I’m delighted to be participating in the Cedar Fort Publishing & Media blog tour for author Allison Waggoner’s latest release, IN THE KITCHEN: A Collection of Home and Family Memories, and sharing my thoughts.
Finding recipes that are quick and easy to prepare, as well as delicious, is always fun. National television host, chef, and author Allison Waggoner has just such recipes in her first cookbook, IN THE KITCHEN: A Collection of Home and Family Memories,
The stylish hardcover cookbook covers a vast array of recipes. It’s divided into five categories, along with an index and a section on the author and photographer. The categories include: Breakfast to Brunch, Entrees, Desserts, Pressure Cooking, and Gathering Cocktails. In addition, there is a short notes section at the back of the book where you can include your own thoughts about the dishes.
Some of the tasty recipes include: German Pancakes, Homestyle Pot Roast, Roasted Butternut Squash, Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Fallen Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Drop Martini.
Many of the recipes are short and simple with as few as three to four ingredients, while others are a bit more time consuming with 15 or more ingredients. Each recipe is laid out in an easy-to-read format with the ingredients highlighted for quick reference. There are brief antidotes with the majority of the recipes giving background tidbits about the dish.
Not all the recipes include a photograph of the finished dish. But those that do feature beautiful, full-page vibrant photos by Alma Delia Guzman. There are even a few two-page layouts depicting the appetizing dishes.
IN THE KITCHEN would make a great addition to any cook’s library whether they are a novice preparing meals or a gourmet chef. This is a delightful cookbook.
In the Kitchen: A Collection of Home and Family Memories by Allison Waggoner, Front Table Books, @2014, ISBN: 978-1462116799, Hardcover, 160 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher as part of the author’s virtual blog tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Growing up in the chocolate industry inspired a journey filled with delicious and innovate cuisine for Allison Waggoner. Allison began her career developing her family’s gourmet chocolates, creating some of the finest, award-winning confections in the world. Her culinary designs have been featured in Crate & Barrel, Culinary Product Magazine, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Godiva Chocolatier, Walt Disney World, Fancy Food Magazine, Sally Foster Magazine, Target, Universal Studios, William-Sonoma and The Food Network.
As a classically trained chef, Allison’s culinary and marketing career brought her to the attention of television executives. She first appeared as a guest host, bringing her confections and family history to the home shopping industry. Allison is presently seen in more than 80 million homes as a host on ShopHQ, a leader in retail broadcasting.
Now, Allison brings her love of food and favorite recipes to you in her first cookbook. A nostalgic collection of recipes accumulated through the course of her life and career, IN THE KITCHEN is filled with simple, delicious dishes for every day of the week.
For more on Allison, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Do you enjoy finding new recipes? Do you or someone you know collect cookbooks? Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you’re having a great Wednesday and the weather is treating you well. Don’t forget to check out IN THE KITCHEN.
*This post contains affiliate links.
I’m delighted to be participating in author Brenda Bennett and Cedar Fort Publishing’s virtual blog tour for Brenda’s latest release, SUGAR-FREE MOM: NATURALLY SWEET AND SUGAR-FREE RECIPES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
With the holidays comes parties and family gatherings with loads of food and lots of sweet treats. It’s always difficult to find ways to prepare healthy food that your family will enjoy.
Author and food blogger Brenda Bennett has created helpful tips and delicious recipes in SUGAR-FREE MOM: NATURALLY SWEET AND SUGAR-FREE RECIPES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY that will help when trying to lead a healthier lifestyle.
I found this book very informative and straight forward in that the author stresses this isn’t a diet book of low-calorie or even low-fat recipes. The mission of the cookbook, she explains, is cooking and baking without processed sugars. She incorporates natural sweeteners such as honey and coconut sugar in her recipes. She goes on to explain how her obsession/addiction to sugar created a roller coaster ride for her life for many years before she changed the way she approached cooking.
There are sections on what items the author has in her pantry, her kitchen essentials, sugar-free alternatives and avoiding refined flour products. All the recipes in SUGAR-FREE MOM include a nutritional information section that is calculated per serving. In addition, beautiful color photographs accompany the recipes depicting the delicious results.
The book is divided into the following categories: breakfast; light bites, salads, sides and more; main dishes; condiments; beverages; and sweet treats. Some of the yummy recipes include: Baked French Toast Sticks, Mock Tater Tots, Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers, Quick Ketchup, Mocha Protein Coffee Frappe, and Chocolate Macaroons.
This cookbook will give you delicious recipes to prepare for your family and friends, while also helping you make healthier choices for your lifestyle. Removing process sugar from one’s diet can’t be done overnight, but SUGAR-FREE MOM provides techniques and tips for making the transition easier with tasty results.
Sugar-Free Mom: Naturally Sweet and Sugar-Free Recipes for the Whole Family by Brenda Bennett, Front Table Books, @2014, ISBN: 978-1462114498, Paperback, 224 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brenda Bennett’s passion for cooking began at the age of 5 kneeling on a chair by her grandmother’s side helping roll homemade gnocchi’s on a flour covered butcher block table. Her love affair with cooking was a mere hobby while teaching as a special educator and earning a Master’s Degree in Education. After the birth of her second child, she had to give up sugar.
With sear determination and a deep desire to still enjoy chocolate, her love affair with food embarked on a new journey learning to develop recipes free of refined sugars and flours. After discovering peanut, tree nut and soy allergies in 2 of her 3 children making homemade healthier versions of the treats they loved became a necessity. She transitioned to the position of homeschooling mom of 3, recipe developer, food writer, photographer and blogger. She focuses on wholesome delicious food free of processed flours and sugars to feed her family and share with friends and fans on www.sugarfreemom.com.
Brenda lives in RI with her husband, 3 children and their dog, Ruby. When she isn’t cooking, blogging or writing she can be found at spin class, camping, volunteering in cub scouts, or in the position of transportation engineer shuttling her children to karate, dance, boy scouts, soccer or softball.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you’re having a great Friday. If you’re looking to cut down on sugar in your recipes, be sure to check out SUGAR-FREE MOM. It’s a very informative cookbook. Do you use natural sugar in your cooking?
*This post contains affiliate links.
It’s a
pleasure today to be participating in the Cedar Fort Publishing virtual blog tour for
author Elizabeth McGaw’s recent release, PALEO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET.
Here are my thoughts.
Not knowing anything about Paleo cooking, I’m
amazed at the wealth of information PALEO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET by Elizabeth McGaw offers.
The cookbook offers an introduction to meal
planning and Paleo 101. There’s information on prep strategy, coupon and store
deals, and a quick reference guide, not to mention numerous others tips and
tricks to help any cook. The author also includes a few tips on cutting cost in
other areas of the household to help during difficult times.
The recipes are divided into breakfast, lunch,
dinner + side dishes, and desserts + snacks. The recipes are for such tasty
dishes as Banana Pancakes, Tomato Soup, Broccoli Salad, Rosemary Lime Pork
Chops, and Raspberry Mug Cake. Each of the delicious recipes, written in simple
instructions, are accompanied by a bold, beautiful color photo showing how the
finished dish should look.
A Paleo diet refers to eating mainly lean meat,
fish, vegetables, fruits, assorted nuts and seeds much like the hunter/gathers
of our ancestors did. The author encourages readers to try the diet at their own
pace and to determine to what extent they want to follow the suggestions. She
explains what it means to eat the Paleo way, the non-Paleo way and a few items
that are “maybe-sorta-kinda” on the Paleo diet depending on the person’s goals
for their body.
I found this book to be both informative and
entertaining. The author has a way of conveying the information so the reader
feels they’re discussing the topic with a friend. The conversational style
writing makes the reader feel at ease and not quite so stressful about following
the diet to the letter.
PALEO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET provides helpful information for those wanting to change
their way of eating to a healthier one, whether all at once or a little at a
time.
Paleo Meal Planning On A Budget by Elizabeth McGaw,
Front Table Books imprint of Cedar Fort, @2014, ISBN: 978-1462115068, Paperback,
200 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of
this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would
review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my
review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and
freely.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
 |
| Author Elizabeth McGaw |
Elizabeth McGaw is the
blogger for Paleo On A Budget, a
website dedicated to those that are following the Paleo lifestyle on a tight
budget.
She currently resides in Concord, NH and works alongside her husband, as
both a Wedding Photographer and Web Designer.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you
tried a Paleo diet? Did you know anything about the Paleo diet before
today?
*This post contains affiliate links.
It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Christina Dymock’s virtual blog tour featuring her latest release, ONE DIRTY BOWL: Fast Desserts, Faster Cleanup.
I’m sharing my thoughts on the cookbook and a bit of background on the author as part of the tour.
ONE DIRTY BOWL: Fast Desserts, Faster Cleanup by Christina Dymock
The joy of cooking is sometimes overshadowed by the messy cleanup that follows. Author Christina Dymock has a simple solution for that problem in her recent release, ONE DIRTY BOWL: Fast Desserts, Faster Cleanup. This delightful cookbook makes creating desserts simple and fun, but the cleanup hassle-free.
All the dishes in this 136-page book require only one bowl in order to prepare the decadent desserts. Fewer dishes to cleanup, more time to enjoy the delicious rewards. To make things even better, several of the dishes require no baking. The author also includes baking tips with a number of the recipes.
The cookbook is divided into chapters entitled: Small and Scrumptious; Beautiful Brownies and Bars; Decadent Dessert Breads; Enticing Cookies; and Divine Sweets, Charming Cakes, Cupcakes, Cobblers and Pies. There is also a measurement equivalent chart. The book contains such recipes as: Paper Bag Cookies, Elvis’s Kisses, Blueberry Ribbon Cake, and Butter Rum Bread.
The layout of the recipes is done in a pleasing manner giving quick reference to the ingredients needed and the serving size. In addition, the book contains numerous color photo of various sizes depicting the end results of many of the appealing recipes. Some recipes also include variations.
Preparing the recipes in only one bowl is less time consuming. To add to the convenience, a number of the recipes lists only two to four ingredients for yummy desserts in a rush. ONE DIRTY BOWL is about providing delicious desserts in a quick and easy method with a minimum of cleanup time – a treat for the entire family.
One Dirty Bowl: Fast Desserts, Faster Cleanup by Christina Dymock; Front Table Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort Inc.; @2014; ISBN: 978-1462114016; Paperback; 136 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure – An e-copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher as part of the author’s virtual book tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christina Dymock graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Public Relations. She has been published in Woman’s World Magazine and several Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
She is the author of One Dirty Bowl: Fast Desserts, Faster Cleanup, The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cook Book, Young Chefs, 101 Things to do With Popcorn, The Widow's Mite, and The Godmother Chronicles.
She resides in Central Utah with her husband and four children.
For more on Christina and her writing, visit her blog and connect with her on Facebook and Amazon.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope I’ve enticed you to check out this fun and easy cookbook. Do you collect cookbooks and always on the lookout for another to add to your collection? Do you like being able to prepare a dessert quickly without a lot of hassle and cleanup?
