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My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah, Mary Berry!! Definitely one of my favorite British cookbook authors! I’ve loved every cookbook I’ve tried of hers, and this one is definitely no different. The recipes are simple to follow and turn out the right way first try.

From the uber simple Watermelon, Feta and Mint Stacks to the more complicated Beef Wellington, there is a lovely variety of delicious food that anyone can cook. Cheese and Garlic Tear-Apart Scones? Yes, please!

We’re heading into the holiday season in a couple of months. How about Turkey Waldorf Salad to use up some of those leftovers? Colder weather is on its way which cries out for comfort foods. How about a hearty Sausage and Onion Cassoulet?

There’s so much to love in the delightful offering from one of Britain’s most beloved cooks. Give it a try and make a ‘foolproof’ meal tonight!

I received a copy of this cookbook from BBC books through IPG. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love bread. Just about any kind of bread you can come up with, I love to eat it and to make it. I’ve baked bread from many different cookbooks, and I was so excited to get this cookbook. Unfortunately, it did not live up to expectations.

I’m not sure what happened with the recipes in this book, but there are many issues. Proof times on some of the recipes are a joke. In the time it tells you the dough should have doubled, it is barely starting to rise. Instructions are seriously lacking in places. For instance, Crazy and Festive Challah has photos of multiple fancy braids/shapes, but there is only clear directions for a basic three strand braid, and some vague description of other ways to do it.

Focaccia is usually an easy and at least somewhat quick bread. The No-Knead Focaccia recipe is three pages long!! The number of steps is ridiculous for a focaccia that is not better than any other I’ve made from much shorter, easier recipes.

Last, but not least, there are really no instructions given to hand knead any of these. The directions call for a stand mixer and if, like me, you don’t own one, you’re on your own.

This is a gorgeous book. I feel like I put on five pounds just enjoying the photos. Unfortunately, when it comes to the actual recipes, it really falls short.

I received a copy of this book from Artisan books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love herbs. I love growing them, and I love cooking with them. I wanted this cookbook mainly for the recipes. It has everything from herbal infused oils, honey, syrups and so much more.

We love baked eggs in our house, so I couldn’t wait to try the Baked Eggs with Parsley Pesto. I will say you could use this with most pestos, and I would actually prefer it with basil, but then basil is one of my favorite herbs.

Sickness in the house? Grandma’s Chicken Soup will fit the need perfectly. Everyone healthy at your house? Grandma’s Chicken Soup will STILL fit the bill!! We’re coming into cooler weather some, so soups jump to the front of my dinner choices and this is a great one.

From Ratatouille to Oven Poached Salmon, Cheddar and Dill Crackers or Spanakopita with Fresh Herbs and Wild Greens, there is a great variety of exciting dishes to try within the pages of this book. There is also a multitude of great information about the individual herbs, seasonal information and more.

I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fun little book! My daughters love having tea parties, and they love scones–whether it’s for a tea party, or just a snack or even an accompaniment for dinner. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed this book. Every kind of scone you can imagine!

I started with the Singing Hinnies. They’re quick and easy to make, and kids love hearing them ‘sing’ on the griddle. They’re quite delicious, as well.

I enjoy the savoury scones probably better than the sweet, though some of my kids definitely prefer sweet. That’s the great thing about this book–it has a great variety of both. For the savoury lovers, try the Ploughman’s Scones or Welsh Cheese and Herb Scones. Cheese, Spring Onion and Bacon Breakfast Scones are a great alternative to your “normal” breakfast.

If sweet scones are your favorite, there’s everything from chocolate varieties to fruits, honey and more.

I have yet to try a National Trust cookbook that I didn’t fall in love with, and this one is no different. It is utterly delightful and so much fun to cook from. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from IPG for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anyone want to take a little trip down the streets of Mexico? Well, no need to leave the comfort of your own home, at least to taste the delectable street food!

The book starts with the basics, which includes making your own tortillas (I HIGHLY recommend investing in a tortilla press if you want to make these often. I got a cast iron one from Amazon, and I love it!), guacamole, salsas and more. In fact, there’s even recipes to make your own Mexican Crema, Queso Oaxaca and Queso Fresco!

Gorditas, Quesadillas, Chicharrones, Tacos and more fill the pages of this book. There are sweets included and even drinks. I love the varieties and the fact that it’s not your average Tex-Mex tacos and more. Confit crispy pork, slow cooked fried beef tongue, four kinds of stew and more make a nice change to your boring beef and bean fillings.

If you’re looking for some great Mexican food, and are bored with the generic recipes used so often here in the States, this is a great book for you! Step outside the box and made a great meal tonight!

I received a copy of this book from Pavilion through IPG for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great book for people who love to preserve their own food. From dried mushrooms to homemade raisins, BBQ sauce to salsa, you can find what you’re looking for.

The book starts with Techniques, Food Preparation and Food Preservation Methods. It then moves to Working in Groups, Things That Will Surely Get You Into Trouble and Things That Look Bad but Aren’t Dangerous. After that, we get to the recipes. Recipes are arranged in alphabetical order according to major ingredient.

As a cookbook lover, I come across different ingredients all the time, and some aren’t so easy to find. For instance, I’ve come across lots of recipes in many different books calling for preserved lemons. I live in the South, and I haven’t seen them for sale anywhere, but with this book I can make my own. It includes a recipe for Lemon Curd as well, something I adore!

If you like making your own jams and jellies, you’ll love this. From Classic Strawberry to Ginger Peach or Fennel and Onion, Orange Marmalade and more, you’ll find many great recipes. Pickle lover? There’s a large variety of pickles, and I don’t mean just pickled cucumbers!

I really enjoyed this cookbook, and I think anyone who enjoys putting up their own produce, or someone who wants to get started will really enjoy it as well.

I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is such a fun book! It’s full of history and trivia and all sorts of fascinating recipes. It is fun to read and dream over, but I can’t seem to bring myself to actually make anything out of it. The colas and root beers tend to call for ingredients that are definitely in the hard to find category and the fruit sodas (which I was most looking forward to) are–for my taste buds–odd combinations that hold no appeal for my family.

Are you determined to make your own sodas not matter what? This is definitely the book for you. Do you love the history and interesting tidbits about things like this? You’ll love this book! If you’re a busy mom that would like to make a healthier soda for your child but don’t have time to track down hard to find items or if you don’t like funkier flavor combinations, this might not be the right book for you. Over all, I enjoyed the book. I just didn’t get the use out of I thought I would.

I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun way to look at food–you can buy the same major ingredients to cook either a Southern or a French dish. It’s all in the way you put the ingredients together!

Instead of Crab, Shrimp and Oyster Gumbo tonight, why not give Bouillabaisse a whirl? Do you normally make a Cassoulet? Try a good pot of Southern Pinto Beans and Smoked Ham Hocks for dinner! You have some trout to cook tonight. Do you want some Southern Pan-Fried Trout, or would you rather go French with Poisson au Papillote?

From pot roast to pork chops, Lemon Meringue Pie to Tart au Citron, there’s a variation to cover whatever you want to cook. Cook Southern tonight and French tomorrow night–and just have fun with it!

I received a early reader’s copy of this book from Pelican Publishing Company for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There’s nothing that is quite so satisfying sometimes as a hearty bowl of soup! I was very excited to receive this cookbook and as I paged through it the book quickly took on a porcupine effect with all the tabs I put on recipes I wanted to try!

The book is divided by region to include Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland other than the first chapter which is Great British Favourites and the last three which are Modern British, Multicultural Britain and On Our Travels. There are recipes for the basic stocks you need should you wish to make your own. You, of course, can use store-bought broths, but in my opinion you never quite get the depth of flavor.

After broths it moves to Garnishes and Accompaniments which includes recipes for things like Cheddar Chili Crisps, Rarebit Croutons, Pancetta-Wrapped Breadsticks and more. Now there is nothing like a nice, crusty bread with a good bowl of soup, and they’ve included 5 bread recipes as well.

I started with Cock-a-Leekie, the national soup of Scotland. I’ve heard of this soup for years and always wanted to try it, but somehow never got around to making it. Wow! I’ve really missed out! This would have been in my go-to stock of hearty soup recipes if I’d only known. The only thing I’d change about the recipe is that you used chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. This gives a lovely, rich broth, but is on the oily side. If you make the soup the day before (or at least hours before) you plan on serving it you can skim the congealed fat off the top and just have the wonderful flavor without the added fat. Otherwise, it was a big hit at my house!

If you like leeks, you can’t go wrong with Leek and Potato Soup. I’m dying to try the Lentil and Bacon Soup, and I’m also excited to try the Chunky Roasted Tomato Soup when my tomatoes start ripening.

From Italian Wedding Soup, to Bubble and Squeak, Venison Hotch Potch, Cullen Skink (a Scottish fish soup) and even Sri Lankan Chicken this book has you covered in the soup department! Whether you’re looking for a light, clear soup, or a hearty, thick stew you’re sure to find a great recipe in “Great British Soups”. I highly recommend it!

I received a copy of this book from Trafalgar Square Publishing through IPG for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love the flavor of Cajun cooking, but not the calories? This book is for you! Slimmed-Down Crawfish Bread, Skinny Crockpot Cajun Bean Soup, King Cake Sweet Potato Fries, Skinny Cajun Shrimp Casserole, Shelly’s Skinny Grits, and even S’mores Brownie Bars fill the pages of this book.

Great recipes of skinny versions of favorite dishes–what more could you ask for?! No more simply choosing low calorie over yummy when it comes to Louisiana cooking. Get great Cajun flavors at surprisingly low calories. Each recipe has nutritional information included making it easier to keep track of what you’re eating.

This book is just a winner all around. I definitely recommend it to all the Louisiana cuisine lovers–I think you’ll love it!

I received a copy of this book from Pelican Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.