5 comments about The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir-fry, and More - Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion.

1. Betsy Hornick, with the assistance of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the American Dietetic Association, and Richard Chamberlain (owner and head chef of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House in Dallas, Texas), has compiled more than 130 lean beef recipes and presents them within the pages of The Healthy Beef Cookbook. Lean beef is low in fat and an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals. When prepared properly, lean beef is as nutritious and healthy as it is tasty and delicious. From Dijon-Wine Steak Kabobs with Mushroom Wild Rice; Tenderloin, Cranberry, and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing; Mediterranean Burgers with Hummus; and Ancho Chili-Rubbed Beef Steaks; to Bow Tie Pasta with Beef and Beans; Beef and Broccoli Soup; Roasted Herb- Rubbed Beef Tri-Tip with Orange and Red Onion Salt; and Five-Spice Tenderloin Steaks with Creamy Polenta, here are recipes suited for any family or celebratory dining occasion. Enhanced with appendices ranging from "The Skinny on Beef and Health", to "Beef Basics from the Experts", "Easy Steps to Cooking Lean Beef", "Guide to Using Alternative Cuts of Lean Beef in Recipes", "Quick Guide to Matching a Beef Cut with a Recipe"; and "Measurements and Equivalents", The Healthy Beef Cookbook is a highly recommended and guaranteed popular addition to any personal kitchen cookbook collection!



2. I recently found the book at my local library. As I was paging through the book, I found page after page of healthy recipes that looked and sounded wonderful! The back of the book has a section of very helpful information regarding nutrition, cuts of beef, etc. I decided to purchase the book through Amazon. I'm looking forward to making it a part of my library.



3. We got the book as a Christmas present, and have already made several recipes. They have all been quick and easy, and turned out great. The fact that the recipes are healthy is a huge bonus. The espresso bourbon sauce is particularly great - I can't get enough of it. This is a great cookbook for beef lovers or for people looking for healthy recipes.



4. Chef Richard Chamberlain brings to print wonderful recipes typical of the fine dishes served in his Dallas restaurant. This book is a must for true "beef lovers" and would be a great present for your friends and family. It is great to read that "all of the red meat I have been sticking in my face" for so long, could actually be healthy; when prepared properly.



5. I love, love, love this book. As someone who can't eat a lot of dairy and loves food and taste, I have to say this is a great cookbook. It seems like most recipes either have cheese or cream in them. These recipes have a lot of fresh ingredients and taste delicious. I love the sun dried tomato meatloaf (best I've ever had), the tortilla soup, and the chili is great (adding some bacon makes it even better...less healthy, but it is good!). Our kids love these recipes, too. It's definitely a staple cookbook that everyone should have.

No comments about Super Salads: More than 250 Super-Easy Recipes for Super Nutrition and Super Flavor.

No comments about Simple But Perfect Salads: The Taste of Summer All Year Round.

No comments about Food Made Fast Salad (Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast).

5 comments about Vim & Vinegar: Moisten Cakes, Eliminate Grease, Remove Stains, Kill Weeds, Clean Pots & Pans, Soften Laundry, Unclog Drains, Control Dandruff, Season Salads.

1. I bought this book for the purpose of making home-made(safer than store-bought) cleansers. Most of her cleaning recipes call for ammonia-which is not good for your health. It talks about how to make different vinegars, which is acceptable although I don't think I would make my own. But I do not understand why she included food recipes that call for some(2-3tbs) vinegar.(Sloppy Joes, BBQ hamburger,etc) There are plenty other cookbooks for these types of recipes.



2. "Mom knew - vinegar is magic. It makes chocolate cakes fluffier, candy tastier, windows more sparkling, even socks whiter. This book tells all there is to know about using vinegar for better gardening, cleaning, health, and, of course, cooking." (reviewed by Carol Garriott)



3. the book was well written and had all the info. i was looking for.



4. You could not imagine all the helpful things vinegar can be used for. Go check it out, order the book. Totally AWESOME!



5. Of particular interest in this book is the non-toxic way to unclog drains. This is a "green" book with counless ways offered for cleaning around the house and yard, as well as doing your laundry without using harmful chemicals (earth friendly, kid friendly). Every household should have a copy of this book!!

No comments about Simple Essentials Salads and Vegetables (Simple Essentials).

2 comments about Best American Side Dishes (Best Recipe).

1. A passionate home cook that has been honing her cooking skills for the last 25 years, concentrating on Italian cooking for the last 10 years, writes this review. My favorite cookbooks are "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute and "Culinary Artistry". With more than 500 cookbooks in my collection I am usually disappointed in my recent cookbook acquisitions. If you do not own "The New Best Recipes" by the same editor you will like this book, if you do, read on.
   
   The book is outlined as follows:
   1. Appetizers
   2. Salads
   3. Vegetables Sides and Casseroles
   4. Potato Sides and Casseroles
   5. Rice, Grain and Bean Sides and Casseroles
   
   The "Side Dishes" by the editors of Cooks Illustrated Magazine is a nice book provided that you do not own either "Italian Classics" or "Best Recipes" by the same editors. If you own either of these two books (as I do) you will find that this book contains many of the same recipes. The books are not entirely duplicative, but at least 50% of all the recipes are in either and sometimes both of the other two books.
   
   In the first chapter on Appetizers even the order of the recipes is the same as "The New Best Recipe" book. I stopped looking after the first five recipes were the same, and in the same order.
   
   Many of the recipes in this book have a strong Italian influence. Most of these recipes are Italian classics. The recipes themselves are very good, and authentically Italian when appropriate. There are also some Mexican and French recipes included as well.
   
   If you don't own either "Italian Classics" or "Best Recipes" this is a nice book. The recipes are strong and the dishes routinely turn out well. This book is written in the usual Cooks Illustrated Style. The writers tell you what they tried that did and did not work followed by the recipe. If you don't plan to purchase "The New Best Recipe" by the editors of Cooks Illustrated I recommend this book. However, I would suggest that you purchase "Best Recipe" instead since it covers many more recipes including most if not all of these.



2. I have used this cookbook over and over again, it's an excellent adjunct to my cookbook library. In fact, I've enjoyed it (and it's recipes) so much I purchased two copies as gifts for two "foodie" friends. They each had complimented a dish I prepared from the cookbook--I know they will like the gift! The recipes are sophisticated enough to satisfy their "foodiness" yet simple enough to accomplish fairly quickly.

5 comments about The Figs Table: More Than 100 Recipes for Pizzas, Pastas, Salads, and Desserts.

1. So far I've mainly made the pizza recipes in this book, but they alone are worth the price. The crust recipe is heavenly and quite easy to make. The dough balls are so light and fluffy after rising that they practically float off the board. They hardly need any working and cook in 6-7 minutes on a baking stone into a uniquely thin, light, crunchy and tasty crust.

   One thing to watch out for, however, is that English specifies fresh yeast for the pizza dough. I had trouble finding that, so I used the active dry yeast commonly found in supermarkets, and after one try it worked perfectly. The equivalent measure for the two teaspoons of fresh yeast is one generous teaspoon of active dry. Also, dissolve the dry yeast in the water/oil liquid (at 115 degrees F) just prior to mixing, rather than putting it in with the dry ingredients as specified for the fresh yeast. If there's a fault to the book, it's that English doesn't help you much with substitutions like this that vary from his ideal.

   The pizza toppings are imaginative and yummy, and can inspire you to create your own. English tends to be a bit minimalist, however, so we sometimes increase the cheese and some other topping ingredients.

   I've also made the white-chocolate challah pudding, which lives up to its billing as "sex on a spoon". Be sure you have plenty of people to share it, however, or you'll wind up with a big pan of incredibly delicious but super-rich pudding calling to you from the fridge for days.

   It's a uniquely great cookbook. I look forward to working through the other recipes.




2. This cookbook is one of my favorites. Right now, the roasted tomato sauce is bubbling away in my oven. Picture this: fresh or even canned plummed tomatoes, sliced onion, olive oil, herbs--simply dump it all in a roasting pan, come back in an hour and you've got a superb sauce. Most of the recipes are this simple: honest, fresh, quality ingredients, simply prepared, with great results.
   
   Todd English would not want to know how many friends have hand-copied recipes from my Figs Table cookbook--his publisher might sue me. I live near Boston, so everyone knows and loves Figs restaurant and the foodies will always spot the book in my kitchen and want to page through it. Inevitably, they will ask for pen and paper to copy recipes. I do think SOME of them actually bought the book.
   
   In addition to the roasted tomato sauce, Olivia's chicken is another recipe I make at least a couple of times a month. I need to buy a pizza stone so that I can try the pizza recipes. I have had great luck with every recipe from this book.
   You won't be dissappointed if you buy this book.



3. After thoroughly enjoying the Olives cookbook and Olives dessert, I was disapointed at the simplicity of this cookbook. I was expecting more eye opening dishes from the master of Mediterranean cooking.



4. rated by our cook club members.
   we gather together once a week, to experice and learn a new dish each time for the past few yrs,
   we hv used many different cook books, but his book is always the favorite among all of us.
   it is not only clearly stated " how to....", but also "simple and down to earth" food, not the fancy ones u see among other cook books.



5. I've been living in Charlestown for a little over three years now and over that time have come to love and feel at home at both Olives and Figs. This book does a wonderful job of capturing the things I love about Figs. So far I have made several recipes including the the pizza dough, mushroom puree, mushroom pizza, portobello burger, and couscous carbonara and all have been delicious. What is especially wonderful is that they taste identical to what you've had in the restaurant so you won't feel like English is holding back a secret or that these recipes can only be perfected with ingredients that represent the creme de la creme (although good ingredients certainly don't hurt.)
   
   Yes, olive oil, cream, and cheese are common ingredients but if you're watching your waistline it's easy to cut back on these items slightly to make them a bit more healthy. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the pizza dough is great. It has an interesting taffy-like texture and when rolled out thin, bakes up light, crispy and perfect, even on an inexpensive baking pan.
   
   While some of the recipes do require prepping components like a puree or an aioli ahead of time many of these things store well in the refrigerator so you can easily make some components ahead of time. I made the dough, for example, on a weekend, divided into balls that could be stored in the refrigerator and baked them up during the week. The book also mentions that the dough freezes well.
   
   The only thing I do wish is that they would reissue the cookbook as there are many new pizzas on the menu that are not included in the book. However, this is a small nit as everything in the book is fantastic and easy to master.

5 comments about Once Upon a Tart . . .: Soups, Salads, Muffins, and More.

1. I got this book on sale at a discount clothing store because of the fancy pictures. I enjoyed reading about the authors claim to fame while setting up the bakery.
   
   Now, to the recipes. I tried the apple tart and it came out disasterous. This is my first tart so it could be because I'm just clumsy. I don't plan on attempting the tarts anymore. The salads had too many exotic ingredients, so I don't plan to make any of those, either.
   
   Then, why the 4-star rating? The cookie recipes are well worth the price of this book!!!! Has anyone seen a recipe for madelines (french cookies shaped like a shell)? This book has it and it is so easy to make and you'll most likely have all the ingredients at home because it's very similar to a pancake recipe. I keep a batch in the frig and when it's snack time for the kids, I heat up the oven, fill the cookie molds and we have fresh baked madelines within 15 minutes. Warm, chewy and chunchy, nothing like the cold, dry ones sold at Starbucks. The sugar cookies are also pretty good. They come out chewy, even when slightly over baked. I love their halloween spider sugar cookies and hope to one day make my own cookie cutter.



2. I purchaSED this book one for myself and one for my daughter-in-law. Liked it so well, I bought a third one for my son who is headed to culinary school.



3. This is actually the second time I have purchased this! I loaned it out (my biggest mistake) and it never came back, so I had to replace it. Definitely a "go to" book for many occasions and cravings. Every salad, cookie, and scone that I have made from this book over the years has gotten rave reviews. At our annual school fair I make the cranberry scones because they are requested and sell out immediately. There are also wonderful tips (e.g., what to do if you don't have buttermilk in the house but feel the need for a scone) and interesting little stories. This is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I look forward to visiting the real bakery in NYC soon. A purchase to savor!



4. I have lots of cookbooks, but this is one I use over and over - for scones, muffins, and cookies as well as savory tarts and main dishes. I've given many copies of this book as gifts. The molasses cookies are fabulous!



5. I just purchased this book and tried three recipes today. The Banana Poppyseed muffins were just okay. The Zucchini Curry Tart was delicious but the recipe, as written, calls for too much zucchini to fit in a mere 9 inch tart and too little custard (2 eggs and 1/4 cup light cream hardly filled half of the tart). I also tried the Roasted Potato Tart with Gruyere and Mushrooms. Again, it was delicious, but the recipe called for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound of mushrooms which, even after they were sauteed, were much too numerous to fit on top of the tart as directed. Oddly, for the same size tart and vegetables that take up the same capacity in the shell, this recipe called for 4 eggs and 1/2 cup of light cream.
   
   I suspect that the authors, owners of a SoHo bake shop, are used to making their goods on a much larger scale. They may have simply pared down the recipes for the book without actually testing the accuracy of the measurements.
   
   My comments are not meant to discourage anyone from buying the book. The book itself is very attractive and well-organized and would make a welcome addition on anyone's cookbook shelf. I simply offer caution to those who wish to follow the recipes exactly as written.
   
   As a footnote, the banana muffins did improve with age. The banana flavor was more pronounced the day after baking as opposed to right out of the oven.

5 comments about The Big Book of Vegetarian: More Than 225 Recipes for Breakfasts, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Main Dishes, Sides, Breads, and Desserts (The Big Book of).

1. This is an excellent cookbook, lots of variety, well-written, visually pleasing...definitely a good choice for anyone who appreciates easy-to-prepare, delicious recipes.



2. This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I have been vegetarian for many years and I am an avid cook, and this book has provided nothing but perfect food, without meat, every time I have used it. The salads are great, the breakfast foods are great, the entrees are great. You name it, in this book, it's all good.
   The recipes are well-tested and well-written recipes. A must have.



3. Great cookbook, has trendy new way to look at origional ingredients.
   Made Tomato Bisque today.... Yumm..



4. I received this book as a present, and I am very pleasantly surprised by this book. This book contains modern and creative twists on traditional American dishes as well as other food of ethnic origin making its way into mainstream. All the dishes I've made from it have turned out to be very delicious, the steps are simple to follow, and most of the ingredients are available at well-stocked supermakets. I was surprised how many things I used to have to buy can be made so easy with so little time or effort. This was what I had hoped my Moosewood cookbook would be, but this book actually succeeds because of it is more focused, placing emphasis on beauty through simplicity rather than purely just inventiveness.
   Another part I really like about this book is that it actually contain a decent breakfast section. From now on I no longer have to rely on omlettes or toast for breakfast, but instead I can have banana french toast, different muffins, etc.
   The recipes here are very straightforward, so they are suitable for most levels of cooks. The only possible drawback is that there are no pictures (though you won't need them), and there are no directions on preparation techniques, so I would suggest this book for those with at least some rudimentary kitchen skills.



5. This really is a great cookbook. Easy to follow recipes (although some ingredients are hard to find in a small town in the middle of nowhere, where we live), and everything tastes good. I'd highly recommend it to anyone wanting to expand their cooking.