More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd seen the first Magnolia cookbook in a friend's shelf for awhile now and even though she'd never bake anything from it (she never uses them, just collects them), I'd been wanting to do so for a long time so on a whim, I ordered both books. I just received them two days ago and already I have tried THREE different recipes from this one. Yes, it is a bit much but after the first one, my family begged me (they didn't have to, really) to keep on trying more stuff. Even though I haven't baked extensively from it yet, I'm an avid baker and have the feeling that most of these recipes will turn out amazingly well as they look and sound positively delicious. And well, millions of customers at the bakery can't be wrong, these really are good desserts!
The recipes are varied and all use fairly simple ingredients (no running around for exotic stuff at the last minute). The directions are very simple and almost any level baker will feel totally at ease following them. Add to this that she begins by giving a few really basic pointers (just in case you need a few more moments to familiarize yourself with the kitchen) and you got a very comfortable starting point to a great baking experience.
On the downside, I guess I could've used a few more pictures of the finished products but honestly, the book was good enough to more than earn my 5-star rating. These are simple, home-y, old-fashioned, mostly high-cal desserts that will probaly bring you fond memories of your favorite baker, be it your aunt, grandma or in my case, my mom. A tradition I definitely want to follow in this day of cutting time in favor of convenience. This really helps! An amazing book... a new favorite of mine and one I definitely plan to keep on using.

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From Grandma's Kitchen Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch) Review

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(More customer reviews)"From Grandma's Kitchen," is one of the best cookbooks from the Gooseberry Patch collection! From the soups to the desserts--I couldn't find one recipe that I didn't want to try! My all time favorite is the "Broccoli-Cheddar Casserole" Very easy instructions--very yummy! The perfect gift for somebody!!

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Grandma's kitchen is full of wonderful memories of hearty meals, yummy breads, delicious desserts...From Grandma's Kitchencookbook captures the tastiest recipes that have been passed downthrough the years. Try family favorite recipes like blueberry breakfastcake, country biscuits & eggs, baked potato soup, best beefbrisket, stuffed cabbage rolls, vanilla drop cookies, golden breadpudding and more. The cheery art inside will even remind you ofGrandma's apron! Filled with quick & easy ideas for making memorieswith loved ones, this cookbook is one to treasure. Hardcover cookbook,224 pages. (9-1/4" x 6-1/2")

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Happy in the Kitchen: The Craft of Cooking, the Art of Eating Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one cookbook to cook with, ahead of your other cookbooks, and then just let your friends or guests rave..over your cookery skills.
This is as if a master chef, genie like, comes to your home and dispensed countless pearls of cookery knowledge..elevating a simple recipe to one that has you say "Oh my Gawd, why didn't I think of that...it's SO good".
He tells how to get certain foods "crunchy" to excite the experiences of taste..making vegetables and meats alike crunchy with flavor, yet not overdoing it. At the same time, he tells how to heat vegetables so they are soft and tasty, without overdoing it and giving that overcooked taste to them. Try his All-Crust Potato Gratin to see.
He "works" a vegetable to bring out it's best...with carrots, he braises whole carrots in chicken stock and orange juice, to give body, brightness and intense flavor, then finished off with touches of unusual spice combinations, and sprinkles the end product with orange zest. Heck, outside of glazing carrots, or eating baby ones raw, I didn't realize the fun I could have with the crispy critters. And onions..what magic he conjures up with cooked onions, as their soft sweetness, sometimes heightened with caramelization, are used as stuffed shells, a pasta-less pasta, a tart, and as a delicious component of a burger!
Have you read about trendy sous-vide cooking and the $2000 thermal circulator set-ups? Get a Foodsaver* to vacuum pack your food in plastic bags, or just wrap it in Saran-wrap* or other cellophane to keep in the flavors while cooking it at ~ 160 F. A steady burner/range, thermometer and some ice cubes will get you through most any sous-vide recipe in your home.
Want to WOW your guests, try his pureed sea scallops, and cook on low temperature as he describes, or make Chicken Faux Gras, Corn Nugget Crab Cakes, or various desserts even.
Try even his version of a lobster roll as a burger, for a fun appearance, and all the luscious taste of lobster.
I cook "higher end" meals for 8-24 people at a time, and often wonder how to serve something new and stunning...well, here's my source of ideas for the next few years! It's easy to see his recipe, and dream up another use for his technique with a different food or other variation. This is the measure of a great teacher..you are not bound to one recipe...he opens your eyes to all sorts of riffs, or variations you can do, and it's not too involved at all.
By the way, this is his second book, the first, Michel Richard's Home Cooking with a French Accent (1993), is a wonderful collection of fairly easy to make recipes with excellent general advice on preparation. Back then, he "tweaked" foods to reveal their best, i.e. adding a little mushroom to enhance a curry sauce, and possibly adding a little cayenne, for a different variation. These hints are even better in Happy in the Kitchen.
There are stunning photographs, and each recipe is well written.
BUY this book and start cooking and eating, and find yourself also Happy in the Kitchen.

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Cooking for Two: 2010 Review

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(More customer reviews)A lot of cooking for one or two cookbooks seem to have larger recipes that are just cut in half without much more thought. Not so with this book- the respected test kitchen behind it has clearly put a lot of thought and testing into this new series of books catering to smaller quantity cooks. There are recipes are for classics as well as more modern-style dishes, and every one I've tried has worked well. The book has many full color photos as well as smaller black and white photos that illustrate steps in a recipe, or show what you DON'T want the final product to look like. There are frequent sidebars offering additional information on ingredients and technique, and most welcome are the ones that suggest ways to use up an ingredient. ( I can never use up a whole carton of buttermilk). The authors even include a list of cookware especially suited for smaller quantities. The layout of the book is clean , easy to read , and well- organized, making this an excellent cookbook overall.

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America's Table sets the 2010 Table for Two in this popular annual cookbook. Scaling back recipes that serve 8 or more to serve 2 doesn't always mean simple division. It can mean adjusting spices in various ways, using different pans and utensils, and utilizing ingredients in smarter, more cost effective ways. The test cooks at America's Test Kitchen take our best recipes from throughout the year and scale them back for two.

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