Picture Cook: See. Make. Eat. by Katie Shelly; Ulysses Press

Recipes Without Reading
With illustrations instead of text, Picture Cook will reinvent the way you make food. Over 50 homey recipes are distilled into their most basic components, each rendered step-by-step in enchanting line drawings like nothing ever before seen in a cookbook. Covering everything from omelets and lasagna to chocolate cake, this cheery bunch of recipes will cure your kitchenphobia, delight the design lover in you and satisfy every tummy in your path.

Perfect for visual learners, novice chefs, and design aficionados, these whimsical recipe blueprints provide quick and simple guidance for making classic dishes every cook should have in their repertoire. Cooking is a nonverbal activity that many people best understand visually. It is with this notion that artist Katie Shelly began rendering her recipes entirely in image form and created Picture Cook.

Including a visual tutorial on knife skills, illustrated metric conversion chart, and an index especially organized for various dietary needs, Picture Cook makes the perfect gift for budding chefs, college students, or any home cook in need of some visual inspiration.

 

My Review*

This is seriously the best recipe book in my extensive collection.I’ve never owned such a fun recipe book, actually I’ve never even seen one like this EVER. I am a visual learner and I have to say that this book is absolutely ingenious book for all of us. Whether you’re a beginner home cook or a novice chef, you will appreciate the thought that Katie puts into this book.

I don’t know how many times I was reading through a recipe book and wished for this same idea. It is so much easier for me to follow along when I can visually SEE what I need to be doing, instead of just reading about it. This book is SO easy to follow, not to mention how AWESOMELY fun it is.

As soon as I got this, I just had to sit down and look through it all. The super cute illustrations just make it so much fun and intriguing to even those who have never cooked or baked anything in their life. I would have to say that I am in the middle- I’m not a beginner, yet I’m not what you would call an intermediate cook either.

How many times have you sit down with a recipe book and wanted so bad to try something new? Yet, seemed to get stuck because you didn’t exactly know WHAT you were doing and got intimidated? Now that isn’t a problem. The Picture Cook contains a huge variety of recipes and makes every single one an absolute thrill to make. I wish I’d had this book when I was new to cooking, this is exactly what I needed at the time.

The steps in this book make following along SO much simpler. My brain doesn’t have to take the time to filter the words and put them into a visual cue, it’s already there for me! I don’t have to stress about getting hung-up on a complicated recipe or how to properly prepare the items. There’s no questions about what to do next, it’s clearly drawn out.

    

Everything that we need to cook great food is right here. The book starts with the legend and basic techniques. The legend (just like in a map) shows us what she means with each drawing that we will see later. That way there are no mistakes and just plain fun working!

One of my favorite things about this book is the techniques shown. There’s no hiding that I am a HORRIBLE vegetable chopper. I have a hard time chopping veggies like they should be chopped. This book clearly defines with the drawings how to mince garlic, chop onions, slice avocados, & dice round things (like cucumbers and tomatoes).

 

Each recipe features drawings of the ingredients and the steps of preparing the dish, with the instructions included in the drawings. The ingredients are drawn out at the bottoms of each recipe, which the included instructions. I no longer have to read long paragraphs of how to prepare the foods, I can just glance over!

The recipes are broken into chapters;

• Breakfast
• Soups & stews
• Hefty meals
• Sides & salads
• Fast snacks
• Sauces & dips
• Drinks
• Dessert

The recipes within are mixed. There are some that we all know or have made at some point in our lives such as Cinnamon Sugar Toast, Home Fries, Chili, and Mashed Potatoes. Most of these recipes are ones that I haven’t seen and have healthy twists to them such as Avocado & feta snack, Strawberry Honey & basil snack, and White Lasagna. There are over 50 amazing recipes for us to try!

I love it so much because it demystifies what beginning cooks usually question. It simplifies everything, making cooking and baking a breeze instead of a chore because it’s interactively visual. It really brings fun into the kitchen. This is definitely going to be something I can have my kids help me with, they love helping me cook. With the pictures my son and daughter can start to learn recipes and help me out with putting the recipes together! Total A+ book!

So cute, unique, & a definite must-have. Great recipes and illustrations. 5/5 would recommend to anyone! This would be amazing gift to give for the Holidays!

Get it for under $15!

Picture Cook: See.Make.Eat

Connect with Ulysses Press online:

Twitter & Facebook

About the Author: Katie Shelly

Katie Shelly is a media designer aiming to make your life simpler. easier and happier. She hopes that you get lots of mileage out of the recipes in this book and they make you and your loved ones very happy. Katie works at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City as a graphics and video producer. She also freelances in graphic design, illustration, and animation.

 

Book Review: Cake Balls: More Than 60 Delectable and Whimsical Sweet Spheres of Goodness by DeDe Wilson; Harvard Common Press

Just as delightful to eat as they are portable and fun to make, cake balls have been making appearances across the country in bakeries, upscale restaurants, children’s parties, and weddings. Innovating mom and prolific home baker, blogger, and author, Dede Wilson ushers in this popular trend in baking with over 60 delicious and decadent recipes.

What is a Cake Ball?

Cake balls are a combination of crumbled cake and frosting rolled into generous bite-size rounds and then dipped in a coating, usually dark, milk, or white chocolate. There is a cake ball for every party, holiday, bake sale, and any other occasion, and these sweet treats are sure to be a standout in an array of ordinary baked goods.

Cake Balls begins with nine basic cake recipes and ten basic frostings, ganaches, and glazes, which Wilson spins, with some design tricks and extra ingredients, into 63 distinctive creations, each handsomely photographed in full color.

DeeDee helps us ditch those recipes that call for boxed caked mix and canned frosting, which I love. She approaches cake balls the right way with from-scratch cake and frosting! There are a variety of cake balls in this book, and such a variety- this is definitely a must own book for anybody who would love to learn or add to their recipes.

Ch.1 Baking & Creating Fabulous Cake Balls provides the basic cake ball making techniques, tools, and ingredients. Also includes:

How to create your own unique cake ball recipe, All about cake ball decorations & Storage Tips

Ch.2 The Basic Recipes is split into two sections. The first section is basic cake ball recipes while the second covers frosting, pastry cream, ganache, and other “binders” to combine with the cake recipes (base).

Ch.3 The Cake Balls -More than 50 recipes for fabulously delicious cake ball recipes.

Ch.4 Cake Ball Creations 10 recipes that teach us to use cake balls to make show stopping desserts on a grand scale.

 

The Recipes

The recipes include kid-friendly ideas, such as Jam-Filled Cake Balls, Smores, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Balls; sophisticated treats like Cocoa-Dusted Truffle Cake Balls and Cranberry-Toffee-Walnut Cake Balls; and whimsical creations like Teddy Bears, Cake Ball Pumpkins, and the statement-making Cake Ball Tower, made of cream puffs. Wilson offers inspiration for baking pros with tips for original cake ball inventions, and guidance for rookies and bakers-on-the-go with tips on making cake balls from a mix.

I had so much fun with this book. The cake balls look so delicious yet so beautiful. The perfect treat for many occasions. There were so many of the recipes that made my mouth water like crazy.

Cappuccino Cake Balls, with additional details on making a Mochaccino Cake Ball.

Rocky Road Cake Balls which is made with a fudgy brownie base. (yum)

German Chocolate Cake Balls

Peppermint-White Chocolate

There are just so many more that I could mention. I can’t wait to try all of them. The book is absolutely amazing and I am so glad I’ve added it to my recipe book collection, it’s priceless.

It’s something not only that we can do, but that we can get help from our kids. They remember the small stuff, and just baking some amazing cake balls and playing a game after or something. Let them help you choose the cake mix or which type of frosting as well. We will definitely be doing this!

Download the recipe for Confetti Cake Balls

Download the recipe for Apple Pie Cake Balls

Download the recipe for Crème Brûlée Cake Balls

The Cake Ball decorations are super adorable. Whether it’s a Christmas Tree at your Christmas party, a princess for your daughter, Egg for Easter, or Pumpkin for Halloween.. they have it all. I love them!

Get Yours: Cake Balls: More than 60 Delectable and Whimsical Sweet Spheres of Goodness

$12.31

Harvard Common Press Independent publisher specializing in cookbooks, childbirth & parenting,

Jessica Renee

 

Book Review: Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher; Harvard Common Press

In today's fast-paced society, TV dinners and fast food can easily take the place of good home cooking. But with the help of one of the most underused appliances in most people's kitchen -- the freezer -- anyone can make and preserve about two weeks' worth of delicious home-cooked meals in a matter of hours. Jessica Fisher' s Not Your Mother provides the key to doing so. Fisher outlines 200 recipes for delectable breakfasts, lunches, and dinners through the method of batch cooking that saves both time and money.

This cookbook puts a modern spin on the age-old idea of freezing meals for later, and appeals to today's diverse tastes, providing recipes for not only chicken, beef, and pork, but also fish, shellfish, and vegetarian main courses. Fisher also details how to go about using the freezer to its full potential, giving information on the best freezer bags and, most importantly, how to thaw food safely after it has been frozen.

 

Supper time! The sound of those two words can conjure up memories of your family sitting down to dinner together and enjoying themselves. Lively conversations that make your heart squeeze, and everybody loving your handmade meal!

BUT at the same time those same two words can also bring to mind being so tired that you feel dead on your feet. While you are trying to conjure up something actually edible that doesn’t take forever to cook; the kids are fighting, the dog is running rampant, and your phone just won’t SHUT UP!

So, take out food clearly runs through your mind. Maybe a can of soup or something microwavable? This is clearly the easy way out but definitely not the healthy way! All those extra calories and added sodium is a big no-no!

When I asked to review the book Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher , I thought it was going to be a book of nothing but recipes. I was pretty sure there would be some recipes that I couldn’t ever possibly make because of the extensive and expensive list of ingredients. NOT so! There are no weird ingredients and nothing in this book is expensive or hard to find!

This book definitely exceeded my expectations because it has how-to and tips for freezing the recipes! What can and can’t be frozen, freezing techniques, packaging to freeze, and so much more! The recipes aren’t just a bunch of weird high priced ingredients thrown together, they all look very delicious! The instructions are very detailed and easy to understand as well!

There are cooking plans that consist of breakfasts, beef, meatless.. etc. then gives the grocery lists to go with the plans, which makes it easier for a busy mom! Then she goes even further into detail with packaging guidelines for freezing, prep lists, appliances/gadgets needed, and the complete detailed cooking plan.

There is so much information on the first 64 pages that truly helped me out and came in handy. It’s like Jessica (the author) is holding your hand throughout the process and explaining. She does all the hard work for us, all we have to do is shop for the ingredients, cook the food, and then freeze it.

She even explains how to successfully organize and plan  a few hours a week or every other week into making and freezing! These recipes are definitely healthier than take our or high calorie, high sodium microwave dinners! Something you can just come home and pop in the oven!

This book has definitely changed my outlook on life (no kidding). I’ve never owned a recipe book that influenced my life in such a manner that makes those long days bearable! No more tired, dragging, standing over a hot stove cooking! I can now just come home and take something from the freezer if I have had a long day and don’t feel like cooking!

The expectations and advice about buying and freezing by the bulk is amazing. Not only will your sanity be saved but it definitely helps save money in the long run! Buying the ingredients in bulk when they are on sale and then making a ton of recipes that include those ingredients. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be buying a deep freezer here soon.

There are a variety of recipes too, which is another plus for the book. Usually make ahead and freeze books contain a TON of casserole recipes, but this one has plenty of everything. It has stews, casseroles, soups, and even pizza kits and taco kits.. etc.

Calzones, burritos, meatballs are ready for you to make and freeze. Your family will definitely thank you if you get this book! They will love that they can take the burritos and calzones and pop them in the microwave if you have a late day or early meeting. You’ll definitely love that a couple dedicated hours a week will save you so much time throughout the week, and you’ll actually be able to enjoy dinner with your family!

This is definitely a book to buy in bulk and give as Christmas gifts to all your family and friends. They won’t EVER forget what you got them by next Christmas. They won’t lose it and it definitely won’t go unused! This is definitely something for anybody no matter how old, what gender, or how many kids they have!

Get yours: Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook (NYM Series) $12.14

 

About the Author

Jessica Fisher is a busy mom of six young children, aged toddler to teen. Homeschool mom by day, freelance writer and blogger by night, she writes two popular blogs, LifeasMom.com and GoodCheapEats.com and contributes to both SimpleHomeschool.net and Food.YourWay.net. She also writes for various parenting publications in the U.S. and Canada. She lives with her husband and children in San Diego, California and is an avid home cook. Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze is her first book.

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: Big Bad Ass Book of Shots- Over 1,400 Recipes to Get the Party Started by Paul Knorr; Running Press

Fun-filled shots, shooters, and slammers are the drinks of choice for revelers worldwide. The Big Bad Ass Book of Shots is the ultimate guide to these creative concoction.

This comprehensive, one-of-a-kind collection includes more than 1,400 incredible shot recipes guaranteed to inspire laughs just by saying the shot names out loud, making it the ultimate shot resource and an absolute must-have for every party.

Holidays, birthdays, and Saturdays provide reasons to celebrate-but who needs a reason? Pick up the Big Bad Ass Book of Shots and get your celebration started today! Whether you prefer a classic shot or want a taste of the latest craze, you’ll never run out of options with recipes like:

Alabama Slammer

Apple Pie

Brave Bull

Cement Mixer

Copper Camel

Kamikaze

Lemon Drop

Tropical Passion

Lemon Drop

Woo Woo

 

My Review

This book is small in size but packed with a HARD punch. This is definitely amazing for any kind of get together or party. Summer is definitely here, which means more barbeques, the fourth of July, and backyard parties. BE ready to impress your friends and family with this book!

This book is downright AWESOME! Every kind of alcohol you could ever think up mixed with this and that to make some amazing shots that will have you licking your lips and then making another.

No more PURE whiskey or vodka shots that have your stomach turned upside down within mere seconds. Why not make it fun and tasty instead? This book is CRAMMED with amazing recipes no matter what you’re looking for.

All the shots are listed in alphabetical order, and are detailed in how to make them. The author really did HIS research on putting a giant variety of drinks to please everybody! He also does an amazing job mixing the old classic shots with the new modern shots that everybody wishes they knew how to make.

NOW you can make all these at home without paying bar prices! This is amazing to have in your kitchen, on your coffee table, or on your bar bookshelf. This is one SHOT reference book you don’t want to miss out on!

It’s all about letting loose, having fun, and making some great memories. There are plenty of books about shots but nothing can even begin to touch this with it’s vast collection (Over 1,400)!

Most of the drinks within this book I had never even heard of. They have some very exotic names and refreshing ingredients. The recipes are simple, easy to make, and do not require a lot of ingredients.

There are 2-3 shots per page, and contains nothing but shots. If you’re looking for a full sized drink, don’t look here. Although you could possibly mix up a larger concoction at a time just with the information given. 2 parts this, one part that, a dash of this.. etc.

I love that it tells whether to layer the drink or shake with ice and strain into the shot glass. Some shots are meant to LOOK cooler with the different ingredients layering each other to give off a colorful charismatic drink!

There aren’t any pictures of the drinks but they aren’t needed. The instructions are precise and easy to follow so there isn’t any way you could mess it up!

This book would actually be a great gift to give for Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversaries, and even Mother/Father’s day. Why get them something classic like clothes or a gift card when you can give them a book filled with potential memory making ingredients?

The shots are really the eye catchers though. Just looking through the book was fun in itself. There were so many that I wanted to try, some that I never even THOUGHT about the ingredients mixed the way they were. It is quite impressive!

Here are some of the shot names that caught my eye!

Absolut Tootch, Adult Lit, Dominator, Damned if you do,

cherry cheesecake, chastity belt, Fuzzy Smurf, Funky

Chicken. End of the World, Little Black Devil, Plead the

Fifth, Power Shot, P.S. I Love you,  Southern Smile, and

Prozac.

The design of the book is cool and unique, so that just in itself is one way to get the party rolling. Invite some friends over and whip them up some of these and they’ll love you forever. They’ll be wanting you to be the “bartender” at all the parties—Just don’t forget your shot bible at home!

The back of the book is sorted by types of liquor. If you only like or have a certain type on hand you don’t have to search through the entire book. This is a time saver and VERY genius.

The Recipes:

 

Dead Man Walking:

2 Parts Vodka

2 Parts Crown Royal Bourbon

1 part Cola

Dash of Lemonade

Shake with ice and strain into shot glass

 

Bruised Heart

1 part Vodka

1 part raspberry liqueur

1 part peach schnapps

1 part cranberry juice cocktail

shake with ice and stain into shot glass

Have you tried any of the shots I’ve mentioned above that caught my eye? If not, which catches YOUR eye and would like to try?

BUY IT: Big Bad-Ass Book of Shots $10 + Free Shipping

Connect with Running Press on facebook, twitter, and pinterest

Jessica Renee

Book Review: The Sweet Book of Candy Making by Elizabeth LaBau; Quarry Publishing

Create your own delicious, gorgeous, and professional-quality candies with The Sweet Book of Candy Making. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned candy maker, you will find mouthwatering recipes and expert tips to inspire you—and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Inside, you'll find:

—Candy-making essentials: all you need to know about equipment, ingredients, and techniques, including step-by-step lessons on pulling taffy, rolling truffles, filling peanut butter cups, and more

—More than 50 recipes for sugar candies, fondant, caramels, toffee, fudge, truffles, chocolates, marshmallows, and fruit and nut candies

—Troubleshooting tips for each type of candy

—How to perfect the classics you love, from English Toffee to Chocolate Fudge to Peanut Brittle

—Try your hand at something new: Pistachio Marzipan Squares, Passion Fruit Marshmallows, Mango-Macadamia Nut Caramels, Lemon Meringue Lollipops, and more

—Decorating techniques to show off your tasty results

Get started in your kitchen with The Sweet Book of Candy Making!

My Review

I have a ton of candy/confection books and this is probably my top favorite out of all of them. I love it because it focuses on 9 types of candies and also helps with getting it CORRECT every single time because it helps you with troubleshooting IF something does go wrong.

The other candy books I have don’t do this, which makes it hard to figure out what to do next IF something DOESN’T go just as planned. The pictures help as well. They are very detailed and the instructions are easy to understand and very descriptive.

I love how she goes into detail and fully explains each ingredient and tools. It fully describes why you can’t mix this with that and what will happen- so if you DO happen to adventure further with candy making you won’t have a ton of mistakes on your hands.

The ingredients that are detailed are broken into sections:

• sweeteners; granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar..
• chocolates; cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, dark chocolate..
• Dairy Products; Cream, Milk, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed milk..

She also explains which type of Nuts, Fruits, Flavorings, Extracts, and Salt is best used when making candy.

Then there is a whole chapter dedicated to techniques of working with candy making ingredients. This is what I definitely LOVED most about this book. It fully takes you step by step WITH pictures to show you how to work with melting sugar, calibrating your candy thermometer, working with chocolate.. and so much more.

That’s why this book is GREAT for those who wish they could make their own deliciousness at home but aren’t sure what to do, how to do it, and what’s the best way to achieve the results!! THIS book SHOWS you!

This is definitely a must have book no matter where your at in candy making. If you’re an experienced candy maker OR a beginner- this book has something (even techniques that experienced candy makers will love to know).. for everyone!

I definitely love that there are clear, precise pictures of every SINGLE recipe in the book that way I have something to compare my creations to when they are done.

 

About the Author

Elizabeth LaBau is a food writer and confectioner based in Los Angeles, California. She applies her years of experience as a professional pastry chef to bringing a modern touch to the world of old-fashioned candy making. Since 2006, she has been the Guide to Candy at About.com, an online division of the New York Times Company. At http://candy.about.com, she provides fun, creative candy recipes and step-by-step tutorials for the home cook. When she's not playing with sugar in the kitchen, she can be found running the trails around Los Angeles with a piece of candy tucked into her pocket. Visit her online at http://www.elizabethlabau.com, http://www.sugarhero.com, and http://www.runningwithsugars.com.

Buy It:  The Sweet Book of Candy Making $18.74

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: The Best Shots You’ve Never Tried by Andrew Bohrer; Adams Media Publishing

Sick of the same ol' shots? Raise the bar!

Bored to tears with tequila shooters? Kamikazes make you wanna go all hari kari? Time to turn your Friday nights up a notch with The NoLita, test your limits on the Whiskey Buck Hunter, and make happy hour that much happier with a Double Entendre.
In this homage to booze and creativity, mixologist Andrew Bohrer combines his bartending knowledge with his flair for the dramatically creative to invent more than 100 recipes for shots you've never, ever tried--or even heard of--along with a photo of each and every crazy concoction.
Whether you're in the mood for a banger and slammer, a shot apropos for the dinner table, or the perfect shot to raise in tribute and solidarity at the ultimate drinking event (an after-funeral get-together), The Best Shots You've Never Tried is sure to be the most fun you'll ever have, 1 1/2 ounces at a time.

My Review
Ready, set, take your SHOT! Summer is here, which means that people are going to be getting together more than they do in the winter. The hot weather, sunshine, and water—AND can you say SHOTS? why yes! Even if you have some of your girl (or guy) friends over for an amazing time!
This book has amazing detail and actually taught me some stuff that I didn’t even know.. That even though there are almost a THOUSAND mini classics- they all revolve around six or seven cocktails and just have different ingredients mixed in to make the “thousand” cocktails.
I love that there are interesting “know” facts at the bottom of every shot that tells you the history, or what something is made of, and what the alternative could be..
Most of the shots do not require ingredients that you’d have to search high and low for. This is what I look for when buying mixed drinks or shot recipes. I don’t want to have to search and buy something online just to have a little fun at home with some friends.
The ingredients also aren’t very expensive. You’re not going to spend an arm and a leg or your savings trying to make these. I want to have an inexpensive night in—I don’t want to pay bar prices for drinks I make at home, so It’s nice to have a book where you can choose the price (as long as it’s the same ingredients as written in the recipe)!
The book is thicker and definitely more interesting than some shot books that I’ve seen. He really knows what he’s talking about, and explains to YOU (and myself, of course) the steps to making something absolutely perfect!
I love each picture that is aside each recipe. Gives me a notion as to what they would look like after they’re made. Some have more than a couple ingredients, but most have only a few which makes mixing and buying easier.
There is even a complete chapter on “Farmer’s Market” which is of course drinks you can mix from fresh fruit, veggies, and herbs found at your local farmers’ market!
There’s also chapters about “Holidays” and “after dinner/dessert drinks”. So whether you’re having a Thanksgiving or Christmas party at your home, or just a get together—you’ll have your guests very surprised and wondering how you ever thought to be so clever at mixing up those drinks!
The Chapter “Last Resort Shots” are ingredients that you’re going to find laying around in your cabinet. The author understands that we aren’t bartenders and don’t have all those specialty ingredients laying around.. BUT you wanna have fun and get a little tipsy? Raid those cabinets!
The names of these drinks are so unique and fun that it’s hard not to WANT to try them! I am definitely going to try the:

• Friendship test
• declarative
• Uyeda’s Crystal
• Spiced peach
• Sorbet Shot
• Watermelon salad
• Blueberry Bruiser
• Dollar Bill
• Cachaca Foster

What do you think you’d like to try?
Buy IT:  The Best Shots You’ve Never Tried for $10.17

Jessica Renee