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Welcome to the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop!  Thank you I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Buried in Books for hosting this awesome Hop!  Right now there are over 300 blogs participating!  So, get hopping and have fun

Cutie Pies by Dani Cone

Title:  Cutie Pies

Author;  Dani Cone

Sub Title:  40 Sweet, Savory, and Adorable Recipes

Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date:27 September 2011

Source:  NetGalley

Pages:  161

My Review:

Even though I am reviewing this from a copy through NetGalley, I have pre ordered this book so that I can have a copy of my very own.  I have to admit that the cover photograph sold me on the book before I was able to see what was between the covers.  Once I got a look, I was n ot disappointed.  It contains 40 recipes adn I want to make them all.  Dani Cone's Grandma Molly's favorite saying was, "Be good, Do Well." I believe that is a wonderful saying and it is something we should all strive for.  This book is a culmination of Dani's search for the perfect pie and I believe her Grandma Molly would be proud of her, because this book is a great tribute to the pie.  Not only is there perfect pies, but there is a perfect crust for just about anyone.  She incudes The All Butter crust, The Graham Cracker Crust,  a vegan crust, and a Gluten Free Crust.  The pies include, Pettit pies, Pie Jar Pies, Flipside Pies, whole pies  and Pie Pops. Here are the names of a few of the sweet pies:  Lemon Blueberry Pie Jars, Cran Apple Flipsides, Peanut Butter n Jelly Pie, Coconut Cream Petit pie, and Cherry Almond Pie Pops.  Some of the savory pies are Good Ole Mac N Cheese, Garlic Potato  and Chive and Seet Potato Flipsides.  There is a pie here for everyone!

The Dead Celebrity Cookbook by Frank Decaro

Title:  The Dead Celebrity Cookbook
Sub title:  A ressurection of
Recipes from more than 150 Stars of Stage
Author:  Frank DeCaro
Publisher:  HCI
Publication Date:  3 October 2011
Pages: 400
ISBN:  9780757315961
Source:NetGalley






Review from Amazon:

Review

"I adore this book so much I find myself on the horns of a dilemma--make the recipes or kill myself so I can be in the sequel." -- Brini Maxwell, author of Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living and creator of felixpopuli.com.
(Brini Maxwell )

Product Description

If you've ever fantasized about feasting on Frank Sinatra's Barbecued Lamb, lunching on Lucille Ball's "Chinese-y Thing," diving ever-so-neatly into Joan Crawford's Poached Salmon, or wrapping your lips around Rock Hudson's cannoli – and really, who hasn't? – hold on to your oven mitts!

In The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: A Resurrection of Recipes by 150 Stars of Stage and Screen, Frank DeCaro—the flamboyantly funny Sirius XM radio personality best known for his six-and-a-half-year stint as the movie critic on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart—collects hundreds of recipes passed on from legendary stars of stage and screen, proving that before there were celebrity chefs, there were celebrities who fancied themselves chefs.

Their all-but-forgotten recipes—rescued from out-of-print cookbooks, musty biographies, vintage magazines, and dusty pamphlets—suggest a style of home entertaining ripe for reexamination if not revival, while reminding intrepid gourmands that, for better or worse, Hollywood doesn't make celebrities (or cooks) like it used to.

Starring
Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms
Farrah Fawcett's Sausage and Peppers
Liberace's Sticky Buns
Bette Davis's Red Flannel Hash
Bea Arthur's Good Morning Mushroom Tomato Toast
Dudley Moore's Crème Brûlée
Gypsy Rose Lee's Portuguese Fish Chowder
John Ritter's Famous Fudge
Andy Warhol's Ghoulish Goulash
Vincent Price's Pepper Steak
Johnny Cash's Old Iron Pot Family-Style Chili
Vivian Vance's Chicken Kiev
Sebastian Cabot's Avocado Surprise
Lawrence Welk's Vegetable Croquettes
Ann Miller's Cheese Soufflé
Jerry Orbach's Trifle
Totie Fields's Fruit Mellow
Irene Ryan's Tipsy Basingstoke
Klaus Nomi's Key Lime Tart
Richard Deacon's Bitter and Booze
Sonny Bono's Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
And many others from breakfast to dessert.

My Review:

I could not wait to review this book when I saw it on NetGalley!  One of my great passions is old Movies, so I really wanted to see inside this book.  About the only channel I ever watch on TV is Turner Classic Movies and I have watched some of these people so many times that I feel like I know them.  This book helps me get to know them even better. When I got my hands on the book, I couldn't put it down!   It is jam packed with really wonderful recipes from all of the best stars.  Not only is it loaded with really great recipes, Frank Decaro shares some of his insight into the movies and TV shows the stars were in.  Of course most of his insights are food related, which I loved.  I really loved his writing on The Lucy Show. Also included are 6 recipes from Lucille Ball. He gives a short narration of Lucy's worst food fiasco's, and there were a lot of them.  I also loved his re-count of Batman's sidekick, Robin's expressions.  For example, "Holy Guacamole," "Holy Eggshells," etc., and about 15 more, along with recipes from the cast of Batman.  There are so many recipes in this book that I want to make, but I don't know where to start.  But, I am definitely going to make Katherine Hepburn's Brownies, Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken with Avacado and Mushrooms, Claudette Colbert's Cheese and Olive Puffs, Greer Garson's Capirotada, Vivien Leigh's Fruta Alumina, Bette Davis' Red Flannel Hash and Lucille Ball's Apple John.  These are just a few of the recipes that I want to make.  One of the main things I like about this cookbook is that even though these are recipes from Movie Stars, the ingredients are easy to find and the directions are easy to follow.  Also, Frank DeCaro gives his tips for some of the recipes.  For instance, if he thinks something needs additional ingredients or updating, he mentions that information following the recipe.  Something that I find comforting is that these stars eat the same kind of foods that I eat.  For instance, Gene Rodenberry's Lima Beans and Ham, Fred McMurray's Flemish Pot Roast, and Patrick Swayze's Chicken Pot Pie.  I could go on and on because there is no end to the wonderful treasures in this book.  Since I am reviewing this from a NetGalley copy, I am pre ordering it from Amazon.  I don't want to miss anything this book has to offer.  Thank you Frank DeCaro for writing this wonderful book.  Now I can eat  like the Stars!

Lucille Ball's Apple John

Easy, Quick  and Delicious!

Plum Gorgeous by Romney Steele

Title:  Plum Gorgeous

Author:  Romney Steele

Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date:  19 July 2011

Pages:  193

Source:  NetGalley

ISBN:  9781449402402

My Review

In Romney Steele's own words, she describes this book as, "Plum Gorgeous is surely a book about the sensuous and enchanting nature of fruit and what to do with it in the kitchen.  But, more than that, it's about the pleasures and joys of the table..."

This Beautiful book has so many mouth watering recipes.  Not only are there great recipes using plums, but there are numerous other fruit recipes included.  Some of the fruits included are Plums(of course), Apples, Apricots, Oranges, Lemons, Quince, Cherries, Peaches, Figs, Pears, Rhubarb, etc.

The recipes that I want to try are :  1.  Rasberry, Rhubarb Jam, 2.  Spiced Plums, 3. Cherry Clafoutis, 4.  Fresh Peach Gelato, 5.  Rustic Fruit Gallette, 6.  Plum Gorgeous Tart, 7.  Slow cooked Apple Butter, 8.  French Apple Tart, 9.  Honey lime Peaches with Creme Fraiche, 10.  Fig Relish and Ham Sandwiches, and last but certainly not least, 11.  Blenheim Apricot Jam(part of the inspiration behind the book)  Actually those are just a few of the wonderful treats inside this book.  There are many more recipes that sound equally delicious.

It was important to Romney Steele to write a Beautiful book about food, and she certainly has achieved that with this cookbook.  She encourages the cooks to play with the recipes and make them their own.  Part of her inspiration came from her Uncle Kaffe Fassett.  He is famous for his beautiful books and works of art in the knitting and Quilting world.  In Plum gorgeous, I believe Romney Steele has managed to give us the same beauty with fruit that Kaffe Fassett gives us with textiles.  I highly recommend this book especially for the upcoming fall season and the bounty of fruit that comes with it.

Plum Blackberry Sorbet

1# plums, pitted and chopped

1 cup blackberries or black currants

1/2 cup sugar

1TBS Cassis

1 tsp lemon juice

Simmer plums with blackberries, sugar and about 1/4 cup water in small saucepan over low heat until soft and pulpy, about 5-10 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then puree and press through a seive to remove seeds and skin.  You should have about 2 cups puree.  Stir in the Cassis and lemon juice to taste.  Chill thouroughly, then churn in an ice cream freezer.  Freeze until hardened, about 1 hour.

Miette by Meg Ray

Miette by Meg Ray

I am still here! I  wish I could have been here more this Summer, but things have been unusually busy and emotional.  We lost a very dear friend, and dealing with the loss has been difficult.  But. things keep moving forward even though you don't feel  like dealing with them.  Unfortunately, I have pretty much been doing only what had to be done.  But, I now think I can get back on track.  I want to start by showing you this most wonderful cookbook!



 

Ok folks, this is THE lovliest cookbook that I have ever come across!  The photographs are beautiful and the book itself is beautiful!  Look at the edges of the pages-they are scalloped!

Here is a photo of the Lemon Debutante Cake

Princess Cake

Coconut Mousse Cake

Bumblebee Cake

Here is the recipe for the Bumblebee Cake

1  Butter Cake

1/4 cup simple syrup

about 2 cups chocolate ganache

Butter Cake

1 3/4 cup All Purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup plus 2 TBS unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup sugar

10large egg yolks, room temp

2/3 cup buttermilk

1tsp vanilla extracts

Butter two 6x3tcake pans and dust with flour, tap out the excess.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, and sugar and beat on medium until light colored, 10-12 minutes.  Add the egg yolks in 3 additions, beating until completely combined after each, about 2 minutes.  In a bowl, stir the buttermilk and vanilla.  With the mixer on low, add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with the buttermilk, in 2 additions.  Beat until just combined.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans equally.  Bake 35-40 minutes until tester comes out clean.  Transfer to wire racks and let cool in the pans or about 20 minutes.  When they are cool enough to handle, and remove pans.  Let cool 20 minutes longer.

If you need to reheat the ganache, do it in the microwave in 30 second increments.  Using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 1/4 cup of the ganache onto the cake.  Using an offset spatula, smooth the ganache to the edges.  Arrange the next layer and repeat. Apply the crumb coat of icing.  Then using the offset spatula, finish frosting the cake.  Use the simple syrup to infuse the baked cake.  Pour 2-3 TBS over the cake.  The book offers a very detailed description on how to make a picture perfect, delicious bakery cake.

Chocolate Ganache

10oinces 62 percent cacao chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 TBS heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

3 TBS unsalted butter, at room temp

Combine the chocolate and powdered sugar in a heatproof bowl.  In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer.  Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until dissolved.  Nest the bowl over a pan of simmering water to make a bainmarie.  Heat, stirring until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat.  Whisk the egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl.  Pour half the melted chocolate into the egg yolks while whisking, to temper them.  Pour the tempered mixture back into the pan of melted chocolate and whisk.  Add the butter and stir until smooth.  Pour the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl.  Use the ganache immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.  Ganache does not freeze well.

Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  When the sugar is completely dissolved and clear, remove from heat and let cool to room temp..  It wil keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator for 1 month.

Note:  I actually made this cake and it turned out pretty and delicious.  But, before I could photograph it, My new Weimaraner got to it and ate half of it, leaving it a pitiful blob.  In her defense, we recently adopted her and she came with a few bad habits.  But we love her! Bad habits and All!

Happy Baking!

Charla