! I can't tell you how many cookbooks I have that waste space on my shelf for a recipe or 2. I've already made 3 recipes out of this in 3 days. I've never been disappointed in any of their recipes. I love that many of the ingredients are listed in both volume (cups) and weight (oz) measurements and there is a ton of reference material included as well. Definately worth the investment for a home baker and a beautiful book with great pictures too!

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Nothing evokes the comforts of home better than freshly baked treats straight from the oven. But too many home cooks believe they don't have the time to bake except for the occasional special dessert. If you are one of them, this comprehensive baking collection, with nearly 400 recipes for everything from homespun favorites and bake-shop sweets to popular restaurant-style desserts, is guaranteed to change your mind. In this inspired book, you will find recipes that both fit into your busy schedule and suit nearly every occasion, from quick dessert for weeknight suppers to fancy cakes for holiday tables. Whether you are dreaming of buttery shortbread for an afternoon snack, a luscious berry pie for a midsummer get-together, a buche de Noel for a Christmas Day buffet, or a batch of rolls for Sunday supper, you will discover how to make it in these pages. The recipes are organized into eight comprehensive chapters: Cookies and Bars; Muffins and Quick Breads; Coffee Cakes, Scones, and Biscuits; Cakes and Tortes; Pies and Tarts; Yeasted Breads; Fruit Desserts; and Custards and Egg Dishes. Each chapter provides an array of flavor options to match the seasons and to accommodate a variety of tastes. Every recipe includes a photograph of the finished dish, so you can see how it will look, as well as photographs illustrating key baking task, ingredients, and/or equipment. Classics enjoyed by adults and kids alike are here, such as lemon bars, chocolate-studded cookies, blueberry muffins with brown-sugar topping, buttermilk biscuits, birthday cake with fudge frosting, pumpkin pie, and country-style cinnamon rolls. Detailed directions for baking chocolate cupcakes, bagels, and madeleines make these typical bakery specialties easy to prepare at home. A large selection of recipes for special occasions, such as almond-flecked chocolate cake with caramel sauce, pear torte with fresh ginger, and cherry cheesecake with a biscotti crust, provides plenty of ideas for holiday and dinner-party tables. Rounding out the book are dozens of recipes for savory baked items, from Roquefort-laced popovers and goat cheese muffins to olive bread and mushroom quiche. An extensive reference section at the end of the book includes basic recipes, such as pie and tart doughs, dessert sauces and glazes, and cake frostings and fillings. Also included is a tips-and-techniques primer, with photographed step-by-step instructions on everything from rolling out pie dough, making decorative crusts, and frosting a cake to kneading bread dough in a stand mixer. Cooking and ingredient charts and a comprehensive glossary complete the section. With The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book on your kitchen shelf, you will find yourself baking more often, with results that are always both delicious and rewarding.

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