Christmas & Hanukkah Books - Page 2

The Christmas Table

Diane Morgan

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

I don't like this book. 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

To me this book was a waste of money. The recipes are way to fancy for me, and a lot of strange ingredients. The section on crafts is about three pages. I will be returning this book.

A real Christmas gift from Diane... 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I am a very big fan of Diane's books she always makes me think and try new things. Her recipes work, they come out as advertised and never disappoint. Christmas Table like Thanksgiving Table before it will become my second holiday cookbook bible, as the seasons approach my wife and I take the Thanksgiving book down and start our planning, we will do the same with this one. If you consider cooking a hobby, like to try new things and truly enjoy the process, as well as the results AND you want to please everyone at your table, including yourself this is the book for you.
ENJOY!

Editorial Review:

The Christmas Table serves up comfort and joy with helpful hints and recipes to plan an unforgettable holiday feast. Award-winning author Diane Morgan fills the book with festive recipes and decorating ideas that are sure to become favorites. On Christmas morning opening presents will be even sweeter with a breakfast of Cinnamon-Scented Bread Custard and delightful recipes like Juniper Brined Roast Turkey and Whipped Yams topped with a Crunchy Praline Crust will be instant yuletide classics. This comprehensive holiday guide also includes recipes for Christmas cookies candied nuts and other giftable goodies. With simple beautiful crafts and delicious easy-to-follow recipes The Christmas Table ensures a very merry Christmas for everyone.

The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style

Rebecca Rather, Alison Oresman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Reviewing: "The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining Texas Style" 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fredericksburg, Texas area resident Rebecca Rather, owner of the "Sweet Bakery and Cafe" since 1999 has created a very good holiday book full of Texas color and recipes. After an acknowledgment that thanks her customers as well as many others who helped in some way with her writing career, and an introduction that gives personal background, it is time for the recipes.

Chapter One "Holiday Open House" starts with "Old-Fashioned Eggnog." Be warned, this isn't the kind of eggnog one buys in the grocery stores these days. Recipes for "Cranberry-Walnut Scones, Mustard Baked Ham, Green Chile and Cheddar Baking Powder Biscuits, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing" are just a few of the delectable recipes in this chapter. Pictures are many and include not only the finished product but also often a picture at some point in the recipe before it is a finished product. "Tips" are many as well with various suggestions concerning adding other ingredients to the recipes mentioned. Along the way there is the occasional story about the recipe detailing the background of the dish.

A subsection of Chapter One begins on page 43 and is titled "Outdoor Tree Trimming" along with brief instructions on how to make "fresh fruit ornaments, dried fruit ornaments,"etc. there are the recipes. The recipes start with "In-The-Bag Chili Frito Pie," and move to "Rather Minty Brownies, My Mistake Cookies" and other treats. This is a very short section at six pages.

"Ranch Barn Brunch" is the title for Chapter Two beginning on page 51 and the Chapter works off the theme of the author's love of horses. Friends of the author provided the barn for the party pictures and she again explains about her love of horses and how the party was designed. The recipes begin with "Larry Doll's Famous Cranberry Margaritas" and include among other mouthwatering recipes "Seasonal Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Brown Sugar Bacon, Mexican Ranch Chilaquiles, Mexican Camp Bread" among many others. Like in Chapter One, there are numerous color photos of the meals as well as numerous tips along with personal stories about the history of the recipes and the people in the author's life.

Chapter 2 concludes with a section on "Making Gingerbread Houses." Templates for the houses are included in the appendix. As part of the making gingerbread houses, which is a kid involved activity, she makes a few other suggestions of what to make now that the kids are in the kitchen. "Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas" is one with "Torched S'mores" being another of the several possibilities.


"Christmas Eve" is Chapter Three (page 99) which kicks off with "LBJ Ranch Crown Roast of Lamb with Rice Stuffing and Jalapeño-Mint Sauce. If that doesn't strike your fancy, maybe "Blue Corn Blinis with Crab and Avocado Crema" will work for you. The recipe makes 28 servings which means since they are appetizers, you might need to double upon it. There is always "Green Olive Beef Tenderloin" as well as "Martha's Best -Ever Rolls. Save room for the "Christmas Coconut Cake." As in every chapter, there are far more recipes than I have mentioned here, along with color photographs, history and tips.

"Cookie Decorating" is a little section at the end of this chapter and is all about the kids and having fun. Pretty much self explanatory and this section begins on page 133.

"Christmas Day" marks Chapter Four in a chapter working around the theme of the day and beautiful Christmas dinners. It begins on page 143 and buffet is the order of the day in the author's house. One of the first dishes to be consumed is her "Green Bean Bundles." The "Texas Spice-Rubbed Roast Pork" sounds mighty good and looks good too. As does the "Cajun Roast Turkey" (no picture though) and numerous other dishes. Included are the usual photographs, tips, and personal history.

At the end of the Chapter is another small section titled "Wrapping Up the Holidays with Edible Gifts." Aptly titled and self explanatory, it covers little tasty treats such as "Denise's Vanilla Caramels, Lola's Sunday Fudge," among other items.

"New Year's Eve" is the title for Chapter Five and the final Chapter in this book which begins on page 183. Beyond the gorgeous photograph of a spinning windmill against a Texas sunset there are recipes such as "Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Cranberry-Pecan Salsa, Mother's Lobster Bisque, Ken Hall's Standing Rib Roast" and many others with a distinctive Texas flavor. Of course, there are more photographs, tips and history here following the format used throughout the book. This chapter closes the book and is followed by the aforementioned templates for a gingerbread house and an index.

At 225 pages, this is a beautifully photographed book full of recipes, Texas history and culture and ways to do the season right. Written in a down home style, this is not a pretentious book and does not at any time talk down to readers. It provides easy clear instructions, something many cookbooks lack, along with pictures, to help you through the recipe process.

It does lack basic info on dietary issues. While it states how many servings a dish has, it doesn't make any mention of sodium counts, fats, sugars, etc. in regards to health, Granted, it is a book for the holiday season and many folks ignore such issues during that time, but for others such information is critically important year around.

That being said a lot of that sort of info can be determined by considering the recipe itself before making the item. Therefore, the lack of info is a minor quibble overall and one that can be ignored simply because this is such a beautifully done book full of mouth watering recipes. A book well worth your time and investment in and one sure to assist you for many holidays to come.



Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2008

Editorial Review:

The annual Fredericksburg Christmas parade marks the beginning of the Hill Country's holiday season, which means the Pastry Queen is kicking into high gear at her Rather Sweet Bakery and Café. As party invitations pile up in the mailbox, Rebecca Rather is up to her elbows in sticky meringue, gooey chocolate, and a sleigh's worth of savory indulgences to meet the Texas-sized entertaining-to-go orders of her neighbors. In THE PASTRY QUEEN CHRISTMAS, Rebecca shares nearly a hundred traditional recipes reflecting her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and the tastes of small-town Texas. Tree-trimming, open houses, cookie decorating, and Santas running down Main Street . . . Christmas time is here.

Christmas Cookies: 50 Recipes to Treasure for the Holiday Season

Lisa B. Zwirn

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

Editorial Review:

Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie? Is it made of chocolate or spice? Is it an iced and decorated sugar cookie or a molasses ginger round? Or maybe it's a crisp, chocolate-covered toffee bar or a jam-filled Linzer sandwich cookie. There are so many choices!

Christmas cookies are loved for their special shapes, cheery colors, and seasonal flavors. They bring joy to our gatherings, help preserve the magic and tradition of the holiday season, and make heart-warming gifts. Christmas Cookies offers fifty wonderful recipes for holiday treats, such as light-as-air Cocoa Meringue Kisses, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies that perfectly complement a mug of hot chocolate, sweet-tart Iced Lemon Rounds, the much-beloved classic Pecan Sandies, Ginger Coins with the right amount of snap, and many, many more.

Avid holiday baker Lisa Zwirn baked hundreds of cookies to come up with these fabulous fifty recipes. There is something for everyone: treats for chocoholics, hol­iday shapes that children will love (that can be baked and decorated by the little ones, too), luxurious sandwich cookies, and plenty of spiced rounds, buttery wafers, and decadent bars.

Christmas Cookies will also show you how to make the most of your time in the kitchen with these useful tips and ideas:

• Cookie baking guidelines for successful baking
• Options for freezing dough so you can bake cookies when the mood strikes
• Storage suggestions to help keep treats fresh for as long as possible
• Child-friendly recipes, such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Kisses, Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints, Gingerbread People, and Molasses Ginger Cookies, which are easy and fun for beginners
• The best cookies to mail and how to wrap them
• How to host a holiday cookie swap and cookie-decorating party

Whether you've baked Christmas cookies for years or are just starting a tradition of holiday baking, you'll find all the recipes you need right here. Christmas Cookies is an essential collection for the cookie baker, featuring color photographs, clear, detailed recipes, and irrepressible Christmas spirit.

Christmas (Williams-Sonoma)

Carolyn Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A roast goose with chestnut stuffing embodies the winter holidays as much as snow-dusted fir trees and brightly wrapped packages. Whether your tradition includes Yorkshire pudding or potatoe latkes, elegant poached pears or frosted holiday cookies, a festive meal is an essential part of celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year's Eve with friends and family.

Williams-Sonoma Collection Christmas offers an array of more than 40 time-honored favorites and tempting new ideas. An impressive roast beef or savory rack of lamb will satisfy every appetitie, while a colorful wild rice pilaf or crisp salad with persimmons adds freshness and color to any table. Start your holiday morning with panettone French toast, or for an open house, tempt guests with mulled wine and chocolate truffles. No matter what the event, the recipes in these pages will make your holiday menu a success.

Full-color photographs of each dish help you decide which one to prepare, and each recipe is accompanied by a photographic side note that highlights an essential ingredient or technique. In addition, a comprehensive basics section offers valuable tips on baking, roasting, and planning ahead, so you can more easily share joyful holiday meals with your loved ones.

Christmas Beer: The Cheeriest, Tastiest, and Most Unusual Holiday Brews

Don Russell

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

Editorial Review:

Christmas beers, also known as Winter Warmers, are a tradition dating back at least 2,000 years, with the ancients making highly intoxicating brews to celebrate winter’s Saturnalia. This brewmaking evolved into a holiday celebration when medieval monks, the world’s first professional brewers, pulled out their finest ingredients to produce soul-warming styles for the occasion. Today brewers continue the custom, either with centuries-old recipes or newfangled concoctions with spices and herbs, enabling thirsty beer fans to put aside their everyday favorites each winter and deck the halls with the world’s most flavorful ales and lagers, brewed especially for the holidays.Beer expert Don Russell taps into holiday cheer with a look at the world’s best—unusual, exotic, rich, one-of-a-kind brews—detailing the styles and flavors that will leave beer lovers in a froth. From Smuttynose Winter Ale to Santa’s Butt to Troegs Mad Elf to Left Hand XXXmas, there’s a beer for everyone, even a Hanukkah beer, He’Brew Jewbelation. Including funny tales and trivia behind the beers, homebrew recipes and food recipes with Christmas beer as an ingredient, and instructions for building and cellaring your own vintage holiday brews so you can enjoy Christmas 365 days a year, Christmas Beer will put even the most curmudgeonly beer drinker in the holiday spirit. Cheers!

Christmas With Southern Living 2007 (Christmas With Southern Living)

Editors of Southern Living

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For a comprehensive reference on Christmas decorating, entertaining, cooking, gifts, and wrapping, there's no more revered source than the authorities at Southern Living. Christmas with Southern Living 2007 marks its 27th year of inspiring loyal readers with stylish, innovative ideas for the holidays.

As always, it offers a tour of the South's most stunning residences, all adorned to the hilt for the holidays with easy tips for replicating the looks in your own home. Christmas with Southern Living 2007 covers the full range of holiday home and entertaining options, from delightful decorating inside and out, to updated menus and party recipes, uniquely festive table settings, and heartfelt gifts from the kitchen. It includes clear directions for all projects, over 100 easy-to-follow recipes, and beautiful photography to inspire.For a comprehensive reference on Christmas decorating, entertaining, cooking, gifts, and wrapping, there's no more revered source than the authorities at Southern Living. Christmas with Southern Living 2007 marks its 27th year of inspiring loyal readers with stylish, innovative ideas for the holidays.

Features:

Christmas with Southern Living 2007 continues its 27-year popularity streak

Over 200 full-color photos to delight and inspire

All-new menus and over 100 recipes specially developed and kitchen-tested for guaranteed goodness

Special sections include Make Ahead Party Food, Healthy Holidays, Kids in the Kitchen, and the grand Christmas Dinner

Bonus Thanksgiving decorating section--all new for 2007

Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth

Dorothy Morrison

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

It Could Have Been So Much Better 2 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

First off, let me point out that I have high standards when it comes to pagan books. I expect for my faith to be presented to the general public as something that should be taken seriously, not poked fun at. I realize that these may be high expectations, but nonetheless... The first chapter was funny to me because although I could understand where Dorothy was coming from in her explanation of the history of how Yule came to be I could almost hear the right-wing Christians raging on their pews. It was the way she explained it that seemed a bit of a stretch. On the other hand, I liked the way she presented the symbols of the season and where they originated. There were some good prayers. Also helpful to me were the recipes for the Yule Log Rolls and how to make a real Yule Log. Other than that I decided against purchasing this book. I'm hoping to find a concise book on Yule that digs deeper into the history and gives me a clearer picture of how people practiced Yule. (A NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are expecting to sell more pagan themed books of this kind, you need to start including full-color photos. If I am going to pay money for a book like this I want to see photos that go along with the recipes-what would a typical Yule table from 2006 look like for example?- and photos that go along with the craft projects. You cannot expect people to try the craft projects without knowing what they will look like.) This book is helpful for beginner pagans or nonpagans who just want a look at some fun history facts.

Editorial Review:

Holidays are a time for reflection, resolution and renewal. Whatever our beliefs, holidays provide us with rituals to celebrate the balance of light and dark, and for welcoming the healing powers of warmth back into our world. Jam-packed with more than sixty spells, invocations and rituals, YULE guides you through the magic of the season. Learn ways to create your own holiday traditions and crafts based on celebrations from a variety of countries and beliefs.

Kids in the Holiday Kitchen: Making, Baking, Giving

Jessica Strand, Tammy Massman-Johnson

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Editorial Review:

Kick off the holidays in the kitchen this year with these kid-friendly projects that include easy entrees, sweet and savory noshes, and fantastic crafts to display, wear, or give.

Christmas Cookies from the Whimsical Bakehouse

Liv Hansen, Kaye Hansen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Come holiday time, there’s no better way to celebrate than by baking up some special cookies. In Christmas Cookies from the Whimsical Bakehouse, mother-daughter bakers Kaye and Liv Hansen share their most enchanting cookies, from simple to showstoppingly beautiful. These irresistibly pretty cookies are perfect for snacking and gifting, decorating the tree, and, of course, leaving for Santa.

And they are definitely not your grandmother’s cookies! With both classic and creative flavor combinations and adorable designs, the Hansens’ cookies have been pleasing loyal customers at their cozy upstate New York bakery for years. Now they bring their customers’ favorite recipes home to you. Kaye handles the baking, imbuing the cookies with the traditional flavors of Christmas, like cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla, but also more modern touches like coconut, chocolate, and pistachio. Her daughter, Liv, provides the artistic flair, using innovative techniques and plenty of colored (yes, colored!) chocolate to yield truly special cookie creations that look as good as they taste.

All of the Hansens’ best cookie creations are here, from simple roll-and-slice cookies to bars and cutouts, including Coconut Dreams, Chocolate Pecan Rounds, and Creamy Christmas Butter Cookies, as well as step-by-step instructions for making truly impressive decorations. Imagine a dazzling 3-D Christmas cookie tree decked with silver dragées, or a breathtaking gingerbread house. From chewy Apricot-Chocolate Triangles to tangy Lemon Drop Cookies, Christmas Cookies from the Whimsical Bakehouse is a fanciful, fabulous take on everyone’s favorite holiday treat.

A Greener Christmas

Sheherazade Goldsmith

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

great book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I got the book, because I was trying to find a book. That could show and tell you to have a more greener christmas with out polluting the world. Great recipe and craft's. Worth every penny!!!! I had great luck with all the recipe. If you want a more greener christmas, buy the book. Enjoy the holday's with out going broke.

Editorial Review:

The only guide to celebrating a greener Christmas shows you how to make your home merry, bright, and eco-friendly! Part craft, gardening, and cookbook, part home décor and entertaining guide, A Greener Christmas lets the whole family get in on projects that are simple, seasonal, and of-the-moment. Welcome guests with candlelit lanterns, hand-stitched stockings, and cozy homemade wreaths. Trim your homegrown tree with shiny recycled tinsel, spicy dried citrus fruits, and wood-scented pinecones. Give heartfelt, environmentally-friendly gifts like homemade herbal teas and mulled wine sachets, all wrapped up in gorgeous, reusable packaging. And set a mouthwatering holiday spread, with the freshest breads, cheeses, meats, and produce, all sourced from local farms. Edited by food and lifestyle maven Sheherazade Goldsmith, this book will help you plan the most beautiful, most festive, and most responsible Christmas yet.