Book Review: Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Posted on by

Relish cover imageLucy Knisley is a graphic artist who also writes about food, travel and life in general. She grew up with parents who not only loved to eat good food, but who gave it to their daughter from the beginning. Knisley combines her artistic ability with the story of her childhood and early adult adventures with eating and cooking in her graphic novel, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen.

Knisley’s stories of her early life in Manhattan and her days spent on a farm in upstate New York are interesting. She’s got a sense of humor and a down to earth writing style that’s endearing. For instance, she talks about the gourmet food her parents cooked for her, but she also talks about her cravings for junk foods and McDonald’s fries. Her story of being on her own in Mexico with her good friend while their moms were sick is really funny, and so is her story of trying to make the perfect croissants like the ones she remembers eating in Venice.

Each chapter ends with a recipe relevant to the story that came before it. My favorite was “Tough Cookie,” where Knisley tells of learning how to bake chocolate chip cookies as a way to make friends every time she moved to a new school. The recipe that follows is called, “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies,” and since I tried it out myself I can say that’s no exaggeration. There are a couple of “secret ingredients” that deviate from my normal cookie recipe, and that made the finished product so yummy.

There are other recipes I plan to try, like those for sautéed mushrooms, huevos rancheros and spaghetti carbonara. I can recommend Relish as a light-hearted, interesting memoir that’s fun to read and keep for the recipes.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Apples, Bean Dip, & Carrot Cake by Anne and Freya Dinshah

Posted on by

Apples, Bean Dip & Carrot Cake cover imageWhen family life is busy it can be easy for parents to do everything to keep things running smoothly, even if that means completing tasks that their kids could competently take on. Preparing meals often falls into that category, especially when the kids are young. Yet there are many benefits to including everyone in the family in meal preparation: kids gain confidence and they may be more interested in eating the food they help prepare, while parents get the benefit of having helping hands to lighten the work. Even so, it’s often difficult for moms and dads to know exactly which tasks are age appropriate and figure out how to enlist their children’s help.

That where Anne and Freya Dinshah come in. With their cookbook, Apples, Bean Dip, and Carrot Cake: Kids! Teach Yourself to Cook, the two have authored a guide with everything from teaching kids how to make healthy snacks and meals, to teaching them how to safely use knives, the stove, oven and blender. And they even have tips on easy cleanup techniques.

Designed for children ages four through 12, the cookbook is loaded with photos of nearly 20 kid chefs completing each of the tasks outlined, so it’s easy for them to catch on even if they are not able to read. The recipes and tips are also divided into levels, one through four, with skills taught going up in difficulty as your child grows older and more competent.

In level one you’ll find simple things like mixing trail mix, ripping lettuce and making treats with fresh fruit and yogurt. Level two has kids making their own sandwiches, mincing herbs and grating foods. Level three has recipes for dishes like lentil vegetable stew, chili and pie, and level four gets a little more complicated with recipes made with the help of a blender.

It all comes together in an easy to hold book that lays flat when open on a kitchen counter. Once you and your child get familiar with it, it can easily become your go-to book when your kids are asking for a snack or when you would like a little help in the kitchen.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Review: Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald

Posted on by

Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde cover imageAnyone who has ever visited New Orleans has probably also been to Café du Monde, the iconic home of powdered-sugar-drenched beignets and chicory café au lait. Even if you haven’t visited, chances are you have your own Café du Monde, a place you like to go where you love the food and you feel at home when you go there with friends. That’s the spirit author Peggy Sweeny-McDonald captures with her beautiful coffee-table book, Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde… Life Stories about Food.

Threads of Café du Monde run throughout the book, which even has an introduction from the restaurant’s owner, Karen Benrud, whose grandfather purchased the café in 1942. But most importantly, the stories and recipes are what shine through.

Nearly 70 writers, most from Louisiana, California and New York, weigh in with a story about food, either a special memory, a special dish, or what food has meant to them over the years. Some of the stories are funny, while others are poignant. Some include recipes, including the stories of famed New Orleans restaurateur Leah Chase of Dooky Chase and Michael Regua, executive chef at Antoine’s Restaurant.

I couldn’t wait to try out some of the recipes and I wasn’t disappointed. In addition to the fig preserve cake with chocolate ganache icing and the okra and shrimp casserole I loved, you’ll find others for lasagna, gumbo, cobbler, pralines, biscuits and more. Photos, some from the storyteller’s childhood and others taken by Troy Kleinpeter, capture the spirit of each writer and chronicles the real-life productions where most of these stories were presented before being collected for the book.

Sweeney-McDonald straddles the worlds of Louisiana, where she was born, and California, where she is president of Superstar Events-LA. Her vision led to the start of the shows in 2010. Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde… can inspire your book club members to talk about their own food stories. You may particularly like the way each story starts out, with the writer saying, “If I were a food, I’d be…” And of course, you could serve some of the yummy recipes to be found inside.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Club Recipe: Sweet Corn Bread

Posted on by

I grew up in the south, where cornbread was frequently served with our meals. Sweet cornbread is interesting to serve as a side to many dishes you serve at book club meetings because it’s different than the normal rolls or French bread, but tasty all the same. Plus you get to say you baked it from scratch (it’s easy!).

Sweet Corn Bread

Serves 8 to 10

  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup yellow corn meal
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/4 cups milk
  • 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
  • 1 14.5-ounce can cream-style or regular kernel corn
  • 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt. Stir to mix ingredients. In a large bowl, combine milk, green chiles, corn, eggs and vegetable oil. Mix well. Fold in dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Pour into greased pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top is brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool, cut into squares, and serve with butter and honey.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Clover Tree by Kimberly Foster

Posted on by

The Clover Tree cover imageOccasionally I accept guest reviews, and I recently received several from moms talking about a book for teens called The Clover Tree by Kimberly Foster. I’m featuring those reviews, along with an offer by Foster to give away 5 autographed copies of The Clover Tree to readers at Mother Daughter Book Club. com. Here’s the synopsis of the book from publisher Balboa Press, followed by the reviews. If you’d like to enter your name to win a copy, just leave a comment here before midnight (PDT), Tuesday, April 9 (U.S. and Canadian addresses only please). (Please note: the giveaway is closed. See the comments for a note on the winners.)

From Balboa Press:

Even a magical clover can’t make adolescence any easier.

Sporty Kate Malone has a powerful ally, full access to a magical clover field. At thirteen, the ability to manifest a pair of designer jeans, an A on a math test, and best yet, a first boyfriend have never been more opportune. Yet Kate’s desire to be popular outweighs the prudent decision to keep her clover field a secret, and she jeopardizes both her popularity and her belief system. Then, in an instant, worrying about sitting at the cool table at lunch is overshadowed by tragedy. Kate strays into a teenage world that is tempting and destructive. Will Kate sabotage her soccer aspirations and friendships? Can she use the power of the clover to save herself?

Reviews from moms in mother-daughter book clubs in Bellevue, Washington:

“We loved this story! Once we “fell into” the book, we couldn’t put it down. It was funny and sad. Although Kate goes through a real hard life experience, The Clover Tree is an inspiring story of setting life goals and staying focused on them. Kate’s relationship with her father is so touching and the story is a reminder of how important family and true friends are in our lives.”  — Brooke and mom, Marie

“My daughter Madelyn took it first and could not put it down. She just kept saying how great it was. She thinks it is geared for her age (14) and REALLY loved it! She finished it in one night.”  — Laura (mom)

Review from Hay House Radio

“Kimberly Foster’s innate ability to write about teen angst is a wonder in itself. Combined with the intricate and complex subject of self-realization and manifestation woven throughout the pages, The Clover Tree becomes much more than your typical teen read. It’s a road map for teens and adults alike.  Embedded in realistic fiction, The Clover Tree teaches tangible tools for reaching your goals and manifesting your dreams in a way that most other teen reads fall short.”  — Jennifer Morris, Co-host of “Bright New Voices, The Balboa Press Hour!”  Hay House Radio

Book Review: The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton by Angela Shelton

Posted on by

The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton cover image

Tilda Pinkerton lands on the planet of Ooleeoo with a bent light atop her head and no memory of who she is or where she comes from. But she does have a specific flair for making incredible hats that help the wearers bring out their talents. Unbeknownst to Tilda, she is a crucial player in a game of intergalactic warfare, with others of her kind fighting against the evil KOD, who sucks everything good into his black hole.

On Ooleeoo Tilda becomes beloved of children and adults alike, but her enemy is searching for her everywhere, and when he finds her he intends to destroy her.

The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton, Book 1: Crash Landing on Ooleeoo by Angela Shelton is by turns fun to read and thoughtful. Tilda knows just how to bestow her hats to bring out the best of the people who receive them. She won’t make a hat for someone until they are ready to receive it, but since the hatless don’t realize this, jealousy thrives. Before long, some townspeople are spreading rumors about Tilda and turning others against her. It’s an interesting look at how doubt, once created, is hard to dispel even when you know rumors to be untrue.

There are a lot of characters to get to know, and they all have odd names, but really that just adds to the fun. There’s a glossary of names that you can refer to if you need it. Everyone’s name means something, such as Louie Luminiferous, who invents all things light on Ooleeoo, and Belinda Balletomania, who has an obsession with ballet. By the end you’ll be pondering what your special talent may be and wishing for one of Tilda’s hats as well as looking forward to the next book in the series.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

For more about the author, read her post at Mother Daughter Book Club about the challenges of writing fantasy for children.

 

Book Review: Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

Posted on by

Flora and the Flamingo cover imageFlora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle is a picture book in the purest sense: there are only pictures, no words. But the pictures tell a great story of a little girl named Flora who wants to be graceful and sleek and dance like a pink flamingo.

Flora is decked out in flippers, a pink bathing suit and a yellow swimming cap. She approaches the flamingo as the bird sleeps, gracefully balancing on one foot. Flora takes her stance and the flamingo begins to dance. Flora imitates her and the two perform graceful moves until Flora flubs a step and the flamingo makes fun of her. Soon though, the two patch things up and go on to perform flawlessly together.

The illustrations, mostly in pink with white negative space sharpen the focus on the simple lines used to create Flora, the flamingo, and beautiful blossoms on a flowering tree. There are also flaps to look under on many pages, and it’s fun to see that often the story changes when the flap is opened. For instance, one page shows both Flora and the flamingo with their heads tucked to their sides, but when you open the flaps on both of them, you see that they are sneaking peeks at each other.

There’s a great demo video set to music that shows how the book works. Flora and the Flamingo may be just the thing for your budding dancer. It also shows the power of friendship and how friends can bring out our insecurities as well as help us overcome them.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Club Recipe: Meat Loaf

Posted on by

Meat loaf is a great comfort food to serve for your book club members. Plus, it’s easy to prepare in advance, put in your freezer, then pop it into the oven to cook so the wonderful aroma will greet your hungry readers when they walk in the door. Here’s one of my favorite recipes. You can make it healthier by substituting turkey for ground beef. In my house, ground turkey has even become the favorite over ground beef.

Meat Loaf

Serves 6 to 8

For meat loaf:

  • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 14-oz can tomato sauce

For topping:

  • 3 tablespoons deli-style mustard
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine all the meatloaf ingredients and mix well. Place into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients and spoon over the meatloaf. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...