No comments about Antojitos: Festive and Flavorful Mexican Appetizers.

5 comments about Lucinda's Rustic Italian Kitchen.

1. Lucinda's Rustic Italian Kitchen offers simple, authentic, mouthwatering recipes paired with fantastic photography. This small book should be on every food enthusiast's book shelf.



2. It's such a pleasure to read a cookbook that gives clear, easy to follow directions, for classic recipes. Even the least adventuresome will be inspired to try dishes they'd only heard about from friends, gushing the praises of carefully guarded family recipes. After your first two wonderful successes with Lucinda's recipes, you'll want, and they'll demand, more, and even more.The ability to try new foods, is the way to embrace life in all its subtle tastes and textures. Do yourself a favor, try this wonderful book,and maybe a little dancing? Enjoy!



3. I bought this book after seeing the author on TV. The recipes are fairly simple and simply delicious!



4. We've made several recipes from this book and they were all excellent and quite easy.



5. Just try any one of these recipes and you be blown away by the simplicity and flavor. Each dish will become a favorite!Some of these recipes have been in the fault for years now Lucinda has dusted them off to share. Sharing the Love.

5 comments about Big Small Plates.

1. Cindy Pawlcyn and her colaberators have done it again. Their latest book is a gem. The recipes are approachable by all and share ingrediants you can find easily even if you don't live in produce rich Napa California. The flavors are as luxurious as Laurie Smiths photos.Cindy and team always manage to pull you in to the culture, the feeling and the way of life that the cooking conveys. Many authors publish books of their recipes but this book takes you on the journey and doesn't dissapoint. The food is great, the recipes are rock solid and you can't go wrong with this one. If you love "Mustard's" or if you were a fan of Miramonte you will love it.



2. A friend, who is a fabulous cook, recommended this book to me. I bought one for myself and one for my daughter. We both have been extremely happy with the recipes. I find that eventhouugh it is tltled "Small Plates" these recipes serve well as dinner entrees. Last night I went to my friends for dinner(the one who recommended the book),she fixed the Lamb Chops and Shrimp Cocktail with avocado. They were absolutely declicous. I would highly recommend this book.



3. I'm a cooking student and I bought this book with the idea of getting some inspiration about amuse bouche or appetizers. I had a different idea about this book and I must admit I was a bit disappointed when I got it. After I red it I change a bit my mind, but I'm still not very convinced about it. It's a nice book, good recipes, there are some nice photo as well, but I think they should include some more photos of the dishes (many of the recipes have no photos, so you can't have an idea of how it looks like) and not so many of the writer, utensils and ingredients. It's not my favorite book. I think if I would have had the chance of seeing this book before buying it, I wouldn't have bought it. I'm convinced that cooking books should be like food, they first have to "caught your eye" so then you can enjoy them.



4. I was tired of buying "pretty" cookbooks just to find out that the recipes were only average. So I checked this book out at the library and tried it out. The recipes are wonderful. Every single thing I have cooked has been outstanding...way above average. And I am by no means a good cook. Cindy's Back Street kitchen is one of my favorite restaraunts and I am always happy to bring some of their dishes into my home. My mom even went out and bought the recipe book after tasting a few of the meals I made. You won't be disappointed if you buy this book. (Also, it is a beautiful book!)



5. The book offers some nice ideas, though some recipes require locating a few items difficult to find in my small town.

2 comments about Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters.

1. It took me 1 year to find this book at it's original price - some sellers want twice as much as orig. price for book. Thanks Amazon.com for good product at proper price.



2. I am very impressed with this book. Not only do the recipes sound delicious but the book is well written with many beautiful photographs. I also like how it is divided into different types of treats for quick reference. I know I will get a lot of use out of this great cookbook!

5 comments about Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine.

1. If I had to choose only one cookbook to keep, this would be it. I can't tell you what good bread I can make with this book. It is truly wonderful. The only thing I would do to improve this book would be to add more illustrations. I love being able to make truly wonderful bread free of preservatives and corn syrup for my family.



2. It is a very nice recipe book. Got many, many recipes for your Breadmachine. Some need to be baked in the oven. Some on a pizzastone in the oven. A book I sure will keep forever.



3. When we "graduated" to our third breach machine (having worn out two others), I discovered this book almost by accident in an on-line search. I had lived for several years in Europe, and, because of my line of work, I'm actually able to return periodically. The recipes in this book, frankly, can bring the best of European bakeries right into your own kitchen. The authors are very encouraging in their approach to introducing new breads to your repertoire, and seem to strive to make challenges relatively dauntless proposals.
   
   People considering buying this book should consider a few things before purchasing. First, this book is not only recipes that you put into your machine and return to in a few hours. Yes, it has those, and they are all quite good (the whole meal bread is a perfect example and yields a loaf reminiscent of Bavaria). But to get into the heart of the approach, you need to expand your repertoire and, perhaps, the utensils you may have around your kitchen. The apple-apricot crumb kuchen is straight out of what any decent German "bäckerei" offers, and basically took us back on a return trip for only the price of the ingrediants. The chocolate-cranberry gugelhupf takes a lot of work, but I'm telling you, after one bite you'll feel like you're on the streets of Vienna (be absolutely sure you make the chocolate cinnamon butter that is in a sidebar!).
   
   Second, some of the recipes require a few days to complete, but they are worth it. I gave a loaf of the Danish Sourdough Rye to a representative of a Nordic embassy (no kidding!) and he was astounded that not only was an American knowledgeable about European-style bread, but that an American could actually bake it. This particular recipe requires some TLC and 4-5 days of advance planning to nurture the sourdough through to proper preparation. In a case like this, the authors tell you up front so that you know in advance what lies ahead.
   
   Third, there are very few illustrations that accompany the recipes. Personally, I like to have illustrations, especially when I'm making something the first time, just for some positive reinforcement that I haven't made any errors.
   
   Fourth, this book is becoming increasingly harder to find. You should therefore consider purchasing not one, but two, copies, in case you wear out the first one (no, I'm not kidding).
   
   Fifth, if the authors, Ms. Eckhardt and Ms. Butts, decide to publish an updated and/or revised edition, by all means buy a copy or two. This book dates from the mid-1990s.



4. I bought this for my daughter in law to bring back along with the shared bread machine. She said :this looks familiar----I had already given her a copy a few years ago! So I gave it to the friends who had first introduced me to it via a library copy. It looked brand new and it arrived quickly!(this review is actually by MRS. Charles Yurick )



5. Bought this book because I wanted to find good bread machine recipes, and there are plenty in here. Good, tasty, and many are really easy. My only unfulfilled wish is to find high-fiber recipes--flax, for instance, or wheat or oat bran. Nutritional values would be a plus.

5 comments about Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers (Best of the Best).

1. Quail Ridge Press has once again published a cookbook that will be dear to those who like to make party foods and appetizers for their family or friends who gather 'round them.
   
   "Best of the Best Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers" is 274 pages of recipes that are delicious, easy and quick to prepare and will have your guests asking for the recipe so they too can make it for their next party.
   
   As they usually do, QRP has placed the title of this cookbook on the plastic comb spine so it will be easy to spot on the shelf. Being comb bound it is also easy to lay flat while cooking from -- a feature cooks love.
   
   This cookbook is all about parties and there is an alphabetical listing of parties in the front, such as Bunko or Bridge Party, Father's Day Cookout, Mardi Gras Madness, Super Bowl Party, Wine-Tasting Party, just to name a few. Then there is another index of Monthly Parties with 2 menus for each month with listing of recipes and page numbers included. There is yet another index of Quick Fixes -- recipes that are super quick, as well as fast and fabulous.
   
   Some of the chapters that catch my attention are:
   
   "Wet Your Whistle"
   includes shakes, floats, smoothies, slushes, teas, punches, coolers, wines, and wassails.....WOW!
   
   "Crunchy Munchies" include recipes for crackers, chips, toasts, wafers, nuts, popcorn, and snack mixes.
   
   "Some Like It Hot" include recipes for hot dips, chafing dishes, fondues, and hot bread bowls.
   
   "Cheese, Please" includes recipes for cheese balls, squares, cubes, crisps, nachos, quesadillas and spreads. This is the section where I found a winner called "It's a Snowman Cheese Ball" and was a huge hit over the holidays when family gathered for Christmas dinner at my house. This held them over until I could get it all on the table and everyone was asking for the recipe (copied below for you).
   
   This cookbook is filled with celebration recipes as well it should be since it was published to celebrate Quail Ridge Press's 30th anniversary (1978-2008). Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley have never let us down with their BoB cookbooks and they haven't this time either.
   
   Congratulations to McKee, Moseley and Quail Ridge Press on their busy, but exciting 30 years of giving the cookbook reader what they want -- exciting, delicious, easy, quick, challenging, unusual, wonderful recipes in wonderful cookbooks.
   
   I believe it's time to celebrate and have a party and I know where we can get some more recipes like the one below:
   
   "It's A Snowman Cheese Ball"
   
   2 cups shredded 4-cheese blend
   1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
   1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
   1 (2-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted
   1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper, or to taste
   1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
   Peppercorns
   1 baby carrot
   
   Mix cheese, cream cheese, chives, almonds, and red pepper well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Divide mixture into 3 balls -- small, medium, and large. Roll in Parmesan cheese. Arrange on serving dish small to large, like a snowman lying down. Decorate with peppercorns for eyes, mouth, and buttons, and carrot for nose. A green onion skin strip around his neck makes a scarf. Surround with crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables. Serves 16-20.
   
   Reviewed by Monita Olive for CookbooksEtCetera and Amazon on January 4, 2009



2. Love this cookbook! I rely on it for ideas on what to serve for both small and large gatherings. This book is filled with wonderfully delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes. As a bonus, it features a calendar of suggested menus for holiday parties customarily celebrated in each month. Right now I'm planning a Super Bowl party and will be using at least 5 of the suggested items under the Feb. Super Bowl Party listing. Great ideas, great cookbook!



3. Spiral bound to lay flat for easy reference, Best of the Best Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers is a cookbook jam-packed with recipes perfect for all types of parties and gatherings. Four hundred recipes comprising twenty-four full party menus form the core of this incredibly useful and easy-to-follow cookbook. Best of the Best Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers is further enhanced with hundreds of hints and suggestions for enhancing its preparations, and special sections on Quick Fixes (food that can be prepared in minutes) and Fun Foods (taste treats with an amusing appearance especially sure to delight younger folk) allow for extra flexibility. Recipes range from Pecan Cheese Wafers to Porto Mushroom Fries, Gingered Shrimp Kabobs, Zucchini Stix Dippers, and much more. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to liven up their gatherings with unforgettably good snacks!



4. This book contains hundreds of good party and appetizer ideas. I love how it has pre-planned menus for baby showers, birthdays, superbowl, ect. Great recipe book for the price. The only thing I would add is color photos of some of the dishes.



5. I purchased this book a couple of months ago and was very pleasantly surprised at the variety of recipes included. I have tried several of them and have had positive comments on all I have tried. I think this is well worth the price!!

2 comments about Quick & Easy Dim Sum Appetizers and Light Meals.

1. This line of cookbooks is really nice. There is a list of ingredients to keep on hand (with explanations on unfamiliar ones). The process is given in step-by-step detail with pictures of each step. It makes trying new techniques and foods less stressful. I love the Quick and Easy cookbooks and have others for Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese recipes.



2. Excellent recipes and cooking tips! The only complaint is there is no links to purchase ingredients on line, as they are hard to find in my area.

5 comments about Fast Appetizers (Fast Books).

1. I have had the pleasure of attending Hugh's culinary cooking camp in Napa and own all of his cookbooks. There is a reason.
   Hugh's recipes are simple to prepare, always have a "wow" factor, and above all else, taste fantastic. The other important ingredient in Hugh's cookbooks is that the recipes are 100% trustworthy. This is not something that I will say for many cookbooks. His recipes are designed for the home cook and have been tested and re-tested so that you can trust the recipe.

   So stock up your pantry with hoisin, coconut milk, and yster sauce and have fun making his recipes! Some of my favourites in the book are the Pan-Fried Scallop Dumplings with Coconut -Herb Glaze, the Spicy Thai Meatballs Wrapped in Lettuce, and he Quesadillas with Barbecued Meat and Brie. All are wonderful.

   Hugh makes cooking fun and his flavours are intense and exciting. You won't be disappointed at your next dinner party!




2. I am disagreeing with most reviews, if you do not like goat cheese, don't buy this. If you have no access to buying wild mushrooms, don't buy this. If you don't like tuna, salmon or lamb, don't buy this. I was looking for a more practical appetizer book with common things I buy each week at the grocery, many recipes with goat cheese, caviar, salmon, tuna, and lamb just don't fit my lifestyle or my budget. If you like eggplant, oysters, lamb and swordfish recipes then go for it!



3. This is one of if not the best appetizer books of all time. The recipes are easy to understand and execute. It is fantastic!



4. The recipes in this book were really simple to make. My guests were wowed by my creations! I substituted certain items for others and the food still came out great. Easy, fast recipes and very tasty!



5. I've used these recipes for cocktail party after cocktail party and the majority of guests ask for the recipes each time.

5 comments about Tastefully Small -- Dessert Canapes: Bite-Size Sweets for Easy Entertaining.

1. This is a deliciously simple yet elegant dessert book made especially
   
   for the little things in life. Kim Hendrickson gives us recipes for
   
   all the tasty sweets you can think of. Fruit, classic, cookie, even
   
   bread and pastry canapés are presented in this book. There's
   
   pomegranate caviar canapés, strawberry pineapple dots, and even mini
   
   watermelon swirls! Containers for the desserts, such as stuffed figs,
   
   are given to you at the end of the book.
   
   Not only are you given recipes, but Kim also gives you tips and advice
   
   for presentation and substitutions! For example, she'll make sure you
   
   don't ruin your Melon Flowers by using fresh ginger instead of
   
   candied. You should always use powdered instead!
   
   The book also has a lovely design, not intrusive but still noticeable
   
   and quite stylish. This is the perfect book for anyone who likes the
   
   to, as Kim says, go small and tasty!



2. Tastefully Small Dessert Canapes (bite size sweets for easy entertainment) by Kim Henderson is a truly charming book that feeds the eye and stomach from one creative platter. The author's experience in teaching culinary arts and testing the products comes through with graciousness, gentle humor, simply stunning recipes, helpful hints and various ways to "change up" and personalize the blends.
   
   From refreshing mango almond lychees and frozen lemon-lime bites to rich classic truffles, hazelnut mousse and whimsical tropical berry kabobs that look like a blossoming garden, Ms. Henderson has given us a treasure trove of little yummy gifts sure to please a wide variety of people. Delicious and delightful. My rating 5 Stars



3. I love variety as much as I love sweets so this is the perfect book for me. Recipes are straightforward with many interesting and delicious tastes. The variety is wonderful as well as creative suggestions so you can personalize the recipes and presentation.
   
   This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to read more from this author.



4. Tastefully Small Dessert Canapés (Bite- Size Sweets for Easy Entertaining)
   is exactly what every hostess trying to survive the economic climate right now needs. It provides tiny doses of elegance at an affordable price. It is illustrated with pictures of absolutely gorgeous food that looks like art.
   But don't let the beauty fool you into thinking they are not edible. The frozen lemon lime bites are delicious. The toffee nut bites will make you forget your diet. The good thing is their size...they are bite sized. You can eat one and not feel guilty at all.



5. Finally! A dessert book for the home chef. Forget about fancy French pastry schools and decadent New York patisseries. You can make the desserts in "Tastefully Small: Desert Canapés" without all that professional training. Kim Hendrickson's passion for the after-dinner hors d'oeuvre shines through in this work of recipes that is sure to become a staple in many hostesses' kitchens.
   Hendrickson offers detailed instructions for her recipes so that even a novice baker can follow along. Photos of the completed desserts, though scattered throughout the book and not necessarily next to their respective recipes, offer an idea of what your finished product should look like. She artfully takes on traditional large-scale recipes like those for cheesecake, tiramisu and apple crisp and delivers a new twist in bite-sized pieces that is sure to satisfy your guests.
   As an added bonus, some of the proceeds from Hendrickson's "Tastefully Small" books will go to America's Second Harvest Network, which supports food charities all over the U.S. Isn't that sweet?

1 comments about Fried and True: Crispy and Delicious Dishes from Appetizers to Desserts.

1. OK, so all of us have steered ourselves away from fried foods & towards poached chicken breasts (skinless, of course) and steamed vegetables. How about just a little taste of good eating from the past? No one is recommending a return to deep-fried foods as an everyday meal, but the taste treats in this book are just too good to ignore!

   Rodgers' chatty writing style and well-tested recipes combine to provide accurate and easy-to-follow instructions. Since working with a deep fryer is something that many us have not done in years (if EVER!), he provides detailed background info on the types of equipment available, different varieties of oil & shortenings, and many good tips to avoid excess greasiness and off-tastes in cooked foods. Appetizers, entrees, and desserts are all covered, with great photos of completed items.

   Some of the recipes are incredibly simple, such as the Cornish game hens (hens, oil, lemon, salt, pepper) and can be prepared in under 15 minutes. Others are a little more involved, but well worth it (the apple fritters, with just a light dusting of powdered sugar, are fantastic). There's even a foolproof recipe for doughnuts with a cider glaze--great for weekend mornings!

   I have to say it again--I'm not going to be cooking deep fried foods every day, but when I want to prepare something just a little bit special, this is a book that I will turn to time after time.