Blog Posts - Page 17 of 75 - Carma's Cookery | Tips for Unleashing Your Kitchen Creativity

Cookbook Review: “All-Time Best Brunch” by America’s Test Kitchen

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 16, 2020

Many people don’t eat breakfast, but they will do brunch. Brunch is that wonderful meal that takes place instead of breakfast and lunch, taking place at an intermediate time, somewhere between 10 am and 3 pm. Therefore, you can have — on the same plate — eggs, bacon and a hamburger!

America’s Test Kitchen, publishers of Cook’s Illustrated (one of my favorite food magazines) came out with All-Time Best Brunch a couple of years ago, and it features a variety of dishes, beverages, and accents you can use to build a wonderful brunch for your family and friends.

Summary of All-Time Best Brunch

If you ever thought of hosting a brunch, whether for a special occasion such as Easter or someone’s birthday or just wanted to make it a more regular occurrence for your family at home, All-Time Best Brunch provides you with tips, advice, and recipes to make it simple and special at the same time.

The book starts off with some tips and advice for hosting a beautiful late morning meal then gets right down to the recipes, which are organized using the following categories:

Eggs
Pancakes, French toast and waffles
Savory main dishes
Quiches, tarts and casseroles
Muffins, breads, etc.
Side dishes

It also provides charts of conversions and equivalents, in case you need to scale a recipe up or down, or need to make ingredient substitutions.

What Worked for Me

When you read the Introduction and first chapter, you get the impression this book is only for those who are hosting brunch as a party. However, when I looked at individual recipes, I found many served only four, which is much more reasonable if you want to serve brunch outside of a special occasion with company over. And even some of the dishes that serve 6 to 8 would make great leftovers, so you can find value in this cookbook even if you’re cooking for one or two.

The recipes are easy to read and to follow. And there is an index, making specific recipes easier to find.

I also really liked their approach to the concept of brunch. Their step-by-step guidelines for creating your perfect late-morning meal allows for plenty of creativity.

Because I received an advance copy in black and white and paperback, I can’t provide a complete commentary as I do with other titles where I receive the same book you would buy, however by perusing the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon, it looks like the full-color version is well designed with plenty of good photographs.

What Didn’t Work for Me

I wasn’t fond of the emphasis on hosting a brunch. I’ve sure there are many people would love to incorporate more brunch meals into their weeks who either live alone or with a significant other. It would be nice to acknowledge this application of the meal and to provide either recipes for two or at least tip on how to convert the recipe to a smaller number of servings.

What I’d Love to See in the Second Edition

The chapter titled “Come Over for Brunch” covers both advice for hosting a noteworthy affair, but also several recipes for beverages. If I were to work on the second edition of this book, I would break that into two chapters. The first expanding on the advice, including providing options and ideas for intimate brunches for two. And the second devoted to beverages.

Recommendation

I’m a big fan of Cook’s Illustrated and so had high expectations for this cookbook. I wasn’t disappointed. As is the brand’s style, the information is sound, allows for creativity, and easy to understand and follow. If you see more than one brunch in your future, this book could be a Godsend.

Rating for All-Time Best Brunch

[one_fifth] [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] [/one_fifth_last]

[one_half]

Specs

Full Title: All-Time Best Brunch
Author: America’s Test Kitchen
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: America’s Test Kitchen
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1945256605
ISBN-13: 978-1945256608 [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past book reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.

Tags brunch

Recipes

How to Make a No-Bake Cream Pie in 6 Easy Steps

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 13, 2020

There are two types of cream pie: baked and no-bake. If you’re looking to pull together an easy cream pie in a jiffy, I suggest opting for the no-bake variety. A no-bake cream pie is much easier to make and, since it can be made using store-bought mixes, you can create one in any flavor combination you desire.

Step 1: Select Your Pie Crust

Personally, I prefer crumb crusts for my no-bake cream pies, but you can use a traditional baked crust. If you go with that option, be sure that the crust is not only fully baked but cooled down, as well, before adding the filling.

Step 2: Select Your Cream Filling

The easiest way to do this is to choose your favorite instant pudding mix. You can mix it according to the instructions on the box or, for a fluffier filling, beat it with an electric mixer. To make it even more fluffy, add in 1 cup heavy cream once the pudding starts to thicken and beat until light, fluffy and forming soft peaks.

Step 3: Pour the filling into the crust.

This is the easy step… just pour it in and smooth it out.

Step 4: Select your topping.

My favorite cream pie topping is whipped cream or another whipped topping. Although, some people use meringue.

Step 5: Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

This step helps the ingredients set and makes serving the pie much easier.

Step 6: Garnish and enjoy!

You can put a mint leaf on top of each slice, sprinkle with Jimmies or nuts, or even add some chocolate shavings. How you garnish your cream pie is up to you!

[divider]

[one_third] [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Looking for a few more pie recipes to try?

Do you want to create your perfect, signature pie, but just can’t find the right recipe? Your Perfect Pie may just be the cookbook for you!

Breaking down the mystique of homemade pie into modules you can mix and match, this simple cookbook is sure to please. Learn more and grab your copy at:

CarmasCookery.com/yourperfectpie

[/two_third_last]

Tags cream pie, custard pie, Pie, pudding pie

Cookbook Reviews

Book Review: “Cooking, Baking, and Making” by Cynthia O’Hara

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 9, 2020

The freshest foods are those that are in season. But with the freezer aisle beckoning and the wide array of processed and packaged foods available, our culture has gotten away from seasonal cooking. That is probably why there is a growing trend of cooking, baking and making foods that are fresh, local and in season. However, if you’re not used to thinking this way, you may be challenged when deciding what to make tonight. That’s where Cooking, Baking, and Making by Cynthia O’Hara comes in.

Summary of Cooking, Baking, and Making

From the woman behind the “Harried Housewife” blog, Cynthia O’Hara comes a book with DIY recipes and ideas for the entire year. Cooking, Baking, and Making includes 60 recipes and 40 crafting and decorating ideas that tie your home together all year long.

The book is divided into the four seasons. And within each section, you’ll find recipes that make use of seasonal ingredients and that evoke the feel of the season. For example:

Spring: Strawberries are at their peak in the spring, so you can make Creamy Strawberry Stuffed French Toast or Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.
Summer: The most popular cherries, Bing and Rainier, are in season from May to August, so bring out the blender and make some Mango/Cherry Smoothies.
Autumn: Winter squash of all sorts (e.g. pumpkin, acorn, butternut) comes into season in early fall and usually last well into winter. Therefore a Roasted Acorn Squash Bisque is a great way to start a meal.
Winter: Winter is when people come together and share food and beverages to celebrate the season. At your next winter festivity, perhaps you’ll serve Pomegranate Champagne Sparkler or Creamy Eggnot Cupcakes.

In addition to the recipes, there are a number of DIY decorating ideas to bring your home and table together nicely, including Doily Wrapped Utensils, Decorative Coasters, and seasonal centerpieces.

What Worked for Me

I like the idea of seasonal foods, as well as DIY home decor. The motto of this blog is “Unleash Your Kitchen Creativity” after all. The idea of blending creativity in both food preparation and home decor is right up my alley.

The recipes are laid out well, and so are easy to follow. The crafting instructions are easy to understand, as well.

The photographs make this a fun book to peruse and ignited my desire to make the recipes.

What Didn’t Work for Me

The title, for one. “Cooking, Baking, and Making” is a bland, nondescript title that really wouldn’t catch my eye at the bookstore. I had to really engage with the book before I understood what O’Hara was getting at.

The crafting section isn’t a section on its own, it is just thrown into the Winter section, which makes no sense when the first craft is “Spring Centerpiece” followed by “Easy Easter Edibles.”

In addition, the recipes in the Winter section really don’t make use of the variety of produce that is in season. Yes, this isn’t her stated promise, but it is implied.

What I’d Love to See in the Second Edition

I would love to see this book better organized. For example, perhaps break each season into recipes and crafts. That way “Spring Centerpiece” could be found in the Spring section. Also, make it more clear which entries are recipes and which are crafts. Shouldn’t “Easy Easter Edibles” be listed as a recipe and not treated as a craft?

Recommendation

Although poorly organized, the book is full of tasty-looking recipes and interesting decorating ideas. It is also written with a limited budget and cooking skills in mind, so it is good for beginners.

Rating for Cooking, Baking, and Making by Cynthia O’Hara

[one_fifth] [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] [/one_fifth_last]

[one_half]

Specs

Full Title: Cooking, Baking, and Making: 100 Recipes and DIY Ideas for All Seasons and Reasons
Author: Cynthia O’Connor O’Hara
Format: Paperback, 224 pages
Publisher: Mango
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1633535568
ISBN-13: 978-1633535565 [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

Tags Cynthia O'Hara

Ingredient Spotlight

Ingredient Spotlight: Pecans

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 6, 2020

The pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to northern Mexico and the southern Mississippi River region of the United States. The U.S., primarily Georgia and Texas, grows and supplies up to 80% of the world’s pecans. Before European settlement, Native Americans widely consumed and traded them.

I’m not sure why April is Pecan Month, given that they don’t come into season until the fall. But I’m going to go with it anyway. Here are some things you might be interested in knowing about this tasty and healthful nut.

Health Benefits of Pecans

Since this nut is often associated with dessert – pecan pie, pralines, praline pecan pie – many people ask, “Are there any benefits to eating pecans?” I’m happy to share that yes, are nutritional powerhouses that make excellent snacks, as well as ingredients for both savory and sweet recipes.

Pecans are an excelled source of the metabolic boosting elements manganese and copper. They are a good source of zinc, which helps the immune system. And they contain the antioxidants ellagic acid, which is associated with reduced risk of some cancers, and flavonoids, which are associated with reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and cognitive decline.

The fats this nut contains are mostly unsaturated, especially monounsaturated fatty acids, which are linked to reduced cholesterol levels. They are low in sugar and contain Vitamin E and oleic acid, as well.

Pecans vs. Walnuts: Which Is Better?

Both of these nuts are heart-healthy. Pecans contain more Vitamin E, whereas walnuts offer more Omega-3 fatty acids. There are more studies on the nutritional benefits of walnuts compared to pecans, so the health information for a valid comparison really isn’t there yet.

In recipes, they are basically interchangeable. Walnuts tend to be less expensive and easier to find. However, I’ve had a lot of problems with walnuts going bad on me and having a moldy taste. Something I’ve never experienced with pecans.

So, when it comes right down to it: It really is your preference.

Lean More

Tags nuts, pecans

Cookbook Reviews

Cookbook Review: “Geek Sweets” by Jenny Burgesse

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 2, 2020

I’m a geek who loves to bake. So when Jenny Burgesse’s Geek Sweets: An Adventurer’s Guide to the World of Baking Wizardry my inner child jumped for joy. This book is filled with not recipes and part ideas for those who love science fiction, fantasy and adventure.

Summary of Geek Sweets

From Marvel Comics to Doctor Who, from Cthulhu to zombies, from unicorns to Mayans, you’ll find a recipe for a cookie, cupcake or cake pop that will have your inner (or outer) geek squealing for joy. Regardless of what level your baking skills are, there is something here for you, as well.

Geek Sweets divides the recipes into skill levels:

Squire: These recipes are for beginners and are the easiest to follow and assemble.
Knight: These recipes require a bit more skill and time.
Dragon Slayer: These recipes are a for diehard bakers with a lot of time on their hands.

In addition, the book includes information about the tools and basic skills you will need, as well as some basic recipes that will be used as a basis for the fantastical creations later in the book. Sprinkled throughout are also party ideas called “Side Quests.”

What Worked for Me

Every time I pick up Geek Sweets I can practically feel my inner child shaking with excitement. What cool thing will I discover this time I open the book?

The photographs are stunning. There are images of the final results, as well as steps along the way for many of the recipes.

The diversity of geekiness is also well done. You’ll find recipes inspired by a number of fandoms, including Minecraft, Dungeons & Dragons, The Legend of Zelda, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, H.P. Lovecraft, Willy Wonka and more.

I also really like the way she divided the recipes by skill level. That way you can build up your skills starting with a Snozberry Cake Pop (Willy Wonka), graduate to Gallifreyan Galaxy Black Bottom Cupcakes (Doctor Who), and finally try your hand at Frozen in Carbon-Bite Chocolate Bars (Star Wars).

And you don’t have to create your templates from scratch. You can download them from the author’s website.

What Didn’t Work for Me

My inner geek is screaming, “Nooooooo! Don’t do this. Nothing is wrong with this book!” And, my outer geek kind of has to agree. Perhaps it would have been nice to have the geek source inspiration more clearly identified. That way you’d know if this was a fandom you were part of or a new one you might want to explore.

What I’d Love to See in the Second Edition

I think it would be cool to expand this book. More recipes. More party ideas. More cool stuff.

Recommendation

I really enjoy perusing this book. I look forward to trying my hand at many of these creations. It seems clear to me that Burgesse had some fun writing this book. I think you’ll have fun perusing and using it, as well.

Rating for Geek Sweets

[one_fifth] [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] [/one_fifth_last]

[one_half]

Specs

Full Title: Geek Sweets: An Adventurer’s Guide to the World of Baking Wizardry
Author: Jenny Burgesse
Format: Hardcover, 261 pages
Publisher: Mango
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1633536165
ISBN-13: 978-1633536166 [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

Tags baking, fandom, geek

Taste Tests

Just the Cheese: Taste Test

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 31, 2020

Just the Cheese is a packaged snack food made from 100% Wisconsin cheese that is baked into bars and mini bites. While most “cheese crisps” are air-dried, this brand is oven-baked, which the makers believe results in a cheesier flavor and crunchier texture due to caramelization. I accepted a sample and put them to the test.

I first discovered the bliss that is cooked cheese when I was a little girl. When I want to my grandma’s house, she would make me “Tortillas and Cheese” for lunch. Basically, she plopped a tortilla (usually corn, but sometimes flour) in a frying pan, put some cheese and bologna on top, and fried it until the cheese melted. If I was really lucky, the cheese would melt over the sides of the tortilla and get bubbly and crispy. I always ate the spill-overs first!

Once, when I was a teenager and was making this comfort food at home, it occurred to me that perhaps I could just cook the cheese on the frying pan directly. I had a non-stick pan, so I thought it would be just fine. What resulted was a mess that was really hard to clean, but what I was able to salvage tasted divine.

So, when I was offered samples of this crispy snack food to review, these memories came bubbling forth and I said yes! Could they capture and package that flavor I loved so much? Read on to find out.

What I Liked about Just the Cheese

Obviously, the first thing I like about the snack is that it is a whole lot less messy and less work than my teenage experiment was. I get the flavor of cooked, crispy cheese without a difficult-to-clean frying pan.

Also, as far as savory snacks go, they are naturally low in carbs, gluten-free and have some protein to boot. In addition, they are only 75 calories per bar. In other words, they feel like chips or crackers, but don’t have the downside of those carb-loaded snacks.

I enjoyed the crunch and the cheesiness, which each flavor having subtle differences that make my taste test interesting.

What I Didn’t Like About this Snack Food

Unlike my teenage experiment, these snacks are all crunch and no chew, so some of the cheese flavor — in my humble opinion — is missing. They also weren’t as cheesy as I thought they would be. Of course, I hold a high bar of cheesiness (in more ways than one).

Overall Comments on this Product

Just the Cheese snack bars come in four flavors: Aged Cheddar, Grilled Cheese, Jalapeno Cheese, and Mild Cheddar. I tried all but the Jalapeno Cheese. I liked the Aged Cheddar the most, but the Grilled Cheese was pretty good too. I’m grateful they didn’t give me too many or I might have binge eaten them!

You can also get this snack in a mini size in White Cheddar, Wisconsin Cheddar, Grilled Cheese, Jalapeno Cheese, and Garlic & Chive.

As of this writing, you can order them on Amazon.

And don’t let the fancy packaging fool you. This company is a small, family-owned company with deep roots in rural Wisconsin. Based in Reeseville, which has a population of about 500, this company helps support the economic base of the town and employs 250 residents. Managing a rural workforce presents challenges, as potential employees usually live miles away, and struggle with spotty access to transportation. So they provide ride-share services to all employees to make sure they can get to work safely each day.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve seen an upsurge in orders and have met the challenge head-on. They have added flexibility to their production schedule and instituted added sanitization protocols.

They are doing their best to support their employees, as well as the dairy farmers who supply them. “We’re doing everything we can to support farmers who send us milk,” says David Scharfman, Owner & General Manager of Just the Cheese. “Turning milk away essentially means those farmers have to dump their milk and lose that revenue.”

They’re also striving to fulfill orders and keep up with spiking demand in a timely manner. And despite the surging demand for their cheese products, they assure me that they have not — and will not – raise their prices.

“Everyone here is relieved that they have a job and are proud to make sure our customers have cheese to eat and to help our local farmers by making sure they have a buyer for their milk,” says Scharfman.

Who Is Just the Cheese Suitable for?

If you’re looking for healthier, keto-friendly, gluten-free, low-carb snacks, this might be what you’re looking for. Think of them as crunchy cheese puffs without the orange powder or corn. If cheese slices are a good snack for you, but you long for some crunch, here you go!

To learn more about them, visit their website justthecheese.com

Score: 4 out of 5

[one_fifth] [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] [/one_fifth_last]

NOTE: I received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past taste test reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to buy or not buy this product, even if you disagree with my opinion.

Cookbook Reviews Healthy Living

Cookbook Review: “Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy” by Ingrid Hoffman

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 30, 2020

I can’t speak for other parts of the country, but here in California — especially Sothern California — Mexican food, and to some degree other Latin culture foods — is a large part of the area cuisine. It doesn’t matter if your heritage includes cultures from south of the border, you probably have a favorite Hispanic-inspired dish, from rice and beans to guacamole to enchiladas. Cooking personality Ingrid Hoffman has partnered with the American Diabetes Association to create Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy: More than 100 Diabetes-Friendly Latin Favorites in which she gives these traditionally carb-heavy dishes a more diabetes-friendly makeover.

Summary of Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy

Author Ingrid Hoffman has taken some of her favorite Latin-American comfort foods, such as avocado toast, ceviche, and flautas, and given them a health-minded upgrade.

“Traditionally prepared Latin foods tend to be carb-heavy, deep-fried, and full of salt and fat,” says Hoffman. So she has re-worked these recipes to make them lighter, healthier and easy to prepare.

What Worked for Me

The book is designed for easy use — the book opens up and lays fairly flat so you can actually read the recipe while preparing the dish. It is also lovely to look at. It uses a bold south-western color palette and the type-face is easy to read.

Each recipe includes a “Chica Tip” — a helpful piece of advice that will make the preparation of the recipe easier.

Although I don’t read Spanish myself, I like that every recipe is available in both English and Spanish. It seems appropriate given the content and can be a useful tool for learning the language, as well!

The photography is sparse, giving the content the spotlight it deserves, and of high-quality.

Recipes rarely have more than four steps, so the book delivers on the promise of easy-to-prepare food. Nutritional information, including exchanges for those on special diets, is also included for each recipe.

What Didn’t Work for Me

The different chapters have cutesy titles that sometimes makes it less easy to go to the type of dish you want. For example, instead of simply calling Chapter 1 “Breakfasts,” it is instead called “Pillow Talk and Power Up.”

What I’d Love to See in the Second Edition

This may just be me, but since I have acid reflux I’m acutely aware of how spicy Mexican food is getting. For example, there was a Mexican restaurant that my husband and I loved to go to that we can no longer frequent because they now put hot spices in everything, including the refried beans! Therefore, I’d love to see options for many of these dishes that were on the mild side. Latin foods can be quite tasty without burning your tongue off. 🙂

Recommendation

If you love south-of-the-border foods but are working on eating more healthfully, Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy is an excellent addition to your cookbook library.

Because the content is provided in both English and Spanish, it is not very comprehensive. However, it does provide an excellent base from which to start your exploration of healthier Mexican and Latin-American cuisine.

Rating for Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy: 3 out of 5

[one_fifth] [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] [/one_fifth_last]

[two_third]

Specs

Full Title: Latin Comfort Foods Made Healthy: More than 100 Diabetes-Friendly Latin Favorites
Author: Ingrid Hoffman
Format: Paperback
Publisher: American Diabetes Association
Language: English and Spanish (Bilingual)
ISBN-10: 1580406815
ISBN-13: 978-1580406819 [/two_third]
[one_third_last] [/one_third_last]

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

[divider]

[one_third] [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

[/two_third_last]

Tags diabetes, Ingrid Hoffman, Latin American food, Mexican Food