Cookbook Review #1

I have a profound love for cookbooks.  In general, I do not discriminate.  I love the ones with or without pictures, ones about sweets or general cuisine.  I also love the ones dedicated to different cultures.  Like I said, I do not discriminate.  Because of my fondness for these wonderful books, I have quite a collection.  I haven't counted how many I have but I am sure I have several hundred.  So... I thought I would share with you, my dear readers, how I evaluate them.  Periodically, I will select a book, make several recipes and share my thoughts about the book.  Here we go.

The first book I selected was actually my sisters newest bargain book find: Recipes for Everyday Occasions: The Comfort Table by Katie Lee.  The reason I picked this book is simple.  I saw a pretentious girl on the cover and thought to myself - this chick can't cook!  So I started with scanning the table of contents.  The idea of how this book was put together was kind of fun.  Apparently Katie Lee enjoys throwing parties and so she organized the book according to different parties.  I was drawn to the super bowl chapter because of the tex mex style food.  I started with the buffalo chicken quesadillas.  It was quick to put together and super tasty.  Basically it was rotisserie chicken that was removed from the bones, tossed with Frank's Red Hot sauce then placed in a flour tortilla with Monterrey cheese and grilled.  It was served with a blue cheese dressing that also doubled as the dressing for a wedge salad recipe.  It was great!  

Then I moved on to the taco recipe that claimed to be the best one I will ever eat.  Ummm..... it turned out to be true.  Katie was slowly proving me wrong.  I started to feel ashamed of myself for judging a book by its cover.    The tacos were flavorful and super juicy.  They were also made with turkey which makes them gout friendly (for all the gouties in my life).  Recipe at bottom of post.

On to a salad.  Since it is fall and there are beautiful Hubbard Squash at every grocery store, I decided on a Roasted Pumpkin and Pomegranate Salad.  This salad was a combination of arugula, squash, pomegranate, pumpkin seeds and Parmesan.  While I was not totally thrilled with this one (I wasn't crazy about squash in my salad) my sisters really enjoyed it.  Katie: 3  Maja: 0    Boo.

The last recipe was actually made by my sister and it was  pumpkin roll.  It was pumpkin-y and creamy.  The best part about it was that it was not overly sweet.

All in all, the book is a good one.  The recipes are easy and the ingredients are typical.  It is so painful to admit that I was wrong but this chick can cook.  If you are in the market for a good party recipe cookbook, check this one out. 

 

Herbie's Tacos  -slightly changed to the way I like it

Taco Meat:

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1/2 c. minced cilantro

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 7-oz can chopped green chiles (medium heat)

2 lb. ground turkey

1 Tbsp. garlic salt (Katie uses 2 Tbsp.)

1/4 c. chili powder

1/2 c. green taco sauce, plus more for serving (if you like it spicier, use 1/4 c. hot sauce, 1/4 c. green sauce)

Salad:

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 c. minced cilantro

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, diced

1/2 c. creamy Italian dressing 

Flour Tortillas or hard taco shells

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. sour cream

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil, cilantro, and scallions.  Add the chiles and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in the turkey, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat.  As the meat is browning, stir in the garlic salt and chili powder.  When turkey has cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, stir in the green sauce.  Lower the heat to a simmer.  Stir occasionally.  

As the meat simmers, in a large bowl, toss all salad ingredients with the dressing.  Refrigerate until needed. 

Assemble the tacos by spooning the meat into the shells and toppings with cheese, salad and sour cream.  Now close your eyes and enjoy every bite!  I did.