Michael Symon's 5 in 5 For Every Season is a Winner Year Round

"If spring and summer had a love child, it would be this salad." Introduction for the recipe Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Red Onion & Feta (pg 102).

I received a copy of Michael Symon's 5 in 5 For Every Season from Blogging for Books for review purposes. The author, Michael Symon, is a co-host for The Chew, a program I admit I've never heard of but now I feel I need to become a regular viewer. If the recipes in Michael Symon's 5 in 5 For Every Season are representative of those on the program, it's a winner.

There are lots of things to love about this cookbook. The photos are plentiful and beautiful (is there anything more boring than a cookbook without photos?). The recipes are simple with a handful of ingredients each. I love that they are organized by season with an index for each.  I found the list for a well-stocked pantry included at the beginning of the book very handy.  Since my daughter has decided to live a vegan lifestyle, I also appreciate the variety of recipes included. There are plenty that are vegetarian-friendly (Tempura Green Beans)  and quite a few that will appeal to vegans (Tofu Stir Fry) as well. Rest assured, carnivores will be happy with recipes such as Grilled Skirt Steak with Mushroom Gravy.

We just had our first freeze last night, so I'm excited to try the Hot Wintry Drinks. I have a co-worker who believes a Hot Toddy will cure anything from a cold to a bad day, so I'll be using this recipe soon!

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Review: Everyday Detox

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One of my favorite patrons and I were discussing how difficult it can be to lose weight - especially for aging women.  Bodies change after menopause, making it even more difficult for the weight to come off (why is it so much easier for men?).  She told me one of the most important things you can do is to eliminate refined foods from your diet.  When you begin to take notice of what you eat, it's shocking how much crap we ingest.

Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore is a great guide for anyone who wants to eat healthier. She discusses how and what to eat to improve digestion. Also included are shopping list, menus, and the necessities for your new, healthier pantry. Gilmore provides an amazing array of delicious and simple recipes:  Banana Nut Protein Shake. Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Macaroon Crumble.  No-Fail Kale Salad.  Quinoa Mushroom Burgers. These are just a few of the delicious offerings.

This really is a beautiful, informative book.  The photos are gorgeous - every recipe looks delicious, even the brussel sprouts (I'm not a fan!).  Gilmore does a great job simplifying the steps to a healthier way of living.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Everyday Detox from Blogging for Books in order to review.

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Punch Bowls & Pitcher Drinks: For Year Round Gatherings

I received a complimentary copy of Punch Bowls & Pitcher Drinks from Blogging for Books for review.  This is a nice little book full of recipes for medium to large batch beverage recipes - perfect for parties year-round.  

This book has much more than I expected. Not only are there plenty of recipes perfect for summer gatherings, there are many included in the "Fireside Cocktails", too. My personal favorites are the fruity drinks, like White Sangria Exotique, Planter's Punch, and Mai Tai Punch, but there is something for everyone's taste: Iced Irish Coffee Stout Punch, Palm Springs Punch (iced tea-like), and Pumpkin Patch.  One of the recipes I'm excited to try this fall is the non-alcoholic Vampire Brew, made with cherry juice, Coca-Cola, and dry ice! Very dramatic!

The extras included in this great little book are amazing photos of each recipe, ideas for decorative ice molds, and an index by type of alcohol.  I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to trying each of these drinks.

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The Soup Club Cookbook - Great Idea ...If You Have Friends Who Cook!

I received my copy from Blogging for Books free in order to review (BTW - I love Blogging for Books. I have never gotten a book I didn't love).

The cookbook I received is The Soup Club Cookbook. It's a great idea - you make a huge batch of one type of soup, your friends make a big batch of other types of soup and you all share. This way you divide the work and have quite a bit of soup stocked up.  While I doubt if I'd be able to find fellow soup makers, I don't see why some of the soups wouldn't freeze well.

Anyway, the authors not only share great recipes (soup and accoutrements) like Potato Cheddar Soup and Roasted Broccoli Soup, they also share logistics of running a soup club. One of the rules: the person who makes the soup delivers the soup to cut down on the craziness of coordinating pick-ups.  One feature of this book I love, besides the beautiful photos, is the index in the back which lists recipes by name and by main ingredient.

I really love the healthy recipes.  According to the book, this is the first iteration of the book that has recipes featuring meat.  This is perfect for my daughter who has started a new "conservative" lifestyle by limiting her intake of meat. Next semester she'll be living in an apartment with three other college students and this will be the perfect gift! I doubt there will be many leftovers with four college students, no matter how big the batch.

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Joy the Baker: Homemade Decadence

I received my copy of Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence: Irresistibly Sweet, Salty, Gooey, Sticky, Fluffy, Creamy, Crunchy Treats for free from Blogging for Books to review. 

Considering the author's nickname, I expected this to be full of nothing but baked goods. I am pleasantly surprised to find a great deal more, beginning with creative additions to your morning toast. Every page I turn I say, "ooohh - I have to try that." And I intend on following through.

The book begins with lots of treats for breakfast including syrups for the pancake recipes that are available. The Lemon-Poppy Seed Pancakes look amazing. After about 20 breakfast / brunch recipes come the cocktail recipes. Not a logical progression to me but, hey, it's five o'clock somewhere! And seriously, not all are alcoholic such as the Strawberry, Beet and Chia Seed Smoothie (which I probably will pass on in favor of the Champagne-Sorbet Float).

The expected recipes for baked goods make up about 2/3 of the book...which is awsome! That's why I requested it. There is something for all tastes here, and updates to classic recipes like Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Almond Angel Food Cake with Vanilla-Scented Citrus. There is also a Vegan Chocolate Cake that I need to try out on my co-workers. This really is a great book to add to a cookbook collection.


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The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle - A Great Christmas Read

I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books for review.

This has been a great year for me for books.  I've had several that I thought were the "I can't put it down" variety.  The 13th Gift is in that category for me.

Mrs. Smith jumps  without preamble into her story.  Her husband had recently died. She and her children were trying to get through each day with the huge emptiness his death left.  The family, except for the youngest child, just wanted Christmas to pass without them.  The kindness of anonymous "True Friends" who left a simple gift on their doorstep each of the 12 days of Christmas pulled them together and helped them begin to heal and find joy in their lives again.

This story was beautiful. It touched my Grinchy stone heart and managed to wrench tears from me a few times.  It's certainly one I will recommend to our patrons.

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A Must-Have for a Well-Stocked Bar

I received a free copy of The Essential Bar Book from Blogging for Books by Jennifer Fiedler for review.  I am not a sophisticated drinker - cheap wine and cocktail mixes have been the only things in my repertoire so far.  My husband and I are preparing to turn our front room (currently the "dog room") into a more usable space: a bar!  Of course, I will need to know what I need to stock it. This is a perfect book for beginners like me.

The definitions and recipes are arranged alphabetically, making it easy to flip through and find what you're looking for.  The small size will make it easy to tuck into a drawer or on a shelf of a bar area.

This little book has a little bit of everything - dictionary, history of recipes (which is pretty fascinating), recipes themselves.  What I love most about this book (and there is a lot that I love) are the stories behind each cocktail.  Who thinks about where their Flame of Love originated?  The story goes it was created for Dean Martin who was bored with regular martinis.  Other things I love about this book is the compact size and that each recipe gives you the proper glassware to serve the cocktail in (something I would not even think about).  I can't even say I wish there were photos included because that would have ruined the perfect size of this book.

ISBN: 978-1-60774-635-9

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