I made three recipes from this book. My husband and son enjoyed all of them! (Pasta with Bacon, Peas, Sour Cream, & Dill; Salmon, Potato, & Corn Chowder; and Pear and Pecan Baked Oatmeal) I appreciate how interchangeable the ingredients are. Also, my son cannot eat/digest dairy. I could substitute nondairy ingredients easily.
-Borrowed from the library.
Alexander loves Sundays. After church his extended family gathers at his family's table to feast on the scrumptious food his mother has spend all day Saturday preparing. His dad always asks what sweet item will be served. Then one Saturday, Alexander's mother asks him to make something special for his father for the Sunday dinner. Alexander is quite nervous. Will his dad like it? An underlining desire throughout the book is Alexander's hope to please his father with food he has made.
A recipe for Lemon Icebox Pie with Meringue is included at the end of the story.
I loved the theme of food and family! Mr. Morrison incorporates the color yellow throughout the illustrations. Every illustration spread features a hue of yellow. Creative and fun!
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Below are a few books featured/recommended in Soul School, which I recently reviewed. I borrowed all these books from the library. I do not "highly recommend" all of these books. Please read carefully.😀
1. Saving the Day by Karyn Parsons illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
In rhyme, Ms. Parsons shares Garrett Morgan's childhood and his idea for the traffic signal. She imagines a story to highlight his invention. She also reveals he that invented many other helpful objects but only shares one other device-a gas mask.
Fannie Farmer had big dreams-attend college and become a teacher. Then an illness left her paralyzed and thwarted her plans. Yet she loved to cook and pursued this interest, causing how a recipe is organized and how we cook to be transformed.
Inspiring! The author's additional background information on Fannie and the history of cooking/following a recipe is very interesting.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
I tried a couple of recipes before I had to return it to the library. My family really liked the "Sheet Pan Mahi Mahi & Baby Potatoes" (even the ones who don't usually enjoy fish). My one son loves fish, so I try to include it at least every two weeks. If I borrow this book again, I will prioritize making three other fish dishes.
I liked her "quick tips" on pg 14, especially cutting up chicken with heavy duty kitchen shears right over the pan/bowl (I despise chicken and dread prepping it!).
-Borrowed from the library.
A delightful counting book that depicts a mother grocery shopping with her five children. Upon coming home, the husband greets them. The family proceeds to create a yummy meal for themselves and three other individuals. Readers can count up to ten two times throughout this story.
I love the cut-paper collage.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
In an old apartment building people from various cultures are cooking a favorite dish. An illustrated recipe is to the right of each narrative text page. All the individuals/families meet in their shared yard to feast upon their delicious creations.
The narrative text is sparse, so I am not sure how much this book will appeal to kids. I loved viewing the clever ways Ms. Sala depicted the culture and personality of each individual and family. As an adult who loves children's books, I found this book delightful. Ms. Sala's newer book, What's Cooking in Flowerville? : Recipes from Garden, Balcony, and Window Box appears to be wonderful. The library, however, does not own a copy.
-Borrowed from the library.
360+ Dishes for Parties, Picnics, and Potlucks
Over the last six weeks I have tried several recipes from this cookbook. My family liked almost every recipe. Our favorite one was Bacon-Colby Lasagna pg. 222. Other recipes tried- Breakfast Cookies, Peachy Dutch Pancakes, Baked Blueberry Pancakes, Maple Apple Baked Oatmeal, Ham & Broccoli Casserole, Cranberry Cake, Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars.
-Borrowed from the library.
People come from all over the county to eat Mr. Crum's food. When a persnickety customer sends his potatoes back three times because of their thickness and blandness, Mr. Crum decides to play a trick on him. He slices them superthin, fries them to a crisp, and loads them with salt. The customer loves them! Potato chips are born! This fictional tale is based on a true story. Potato chips may have been made before this incident, but Mr. Crum is credited to popularizing this favorite snack.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
A Pilgrim Book of Food and Manners
An interesting account of the Pilgrims' history, centered around food.
Mid-late elementary students could easily read and comprehend this nonfiction book.
Recipes included.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
I tried three recipes from this collection so far. My family loved the "Easy Fried Rice" recipe (better than a restaurant!). The "Mini-Chip Cocoa Pancakes" were also delicious. The pasta/ham dish did not have much flavor. I won't make it again.
Most of the recipes seem simple to prepare with ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry.
-Borrowed from the library.
I love PW and her recipes!
Over a three week period I made pickle chicken bites,preztel dogs, hot Hawaiian beef sandwiches, and chuckwagon brownies. All of us loved the chicken bites and preztel dogs. I want to try several other recipes but have to return it to the library without the ability to renew it since it is a new book.
I own all of her recipe books but am not sure about this one . . . I don't have room where I store my cookbooks and probably won't make the steak recipes (an entire section is dedicated to steak).
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Our history textbook devoted a small textbox about the Gullah Geechee people. To celebrate their food culture, I made Lowcountry Spaghetti & Geechee Salsa from this book for my boys for lunch. The boys did not like the salsa, but I did. A lot of other recipes looked delicious.
-Borrowed from the library.
My one son seems to have difficulty digesting dairy. I tried a couple of recipes from these books. The recipe results were average. Some of the ingredients were unusual and expensive.
Absolutely adorable!
Six-year-old Hiro loves watching his dad make ramen each Sunday for the family. When he turns seven, he decides he is old enough to make the family a ramen dinner. Generations of the family's fathers have been making ramen. To his disgust, he ruins the dinner. With some creativity, he salvages it and creates a wonderful ramen meal.
The illustrations and layouts are fun and creative. Japanese writing is included in the illustrations.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
I was not able to make many recipes from this book since I had to return it to the library. As I paged through it, a lot of recipes caught my eye, so I plan to check it out again when I have more time to try new recipes. The first one will be "Brownie Cookies" (my two favorite desserts combined!). In the short time I was able to borrow it, I made two of her muffin recipes-"Lemon and Raspberry Muffins" (my sons loved) and "Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins" (I loved)--Very easy to follow and turned out perfectly the first time. Most recipes are accompanied with a full-page photo of the dish.
-Borrowed from the library.
Peter Mayle relates how he and his wife depart deary England to purchase a farmhouse in Provence. His account spans a year (the narration is organized by months) and is full of humor as he depicts the French culture, traditions, and people. Descriptions of food abound!
This book was an absolute joy to read. The writing is superb. Subtle humor is incorporated flawlessly. I would read a sentence and stop and think, "Wait. That was REALLY funny!" and break into an appreicative smile. Mr. Mayle is a master of the memior craft!
**Highly, highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
I tried a few recipes from this book: overnight Irish oatmeal, blueberry ricotta breakfast cake, & overnight mac/cheese. She displays food boards for every meal and even dessert! Beautiful photographs for each recipe make this book eye-catching. Some of the ingredients are a bit pricey and not ones you find in your fridge/pantry on any given day.
My favorite recipe I tried was the overnight mac/cheese. I made it for my son's sixteenth birthday dinner. People reacted positively to it.
-Borrowed from the library.
For my niece's Christmas gift, I am having her over for a tea. To gather ideas, I skimmed through the following books:
Let's Have a Tea Party! Emilie Barnes illustrations by Michal Sparks (different themes with ideas for invitations, decorations,recipes & games)
A recipe book by a Mennonite woman
The layout & recipes are simple and not overwhelming. I made simple granola & cheesy breadsticks with good results. I especially liked her list on how to keep a clean fridge. . .my mom follows these guidelines without ever reading someone else's list on how to do it!!
-Borrowed from the library.
