Tag Archives: Seasonal Recipes

Plated

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Karp, Elana. Dumaine, Suzanne. Plated: Weeknight Dinners, Weekend Feasts, and Everything in Between. USA: Clarkson Potter/ Publishers. 2016.

plated

SUMMARY:
Starting with kitchen basics and progressing through flavorings to recipes, Plated shares more than just the ingredients necessary to make each delicious dinner. With seasonal ideas, flavorful rubs, special touches and straight forward directions, recipes range from meals for a crowd, easy week night suppers, more ambitious feasts for the weekends, inspiring uses for leftovers and scrumptious desserts.  Suzanne Dumaine and Elana Karp create a beautiful cookbook to use with ease while using the premise that food should be fun to help organize, invent, and manage the kitchen, time and meals…

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Full of pleasing photography, simple everyday meal ideas, extra kitchen necessities and easily followed directions, the only item I found missing was the nutritional information for each included recipe. As chefs at Plated, the premium cook-at-home delivery service, the authors definitely make meals interesting, interchangeable and healthy. I love the diversity in the cookbook-rubs, soups, desserts and main meals. Especially helpful were the suggestions for leftovers and possible seasonality for peak eating. I would be proud to  give this book as a gift for beginner cooks as well as the more experienced.

RATING:
4.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Plated from Blogging For Books for my honest review*

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The Broad Fork

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Acheson, Hugh. Allen, Rinne (Photography). The Broad Fork: Recipes for the Wide World of Vegetables and Fruits. NY: Clarkson Potter/ Publishers. 2015.

SUMMARY:
broadforkBorn of a neighbor’s question on what to do with kohlrabi, along with a desire to live and support locally, chef Hugh Acheson tackles and shares many recipes for regionally grown vegetables and fruits. Usually with three simpler recipes for each item as well as a more complex and detailed recipe, The Broad Fork encompasses vegetables and fruits generally found at farmer’s markets, ingredients readily available, but also some more obscure items, all making for an interesting and educational opportunity. Gorgeous photographs accompany most recipes with easy to understand and follow directions, set up according to seasons.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Stunning! Not only wonderful as a cookbook but beautiful as a coffee table book too! Though I do not plan on using each recipe (due to availability, taste and time), there are several, no actually many, recipes which I will utilize often. Running to the farmer’s market upon receiving and opening this book, just the concept of eating more vegetables and fruits, especially in new and creative manners, is exciting! (Slow-cooker apple butter, chilled avocado soup, radish and cucumber sandwiches are a few of the favorites…so far!) Excellent to give as a gift or for personal use, this cookbook will grace my counter frequently. Bon appetit!!

RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of The Broad Fork from Blogging For Books for my honest review*

Yogurt

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Fletcher, Janet. Yogurt: Sweet and Savory Recipes For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. USA: Ten Speed Press. 2015.

SUMMARY:
yogurtFull of delicious recipes containing yogurt in many different ways, Yogurt is a resourceful cookbook for food lovers. With information on types of yogurt, the process for making homemade yogurt, recipes for vegetables, soups, meats, salads, and beverages all using yogurt, and unique items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert with yogurt, Janet Fletcher covers all the necessary bases. Pictures accompany many of the recipes as do easy-to-follow procedures with easy-to-find ingredients.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
As a yogurt lover, I so appreciated this book with new ways to incorporate yogurt into my recipes, or even swap out mayonnaise and sour creme with the more healthy alternative. Though not difficult, the recipes resulted in appetizing outcomes. (Even the pickiest-eater in the house finished his plate of Grilled Zucchini with Yogurt Sauce, Feta, Lemon and Dill!) Definitely a cookbook that will remain on my shelf, the only thing I found missing was the  nutritional value of each recipe.  As an author, cooking instructor, and winner of three James Beard awards, Janet Fletcher created an inspiring book…well done!

RATING:
4.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Yogurt from Blogging For Books for my honest review*

The Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook

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Vienneau, Nancy. The Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook. Nashville, TN: Nelson Books. 2014.

SUMMARY:
cookbookA flavorful cookbook derived from shared community potluck recipes, The Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook combines recipes with scrumptious pictures, preparation tips, author thoughts as well as ideas for starting your own community potluck. Based on farmer’s market items, favorite shared recipes and even a few eclectic ideas of food pairings, this book focuses on seasonal fare available locally within a community. The third Thursday potlucks evolved over time as a way to meet new friends, try new foods and encourage community ties…

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
“Not your Grandmother’s potluck” sums up this book appropriately as the recipes sound enticing albeit a bit time-consuming (which may be fine when making food to share). I did actually learn a few new cooking/ food terms (Jicama, trussing) which I appreciated. The concept of a community potluck is warm and inviting if one lives in such a locale. I was able to find some very interesting new casual recipes to try from my local farmer’s market, especially new seasonal ones which I had never considered. Quite a novel cookbook, one even your Grandma would approve of!!

RATING:
4 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of The Third Thursday from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*