5 comments about Pop It in the Toaster Oven: From Entrees to Desserts, More Than 250 Delectable, Healthy, and Convenient Recipes.

1. This cookbook is great. So far all the recipes have turned out really good and were easy to make.
   The only problem I have had is trying to figure out how the oven rack should be placed for each
   recipe so it cooks properly. So far I have figured it out mostly but it would be easier if the recipes
   suggested the best oven rack position for cooking. The toaster oven experience is very new for
   me and my family and we never owned one growing up so I am a new user and could use all the
   help I can get. I love the little tips and suggestions in the book too. I purchased this with my
   toaster oven b/c of all the great reviews. I am so glad I got it. It is wonderful.



2. The breakfast section of this book is inspiring. The downside is no pictures in this book at all.



3. We could not find a cook book for a toaster oven in the local Montgomery area. I went online and found this great cook book. It provides great recipe's that you will love.



4. I am so glad I bought this. This summer it is going to be great, I won't have to start up the oven and heat the whole house to cook something. The kids love it, makes mini pizzas in a hurry and I don't scream because the house is getting to hot from the oven. Wonderful to use on most day items anything that cooks for 30 minutes or less. And it helped lower the house gaas bill because of not turning on the oven. Great idea



5. I bought my first toaster oven, figuring that I needed to learn the basics. Lots of people who bought the Cuisinart oven bought this book.
   
   It didn't tell me anything I didn't know about the device, and was mostly inane recipes combining ingredients that would occur to any modestly talented pre-teen junior chef.
   
   Possibly the worst cookbook I've ever read; certainly -- by far -- the worst I ever purchased. I can't imagine this would be of use to 1 in 20 people.

5 comments about Stevia: Naturally Sweet Recipes for Desserts, Drinks, and More.

1. Her recipes are great. Biggest challenge is remembering that a "little bit will do ya" for this natural sweetener.



2. This is a great book if you are into cooking naturally and are wanting to start cooking with stevia!



3. wow!! Awesome book. Great practical recipes.Everything I have tried so far has been wonderful . Would recommend this book.



4. After realizing my addiction to cakes, cookies, brownies, and basically anything baked with sugar I knew I had to find a better way to eat my sweets without the sugar that was killing my pancreas and about to cause me diabetes.
   
   When I was originally looking for a Stevia cookbook I first searched for "Stevia Cookbook" on Amazon and got a list of the few that exist. I then went to my local library and put them all on hold so I could read them and decide which one I wanted to buy. Stevia by Rita DePuydt was the winner and has been my go to dessert book for about a year now.
   
   Of all the Stevia cookbooks I chose this one because all the recipes are designed to be healthy and the ingredients have some healing properties. Other Stevia books simply replaced all or half of the evil refined sugar with stevia while leaving all the fat and refined flours in the recipe.
   
   Not in DePuydt's book! None of her recipes have sugar and they are all easily adaptable for people who prefer to be vegan, gluten-free, or dairy free. She replaces fat with apple butter/applesauce and she uses arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch. You'll see ingredients not found in conventional dessert books like tofu, agar-agar, date sugar, carob powder, brown rice flour, and soy flour. She also lists added sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey and molasses as optional. This book also differs from others of its kind because in the beginning it gives you the history and health benefits of Stevia. It tells you how to grow it, buy it, store it, and use it. The back of the book tells you how to use Stevia in place of sugar in your other cookbooks, substitutions for common ingredients, and measurements. You'll get food preparation tips, a shopping list, and a list of sources as to where to buy Stevia.
   
   Here are some tips you'll need to know about using this book:
   
   Be aware there is a learning curve in this book. I found that in the beginning I had to learn how to cook without sugar and how to properly combine and use ingredients I had never heard of.
   Everything I've made with Stevia tastes better the next day so don't worry if the batter has a weird aftertaste since it goes away after a day in the fridge.
   Consume desserts within 2-3 days because after that you will start tasting the aftertaste of Stevia. If you cant eat it in 3 days freeze it to keep it fresh.
   Don't see using new ingredients as a hassle see it as a learning experience. Its worth it to keep that killer sugar of your body and besides, I came to love the tastes of these so called new ingredients more than the conventional ones. I can never go back!
   You can be proud of yourself for using this book. You just cut your calories in half, your carbs by at least 1/3, and added protein and fiber to your diet. Also the desserts are so light you don't feel sick after eating them.



5. The recipes I've tried so far are very good. There is a lot of instructive information at the beginning of the book and in the appendices, but I don't know that I'll put much of that to use. You'll be able to do most of the recipes with powdered stevia extract, but quite a number of the recipes also call for other kinds of stevia extract. Additionally, some recipes call for honey or maple syrup, so it's not a cookbook that is 100% sugar free, but close. I'm disappointed that the recipes don't have pictures. I should've looked for that in the product descriptions while I was shopping.

No comments about Whoopie Pies (Cookery).

5 comments about Betty Crocker Just Cupcakes: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook (Betty Crocker Books).

1. Anyone who has kids or just loves a party should have this book. Wonderful pictures and cupcake ideas.



2. Like because recipes are with boxed mixes and also gives you homemade batter recipes. Easy to follow and creative. Simple enough designs to do at home. Most recipes are for 24 cupcakes. Could have included or shown how to scale down to 12 because just cutting recipe in half doesn't always work.



3. More like a Cake doctor book, to many cake mix recipes....but full of great decorating itea.



4. I don't like using box cake mixes for anything so I was extremely disappointed in how many recipes used them. Granted, perhaps I should have guessed because the cookbook was from Betty Crocker ... but they make many items. There are some things I can make using this cookbook but there are so many good cupcake books out there now, this is probably not the one I would grab first. If you like it easy and fast and out of a box, then you'll enjoy this one. I didn't.



5. I was hoping to see more decorations on cupcakes. But this is more like a cookbook with cake mix. There's still some good idea in there, but nothing new.

5 comments about Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops.

1. Being a big fan of Dorie Greenspan, I bought the book with great expectations. Dorie managed to tell great stories of these Parisian pastry creations at the same time tell her readers how to recreate those experiences.
   
   As usual, the recipes are very detailed with step by step instructions, with pointers following each recipe to make it more unique. I tried many of them, and I'm definitely happy with the end results.
   
   I only wish that there are pictures in the book, helping readers to envision how the end results would be. It'll also help giving pointers on judging whether the results are favorable. I mean, if I had not tasted a Madeleine in my entire life, how can I tell the difference between the real ones with a hump, and those flat ones from Starbucks?



2. This book was such an addictingly delightful read that I couldn't put it down! I read it from cover to cover within an evening. As other reviewers mentioned, this is an unusual cookbook in that it doesn't have photographs at all! In addition, interspersed within the recipes are anecdotes of the author's experience when she explored the various Parisian patisseries. The recipes are sumptuous and as you can imagine of any authentic Parisian pastries, a tad involved. Nevertheless, there are also the relatively simple and delicious ones, such as irresistible Madeleines and crunchy little cookies (Croques).
   
   My favorite part of the book is the little tidbits about how Dorie Greenspan managed to get the different patissiers to part with some of their signature recipes. I also like the hand illustrations of Paris and the patisseries. The drawings are reminiscent of the illustrations by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's books. This book will also double as a Parisian guide for gourmands and dessert enthusiasts! Overall, this is an enjoyable, delightful read!



3. Fantastic book...not tried the receipes yet but tons of interesting thing...can follow the paris trail!



4. This is an amazing book... if you're french or miss the pastries and desserts from your last trip to Paris.. invest in this book... ! You can recreate the eclairs and financiers that you've been missing and dreaming about!!!



5. Book arrived in NEW condition.
   Items presented in book are clear and traditional with good detail.
   
   I really like the book.
   I especially enjoy the stories relating the collection process of the recipies and history of the places they came from.

5 comments about Brownie Mix Bliss: More Than 175 Very Chocolate Recipes for Brownies, Bars, Cookies and Other Decadent Desserts Made with Boxed Brownie Mix.

1. I received this book about 5 months ago and since have made about 15 of the recipes in the book. I don't normally write reviews, but I love this book so much I had to go back 5 months later and leave a review. The recipes all start with a box of brownie mix and add extras to create delicious, sinfully decadent desserts that look like they were made from scratch. No one would ever believe that these desserts started with brownie mix, and I'm not going to tell them! Some of my favorites- chocolate-covered cherry brownies, mint frosted brownies, cappuchino brownies, brownie truffles, brownie-bottom fudge cheesecake and so many others. I have actually used the recipe for Almond Fudge Brownies 4 times due to popular demand: several of my coworkers were so impressed they commissioned me to make them for their children's birthday parties! Every recipe is easy to follow and would be useful for anyone from expert baker to people that have only baked using box cake and brownie mixes. In just 5 months my book is well creased and stained with chocolate smudges because it is my go-to book whenever I need to make something for a special occasion. Besides great brownie recipes, it includes many, many recipes for desserts that you would never think of using brownie mix to make (ex: chocolate, chocolate, chocolate-chip cheesecake bars). It is definitely a multi-purpose book and I couldn't be more pleased with my purchase. It is worth every penny for all the smiles it has brought to my family and coworkers. :)



2. Get this cookbook for the Almond Fudge Brownies recipe! I brought a batch to work and a couple of the guys ate 5 or 6 EACH. Three weeks later they're still talking about them. Camilla makes you look like a genius baker and the recipes are so simple. Can't believe how many variations the author came up with. Can't wait to try more. I hit a homerun with my first selection.



3. This is a wonderful book with all sorts of good ideas for doctoring up a brownie box mix. My favorites thus far are the Cookies-n-cream brownies, Jim & Anna's Dark Rum Brownies, White Chocolate Brown Sugar Meringue Bars. I had never even heard of browned butter when I tried the Browned Butter Cashew Brownies. These are divine. The first time I made them I followed the recipe exactly. The second time I made them I used raw, then roasted cashews and salted butter, and the flavor was so much better. I can't wait to try all the other recipes. Aside from the recipes, the print is easily readable, the ingredient listed in bold text make them stand out, and the book was printed in North America. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a chocolate sweet tooth.



4. Super easy recipes, showing how to spice up a standard boxed brownie mix. saves time and ingredients but doesn't skimp on taste!



5. I think this book is a good book, I tried a recipe from it and it turned out good. Im looking forward to trying more recipes. I gave it four stars because there is no pictures what so ever in this book. I love having pictures in my cookbooks to get an idea of what im doing. Even though these recipes are simple I would still love to have pictures in it to look at. Im not asking for a picture for every recipe, but at least some pictures throughout the book. Also, I dont like the type of paper used in this book, as it is a cookbook not just any book.

5 comments about Cupcakes: Luscious bakeshop favorites from your home kitchen.

1. This is a very lovely book, with great recipes and beautiful pictures. I am very happy that I bought this book.



2. I've been looking for some new cupcake recipes and these look fabulous. This was a Christmas gift and I'm already planning on trying the Mocha, Crumbcake, Tangerine, Lime Meringue, Hazelnut-Brown Butter and Black Forest cupcakes in the very near future. In addition to great looking recipes, there are also some nice decorating techniques for professional and pretty looking cupcakes. I can't wait to start baking!



3. The variety of recipes in this book made me choose it over some other cupcake cookbooks -- and I'm glad I made that decision. So far I've made four cupcakes and three of the frostings and I'm happy with the results. The cupcakes all turned out so moist and delicious. And the frostings were the perfect match.
   
   The buttercream is a meringue style and I've had the best results with it of any of the similar buttercream recipes I've tried. I think my husband would love it if I just used the Gooey Chocolate Glaze on every cupcake I made, but there are too many others to try still.
   
   I can definitely see using this as my go-to cupcake cookbook!



4. I received this book as a gift. I have tried 3 recipes so far and am not terribly impressed. The frosting is VERY good. The cupcakes themselves, however, just don't quite measure up. All of the cupcakes I've made have been a little too dense and not the soft texture that one usually likes in a cake. I'd say they're a touch on the dry side, though not terribly so; just a little too dense and heavy. The flavors, however, have been quite good. I am not a beginner baker, and have made lots of great cake recipes from other books, and since it's the same problem each time, I have to fault the book. If it weren't for the fact that I bake a lot and have therefore made a lot of superior cakes, I would probably be satisfied with this book due to it's many good points, but the recipes just don't measure up as written.



5. I have made the vanilla and chocolate cupcakes from this book, and both were outstanding! The recipes are very precise and turn out beautifully. (I completely disagree with the reviewers who called the cupcakes dry.) I can't wait to try some of the other varieties, like chai & honey cupcakes. This book is loaded with sophisticated ideas and flavors, plus loads of gorgeous photographs. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Frozen Desserts.

1. If you are a pastry chef, or an aspiring pastry chef, you need to buy this book in order to increase your knowledge!!!



2. The author is a desert specialist from the Culinary Institute of America, and presents readers with top chef quality recipes. The book is actually aimed at fellow professional chefs, and serious amateurs, since the recipes are all in restaurant proportions. So you will need your calculator or good simple math skills to divide the ingredients proportions to make the ice cream and other wonderful deserts in home kitchen proportions. Just as a table book, the book is worth buying. The photography is simply beautiful. Yet, I wish the author had made an attempt to supply home kitchen proportions alongside the restaurant proportions. In a future edition of this book, the author should consider dual proportions table for ingredients. It's a must buy anyway for anyone serious about gourmet deserts.



3. The book is very well written.
   Desserts are separated per type and recipes are very detailed.
   I love the fact that Grams are one of the measurement tool.
   Easy for the home cook.



4. I just received this book and have gone through it page by page and have not yet fully researched the entire recipe collection. However, with that being said I do feel this book is going to be a classic in my culinary collection. The images mirrored with the recipes certainly are extraordinary.
   
   Any serious pastry chef worth his weight in butter-cream should want this masterful work for their kitchen. The recipes are top quality and certainly not for the faint of heart in the cold kitchen. Many will tax your skills if you are beginning down the pastry road, but if you are looking to make a statement with your desserts and truly want to offer a one of a kind finish then this book is for you.
   
   I look forward to going through the history of frozen dessert and finishing with plating designs and techniques. This book and this review will certainly be a work in progress for me. Now off to look up some flavorful sorbets!



5. For the beginner, the learner, or the expert this book is a treasure of 'helps' for the frozen dessert lover, and isn't that all of us? I am not a cook, but I purchased this book for my grandson who loves cooking. From my eating knowledge and from his cooking knowledge, it is a book for every lover (cook, etc.) of frozen desserts. It is easy to follow, as I read, and has the delicious-looking photos of what is being prepared.

5 comments about The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery.

1. Bought this book for my sister, a competitive baker, winner of hundreds of ribbons, and an all-around great cook. She is very fussy about recipes and ingredients -- no margarine, no artificial flavors, only pure extracts, etc. I thoroughly read the recipes before I purchase any cookbook for her. She loves this book and has tried many of the recipes. They are wonderful. Not your standard baking recipes. It would be wonderful to visit the bakery and try the goodies first hand.



2. I recently tried Magnolia's in NYC and went twice more during my 4-day stay...it was TO DIE FOR. My sister pulled up a recipe of one of the cakes we had and made it...it turned out just like the one we had in the bakery. I am a cake lover--I will eat any cake any day over anything else, so when I had Magnolia's I knew what I was eating--complete heaven! I am buying BOTH of the bakery cookbooks and not worrying about getting fat over it...totally worth it!



3. I made the German Chocolate cake and the corn muffins. They are the best that I have ever tasted. I don't usually like German Chocolate Cake, but I really enjoyed this one.



4. I haven't tried any of the recipes in this book, but reading the front flap made me reticent to read further and little gems along the way made me grind my teeth in frustration even further. I've never been so insulted by a cookbook writer before! The front flap quotes a review in which was written that "nobody knows how to bake like this [like at the Magnolia Bakery] anymore." But that's okay, we learn from reading further, because these two amazing ladies who started this bakery are going to be kind enough to share their recipes and lead us by the hand so we can learn. We'll be so inspired, the piece ends by saying, that we'll go turn on our oven right away--implying that this will be the first time. Oh, how kind of them to save all of us idiots--thank goodness we picked up this tome of knowledge! The author goes on to further help us lowly kitchen paeans along with suggestions to frost between cake layers first before putting them together (gosh, I sure wish they'd put a picture of that maneuver in the book!), to "sprinkle" the water lightly over our pie crust mixture (is that with our fingertips?!) and to "knead the [pie] dough together several times" before rolling it out. Good luck to the real ingenue who tries to use this book--they'll be turning out some real beauts! The topper was that the author felt the need to "confess" that they had improved on the classic German Chocolate Cake--but in their utter genius wisdom kept the Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate as their chocolate of choice for their recipe.
   
   Maybe I shouldn't take these things so seriously, but these young women could surely share their recipes and keep their attitude to themselves, couldn't they? In my book modesty is the best policy.



5. I was going to buy this book for a friend of mine who is a fantastic sweet baker. I got a little worried about the book on reading the negative reviews. I decided to try the Blueberry muffin recipe using the look inside feature as that was specifically mentioned as not being a good one. They were easy to make and turned out great. They looked beautiful and tasted lovely. My three year old devoured two right out of the oven. I am going to go ahead and buy two copies and keep one for myself. I'm looking forward to all the other recipes I can try when my book arrives.

5 comments about Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef.

1. There are tons of pictures, each featuring four or known as quartets. Defined by seasons. Gives you information where to buy ingredients, where you can get the tools. Who to use specific items, and great detail in all. The recipes are easy to follow, but maybe complex for the at home baker.



2. The title of my review really says it all. Iuzzini showcases his awesome skill in this book, and the excellent photography backs it up. I just wish he had found a different way to make the chocolate spaetzle, because honestly, it looks like fat, black crispy chow mein noodles, and I think that visual should be enough for you.
   
   He has tons of exceptional ideas, and executes them with the skill of a true master. Everything looks and sounds delicious, and each recipe is unique. I only wish I had thought of them myself!
   
   It should be noted, however, that the recipes in this book are not for someone who is looking to cook for the first time. Some of the techniques are advanced, use ingredients that you certainly aren't going to find in your local grocery store, and several recipes have multiple parts gone over elsewhere in the book. Luckily for the layman, he offers several simple replacements for a good number of ingredients in several of the recipes.
   
   If none of that phases you, then get this book. You will not regret it.



3. An amazing book. My husband and I loved it so much we bought another copy for my mother-in-law. worht every penny



4. 
   When I first saw Johnny's cookbook Dessert FourPlay Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef ($35.00 Clarkson Potter) I figured I had a winner of a book, but not a cookbook - just a "lookbook".
   
   Several weeks later, FourPlay, is still on my kitchen table - not covered in a film of dust as I might have expected, but doused in sugar, caramel and tuile batter. FourPlay turns out to be quite a clever book; it's a book that you can actually use...
   
   Let's start back at the beginning.
   Johnny Iuzzini is the Executive pastry Chef of the three-starred Michelin Restaurant Jean Georges in New York. At Jean Georges, Johnny's desserts arrive as four mini tasters served together. These creations may be inspired by a single ingredient or by the season, each a collection of delicious tastes, textures and techniques.
   
   His desserts in FourPlay follow the same methodology as those at Jean Georges, so, when you look at the pictures in the book you might think that you are set for a visual feast and nothing more. But when you look a little deeper, the chef has written a book that puts the creative ball in the reader's court. It's a book of options.
   
   You can choose to recreate one of the many quartets such as the Strawberry FourPlay; Strawberry Soda, Strawberry Ice Cream with Strawberry-Lavender Leather, Strawberry Shortcake with Roasted Strawberries & Strawberry Gelée, Coconut Cream & Crispy Chocolate or follow a simpler route and be inspired by one these components each of which shape up to be a great standalone dish.
   
   I have used several of the recipes in the book over the past few weeks each of which have been accurate, well written and tasty.
   
   Johnny Iuzzini has published a unique cookbook, one that serves up a magnificent concoction of style and substance - what appears to be a "lookbook" is, actually a cookbook!



5. The idea of the book is neat, but this book is not for the home baker. Most of the recipes have ingredients I can not acquire. Even if I got all the ingredients they would cost too much and I wouldn't have other uses for them. I generally bake a lot, but this book isn't for me.