5 comments about Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses.

1. Easy to follow directions, lots of recipes that a busy person can do too. Love the Muenster recipe!



2. This book was recommend in a class I took on cheesemaking at Whole Foods. It's a great reference. I haven't made anything yet but it seems easy to follow and not too complicated.



3. This book is easy to read and follow. I definitely won't be making all these cheeses but there are basic favorites.



4. As a novice at making cheese this book has given me the confidence I needed to give it a try. My daughter and I had a wonderful Saturday afternoon making Mozerella and Ricotta cheeses. The book is great.



5. Thank you for your quick shipment. Book is in great shape, as you stated.

5 comments about Italian Grill.

1. I am cooking my way through this book. So far everything I've made has turned out perfectly. Mario knows how to construct a recipie that lets the food shine through. Recommend this highly to everyone who wants a solid go-to reference to making excellent food.



2. I love this book! Some really delicious summer fare. Be sure to try the scallops recipe! Most recipes are fairly easy and interesting. My only complaint is that Mario uses some ingredients that are not in my cupboard, and some not even found in my rural area. Am looking forward to trying more recipes.



3. This cookbook has so much to offer! I gave it my father as a gift and every time I go home now he has something new to cook out of it and it gets more and more delicious ! I know the cookbook will satisfy even the beginner cook!



4. We saw this cookbook at a friends house and had to have a copy. Since we're living in our RV while we're constructing our house, the grill has become crucial. The recipes are interesting and well detailed. The stone cooking method (Piastra) has given me a whole new dimension with the grill. Also, this is the only cookbook that I've seen that gives a specific recipe for King Mackeral, which is readily available here. The photography is superb. We're very pleased with this purchase!



5. Easy but very tasty recipes. It's made my summer grilling a favorite with my friends.

5 comments about The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories.

1. I've been watching my weight for years - watching it go up, and up, and up. Until I found this book and it's companion, The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan, I was bogged down by a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Now - not so much. It didn't turn me into a food saint overnight, but it made me look at what I was eating and choose better ways to pack everything I really liked in 1800 calories a day. I started doing that, and I started losing weight immediately. This eating plan (hate saying the word "die-it") really works, and kids, if it works for me - the self-pitying fat lady - it'll work for you. It's got great recipes and sound medical research to back up the premise. It's not flashy or glitzy. She's not trying to sell supplements or miracle cures. She just tells you how to feel full on fewer calories. There's nothing revolutionary about the science, just the presentation. If you want to lose weight permanently - this is the books, kids. You'll feel full, eat all those things you love, and lose weight. Honest!



2. The Volumetrics Eating Plan is not a short-term diet book, but provides recipes and ideas on how to eat for the long term. It shows you how to eat fewer calories by making what you eat less calorie dense. It does this by focusing on foods with high water and fiber content. The Volumetrics approach emphasizes foods with a low "energy density," (calories) that are high in water content such as fruits, vegetables, and soups. The idea is that low-calorie, high-water, high-fiber foods generally make you feel full faster so you consume fewer calories overall. The author's research shows that by emphasizing these high-water content, low-calorie-dense foods, a person feels satisfied on many fewer calories per day.
   
   The diet is balanced in terms of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and does not eliminate food groups. The author divides foods into 4 categories based on whether a food has less, equal, or more calories per serving than its weight in grams. Category 1 foods should be emphasized and Category 4 foods should be eaten in small quantities. Category 1 foods include such foods as non-starchy fruits and veggies, nonfat milk, and broth-based soups; Category 2 foods include starchy fruits and veggies, grains, cereals, beans, legumes, and low-fat meats; Category 3 foods include meats, cheeses, pizzas, French fries, breads, cakes, and ice cream; and Category 4 foods include crackers, chips, candies, cookies, butter, nuts, and oils. The Volumetrics eating plan allows you to eat your favorite foods occasionally so that you don't feel too deprived and go off the program.
   
   Included in the book are menu planners and 125 recipes with color photographs. The book also provides worksheets for tracking your food intake and weight. Examples of recipes include: Baked Berry French Toast, Vegetable Party Platter, Sesame Mushroom Kebobs, Corn and Tomato Chowder, Minestrone Soup, Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Wraps, Charlie's Greek Salad, Tangy Cole Slaw, Tabbouleh, Balsamic Dressing, Minted Broccoli, Ratatouille, Tofu Pad Thai, Nouveau Lamb Stew, Shrimp Creole, Chicken Parmesan, Risotto Primavera, The Aristotle Pizza, and Maple Crème Caramel.
   
   The content of the book includes:
   1. Welcome to Volumetrics
   2. Your Personal Weight Management Plan
   3. Breakfast
   4. Appetizers, Starters, and Snacks
   5. Soups
   6. Sandwiches and Wraps
   7. Salads and Salad Dressings
   8. Vegetables and Vegetarian Dishes
   9. Meats
   10. Fish and Shellfish
   11. Poultry
   12. Beans, Rice, and Grains
   13. Pasta and Pizza
   14. Desserts and Fruit
   15. Your Personal Eating Plan
   
   Barbara Rolls is a professor and nutritionist who worked with the National Institutes of Health, and is well qualified to write this book. The menu is structured and could be time-consuming, yet this should be a good plan for slow and steady weight reduction if you are motivated to put the time into it. It is based on emphasizing low-calorie, high-fiber, high-water-content foods in order to slowly reduce your caloric intake and allow you to lose weight and keep it off. I also recommend a companion book, THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams



3. I ordered this book from Amazon, and since I start read it I just loved it. I have tried some other diet plan, mainly are South Beach and Artkins. They worked on me, I lost 15 pounds, but I do not think I can continue to do that. I can not eat fruit and my body felt very very tired, and I was in bad mood. I use this volumetrics Eating Plan, I lost weight, the most important is I feel very good and very comfortable. I can eat a lot fruit and every day I feel very satisfied, and I still lose weight. I am doing very good and I feel I can follow this plan for life. The book says this is not a quick fix but a life style change. I really agree. I feel so good so I invite you to try.



4. I am finding this book difficult to read. I am sure the information is useful, but I find myself struggling to get through it. Having read several healh-fitness-diet related books, this one was disappointing.



5. This is an excellent book. Everyone should have this book!
   Since I was never taught how to eat healthy and properly as a child, this has given me the tools so I can now eat healthy, feel full and not deprive myself of foods that I like that aren't the greatest for me.
   
   I made my kids read the book too, since I never taught them how to eat properly either.
   
   I like the pictures that compare the volume of foods and ask you.............which one would you rather eat..........the full plate with the proper seasonings or the small plate prepared the way that we are all used to!

5 comments about Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share (Martha Stewart Living Magazine).

1. Book is a great "read" - interesting - recipe for crispy choc. chip and soft choc.chip cookies. Made the cover recipe - and loved the taste.
   I like how Martha - makes it appear that one can make the cookies by hand...yeah right.
   
   Anyway - great book and a fun one too.



2. Aside from very good recipes, I particularly like a section in the front where you'll find a photo of each cookie. They are listed by type, i.e. cripy, chewy, etc. It makes it very easy to select a recipe by texture or ingredients. My only regret is that the book is not hardcover, my personal preference for all cookbooks.



3. I've tried out many cookie recipes over the years, and this is hands down the best cookie recipe book I've ever seen.
   
   This book has 175 cookie recipes, ranging from the exotic and beautiful to the old fashioned cookies grandma made. What makes this book really stand out is how simplistic it is. Every cookie is photographed so beautifully you can almost taste it.
   
   When my daughter saw Martha Stewart's Cookies she gasped and ran off to her room with it to read and bookmark every recipe she wanted to try. Next my husband caught sight of the book, and well, you can guess who had a big list of cookies to bake!
   
   My two favorites in this book are the Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts which is really simple to make with only 6 ingredients. I also love the Lime Meltaways.
   
   This cookbook generally calls for very simple basic ingredients and is broken down into chapters by texture, such as light and delicate, soft and chewy, and rich and dense. At the beginning of the book is an 11 page spread showing each and every cookie by name, which is so useful when you want to quickly locate a particular cookie.
   
   If you are looking for classic cookie recipes made the old fashioned way from simple ingredients, I highly recommend this cookie book. Dieters and those looking for low sugar, low carb, or low fat, will have to look elsewhere.



4. As an Australian, it is often hard to convert US recipes to our metric system, and have them turn out okay. This was not a problem with Cookies, by Martha Stewart.
   I was surprised at the ease of availability of the ingrediants listed in most of the recipes here in Australia. Everything I have baked has turned out perfectly first time - A very rare and surprising occurance at my house, let me assure you!
   Overall, this is a bargain book and worth having, even if you only like to look at the pretty pictures, of which this book has many. Buy it, you will not regret it!



5. Okay, let me start by saying that I am far from being a Martha Stewart fan. I try to avoid anything associated with her.
   
   That being said, I fell in love with this cookbook the minute I picked it up. My Mom happens to like Martha and had the cookbook sitting out.
   
   The book offers a picture for every cookie recipe in the book and who doesn't like pictures. It is well organized into sections by type of cookie. The recipes are clear and concise and very easy to follow.
   
   I've only had a chance to make one cookie recipe so far, but I am looking forward to making several more!

5 comments about The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook: Great-Tasting Recipes That Keep You Lean.

1. I found this book to be a bit boring. The two recipes I made from it turned out okay, but my biggest complaint is that you need to shop at a large grocery store for some of the ingredients. I live in the midwest where tofu is pricey and some of the other ingredients can't be found at our local grocery. I think the book is geared toward people living "green"in large cities. I also got tired of the high expectation that you can't even cheat at the holidays. Give me a break!



2. Great, full color book. Lots of great facts to understand why it's important to eat clean.



3. The Eat-Clean Diet: Fast Fat-Loss that lasts Forever!
   
   Great inspiration for eating clean & healthy. A great motivation tool & good recipes too. Reading this will make you look at food in a whole new way.
   
   highly recommended.



4. Great book. Tons of great healthy recipes that taste amazing! Highly recommended. Very easy to make, and most, if not all, made from fresh foods and vegetables. Love it!



5. My family and I have really enjoyed trying the recipes in this book. It doesn't seem to be much of a diet book, but more of a great cookbook that sends you in the right direction to eat right with lots of flavor. Yum!!

5 comments about The Biggest Loser Cookbook: More Than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes Adapted from NBC's Hit Show.

1. I like the real life approach to these recipes. They rarely get mired down in tons of ingredients and spices. They are simple and the ones I've tried are tasty.



2. I flipped through this about 5 times, and only about 2 or 3 recipes looked good to me, and I'm not a picky eater--believe me! Stick with Weight Watchers cookbooks, they're way better!



3. This book if far more that I expected it to be, far more than a cook book! It has so much information before you ever get to the recipes it is amazing. It is an overview of how the system works for Biggest Loser. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to adopt a healthier lifestyle!



4. 
   
   6/23/2008
   
   THE BIGGEST LOSER COOKBOOK
   More than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes
   Adapted from NBC'S Hit Show
   
   By Chef Devin Alexander, et al
   
   (picture jacket here)
   
   A review by Marty Martindale
   
   The whole Biggest Loser concept is good, it seems, for these times, in that they have dealt with not only the food and its recipes, but a pyramid, general instruction for good sense and several graded workouts with Bob Harper and students on CD. This is a good program for these times when weight seems a problem for too many.
   
   The Biggest Loser Diet is "calorie-controlled, carbohydrate-modified, fat-reduced and high in protein (which controls hunger.)" They want you to eat three meals and two snacks each day. "The 4-3-2-1 Biggest Loser Pyramid" is four tiers, the base, or largest is fresh fruits and vegetables, the next level is protein foods, seafood, cheese, beans, fish and yogurt. The second from the top level is whole grains, your breads, cereals and wheat pasta. The top level, or "The Extras" are sweets with a 200 calorie daily limit. They have an equation for your calorie quota: if you weigh between 150 and 300, multiply your weight by seven, and this is the number of calories you should keep your maximum to. Some simple pointers: No white potatoes, limit amount of starchy vegetables such as pumpkin, winter squash, sweet potatoes and yams. Avoid dry fruits. Choose whole fruits over juices. Vary your proteins and limit red meat servings to two a week. Avoid processed cold cuts. There's a few more guidelines, but nothing too restrictive, really common sense.
   
   They divide the recipe section into Breakfasts, Hearty Snacks, Sandwiches-Soups-Stews, Sides & Salads, Main Courses and Sweet Snacks. Here's some examples:
   
   MANGO STRAWBERRY BREAKFAST SUNDAE: Calls for orange juice, ice cubes, honey and high-fiber, low-sugar cereal
   
   SUNRISE OATMEAL: Orange juice, oats, blueberries, water and orange extract
   
   BRIAN'S BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE: Green bell pepper, onion, tomato, egg whites, and Cheddar cheese
   
   COCKTAIL-HOUR TUNA TARTARE: Mango, cucumber, lime juice, cilantro, green onions and sesame oil
   
   JESSICA'S "THE RANCH" BLT WRAP: Turkey bacon, wheat tortilla, Galeo's Miso Caesar Dressing, lettuce and tomato
   
   PB & J SPIRALS: Wheat flour tortilla, peanut butter and strawberry all-fruit spread
   
   PAM'S COTTAGE CHEESE MARINARA: Cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and spaghetti sauce
   
   JEN'S ASPARAGUS GUACAMOLE: Add sour cream, guacamole seasoning mix and tomato.
   
   INDIAN CHICKEN SALAD POCKETS: Mayonnaise, lime juice, curry paste, cucumber, red onion, wheat pita and lettuce
   
   MATT'S GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH: Rye bread, Cheddar cheese and oil spray
   
   PARMESAN-PEPPER SWEET POTATO FRIES: Olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and ketchup, if desired.
   
   DANA'S SPINACH AND FETA BROWN RICE: Onion, garlic and feta cheese.
   
   PARMESAN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER: Parsley, garlic powder and olive oil
   
   FRESH AND COLORFUL JICAMA SLAW: Cucumber, carrots, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and red pepper flakes
   
   BROCCOLI SALAD WITH SWEET VINAIGRETTE: Orange juice, plain yogurt, mustard, orange marmalade and red onion
   
   HOT AND COLD BROWN-RICE SALAD: Chicken, broccoli florets, bell pepper, red onion, Italian dressing, and balsamic vinegar
   
   DARI'S PICANTE CHICKEN: Picante sauce, cream cheese and Cheddar cheese
   
   HEATHER'S MEXICAN ROLLUP: Ground turkey, extra-lean, wheat tortilla, sour cream, romaine, tomato and salsa
   
   ANGEL HAIR WITH ROCKIN' RED CLAM SAUCE: Onion, garlic, baby clams, tomatoes, oregano, olive oil, red-pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese
   
   ICED BUFFED MOCHA: Powdered coffee, chocolate soy milk, vanilla yogurt, Splenda, fat-free whipped topping and cocoa powder
   
   RASAH AND EDWIN'S WARM GRAPEFRUIT DESSERT: Add ground cinnamon and bake.
   
   TIFFANY'S CANDIED ALMONDS: Butter spray, almonds, cinnamon and Splenda
   
   In a world where too many are jeopardizing their health by carrying too much weight, the whole Biggest Loser program, the exercises, advice and recipies are well worth considering.
   
   You can reach Marty Martindale at Food Site of the Day.
   
   Special interests: Healthy Living



5. I haven't really tried many recepies in this cookbook. I'm a really picky eater so this cookbook doesn't really help me. But I stil thought some of the recepies had some really good ideas.

5 comments about The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less (The South Beach Diet).

1. The recipes require few ingredients and really are easy. The book is well organized. The desserts look delicious.



2. The used book was in good condition, but smelled like cigarette smoke. It might be important for the seller to let potential buyers know this. I am not a smoker and it is not pleasant. I have since aired it and can use it for short periods of time.



3. This cookbook has so many great recipes and they are so quick and easy. Makes losing weight a breeze and very satisfying. You will be eating something different every day for months and loving it all.



4. I enjoy some of the recipes in this book, however I am finding a problem with it. I am one person living alone and so many of the recipes are for 4 or 6 people. The recipes that I have made of the larger portions are certainly tasty and that is the problem, there is so much food and it tastes good, so I overeat and that negates any good that I am doing. I do wish they would put out a cookbook for the many who are living alone or as a couple who want to help themselves and become healthier without so much food being prepared. Some of you may think, well just halve the recipes but I am not a good cook and often I find it just does not taste the same. Please a cookbook for one or two servings in a lie flat book format with bigger print size would be wonderful.



5. Great recipes! Easy diet! The first two weeks are the hardest and I really felt tired in the afternoons, I love bread and sweets, but if you can get past those first two weeks then you have it made.

5 comments about The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution.

1. I heard about this book in our local newspaper. I don't usually read cook books, but this one is really interesting and readable like a good novel. She describes many ways to use natural ingredients. I haven't cooked with this book yet, but it is good reading.



2. I think the average cookbook reader/cook has really moved beyond these very basic techniques and recipes. It might be a better purchase for someone just starting out. None of the recipes moved me to try them--indeed, it felt as if I'd already done some variation on most of them.



3. I really enjoyed Chez Panisse Fruit. So much so that I have asked my husband for it for my birthday. When I came across this book at the library, I got it out in high anticipation. Having read the reviews and having been so happy with the Fruit book, I can barely describe how disappointing this book is. First of all, Alice really needs to stop being so damn self congratulatory. I should have taken the title "Recipes from a Delicious Revolution" more seriously and realized that mostly the chatty comments are her saying how great she and her restaurant is.
   
   Am I wrong here or is local food pretty much what everyone ate before refrigerated trucks. So Basically she went back to cooking the way people cooked prior to WWII. Congratulations, how innovative.
   
   The book lacks the charm of her Fruit book. There are only small paragraphs at the beginning of each section and not enough comments. I really liked how she would talk about the different fruit or the different recipe. I wish she had done that with this book.
   
   Also, the lack of pictures is also a major pet peeve for me. I didn't try any of the recipes. They just didn't inspire me. You want a good book on how to cook food simply, get something by the folks at Cook's Illustrated.



4. Alice Waters combines her famed cooking skills with the ability to write clearly for both beginning and more advanced cooks. The organization of each chapter and the sample dishes to prepare will enable you to gain skill and confidence in your cooking ability. Her book gave me the confidence to try something new on guests - without fear of failure.



5. I flipped through the pages of this cookbook 3 or 4 times at the bookstore before I was even interested in cooking from it. When you browse the book, it looks so boring--all these recipes that you've cooked already, though not Alice Waters' version. But once I tried a few recipes, I was hooked. These are simple little gems, many of them easy, but they are so well thought-out and perfectly balanced in their flavors. It's really a foundational book for the Chez Panisse style of cooking.
   
   This is not a chatty, entertaining book. You have to sit with it and read slowly to imagine how the recipes will turn out. But if you do, you'll probably notice how Alice Waters has given most of these standard recipes a new twist--her take on a classic recipe, or an old favorite recipe. When I did this, that's when I remembered that before Waters became famous for her politics of sustainable, organic food, she caught the world's attention with her great food.
   
   And I mean great food. When I made the Linguine with Clams, that old warhorse, it was the best version of this dish I had ever tasted. And how many cornbread recipes have I made in my life? Waters' version may be the best I've ever tried. A dull sounding recipe, like Baked Sliced Onions, was a revelation. The onions cooked up chewy and sweet, so delicious. And when I made her ridiculously simple recipe for Marinated Beet Salad, I wondered why anyone would want to eat beets any other way. So far I've cooked over 20 recipes from this book, and I've been pleased with all of them.
   
   As with all Chez Panisse recipes, the quality of the ingredients is key. You'll have to invest in excellent meat and produce, plus the accoutrements of high-quality olive oil, fresh herbs and spices, and the like. Because many recipes are so pared down and simple, every ingredient matters--you taste it all.
   
   Before I bought my book on Amazon, I borrowed the book from my public library, xeroxed a couple recipes, and cooked them. I recommend doing this if you can, because this book will not appeal to everyone. Some people will think it's too easy (the recipes are DECEPTIVELY simple.) But I think the book is remarkable. For a home cook, this cookbook is probably Alice Waters' best ever.

5 comments about Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables.

1. This is exactly what we were looking for so we could build a root cellar and it also gives creative ways to use space you already have. Recipes are included in the back also. If you want to make your garden last through the winter read this book.



2. I build a root cellar before purchasing this book. In hind sight I probably should have done it the other way around. Anyway, this book gives all the in's and out's about root cellaring, and has been most helpful to me. Since I've read the book I have improved the ventilation in my root cellar. And it has learned me that I should have more than one. There seems to be no easy solution for storing everything together, it's always going to be a compromise. Temperature fluctuations, humidity, combinations of fruits and vegetables that don't like each other, it's a more complex matter then I like it to be. This book gives answers to most questions, and is very good at giving you alternatives when you either don't have the space, the right environment, or the money to get to an optimal situation. Even in less then ideal conditions you can do a lot in terms of storage, and the book is very good to point you in different directions. There is only one topic that I miss in this book. How to create a root cellar when you live in an area with a high ground water table. Not all of us live on hill sides or high in the mountains. In low lying areas you can't just dig and forget about groundwater. It would have been helpfull with a chapter dedicated to this situation. Otherwise, if you want to store fruits and vegetables, highly recommended.



3. Well researched and considered. Thorough, yet practical and attainable. I appreciated learning about all the different types of root cellars and how to build them. Previous to reading this book, a root cellar to me was and expensive underground project with stairs and cement walls and electricity. Until I can afford that we can inexpensively create/build/dig the other options.



4. Excellent product, I am really enjoying this book! Also very prompt postage and arrived in good condition



5. Lots of alternatives to canning and freezing. A very interesting read while you dream of your very own root cellar!

5 comments about The South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook (The South Beach Diet).

1. Lots of yummy recipes for those hot summer days when you don't feel like cooking. Definately will keep me on track for the summer.



2. I have tried about 6 recipes in this book. So far, everything has been well received by my family. The recipes are easy to prepare and are wonderfully refreshing during these warm summer days.



3. Great receipes- so good I can serve them to my family and friends and they never know they are eaing healthy. It's not your typical diet plan- it is a way to improve and incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle.
   
   I serve these receipes and no one would ever think they were diet receipes.



4. The recipes in this book are awesome (& you don't have to limit them to just summertime)! Meals are so flavorful & there's enough variety to satisfy any mood or pallette. I'm not very creative so tend to get in a rut with my meals, eating the same few things over & over, so it was fun to break out of that rut & be adventurous. So far I've found the recipes to be easy to follow & I've amazed myself that I was able to put together things that were so delicious! (Wow, that came out of MY kitchen?!) Friends & family are quite impressed! Even the salad dressings were so good! I was just going to use something bottled but thought I'd try one & it was so easy to make so now I use freshly made almost exclusively. My only complaint is that I've found a few of the ingredients difficult to find (my supermarket doesn't carry jicama, for example), but these recipes sure do make it easy & pleasurable to incorporate fresh, healthy meals into your life.



5. Four years ago we did the South Beach diet. I lost 30 pounds which I have been able to keep off for these four years. My wife did't do quite as well, but she has always felt better and had fewer incidents of acid stomach using these recipes. We constantly return to the diet because we feel better, but one of the problems of the early diet was the lack of nice and easy recipes. The first week of the diet is a chanllenge to the cook. These recipes are actually good and make the diet easier. We use them freqeuntly with guests and are asked to share the recipe. Basically they help us stay within the parameters of healthy eating advocated by the South Beach diet. We recommend this cook book whether or not you are on the diet.