As you know from time to time I am sent cookbooks to trial.  I love that part of my job . . . you can never have too many cookbooks.  Todd would beg to differ, but I have noticed he never complains at being able to test the fruits of my labours.

The latest book I was sent was  for the Grilled Cheese Lover in each of us!   "Melt," by Shane (Sanford) Kearns, creator, GrilledShane.com.   Over 100 recipes, each one accompanied with a beautiful colour photograph.   I just love cookbooks which have lots of photos.   It's nice to be able to see what you're cooking is supposed to look like.



The book is basically divided into two parts.  Part 1 is "Seriously Savory Sandwiches."  It compromises of  chapters ( Gastronomically and Living on the Edge.)  Here is just about any savory combination the brain can think of . . . and then some . . .  like:



Basil Peppercorn - Caramelized Vidalia onions, Chaumes and Havarti Cheeses, and with hints of basil and pepper corn, grilled between two slices of Italian bread.   What's not to like?

And that's just one of the taste tempters on offer.   There are other delicious delights such as Sweet and Spicy Popcorn, Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cheddar (how is that for inventiveness!), the Sunflower Gouda Griller, . . . and even the simple . . . such as The Fried Egg, but even that has an inventive twist to it.

Part Two is entitled Surprisingly Sweet Stacks, again comprised of two chapters . . . Epicurean Adventures and Experimental Territory.



Anyone up for "The Cinnamon Roll?"  A rich mix of refrigerator cinnamon rolls and Philadelphia Milk chocolate Cheese Spread and caramelized pecans . . .



The Candy Cane . . . Refrigerator Biscuits layerd with crushed peppermint candies/candy canes/ ricotta cheese and crushed gingersnaps.   Now, that is called pushing the envelope I think!  It does look incredibly tasty though . . .

and that is just the tip of the iceberg!

 

Scattered throughout are "Tips from the Stovetop." Handy little tips and bits of advice to help you make the most of your "Grilled Sandwich" experience.

I chose two recipes to test out . . . first up was the Baked Pretzel Beans.  We really like baked beans in this house and we love beans on toast.



It looked and sounded very appealing to say the least . . .

I adapted it very easily to what I had in the house to use and this is how mine turned out.  Looks delicious eh?   It was!   A new favourite twist on beans on toast.  I had to switch a few things around as we don't have the ingredients were not readily available over here, but it worked out fine.



*Pretzel Baked Beans*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

A rather upscale Beans on Toast!

1 cup Vegetarian baked beans
(I used one tin of Heinz baked beans)
2 TBS Barbecue sauce
(I used Jack Daniels)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/8 cup mushrooms, chopped
(I left these out as I did not have any)
1/8 cup onions, chopped (about 2 TBS)
pinch dried dill tops
2 round pretzel rolls, scooped (see tips)
(I used two round Bavarian rye rolls as I didn't have pretzel rolls)
1/2 cup Jarlsberg cheese
(I used strong cheddar, about 2 TBS)



Combing the beans, barbeque sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar, mushrooms, onions, and dried dill in a saucepan.   Simmer on medium high heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180&C/350*F/ gas mark 5.  Place the scooped rolls on a baking tray.   Fill them with the bean mixture.  Top with the cheese.   Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.   Serve hot with a spoon.

Tips:  A pretzel roll is exactly that, a roll made out of soft pretzel dough.  Scooping a pretzel roll is different from scooping a normal roll.  You want to keep the flaps intact whilst removing the bread inside.  I cut a cross into the top and then used a fork to  scrape and pull out the insides.  It worked really well.

 

The next recipe I tried was an upscale version of what we call a "Chip Butty" over here in the UK.  Our version is not elaborate . . . simply fried chips (french fries) salted and vinegar-ed with malt vinegar and slapped between two buttered sliced of cheap white bread.   This is delicious folks.  Simply delicious.  There's many a kid in this country that was brought up on chip butties!

Shane's version is really upscale though . . . no salt and vinegar here, just a nice mix of spices, crisp potatoes laid out onto a ciabatta roll, slathered with cheese and onion and grilled.  What's not to like about this??

I cheated a bit and used the low fat Skin on Baked Oven Chips, chunky cut and that worked fine.  It was not as tasty probably as the fried version . . . but with all that cheese on top, who cared?   Certainly not me!  It really soothed this carb lover's heart!   I love, LOVED it!

 

 *Ultimate Cheesy Fries*
Serves 1
Printable Recipe

Half a ciabatta roll topped with fries and cheese.   Don't knock it until you try it!

1/2 a large (12 inch) ciabatta, approximately 4
inches in length
(I used half of a small cheese ciabatta roll)
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced like thick cut French Fries
(I used  a handful of skin on, low fat thick cut oven chips)
1/4 tsp dried dill, divided
1/4 tsp paprika
sea salt to taste
1 TBS vegetable oil, for frying
(I didn't need this as I didn't fry my chips, only baked them)
2/3 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
(I used cheddar)
1 TBS red onion, diced
(I used spring onions)
ketchup for side



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5.   Slice the bread horizontally.  Save top for another use.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced potatoes, 1/8 tsp dried dill, 1/8 tsp of paprika and sea salt to taste.  Toss until the fries are covered.  (I did this to my oven chips before I put them in the oven on a tray and baked them.)

Cook the seasoned fries in 1 TBS oil on medium heat, continually tossing/stirring.  As fries cook, add the remainder of the dried dill, paprika and sea salt to taste.  Cook until they begin to crisp and brown.

Place the cooked fries on top of the ciabatta, followed by the cheese and red onion.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, to melt the cheese.   Serve warm with a side of ketchup if desired.

All in all the recipes are quite taste tempting and easy to execute from what I can see.  The only hardship might be the lack of American Ingredients here in the UK, but that is hot a hurdle which you couldn't cope with.   I think any inventive cook could cross that hurdle quite easily and may-hap even come up with something tastier than the original.

 

If you're a fan of the Grilled Cheese (or Cheese Toastie as it is known over here in the UK) you will love this book.   I think it's a real winner.   I can't wait to try out the Chocolate Brownie Indulgence and the Candied Baconator . . . I just have to lose about ten pounds first!



Published by Aadamsmedia.   You can get a copy here in the UK via Amazon for £13 and a bit of change, a 15% saving off the cover price.

Many thanks to FWmedia International and Aadamsmedia for sending me this review copy.

I give it two thumbs up,  a high five and a ten out of ten!  

 

 Prior to Christmas I was sent the nicest cookbook to review.  It is called Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever, of the popular dessert blog, Piece of Cake.   I just love Vanilla.   If you were to ask me what is my favourite flavour of ice cream, I would say Vanilla Bean . . . I just love the one which is filled with lots of flecks of vanilla.   I love Vanilla anything and so I was really happy to get this cookbook.



This really is a beautiful book, just filled with everything you could ever possibly want to know about this most favourite of flavours . . . from it's history and origins, the many kinds of vanilla which are available, how to make your own extracts and  liquers,  to how to substitute the different varieties for each other in recipes.



 And what a fabulous lot of recipes there are!!  Sorted into 6 chapters:

1. Breakfasts (Honey Vanilla Granola Clusters, Vanilla Stewed Fruit, Light, Crisp Vanilla Waffles, to name just a few of the 15 Breakfast recipes on offer)

2.  Cake and Pies (11 delicious recipes including Vanilla Cloud Cake, Twinkie Bundt Cake, Tres Leches Cake. etc.)

3.  Cookies and Bars (Big soft Frosted Vanilla Sugar Cookies, Mini Vanilla Eclairs, Salted Vanilla Chip Oatmeal Cookies along with 12 tasty other recipes.)

4.  Candies and Confections (  12 scrummy recipes including Vanilla Lollipops, Golden Pear-Vanilla Jam, Vanilla Butter Mints, Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Caramels)  There is also a Throw a Vanilla Tasting Party section in this chapter.

5.  Custards and Creams (Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding, Folating Islands, Favourite Vanilla Ice Cream, Coconut and Vanilla Bean Ice Pops . . . just four of the 19 recipes on offer in this tasty chapter.)

6.  Drinks (Vanilla Italian Soda, Vanilla Almond Milk, Malted White Hot Chocolate, etc.  9 recipes in total.)

As well, there is a very well written resource section  and a handy dandy Vanilla Lover's Cheat Sheet just inside the cover.

 

It is well written and beautifully photographed. (photographs by Leigh Beisch) and very adaptable to use in the UK, with the exception of very few ingredients which would be difficult to obtain.   A lot of times these American Cookbooks ask for a lot of ingredients we just can't get over here, or are unable to find suitable substitutes for.  Happy to say that is not the case with this book.

Today I decided to treat Todd and myself to a nice hot drink from the book . . . Malted White Hot Chocolate.   This is the picture from the book, along with homemade Vanilla Marshmallows on top . . .



It looked really tasty, and it's been really cold and windy and wet today . . . perfect hot drink weather.

 

Mine turned out just lovely.   I was able to make it low fat as well, by changing some of the higher fat ingredients for low fat ingredients and it was absolutely gorgeous!   We loved it!  I also made a few other recipes before Christmas from it (Vanilla Creme Cookie Sandwiches, Cherry Vanilla Shortbread Cake Squares, and Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes), but I can't find my photos for them!   They were all fabulous recipes though!

All in all I would highly recommend this book, giving it a resounding 10 out of 10!  If Vanilla is one of your favourite flavours as it is mine, you will just LOVE LOVE this book!



*Malted White Hot Chocolate*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Oh my goodness.  This is decadently delicious.   You can make it lower in  fat though by using 2%milk and low fat evaporated milk instead of the half and half cream as well as using light malted milk powder.  I did and it was still fabulous!

1 cup whole milk (I used 2% milk, 250ml)
1 cup half and half (I used low fat evaporated milk, 250ml)
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup malted milk powder (I used 2 dessertspoons of Horlicks light)
1 tsp pure Vanilla extract or Vanilla bean paste (I used the paste)
Mini marshmallows optional

 

Combine the milk, half and half, white chocolate bits and salt in a medium saucepan.  Stir and heat over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is become just hot to the touch.   Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the malted milk powder.  Cover tightly and blend for 60 seconds.  Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and reheat just until hot.  Do NOT let it boil.   Stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and serve immediately, with or without some marshmallows on top

PURE VANILLA
irresistible recipes and essential techniques
by Shauna Sever

• ISBN: 

  9781594745966
• Book Dimensions: 

  7½ x 8½
• Page Count: 

  180
• Release Date: 

  November 6, 2012
• Book Price: 

  $22.95/£15.99 UK

  
  

  Published by Quirk Books.

  
  

  Many thanks to Mat from PGUK and Quirk Books for having sent me my review copy.

 I was sent several cookbooks in early December to review and I'm sorry to say that with all that has been going on I am only just now finally getting to them!



The first one I was sent was "The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook," by Prerna Singh.  This paperback cookery book features 300  recipes and instructions for building a masaledaani (spice box),  and shows you how to create authentic Indian recipes in just a few simple steps.

In The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook You’ll Enjoy Crafting Delightful Delicacies Like:

• Spicy Chicken Stew
• Curried Tempeh in Coconut Cream
• Chili Coconut Chicken (Mangalorian Murgh Gassi)
• And Many More!

In all honesty I have not had time to use this book, but the recipes look sound and quite easy to do.  I think if you enjoy Indian food, you would enjoy this book.   The only drawback to my way of thinking is that there are no photographs and I really do prefer cookery books which have photographs.   Realistically speaking however, most Indian food is not all that photogenic, so . . .

I do look forward to cooking some of the recipes once I get over my cold, and have earmarked several for trying.

The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook
by Prerna Singh
Published by Adams Media
ISBN - 13: 978-1-4405-4268-1
ISBN - 10: 1-4405-4168-X
$16.95 (CAN $17.99)



The Second cookbook I was sent was The Everything Pressure Cooker Cookbook, by Pamela Rice Hahn.  I am afraid that I don't own a pressure cooker, so I won't be able to test any of the recipes in this book, as merely having the book doesn't justify the expense of buying a pressure cooker.  I have always been slightly afraid of Pressure Cookers as when I was a child one of our neighbors had hers explode, burning her terribly in the process.  I know that modern day pressure cookers are probably a lot safer . . . but I just have this fear of them.

From online:

• Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pesto
• Cranberry-Braised Turkey Breast
• Balsamic Pork Chops with Figs
• Halibut in Black Olive Sauce
• Peanut Butter and Fudge Cheesecake

For that slow-cooked taste in far less time, a pressure cooker is the perfect solution.

The Everything Pressure Cooker Cookbook
by Pamela Hahn
Published by Adams Media
ISBN-13: 9781440500176
$16.95 (CAN $17.99)

 

The third cookbook I was sent was "Moufflet by Kelly Jaggers, author of Not So Humble Pies, and of the blog Evil Shenanigans.

I love this book.   I found it completely delightful . . . with fabulous photos and a beautifully tasty sounding selection of more than 100 GOURMET muffin recipes!  I do love muffins, I do . . . I do . . . I do.  In fact if there is any problem with this book at all it is that it's terribly hard to make up your mind which ones you are going to bake as each one sounds and LOOKS more delicious than the last!  There are four chapters of muffins:

• Uniquely Sweet Creations
• Hearty Fruits, Nuts, and Oats
• Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner Muffins
• Savory, Spicy, and a Little Sweet

I chose to bake as my first muffin from the book, the Cranberry Orange Streusel Muffins and as you can see they turned out really lovely.



The instructions were very thorough and easy to follow and as you can see . . . they turned out beautifully.   We rather quite enjoyed them a LOT!  They were the perfect holiday muffin.

 

*Cranberry Orange Streusel Muffins*
Makes 18
Printable Recipe

Freshly squeezed orange juice and tangy cranberries make up these lovely muffins, capped with a delicious lightly spiced streusel crumble.

1 cup fresh orange juice (250ml)
1 cup dried cranberries (150g)
2 cups all purpose flour (200g plain)
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup packed soft light brown sugar (200g)
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil (78ml)
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS fresh orange zest
3/4 cup buttermilk (178ml)
2 medium free range eggs
1 recipe Streusel Crumble (see below)

Combine the orange juice and cranberries in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.  Strain the cranberries,  Make the streusel crumble and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter 18 medium muffin cups well, spray with nonstick spray, or line with paper liners.  Set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar into a large bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar.  Whisk the buttermilk, orange zest, oil, vanilla and eggs together in a beaker.  Add all at once to the flour mixture.  Mix just to combine.  Fold in the cranberries.  Do not overmix.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cups.  Sprinkle with the streusel crumble.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool in the pan for several minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.  Enjoy warm.

*Streusel Crumble*
Makes enough for 18 muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour (50g)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (95g)
1/8 tsp ground allspice
pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled (4 TBS)

Combine the flour, sugar, allspice and salt together in a bowl.  Using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture clumps and all the dry ingredients  are coated with butter.  Cover and chill for 10 minutes before use.

The cookbook itself is attractive, a hardback book with full-color photos of many of the muffins. I'm so pleased to have this cookbook as part of my collection and I highly recommend that you get Moufflet for your collection, too. 

ISBN -13: 978-1-4405-3892-6
ISBN-10: 1-4405-3892-1
$18.95 (CAN $19.99)


And now for the winner of the Innocent Drinks Smoothie Vouchers Competition . . . Big Drum Roll . . .

Lynn said...

Happy New Year, I love Innocent smoothies, they make a great quick and easy breakfast when I'm running late or a tasty snack. 
 

Lynn, if you could please send me your contact details, I will pass them onto the Innocent people and your vouchers will soon be winging their way to you. Congratulations!

I'm sure you all recognize this cheeky chap!  Yeppers, it's good ol' Jamie Oliver.   No surprise to you I am sure but he's come out with a new cookbook to go with his new Series, Jamie's 15 Minute Meals.  I purchased it as soon as it came out.  One, I love Jamie Oliver recipes.  Two, I am often pinched for time.  Three, there isn't a new cookbook by Jamie that I can resist.

So any ways, I was contacted after the fact and asked if I would like a copy to review.  Good news is I already had the book, double good news is I have been given a copy to give to one of you!  And, I will send it anywhere in the world, as long as you don't mind it coming your way on a slow boat.  (It will get there in the end, I promise.)

 

So anyways, Jamie's book.  15 Minute Meals.  Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing his 30 Minute Meals book, which you can read all about that experience here.  Obviously I was impressed because I bought this newest one, sight unseen, and it's just loaded with fabulous, tasty, nutritious and quick to prepare recipes.  I haven't managed to get one done in 15 minutes yet, but in all honesty they are rather quick to do, so it's all good.



There's a wide variety of dishes, as you can see, for everything from soup to nuts . . . he even tells you how to cook fast, giving you an in-depth list of Kitchen tools and gadgets you will need and a full pantry list.  Of course the timings are figured out taking for granted that you will have all of your tools and ingredients at the ready.  Just doing that will take a bit of time, but they're still pretty quick recipes.

I have a really tiny kitchen, so I end up having to use the table in my dining room a lot as a work surface, so I do have to run back and forth a lot.  It would be grand to one day have more space to work in and all up to date and modern kitchen appliances of course! (*hint* *hint*)



Just look at this fab looking Mexican Tomato Soup, with Chilli Nachos, Veggie and Feta Sprinkles.  Looks delicious doesn't it???



Warm Chicken Liver Salad with Little Welsh Rarebits anyone???

 

How about Poached Fish with Coddled Eggs and Tomato Loaf?



There are even delicious looking vegetarian options such as this  Veggie Chilli with Crunchy Tortilla and Avocado Salad.



A tasty looking selection of Toasties . . . who doesn't love a toastie?

 

Breakfast Smoothies . . .



Granola and much, much more.



Included is a complete nutritional breakdown of all of the recipes, including calories, fat content, sugar and saturated fat contents.

This is simple food that is nutritious and a total joy to eat.  I just love this book.   Of course you know I can't tell you about this book without showing you one of the recipes which I prepared myself.  I chose to show you the Crispy Polenta Chicken Caesar Salad . . . for a few reasons actually.  One, I had all the ingredients in the house.  Two, I love Caesar Salad, and in particular Chicken Caesar Salads . . . and three, it's what I felt like eating, the most important reason of all.



This is how Jamie's looked.  Looking gorgeous isn't it folks?

 

This is how mine looked.  Scrummilicious!  I loved that crisp coating on the chicken . . . along with the toasted Ciabatta croutons . . .



Look at that crispy pancetta and those lovely salty flakes of Parmesan cheese . . . I added some sprouting radish micro leaves for colour and dash.

 

The dressing was a tad on tart side, so I added a pinch of sugar, but this salad was totally delish and something I will make again and again. It did take me a lot longer than 15  minutes, but that's because I didn't have everything ready to begin with and I got a few phone calls when I was working at it, not to mention the door bell must have rang half a dozen times.  Totally scrummy though!  (Just as you would expect from Jamie!)



*Crispy Polenta Chicken Caesar Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Rumored to take only 15 minutes.  Not in my kitchen, but it didn't matter because it was gorgeous.  Adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals.

Chicken:
2 X 200g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
(about 1 pound)
1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 heaped TBS polenta (fine cornmeal)
olive oil

For the Salad:
1 ciabatta loaf
1 clove of garlic
2 red chicory (endive)
4 slices of smoked pancetta
2 romaine lettuces
10 ripe cherry tomatoes
2 large jarred red peppers
balsamic vinegar
1 punnet of salad cress

For the Dressing:
1 clove of garlic
2 lemons
40g of Parmesan Cheese, plus extra to serve (1/4 cup plus extra)
4 anchovy filets
4 heaped TBS fat free natural yoghurt
1 splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp English Mustard
1/2 bunch of fresh basil

To begin, have all of your ingredients out plus a large frying pan on medium heat, a griddle pan on high heat and a liquidizer (stick blender)

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with some salt and pepper, the paprika and polenta.  Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to roughly 1/2 inch, using a rolling pin.  Add a TBS of oil to the heated frying pan, then bang in the chicken breasts.  Cook, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.  Cut 4 thick slices of ciabatta, placing them on the griddle pan.  Char them nicely on both sides.

Squash the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher into the liquidizer.  Squeeze in the lemon juice.  Add the Parmesan and the rest of the dressing ingredients.  Blitz until smooth, then season to taste.  (I added some sugar because it was too tart for our tastes.)  Rub the ciabatta toasts with a halved garlic clove and cut into soldiers.  Quarter the chicory and add to the griddle pan with the pancetta to char for a couple of minutes.

Roughly slice the lettuces and arrange over a large serving board or platter.  Scatter over the ciabatta soldiers.  halve the tomatoes and slice the peppers.  Add to the board.  Slice the chicken, lay it around the salad.  Drizzle with the dressing.  Crumble over the crispy pancetta and snip over the cress.  Use a speed peeler to shave over a little extra Parmesan if you like.



Jamie's 15 Minute Meals
Published by Penguin Books
ISBN 978-0-718-15780-7
Hard Cover
Fully illustrated in Colour
288 pages
Suggested retail price £26.00 but you can get them at Amazon for £11.00

And, if you would like to have a chance at winning your very own copy, just leave a comment at the bottom of this post.  I don't require jumping through hoops or signing up to raffelocopter thingies, or twitter or anything else.  Quite simply tell me you're interested. I'll pick a winner on Sunday, November 11th, which is my wedding anniversary.  You might as well celebrate it with me! 

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED.

Many thanks to Anwen at Riot Communications for supplying us with a giveaway copy!

I was recently sent a selection of Cookery books to review.  As you know I just love cookbooks and have a vast collection . . . Todd moans whenever a new one comes through the letter box . . . but, alas that is just something he has to live with.  I am of the opinion that one can never have too many cookbooks . . . Marriage is a give and take, besides . . . he reaps the rewards of my fetish every night when he sits down to tea.

 

The first one is a bit of a novelty book, entitled "Beer, a cookbook."  Recipes by Kimberley Willis.  It's a fun little book, not too large or hefty, but there's a lot packed into it's pages.  There are 40+ recipes in this book, which is roughly about the size of a clutch handbag, each of them accompanied by a tasty looking photo.



There are recipes for starters, mains, sides and amazingly even desserts, each one containing detailed instructions and a tasty looking photo, not to mention some bartenders advice near the bottom and a heads-up rating . . . easy, medium or hard . . . so that you can pick according to your skills or desire.

It's a very sturdy book, each page being composed of heavy card, which has a glossy wipe proof surface.  (I guess that's in case you sample too much of the beer while you are cooking and get sloppy??)

Interspersed between the recipes are fun quotes like this one from Frank Zappa:

"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline . . . it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least, you need a beer."

It's a cute little book, and would make the perfect Birthday Gift, or even Christmas Gift, for the beer connoisseur on your gift list.  I haven't actually cooked anything from the book, so can't really say how good the recipes are, but purely from a novelty point of view, this book gets an "7" from me.  It's colourful, sturdy and there were a few things in it that I have bookmarked for a later date to try.



The first one probably being these really delicious looking Chocolate Stout Lava Cakes !  There's also a pot roast that looks really tasty and tender as well.

Beer, a cookbook
Published by Adams Media
ISBN 10: 1-4405-3370-9
ISBN 13:  978-1-4405-3370-9
copyright 2012 by F+W Media, inc.



The second book is also a bit of a Novelty book, based loosely on the popular Hunger Games novels and film.  I was a great fan of the books and loved the movie, so I was quite interested in this book.  From the back cover:

When it comes to the Hunger Games, staying alive means finding food any way possible. Katniss and Gale hunt live game, Peeta's family survives on the bread they make, and the inhabitants of the Seam work twelve-hour days for a few handfuls of grain . . . all while the residents of the Capitol gorge themselves on delicacies and desserts to the heart's desire.

For the first time, you will be able to create delicious recipes from the humble District 12 to the extravagant Capitol, including:

• French bread from the Mellark Family Bakery
• Katniss's favourite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
• Rue's Roasted Parsnips
• Gale's Bone-Picking Big Game Soup
• Capital Grade Dark Chocolate Cake

There are nine tasty chapters . . . Breakfast, Breads, Soups Stews and Salads, Humble Beginnings (starters), Seafood, Poultry Dishes for the Brave, Meat, Wild Game,  and Just Desserts.  There is also an Appendix containing Katniss's Family Book of Herbs, Acknowledgments and a full Index.

Hard covered and 241 pages containing more than 150 recipes inspired by the Hunger Games Trilogy and written by Emily Ansara Baines.  (It is unofficial and unauthorized, approved, liscensed, or endorsed by Susanne Collins, her publishes, or lionsgate entertainment corp.)  Emily Ansara Baines is a writer who has worked as a professional baker and caterer throughout the East Coast of American, most recently New York City.



Each recipe seems to be well written, with great instructions and tips included from your "Sponsor."  The downside is that there are no photographs at all, and I do love my cookbooks to have at least a few scrummy pictures.  But, aside from a few recipes I would probably never cook, like "Fightin' Fried Squirrel . . . there are also a great number of really delicious sounding ones like Mixed Messages Mixed Berry Jam, Apocalyptic Eggs Benedict, Katniss's Craved Cheese Buns, Harvest Heirloom Apple Cake and Thick and Gooey Double Chocolate Banquet Brownies.  Again, I haven't cooked anything from this book . . . but I probably will.  It's been hard these past three weeks getting in any cooking time with all the renovations going on.  I am giving this one an "8".    Pictures would be nice, but most of the recipes sound quite delicious and it has great novelty factor. It would make a perfect gift for the Hunger Games fan!

The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, by Emily Ansara Baines
Published by  Adams Media
ISBN-13: 978-1-4405-2658-9
ISBN-10: 1-4405-2658-3
$19.95 (CAN $20.99)

Here in the UK you can get it from Amazon for £14.44



The final book, and my favourite of the three, was Not-So-Humble Pies by Kelly Jaggers, also published by Adams Media.   150 delicious, decadent and savory recipes for one of my favourite foods of all . . . Pie!

The book is split into three parts.

Part 1 - Not so Humble beginnings
Chapter 1 Pastry and cookie crusts
The first chapter, pie crusts, offers tons of options. Pastry type crusts like the perfect flaky crust, butter crusts and options like a buttery, spicy cheese crust. Cookie type crusts include gingersnaps, pretzels. There are also shortbread type crusts which fall right between the two using a cookie type recipe to make a crust for a pie.

Chapter 2 - Toppings
The second chapter covers toppings, classic crumb toppings, meringue, stabilized whipped cream, and sauces.

Part 2 - Sweet as Can Be
Chapter 3 Creams, Custards, and Chiffons
Creams, Custards and Chiffons.-Nothing as simple as a chocolate cream pie, these are things like cantaloupe cream, vanilla rum meringue and for people who prefer a more traditional flavor profile, white chocolate chiffon.

Chapter 4  Fruits, Nuts and Berries
 Based on classic recipes, these up the gourmet and wow factor, an apple pie gets a savory cheddar crust to contrast the sweetness of the apples, peach and ginger combine in a hand pie perfect for picnics.

Chapter 5  Tarts, Tartlets, and Rustic Pies
 These are the "dressed up for guests" dessert pies. Fine ingredients, flavors and textures like apple rose, white chocolate ganache and praline cream.

Part 3 - Savory Situations
Chapter 6  Dinner Pies
 The savory flavors that make a main course. There are lots of tarts in this chapter as well that would work well as a side dish like the spinach and artichoke tart. Lots of cheese based tarts and pies as well.

Chapter 7  Spicy, Salty, and Exotic Pies
All of the recipes in this book put some pretty unusual twists on the family classics, but this chapter really pulls out all the stops  by adding chilis, spice and salt to classics.



Each part is beautifully photographed as are a lot of the recipes . . .

 

Lavender Infused Lemon Pie

The recipes all appear to be very well written, although having said that, the crust recipe that I chose to bake did have an inconsistency in it.  It called for 1 egg, not specifying the size, or the fact that you only need the yolk, at least I could not find anyplace where the white was called for.  I used a large egg and had thrown in the whole egg before I realized that in the directions it said the yolk.  It turned out fine though, so no worries.

 

I chose to bake the Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise recipe from chapter 5, Tarts, Tartlets and Rustic Pies.  This is blackberry season here in the UK at the moment and they are something that I have a lot of and that I love to use in the autumn.

 

The crust was quite forgiving . . . and not all that different from a short bread cookie.  Nom! Nom!  It was very rustic and not too frou frou . . . this was a plus for me last week with all of the construction work going on.



The filling was very easy to throw together, although I did find that the cornflour didn't dissolve in the alloted standing time so if I make it again, I will add a touch of lemon juice.  It will not only help to preserve the colour, but also add a nice little hint of sharpness that I think will go well with both the berries, the sweet crust and that scrummy Creme Anglaise.

 

*Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise*
makes 8 servings

Creme Anglaise is a slightly thickened custard sauce that is used as a garnish on all sorts of desserts.  Here the sauce is spiked with a touch of bourbon and drizzled over slices of warm blackberry tart.  If you don't care for bourbon, you can use rum or creme de cassis, or omit altogether.

2 cups fresh blackberries
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS sugar
1 short crust for tarts, rolled into a 12 inch circle
1 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 TBS bourbon
2 egg yolks
3 TBS sugar

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the berries, cornstarch and sugar until well combined.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Place the pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.  Spread with the blackberry mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Fold the pastry just over the edge of the berries, then dot the top with butter.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the cream and vanilla.  Bring just to a simmer.  In a large bowl, whisk together the bourbon, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth.  Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/2 cup of the cream into the egg yolks.  Immediately add the egg yolk mixture back into the pot and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. 

Serve the tart slightly warm with the creme anglaise drizzled over the top.



We quite enjoyed this lovely tart and I have no less than 15 other recipes flagged to try out over the next few weeks/months.  If they are all as nice as this one . . . well, we have a real winner here!

Not-So-Humble Pies, by Kelly Jaggers
Published by Adams Media
ISBN 10: 1-440503291-5
ISBN 13L 978-1-4405-3291-7
$17.95 (Can $18.99)
Available here in the UK from Amazon for £12.74

I give this book a "9."  It lost a point for the inconsistency I found in the crust recipe.

Disclaimer - Please note that although I am given these books free of charge for review, I am under no obligation to give positive reviews.  My opinions are honest and  my own.