MBR: The Cookbook Shelf

The Cookbook Shelf

The Best One-Dish Suppers
Cook's Illustrated Editors
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station St., Brookline, MA 02445
1933615818, $35.00, www.americastestkitchen.com

The Best One-Dish Suppers packs in some of the best tested recipes
from issues of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, offering foolproof
favorites that covers not just the usual crock pot, casserole dish or
soup pot, but a range of kitchenware, from Dutch ovens to roasting
pans. Add a focus on a range of ethnic influences and main-dish fare
not hampered by 'fillers' such as desserts and salads and you have a
winning collection packed with recipes and details on what makes them
outstanding! Any general lending library will find this a popular
pick.

Vegan Baking Classics
Kelly Rudnicki
Agate Publishing
c/o Surrey Books
1328 Greenleaf St., Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841123, $17.95, www.agatepublishing.com

Vegan Baking Classics provides fine baking recipes free of any animal
ingredients and provides foolproof dishes that are easy to cook. Plant-
based diets can be easy and cost effective, too: VEGAN BAKING CLASSICS
proves this, providing simple, inexpensive recipes that are delicious
for all. Color photos compliment Irish Soda Bread, Cinnamon Rolls
(made with dairy-free shortening), Chocolate Chip Bars, and more.

Rhubarb
Sandi Vitt & Michael Hickman
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
9780888643483, $10.95, www.ualberta.ca/uap

RHUBARB: MORE THAN JUST PIES deserves steady, ongoing recognition as
remaining one of the few books on rhubarb on the market! Nearly 150
recipes feature rhubarb in breads and muffins to main courses - and of
course, pies - and is packed with a range of ideas for cooking with
rhubarb, from jams to desserts. Highly recommended!

Go Nuts
Debbie Harding
TouchWood Editions
340-1105 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8V 3P9
9781926741116, $19.95, www.touchwoodeditions.com

GO NUTS: RECIPES THAT REALLY SHELL OUT provides a range of nut dishes
that embrace both exotic and traditional foods. From Pumpkin Pecan
Pancakes to Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Nut Crust or Meatballs in
Curried Peanut Sauce, this is packed with appealing nut applications
that cover all kinds of nuts and goes far beyond the usual nut
cookbook. Any culinary collection will find it appealing. No color
photos - but the recipes stand well without them.

Quick & Easy Family Favorites
Gooseberry Patch
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848732998, $29.95, www.oxmoorhouse.com

Quick & Easy Family Favorites provides a range of quick family-
friendly dishes tested from Gooseberry Patch creators Vicki and Jo
Ann, whose creations come embellished with color photos throughout.
Over 200 tested recipes streamline the cooking process, cover every
meal from breakfast to dinner, and use convenient mixes and pre-
prepared ingredients to mix with 'scratch' cooking. Cooks will find
this an appealing winner!

Grilled Cheese, Please!
Laura Werlin
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449401658, $16.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE! 60 SCRUMPTIOUSLY CHEESY RECIPES shares some 50
recipes that promote the grilled cheese sandwich and elevate it from a
classic to a work of culinary art. These 'new' grilled cheese
sandwiches are packed with unusual flavor, from Cubano, Greek and
other world-influenced variations to Shepherd Sandwich with Ham and
Tomato, infused with different cheeses. Any who consider the classic
grilled cheese sandwich 'boring' will want this!

Food of Life
Najmieh Batmanglij
Mage Publishers
9781933823478, $54.95, www.mage.com

Past editions of this book have provided plenty of insights on Iranian
cooking, but this expanded, larger edition of FOOD OF LIFE: ANCIENT
PERSIAN AND MODERN IRANIAN COOKING AND CEREMONIES continues to remain
unparalleled in world culinary literature. Menus and recipes
associated with major Persian events are accompanied by color photos,
discussions of how food has inspired Persian culture, and many step-by-
step discussions. Its redesign for a broader audience offers even more
color and more dishes and makes for a powerful presentation key to any
ethnic cooking collection.

French Fries
Zac Williams
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423607441, $16.99, www.gibbs-smith.com

French Fries provides an outstanding survey of some sixty recipes for
every kind of fry, from pesto to sweet potato. Over 125 pages and
fifty color photos, this packs in a host of recipes and dishes which
take the traditional fry and goes a step further, creating Green Bean
Fries, Nacho Fries, and more. Dips, revised flavors and other
techniques transform the French fry into something completely
different, add international flavors, and make for an innovative
collection sure to prove popular for any cookbook collection in a
general lending library setting. Color photos abound, embellishing the
results!

Cooking for One
Mark Erickson
Lebhar-Friedman Books
249 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
9780867308228, $24.95, www.lfbooks.com

Just because you're alone doesn't mean you are limited to a can of
ravioli. "Cooking for One: A Seasonal Guide to the Pleasures of
Preparing Delicious Meals for Yourself" is a cookbook with a focus on
the individual in portion size. Recipes are designed to be simple and
have great variety, as Mark Erickson guides readers on making many
dishes, from stir-frys, pizzas, soups and stews, and many more,
including desserts. Divided into seasons to help find what's in season
for maximum freshness and taste, "Cooking for One" is a thoughtful and
useful read for those who don't always have the privilege of guests,
yet don't want to eat another TV dinner.

Shortcuts to Gourmet Cooking
Frances Schaffer
Infusionmedia Publishing
140 North 8th Street, Suite 214
The Apothecary, Lincoln, NE 68508-1353
www.infusionmediapublishing.com
9780971867758, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Gourmet cooking only has to seem like it takes hours upon hours.
"Shortcuts to Gourmet Cooking and Family Favorites" is a guide to
making those exquisite dishes with less preparation and more flare.
With a simplicity of instructions that removes the effort not the
taste, Frances Schaffer guides readers on how to make the simplest and
classical dishes more effectively, with an emphasis on natural
ingredients to create a more authentic taste. "Shortcuts to Gourmet
Cooking and Family Favorites" is well laid out and very highly
recommended reading.

Tastefully Small Savory Bites
Kim Hendrickson
Salvia Press
45 South Pearl Street, Pearl River, NY 10965
9780984431502, $18.95, www.kimhendrickson.com

Little bite of big taste have been the idea behind Hors D'oeuvres.
"Tastefully Small Savory Bites" is a cookbook aimed at creating these
little dishes that will bring unique flavors to the table for many
events, as appetizers as snacks, and more. Options include uses for
meat eaters, vegetarians, sweet and savory, and much more. For anyone
who wants to make their entertaining cuisine be something truly
special as their main course, "Tastefully Small Savory Bites" is a
fine addition to cookbook collections.

150 Projects To Get You Into the Culinary Arts
Mark William Allison
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764146718, $21.99, www.barronseduc.com

Cooking beyond a microwave or following instructions on the box can be
a bit daunting, but for the ambitious, there's a lot of fun and good
food to be had. "150 Projects to Get You Into The Culinary Arts" is a
cookbook from Mark William Allison who aims to those who want to take
the next step in their road to chefdom, with short and to the point
exercises to learning the finer details of cooking, knowing how to
blend the ingredients and why chocolate and bacon don't play well
together too often. "150 Projects to Get You Into the Culinary Arts"
is a thoughtful delve into the world of cooking for anyone with more
ambition than a TV dinner.

More Recipes Worth Sharing
Favorite Recipes Press
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
9780871975492, $24.95, www.frpbooks.com

Good cooking gets around. "More Recipes Worth Sharing: A Second
Helping of Recipes and Stories from America's Most-Loved Community
Cookbooks" is a collection of recipes of varying complexity, with a
bit of something for everyone. Recipes layout required ingredients,
with easy to follow directions, and credit which community can be
credited with the recipe in particular. From cakes to chowders to
salads, steaks, vegetarian dishes, and more, "More Recipes Worth
Sharing" is an excellent resource for anyone trying to expand their
recipe collection with a comprehensive volume full of general recipes.

Backyard Bounty
Linda Gilkeson
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island
British Columbia, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865716841, $24.95, www.newsociety.com

The backyard can be used for more than recreation. "Backyard Bounty:
The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific
Northwest" discusses the agricultural opportunities that dwell in the
bountiful climate of the Pacific Northwest in North America. All
around the year, the wise gardener can have something growing and with
wisdom, they can make the most of it all. Organics, fertilizers,
tending to crops, and more, "Backyard Bounty" is a thoughtful and
remarkably useful read that should be at hand for any aspiring
gardener.

Everyday Grilling
Sur La Table
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 65106-2109
9781449400583, $15.00, www.andrewmcmeel.com

Grilling shouldn't be saved for special occasions, it's a versatile
enough method to be used year road. "Everyday Grilling: 50 Recipes
from Appetizers to Desserts" is a guide for grilling enthusiasts as
Sur La Table presents countless recipes and tips to making a grilled
dish into something truly special, with dishes for both herbivores and
carnivores, with different types of burgers, steaks, veggie dishes,
and even something a bit sweet. A fine advocacy of the many uses of
the grill, "Everyday Grilling" is a strongly recommended pick for
anyone with a grill and a love of cooking.

Slow Cooker Revolution
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station St., Brookline, MA 02445
1933615699, $26.95, www.americastestkitchen.com

Slow Cooker Revolution: One Test Kitchen, 30 Slow Cookers, 200 Amazing
Recipes provides a powerful key to slow cooking and a series of tested
dishes that explain the difference between superior slow cooker
results and ordinary fare. Learn how to obtain bold flavors from a
slow cooker in a title which packs in color photos and keys to smart
shopping and why each recipe works. Every page is packed with details
key to understanding culinary success! Very highly recommended: a
'must' that goes far, far beyond your usual slow cooker recipe guide!

Rawlicious
Peter and Beryn Daniel
North Atlantic Books
2256 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley CA 94704
9781556439650, $19.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

RAWLICIOUS: DELICIOUS RAW RECIPES FOR RADIANT HEALTH provides a
powerful pick from raw food chefs who prove that live food can be fun
and delicious as well as politically correct. Color photos pair with
delicious recipes and how-to advice to cover all the basics of
stocking and cooking a raw kitchen, with recipes including both
innovations and variations on traditional fare. From a Basil Pesto
with macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds to Wild Mushroom Soup and Simple
Buckwheat Cereal, this is a fine pick for any culinary collection!

Venturesome Vegan Cooking
J.M. Hirsch and Michelle Hirsch
Agate Publishing
c/o Surrey Books
1328 Greenleaf St., Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841147, $19.95, www.agatepublishing.com

Venturesome Vegan Cooking: Bold Flavors for Plant-Based Meals comes
from a mother-son team who provide over 150 vegan recipes that
incorporate vegan traditions from around the world. From spanakoptia
from Greece to pastas from Italy and classic pad thai from Thailand,
these dishes pack in flavor, authentic tastes, and vegan culinary
guidelines for maximum effect.

The Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook
Richard Hetzler
Fulcrum Books
4690 Table Mtn Drive #100, Golden CO 80403
9781555917470, $22.95, www.fulcrumbooks.com

The Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook gathers Native American traditional recipes
from the Smithsonian National Museum, offering recipes that draw on a
range of culinary traditions from five Native cultures in the
Americas. Ninety recipes are adapted here for home cooks and while
some require access to unusual ingredients to be found locally in the
wild - such as Fiddlehead Fern Salad or Smoked Trout and Dandelion
Green Salad - most (such as Potato and Pinto Bean Enchiladas) can be
easily duplicated simply with access to a good market. Any culinary
library - and all Native American collections - will find this unusual
and appealing.

Meat: A Benign Extravagance
Simon Fairlie
Chelsea Green
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603583244, $24.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Meat: A Benign Extravagance reveals the truths behind the popular
vegetarian idea that vegetarianism is better for health and the
environment, considering the debate over farming animals and providing
research that favors small-scale, holistic, integrated farming systems
that include free-range livestock as the answer to debates over meat
and health. This book caused environmental activist and veganist
George Monbiot to change his support for veganism: any interested in
the debate will want this controversial title in their collection!

Gluten-Free on a Shoestring
Nicole Hunn
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738214238, $19.00, www.dacapopress.com

Gluten-Free on a Shoestring packs in over a hundred recipes for eating
well, cheaply, and without gluten in a diet. Any who are on such a
diet well know that gluten-free prepared foods cost a fortune, so this
title offers a satisfying alternative to families seeking budget-
minded gluten-free fare. From locating best values to meal planning
and stocking a gluten-free pantry, this provides a range of foods from
'scratch' that can fit any budget. Highly recommended!

Bite Me
Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat
Kyle Books
c/o National Book Network
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781906868444, $24.95

Good cooking doesn't have to be nice. "Bite Me: A Stomach-Satisfying,
Visually Gratifying, Fresh-Mouthed Cookbook" is a cookbook with an
edge, as sisters Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat come at readers with a
certain fresh spin on life and everything else as they offer their
best recipes and advice for cooking, snarking the whole way through.
Presented in full color with easy to follow instructions, the recipes
are wide and varied, from more vegetable driven soups to the old
school classic barbeque chicken wings. "Bite Me" is a unique cookbook
that brings more flavor than just the food it's telling you how to
cook.

Our Best Bites
Sara Wells & Kate Jones
Shadow Mountain
PO Box 30178, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0178
9781606419311, $25.99, www.ourbestbites.com

Good cooking doesn't have to be a multiple hour long endeavor. "Our
Best Bites" is a collection of recipes from two Mormon mothers, Sara
Wells & Kate Jones as they offer a wide variety of recipes and cooking
advice for making the most of one's cooking situation. Drawn from
their popular blog, the book is presented in full color with very easy
to follow directions to make the most out of one's resources. For
anyone looking for a versatile cookbook with some wisdom to go with
the recipes, "Our Best Bites" is a fine collection that would do well
in any mother's cooking library.

French Fries
Zac Williams
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
9781423607441, $16.99, 9781432607441

The french fry has become a favorite wherever it is served. "French
Fries" is a guide to the many twists that one can do with the french
fry, turning the potato - among other base ingredients - into just the
first break in a culinary creation. From the simplest of french fries
to chili cheese fries, to chocolate dipping sauces and other more
traditional pursuits, "French Fries" is a strongly recommended pick
for anyone who has a love for some cut potatoes and seasoning.

The RV Centennial Cookbook
Evada Cooper
Texas State Technical College
3801 Campus Dr., Wavo, TX 76705
9781934302880, $19.95, www.publishing.tstc.edu

Out and about, one doesn't have the time or resources or complexity,
but there is still a way for good home cooking. "The RV Centennial
Cookbook: Celebrating 100 Years of RVing" is a simple and to the point
cookbook detailing how make simple yet hearty dishes that can be made
in or around an RV. Along with tips for more successful RVing, games
to play within, and much more, "The RV Centennial Cookbook" is a fine
read for anyone trying to get the most out of their RV experience.

Breakfast, Lunch, Tea
Rose Bakery
Phaidon
180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014
9780714844657, $29.95, www.phaidon.com

Simple times of day call for simple yet delectable meals. "Breakfast,
Lunch, Tea" is a cookbook from the Rose Bakery as they present many
recipes that are designed for the beginning middle, and any time of
the day. With plenty of recipes, appeasing the eyes as well as both
the sweet and savory taste buds, as well as photos showing the heart
and drive of those at the Rose Bakery, "Breakfast, Lunch, Tea" is an
excellent pick for anyone who wants some simple yet delectable baking.

Squash & Zucchini
Elisbeth Bangert
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337796, $19.99

Two families within the many types of fruit have plenty to offer those
who are daring. "Squash & Zucchini: Pumpkin, Butternut, Musk,
Hokkaido, & Zucchini" is a collection of recipes that blend the squash
& zucchini fruit families with many different things to unlock and
present new flavors for those who are searching them down and want to
make the most of them. "Squash & Zucchini" is presented in full color
and comes with no shortage of ideas that are both vegetarian and not-
so vegetarian, highly recommended.

Maple Sugar
Tim Herd
Storey Publishing
210 Mass Moca Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603427357, $12.95, www.storey.com

Maple syrup is more than just a waffle or pancake topping. "Maple
Sugar: From Sap to Syrup, the History, Lore, and How-To Behind This
Sweet Treat" traces the story behind maple syrup which plays a big
role in the confectionery industry in Canada and the Northeastern
United States. Discussing everything form the trees that are legally
allowed to be tapped for syrup, to its production in private and
industrial avenues, and much more, it proves to be an everything you
need or want to know about this sweet. With additional recipes to take
your maple syrup further than the breakfast table, "Maple Sugar" is a
must for anyone with a sweet tooth tuned to maple.

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