The Digest Diet Cookbook by Liz Vaccariello

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(3 out of 5)

This is a follow up to The Digest Diet book.  If you are looking for a new way to lose weight you may want to check this diet out.  It incorporates drinking shakes for breakfast and lunch and then having a sensible dinner.  Before starting any diet you should consult your doctor.  The cookbook has 150 all-new fat releaser recipes to keep you on track.  Even if you are not wanting to lose weight or follow this diet it does have some really yummy looking recipes that are good for you.

Madhouse Cookbook by Jo Pratt

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(4 out of 5)

The Madhouse Cookbook is all about how Ms. Pratt's life changed when she got married and had children.  It is a survival guide of sorts on how to make it through a hectic week and an even busier weekend.  She also gives you tips on how to cling to your social life.  The pictures in here of the food look fabulous.  The colors are just so vibrant and wonderful.  I wish the picture of the book did it justice, but it doesn't.  You will just have to check the book out to see what I mean.

Illustrated Step by Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

This book has 1,500 photographs, which is awesome.  I love cookbooks with pictures.  Yes, I am one of those people.  I don't enjoy cookbooks without pictures.  I will still look at them but I don't like them as much.  What is great about this book is that for many of the recipes she gives you step by step photograph instructions.  Love it!  This book is full of cake, cookie, pie, tart, breads, sweet, savory recipes. 

If you love to bake or are even just getting started you should check this book out!

Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever

If you are a big fan of vanilla you should check this book out.  She has cake, cookie, pie, drink, and many more recipes to choose from.  I decided on trying the Salted Vanilla Chip Oatmeal Cookies on page 89.  I skipped the salt and I used white chocolate chips instead of chunk chocolate but they turned out so good. 

Salted Vanilla Chip Oatmeal Cookies

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3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed (I used light)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips)
2 TBS Vanilla Fleur de Sel, (page 90) for sprinkling (I didn't use)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a bowl beat together the butter and vanilla until creamy.  Add in the sugars and beat until fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add oat mixture, then white chocolate.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Scoop batter, 2 tablespoons at a time, onto prepared baking sheets, about 8 cookies to a sheet.  Sprinkle with salt if using.  Bake cookies until golden brown around the edges but still soft in the centers, 12 to 14 minutes.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Crazy About Cakes by Krystina Castella

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(5 out of 5)

Oh yum, does this book have some delicious looking cake recipes in it!  I wish they had smelly things on the page so you could take a big whiff.  When I first saw this book I knew I had to try and make those incredible looking German chocolate bars on the front.  I did the semi homemade way but they turned out super delish.  I can't wait to try out some of her other yummy treats.  Like root beer float cake in a mug.  Yes, please I love anything made cute in a glass or a jar and I love me some root beer floats.  Irish cream cakes in chocolate cups.  The little chocolate cups are just darling.  There are so many other fun cakes in here, like chocolate truffle cakes.  Perfect for Valentines Day that is just a few days away.  You have to see her precious little bunny cakes.  Too cute for words.  Almost too cute to eat, almost!

If you love cake as much as do, check out this book today.

Eat More of What you Love by Marlene Koch

Don't you wish you could just pull the food right off the page?  Some of this stuff just looks so good!  What makes this cookbook a plus is that all Ms. Koch's recipes are healthy.  She has trimmed off the calories and the fat on all our favorite recipes without sacrificing the taste.  How great is that? 

I can't wait to try: Strawberry Cheesecake Pancake Stacks (pg. 90), coconut coconut shrimp (pg. 107), Knife & Fork Chicken Caesar "Salad" Sandwich (pg. 133), Chicken Enchilada Bake (pg. 254), and Impossible Cheesecake Pie (pg. 289).

What will you try first?

Ten Dollar Dinners by Melissa d'Arabian

I'm not sure if I have an unhealthy obsession with cookbooks or a healthy one!  I love cookbooks.  I probably have over 100 at home.  In order to curb my obsession and be nice to be wallet I try and preview the cookbooks first by checking them out at the library. 

I didn't watch the season that Ms. d'Abrian was on The Next Food Network star but I can see why she won.  Her food all looks really yummy and it isn't that complicated to make.  I hate when a recipe sounds really good and then you have have 20 ingrediants to buy and you don't know what half of them are.

I tried her chicken meatball recipe (pg. 161) and they were really good.  I can't wait to try her creamy any veggie soup (pg. 74) and chicken taquitos (pg.165), and shrimp pad Thai (pg. 118).  Let's not forget about dessert!  Her buttery shortbread (pg. 309) and the double chocolate pound cake (pg. 304) are calling my name.  This is one cookbook I may just have to add to my personal collection!

5 Ingredient Favorites by Rachel Lane

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(5 out of 5)

I am always on the look out for easy recipes.  I love to cook but that doesn't mean I want to slave away in the kitchen.  I love recipes that have 5 ingredients or less.  This cookbooks is full of over 140 delicious sounding recipes.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie pg 18 sounds yummy, Cheese and Sweet Potato Pasties pg 22 look yummo, Spicy Chicken Fried Rice pg 146 looks oh so good, and the Apple Turnovers pg 312 look just right for fall.

Seriously need to stop it with the cookbooks.  My stomach is growling! :)

Check out this book!

Muffin Tin Chef by Matt Kadey

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(5 out of 5)

I love using my muffin tin to cook.  I make lasagna cupcakes, taco cupcakes, sausage and egg cupcakes, baked oatmeal muffins, I think you get the idea.  So I was super excited to see that the library got this cookbook.

Bacon and eggs pg 18, Extra Moist Chocolate Cakes pg 122, Mini Macaroni and Cheese pg 70, and Spinach Dip Bowls pg 48.  Yum, Yum!

Come and check out this book!

Desserts in Jars by Shaina Olmanson

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(5 out of 5)

Just when you didn't think dessert couldn't get any cuter, it does with this cookbook: Desserts in Jars.  Something about putting dessert in a jar just makes it cute, even when it looks like a hot mess.  The recipes in this book look oh so good.  She has cakes, pies, mousse, and even macarons in a jar.

I want to try the cherry almond crumbles pg. 97, "fried" ice creams pg. 118, and lemon-blueberry bread puddings pg 83.  The Neapolitan cupcakes on the front cover look scrumptious.  All these food cookbooks are making me hungry.  I need to start reviewing some regular books ASAP!

Come check out this book out!

Dinner in a Dish by Southern Living

Reading Level: Adult Non-Fiction
(5 out of 5)

Easy One Recipe Meals

You had me at Easy!  Another great cookbook with pictures for almost every recipe.  The snob in me is coming out.  I may have to buy this book.  I think 98% of the recipes looked delicious.  The other 2% I just didn't get a good chance to look at them.

The Three Cheese Baked Pasta pg. 168 looks heavenly, Spinach Ravioli Lasagna pg. 171 would make Popeye cheer, The Spicy Glazed Shrimp Kabobs look yummy pg. 279!

Hurry in a check this book out!

Pizza Pie

Pizza by Carla Bardi

 Don't you just love the shape of these books?  I do, but I don't.  The book lover in me loves the shape because on each page is a photo of a delicious round pizza or pie.  But the librarian in me knows that I have to fit a round book on a shelf full of square books says it's just not right!  But it's a good thing the book lover and the librarian are one and the same and they say who cares the book is round.  Enjoy the delicious looking photos and yummy sounding recipes.  While you would think that both books would be by the same author, you would be wrong.

Pies and Tarts by Rachel Lane

Pizza is by Carla Bardi and Pies and Tarts is by Rachel Lane.  Both are drool worthy.  The cookbook snob in me loves that each recipe has a color picture.  I don't like cookbooks without pictures.

Pizza has your basic recipes like Mushroom Pizza pg. 42, Two-Cheese Pizza pg. 54, and Pizza with Tomato, Garlic & Sausage pg. 106.  It also has some adventurous pizzas like Cheese Pizza with Onion, Apple & Walnuts pg. 26, Pizza with Tuna & Peas pg. 80, and Calabrian Pizza with Ricotta & Sausage pg. 98.  I would like to make my pizza with tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic.  It would be a Lacey special.

On to the Pies and Tarts.  These pies and tarts look so good you really want to cut into the pages to get a slice.  I want to try the Creme Brulee tart pg. 56, Banana Toffee pie pg. 64, and Chocolate Almond Cream pie pg. 122.  Oh they also have tarts with macadamia, yum, strawberries, and other yummy fruits, nuts, and chocolate. 

Check these books out!  Try not to drool all over the pages!

On a Stick: 80 Party-Perfect Recipes by Matt Armendariz

On a Stick: 80 Party Perfect Recipes by Matt Armendariz is full of recipes of food that you eat on a stick.  I'm sure everyone has had a corn dog or a shish kabob but have you had pizza or waffles on a stick?

The book is split into two parts: savory foods on a stick and sweet foods on a stick.  None of the recipes seem that complex and require easy everyday ingredients. There are many recipes in the book that would be great for kids.  Who wouldn't enjoy Pizza Skewers or s'mores (using the recipe from the book on homemade marshmallows).

One of the most unique recipes is for Frozen Elvis.  You take frozen bananas and roll them in melted chocolate.  Then roll the banana in chopped cooked bacon and peanuts.  Place it in the freezer again and you have a great frozen treat.

Another great thing about the book is it includes recipes for the dips used-cucumber yogurt and spicy garlic soy are two that I will be trying soon! 

Jewish Holiday Cookbook by Joan Nathan

Let me start this review by saying that you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this cookbook, just as you wouldn't have to be Christian to enjoy a book on Christmas cookies. I'm not Jewish, but found so many of the recipes perfect for the current needs of my family, that I had to buy a copy after checking this out from the library. Several of my family members have mild allergies, and this cookbook provided great recipes for those with that allergy in particular, since the Jewish religion has rules governing kosher, parve, and unclean foods and food combinations, among them being the combination of milk and meat. So this recipe book works perfectly for our family, with each recipe not only being delicious, but rich in cultural and religious context.

Nathan is a renowned scholar of Jewish cuisine, and this book provides seven chapters on holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purin, Passover, Shavout and even Israeli Independence day. There is also a long chapter on the Sabbath meal. Besides the recipes themselves, I found the book an excellent study in the history of the Jewish people, and their migration throughout the world, as recipes found here bear a resemblance to recipes from the Middle East, but also mirror the cooking styles of various parts of Europe. I found it fascinating that European recipes in this book were very similar, in name and ingredients, to those passed down by my German grandmother, showing that people from different religions are not that very different after all in the way they celebrate and live their lives. In short, this book is a fabulous find, whether you're looking for a great meal or snack, or a look at the history, festivals, and dietary prohibitions of the Jewish people.

Submitted by Gerti

Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Mrs. Seinfeld gave us Deceptively Delicious, a cookbook for parents to help their picky eaters to eat healthier by adding vegetable purees to their foods. Now with Double Delicious! she has many more yummy looking recipes that are healthy and fit for the whole family. The chicken and rice soup looks very good and has cauliflower and carrot puree along with other whole veggies. The sesame beef with broccoli has carrot puree in the sauce. It gets a thumbs up from her family. Don't fret because if you have sweet tooth she has great looking desserts as well. I want to try the doughnut cookies. They look delicious and you can have two for only 70 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

If you can see the white pieces of paper sticking up out of the book in the photo you can tell I have bookmarked a lot of recipes. One recipe is from Cuba: chicken and cheese empanadas, one from Mexico: Pozole, and one from Argentina: grilled chicken and chimichurri. Just to name a few. The chicken tomatillo stew and pork pupusas with spicy coleslaw look good as well. I can't wait to try the Mexican red rice recipe. Looks yummy, I love Mexican rice. If you are a fan of Latin food check out this book.

Classic Southern Desserts by Southern Living

Reading Level: Adult
(5 out of 5)

I think I want to make every recipe out of this book. There are too many to blog about and too many to copy, so I think I'm going to buy my own book. If you like to bake check out this book, you won't be disappointed.

Untited Cakes of AMerica by Warren Brown

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Did you know that Indiana's official dessert is sugar cream pie? I did not, but I do love sugar cream pie. The author Warren Brown wondered what connects a cake to a state? His research began. Brown owns his own bakery CakeLove and has been featured on Food Network. This book has a dessert recipe for each state and they all look good. I want to try our sugar cream pie, Maryland's Smith Island Cake, Illinois Devil's food cake, and caramel cake which is a favorite in about every state in the Union.

Southern Living Complete Quick & Easy Cookbook

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Quick and Easy is the key. I don't like making dishes that have 100 ingredients and take hours to prepare. I don't have the time for that. Maybe one day when I'm retired. Some recipes I have flagged are Pecan Chicken, Pecan Squares, Chicken-Vegetable Stir Fry, Thai Noodles, Smothered Chicken, and much more. Be sure to check this one out if you like quick and easy meals.

The Deen Brothers Take It Easy

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

The love the Deen Boys and their mama. They cook such wonderful looking dishes. One of the recipes that caught my eye was Chicken and Rice Salas with Guacamole. Yum! I'm definitely trying that one. Also Buttery Chicken "Scampi" Pasta for those who don't like shrimp. Jamie's son Jack is a fan of this version. Or try the Mini Macaroni Pies. It's all making me hungry. So check out this book.