Saturday, November 8, 2014

Decorating Cookies Party and Where Slow Food and Whole Food Meet


Decorating Cookies Party cover - Thoughts in ProgressWith the holidays fast approaching thoughts naturally turn to food and what we can share with family and friends. Now is the perfect time for some fantastic cookbooks that offer delicious recipes (and tips) for just about any event you have planned.

DECORATING COOKIES PARTY by Bridget Edwards

When it comes to desserts, cookies are the hardest to resist. Blogger turned author Bridget Edwards makes it even harder to resist with her latest cookbook, DECORATING COOKIES PARTY: 10 Celebratory Themes/50 Designs.

Cookies can be as simple as you want or as beautiful as works of art, but still fairly easy to make. Edwards shares her years of experience in tried and true techniques to create cookies for all occasions.

This charming cookbook features cookies decorating basics that include such elements as what equipment is needed, techniques that help make baking cookies easier, and cookie care. Edwards also includes a resource guide and templates for a number of her unique recipes.

The projects section showcases 10 themes for parties using cookies. This includes everything from the normal birthday party to a monster mash-up and a book club party.

The recipes are given in easy to follow steps with tips and techniques to make the baking less complicated. There are gorgeous color photographs throughout the book detailing the step-by-step instructions and featuring the resulting yummy cookies. The author also explains how to host a cookie decorating party for adults and youngsters.

There are no plain cookies featured in this cookbook, but the unique and whimsical designs are not as difficult as you might image thanks to the author’s comprehensive instructions and helpful techniques.

From the cover to the last page, you can’t help but smile as you check out the numerous cookies in DECORATING COOKIES PARTY. Whether you’re a novice or a pro in the kitchen, this cookbook will have you baking cookies just for the sheer pleasure of it.

Author Bridget Edwards blogs at Bake at 350.

Decorating Cookies Party: 10 Celebratory Themes/50 Designs by Bridget Edwards, Lark Crafts, @2014, ISBN: 978-1454708681, Paperback, 144 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. I requested it after winning a fabulous yellow KitchenAid stand mixer from the author during her release day celebration giveaway on her blog, Bake at 350. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

WHERE SLOW FOOD AND WHOLE FOOD MEET by Slow Cook Food Bloggers

cookbook coverEven without the extra pressure of the holiday season, it’s sometimes hard to prepare healthy meals for families with hectic schedules. WHERE SLOW FOOD AND WHOLE FOOD MEET: Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners From Our Kitchens to Yours offers tasty solutions. 

This cookbook, edited by Jennifer Dempsey and Christine Pittman, features delicious and healthy meals made in a slow cooker. The recipes are compiled from over 30 talented food bloggers and the proceeds from the book benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.

This book covers a vast array of meals from Chicken Dinners to Comfort in a Bowl to Take Out Night and much more. In addition, there are tips on affordable cooking, as well as advice for busy families using slow cookers.

There are recipes for all types of dishes such as Macaroni and Cheese with Sugar Snap Peas by Pamela Reed (@ Brooklyn Farm Girl), Harvest Chili by Nicole Harris (@ Wonky Wonderful), Balsamic Orange Roast Beef by Brenda Score (@ A Farmgirl’s Dabbles), and Whole Tuscan Chicken by Julie Deily (@ The Little Kitchen) just to name a few.

These recipes are simple and easy to follow. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful, vivid color photograph showing how the dish will look.

WHERE SLOW FOOD AND WHOLE FOOD MEET is a great cookbook for delicious, easy to prepare meals. A must have for families on the go or just looking for a healthy, comfort meal.

Where Slow Food and Whole Food Meet: Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners from Our Kitchens to Yours by Slow Cook Food Bloggers, Edited by Jennifer Dempsey and Christine Pittman, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, @2014, ISBN: 978-1501023415, Paperback, 116 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – I won a copy of this book from a giveaway hosted by Pamela Reed @ Brooklyn Farm Girl, along with a wonderful 6-quart Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker. No review of this book was requested, required, recommended or suggested as part of the win. In addition, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Holidays and no holidays, food is always a source of comfort and sharing food with friends and family makes it even better. I hope I’ve enticed you to check out these wonderful cookbooks today. Remember, they also make excellent gifts. Smile

Hope you’re having a wonderful Saturday. See ya soon.

* This post contains affiliate links.

11 comments:

  1. I think we have a slow cooker. We use it once a year for chili.
    You don't want me decorating cookies, but I'll gladly show up to eat them!

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    1. Alex, we use to use our slow cooker only for chili too. Now I love cooking chicken in it. It makes it so tender. I'm with you on the cookies too.

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  2. Mason - Thanks for sharing these cookbooks. Always nice to have some new recipe ideas.

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    1. Margot, it does help to have new recipes on hand.

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  3. that first one seems like a delightful book to have and love

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    1. Dez, there are some extremely cute cookies in that book.

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  4. Hi Mason - the decorating one would be a big hit with many a housewife ... I've just never made too many cakes or biscuits ... though I did do an icing and decorating course. Not having kids, not being artistic .. meant these things got left out in the cold!

    Now the slow cook recipes I could get into - but thought we had a slow cook-pot years ago ... I preferred to cook - but I was home and could do that ...

    Both I can imagine will do well - good prezzies too .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary, I tend to do more cookies around the holidays for some reason. I think I'd enjoy taking an icing and decorating course just for the fun of it.

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  5. Slow cookers are a wonderful thing. Mind you, as we lurch into summer I will be doing as little cooking (slow or otherwise) as possible. Salads, salads, salads...

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    1. Elephant's Child, both lurching into summer and salads sounds good to me right now. We're going into cold winter so the slow cooker will soon be busy with soups and chili around our house.

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  6. Mason, thanks for sharing about these cookbooks. I use my crock pot quite often. Soups, stews and roasts. I've even made applesauce, apple butter and apple crisp in it.

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