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Archive for the ‘Book News’ Category
Halloween Delights Delivers No Tricks, Plenty of Treats
Thursday, September 22, 2011
It’s that time of year again! The weather is turning crisp and cool, leaves are changing to vibrant autumn colors, and the holidays are just around the corner. First up is Halloween, a favorite for the child in each of us, a magical and spooky night filled with delicious goodies, fun costumes, and frights galore. To help make the most of the holiday, pick up a copy of Halloween Delights by Karen Jean Matsko Hood. More than just a cookbook, Halloween Delights is a treasure trove of creative ideas to make your fright night celebration one to remember! The book is also packed with extras, like information on how to grow your own pumpkins, interesting facts about the history, folklore, and symbolism of Halloween, and a helpful glossary of cooking and baking terms.
I’ve been impressed with each entry in Hood’s Cookbook Delights series that I have seen so far, but this one honestly blew me away. From the clever to the creepy to the downright ghastly, each recipe is a masterpiece of ingenuity that will delight, scare, and gross out your Halloween guests in the best way possible. The variety of recipes is staggering, enabling you to choose just how ghoulish you want your party to be. The Halloween Haunted Forest Platter, for example, is a really creative way of dressing up the ordinary vegetable platter that will entice even kids into nibbling on healthy treats, and it’s a really cute idea. (Imagine a forest of broccoli trees haunted by egg ghosts and other creepy, edible creatures.) If you’d rather horrify your guests, there are recipes like the Boogers and Slugs Halloween Cake and Chocolate Slime, foods that may sound or even look disgusting, but are guaranteed to be delicious. The Bleeding Human Heart, a heart-shaped gelatin that oozes thick grenadine blood when cut into portions, is one of my favorites–there’s no doubt it’ll make an impression!
Halloween Delights is so full of fun and creative ideas that my kids literally could not stop poring over it. They had a blast helping me try out some of the recipes in the kitchen and have been begging to try out more ever since. We made Witch’s Hat Chocolate Cupcakes, Creepy Crawly Spider Cookies, and Jack-O-Lantern Cheeseburger Pie. All of the recipes were easy to follow and turned out fabulous, not just in taste but in visual impact as well, which is at least half the fun with a holiday like this. I was also pleased to find a number of recipes that are designed for feeding large crowds, which will make planning a party all the easier. This is the ultimate Halloween cookbook, crammed with enough ideas to see my family through all the spooky parties we will ever throw. Now the only problem is picking which recipes to use–and how to prevent my kids from wanting to celebrate Halloween all year long!
Halloween Delights Cookbook – Paperback ©2008
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A Bountiful Harvest: Apple Delights Cookbook
Friday, September 16, 2011
I have to admit the apple is one of my all-time favorite fruits, but I’m not very adventurous or inventive in the kitchen, so I rarely eat them unless they are raw or baked into a pie or cobbler. Apple Delights by Karen Jean Matsko Hood has changed that for me, and I couldn’t be more delighted.
The latest in Whispering Pine Press International‘s popular Cookbook Delights series, Apple Delights arrives just in time for the beginning of autumn harvest and baked cool weather treats. Like all of Hood’s cookbooks, it is packed with over 200 mouth-watering recipes that cover every conceivable type of food, from main dishes to soups and salads–and of course, desserts and everything in between. There is also valuable information about the history and folklore of the fruit, as well as a selection of Hood’s internationally published poetry. I especially appreciated the section on different types of apple, since there are so many varieties that it can sometimes be overwhelming when trying to select the right kind for a certain recipe.
My family tried out the Chicken Apple Curry with a side of Apple Dumplings and Apple Tart Cookies for dessert. As always with Hood’s recipes, the directions were clear and easy to follow and the results were fantastic. The curry was very tender, more of a Thai red curry than the traditional yellow curry I expected, with hearty flavors from the tomato and cilantro, and a bright, pleasantly tart and sweet note from the apples. The Apple Dumplings were absolutely delightful, deliciously sweet and juicy, and my kids thought they were a blast. The Apple Tart Cookies were chock full of many different flavors that complemented each other in unexpected ways–I’ve had chocolate with coconut, I’ve had apples with raisins, but never have I had all of them together before. It’s a recipe you have to try to believe–an absolute knockout. And of course, with Apple Delights there’s so much more to look forward to, recipes for traditional goodies like homemade cider, caramel apples, and old fashioned applesauce that I can’t wait to try out, and intriguing new ideas like Apple Cheddar Cookies and Apple and Potato Chowder. No doubt about it: Karen Jean Matsko Hood has penned another winning cookbook that will revolutionize the way you see this humble fruit.
Right now, Apple Delights is on sale for only $9.95!
Buy it today! Apple Delights Cookbook – Comb Bound ©2004
Strawberry Delights Gives Food a New Flair
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Strawberry Delights is an excellent collection of more than 250 recipes that feature the flavorful flair of the strawberry. This versatile, innovative cookbook will impress even experienced gourmet chefs with its range of dishes and creative uses of the fruit. At the same time, those new to cooking will not find themselves intimidated, for instructions are laid out in a clear manner and are simple to follow. The rewarding experience of making such delicious food will prompt even reluctant cooks into returning to the kitchen again and again. Many of the recipes use strawberry preserves or frozen strawberries, so there is no concern that this cookbook will ever be out of season.
Karen Hood‘s remarkable cookbook also includes fascinating facts about strawberry nutrition, history, and folklore in addition to information on growing and cultivating your own strawberries–a valuable addition for anyone looking to go green or eat more responsibly. Hood’s lovely poems and wide knowledge of cooking, gardening, and the strawberry itself further enhance the collection in the poetry section and the ‘Did You Know?’ segments sprinkled throughout the book. Plainly, Strawberry Delights is far more than just a cookbook: it is a versatile companion for any household.
My family had fun trying out the Strawberry Pineapple Chicken Bites. Even though it is in the Appetizer section of the cookbook, I made it as a fun lunch for my kids, and it was a big hit. My oldest is fairly stand-offish about fruit, and to be honest even I am not too fond of pineapple, but this made a very light and flavorful meal that I will be happy to make again. I also made the Spiced Glazed Pork Tenderloin, which was very tender and moist. The spices gave it a taste reminiscent of the holidays, while the strawberry added a bright sweetness that I found particularly tasty. For dessert, we tried the White Chocolate Strawberry Fudgies, which were honestly just about the richest, most delightfully decadent cookie I have ever had. Everyone was blown away, even my husband, who is a strict milk-chocolate-only person. I find myself continually impressed and grateful for the way in which Hood’s recipes tempt even the pickiest eaters in my family to eat foods they don’t normally enjoy.
Order your copy of Strawberry Delights today!
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