The Architecture of the Cocktail

1451411_10200925844007741_1625109235_nHave a dinner party coming up? Holiday party? Special dinner that needs some fabulous true and amazing cocktails? Well you’ve found your go to book right here. The Architecture of the Cocktail – Constructing the Perfect Cocktail from the Bottom Up by Amy Zavatto is a one of a kind must have for anyone who enjoys to entertain and or just wants to impress a guest with a perfect drink.

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The book starts off with a list of specifications, or the index for all the symbols used throughout the book. This is what makes up the picture of each drink. It also shows you the mixing symbols, whether to shake or stir so be sure to read the beginning of the book before you begin.

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Moving onto the drinks it’self there are 75 drinks in the book and each comes with directions, notes on how to assemble and even tips to avoid any mishaps say using a vegetable peeler to slice the skin of an orange and avoid the bitter part. Good tips, easy to follow directions, you really can’t make any mistakes in here. Along with each drink there are some little history tidbits, or a story behind the drink, it’s a nice addition.
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Enjoy some Soup! The Soupmaker’s Kitchen cookbook Review

 

I grew up in a large family, and we all know it’s not easy to shop or even cook for large families. We find ourselves eager and creative to put dinner together with what we have on hand. I have used this method after watching my mother do it when I was a child. One of my fondest memories was the soups she made, stews or gumbo. They were thick hearty and I really thought for the longest time she went out of her way to buy all this exotic food to create it all. Did she?

No. No my mother did what is shown in The Soupmaker’s Kitchen cookbook- a must for any family but I highly recommend it if you find yourself unsure of what you do with those left over scraps and items you don’t ‘have much of.  So you have a little of this and that, don’t think you can use it up? Wrong, don’t toss them, don’t ignore them –  Use them, all of them to make some wonderful soup! photo (1)

Green takes you through easy steps to stock up the pantry with items ( even small)  to create an entire heart warming soup with ease. Techniques on preparing, when you can sub frozen verses fresh and even how to make some flavors bursts are given throughout the book. Time savings tips, best used pots and other basic tools that will get you through soup season.
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Book Review: Get Your Family Eating Right

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I was sent a book for review, “Get Your Family Eating Right” by Lynn Fredericks and Mercedes Sanchez M.S, R.D.

The book is a 30 day plan to getting your kids and family into a healthy eating lifestyle. It shows you how to introduce healthy foods and even provides step-by-step instructions on how to get your child to help you cook the foods in the book.

The Good:

I liked the bright photos in the book. Nearly every recipe has a photo and there are great photos of kids cooking. This book is definitely child friendly and fun to learn from. I also enjoyed the instruction in the book on how to get your child to enjoy healthier foods. I also liked the way the book broke down how to create balanced meals. I do think this book is great for almost all skill levels in the kitchen.

The recipes include a format that is easy to follow, allowing mom or dad to have their child perform tasks to creating the dish. There are even foods from around the world’s cuisine. I like how it helps open your family’s taste buds to new ones.
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The Piccolo Chef Cookbook

Cooking with your kids is a lot of fun, and it’s the best way to teach them some great healthy eating habits! The Piccolo Chef Cookbook by Tina Fanelli Moraccini and Lilian Palmieri is a healthy way to start getting the kids not only interested in helping you out in the kitchen but getting them to eat it too.P1130664

We’re all busy sure but meal time should be family time also. Why not get them in the kitchen and pitch in on making the meals as well?  The idea being Piccolo Chef is encouraging the kids to be a part of that meal. It boosts confidence and even creativity. My own kids have so much fun helping me make a meal and they are more willing to eat it rather than when I simply just set food down before them. You engage them in the entire process they are much more likely to get something more out of it, and that’s worth all the time in the world. It’s quality time spent as a family and they will have so much fun you’ll want to do it everyday!

 

The cookbook is full of inviting pictures, wonderfully illustrated throughout . Each recipe is easy to read and clearly written directions. There’s tips throughout each as well, nutritional and even kitchen tips to help you and the kids create some wonderful meals. With Chapters on Breakfast through dinner and even snacks you have everything covered. There aren’t any hard recipes in here either, so they are truly kid friendly, and appeal to both adults as well as kids. I really enjoyed the breakfast section, with school in full gear we need healthy yet friendly morning meals and this book had wonderful ideas. The California Frittata was my favorite while the kids begged for the Buckwheat Pancakes.
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Pies and Tarts with Heart Cookbook

 

Who doesn’t like Pie? I mean come on, you have endless possibilities of what can make up a pie. You can have cookie crusts, pastry crust, heck you can even make a vegetable crust <- Yes I said that, and no I’m not making it up! You can even make a cookie dough crust! Are you drooling yet? Hungry are you? I haven’t even started in on the fillings, you’ve got fruit, vegetables, cheese, cream, meat the sweet the sour the in between and do not ever forget the toppings!  The toppings, yum whipped topping , ice cream, warm homemade sweet fruit glazes.

How about now are you drooling? No?

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Now are you drooling?  This Crumble Top Berry Pie came from the book Pies and Tarts with Heart by Dynise Balcavage.

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Inspired by vegan recipes for both the sweet and savory pies this book brings on pies in a whole new light . I know you all have heard the saying, “Easy as Pie” . While yes it may seem hard, Balcavage has made it that much easier with bright colorful photographs throughout the cookbook you have the beginning to a wonderful start in pie making.

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Easy to follow directions, you are walking through making your first crusts which is of course the base of it all. Go for nutty, go for gluten free or use that vegetable oil you have on hand. You have several different crusts to pick from and each one comes with step by step illustrated pictures to guide you smoothly through it. Tips and tricks are throughout the book making it extremely reader friendly.  Each recipe also has a quick code by pictures, need a Gluten Free recipe? Just look for the  wheat symbol crossed out. Short on time? There’s plenty of quick recipes, and if you have a special diet that needs to be low in fat they are all listed with quick code icons at the top of each page. Kid friendly recipes are throughout as well making it highly family friendly. Don’t feel like baking? Not a problem there’s no bake crusts and pies in here too like my kids favorite S’more Pie!
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Nutella: 30 Best Recipes Cookbook Review

Make way for the New Nutella Cookbook full of 30 Delicious Recipes! You all know Nutella, The Worlds most  favorite sweet and nutty spread that grabs both kids and adults attention.

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If you have never heard or tried Nutella, it is a chocolate and hazelnut spread. Sweet,  rich, creamy and perfect for many treats and most importantly ones on the run it is by far the next step up from peanut butter. Use it on toast, use it for your dessert and even more. The cookbook Nutella 30 Best Recipes makes recipes from simple to elegant only a page turn away. Impress guests or family members with easy yet impressive sweet treats using one of the most popular spreads.

We tried the Nutella Soufflés, very quick I was surprised and easy as well to make.  Not even twenty minutes to prepare and then then 30 minutes to bake. It came out amazing.
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Beerlicious- A Fun New Cook Book

There are very few things that go as well together as grilling, summer, and beer. There is a great new cook book by the grill master Ted Reader called Beerlicious Volume 1. This fun book teachers readers not only how to grill like one of the best, but how to grill with beer as one of the ingredients. Yay, this was a hit with daddy! Sometimes as a marinade, sauce, or even an ingredient in a grilled cake.

Double chocolate stout German chocolate cake is one of the most interesting dessert recipes. I have to be honest in my house we love the grill and nothing beats a nice barbecue on a warm summer night. But we have never had cake on the grill and this book opens up [Read more…]