Lesa's Book Critiques: What I Ate In One Year by Stanley Tucci

 Lesa's Book Critiques: What I Ate In One Year by Stanley Tucci

Cookbook Review: "Grill it, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals" by American Heart Association

There are 175 recipes in Grill It, Braise it, Broil It, and 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals. Unlike a lot of cook books that organized by meals or types of meats, this one from the American Heart Association is organized by cooking techniques. That isn’t the only thing this cookbook does that is different from the norm.

After some introductory pages regarding shopping trips, what to eat and what to avoid, as well as a number of lifestyle suggestions, it is on to cooking techniques. The first one is “Slow Cooking” and begins on page 6 with a listing of 14 recipes. Along with various soups, stews, and gumbos, there are also recipes for “Rosemary Steak Smothered In Onions” (page 19) and “New Mexican Meat Loaf” (page 22-23). Each recipe has a detailed ingredient list, detailed instructions, one or more bulleted cooking tips, and detailed serving info regarding calories, various types of fat, sodium, cholesterol, and more. Some information regarding preparation time is included in the more complicated recipes, but there is no overall estimate on each one how long it should take start to finish.

This same recipe format continues through the rest of the chapter sections. There are additional sections covering Microwaving (starting on page 29), “Blending” (page 50), “Grilling” (page 69) among others including “Broiling” (page 199), “Roasting” (page 220) and “Baking” (page 247).  A classic “Herb Roasted Chicken” recipe can be found on page 232 and it includes how to make gray from the pan. The simple act of making gravy from pan drippings continues to confound me.

After the recipes it is on to the interesting information such as stocking a heart healthy pantry (pages 272- 275). This includes pantry items as well as perishable items in terms of produce and more. So, it is not just pantry items as one would think of as it includes refrigerator and freezer items among other things.

Advice on kitchen safety and working with food, basic kitchen equipment, as well as serving size by calories level is included before leading up to the eight page index that concludes the book. The eight page index is organized by ingredient as opposed to recipe.

An anomaly with the cookbook is the 8 pages of random colorful pictures of dishes inserted between pages 58-59 in the book. Each picture of a dish has the name of it as well as the page number location for the dish. This is the kind of random cluster of photographs one normally sees at the very beginning of a cookbook. Instead, it is inserted here in the middle of the section on “Blending.”

Also worth noting is the fact that much of the information in small type has been placed inside of grey background boxes. This can be hard to see on older eyes.

Grill It, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals is not a flashy and colorful paperback cookbook. It is a plain barebones cookbook packed with detailed information. Whether it works for you and yours is something you will have to determine. If you need a cookbook that will tell you exactly what is in the food you are preparing, this one is for you.

Grill It, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals

American Heart Association

Clarkson Potter/Publishers (Crown Publishing Group)

http://www.clarksonpotter.com

June 2015

ISBN# 978-0-307-88809-9

Paperback (e-book version also available)

304 Pages

$19.99

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

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

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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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

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

Review: "Simple Weeknight Favorites: More Than 200 No-Fuss Foolproof Meals"

Making food fast at home has been the theme of many cookbooks the last several years. Such is the idea here from the Editors at “America’s Test Kitchen” which is the home of “Cook’s Illustrated” and “Cook’s Country” Magazines. There is more information on both and the purpose behind the book in the introduction but the short version is they are trying to answer the age old question “What’s for Dinner?” as simply as possible.

The book is broken up into 11 sections (not counting the multipage index) based on a food choice. So there are sections on “Soups and Stews” (pages 2-26), “Poultry” (pages 52-91), “Vegetarian Entries” (pages 186-245), and “Stir-Fries, Curries & Asian Noodle” (pages 298-326), among other chapters. Each section features approximately a dozen or more recipes of varying complexity.

The recipes are detailed and often come with a recipe for a side if appropriate, an ingredient buying tip, or other useful information. Some recipes come with a color photograph of the finished dish but most do not. Also, unfortunately, the recipes do not come with any nutritional information at all regarding salt, fats, suggestions for ingredient changes, etc.  A seventeen page index brings this good cookbook to a close. While the meals are not always that simple there is something here for nearly every picky eater.

Simple Weeknight Favorites: More Than 200 No-Fuss Foolproof Meals

Editors at America’s Test Kitchen

March 2012

ISBN#978-1-936493-06-7

Paperback

352 Pages

$26.96

Material supplied by the Amazon Vine Program.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2012