Category: cooking

Author: Laurie Fleming
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 978-1-64611-151-0
Pages: 142
Price: $16.99

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Air fryers are fun kitchen tools, but you need good recipes to make them work. The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners offers explanations on how the air fryer works, tips and tricks to make every meal a success, and lots of good recipes to try.

These recipes include breakfast, snacks and appetizers, seafood, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, vegetables, sides, and desserts. A general cooking chart also gives cooking times and temperatures for various meats, frozen items, fruits, and vegetables.

The author enjoys highly seasoned food, and I had to modify some recipes to suit my palate. But if you’re looking for a good cookbook to guide you into air fryer cooking, this would be a great place to start.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Michał Korkosz
Publisher: The Experiment
Genre: Cookbook / Polish / Vegetarian
ISBN: 978-1-61519-655-5
Pages: 256
Price: $19.95

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When I think of Polish cooking, the first things that come to mind are kielbasa and pierogies. While I absolutely love them, there is so much more to authentic Polish cuisine than I ever realized. Fresh from Poland shares some yummy vegetarian dishes for us to enjoy.

No Polish cookbook would be complete without pierogies, and a basic dough recipe is provided along with several intriguing and unusual fillings. For those who want to make their own farmer’s cheese, a recipe for twaróg shows us how. Various bread recipes tempt us, along with scrumptious desserts like pączki and angel wings. The main dishes and sides are filling, nutritious, and tasty, made from all natural ingredients.

Fresh from Poland is natural Polish cooking at its best. The recipes are carefully itemized, and there are full color photos of every dish. The book opens fully, remaining open on the table for ease of reference while cooking. Whole foods are prepared in delicious combinations to create a wonderful feast for the senses. I highly recommend this cookbook for any home chef who is interested in exploring some delightful new Polish dishes.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Carrie Forrest, MBA, MPH
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Genre: Cookbook
ISBN: 978-1-64152-963-1
Pages: 186
Price: $17.99

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Making the decision to switch to a whole foods diet can be difficult. Many recipes are time-consuming and complicated, making the assumption that you have access to specialized markets and exotic and super expensive ingredients. The Quick & Easy Healthy Cookbook provides simple recipes that are healthy and taste great, without requiring a huge investment in time and money.

This cookbook has 125 recipes that cover the major categories: breakfast, soups & salads, vegetarian main dishes, seafood, poultry, meat, snacks & sides, basics & extras, and desserts. Some of the yummy and super healthy ideas include Cinnamon-Raisin Breakfast Cookies, Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry Bowls, Pineapple Turkey Burgers, and Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Carrie Forrest runs a clean eating website that showcases even more of her healthy recipes. She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition, and knows how to prepare healthy food that isn’t a chore to create. The Quick & Easy Healthy Cookbook would be a great addition to any health conscious cook’s bookshelf.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Nisa Burns
Publisher: Kitchenability Press
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 978-0-9856430-0-3
Pages: 176
Price: $17.95

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It’s so easy for college students to be seduced by pizza and burgers when making meal choices. But are they only choosing these fast food options because they don’t have anything better on-hand? In Kitchenability 101, Nisa Burns shows college students that there is a better way to eat, and it’s much easier than they think.

Kitchenability, as defined by Burns, is the ability to make one’s way around the kitchen. In this book, she provides recipes that can be crafted in dorm rooms or small apartment kitchens. Access to a few tools – stove, blender, good knife, etc. – is required, and some recipes are simpler than others.

Why choose a cheeseburger, when you can have a mint and cucumber sandwich? [bread, cream cheese, cucumber slices, and mint leaves] Maybe a chili burrito is more your style? [tortilla, canned chili, salsa, shredded cheese, and sour cream] Or try your hand at one of the recipes that call for some simple cooking, and treat your friends to a nice meal after mid-terms.

Although some of these recipes are a little more complicated than I expected, they look yummy, and are much healthier than anything you might find on campus. If you’re looking to get creative with food and enjoy some home-cooked meals, Kitchenability 101 would be a great “textbook” to keep in your dorm room.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Publisher: Hamlyn
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 978-0-600-62675-6
Pages: 192
Price: $19.99

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Healthy eating habits are best acquired when we’re young. Letting kids help in the kitchen is a fun way to get them interested in the meals they eat. Ella’s Kitchen: The Cook Book encourages parents to let their kids touch, taste and smell foods as they get their hands dirty preparing meals.

Not only is this a cookbook, but it’s also filled with photos of kids enjoying their food, as well as images of the interesting dishes presented. Drawings and food facts accompany these photos, and the color palate is as varied as the flavors. Simple, healthy meal ideas use all-natural ingredients and a minimum of processed foods, and the unique combinations create a tasty dish. Fruit is used liberally as a natural sweetener kids will enjoy.

Ella’s Kitchen is known for its healthy organic baby foods. But food preparation done at home can be easy and delicious if you have the right recipes. Encourage your kids to experience the all-natural foods they eat, and be sure to pick up a copy of Ella’s Kitchen: The Cook Book for your own kitchen. I highly recommend it!

Reviewer: Alice Berger