Sunday, November 28, 2010

Mailbox Monday- November 29






~Mailbox Monday~
is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (November Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.



I've been selective about the books that I'm accepting to review as I have so many books to read waiting on my bookshelves. I do have a list of books on my wishlist at Paperbackswap and this is one that I added after reading some blog reviews earlier this year.


The Cupcake Queen

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler (From Paperbackswap)




Weekend Cooking & Review: The Divvies Bakery Cookbook by Lori Sandler






Author: Lori Sandler

Genre: Cookbook

About (From publisher Macmillan):

THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is an opportunity for the millions of people who are dealing with serious food allergies to put the sweet back in their kitchens. With an assortment of delicious recipes, free of the four major food allergens – peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, and eggs (all vegan!), Lori Sandler offers sweet treats that everyone can enjoy and share ANY time: at birthday parties, snack time, bake sales, holidays, picnics, dessert time, and just because. What ingredients are left out have been replaced by double dollops of the good and the gooey – like chocolate, oatmeal, and molasses, – making the confections not only safe to eat, but absolutely delicious for everyone, even those without food allergies.

Divvies, an irresistible “fun-foods” company devoted to baking safe-to-eat, tasty treats for people with life-threatening food allergies, has been featured on Good Morning America and The Martha Stewart Show, as well as in the New York Times, New York Post, Gourmet Magazine, Vogue, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Daily Candy, and Urban Baby. All of their products are made in a dedicated facility where no nuts, eggs, milk, or ingredients that may have been exposed to these allergens are allowed in the door.


My Thoughts:

This is a beauiful cookbook and is chock-full of a variety of baking recipes geared towards those with food allergies, mainly towards nuts, eggs and dairy. I was very interested in this cookbook as many of you know from reading my blog, my son has food allergies. He is now 12 and we knew from the age of 1 that he was allergic to peanuts and egg whites. He outgrew the egg allergy but accumulated a multitude of food allergies primarily from the ages of 1-4 years old. These were trying times as he was allergic to most grains, dairy and soy and many other things it was difficult to find safe foods and recipes to interest a young child. At one time, he was allergic to over 20 foods. Thankfully, he liked fruits and veggies (although he was allergic to some of these) and he never had an allergy to meats but he now has a shellfish allergy. I lived at the health food store in those days (there was no Whole Foods or many specialty foods available at regular grocery stores then), my son drank rice milk and I baked his own bread which was hard to find a bread recipe that wasn't hard as a rock! My son still doesn't care for sandwiches as he got so used to eating rolled up meat and cheese or veggies.  Now, things are so much different, my son has outgrown many of his food allergies but still has several with the most difficult being nuts as it is a life threatening allergy. Food allergy rates for children are higher and there is more awareness of food allergies and acceptance to accommodate these by food manufacturers and restaurants. There is an array of Gluten Free products available at the grocery store as well as better labeling on food packages. It's not perfect and we still are always on guard, checking labels and packages and being careful at restaurants checking menu's.

Lori Sandler had a similar experience raising a son who has food allergies and she had an interest in baking and creating treats for her son that would allow him not to be excluded. This is a big issue for children with food allergies, they want to eat what other children are eating and not stand out as being different. They can't often have the typical treats that other children can eat without food allergies as there are often risks of cross contamination. After years of testing her recipes, in 2005 Lori Sandler opened a bakeshop dedicated to nut, dairy and egg free products in South Salem, New York. Her company has thrived since then and products are sold online and through retailers. Lori decided to share her story, mission and Divvies recipes in her cookbook, The Divvies Bakery Cookbook.

This is a beautiful cookbook with a design that is very inviting. The colors are comforting with their signature pastel blue and white and even the font and style of writing is warm and easy to read. There are also colorful pictures of some of the recipes in the center of the book. There is a complete table of contents listing the recipes that are geared toward delicious treats that can be shared with those with or without food allergies. The cookbook is divided into sections that "focus on times in our lives where food plays an important role" recipes geared towards family celebrations, school parties, travel, birthdays and snacks. 

In all honesty, I haven't had a chance to make anything from this cookbook as many of the recipes have soy/tofu listed as an ingredient and my son has a soy allergy and cannot have soy protein. Also, he is not allergic to eggs and many of the recipes list an egg replacer or are adapted to make appropriate substitutions for eggs. I would have preferred to have an alternative listed to make a recipe avoiding  the soy and an alternative listed for adjusting the recipe to use eggs. I understand that this cookbook is geared toward no eggs and no dairy so that is probably why the author did not list those alternatives. I don't have access to a store that carries Divvies chocolate chips. I can easily adapt the recipe and use Enjoy Life chocolate chips so I will be trying a few recipes with my son. I wish that this cookbook was available when my son was younger and in elementary school when I brought snacks into class for parties and birthday treats. There is a great section on snacks and party ideas that would be a great resource for parents of elementary aged children.

Some of the tasty recipes featured in THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK include:

Divvies Famous Chocolate Cupcakes (featured on the Martha Stewart Show!)
Benjamin’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pick-Your-Berry Muffins
Extra Thick, Treasured-Filled Marshmallow Treats
“Ice Cream” Hash
Movie Night Popcorn


Here is a recipe that is available on The Divvies Bakery website:




I was also sent samples of Divvies prepackaged sugar cookies from the Divvies store. My son sampled these and enjoyed them although he is a chocolate lover and I think that he would have preferred the Divvies chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are a bit pricey but most allergy safe products cost extra.







Recommend: Overall, this looks to be an excellent cookbook with a variety of treats for those with primarily nut, dairy and egg allergies. If you or a family member has all three of these allergies this cookbook would be an excellent one to choose. If you have nut allergies only or dairy allergies only this would also be a great cookbook to choose. For those with soy allergies and those without egg allergies, it may be a challenge to figure out how to modify the recipes. I do wish that there would have been an extra note with each recipe or at the end to give suggestions on how to modify the recipes as this limited the number of recipes that we can  make.

Source: Thank you to Macmillan/St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy of this cookbook to review along with samples of Divvies Sugar cookies.



About the Author:



LORI SANDLER is the founder and owner of Divvies, a dedicated peanut-free, tree nut-free, milk-free and egg-free gourmet bakery that ships nationwide. What started as mother's labor of love for her son with serious food allergies grew into a thriving business. Divvies are sold online at www.divvies.com as well as through many nationwide retailers, including Whole Foods, Balducci's, and Disney Parks. Prior to opening the bakery, Lori Sandler spent 13 years as a marketing and communications executive. She lives in Pound Ridge, New York with her family.






For more information about Divvies products and Divvies Bakery Cookbook, visit the Divvies website





Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.






Saturday, November 27, 2010

Giveaway: SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet


Sundays at Tiffany's Book info:

AN IMAGINARY FRIEND
Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, the powerful head of a New York theater company, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany's. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He's perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can't stay forever, though. On Jane's eighth birthday he leaves, promising that she'll forget him soon. He was there to help her until she was old enough to manage on her own, and now there are other children who need his help.
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE
Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets Michael again--as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited.
AND AN UNFORGETTABLE TWIST
Sundays at Tiffany's is a heart-wrenching love story that surpasses all expectations of why these people have been brought together. With the breathtaking momentum and gripping emotional twists that have made James Patterson a bestseller all over the world, Sundays at Tiffany's takes an altogether fresh look at the timeless and transforming power of love

**I read Sunday's at Tiffany's last year and enjoyed it, describing it as " a feel good kind of book that leaves you with a smile on your face after you read the last page. " Read my review, here.

Sundays at Tiffany’s is now a Lifetime original move from Sony Pictures Television, which will be airing on Monday, December 6 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, 8:00 PM CT.


Watch the preview for the Lifetime original movie "Sundays at Tiffany's," starring Alyssa Milano and Stockard Channing. Premieres Monday, December 6 at 9PM et/pt.





*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Courtesy of Hachette Book Group , I am giving away one paperback copy of Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet



 



To Enter:  All you have to do is leave a comment, make sure to include your email address so that I can contact you if you are a winner. Otherwise, I won't be able to include your name in the drawing. Open to US & Canada only, NO PO Boxes. Books will ship directly to the winners. Enter by December 18, 2010.


Friday, November 26, 2010

Review : A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion






Genre: Fiction

About: Book Description from Amazon: 

“Most people have everything they need to be happy.” The words latched onto some part of Skyla’s brain. She repeated the phrase to herself while she rang up books and stocked shelves. It had a certain resonance to it, but she doubted it was true.

Free-spirit Skyla Plinka has found the love and stability she always wanted in her reliable husband Thomas. Settling into her new family and roles as wife and mother, life in rural Wisconsin is satisfying, but can’t seem to quell Skyla’s growing sense of restlessness. Her only reprieve is her growing friendship with neighbor Roxanne, who has five kids (and counting) and a life in constant disarray – but also a life filled with laughter and love.

Much to the dismay of her intrusive mother-in-law, Audrey, Skyla takes a part-time job at the local bookstore and slowly begins to rediscover her voice, independence and confidence. Throughout one pivotal year in the life of Skyla, Audrey and Roxanne, all three very different women will learn what it means to love unconditionally.


My Thoughts:

A Scattered Life follows the lives of three women during one year in their lives in a small town in Wisconsin. The author develops the story as the three women narrate the novel. First is Skyla Plinka, the main character, who grew up as a free spirited girl who moved across the United States with her father as she grew up and is now settled down with a stable husband and perfect daughter. Second is Audrey Plinka, Skyla's meddling mother-in-law, who focused her life on being a stay-at-home mother  raising three sons and caring for her husband and family. Audrey always longed for a daughter and had high hopes for a strong relationship with Skyla. The third woman is Roxanne Bear, a new neighbor and friend of Skyla's. Roxanne is the opposite of Skyla as she is totally obsessed with her five sons, longs for more children, especially a daughter. Roxanne lives a more chaotic life having trouble maintaining control of her mischievous sons and keeping her house in order. They each have a scattered life and approach life in very different ways.
 
Skyla makes changes in her life to be more independent and takes on a part time job at a bookstore. She is happier that she finally has a friend she can be close to in Roxanne. Her meddling mother-in-law Audrey doesn't approve and although she wants to be part of her son and daughter-in-law's lives she pushes them away by her controlling ways. Audrey then imposes her way into Roxanne's life which makes Skyla jealous and unsure of herself. As things significantly change in Roxanne's life, she teaches Skyla and Audrey some amazing lessons about trust and loving unconditionally. I enjoyed reading A Scattered Life and found the characters relatable and real and the story one that flowed smoothly and held my interest throughout. It's a book about female friendships and the challenges that can develop in a friendship of three women as well as what you can learn when you let people into your lives that are different and allow yourself to learn and grow from that experience.

Recommend: Yes! I enjoy reading books about female friendships  and life lessons. A Scattered Life is an engrossing novel that has strong characters, a beautifully told story and one that makes you think about your own choices, friendships and how many of us live a scattered life. I also love the backstory of this book as it was originally self-published as a Kindle e-book, and Kindle readers embraced this novel and loved it so much that they recommended it to other readers and popularity grew. A Scattered Life also became the first self-published Kindle book to ever be optioned for film. 
 
Source: Thank you to Karen McQuestion who asked me to read this book and Amazon  Encore for sending me a copy of the book. (I am an Amazon Associate)

About the Author Karen McQuestion:

Karen McQuestion's essays have appeared in Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Christian Science Monitor and several anthologies. She is the author of six books self-published on Amazon’s Kindle, one of which, the novel, A Scattered Life, caught the attention of an L.A. based production company and became the first self-published Kindle book to be optioned for film. Five of her previously self-published books will now be published by AmazonEncore. McQuestion lives with her family in Hartland, Wisconsin.





Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Review: Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten


Title: Saving Max


Genre: Fiction/Suspense

About (From Saving Max Website):

Single mother Danielle Parkman is at the end of her rope and she knows it. A successful attorney, Danielle works grueling hours for her clients, yet devotes every spare moment to her teenage son, Max, who has Asperger’s – high-functioning autism.  Alarmingly, Max has become violent and suicidal.  Danielle is frantic.  None of the professionals have helped him.  Desperate for guidance, Danielle brings Max to a psychiatric hospital in the hope that the best and the brightest will bring the son she loves back to her.  The bizarre twists and turns that take place in the hospital force Danielle to consider the unimaginable -- that Max’s problems may be greater than anyone could have imagined.

And then the true horror begins.  Danielle finds Max lying bloody and unconscious next to the bed of a murdered patient – a boy his own age.  When Max becomes the prime suspect, Danielle is determined to find the killer and absolve her son.  She risks everything in a race against time to find out the truth.  Is her son a murderer?


My Thoughts:

Saving Max gives a realistic perspective of the love and devotion of a mother to her child and the challenges, struggles and joy of raising a child with Aspergers, an autism spectrum disorder.  Danielle is a single mother and practicing lawyer, she is a devoted mother to Max. She has devoted her life to help her son Max who as a teenager has spiraled downwards emotionally and has become suicidal and violent. She has sought options to help Max and she is so desperate to help him that she takes the advice of her son's psychiatrist to seek out treatment at a world renowned psychiatric hospital. Danielle meets another mother after their sons are admitted to the psychiatric hospital and from there things spiral downhill for Max and Danielle. A boy is found murdered and Max is found next to the murder victim. Danielle is determined to find the truth and stands by her son when he is considered the prime suspect. She is determined to find out the identity of the real killer as she is convinced that she must stand by her son and protect him. There is a roller coaster ride of emotions that you experience as a reader while reading Saving Max. It is suspenseful throughout and as a mother I found myself rooting for Max and Danielle throughout the book. Danielle takes herself on a path of self awareness, determination and danger to reveal the truth. Saving Max is the ultimate look at the strength of a mother's love and dedication to their child and the depth of love between a mother and son. The author wrote this fictional story based on real life experiences when her own son who has autism was in a psychiatric hospital. Ms. van Heugten is a lawyer as well and this adds to the realism of the book. She writes from her own personal experiences but not all children on the Autism spectrum are violent and suicidal although many have psychological issues that are challenging.

Recommend: Yes! The rates of Autism continue to rise and currently Autism affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys. Most everyone knows of a family member or neighbor or a friends child who has Autism. Sadly, not everyone understands what it is like to raise a child on the Autism Spectrum and parents feel isolated and alone and judged. My life has been touched by Autism as well as several cousins and friends who have children with Autism. I also work as an Occupational Therapist and with children who are on the Autism Spectrum.  It is very important to be informed as a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle and friend. Families need your support and understanding and not judgement that this is something that the parents have caused or that it is something that "a little discipline" can control. It is a daily challenge that is very stressful and every parent wants the best for their child.  Saving Max is a suspenseful book that will keep you riveted until the last page.

Source: Thanks to Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists for sending me this book to review.




About the Author Antoinette van Heugten:


A former international trial lawyer, Antoinette van Heugten knows first-hand the struggles and triumphs of living with autism, and has always been an advocate for her children in a world where few people understood their disorder. She is an avid follower of the Autism Society of America, Talk Autism, Autism Speaks, the National Autism Association and Moms Fighting Autism, and has worked with parents who have recently received a diagnosis of autism for their children.  Antoinette received both her undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas. During her 15-year career as a trial lawyer, she practiced all over the world, in locations such as Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands to Houston, her hometown. Antoinette resides in Fredericksburg, Texas, with her husband, a former prominent oil and gas lawyer.





For more information about Saving Max and the author, check out the Saving Max Website


Check out this excellent book trailer for Saving Max:








Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Review: Out of the Shadows by Joanne Rendell





Author: Joanne Rendell

Genre: Women's Fiction/Literary Fiction

About (From Joanne Rendell):

Clara Fitzgerald’s recent losses have set her adrift, personally and professionally. Her mother has passed away, and her career seems stalled while her fiancé's scientific research is poised to take off in an exciting new direction. As great as the potential is for his future, Clara can't help - or ignore - that her emotional connection to him has slowly been slipping away.

But when Clara stumbles on an old copy of Frankenstein and remembers her mother’s claim that they are related to the nineteenth-century author, Mary Shelley, everything changes. With her sister in tow and the help of Kay, a retired Shelley scholar, Clara embarks on a search for the author's long lost journals and letters. As a bond among the three women grows, and as the profound connection between the past and present deepens, Clara comes closer to realizing where her heart truly belongs.

My Thoughts:

Out of the Shadows is a novel that is told from alternating viewpoints between Clara, a thirty-something professor and Mary Shelley as a young girl and woman prior to her writing Frankenstein. Clara lives in the shadow of her  fiance a geneticist and professor. Anthony's focus is in the lab trying to develop a drug to fight cancer. Clara's mother had always claimed while Clara was growing up, that they were related to author Mary Shelley. When Clara runs across an old copy of Frankenstein it sparks an interest for her to pursue if there truly is a connection. With the help of Clara's sister and a new friendship with Kay, an older woman who is a retired scholar of Shelley, Clara goes on a quest to find Shelley's long lost journals and letters. During the search Clara unearths some truths about herself and her fiance that surprise her. I found the alternating points of view between Clara and Mary Shelley to flow well and were very interesting. I have not read Frankenstein and don't know much about Shelley so I found these parts  of Out of the Shadows very interesting. It has piqued my interest in reading Frankenstein and more about Shelley. I find it amazing that Shelley was just 19 when Frankenstein was published. Out of the Shadows was a well written novel full of wonderful characters and a storyline that made me think. I found Clara to be a strong women even though she was naive with Anthony and didn't see things more clearly sooner. Her relationship with Kay, the Shelley scholar who was dealing with her own health issues at the time was sweet and touching. Kay was my most favorite character in the book as she had such grace and wisdom. I have read all of Joanne Rendell's novels and Out of the Shadows is my favorite.

Recommend: Yes, especially those fans of strong literary fiction and women's fiction as well as those who are interested in or are fans of Frankenstein and Shelley.

Source: Thanks to the author Joanne Rendell who sent me a signed copy of this book.

Why I chose this book: I've read and reviewed and enjoyed Joanne's 2 previous novels, read reviews here for The Professors' Wives Club and Crossing Washington Square. When Joanne asked me to read her newest novel Out of the Shadow, I jumped at the chance as I am a fan of her writing.




About the Author Joanne Rendell:

Joanne grew up in England yet when Joanne was young she had a crush on the Big Apple. When she was ten years old, in fact, she wrote a series of stories about a couple of kids who find a magic footpath in New York’s Central Park. After leaving school, Joanne went to the University of Leeds in Yorkshire where she completed a degree in English Literature and Philosophy. The student life was too much fun for Joanne, so she went on to do a Masters at King’s College London and then a PhD in English Literature at the University of Sheffield. She met a professor from the U.S. named Brad Lewis.

Joanne and Brad started to write papers together, organize conference panels, email furiously, and eventually they fell hopelessly in love. After Joanne was done with her PhD, she upped sticks and moved to New York to be with Brad, who teaches at NYU. Not long after they got married, and not too much longer after that, their son Benny arrived on the scene.

Over the past seven years, Joanne has juggled life as a homeschooling mum with writing novels. She hasn’t left academia completely behind. She and Brad are faculty in residence in one of NYU dorms and they run events, book groups, and programs for the students who live in their building. Also, Joanne’s novels are all set at Manhattan U – a university in downtown New York which looks, she does admit, a little like NYU. 




Sunday, November 21, 2010

Mailbox Monday : November 22








~Mailbox Monday~
is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (November Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.

The Postmistress A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen TableThe Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family




The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg





Saturday, November 20, 2010

Sunday Salon: Weekend Cooking & Review of The I HATE TO COOK Book: 50th Anniversary Edition by Peg Bracken








I'm catching up on book reviews that have piled up these past few months and I plan to have more posted this week. I was sick this past week with a  lousy chest cold and laryngitis but the positive side is that I was able to read several books, write some reviews and visit some book bloggers. I was able to finish Out of the Shadows by Joanne Rendell and Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten. Both were excellent books and I look forward to sharing my reviews here.





Author: Peg Bracken (With a New Foreword by Jo Bracken)

Genre: Cookbook
About (From Hachette ):

"There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who don't cook out of and have NEVER cooked out of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK, and the other kind...The I HATE TO COOK people consist mainly of those who find other things more interesting and less fattening, and so they do it as seldom as possible. Today there is an Annual Culinary Olympics, with hundreds of cooks from many countries ardently competing. But we who hate to cook have had our own Olympics for years, seeing who can get out of the kitchen the fastest and stay out the longest."

- Peg Bracken

Philosopher's Chowder. Skinny Meatloaf. Fat Man's Shrimp. Immediate Fudge Cake. These are just a few of the beloved recipes from Peg Bracken's classic I HATE TO COOK BOOK. Written in a time when women were expected to have full, delicious meals on the table for their families every night, Peg Bracken offered women who didn't revel in this obligation an alternative: quick, simple meals that took minimal effort but would still satisfy.

50 years later, times have certainly changed - but the appeal of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK hasn't.

This book is for everyone, men and women alike, who wants to get from cooking hour to cocktail hour in as little time as possible.

My Thoughts:

I had not heard of this cookbook before it was recently released in an Updated and Revised  50th Anniversary Edition. I am a fan of cookbooks and enjoy trying new recipes and with a title like The I HATE TO COOK Book, I couldn't resist. It was originally published in 1960 and geared toward women who hate to cook, not for those Ms. Bracken refers to as the "good cooks, who like to cook". You may be able to guess that Peg Bracken also had a sense of humor with a title like this and you can definitely find that humor sprinkled throughout the book among her writing. There are two hundred recipes in the book along with household hints. Remember that this was published in the 60's when there weren't concerns about butter and red meat so you'll definitely find a lot of both in this book. The author does assume that most people who hate to cook like to find shortcuts and she shares many throughout the book including using canned foods. This cookbook has 13 chapters and some examples of chapter headings are 30 Day-by-Day Entrees; The Leftover; Potluck Suppers; Luncheon for the Girls;Last Minute Suppers; Little Kids Parties and more. I chose a recipe that I thought we would enjoy in the 30 Day-by-Day Entrees chapter:

CHILLY-NIGHT CHILI

( A good, cheap, classic chili recipe that's easy to remember because it's one of everything)

(6-8 servings)
  
1 pound Hamburger
1 big onion, chopped
1 (or 2) 16 ounce cans of kidney beans, depending on how many you're feeding
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon chili powder ( then taste and add more if you like)
ripe olives, if they're handy

Brown the meat and the onion in a little butter and cook, till the meat is brown-about ten minutes. Add everything else, then let it simmer, covered, for half an hour.

My Notes: I didn't take a picture as I would have wanted a before and after picture and I forgot to take a before picture. I followed the directions and  in all honesty, the chili looked terrible. It was grayish in color, not red and hearty like I am used to when using tomato sauce. When I tasted it; it was flat and flavorless, I missed the richness from a heartier tomato sauce. Tomato soup just doesn't cut it for Chili, in my opinion. I added a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and I added 2 cans of red kidney beans. I also drained the beef after cooking but did add the butter as I wanted to see what it tasted like but I didn't notice any difference in flavor. I also added more chili powder. I didn't follow this recipe exactly and had to doctor it up to enjoy it. 


In looking through the other recipes in this cookbook, I just didn't find much that interested me. It has a great table of contents, index in the back, a section on equivalents and substitutes and a chapter on household hints. I am the kind of cook that enjoys cooking "most of the time" so maybe I didn't appreciate this style of cookbook.

Recommend: To someone who doesn't like to cook, likes older cookbooks, plain straightforward recipes without much fuss or spice or flavoring and a sense of humor added in to the mix. If you like fancier modern day recipes, this cookbook is probably not for you. 

Source: Thanks to the publisher, Hachette for sending me a copy of this book to review. 






Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.