The Cookbook Junkies

 

Honey & Co. is a gorgeous book which was named Cookbook of the Year by the Sunday Times in the United Kingdom.  This book was written by husband and wife team and Ottolenghi  protégées,  Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer, and is full of delicious and unique Middle Eastern recipes.

The Beetlebung Farm Cookbook is another stunner of a book containing recipes from a year of fresh, seasonal cooking from rising chef Chris Fischer who runs his grandfather’s farm on Martha’s Vineyard.

The Dessert Bible and The Cook’s Bible by Christopher Kimball of Cooks Illustrated fame are paperback reprints of the original hard cover versions of these titles.

This is not a review post as I may be covering some or all of these titles elsewhere but I do have a giveaway for you!

Random Number Generator picked #7 — Laurel Eden!  Congratulations!

GIVEAWAY:  Little & Brown has graciously sent me an extra set of these books to giveaway to one lucky reader.  This giveaway is for U.S. addresses only.  There are two chances to win and you have to leave two separate comments for each chance.  One leave a comment telling me which book is of the most interest to you.  For a second chance, share this giveaway on any social medium platform – Facebook, Twitter or the like.  Make sure you leave a second comment telling me where you shared.  Good luck!  A random winner will be chosen on June 1st!

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending a Vincent Price themed dinner where I met the lovely Lee Clayton Roper author of A Well-Seasoned Kitchen.  When she introduced herself as a cookbook author, my heart skipped a beat.  I immediately asked her what was the title of her book and was so pleased to find out it was a cookbook that had been recently on my radar. Lee kindly offered to send a copy to me for review and to offer a giveaway to one of my Cookbook Junkies.

A Well-Seasoned Kitchen was started because Lee wanted to find a way to preserve her mother Sally’s recipes.  The cookbook kicked off with Sally’s participation but sadly, Sally passed away before the cookbook was finished. Lee finished this beautiful tribute to her mother’s memory on her own but her mother’s presence resonates off the pages.

The book provides you with everything you need to throw a fabulous dinner party or a wonderful dinner for your family —  from elegant appetizers and drinks to sweet finishes.  The appetizers start us off with Cheddar Chutney Tarts, Smoked Salmon on Mini Cheddar-Dill Scones, Melted Gruyere and Bacon Dip and Camembert Saute as a few of the appetizers that caught my eye. Cheddar Chutney Tarts are going to be made the next time we have friends over.

The Breakfast and Brunch chapter offers Sour Cream Peach Muffins, Very Lemony Bread and Deviled Eggs in Madras Sauce and more.  There are chapters on Soups, Side Salads, Main Dish Salad before we arrive at the Poultry Chapter.  Chicken is a staple in many homes because it is economical and generally liked by even picky eaters.  It is a favorite in our home too and this book has so many wonderful ways to prepare the humble bird. Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Chorizo, Grilled Chicken with Lime-Green Chile Sauce, and I was happy to see a recipe for Savory Chicken in Phyllo Packets.  When my eldest son was young, I would make a phyllo wrapped chicken dish that he and his friends raved about — “chicken in paper” they would call it – and Lee’s recipe has me eager to try it soon if not for a family meal for our next dinner party.

Many more chapters await us filled with delicious recipes.  Meats, Vegetarian Main Dishes and Pasta chapters are full of wonderful recipes.  The Side Dishes Chapter which offer us Kentucky Corn Pudding, Leek Gratin, Veggie Fries with Lemon-Garlic Aioli, Potato Souffle and Lemon Rice is my favorite chapter!  I am all about the side dishes!

The Elegant Wild Rice Salad looks perfect for the barbecue season coming up and Lee is sharing this recipe with us here:  Elegant Wild Rice Salad.

The book ends off with desserts as most celebrations and dinner parties do.  From simple to spectacular, we have Chocolate Cocout Pecan Bars to Eggnog and White Chocolate Pots de Creme.

This book has a mix of recipes that the novice and more experienced cook can master.  It is a perfect gift for a newlywed or someone just starting out and a wonderful hostess gift.  It is the perfect gift for someone who loves to entertain.

Lee has graciously offered a copy of this book for one of my readers.  The giveaway is open to US addresses only. Leave a comment on this post telling me if you like to throw a dinner party or if the thought terrifies you.  A random winner will be chosen on May 27th.  Good luck! Thank you Lee for the lovely book as well as offering a giveaway.

If you are visiting for the first time, please be sure to sign up for e-mail notices so that you don’t miss a giveaway and also join my group on Facebook — look for the Facebook icon on the upper right.

 

Random Number Generator picked #28 – JUNKIE — congratulations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been waiting for this book!  Jackie Garvin’s Biscuits has just hit the shelves and if you love Southern recipes and biscuits, this is the book for you!  Many, many biscuits.  Jackie not only wrote this lovely book but is responsible for most of the photos.  She is also the voice behind the popular food blog Syrup and Biscuits.

Jackie opens up with a chapter on all types of biscuit creations including Rolled and Patted, Layered, and Cut Biscuits, Rolled and Cut Biscuits, Drop Biscuits, Free Hand, Loaf and Leftover (as if there are leftover biscuits, not in my house). A Gluten Free Biscuit recipe, Dill Buttermilk Biscuits and Raspberry Biscuit Pudding are all included in this chapter.  Thanks to Jackie and Skyhorse Publishing for sharing the Sour Cream and Chive Drop Biscuits and Turkey on Sour Cream and Chive Biscuits Recipes.  (Click on Recipes link to download the recipe).

The Biscuits in Bakery Shops chapter hits our sweet spot with recipes for Maple Cinnamon Rolls with Buttermilk Maple Icing, Biscuit Doughnuts, Chocolate-Covered Cream-Filled Whole Wheat Biscuits and Resurrection Biscuits – a dessert type biscuit made with canned biscuits.  I haven’t bought canned biscuits in a decade but I may have to try this recipe with Andrew one day soon.

Biscuits in a Biscuit Shop includes recipes for Old Fashioned Chicken Salad on Yogurt Biscuit Bread, Ham Biscuits with Honey Mustard Butter, Bacon Cathead Biscuit with Fried Egg and American Cheese and a Loaded Baked Potato Biscuit.  The next chapter, Biscuits in a Butler’s Pantry covers recipes for gatherings and parties — Brandied Apricot Jam and Goat Cheese with Tavern Biscuits and Spicy Pimento Cheese Bites — sounds like a party to me!

Including biscuits as a part of your family meals is easier with recipes from the Biscuits in the Everyday Home Meals chapter.  Delicious recipes for Homemade Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese Thyme Biscuit Croutons and Barbecue Pork on Mashed Potato Biscuit with Cajun Crispy Fried Onions are included.   And, of course, there is a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings which looks heavenly!

The final chapters include recipes for Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, Bacon Tomato Gravy, Chocolate Gravy, Peach Butter, Hushpuppies, Cheese wafers, cobblers, tea cakes and more!

This is a book for not only biscuit lovers but Southern food lovers and bakers alike.

GIVEAWAY:  Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing I have a copy of this wonderful book for one of you.  Please leave a comment here telling me about the best biscuit you ever had.   For an extra entry, please visit and like Skyhorse Publishing’s Facebook page – leave a second comment telling me you did so.  This giveaway is for U.S. addresses only.  A random winner will be chosen on May 18th.  Good luck!

Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing and Jackie for this opportunity to review this wonderful book and for sharing a recipe with us. The book can be purchased at Amazon here (affiliate link) and at Barnes and Noble here.