Special Occasions Books - Page 28

Keeping Good Company: A Season-by-Season Collection of Recipes, with Entertaining and Homemaking Ideas

Roxie kelley and friends

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $4.20

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A great girly gift 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This is a prettified cookbook set in a memory book style. It makes a great gift for the woman who likes fru-fru. (Fru-fru: pretty, lovely things as opposed to practical, nonsensical things)

The book is divided into the four seasons with decorated pages apropos of the season. Spring: A cream cheese spread filled with grated carrots, green onions, celery, and seasoned salt to use on onion bagels. Cool. Strawberry and Romaine salad with Raspberry Poppy Seed dressing. A page illustrated at the top with rubber boots and a small crate of freshly dug new red potatoes, the recipe for New Potatoes in Sour Cream in the middle, and a casually set buffet with the finished recipe at the bottom. Lovely! My favorite recipe of Spring is Cream of Anything Soup.

Summer is lovely with Perfect Harmony Fruit Salad, homemade Barbecue Sauce (like my grandmother used to make), Lemon Vinegar, and a fabulous Easy Manicotti recipe, and Mexicali Quiche. My favorite is the Pasta with Chicken and Squash (both yellow and green), and Pear Zucchini Bread.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower"--Camus. Cindy's Corn Casserole, Orange-Banana Bread, Harvest Muffins (filled with grated carrots, apples, and pecans), Hearty Vegetable-Beef Soup, and Apple Pie Pockets fill the autumn air with delightful aromas.

Winter brings Hot Spiced Cider, Chicken Strudel (that flames the imagination), Peppercorn Chicken Breasts, Ginger Snaps, and Holiday Place Cards. The last section is a miscellany of delights: comfort foods like Meat Loaf, Grandma's Hot Rolls, Cinnamon Strips, and Simple Pleasure Pound Cake.

"Keeping Good Company" is a dream book as much as a cookbook, a delight for eye and nose. Put on some Chopin, sit with a cup of tea, and take in the soft beauty of this book while discovering new culinary treasures.

Editorial Review:

Roxie Kelley and Shelly Reeves Smith nourish the body and soul by combining simple yet satisfying recipes with tips on gracious living and friendly entertaining, all presented alongside warm and inviting hand-drawn illustrations. Destined to become a treasured family keepsake, each this features flavorful recipes along with distinctive touches:

This beautifully illustrated book is organized around the changing seasons to make the most of incorporating fresh ingredients into everyday family meals and special holiday gatherings, featuring recipes such as Ranch Avocado Dip (Spring), Midnight Moon Potato Salad (Summer), Roasted Vegetable Bisque (Autumn), and Chicken Strudel (Winter). A chapter titled "Morning, Noon, and Night," has crave-worthy recipes for anytime, such as Cream Cheese Twists, Meat Loaf, and Almost Fat-Free Chocolate Cake.

Gooseberry Patch Christmas

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Leisure Arts Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $3.14

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Book! 4 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

What a great book! It's a shame that amazon doesn't have it in. However, if you're missing this one, you can go to gooseberrypatch.com and they have this one online. Plus, they have it in hardback too, which I prefer. Try oxmoorhouse.com too - they may have it as well. The more you order, the more you save! Anyway, this is such a great book and is basically a continuation of the fabulous recipes that are in book three. I use these recipes throughout the year and I just can't tell you how wonderful they are! My husband doesn't like it when I give these as gifts because he wants everyone to think I'm a gourmet cook! You won't be disappointed with these books - the decorating ideas are fabulous as are the gift projects. These make awesome gifts too!

Editorial Review:

Make this Christmas the most magical ever! Brimming with over 100 delicious recipes and more than 75 delightful gift ideas, Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 4 is filled with charming illustrations, beautiful full-color photos, and quick & easy ideas sure to bring holiday cheer.

Good Things for Easy Entertaining: The Best of Martha Stewart Living

Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Amazon Price: $14.96 List Price: $22.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $8.49

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A waste of time 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 66 people found this review helpful.

"Try The $50 Dinner Party" by Sally Sampson. Sally's book is super and we used for a very elegant party at our large beautiful home.

nice pictures 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Martha Steward is a classic. She is a strong woman that I admire. This book however is lacking substance. I flip through it and so just couple of nice advices.

One of Martha's latest entertaining books 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is so much better than Martha's very first entertaining book (called MARTHA STEWART ENTERTAINING). The ideas are up to date and follow the same format as most of Martha's "GOOD THINGS" series.

The reason I give this book four stars instead of five is because of the price.This book is a soft-cover book and in my opinion should have been priced lower by the publishers. I paid full price for this book and probably should have waited until it went on sale. However, if a reader is interested in a book as soon as it first comes out, then thy will have to pay full-price. But, possibly, now that the book has been out for a while, you may be able to find this book at discount, and if so, then it's worth a SALE price.

The photos are inspiring and amazing. The photos themselves will inspire the reader to organize a party. The ideas are seasonal, from Winter to Summer. The recipes are easy to duplicate(in my opinion), although some are not for the average novice.

The art projects are very clever. There are enough craft ideas shown in this book that a reader could find at the very least a few useful and doable projects.

Editorial Review:

In this latest volume in the Good Things With Martha Stewart Living series, you will find dozens of ideas, projects, and recipes to help you entertain more easily and often. Delicious drinks and hors d'oeuvres, simple lighting projects, beautiful centerpieces, clever place cards, creative table coverings, and luscious desserts round out this inspired collection.

Making Beautiful Christmas Cakes (Cookery)

Merehurst Editors

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent cake ideas 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My daughter and I have a cake decorating business and were looking for some new and beautiful Christmas cake ideas for customers. This book gives plenty of detail with pictures and its easy to duplicate your favorite.

Tricky But With Good Ideas--Quite British Though... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a charming book, with a fine British pedigree, that takes decorating cakes quite a few steps above canned frosting. Just the clever use of new colors made the book worth it for me. But some ingredients--like castor sugar--no it's not EXACTLY like powdered sugar!--create some translation problems. Don't let the book overwhelm you--study some of the pictures and techniques and retool to make it a little easier on yourself and you will bowl people over with your fabulous pastry skills.

Editorial Review:

A combination of both traditional and innovative cake designs to suit all Christmas moods. The focus is put on sugarcraft cakes, and Making Beautiful Christmas Cakes also features stunning royal-iced and chocolate confections. All recipes will suit beginner cake decorators and experienced sugarcrafters alike. The book features 30 classic and contemporary Christmas cakes, with more than 200 beautiful color photographs. Follow the designs and instructions in this book, and soon you'll astound your guests with unforgettable holiday creations!

The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook

Marian Burros, Lois Levine

Amazon Price: $10.88 List Price: $16.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $4.12

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

Editorial Review:

A completely revised and updated edition of the cookbook that set thestandard for entertaining, featuring new recipes and old favorites with allthe great taste, convenience, and ease of preparation that has made itthe entertaining bible for more than 500,000 cooks.

We all know that stirring risotto in the kitchen while your guests are gossiping in the living room is no fun. That's why the recipes in The New Elegant but Easy Cookbook can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen until your party. While sharing all-new recipes for delectable dishes like Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Michele's Corn Pudding, or an astonishing Prepare-Ahead Chocolate Soufflé, Burros and Levine have also included fifty favorites from the original cookbook, like Sherley's Parmesan Puffs, Baked Imperial Chicken, Green and Gold Squash, and Lois's Original Plum Torte (the most requested recipe ever reprinted in The New York Times).

To make your life even easier, the book has an ingredients list with mail-order sources and lists of recipes for specific needs and occasions. Best of all, there are ten foolproof menus, from an Old-Fashioned Casual Dinner for 6 to a Brunch for 16 to a Cocktail Party for 24, each with a shopping list and a two-week "countdown game plan" that will take the fear out of entertaining for even the first-time host.

Halloween: The Best of Martha Stewart Living

Martha Stewart Living Magazine

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Favorite Halloween Craft (and more) Book!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I found this book at my local library a few years ago. I loved it so much, I kept it until finding it on Amazon. The book has fantastic colorful pictures that get you in the spirit of Halloween no matter what time of year it is. It has fun craft ideas, spooky recipes and costume ideas for all ages.

Most of the crafts in this book are fairly easy for anyone to attempt,however you may find a few that require tools that you might not have unless you an avid Craftster.
She has a large chapter on Pumpkin carving/decorating that has ideas for children and adults. The book has a great deal of very unique Halloween crafts that are sure to impress and spook your friends and family.

As for the recipes,they aren't too difficult. I recommend "The Hot Spiced Concord - Grape Juice"(A new twist on spiced cider) "The Great Pumpkin Cake", "Ancient Eggs" and of course The Lady Finger's and Man toes. These recipes will be a hit at any Halloween gathering.

I haven't tired out any of the makeup/costume ideas yet,however they look fantastic and not very difficult. She has included the best Mummy makeup I have ever seen, and only requires everyday kitchen ingredients.
Even Martha appears as a few frightful characters with complete how to instructions (I had no idea she was the model in a few of the photos!)

You don't have to be a fan of Martha Stewart to enjoy this book. Its filled with tons of ideas for all ages. I seriously recommend this book to anyone that enjoys DIY holiday decorating and of course the Halloween food is ...to die for! This book is worth every cent, It has been my go to Halloween craft book since 2004 and I have no intention of finding another (unless it's an update)

Happy Haunting!

Editorial Review:

Halloween is rivaled only by Christmas when it comes to the holidays that generate the most interest for Martha Stewart Living’s readers. Halloween is a compendium of the best Halloween ideas published in the magazine over the last decade.

To help celebrate this ghoulish holiday, the editors of Martha Stewart Living bring us Halloween, a compilation of all the best tricks and treats of the spooky season.

Organized in two sections, Halloween makes this holiday so much fun it’s scary. In “Tricking,” pranksters will find all manner of pumpkin carving, eerie lighting, and makeup and decorating ideas. “Treating” provides the recipes for having a Halloween feast or a hanted-house party and ideas for making mischief with kids.

The Book of Afternoon Tea (Book of...)

Lesley Mackley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Did not like this book - returned it. 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I did not like this book at all. I thought I would find several lovely recipes for tea time, but only saw one or two that I might even consider using. Not a real pretty book for a collection or coffee table either - not that I was looking at it for that purpose, but if a tea book does not serve either function (good recipes and/or lovely book), then it is not worth bothering. The only reason I put one star in this review is because you cannot submit a review with zero or less stars! I would give this book a minus two on a scale of one to ten!

Great photos with recipes 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I was drawn to the great photos in this cookbook which I will try out for a library tea party next month. The book is easy to read with plenty of great recipes.

Editorial Review:

Now cooks everywhere can master the time-honored tradition of afternoon tea. Over 100 delicious, illustrated recipes teach the art of preparing traditional tea cakes and sandwiches and offer contemporary alternatives. Mackley tells how to brew the perfect cup of tea, covers the myriad of teas available, and presents menu suggestions. Color photographs.

Beyond Panini (Beyond Series) (Beyond)

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

deliciosos y diferentes 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 69 people found this review helpful.

el libro es pequeño, de 120 paginas, pero viene con fotos grandes a todo color y con recetas ricas y diferentes, me gusto mucho, tiene una buena clasificacion de recetas: tramezzini, crostini, bruschetta y panini.

Editorial Review:

Panini sandwiches are just as healthy and convenient as normal sandwiches, but the ingredients revolve around luscious breads topped with healthy Mediterranean staples such as olive oil, garlic, vegetables, fish, low-fat ham, and tasty cheeses. Ingredients are available at any local supermarket, and these tasty combinations can be made in minutes. Try a new panini sandwich every day!

Dip It! Great Party Food to Spread, Spoon, and Scoop

Rick Rodgers

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Next time you party, try a dip. Or two. Or three. Rick Rodgers, renowned cooking teacher and cookbook author shares 95 of his favorite dip recipes in his new book, Dip It!

Of course there's the classic onion soup mix, but why not make Rick's updated recipe with onions? For a Super Bowl or tailgating party, you'll score big with bowls of tortilla chips served up with meaty Hot Beef and Pinto Bean Chili Dip.

There are plenty of vegetarian spreads, too. Scoop wedges of pita into Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Dip. The Faux Cheese Fondue will be a hit with cheese lovers. Rick also offers plenty of lighter dips such as the Two-Alarm Salsa or Three-Bean Salsa. Need an elegant dip for a special occasion? Try the Pesto Mascarpone or the silky smooth Double Salmon Dip. And many of these dips do double duty -- use them to bring a little something extra to your sand-wiches.

And what's homemade dip without crunchy, crispy dippers? There are recipes for homemade versions of Potato Chips, Herbed Breadsticks, Tortilla Chips, and much more. Also included is a complete list of vegetable dippers that will add snap and color to your table. Rick also offers lots of helpful entertaining tips from do-ahead recipes to creative dip holders.

So have a party. Take a dip with Dip It!

Life Is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days

James Salter, Kay Salter

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

Editorial Review:

From the PEN/Faulkner Award-winning author James Salter and his wife, Kay—amateur chefs and perfect hosts—here is a charming, beautifully illustrated tour de table: a food lover's companion that, with an entry for each day of the year, takes us from a Twelfth Night cake in January to a champagne dinner on New Year's Eve. Life Is Meals is rich with culinary wisdom, history, recipes, literary pleasures, and the authors' own memories of successes and catastrophes.

For instance:

• The menu on the Titanic on the fatal night

• Reflections on dining from Queen Victoria, JFK, Winnie-the-Pooh, Garrison Keillor, and many others

• The seductiveness of a velvety Brie or the perfect martini

• How to decide whom to invite to a dinner party—and whom not to

• John Irving's family recipe for meatballs; Balzac's love of coffee

• The greatest dinner ever given at the White House

• Where in Paris Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter had French onion soup at 4:00 a.m.

• How to cope with acts of God and man-made disasters in the kitchen

Sophisticated as well as practical, opinionated, and indispensable, Life Is Meals is a tribute to the glory of food and drink, and the joy of sharing them with others. "The meal is the emblem of civilization," the Salters observe. "What would one know of life as it should be lived, or nights as they should be spent, apart from meals?"