Latest Review: Keepers

Blurb:
Whether they’re parents, married without kids, or single, most people want to do better at mealtime—they want to put good, nutritious food on the table, they’re looking for a more diverse repertoire of dishes to prepare, and they’d like to enjoy the process more. The problem is they don’t believe they have the time or ability to do it night after night. But it can be done, and Keepers will show them how.

Drawing from two decades of trial-and-error in their own kitchens, as well as working alongside savvy chefs and talented home cooks, Campion and Brennan offer 120 appealing, satisfying recipes ideal for weeknight meals. There’s an array of master recipes for classic dishes with options for substitutions, updated old favorites, one-pot meals, “international” dishes, super-fast ones, and others that reheat well or can be cooked in individual portions. Along with timeless recipes, Keepers is filled with invaluable tips on meal planning and preparation, all presented in an entertaining, encouraging, and empathetic style.

Keepers gives cooks all of the tools they need to become more efficient, confident, and creative in the kitchen. It will help them survive the Monday-to-Friday dinner rush with their sanity and kitchens intact, and also have some fun along the way.
 

My blabberings:
This is one of my favorite new cookbooks.  This book centers around easy but tasty family meals (my favorite kind of cooking). 

I really like the planning section at the start of Keepers.  Normally, I skim these parts of cookbooks but these ladies have some really great tips that I'm going to try and incorporate.  Like, categorizing your recipes into super-quick, one-dish, vegetarian, etc.  Then you can space out these categories so you're not overwhelmed by a week of prep-heavy recipes.  For instance, maybe Wednesdays you want a super-quick meal but Mondays a large one-pot meal would work so that you could eat leftovers throughout the week.  Smart thinkin'!

Now, let's get to the recipes.  Not only are they easy but they're delicious and unique.  Flavors that I would never think work together miraculously do in these recipes.  For example, the Japanese-Style Meat and Potatoes recipe combines ginger with ground beef and potatoes with seriously tasty results.  Then, I made the Expat Fried Rice and was in foodie heaven!  I've been making fried rice all wrong until now.  When I made this yummy meal I made it with salmon and spinach...what a tasty fried rice combo.  Also, I can't wait to try my hand at the Sausage and White Bean Gratin and the Shrimp Wonton Soup - they look sooo good!

This is a cookbook that needs to be on your shelves. Stat.

5/5 stars

Latest Review: The Homemade Pantry

Goodreads Summary:
In her debut cookbook, Alana Chernila inspires you to step inside your kitchen, take a look around, and change the way you relate to food. The Homemade Pantry was born of a tight budget, Alana’s love for sharing recipes with her farmers’ market customers, and a desire to enjoy a happy cooking and eating life with her young family. On a mission to kick their packaged-food habit, she learned that with a little determination, anything she could buy at the store could be made in her kitchen, and her homemade versions were more satisfying, easier to make than she expected, and tastier. 
           
Here are her very approachable recipes for 101 everyday staples, organized by supermarket aisle—from crackers to cheese, pesto to sauerkraut, and mayonnaise to toaster pastries. The Homemade Pantry is a celebration of food made by hand—warm mozzarella that is stretched, thick lasagna noodles rolled from flour and egg, fresh tomato sauce that bubbles on the stove. Whether you are trying a recipe for butter, potato chips, spice mixes, or ketchup, you will discover the magic and thrill that comes with the homemade pantry.
           
Alana captures the humor and messiness of everyday family life, too. A true friend to the home cook, she shares her “tense moments” to help you get through your own. With stories offering patient, humble advice, tips for storing the homemade foods, and rich four-color photography throughout, The Homemade Pantry will quickly become the go-to source for how to make delicious staples in your home kitchen. 

My Thoughts:
So, I have to say...this was a major disappointment.  I was SUPER-excited about this book but it just didn't live up to my expectations.  Usually, when I read a cookbook, the darn thing is just filled with paper scraps to mark all of the recipes I want to copy/use.  This time...three.  I marked three measly recipes (two of which are syrups for soda and the third was the adorable toaster pastries from the cover).  That's pretty pathetic.

My main complaint is that The Homemade Pantry is too basic and, welp, boring.  Making food from scratch isn't really a novel idea.  If the book is going to center around this premise then show some creativity with the recipes.  For example, there was a condiments section that I was really excited about.  I thought "Oooh!  Maybe there'll be some unique vinaigrettes or other different sauces and dressings."  The reality was homemade: ketchup, mustard, salsa (oh please!), hot sauce, Italian dressing, ranch dressing, and other basics.  Yawn!

I already know how to make lasagna, and soups from scratch - so those portions were completely skipped over.  Then there were some things that the time/results ratio was just way too low (but I'm sure there are some folks out there who would disagree with me).  Sorry, but putting in the time to make ricotta cheese from scratch...not gonna happen.

Overall, this just wasn't for me.  If you want to learn the fundamentals of making food from scratch...and are willing to put the time in to make basics by hand, then maybe this is your book.  However, I really don't think that this book will appeal to a large population of folks.  Too bad...because I thought The Homemade Pantry had real potential.

2/5 stars :(

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday

 

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  We share books that we've read over the past week and those we hope to read this week.

Last week:

Last week I was super-duper busy with all sorts of life's interruptions (bathroom remodeling, wedding, etc.) plus I still haven't shaken the sniffles so I didn't get much reading accomplished :(   

I managed to squeeze time in for:

• Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
• Latin Grilling by Lourdes Castro

This week:

 I hope to make up for last week's lack of reading by seriously attacking some books this week!  I'm planning on reading:

• Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
• The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
• and (hopefully) The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Mailbox Monday is a touring meme where book bloggers share their bookish acquisitions from the week prior.  It is hosted this month by MariReads.

This week I acquired two lovely books and some awesome vintage bookends!  Check these beauties out:

Image Source: 1313 Vintage

As for actual book acquisitions, I broke down and bought The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches by Susan Russo that I was raving about earlier.

I also purchased The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
 by Catherine M. Valente

Can't wait to read these suckers!

Book Lust: The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches

I ran across this book and immediately shrieked in delight!  Sandwiches are, by far and away, my absolute favorite food.  My goodness, just looking at the cover of The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches is making my mouth water.  There's variations on the BLT and the grilled cheese.  It also boasts classics such as the Reuben, the Muffaletta, and the Fluffernutter.  Oh, and it even has the recipe for a banana split sandwich - yum!

The author is also a food blogger.  You can check out her post on this delectable book here.  No doubt about it, this book needs purchased ASAP.  Any other sandwichies (aka: sammy-lovers) out there?

Latest Read: Latin Grilling

Wow, I am really glad I purchased this gem of a cookbook.  I love to grill in the summertime and was looking for something unique for the grilling season - and Latin Grilling was just the ticket!

In the beginning, the author gives general grilling tips to make sure you're on the top of your grill game.  Once you've covered the basics, the book is parsed out in entertaining feasts by area: Mexican, Yucatecan, Nicaraguan, Cuban, Northern Andean, Peruvian, Patagonian, Argentine, Chilean, and Brazilian.  For each cookout, the book offers several appetizers, mains, sides, and a dessert.  Thus, you've got a party-ready meal...or if you'd rather, you can get rid of some of the options offered and have an authentic small meal.  I can't wait to have a group of friends over to try out one of these menus!  I heartily recommend this cookbook!

5/5 stars