Soup's On Challenge Completed

This fun and flavorful challenge was issued last year by Ex Libris. Since I love reading cookbooks and occasionally preparing a recipe I find, I decided to join this challenge.

The challenge was to read 6 cookbooks and make at least one recipe from each. The time period was from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. As you can see I'm getting in just under the wire! I did post about three cookbooks, The Best Family Cooker Recipes, Taste of Home's Light & Tasty annual Recipes 2003 and Making Memories: the Dairy Keen Cookbook earlier in the year. That leaves 3 more to write about today - actually I have 4 more.

If you are interested in seeing any of the recipes you can click on the links. I have a small blog for recipes and brief cooking experience notes. That blog is called A Food Journal. The books I listed above are linked back to my reviews of those books on this blog. There are links to recipes in those posts, too.

The Marshall Field's Cookbook - This is a beautiful cookbook that I bought when visiting Chicago. Dolce Bellezza told us we had to visit Macy's, the site of the original Marshall Field's store and while there we needed to buy some Frango mints. That was some pretty terrific advice that I pass on to anyone going to Chicago. Thanks Bellezza.

I only tried one recipe, Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Basil Sauce. I printed all recipes on my food blog, A Food Journal. Very tasty and quite easy and fast. I will definitely make this again. I love looking through this book because all the recipes have pictures. The next recipe I'm going to try is Coconut Shrimp with Mango-Pineapple Sauce. Doesn't that sound heavenly?

Kosher by Design Lightens Up - I was lucky enough to
receive this Jewish cookbook as a review copy. There are pages of helpful information in the front with wonderful picutres. There are definitions for some popular terms that are being tossed around, such as antioxidants, curcumin, lycopene and ellagic acid. A page lists several of the superfoods that are creating a buzz along with their potent properties and health benefits.

There's a picture of healthy grains along with a write about each, including quinoa, brown rice, spelt and farro. Also, pages devoted to oils, anoter for sugars, another for seeds and nuts, and gadgets for healthy cooking. This reference section is great and easy to read and I love having the pictures. Each recipe includes a full-page picture.

Author Susie Fishbein includes a paragraph or two with each recipe that includes interesting tidbits. One of the recipes I tried and absolutely loved was Roasted Beet Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons. Here's the paragraph included with the recipe:

Many beat woup recipes begin with boiling the beets. When you do that, you lose nutrients, color, and flavor. I prefer roasting the beets - and I always make extra. The natural sugars in the beet caramelize and the texture is wonderful. Beets contain a wealth of fiber and are rich in folic acid, essential for preventing some anemias and neural-tube birth defects.

I like this recipe so much that I am going to include beets in my garden this year. I also tried the Faux Potato Kugel, Brussels Sprouts Poppers, and Teriyaki Butternut Squash Rounds. I'm going to plant butternut squash, too!

Make-A-Mix Cookery - This is a cookbook I used when I was a young wife with 3 young children and needed to budget tightly. I regularly used the Quick Mix instead of buy Bisquick. I also used the Pancake Mix, Granola Mix, Hot Chocolate Mix.
And I adapted a lot of the mixes to fit some of my own recipes. I love this cookbook. I had to order a 2nd one because mine was nearly in shreds.

One of our family's favorite is Puff Oven Pancakes. I've been making these for over 25 years.

I've enjoyed having this cookbook back in my hands. There are so many mixes I want to make and recipes I want to try. The first part of the book has the recipes for all the money-saving mixes. This is followed by recipes for breads, main dishes, side dishes, desserts and other goodies. There's a more current edition, but I wanted THIS one.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two - I love using my
slow cooker. Nothing better than smelling those luscious aromas
all day and then putting it on the table hours after preparing it. I've only tried the Old-Fashioned Meatloaf. There are many more that I have marked. I just wish I cooked more.

Another for the Soup's On Challenge

I remember joining the Soup's On Culinary Challenge with enthusiasm, but over a few month's time I forgot all about it. Thankfully, Raidergirl3 reminded me with her post today. I've read and tried recipes from several cookbooks since the challenge began last April. Since the challenge doesn't end until March 31, I have time to share my culinary experiences. Who knows, I may successfully complete a challenge for the first time in months!

I have the public library to thank for having this book on its shelves. I want to check it out again and try some more of the many recipes I listed that looked delicious.

It's such a satisfy feeling to throw a few items in the crock-pot, enjoy the aromas all afternoon and present a delicious to the family in the evening. The recipe I tried from this cookbook is Carmelized Onion Chicken. It was fun learning the technique of carmelizing onions.

The chicken is delicious, but it is a bit dry even though there is plenty of moisture in the crock-pot. I served the chicken with Funeral Potatoes and a tossed salad.

The best thing about this recipe is the leftover chicken. I cube it and freeze it in 2-cup amounts to use later in chicken fajitas, chicken quiche or whatever. After the first time I made this chicken, I doubled the recipe so I always have several baggies in the freezer to pull out whenever I need precooked chicken. It's some of the best flavored chicken ever.

Another Addition for the Soup's On Culinary Reading Challenge

I tried another recipe from Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual 2003 Cookbook. This time it was a yummy side-dish - Gingered Squash Saute. And I made that delectable Double-Chocolate Cream Roll again. More rave reviews from family members.I also tried 3 recipes from Making Memories: the Dairy Keen Cookbook. Fried Chicken that was delicious, but I need to try one more time in an effort to 'get it right', Creamed Potatoes and Peas, and for Sunday supper a satisfying Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

I am having a ball with the Soup's On Culinary Reading Challenge and my family is most appreciative of the results. A big THANKS to Ex Libris from me and my family!

BTW, I went with Joy's suggestion for the title of my recipe blog: An Eater's Journal. Thanks, Joy!.

Light and Tasty Cookbook

I joined the Soup's On Cullinary Reading Challenge and am making headway. I've tried three recipes from Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2003. Instead of posting the recipes on my book blog I've created A Food Journal. Very unoriginal name, I know, but it does correspond with A Reader's Journal - kind of, sort of.

Point being, I've tried out three delicious recipes from above mentioned cookbook with the really long name. I've posted the recipes along with pictures on my food blog. Please drop by for a visit.

Soup's On! A Culinary Reading Challenge

At last - a cookbook challenge. I love reading cookbooks and trying new recipes. ((Why didn't I think of this??))

This challenge has been issued by Ex Libris. The challenge will run from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. All you have to do is select six cookbooks to read* and make at least one of the recipes. These can be any cookbooks of your choice - brand new ones, old stand-bys that you can't live (or cook) without, or even heirlooms. You do not have to decide on the cookbooks ahead of time (unless you want to, of course). Then post your reviews either here or on your own blog. If you want, you can even post pictures of your creations along with your reviews!

Food Network Favorites
My first born daughter gave me this one for Christmas. I had asked for one by Rachel Ray but when I saw this I was thrilled to pieces. I love watching the food network and this book has oodles of yummy looking recipes. I haven't made anything yet, but I'm going to now - with the help of this challenge urging me.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two
I love using my slow cooker and have found a few really yummy, easy and dependable recipes. I had this book on my wishlist for Christmas and my 2nd daughter gave it to me. I was tickled. But, alas, I haven't tried any of the recipes yet. I know I'm sounding like a broken record! I'll be letting you know what some of my favorites are.

Making Memories: A Collection of Recipes from the Family & Friends of the Dairy Keen in Heber, Utah
My birthday falls between Christmas and New Years. This year daughters 3 and 4 gave me a cookbook from my favorite drive-in - The Dairy Keen in Heber. We call it "the train drive-in" because there's an electric train on a track that goes all around the drive-in. It's up high enough that people can't play with it but we can watch it while ordering and eating. In recent years the Dairy Keen has been remodeled to look like a train depot. It's really very charming. If you ever go thru Heber City you should try their fresh raspberry shakes, or any of their shakes for that matter. The cookbook is actually a collection of recipes from family and friends, but it includes some fun history of the town and the people who run the Dairy Keen. I'm very excited to have it in my collection, but it's time I tried some of the recipes.

Marshal Field's Cookbook
Candleman & I visited Chicago last summer and, on the much appreciated recommendation of Dolce Bellezza, we visited Macy's which used to be Marshall Field's. We bought some delicious Frango Mints and a beautiful cookbook.

Light and Tasty Annual 2003
Before I retired as a science teacher I didn't cook much during the school year and when I did I always relied on the familiar. During the summer I would always go through my cookbooks for new and exciting recipes. And I would check out piles of cookbooks from the library. One of the favorites to check out were the annuals from Light and Tasty. I'm going to get the annual for 2003 because on page 86 is a recipe for Asparagus Tomato Stir Fry that I am dying to try. It was submitted by Raidergirl3. Yes, our very own book blogging, trivia buffing friend from PEI. Isn't that soooooo cool.

Make-A-Mix Cookery
I bought this cookbook back in 1980 when my 3 daughters were 5, 4 and 3 years old and daughter 4 hadn't been born yet. I made up several of the mixes and saved lots of money. I used it so much that the cover became ripped, pages smudged and eventually it dissolved (or was lost). Today my oldest daughter was over telling me about a cookbook she thought she would order. It reminded me of this one. I got on amazon.com and they had this one and several newer editions. I contemplated which I should order and finally went with the nostalgic first edition. It only cost $0.08 plust $3.99 s&h.

I have a million cookbooks on my shelves and I love checking out cookbooks from the library. My family loves it when I get into my cookbook-reading mood, because I always try out a few recipes, too. So a BIG THANKS to Ex Libris from me and my loved ones.