The Mixer Bible

Before you turn away...this is a great book even if you don't have a stand mixer and even if you're not all that into baking.

The Mixer Bible: Over 300 Recipes For Your Stand Mixer has tons of recipes that you can make with a regular mixer, food processor, and even the way our grandmothers did...by hand! But let me back up a bit.

A number of years ago my 30 year old Sunbeam Stand Mixer died and I could finally replace it with the much coveted fire engine red KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixers . I was fortunate enough to have all this happen when there was an awesome deal that not only included the mixer at a substantial saving, but also a shredder/slicer attachment. Truth be told, I only used the attachment once. It's so much easier to grate and slice things using my food processor which is always sitting on my counter. So the attachment has sat in the cupboard, alone and lonely for a long time.

Back to the book....naturally there are many fantastic recipes for baked goods like the Cranberry Maple Squares that grace the Second Edition cover. I couldn't resist them and (because my son-in-law is allergic to cranberries) made them using dried blueberries & dried cherries. Their photo is much lovelier, but I promise you, mine were pretty tasty!

Six different pie crusts, banana cream pie, pumpkin pie, black bottom pie...the list of cakes, cookies, pies and muffins is endless. But that isn't all! Who'd have thought about soups and pastas, main dishes and side dishes and my very favorite section...sausages! when thinking about their stand mixer?! There are 29 different types of sausages you can make, which include my all time favorites that are not so easy to find in stores here in Halifax...chorizo, merguez and garlic fennel. You know they will definitely be on my table often, especially now that I can keep the spice level to our liking. Perhaps I will have to buy that attachment, but in the meantime, I'm going to be using my food processor to help me out. Here's a link to grind meat at home. In a nutshell, here's what they suggest...

"When using a food processor, cut chunks of beef and fat into one-inch uniform cubes and chill. Place meat cubes in the processor with metal blade, taking care to process in small (no more than 1/2-pound depending on the size of your processor) batches. Pulse in short 1- to 2-second bursts until the desired consistency is achieved, usually 10 to 15 pulses.

It is important to pulse rather than letting the food processor continuously run. Pulsing tends to distribute the pieces for more even chopping and avoids excess heat from friction that could turn your ground beef into mush. If you are adding herbs or
spices for a recipe, might as well toss them right in before beginning to process.

When using a food processor, cut chunks of beef and fat into one-inch uniform cubes and chill. Place meat cubes in the processor with metal blade, taking care to process in small (no more than 1/2-pound depending on the size of your processor) batches. Pulse in short 1- to 2-second bursts until the desired consistency is achieved, usually 10 to 15 pulses.

It is important to pulse rather than letting the food processor continuously run. Pulsing tends to distribute the pieces for more even chopping and avoids excess heat from friction that could turn your ground beef into mush. If you are adding herbs or spices for a recipe, might as well toss them right in before beginning to process."

So for those of you, like me, without fancy attachments or even fancy stand mixers, the recipes can be done with your trusty food processor or graters and blenders...which means that this book should definitely be on your wish list, no matter what tools you have in your kitchen.

The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook

I love this time of year, not so much for the weather, but for all the gorgeous cookbooks that hit the stores in time for holiday gift giving...even if that means a gift for yourself.

When I first saw The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook: A Collection of Our Favorite Recipes for the Home Chef I admit it...I was leery. Was it going to be too "chef" like for the novice home cook who really wants something simple and needs guidance? Or was it going to be filled with recipes for the advanced home cook?

The answer... YES to both questions. The recipes are simple - all 375 of them - and very easy to follow the step by step directions and pages like "selecting and preparing legumes". Throughout the book are tons of tips from the top chefs who teach at the CIA. The more complex or complicated dishes also have photos to help you understand the process. I'll be making the Crepes with Spicy Mushroom Filling very soon...a perfect brunch dish for the Holidays.

And nowhere have I seen such a comprehensive list of charts and tables to help the novice figure out temperatures for ovens, grills, "doneness" of every conceivable fish, fowl or meat, plus a chart for "best quick cooking method for fish" and a separate one for shellfish. Not to mention (okay...I'll mention them) charts for stocking your pantry, by ethnic kitchen - Mexican, Caribbean/South American, Asian, Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, French and Indian and by food type. As I said...very comprehensive.

I made their version of Pasta Puttanesca with Shrimp which really rocks! And couldn't resist taking a picture of the sauce cooking...the aromas, the colours... It takes hardly any time at all to prepare and, because it's so thick and spicy it will also be great spooned over scrambled eggs or over roasted chicken or fish. I'm in Heaven and so far, I've only tried one recipe!

So if you're hunting for the perfect cookbook for the novice or for the adventurous...this book tops the list.

Nigella Christmas

With just a little over a month to go...less if you count all the parties and get togethers before Christmas and don't forget New Year's Eve, etc., after. Regardless of your religious persuasion, this is the "Holiday Season". And what better gift to arrive at my door but Nigella Christmas.

I say that because who does more decadent, but easy-to-do dishes better than Nigella. I love her casual, almost lazy style and I particularly love how well I do with her recipes. Truly, over the years my best received dinners come from Nigella and people rave about the dishes long after the party is over.

So, naturally we expect deliciousness on every page and we are not disappointed. And in addition, there are so many tips to get you through the holiday season with tips about preparing and freezing ahead of time, that you just might get to enjoy the preparations this year.

She even has an absolutely superb schedule for what she calls "The Main Event". Starting at 10 AM, it gives minute by minute guidelines so you don't get frazzled before your guests sit down at the table.

There isn't just ONE menu, either. She creates lovely options for different "Stars"...like turkey (with several choices for stuffings and sides), naturally, but also roast goose with Pear & Cranberry Stuffing or Roast Beef with Port and Stilton Gravy or Rolled Stuffed Loin of Pork with Rubied Gravy (even her descriptions have one drooling).

Vegetarians need not despair, you are not relegated to sides at this table...Roast Stuffed Pumpkin with Gingery Tomato Sauce, Red Cabbage with Pomegranate Juice, Christmas Salad and Australian Christmas Pudding with Hot Chocolate Sauce. Even I could be vegetarian, at least for the day!

And if that's not enough reason to check it out....the cocktails, canapes and Christmas baking will have your head spinning.

One challenge I always find around this time of year especially, is...what to bring as a host/hostess gift? In Nigella Christmas, you can choose from simple but spectacular gifts that take little time to prepare and really stand out from all those bottles of wine. Vanilla Sugar, Spiced Salt, Marinated Feta, Winter Spiced Vodka, three kinds of chutney, chili jam, peanut brittle...the list goes on and on.

My first project...Cranberry, Almond & Honey Granola, because, seriously who can resist it!

Hope you enjoy your holiday season, even if I am a little early!

Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners

There are a few wonderful cooks who have visited my kitchen, though not my home, often over the years. Bonnie Stern is one of them. I have Simply Heartsmart Cooking
(check out what I wrote), Heartsmart Cooking For Family And Friends
(check here and here) and Essentials of Home Cooking (check here for my all time favorite recipe or here for the soup that converted my soup averse Honey).

Naturally I was ecstatic to receive a copy of her latest Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners.

Growing up in a Jewish home, I remember Friday nights at my grandparents' tiny one bedroom apartment and most of my mother's six siblings, their spouses and the 17 grandchildren. Heavenly chaos complete with traditional Jewish fare...chicken soup with noodles or matzo balls, gefilte fish or chopped liver, main course of roast chicken or brisket usually played the starring roles. It was, indeed, a special night.

When I was handed the proverbial apron and roasting pan, I went further afield with the menu, but the premise was the same...gathering of friends and family after a hard week's work...a time to relax, refresh and just be together with those we care about.

And, there are lots of lovely dinners like that in Bonnie's new book. But it's not just about traditional Jewish Friday night dinners by any means. It's truly a book for everyone who likes to invite people over for dinner, whether that's Friday, Saturday, Sunday or during the week.

So, a little about the new book...the chapters are broken down by dinner type, the menu (complete with appetizers and cocktails) and, of course, the recipes. Here are some of my favorites already...

Comfort dinner:
Hummus with Cilantro Pesto
Grilled Pita with Za'atar
Short ribs with Red Wine & Port (mine are in the oven making the entire apartment smell awesome on a foggy Sunday afternoon ...edit note...they're done and they're delicious)
Butternut ribbons
Smashed Red-Skinned Potatoes
Mixed Greens with Mustard Tarragon Dressing
Lemon Meringue Pie (really makes me think of my mother's version that I never got to write down...perhaps now I'll have an alternative to whining about it)

Italian Dinner:
Lemon Basil Martini
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Rosemary and Garlic
Porcini-rubbed Grilled Veal Chops (definitely bookmarked for soon!)
Roasted Butternut Polenta
Grilled Endive
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Basil
Peaches Poached in Vanilla Syrup
Gwen's Almond Biscotti

Middle Eastern Dinner:
Matboucha (Moroccan cooked tomato salad)
Creamy Hummos (different to the Comfort dinner one)
Moroccan Chicken Cigars
Bonnie's Chicken Fattah (soooooo good, just don't tell her I made it on a Tuesday)
Moroccan Fruit Salad
Chocolate dipped Medjool Dates Stuffed with Walnuts

There are 25 dinners in all and I will be working my way through them. Indian, Greek, Nostalgia, South African, Australian, Asian, Vegetarian, Fast Food (2 versions) and more, so it might take me a while.

I love her intro stories for each of the menus and one other thing I find very special about this book...recipes are not only hers, but from friends of hers as well, some of whom are fabulous chefs in their own right and others just do great dinners at their homes.

This is definitely a lovely book to add to your collection, and if you make a dish on Tuesday...well, we just won't tell Bonnie.