Category: Book Reviews

Posted in Book Reviews

Easy Wok Cookbook: 88 Simple Chinese Recipes for Stir-frying, Steaming and More

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Chinese food in a flash—88 easy, tasty wok recipes that sizzle

It’s time to toss the takeout menu and start stir-frying like a seasoned master chef. The Easy Wok Cookbook gives you everything you need to get started, including dozens of delicious Chinese dishes, simple instructions, troubleshooting tips and tricks, and more.

From flavorful Kung Pao Chicken to crispy Sesame Beef, this authentic Chinese wok cookbook is sure to tantalize your taste buds without breaking your budget—or your patience. Rock your wok with confidence at home with expert tips, including a step-by-step guide to achieving stir-fry success. Welcome to your new Asian-inspired cooking adventure!

The Easy Wok Cookbook has it all:

  • 88 Classic and creative recipes—Discover how to stir-fry, steam, and simmer a delectable mix of traditional Chinese foods, American Chinese takeout favorites, and Chinese fusion dishes.
  • Doable dishes—Save time and money with these easy wok cookbook recipes that can be made in under 30 minutes, under $10, or with 5 ingredients or less.
  • Essential extras—Learn what to look for when choosing a new wok, cleaning and seasoning your wok, and what ingredients to keep stocked in your pantry for effortless wok meals any night of the week.

Take the guesswork out of what’s for dinner and enjoy sizzlin’ success with the Easy Wok Cookbook.

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

Dutch Oven Dinners: A Cookbook for Flavorful Meals Made in Your Favorite Pot

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Dinner is served—satisfying everyday recipes from your Dutch oven

You know your Dutch oven makes great soups and stews, but this versatile pot can serve up dinners of all kinds. Discover the possibilities with Dutch Oven Dinners, an essential Dutch oven cookbook packed with more than 75 distinctive recipes. Whether you’re getting dinner on the table on a busy weeknight or creating a decadent meal for friends, this Dutch oven cookbook has recipes that are sure to please.

Make life easier with convenient 30-minute and one-pot meals. Get nostalgic with classic slow-cooked favorites, and expand your horizons with flavorful new ideas. This Dutch oven cookbook also includes recipes for quick sides to complete any meal. You can serve many of the dishes in the same beautiful pot, so cleanup is a breeze!

Discover a practical Dutch oven cookbook with:

Find a dinner for every occasion in this delicious Dutch oven cookbook!

  • Dinner your way—With a variety of ingredients and techniques to suit many tastes and cooking skills, the recipes in this Dutch oven cookbook make it easy to decide what to cook for dinner.
  • Delicious dishes—Savor Easy Butter Chicken, Crab and Asparagus Risotto, Beef Stroganoff, Creamy Pesto Linguine with Shrimp, and much more.
  • Dietary details—Find nutritional information for every recipe, plus helpful labels for gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian, and dairy-free choices.
Posted in Book Reviews

The Instant Pot No-Pressure Cookbook: 100 Low-Stress, High-Flavor Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Revolutionize your Instant Pot with 100 brand-new recipes from Laurel Randolph, author of the #1 bestselling The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook. 

Sure your pressure cooker can make simple soups and cook rice, but it can do so much more! Officially licensed by Instant Pot®, The Instant Pot No-Pressure Cookbook takes home cooks far beyond boring basics and introduces them to the versatility and adaptability of this miraculous kitchen gadget. 

Laurel expertly mixes traditional cooking methods with the convenience of pressure cooking, and uses the Instant Pot® in unexpected ways, creating a wide range of dishes using fresh ingredients. She shares how one appliance can become the key to making healthy, flavorful meals, without taking hours of your time. 

The book features: 
– 100 creative, delicious recipes for every meal, all designed to work perfectly with the Instant Pot® 
– Dishes based on cuisines from around the world—from Biryani with Currants and Cashews to Chorizo Hominy Grits and Shakshuka with Harissa and Feta. 
– Tips and hints to get the most out of your electric pressure cooker
– Beautiful full color photos throughout

With recipes that cover every meal and food group—from Spiced Banana Steel Cut Oats and Green Curry with Chicken, Eggplant, and Shishito Peppers to Vietnamese Brisket Tacos and even Pineapple Rum Mug Cakes—The Instant Pot ® No-Pressure Cookbook is an indispensable companion for every electric pressure cooker!

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

The Ultimate Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook: 200 Easy Foolproof Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Spectacular meals can be yours in an instant! Get the most out of your Instant Pot or other multi-cooker with this tasty collection of 200 quick and easy-to-follow recipes, bringing delicious family meals to your table in a fraction of the time. The no-fuss settings on the Instant Pot and other multi-cookers mean all you have to do is put in your ingredients, set the cook time, and let the pot do the rest! 

Enjoy exceptional pressure cooker recipes your family will love, from hearty stews and healthy vegetables, to international fare and incredible treats. Save time, money, and find a little something for everyone in every chapter—without the hours of preparation and complicated instructions!

* 200 great sides, dinners, and desserts for your Instant Pot or multi-cooker
* Includes 75 full-color photos throughout
* Low-maintenance recipes that save you time in the kitchen
* Make incredible meals that won’t hurt your budget!

With The Ultimate Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook, you can whip up your favorite comfort foods, creative side dishes, and desserts that’ll make even the pickiest of eaters ask for seconds. Discover your new family favorites and make the most of your kitchen’s #1 appliance!

Instant Pot is a registered trademark of Double Insight Inc. The Ultimate Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook is an independently created book and is not endorsed, sponsored, or authorized by Double Insight Inc.

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

The Austin Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from Deep in the Heart of Texas

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The acclaimed food writer’s “go-to guide for Austin eating” shares classic and creative recipes from the city’s greatest restaurants (Publishers Weekly).

The story of Austin food is equal parts deep Texan traditions and a booming food scene. It is this atmosphere that has fostered some of the hottest restaurants in the country, a lively food truck community, and a renaissance in the most Texan of foods: barbecue. 

Austin food is also tacos and Tex-Mex, old fashioned Southern cooking, street food and fine dining, with influences from all over the globe. Above all, it’s a source of pride and inspiration for chefs and diners alike. 

Organized by Austin’s “major food groups”, The Austin Cookbook explores the roots of Texas food traditions and the restaurants that are reinventing them, revealing the secrets to Bob Armstrong dip, Odd Duck’s sweet potato nachos, East Side King’s beet fries, and of course, smoked brisket that has people lining up to eat it—even in the Texas summer. 

Part cookbook, part restaurant guide, and 100 percent love letter, The Austin Cookbookis perfect for proud locals, curious visitors, and (t)ex-pats.

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

The Cooking for One Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

With these delightful recipes for one, waste and leftovers are done.

If you’re a solo cook, and tired of that all-too-familiar thud of a half-finished pot of mac and cheese hitting the bottom of your trash can, The Cooking for One Cookbook is ready to expand your solo recipe repertoire. The Cooking for One Cookbook presents 100 contemporary, tasty, and perfectly portioned recipes-for-one that will leave your appetite satisfied and your kitchen waste-free.

Less wasted food equals less wasted money, and The Cooking for One Cookbook’s appropriate portions and delicious, diverse meals will make you feel like a professional chef! Cook your way to a happier, healthier, tastier life.

The Cooking for One Cookbook includes:

  • One stop shopping—Delicious recipes including Apple Crumb French Toast and Cuban Pitas use readily available supermarket ingredients that reflect up-to-date dietary preferences fit for a range of palates.
  • The practical gourmet—Become a skillful chef with easy-to-follow pantry and grocery tips designed to make cooking for one and shopping for one a breeze.
  • Dietary goals—Stay on track with suggested menu planning that assists with time-saving and eliminates the “What do I cook now?!” stress.

The Cooking for One Cookbook is a practical, relatable, and modern resource for the at-home solo cook.

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

The Doughnut Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Baked & Fried Doughnuts

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Mmmm, doughnuts! A guide to making your own with an assortment of recipes included.

Ranging from classic Old-Fashioned style doughnuts to lemony-glazed baked doughnuts topped with pistachios and sugar-dusted beignets, this book includes something for all doughnut-lovers. 

Yeasted, fried, baked, glazed, and sprinkled, doughnuts are enjoyed in all different shapes and sizes. Learn how easy making doughnuts at home is in this all-inclusive guide from the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen. Inside these pages, you’ll find recipes for basic doughs and glazes, mouthwatering recipes for classic and innovative doughnuts, tips and tricks for frying and baking doughnuts, and much more.

Recipes include: Funfetti Doughnuts • Apple Fritters • Maple-Bacon Doughnuts • S’mores Doughnuts • Vanilla and Chocolate Old-Fashioned Doughnuts • Peppermint Bark Chocolate Doughnuts • Savory Cheesy-Jalapeño Doughnuts • and many others

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

Cutie Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory, and Adorable Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

“Move over, cupcakes, there’s another bite-size treat sweetening up a bakery near you . . . they’re bites of home-style dessert that fit in your palm.” —The Seattle Times

Praised by Bon Appétit, DailyCandy, and Sunset magazine, the secrets behind Dani Cone’s signature handmade, all-natural miniature pies are revealed for the first time inside Cutie Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory, and Adorable Recipes. Whether you’re grabbing the perfectly portable Flipside on the way to work, enjoying a Piejar as a tasty afternoon treat, or looking for a fun and impressive dinner party dessert, Cutie Pies provides the perfect morsels to satisfy sweet and savory cravings alike.

Inside Cutie Pies, Cone presents 40 exclusive recipes inspired by the unique line of compact pastries she serves at her Seattle-based Fuel Coffee and High 5 Pie locations, which have received a Best of Seattle Weekly award. Sweet, one-of-a-kind treats like a Mango-Raspberry-Lemon Piepop mingle with savory recipes like Cone’s Curry Veggie Piejar, all in a distinct and delightful design.

Cutie Pies is illustrated throughout with more than 20 mouthwatering, full-color photographs, and its contemporary fashion and straightforward recipes enable bakers everywhere to create these tiny treats with big flavor.

“Pies are quickly becoming the ‘new’ cupcakes. Get in on the ground floor with Cutie Pies. This is such a fun cookbook.” —A Well-Seasoned Life



“If you are looking for great recipes for pies to impress, this will fit that niche. It is also a good selection for those who are following a vegan or gluten-free diet.” —FoodReference.com

Posted in Book Reviews

Sweet Miniatures: The Art of Making Bite-Size Desserts

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Add a special touch to any occasion with this award-winning collection of over 125 mini dessert recipes that are sure to wow any group.

No one knows the art of making sweet miniatures better than acclaimed baking expert Flo Braker. And when it comes to charm and elegance, Sweet Miniatures has all the right ingredients for creating the perfect bite-sized morsel to suit any occasion. Welcome the coming of spring with a tempting bouquet of gorgeous Lemon Sunflowers, exquisite Chocolate Tulips, and a delicate sprig of White Blossom Circles. Chewy Panforte di Siena, crispy Florentine Squares, and tangy Shreveshire Tarts whisk family and friends away on an exotic, mouthwatering journey. Jam-paced with more than 125 delicious treats and luscious full-color photos, this IACP Award–winning cookbook explains, step-by-step, the methods, tricks, and techniques for ensuring a perfect batch of little pastries, cookies, cakes, or candies every time. Plus, you’ll find lots of great do-ahead, planning, and storage information that make miniature baking convenient all year round.

From cheerful Chocolate Hedgehogs to a set of Midas Cups for adding that golden touch to a festive soiree, Sweet Miniatures has all the right ingredients for creating the perfect bite-size morsel to suit any occasion.

Amazon

Posted in Book Reviews

Handheld Pies: Dozens of Pint-Size Sweets & Savories

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

“Too darn cute to pass up. Half-pint-sized lemon meringue pies. Orange marmalade pop-tarts. Man, everything really is cuter when it’s bite-sized.” —Sauce Magazine

What’s better than small treats? Eating with your hands! This enticing cookbook delivers on both counts in one adorable package. Pie-lovers everywhere will be thrilled to find their favorite recipes plus fabulous new creations. Savory pies also make an appearance: grab a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pie on the way out the door in the morning! Ideal for beginning and seasoned bakers alike (a chapter on crusts offers all the instruction anyone needs to make delicious, flaky pastry with ease!), Handheld Pies proves that good things definitely come in small packages.

“This book continues to ride and perhaps push along the trend of cute li’l desserts . . . [Billingsley] and Handheld Pies do their best to hold readers’ hands through the process, with plenty of tips in the chapter, ‘Equipment, Ingredients, and Techniques.’” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Umm . . . Pies? In my hand? Sold. Tiny treats in any form are hard for me to resist. And so was this cover. The book is divided into freeform pies, structured pies and jar pies. Too cute.” —Bakerella

Amazon