Review: "The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics" by Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer

The latest in a long line of cook books from Dean Fearing is another that expresses love for the Lone Star state. The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is designed to be a one stop resource for the cook. This cookbook co-written with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer works well if you have the skills, the hours of cooking time, and are feeding folks with no dietary restrictions.

After an introduction that explains Dean Fearing's history if you are unaware of it, it is on to “Fearing's Texas Pantry.” This section runs 33 pages and takes readers through beans, herbs, dried spices, rubs, gravies and sauces, dressings and vinaigrettes, and more. These are the recipes that provide the cornerstone of his dishes.

The meals start with Chapter One “Breakfast and Brunch” and lead off with “Eggs Ranchero” on pages 48-49. Also in this section is “Breakfast Burritos with Charred Tomato Salsa and Smoky Black Beans “(page 53) and “Jaxson and Campbell-Style Pancakes” (page 59) among others. Each recipe has detailed instructions, a serving suggestion or how many of the item it will make, and sometimes a picture of the finished dish. There is no dietary information of any kind so those who have to deal with dietary restrictions of any type are ignored. This same format continues throughout the book.

“Starters and Soups” come next with recipes for “Modern Buffalo Tacos with Blue Cheese Dressing and Smoked Chile Aioli” (pages 66-67), “Smoked Chicken Nachos” (pages 72-73) and “Fourth-of-July Deviled Eggs” (page 83) among others. The deviled eggs have a kick to them as they include as much as you want of Tabasco Chipotle sauce before being topped off  with  “Fearing’s Barbecue Spice Blend” (page 39) as garnish.

Chapter Three is on “Salads” and begins on page 92. Here is where you find his “Red Chile Caesar Salad with Grilled Radicchio and Romaine Hearts” (pages 96-97), “Firecracker Slaw” (page 101) or “Lucian's Crab Salad” (page 107) among others.

“Main Courses” is next and at the heart of the book. Along with various pork and chicken recipes there are ones for “Barbecue Spiced Beef Tenderloin” (page 121) and “Tex-Mex Baked potato Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce” (page 153). Variety is very present in this section and the entire cookbook, but it is a little surprising there isn't one steak recipe in the section.

“Texas-Style Chili” on page 158 leads off chapter 5 titled “Chillies, Braises, and Stews.” Also included here is “East Texas Seafood Jambalaya” (page 162-163), “Panhandle Vegetable Stew” (page 169) among others.

Chapter Six “Working the Smoker and the Grill” begins with a general explanation of smoking technique and an ode to the legendary Sonny Bryan's on Inwood on Dallas. Here is where you find “Robert Del Grande's Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Backyard Steak Sauce” on page 186-187 and a few other recipes for outdoor cooking. This is also a very short section of the book.

“Sides” comes next with various recipes for beans, corn, dressings, grits, and other things. Along with “Campfire Barbecue Beans” on page 193 there is his recipe for “Crispy Sweet Onion Rings” (page 201), “Avocado Fries” (page 203) and “Fried Green Tomatoes” (page 208).

“Breads and Rolls” are the subject of Chapter Eight and begin on page 212 with “Bacon-Jalapeno Biscuits.” Also here are recipes for “Spicy Cheese Crackers” (page 216) and “Navajo Fry Bread” (page 220) among others in this very short chapter.

“Desserts” come next and feature “Brown Sugar Peaches with Pistachio Ice Cream” (page 228), “Chocolate Shiner Bock Cake” (page 235) and “Texas Chess Pie” (page 237) among others.

The book closes with a sources page, an acknowledgment page, a ten page index and two pages of author bios.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is an interesting cookbook. Totally absent in terms of nutritional or dietary information, the book has numerous recipes for various situations in terms of daily meals as well as when guests come over. Heavily geared towards those with extensive culinary skills it may not work as well for the average cook at home.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics

Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer

Photographs by Dave Carlin

Grand Central Life & Style (Hachette Book Group)

http://www.GrandCentralLifeandStyle.com

April 2014

ISBN# 978-1-4555-7430-8

Hardback

$30.00

260 Pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System. The annual book sale is scheduled for August 8-10. More details are at the Friends of the Plano Public Library website.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

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Senior News Newspaper Book Review Column---June 2014

For my monthly newspaper book review column in the Senior News Newspaper, I try to make sure to choose one fiction and one nonfiction book in the hopes of interesting more readers. Cookbooks are very popular so I included one as well as the latest mystery in a very good series. Included below are the relevant book covers for my June 2014 column…

Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Book-- Taking Your Favorite Foods And Stuffing Them To Make New, Different And Delicious Meals

Dan Whalen

ISBN# 978-1-62414-011-2

Paperback

208 Pages

Have you ever thought about combining two different foods into one super food? Like putting a cheeseburger inside a ravioli? “Cheeseburger Ravioli Burger” looks really good and the recipe is here on pages 84-85. Or, maybe you have a craving for something like “Lobster Stuffed Fried Mac and Cheese Balls” (pages 94-95) or a “Mac and Cheese Stuffed Burger” (pages 100-101). The culinary possibilities are intriguing and quite varied in Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Book by Dan Whalen.

After a brief and interesting introduction the book is broken into six chapters featuring lots of possibilities. Each recipe has an ingredient list and directions, the number of portions it makes, a heat scale as to flavor, and a “Pig-Out” scale as how gluttonous you feel. There are not any specifics regarding fats, salts, etc., as the ratings are more of an unspecified personal scale. Some recipes have pictures, but most do not. This same format continues throughout the book and features recipes that are designed for those who do not have dietary restrictions and are open to experimentation.

Wrecked

Tricia Fields

Minotaur Books (Thomas Dunne Book)

ISBN# 978-1-250-02137-3

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio)

320 Pages

The series that began with the award winning, The Territory, and continued in Scratchgravel Road, continues in the recently released Wrecked. While this novel could be read as a standalone, because of the numerous and often spoiler references to the two prior books scattered throughout this novel, readers who have not read this series would be prudent to start at the beginning.

Deep in southwest Texas in the Big Bend region sits the small town of Artemis, Texas. A small border town where folks struggle to survive despite the economy of the region as well as the violence that occasionally spills across the border into Texas. Chief of Police Josie Gray knows firsthand about the violence that comes across the border and is about to again as her boyfriend, Dillon Reese, will be taken.

While the previous books were more police procedural oriented, this one is considerably more psychological suspense as it shifts through the various character viewpoints. The primary focus is on what Dillon’s disappearance does to Chief Gray and others as well as what being kidnapped does to Dillon. Despite the occasionally travelogue feel to the series, the reads are complex and feature realistic characters and multiple interesting storylines. As noted, this is one of those series best read in order from the beginning.

Kevin R Tipple ©2014

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Review: "The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook" by Clara Paul and Eric Treuille

Along with the title the subtitle The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook makes intent of this cookbook by Clara Paul and Eric Treuille very clear. Published by Firefly Books, the book stresses the importance of basic skills and how to build upon them to become a whiz in the kitchen. That is done through text and pictures across twelve chapters that each address a needed skill.

After a multipage introduction and multi-page lists of essential kitchen equipment, the book gets going with “Sauce Skills.” After a brief intro that explains, among other things, how you will now learn to make perfect gravy and hollandaise, it begins with “Tomato Sauce” on pages 18-19. Instead of using such sauce from a jar or can, this tells you how to make your own by way of a list of ingredients and directions. Along with tomato sauce, vinaigrette, and gravy, one can learn how to make “White Sauce” (page 28), “Sugar Syrup” (page 32) and “Chocolate Sauce” (page 33) among others.

While there is not any nutritional information on the recipes, most have pictures of the finished items as well as a color coded “expert tips” section with additional good advice. This same format is followed throughout the hardback cookbook. Each recipe is skill numbered to reflect the title. Therefore, the aforementioned “Chocolate Sauce” of page 33 is skill number 18.

“Vegetable Skills” comes next so that you can learn to do more than bring a pot of water to boil and throw something in. Along with teaching you how to slice as well as dice an onion, peeling tomato and shallots, there is information on how to handle herbs correctly. Also included here is how to go about “Blanching” (page 52), “Caramelizing Onions” (page 58), and “Bouquet Garnii” (page 62) among others.

After dealing with vegies it is time to move on to “Fruit And Nut Skills.” Starting on page 64, the authors take you through “Coring Fruit” (page 67), “Preparing Pomegranate” (page 71), “Toasting And Skinning Nuts” (page 82) and “Dry-Or Pan-Toasting Nuts” (page 83), among others.

After an introduction that also explains the different cuts of beef, tip number 70 on “Cutting Beef” (pages 88-89) leads off “Meat Skills.” Learn how to go about “Cooking Streak” (page 90), “Preparing A Rack Of Lamb” (page 101) and “Roasting Pork With Stuffing” (page 104) among others. While often a chart of beef cuts is included on a chapter on meats, a nice touch in this book are the two charts reflecting cuts of lamb and pork.

You can do a lot with chicken and they are the subject of next chapter section titled “Poultry Skills.” Along with different ways to prepare various types of chicken, there is also information on “Scoring A Duck Breast” (page 120) and “Searing a Duck Breast” (page 121).

We go from the land to the sea next with “Seafood Skills.” After a two page deal on “Identifying And Choosing Fish (tip number 100 on pages 124-125), various ways of preparing a fish of different types from cleaning to cooking are covered. Also included here is tip number 116 “Identifying And Choosing Shellfish” (pages 140-141), how to peel as well as devein your shrimp (pages 142-143), “Cooking Crab (pages 144-145) among other items. If you ever wanted to know how to go about “Preparing Squid” the information is here at the end of the section on pages 154-155.

The highly versatile and common in a lot of dishes, the egg comes next with “Egg Skills.” Along with how to crack one properly and how to separate yolk from the white, one can learn to make a “Soufflé” on pages 166-167 among other skills. This chapter section is one of the shortest in the book.

“Pastry and Baking Skills” come next with an introduction on page 168. Then we are led through “Making Basic Pie Crust” (pages 170-171), how to go about “Beating Butter and Sugar” (page 178) the right way and making “Phyllo Pastry” (page 194), among other topics.

We move a bit backwards with the next chapter “Pasta, Grain, Legume and Bread Skills.” Along with teaching you how to go about “Making Fresh Pasta” (pages 200-201) and “Cooking Pasta” (page 203) correctly there is information here on making your own “Ravioli” (pages 204-205), a “Basic Risotto” (pages 212-213), “Making Bread Crumbs” (page 219) and making “Melba Toast” (page 222) among other ideas are here.

“Broth Skills” come next and start on page 224. The recipes here include making a “Brown Broth” (pages 228-229), a “Vegetable Broth” (page 230) along with other information such as “Skimming Broths” (page 232) and “Clarifying Broth” on page 234-235.

The very short chapter “Spice Skills” is the twelfth and final section. Toasting and grinding spices are explained as is how to go about “Soaking Saffron” (page 290) and tip 200 “Using a Vanilla Bean” (page 291).

A four page glossary of ingredients comes next followed by a three page dictionary of terms. That leads readers into the usual one page of resources and two pages of conversion charts. That is followed by a five page index.

Despite the obvious lack of nutritional information of any type throughout the book, The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook is a good cookbook. The pictures are colorful and illustrative of what is being taught and the text is simple and straight forward. The color coded tabs for each section are a nice touch and can make finding the section one is looking for quicker. Another nice touch is the color coded “expert tips” section in each chapter that highlight information that will help the user turn out quality food. A solidly good book that shows users how to build on the skills they have or learn new ones The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook is a good hardback reference material for your kitchen endeavors.

The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook

Clara Paul and Eric Treuille

http://www.booksforcooks.com

Firefly Books

http://www.fireflybooks.com

2013

ISBN# 978-1-77085-210-5

Hardback

260 Pages

$29.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Review: "Overcoming Obstacles In Cooking" by Mathew W. Miller

Published earlier this year by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Overcoming Obstacles In Cooking is designed for those who either have no cooking experience or are disabled. The author has mild cerebral palsy and overcame that obstacle and others to attain college degrees as well as learning to cook. Some of the recipes are Mathew’s and others were submitted by his friends at Culpepper County High School in Culpeper, Virginia.

After an acknowledgment page there are six short chapters and 10 appendices designed primarily for special education students.

The first chapter “Main Dishes” opens with “Quick and Easy Banana Smoothies.” Mathew's mom first taught him to cook by making smoothies. Then it is on to “Mushroom Meat Puffs” (page 3), “Steak in a Sack” (page 10) and “Manicotti Miners Delight” (page 11) among others. There are no pictures of the dishes nor is there any nutritional information. Each recipe features an ingredient list and directions with some recipes a bit more complicated than others. Same format follows for all the recipe chapters.

“Broccoli Bread” (page 14) starts off the second chapter “Breads” which ends in page 18 with “Zucchini Bread.” In between are “Dough Knots” (page 15), “Turtles” (page 16) which are a type of skillet biscuit, and “Delicious Corn Bread” (page 17).

Throughout the book the pages are color coded for ease of use. It is a nice touch and works well especially in the green chapter also known as “Vegetables.” This third chapter opens with “Cheryle's Vegetable Salsa” (page 20) before moving on to “Broccoli Casserole” (page 23) among others.

Purple is the background color for the next chapter titled “Soups And Salads.” Along with “Taco salad” (page 27) and “Layered Salad” (page 33) among others this is where you find out how to make “Red Wine-Thyme Vinaigrette” (page 27).

Desserts come next and open with “Fruit Pizza Cookies” (page 36) before moving on to “Frozen Lemon Dessert” (page 39), “Chocolate Balls” (page 41) and “Chocolate Butterscotch Pudding Cake” (page 52) among others.

“Recipes And Tips From Friends” is next. Primarily made up of recipes submitted from the  Culpeper County High School class of 2000, one can find “Brown Sugar Pork Chops” (page 55), “Winter Black Bean Salsa” (page 57) and “Autumn’s Famous Enchiladas” (page 58) among others

After several pages of uncaptioned pictures of the author and friends/family, it is on to the appendices. There a number of these and are primarily aimed towards working with special needs children.

Appendix A it is primarily a poem about what it is to be different than the mainstream.

Appendix B is a page on home crafts and cooking activities that can be used as teaching activities to involve your child.

Appendix C “Using Food in the Classroom” is all about how food can be used to teach the various concepts in Science, Math and English. Found on pages 67 + 68 these pages would also be of interest to those, like myself, who have worked or do work with special education as well as mainstream students. The information here can allow you to see something new in the everyday.

Appendix D is a list of reading cook book related material for various situations.

Appendix E titled “Alphabet Soup” is a two page list of the abbreviations commonly used in special education as well as general education.

Appendix F is all about designing a supplies list for items in the kitchen geared towards a person with disabilities.

Appendix G is a list of bullet points from the author on how to cope with Cerebral Palsy in the kitchen as well as in the world. Much of the advice applies in general to folks regardless of their disability.

Appendix H is all about “Teaching People with Disabilities How to Cook” and various techniques to employ.

Appendix I is a contact info list of eight companies that provide resources and supplies for folks with disabilities. Appendix I is a hodge-podge list of food items, DVD's, household items and store recommendations for folks with disabilities.

This 90 page book is well done despite the fact it does not contain any nutritional information or pictures at any stage of the recipes. One does not really expect that kind of detailed information in a book of this type. The color coded sections are a nice touch us as are the illustrations appropriate to each section at the beginning as well as alongside the page numbers for that section.

An inspiring book, Overcoming Obstacles In Cooking is designed for those with obstacles and as well as all others to get in the kitchen and get to work. The recipes included showcase a variety rich flavors and offer lots of cooking possibilities.

Overcoming Obstacles In Cooking

Mathew W. Miller

Balboa Press (division of Hay House)

http://www.balboapress.com

2014

ISBN# 978-1-4525-7067-9

Softcover Paperback (also e-book available)

90 Pages

$35.99

Material was supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Savage Harvest by Carl Hoffman

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Savage Harvest by Carl Hoffman: Reviewed by Jeanne For decades, the name “Rockefeller” has been synonymous with wealth and power. John D. and William Rockefeller es...

Cookbook Review: "Perfect Pies & More: All New Pies, Cookies, Bars, And Cakes From America’s Pie-Baking Champion" by Michele Stuart

Perfect Pies & More: All New Pies, Cookies, Bars, And Cakes From America’s Pie-Baking Champion is exactly as promised by the title. Plenty of recipes with few pictures are found in this over 240 page book. Broken into nine chapter sections the recipes run the gamut and feature varying amounts of prep time and difficulty.

After a short introduction the book opens with “Crusts & Toppings.” First up is the author’s “Traditional Pastry Piecrust” on pages 4-7. Along with the list of ingredients and instructions there are suggestions on other recipes to use this pie crust for as well as tips on how to do it well.  This same format continues throughout the book as well as with the other four crust recipes and three topping recipes of this chapter.

“Fruit Pies” begins on page 16 and opens with “Apple Carmel Crunch Pie”  I’m partial to blueberry as well as cherry pie and they are present here in the combined form of “Blueberry-Cherry Sugar-Free Pie (pages 28-29) as well a couple of other variations. A “Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie” (pages 52-53) is one of 13 other suggestions in this chapter.

If you prefer a cream filling in your pie that chapter appropriately titled “Cream Pies” comes next.  “Blueberry Cream Pie” (pages 59-60), “Chocolate Silk Pie” (pages 63-64) and an “Oreo Cream Pie” on pages 73-75 among nine other pies are in this chapter.

Maybe you prefer nuts in your pies. Six recipes make up the “Nut Pies” chapter section and include the “Candy Bar Pie (pages 89-90) and the “Turtle Pecan Pie (pages 98-100).

“Whimsical Pies” comes next and is all about celebrating anything and everything. Items such as the “Birthday Cake Surprise Pie” on page 106-109) blends a vanilla cake with a pastry shell. Or you could make the “Cannoli: Party Dip Pie” on pages 110-111 or the “Thin Mint Chocolate Cookie Pie” on pages 116-117.  There are seven more choices for your consideration in this chapter.

Moving on from pies of various types, “Cookies & Bars” comes next starting on page 132. Recipes for biscotti, cookies, and lots of treats are present in this chapter. “Snicker Doodle Cookies” (pages 162-163) and other favorites such as “Fudgy Brownies” (pages 170-171) are here.

If you are looking for a little booster in the middle or the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea there are 11 suggestions in the section titled “Perfect for a Cup of Tea.”  It could be “Banana Tea Bread” (pages 182-183) or “Double Chocolate Bundt Cake” (pages 188-190) among others.

“Lovin’ Spoonful” comes next with “Apple Crisp” on pages 206-207 and “Old Fashioned Bake Rice Pudding” on page 215-216. There are four other recipes in short section.

The final chapter considers toppings with “Top This.” Along with “Hot Fudge Sauce” (page 223) and “Whipped Cream” with several variations (pages 228-229) there is one for “Royal Icing” (page 231) and others.

The book closes with a short acknowledgement section and six page index.

Using her experience winning 27 first place awards in the “National Pie Championship Awards” author Michele Stuart’s cookbook is another treat for the pallet. Lots of good ideas in Perfect Pies & More: All New Pies, Cookies, Bars, And Cakes From America’s Pie-Baking Champion featuring plenty of variety not only in terms of ingredients but also in terms of skill levels.

Perfect Pies & More: All New Pies, Cookies, Bars, And Cakes From America’s Pie-Baking Champion

Michele Stuart

http://www.michelespies.com/

Photographs courtesy of Ben Fink Photography

Ballantine Books (Division of Random House)

http://www.ballantinebooks.com

October 2013

ISBN# 978-0-345-54419-3

Hardback (also available for the Kindle)

256 Pages

$26.00

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public Library System located in Plano, Texas.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Author of Mind Slices and contributor to Carpathian Shadows, Volume II

Senior News--March 2013 Column

For some time now I have been writing a monthly book review column for the Senior News newspaper. The Senior News is aimed to the 50 and over crowd with news relevant to seniors regarding various issues, humor pieces, and my review column among other things. The newspaper is a giveaway at doctor offices, stores, etc. and can be received by mail via a paid subscription. There are multiple editions across the state of Texas and therefore there is some fluctuation in content in each edition.

My column every month focuses on books of interest to the Texas audience. Therefore the books selected for the column, fiction or non-fiction, are written by Texas residents, feature Texans in some way, or would have some other connection to the Texas based readership. At least two books are covered each month in the short space I am given.

Below is/was my March 2013 column with the addition here of the relevant book covers……

Texas Fruit & Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Eat the Best Edibles for Texas Gardens

Greg Grant

Cool Springs Press

2012

ISBN# 978-1-59186-531-5

Paperback

256 Pages

Gardening in Texas with the weather and landscape diversity isn’t easy, but this book is designed to assist any Texas Gardener in the state. It features both container gardening and landscape gardening making this a hand reference guide for both types of gardeners.

The 256 page book is broken into four sections titled “The Garden” (basic information) “Vegetable & Herbs,” “Fruits/ Nuts,” and a final area titled “Need More Help?” After the basic info for any gardener, there are the plants with information on when to plant it, where to plant it, how to take care of it, when you can pull it and eat it, etc. The information is detailed, written in easy to understand language, and extensive on the item discussed.

Published by “Cool Springs Press” Texas Fruit & Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Eat the Best Edibles for Texas Gardens is a very well done 256 page gardening book written by Texas native Greg Grant. With its focus on any type of planting and year around opportunities, this is a book any Texan has to have on his or her shelf.

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Eat More of What You Love: Over 200 Brand- New Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories

Marlene Koch

Running Press Book Publishers

2012

ISBN# 978-0-7624-4589-9

Hardback (also available as e-book)

352 Pages

Most cookbooks don’t offer nutritional information or suggestions on how to cut calories, fats, salt, etc., from the recipes. The books normally don’t have suggestions on how to make healthy versions of the dishes in the book. Eat More of What You Love: Over 200 Brand- New Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories by Marlene Koch is not one of those kinds of cookbooks. This is a cookbook designed for those of us who do need to watch what we eat.

Filled with drinks, meals, snacks and more, this book features over 200 recipes and lots of variety. While some recipes do not have a picture of the dish, all have a list of ingredients and instructions and complete detailed information for one serving of each item. Where appropriate there is also nutritional information on the original version at the fast food place or restaurant further highlighting the huge difference between the cookbook version and the original. 
 

Written by a dietitian, Eat More of What You Love: Over 200 Brand- New Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories is a cookbook designed to deliver taste and satisfying cravings. The recipes make this is a cookbook designed to make eating fun and satisfying and healthy too.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Cookbook Review: "In The Kitchen With David: QVC’S Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home" by David Venable

A lot of cookbooks these days feature celebrities that also are chefs. This is not one of those kind of books. Host of “In The Kitchen With David” on QVC, David Venable is not a chef. He is a guy who likes to eat and knows a thing or two about cooking. The result is this 254 page cookbook with the same title of as his TV show. It features 150 recipes to make food and company fun. It is worth noting up front that pictures of finished dishes are few and far between, the text is small and light in shading which can make it difficult to read, and no nutritional information is included.

After a brief forward and introduction it is on to the recipes. First up is “Appetizers: Party Starters” beginning on page 2. There is a brief introduction to the section followed by 15 recipes. This is where you go for “White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip” (page 5), “Chicken Nachos” (page 9), or “Crispy Potato Skins” (page 15) and many others. Pictures of finished dishes are few and far between, text is small and light in shading, and no nutritional information is included. Directions, ingredient lists, and servings are included as are small highlighted tip style boxes using the logo “Dishin’ With David” containing various information. The information in these boxes is not throwaway information, but actual quality information well worth your time to read.

“Biscuits, Muffins and Quick Breads:  Our Daily Bread” comes next on pages 26-43. “Southern Buttermilk Biscuits” (pages 28-29), “Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping” (pages 34-35) and “Sour Cream Coffee Cake” (Page 38) are here. A number of the recipes in this chapter would easily fir in the next chapter devoted to breakfast and brunch.

“Breakfast and Brunch: Rise and Shine!” features 13 recipes that should hit the spot. “Spinach-Tomato Frittata” (pages 48-49), “Amaretto Brioche French Toast with Cinnamon Butter” (page 53) and “Christmas-Morning French Toast Casserole” (pages 56-57) are just three of the delectable choices here.

I never was much of a fan of soup though Mom made a good vegetable and beef one. So did David’s mom. That love of soup caused “Soups: Big Bowls of Happiness” to come next with choices such as “Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar and Bacon" (page 67) and “Loaded Baked Potato Soup” ( pages 74-75) among others. Besides his advice to go beyond a normal bowl and use a bowl carved out into bread, David suggests heating your regular soup bowls up for better soup taste. He also suggests keeping soup hot in a crockpot for larger gatherings.

Starting on page 80, it is all about “Salads: Green Goodness.” 10 recipes are here including ones for “Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon” (pages 90-91) and “Tangy Coleslaw” (page 91).

Side dishes get their due here in the next section titled “Sides: Supporting Players.”  These include “Scrumptious Hush Puppies” (page 101), “Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes” (page 107), “Beer-Battered Onion Rings with Horseradish-Dill Dipping Sauce” (pages 110-111) --- for me just hold the sauce and keep the rings coming --- and “New England Baked Beans” (pages 116-117). Mac n’ Cheese lovers do not despair as that recipe comes later.

David Venable loves pork and makes that clear in the next section titled “Pork: The Devine Swine.”  From pages 120-139 he proclaims his love of pork with “BLT Mini Cups” (pages 122-123), “Breaded Pork Cutlets” (page 130) and “Smoked Gouda-Bacon Cheeseburgers” (page 135) among others. One would expect a ham recipe and here is one with “Holiday Ham with Honey-Mustard Glaze” recipe on page 126. He also teaches you how to properly cook bacon in a variety of ways on page 137 in “Makin Bacon.”  The first tip is – “Whichever one you choose, always remove the bacon from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a good 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.”

The neat thing about casseroles is they can be a one dish deal. Starting on pages 140-141 the section titled “Casseroles and One-Pot Meals: Dinner In One Dish” is all about them. It opens with “My Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese” on pages142-143 (includes bacon), before moving on to  the “Ultimate Game Day Chili” (pages 146-147), “Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake” (page 149) and “Day-After Roast Turkey and Stuffing Casserole” (page 155) among others. While this section does contain the recipe for “Chicken Enchilada Casserole” on page 159 as well as other chicken ones, the next section is devoted specifically to chicken.

“Chicken: Birds of a Feather” has recipes for “Down Home Southern Fried Chicken” (pages 164-165) and “Southern Barbecued Chicken” (pages 166-167) among others. Not just traditional dishes, but things like “Chicken Parmesan” (page 170) and “Chicken Cordon Bleu” (pages 174-175) are also included here.

“Beef: Mighty Meaty” comes next and opens with “Sage and Rosemary-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin” on page 178-179. Among other choices, there is “Meatloaf with Mashed Potato Topping” (pages 182-183) “Chicken-Fried Steak with Country Gravy” (page 184), “Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles” (page 190) and “Sloppy Joes” (page 194).

“Seafood: Jump Right in” follows beef and features a lot of variety. “Fried Calamari with Marinara Sauce” (page 198) and “Herb-Encrusted Tilapia” (page 199) are just two choices here.  “Crab Cakes” (page 206-207) and “Shrimp Po’boy” (page 208) are also here.

Maybe what really you want is a “Deep-Dish Apple Pie.” You can find that on page 212 along with other choices in “Desserts: Sweet, Sweet Gratification.”  Along with several pie variations that are also recipes for “Burnzie’s Coconut Layer Cake” (pages 218-219), “Peach Cobbler” (pages 232-233) and “Bananas Foster Bread Pudding on page 240.  The only dessert that really truly matters is chocolate cake. That is represented here with “Flourless Chocolate Cake” on page 225 for those who need gluten free and “Three-Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting” (pages 226-227) which includes coffee as a secret ingredient.

The 260 book closes with a two-page acknowledgement and a ten page index.

While lacking in nutritional information this 254 page book is a gastronomical treat.  In The Kitchen With David: QVC’S Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home is aimed at kitchen cooks everywhere who do amazing things with regular stuff from the grocery store. This is a cookbook designed to use ingredients you should be able to easily get, no matter where you live, so that you can have fun cooking in the kitchen. With 150 recipes you should be able to find something that works no matter the number of guests or the situations.

In The Kitchen With David: QVC’S Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home  

David Venable

Ballantine Books (Random House)

http://www.ballantinebooks.com

October 2012

ISBN# 978-0-345-53628-0

Hardback (e-book available)

272 Pages

$30.00

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

Senior News--- November 2012 Column

For some time now I have been writing a monthly book review column for the Senior News newspaper. The Senior News is aimed to the 50 and over crowd with news relevant to seniors regarding various issues, humor pieces, and my review column among other things. The newspaper is a giveaway at doctor offices, stores, etc. and can be received by via a paid subscription. There are multiple editions across the state of Texas and therefore there is some fluctuation in content in each edition.

My column every month focuses on books of interest to the Texas audience. Therefore books selected for the column, fiction or non-fiction, are written by Texas residents, feature Texans in some way, or would have some other connection to the Texas based readership. At least two books are covered each month in the short space I am given.

Below is/was my November 2012 column with the addition here of the relevant book covers……

The Book Of Burger

Rachel Ray

Atria Paperback (Simon & Schuster)

ISBN# 978-1-4516-5969-6

Paperback (also available as e-book)

324 Pages

If you are looking for some variety with your burgers, Rachel Ray has the book for you.  While there are recipes for outside grilling, Rachel Ray thinks of burgers as a year around deal. The Book Of Burger isn’t just about burgers, despite the title.

The book covers burgers of all types as well as subs and other sandwiches. There is also a section on “Sides and Sauces” with various fries and tater tots, various potato salads, and ones for onion rings, devil eggs, and pickles as well as ketchups, dips, and gravies.

The Book Of Burger goes far beyond the title resulting in an interesting cookbook that features variety. You can use this book to make things as simple or as complicated as possible.  A definite drawback is the complete lack of nutritional information in the book.

Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent

Ellise Pierce

Running Press Books

ISBN #978-0-7624-4463-2

Hardback (also available as e-book)

336 Pages

Cooking has always been a part of Ellise Pierce’s life whether it was living back home in Denton, Texas or half a world away in Paris, France. With a relationship under stress and her freelance writing career tanked, she slowly found herself again by cooking. Gradually she built a cooking career by teaching home cooking for other ex-pats living in Paris. This and much more is explained in the introduction to Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent.

Along with plenty of cultural information and interesting facts such as the fact that jalapenos are not available in Paris, there are recipes. Recipes that blend French cuisine with her Texas heritage.  The detailed recipes are accompanied by pictures and information regarding Paris or France in general providing local color to the recipe being discussed. 

Despite the lack of nutritional information in the book, overall this is a very well done cookbook. In addition to the cooking side of things, the over 300 pages cookbook also provides a lot of culture and history information about Paris, France as well as the joys and sorrows of Americans living abroad. Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent is more than a cookbook. It is also a cultural awareness guide and inspirational regarding reinventing yourself and adapting to new situations and experiences.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2012

Review: "The Crockin’ Girls Slow Cookin’ Companion: Yummy Recipes from Family, Friends, and Our Crockin’ Community" by Nicole Sparks and Jenna Marwitz

The Crockin’ Girls Slow Cookin’ Companion is designed to take you far away from the usual roast in a crock pot deal. Every meal is covered here as are snacks and desserts. 360 pages plus of colorful food goodness reside in this book.  

After an acknowledgements page and a brief introduction to the book it is on to the recipes. The recipes are broken down into sections without chapter headings. The first section up is “Good Morning, Sunshine” and is all about breakfast. These are all recipes designed to cook overnight and start the day out right. That could be with “Nicole’s Crockin Breakfast (pages 14-15) featuring eggs, hash browns, cheese, ham, mushrooms, and more. Or maybe you would prefer “Banana Nut Bread” (pages 16-17), “Sunrise Pizza” (pages 22-23), “Crockin Oats” (pages 34-35) or many of the other dishes pictured and described here. While there is not any nutritional information with any of these recipes, there are simple to follow directions, detailed lists of ingredients, and plenty of large pictures to inspire you.

“Appetizers” are always important and 18 such items are next with most of them being dips of various kinds. In addition to “Faith’s Dip” on page 44-45 featuring Velveeta cheese, cream cheese, sausage, and chiles, among other things, there are other dips such as “Championship Bean Dip” (page 58-59) and “Spicy Crab Dip” (pages 64-65).  If dips are not your thing, the recipes for “Sweet and Sour Meatballs” (pages 46-47), “Bacon Wrapped Smokies” (pages 50-51), “Not Your Mama’s Nachos” (pages 60-61) and “Finger Lickin Bites” (pages 72-73) among others might work for you.

Soups, stews, chili get their place in the section titled “Bowls of Goodness.”  It begins with “Jenna’s Chicken Tortilla Soup” on pages 84-85 and ends with “New Year’s White Chicken Chili” on page 124-125.  In between there are 19 more recipes that include “Taco Stew” (pages 92-93), “Tater Soup” (page 100-101) and “Gluten Free Chili” (pages 108-109) among others.

You can really have a real meal without a side of some type. “Sides” comes next and opens with the classic “Green Bean Casserole” on page 130-131.  Also included are “Cheddar Mac” (pages 136-137), “Party Potatoes” (pages 146-147) --- which look amazingly like small chunky potato skins-- and “Creamy Hash Browns” (pages 172-173) among others.  Not only are several varieties of mac and cheese in this book, there is a recipe for “Baked Potatoes” on ages 138-139 that will tell you how to skip the oven and use a crockpot to bake a potato. This was news to this reviewer who does love a baked potato and had no idea it was possible.

Beef comes next in the section titled “The Main Squeeze” which answers the question regarding what is for dinner. This section is further divided into sub-sections on beef, chicken and pork. At over 135 pages there is a lot here recipe wise and plenty to choose from.

Along with the expected roast recipes in the subsection on “Beef” (pages 178-233) there are ones for “Tula’s Carne Guisada” (pages 186-187), “Peppie and Pop’s Cabbage Tamales” (page 200-201), “Crockin Enchilada Casserole” (pages 202-203) and “French Dip Sandwiches” (pages 214-215) among many others. Like the rest of the book there is considerable variety in this area making the book very helpful.

Dish variety continues in the next subsection titled “Poultry” (pages 234-271). Whether it be “Chicken Pot Pie” (pages 238-239), “Best Whole Chicken” (pages 246-247) or “Creamy Apricot Chicken” (pages 258-259) there is something here for you regarding chicken dishes. Also included here is one turkey recipe for a “Lemon Pepper Turkey Breast” on pages 266-267. Unfortunately, there is nothing for duck or Cornish game hens.

A number of recipes for pork chops are present in the “Pork” subsection found on pages 272-311. Also included here is one for “Ham” (pages 280-281), “Sausage, Potato, and Onion-Stuffed Peppers” (pages 284-285), “Mexican Pork Roast” (pages 294-295) and “My Crock O’Ribs” (pages 308-309) among others.

“Easy Italian Crockin” is all about how you can go Italian style.  Among the 8 recipes here are ones for “Crockin Girls Pizza” (pages 316-317), “Crockin Lasagna” (pages 320-321) and “Baked Ziti” (pages 326-327).

“Our Sweet Things” is all about “Desserts” (pages 334-371)” The section is primarily powered by that wonderful substance known as chocolate. A key ingredient featured in various recipes for cakes and brownies here such as “Peanut Clusters” (pages 338-339) and “Triple Chocolate Mess” (pages 362-363) among others here make clear. It isn’t all about chocolate though as “Apple Crisp” (pages 340-341), “Pumpkin Crumb Cake” (pages 342-343), “Nana’s Zucchini Bread” (pages 354-355) and “Tapioca Pudding” (page 358-359) among others are here.

A four page index brings the book to a close.

Like a number of cookbooks lately The Crockin’ Girls Slow Cookin’ Companion is a cookbook that clearly celebrates family through food and pictures. That is made clear by the subtitle Yummy Recipes from Family, Friends, and Our Crockin’ Community and the many pictures of family members. The pictures of husbands and children are a nice touch and make the point subtly that this is a cook book for regular people to use every day.

It is worth noting that many of the dishes in the book rely on soups and other ingredients that usually are very high on fat, salt, etc. This is a cookbook designed for convenience and not nutritional health. One would need to make substitutions to bring those numbers down. Also there is no mention of serving sizes regarding portions or the size of the crock pot needed for these dishes.

Despite the lack of any nutritional information, this is a well done cookbook well worth your attention. My copy from the library, while very new, is already showing a little damage along the spine. What that means for long term use in your household remains to be seen. But, The Crockin’ Girls Slow Cookin’ Companion is a cookbook that if you regularly or even occasionally use a crock pot would be a valuable resource. 

The Crockin’ Girls Slow Cookin’ Companion: Yummy Recipes from Family, Friends, and Our Crockin’ Community

Nicole Sparks and Jenna Marwitz

http://www.crockingirls.com

http://www.facebook.com/happycrockin?ref=ts&fref=ts 

The Five Star Institute

April 2012

ISBN# 978-0-9849614-0-5

Hardback

375 Pages

$32.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012