5 comments about Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book.

1. Ben and Jerry have done it again! Bringing the highest quality of ice cream home is their ambition and they have succeeded! Now instead of a special frozen treat from Ben and Jerry from the grocery store, we have the option of having it anytime! (And now I can have an entire ice cream freezer full!)



2. This book was written, I believe, in the 80s, which explains the raw egg thing. Yes, the book uses uncooked eggs. Modify the recipe to make an egg custard before you freeze it, using the same ingredients. I scald the dairy, adding a vanilla bean or anything else you want to infuse it with if you want, and then temper the eggs. I then return everything to the heat until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Great custard-making help can be found in the first few pages of David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop, a great accompaniment to this book (these for the classic flavors and well known, his for more modern, unusual flavors).
   
   Your other option, of course, is to use those bottled egg products or you can buy in-shell pasteurized eggs. I have never made the recipes with either, but I don't see why that would be a problem.
   
   The recipes are both the classic Ben & Jerry's I have come to expect (Cherry Garcia, etc.) and plenty of flavors I have never had or even heard of. The company and personal history is fascinating.
   
   My only gripe is that it does not have a lay-flat binding or something that I consider to be essential in a cookbook. It's just a small paperback, but well worth that hassle. Totally recommended, as long as you keep in mind that the recipes are made with raw eggs.



3. I received an ice cream maker for my birthday, and this was the first cookbook I bought. Boy am I glad I did! The recipes all make a quart of ice cream, which is perfect for my machine. The book also talks about the science of ice cream and the growth of Ben & Jerry's as a business, both of which are a really interesting read.
   
   I made the Georgia Peach ice cream, and I added some fresh ginger to it. The result was expressions of delight on my husband's and kids' faces and three enthusiastic thumbs up.
   
   I'm going to make the Chocolate Cinnamon ice cream next!



4. I purchased this book along with an ice cream maker for a young adult. While the book is attractive and nicely illustrated to appeal to a young audience, I was disappointed to see that many of the ice cream recipes incorporate raw eggs. This is an outdated practice - raw eggs haven't been used in recipes for at least 20 years because of the risk of salmonella . The ice cream recipes using raw eggs in this book need to be updated or at least include a warning of risk of salmonella contamination inserted.



5. This book is well done, interesting BUT in this day and age, no one should encourage eating raw eggs and that is exactly what the recipes do - nowhere do the authors mention COOKING the raw eggs for their basic ice cream recipes.
   
   I won't make any recipe using raw eggs without cooking them.
   
   Too bad, the book is entertaining and informative.
   
   I want a refund, please.

5 comments about Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.

1. I cook and entertain as a hobby. One thing I have noticed as I have begun collecting cookbooks from the "celebrity" chefs I enjoy watching, is that they can be much like music albums. You can overpay for a very lush, beautifully photographed book that only has one or two real "keepers" in it because so many of the other recipes with iffy ingrediants will draw blank stares from some of your guests who wonder what you were thinking. It's much the same as with many albums where I really liked the artist but only a couple of songs on the album. Also, like songs that are too long and tedious to enjoy, many books offer recipes so lengthy and complex, a goof up under pressure is easy and you are robbed from spending time with your guests.
   Not so with Ina's book. It's wonderful. Everything I have prepared has been quick to put together (at least if the prep work is done before-hand) and has drawn raves from family and guests. In fact, I started putting the book out as I cook instead of using the normal printouts from the websites that I use to prevent the expensive books from getting greased and sauced. Guests have actually started passing the book around and picking out the meals they want me to prepare on their next visit. What a hoot!
   This is a woman who knows how to cook and more importantly how to live. That comes out in all of her books that I own, but especially this one. Buy it.



2. 
   Should have one in every kitchen.... great for entertaining or for every day. Lots of good things to cook and to eat. Ina makes everything so clear and so easy to do - you love to be in the kitchen - I've never like to cook.
   Now I cook.



3. I've watched Ina on the Food Network doing this series "Back to Basics" and have enjoyed it so much I had to get the book. I also learned how to make great biscuits from her, and wonderful scones. She is the best, and very easy to understand, and gives wonderful advice on what not to do as well in her tips sections.



4. I expected a lot from this book.
   It left much to be desired.
   I think that for this price I could have gotten something better, even if it wasn't recipes from someone on the Food Network Channel.
   Ina,this wasn't up to par or your usual standards.You could have done better.



5. It is more than a month since I ordered this book AND I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED IT! Yes, I am shouting. I sent an email saying I hadn't received it. No response.
   Forget me ordering from this person again.

5 comments about Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

1. Book was just as discribed:) Shipping was extra SLOW... Had forgotten I ordered the book...



2. The book was as described. It was a childhood favorite of mine. Now my son can enjoy it as well. Thank you!



3. This is one of the most delightful childrens' books I have read in years. While working with a student in elementary school, we read the story in a reading book and we both loved it. I bought the book so the student could have his own copy. A wonderful book for children and no matter how old they are, they will love it. Even adults will love it!



4. I bought this book for my neice because I remembered reading it when I was little. I LOVED it when I was kid and what surprised me the most is when I recieved the book and opened it up I couldn't put it down, of corse it only took me a few minutes to read it, but I seriously considered keeping it for myself. I can't believe I still love it after all these years. It is a true classic!



5. I read this book in like the 5th grade and I loved it and I haven't been able to remember the title for years. I have a 4 year old a 5 year old and a 6 month old and I know they would LOVE this book. I'm so excited they are making a moview out of it and can't wait to see it.

5 comments about Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

1. I just love this book! I have always had the smaller books from Ball, and they were good, but then someone gave me the name of the book she used because I wanted to start canning meats. I got the book and have thumbed through the pages I don't know how many times. I can't wait for the veggies and fruits to start coming in so I can get canning!!



2. The book is very complete and leaves very few questions. I only have 2 complaints. It could be organized a little better, I find myself flipping back and forth from the front to the back. My other issue is that it was written by Ball and they only talk about using their products. Overall it is very good.



3. I was, and still am really excited about the recipes in this book. Everything I have made is wonderful- tastes soooooo good, and I've not had an ounce of spoilage or anything. It's nice to see much great selections of modern recipes! This book really changed my mind about stodgy old canning my grandma used to do.
   The one thing that drive me nuts- I've yet to have a recipe be even close to accurate for it's yield. The figs preserves were really short of what the recipe said I'd get, the red pepper spread was about 2X what I expected....it's all across the board. So, yes- buy this book, preserve food and make awesome gifts, have canning parties. But when you read the recipes, think through very carefully about what your yield will actually be!!!



4. I tried the Traditional Sweet Cherry Jam recipe and we really like it. I can't wait to try more of the recipes.



5. If you are interested in recipes, you will probably like this book.
   
   As far as a complete canning book, well, the instructions on canning could have been packed into a pamphlet.
   
   Not nearly as good a book as "Preserving Summer's Bounty".
   
   This one was a real waste of money for me.

5 comments about Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking.

1. This is a substantial book full of great information, stories & fantastic pictures. We can't wait to try the recipes. Our summer barbecues will be a lot more delish. Highly recommend!



2. Fantastic book! Well written, easy to follow, fun, and the things I tried so far were great.
   A happy backyard cook.



3. I bought this for fathers day for my husband. He loves to BBG and I know he is going to love it. I bought a fire glove and apron to make it a theme gift. This guy is supposed to be great.



4. Adam (the author) has created some fascinating recipes. He connects sweet, spicy and smokey flavors to meat and chicken. The process is easy and the results are exceptionally tasty.



5. After hearing about APL on both Adam Carolla and Bill Simmons' podcast, I knew I had to get this book. The knowledge and techniques employed within are incredible. If you want to take your outdoor cooking to the next level, get this book and be ready to be blown away by the results.
   I made the Beer Can Chicken and it is the best chicken I have ever tasted. I cannot wait to try more of the recipes this summer and in summers to come.
   Thanks Adam!

5 comments about Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World.

1. I was excited to purchase this book, as I thought it would provide some interesting new ideas for lighter cooking, and plus, it's just plain cute. I tried a number of the recipes and was generally disappointed. The recipes rely heavily on artificial ingredients (e.g., Splenda), and the results were less than appetizing. Like one other reviewer, I tried the fudge recipe using a brownie mix and canned pumpkin. It was rubbery, tasted too strongly of pumpkin, and promptly found its way to the trash can. I've decided I am better off just having small quantities of real desserts occasionally, rather than trying to eat the type of fake food in this book. Since I opted for the "real food", I've lost 15 pounds, btw. I donated my copy of this book.



2. Not only does it have great recipes but it introduces you to a lot of products and ways of making meals that you can use on your own creations as well.



3. The book has a lot of different recipes that look very delicious! Can't wait to start cooking!



4. I love her cookbooks. There are some excellent recipes in the book. Even my husband enjoys them. Very easy and healthy. I recommend getting the 2nd book also.



5. The order arrived in GREAT condition and within the estimated arrival date. Thumbs up...I will definitely order from this company again!

5 comments about Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat.

1. As with all Martha Stewart's compilations, this is a collection of preexisting favourites. New recipes are usually reserved for her magazines and periodicals, so you can be sure that these are some of her most popular and proven recipes.
   
   This book is also the perfect size, not too thick, not too thin, not too light and not too heavy. It has a generous 170+ recipes, each with Martha's signature photography. The recipes are not complicated but are also not overly simplified and most importantly the results taste and look good! A very beautiful book that is excellent for gift-giving. I also love that this book is about cupcakes and not "cutesy" cupcakes, although there is a separate section on decorating styles.
   
   A cupcake seems to be a very North American thing and visiting friends, family and clients from Europe often ask about American desserts such as brownies, anything peanut butter and especially the cupcake. Even the snobby, elitist Viennese girlfriend of an Austrian buddy loved American cupcakes, and actually asked to be taken around to several cupcake boutiques around town. I made them the red velvet cupcake for their plane ride back to Austria as a sweet reminder of their visit and they were the envy of the other passengers.
   
   I have made several of these recipes and each time they have been a hit both with friends from home and abroad. I just emailed the Meyer Lemon Cupcake recipe over to England for a friend's wedding and she is considering this book as a wedding favour.
   
   I also now know what to give my family, friends and clients as a souvenir of their visit.



2. I am not usually a big fan of Martha Stewart, but I am a big fan of cupcakes. A few friends had bought this book and said it was worth it. It's just OK. The pics are beautiful. A friend of mine has made 3 recipes so far and thrown out all three. She said they were terrible. I am now afraid to waste ingredients on making any of the cupcakes. My friend is a long time experienced baker too. She did say that the frosting recipes and techniques make the book worth it but not the recipes that she made. Also just because you make something in a muffin/cupcake tin with a wrapper doesn't make it a cupcake. Blueberry and cornbread is a muffin NOT a cupcake. SO I think that she should have had a chapter dedicated to the recipes that were treats made in the pans but weren't exactly cupcakes but more like muffins a muffin chapter. And not call them cupcakes. There is a difference between a cupcake and a muffin and it's not just the frosting.



3. I bought this product so that I could bake home made cupcakes with frosting. I thought the book would be great because it is a "Martha Stewart" book. So far, I have made two recipes and have been extremely disapointed. Th cupcakes have been dry and without a lot of flavor. The frosting has not been the consistency needed for piping on top of the cupcakes despite following the directions EXACTLY! I am so frusturated with this book that I have ordered a different cupcake book and in the meantime will be using cake mix from the grocery store! -Courtney



4. Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite TreatI ordered this cupcake recipe book for my daughter's birthday. It did arrive in a timely manner to be given to her, but unfortunately, the book was soiled and the spine was damaged at the top. I did not have time to bother with a reorder. Maybe it was my fault, because I cannot remember if I ordered a new or a used book. If I ordered a used one, then the blame falls to me, but if I ordered a new one, then shame on you.



5. Not as good as the cookie book, thought there might be many new designs, but mostly old ones from the MSO website.

5 comments about Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking.

1. The recipes are not a revolution in baking at least in my experience and in my kitchen. While it sounds like an efficient manner to have fresh bread every day, I find that the refrigerated dough never rises very high for me and it takes hours for the second rise and even then it is not sufficient. The crumb is not very good either although the crusts are wonderfully chewy. The variety of recipes is good and perhaps I need to experiment more with this process because it sounds logical. When I make bread in a more conventional manner I am always more successful and satisfied.



2. Who this book is for:
   
   If you have never made homemade bread before, but have been curious enough to look at recipes and found the specifics daunting, then this book is for you. It completely takes someone new to baking and gives them the chance to create a predictable success. Very clear, conceptual instructions and baby steps to working with evermore interesting/ complex bread. Streamlined for busy people who don't have the time to fuss over recipes, but need/want FRESH BREAD that doesn't come from a bread machine or the store. I do not regret buying this book, and look forward to making fresh bread to impress/treat guests and family. Yes, you do need a pizza peel and a baking stone.



3. I purchased this book after watching video demos and reading other reviews and I have to say, everything was true! This is so simple! I am a baking novice, and was always intimidated by bread but this is so much fun and so easy, I want to bake bread every day!
   
   If I can do this, so can you!



4. It's everything everyone has said and much more. I got a Kitchen Aid mixer just so I could bake bread and now I don't need it. (I didn't get good results from it anyway). My first boule from this technique was FANTASTIC! And so simple I just can't stop myself from trying all the recipes. It's a little too warm to bake in Florida in July, but I intend to bake on the grill since Jeff has already lead the way. Jeff and Zoe deserve medals, preferably from the James Beard Foundation. Truly anyone can bake great bread. And the Kitchen Aid loves its new job as an ice cream churn!



5. Although it does take longer than five minutes with the wait and bake times, the method in this book really makes baking bread simple and fun. There are tips for perfecting the texture of the bread and altering the wait and bake time and temperature when baking with whole wheat flour, for example. The basic recipe and process can be applied for making pizza dough and pastries. Only a few baking apparatus are needed. The crust on the bread really is wonderful!

5 comments about Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories.

1. it was an OK book - needed alot of different ingredients - items I don't normally purchase - had a hard time finding Vita-Tops - had to go on line and find them - rather have sticked to a basic weight watchers book where they use "normal" and easy to find regular foods



2. I've tried about a dozen recipes from this book so far. Like any recipe book, some are hits and some are misses depending on your personal taste. My main gripe about the book would have to be ingredients that are not readily available in my area or very inconvienient to procure. There's an entire chapter devoted to Vitatops...I don't live in the city, but I'm not exactly out in the sticks either but I've never heard of a Vitatop....nor was I really excited about dropping $18 plus shipping for 12 of them online. I also didn't care for how the book was practically a commercial for Fiber One Cereal...it is mentioned throughout as being God's gift to humanity and indeed, much like the Vitatops it has an entire chapter devoted to it. It does have a few good ideas in it...I like the tartlett recipes and the Apple Brocolli slaw...and Laughing Cow Light swiss cheese wedges are my new favorite product...but overall it's just an "okay" little recipe book...if you don't live in a big city with a bounty of whole foods stores or supermarkets with an excellent and varied selection, I'd skip this one and peruse a book with easier to find ingredients.



3. Love the receipts in this book and plan on trying each and every one, they sound easy and yummy can't wait!!!!



4. I purchased three copies of this book, one for my daughter, one for my grand-daughter, and one for me. It is an all-time favorite for all of us - three generations. All of us have different types of medical/weight problems, and it is proving to be beneficial for each of us for our own lifestyles.



5. To be honest, I use more of the recipes from the Hungry Girl email I receive every day, but I don't regret buying the book. It has great snacks and mini-meals and the Weight Watcher info is there for you to calculate. This is the most helpful tool I have found as a Weight Watcher. She has some great ideas for staples, as well. And the recipes are super easy.

5 comments about Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes.

1. It is a cook book to have just for the healthy diet and so far everything is tasty. I have done maybe 6 meals, and they all have been easy, and taste great.



2. This is not another diet; but something you can make a way of life. Keep those recipes coming! We loved them.
   Katherine Black



3. These recipes look better on television. I have tried several. The meatballs are great, and most of my family liked the broccoli, rigatoni bean casserole.We had the Peach Crisp last night--yummy. I don't see how you can become thin from these recipes, though. There are too many calories for a Weight Watcher. I thought the banana muffins were dry, but everyone else liked them. It is a fun book--well organized and easy to follow.



4. There are some great recipes in this book but I have yet to cook any because they list so many ingredients - some of which aren't of every day use. I'd rather use my Weight Watchers cookbooks which only use regular ingredients.



5. The recipes are just great. The book was created for women proof is showing the dress on the cover. But I'm a 62 yr. widower who had sort of a large belly, but after making the food the way they have set up I have lost alot on my mid-section. My children are amazed on how much weight I have lost.