Midwest Books

The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories

Barbara M. Walker

Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $9.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperTrophy Amazon Marketplace: 82 new & used starting at $3.79

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12
Subjects -> Children's Books -> History & Historical Fiction -> United States -> 1800s
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Sports & Activities -> Cooking

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This may be the only cookbook I have read cover to cover... 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I loved reading this book after reading all Ingalls-Wilder's books this summer. The history behind each recipe and the obvious attention to detail make this an excellent book for any Little House fan. I've made about 8 recipes so far with great results.

I was really looking forward to "Fried Apples and Onions" from Farmer Boy and was expecting something different than what the final outcome was (more of a steamed dish than a fried one). The Light Bread and Light Biscuits were raved about as well as Bird's Nest Pudding (a new favorite for us). The fried salt pork with gravy was an unexpected triumph, even if too salty. The corn dodgers were okay, something my family is not accustomed to. The Rye 'n' Injun bread was very different than anything we've ever had-surprisingly sweet and the rye flavor packs a punch. The doughnuts were excellent-something I'll probably be expected to repeat soon. Really looking forward to trying the molasses on snow candy-just waiting for the snow!

I was looking forward to trying my hand at cheese making but found that the instructions were incomplete. Three entire paragraphs for this recipe ended without finishing sentences-maybe an issue I should bring up with the publisher. Otherwise, this review would be a solid 5 stars. (Update on the Hard Cheese recipe that was incomplete-I have gone back and forth with the publisher on this and it comes down to the fact that the 3rd edition of this cookbook-whether hardback or paperback-was edited poorly. They have sent me 2 'replacements', and both had the same problem as the book I received as a gift. They were very nice about it and told me to donate the books to the local library, but I'm still missing a complete recipe. Very disappointing!)

I would agree with others that this is a book to be enjoyed WITH your children and should not be considered a children's cookbook. I enjoyed reading the included excerpts from the Little House books to my family as we ate each recipe and look forward to trying more recipes in the near future. I have a large collection of cookbooks and even cater to small groups occasionally, but this book will be treasured for those times I can enjoy in the kitchen-just for fun.

Editorial Review:

More than 100 recipes introduce the foods and cooking of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s pioneer childhood, chronicled in her classic Little House books.

Notable Children’s Books of 1979 (ALA)
Best Books of 1979 (SLJ)
Notable 1979 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Children's Books of 1979 (Library of Congress)
1980 Western Heritage Award

Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens

Marcia Adams

List Price: $32.50 By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $5.15

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Quick & Easy -> Cooking for One
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

--Very enjoyable-- 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

COOKING FROM QUILT COUNTRY is a pleasure to read. The title comes from the fact that Amish and Mennonite people are famous for their quilt making skills.

This book gives a little background of the Mennonite and Amish sects and how they came into existence. The roots of the two groups originated with the Protestant Reformation and the Swiss Anabaptist movement. The leader was a Dutch priest by the name of Menno Simons.

This very informative book is filled with wonderful recipes and many photographs. Because the Mennonites and Amish have traditionally been farmers, they're also known for their wonderful foods. There are recipes for everyone here, but I was especially interested in the different vegetable dishes that are presented.

Editorial Review:

Includes nearly 200 family recipes from America's heartland, a culinary folk history of the Indiana Amish and Mennonites. This celebration of farm life is a companion volume to the PBS series hosted by Adams. 64 full-color photographs.

Bundt Cake Bliss: Delicious Desserts from Midwest Kitchens

Susanna Short

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Minnesota Historical Society Press Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $10.25

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> Cakes
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> Desserts
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

How does an ordinary person make a sophisticated, crowd-pleasing cake in a snap? With a bundt pan, of course! Foodie Susanna Short brings back the beautiful bundts of yesteryear with mouthwatering, kitchen-tested recipes for busy families, elegant entertainers, and confection connoisseurs everywhere in Bundt Cake Bliss.

From vintage favorites like Quick Orange Kiss and Tunnel of Fudge to fanciful finds like Green Chili Cornbread and Mexican Hot Chocolate Mini Bundts, this delightful book features just about every delectable bundt baked by the Midwest’s own since the handy pan burst into the baking scene in the 1960s. And don’t forget the dozens of glazes, sauces, and frostings sure to transform any cake into a shining crown of glory.

Here is a cookbook that makes baking accessible to all, where fun is an essential tool in the kitchen. Among the delicious recipes and stories of the cakes and their creators are tips for dressing up bundts for special occasions and for managing those unexpected mishaps. And to top it off, Short offers warm and humorous reflections about the power of bundts in building community.

Susanna Short is a caterer who has been baking with passion and curiosity since the age of six. Dorothy “Dotty” Dalquist and her husband H. David Dalquist developed the original Bundt pan for their company, NordicWare.

Big Sky Cooking

Meredith Auld Brokaw, Ellen Wright

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Artisan Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $5.10

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> West
Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> Regions -> West -> Mountain

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The West has a permanent pull on the American psyche. It's the place where the prairie meets the mountains, the mountains meet the sky, and the sky goes on forever. It's the home of our legends, our heroes and outlaws, our romanticized past.

Meredith and Tom Brokaw could feel the attraction all the way from their home in New York City. Native South Dakotans, they had settled into a frenetic Manhattan lifestyle, tempered by frequent visits to Montana, until Tom could no longer resist. He convinced Meredith to join him in buying a ranch north of Yellowstone. Meredith, in turn, convinced her friend, passionate cook Ellen Wright, to come and discover for herself the bounty of the region—its trout, bison, and elk; locally raised poultry; native fruits and vegetables. The result is Big Sky Cooking, a personal story of this Montana experience told through delicious recipes and menus, charming reflections, and glorious color photographs.

Nearly one hundred recipes, from new dishes to family standbys to reinterpreted classics, are organized into twenty menus that let you dip into the western lifestyle for any occasion: from a sunrise breakfast with eggs straight from the chicken coop to a picnic on the fly, from a rodeo dinner to a moonlight supper under the stars. The food is straightforward, unpretentious fare, as honest as Montanans and guaranteed to make every hour of the day an opportunity to enjoy the good life.

Along the way you'll be introduced to the region's charms: its slow rhythms, its work ethic, the influences of the ancient people and European settlers who formed the present-day state, the "neighbors" who live two hours away, the glow at dusk that's so extraordinary it has its own name.

The Berghoff Family Cookbook: From Our Table to Yours, Celebrating a Century of Entertaining

Carlyn Berghoff, Nancy Ross Ryan

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $10.85

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Gastronomy -> History
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The history of Chicago's Berghoff Restaurant spanned three generations and 107 years. It was one of America's oldest family-owned restaurants. To commemorate such a rich culinary history, Carlyn Berghoff and her mother, Jan Berghoff, collected 150 of the restaurant's most popular recipes, including classics such as Creamed Spinach, Berghoff Rye Bread, and Wiener Schnitzel. They paired them up with more contemporary offerings such as the Shrimp Martini, Grilled Vegetables with Red Pepper Aïoli, and Brie and Raspberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches to create The Berghoff Family Cookbook: From Our Table to Yours, Celebrating a Century of Entertaining.

· Recipes are presented alongside tempting four-color photographs and informative sidebars that offer tips on dressing salads, serving soups, pairing culinary flavors, and more. The book's introductory narrative tells the Berghoff family's story and introduces the next generation of the Berghoff legacy.

Fourth-generation entrepreneur Carlyn Berghoff operates her own catering company, Artistic Events, out of the famous Chicago building at 17 West Adams. Carlyn also has opened 17/West at the Berghoff, more casual fare is still offered at the downstairs Café, and the Berghoff Café still operates out of locations at O'Hare International and Midway airports.

Talk About Good Cookbook

Louisiana Lafayette Junior League, LA. Junior League of Lafayette

Amazon Price: $19.95 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Junior League of Lafayette, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 12 new & used starting at $7.95

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> South

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Favorite Cookbook 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I've had this cookbook for many years, and it is my favorite.
I'm from New Orleans, and these are authentic Cajun recipes. There are many ways to cook a specific dish, and I find the various recipes reflect these personal touches. You cannot go wrong with "Talk About Good".

Talk About Good 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

During my childhood, this was my mother's favorite cookbook - long before it was feasible to access such a wide range of recipes from the internet. She lost the cookbook (and everything else) in Hurricane Katrina, and it has been difficult to replace it. We were so happy to be able to find it on Amazon.com and give it to her for Christmas. Although she has relocated from New Orleans, the cookbook and the recipes that she used from it over the holidays, made us feel at home. The cookbook itself demonstrates authentic home cooking. Each recipe reflects the contributors' individual tastes and family traditions, and the types of cooking and ingredients provide a glimpse into a distinct culture. I find it as much fun to read the recipes and their variations as to cook them.

Editorial Review:

This cookbook takes you on a journey throuh south Louisiana's traditions, cultural heritage and the culinary artisries of Cajun food. It is in it's 23rd printng with over 70,000 copies sold. Winner of McIlhenny Hall of Fame Award.

Omaha Steaks the Great American Grilling Book: From the Best Burgers to Terrific T-Bones (Omaha Steaks)

Time Inc. Home Entertainment

Amazon Price: $18.21 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Time Inc Home Entertainment Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $14.27

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Cooking by Ingredient -> Meat, Poultry & Seafood -> Meats
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Outdoor Cooking -> Barbecuing & Grilling
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest

Editorial Review:

If anyone knows "where's the beef," it's Omaha Steaks, who has been providing Americans with top quality meat for more than 90 years. The chefs at Omaha Steaks have collected their favorite great American recipes-from the juiciest burgers to sizzling sirloins; from savory rubs to succulent marinades; and many more. A helping of sure-fire grilling tips, as well as a foolproof meat cooking chart, assure that whether you're plugging in a stovetop kitchen grill or pouring on the charcoal for a backyard barbecue, every meal will be seared, smoked, or simply cooked to perfection.

Gorgeous photographs showcase over 130 mouth-watering recipes for old-fashioned steakhouse favorites like hearty Porterhouse with Home Fries, Peppercorn Filet Mignon or Cajun Rib-Eye as well as lighter, eclectic fare such as Balsamic Glazed Beef Kabobs or Apricot Mango Grilled Pork Chops. There's plenty for white meat lovers too-with dozens of delicious ideas for grilling moist, flavorful chicken, veal, pork and lamb. Also included here are several recipes from the award-winning chef James Beard.

Sensational side dishes run the gamut from classic (hint-of-nutmeg creamed spinach, roasted corn on the cob, and baked stuffed potatoes) to Barbecued Stuffed Mushrooms and Grilled Sweet Potatoes.

For anyone who can relate to the alluring smell of smoke wafting off a grill, this cookbook will become a bible!

OMAHA STEAKS, family-owned and based in Omaha, has been selling quality meats through the mail for more than 90 years.

The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook: Local Food, Local Restaurants, Local Recipes

Tim King, Alice Tanghe

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Voyageur Press Amazon Marketplace: 12 new & used starting at $17.59

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> Midwest
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Natural Foods
Subjects -> Travel -> Reference & Tips -> Food & Lodging -> Dining

Editorial Review:

This photography rich book is a love song for local food. Through narrating the stories of 31 Minnesota chefs and restaurants, the Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook offers 100 recipes that celebrate cooking with local, sustainably grown food. The passion of these chefs, and the farmers they work with, sings throughout the pages.

This cookbook combines rich traditions and delightful innovations. The mouth-watering fare of world-class bed-and-breakfasts is here, alongside the saucy mix of cultural cuisines from kitchens at the Twin Cities’ Café Brenda, Spoon River, Lucia’s, Heartland, and the delectable slow cooking of eateries like the New Scenic Café in Two Harbors and Minwanjige Café in Strawberry Lake. Mixing the familiar comfort food of Minnesota’s roots in the culture of Northern Europe with the fine new flavors of world cuisine, these recipes comprise a travel guide through Minnesota, with illustrated profiles of chefs and farmers, of food and farms.

The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook is the newest release from Renewing the Countryside (RTC), a Minnesota-based non-profit organization that champions the positive stories of rural revitalization. In additional to developing books, RTC produces educational programming around local foods and sustainable agriculture including the Local Food Hero radio show, the Healthy Local Foods exhibit at the State Fair’s EcoExperience and Green Routes, a sustainable tourism initiative.

Street Food Chicago

Michael J. Baruch

Amazon Price: $17.13 List Price: $25.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lbcm Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $17.12

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An impressive compendium of culinary delights 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 17 people found this review helpful.

"Street Food Chicago" compiled by Chef Michael J. Baruch (founder of La Baruch Cuisine Moderne) is a 455-page culinary celebration of Chicago's local foods that draw from its ninety different ethnic groups and the more than seven thousand restaurants. Readers are provided with an opening chapter on Chicago's culinary history titled 'Bear Wars, Old Polish Geezers, Politics and Street Booze including Weird Stuff Behind the Bar in Jars', then goes on to celebrate the corner bakery, cafeteria cuisine (including the famous Blue Plate Special and ethnic sandwiches), and on to recipes that range from Kreplach; Chicken Cacciatore; Pizza Sausage; and Gert's Creamy Coleslaw; to Mama D's Meatball Sandwich; Curried Crab Salad Dip; Jerusalem Salad; Juan's Breakfast Taco with Chorizo, Potato and Egg; and Fiery Pepper Beef in Lettuce Cups. There are even sections of color photography illustrated preparation processes, finished dishes, and Chicago street scenes. A very highly recommended addition to personal and community library ethnic cookbook collections, "Street Food Chicago" is an impressive compendium of culinary delights with completely 'kitchen cook friendly' instructions on how to make them.

The Blue Ribbon Country Cookbook

Diane Roupe

Amazon Price: $26.99 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Thomas Nelson Amazon Marketplace: 51 new & used starting at $0.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Nearly 1,000 crowd-pleasing and award-winning recipes presented in an easy, step-by-step format to ensure success for anyone-even beginners.

More than just a comprehensive cookbook, The Blue Ribbon Country Cookbook contains easy-to-follow techniques and detailed explanations that ensure success. Chapters include every type of food, from soups and stews to pies and tarts, and recipes range from traditional favorites to more contemporary dishes such as Fresh Pear Salad with Ginger Dressing and Rosemary Chicken with Red Raspberry Sauce. What makes this book so special is not just the large number of recipes but also the amount of indispensable information that it contains.

An Amazon reviewer explains the book best: "After 16 years of marriage, I was still not able to make some of the dishes my husband's mom did. I never quite got it right. I can now! In her book, Diane taught me the basics of cooking from scratch and now I receive the highest compliment--As Good as Mom's and Grandma's."