™ Though I'm not a professional baker, I am absolutely a passionate one. That passion has led to some extraordinary recipes, a few deliciously simple techniques, and a lifetime of baking experiences that are as satisfying as the finished products. I'm excited to share some of them with you in my first cookbook! Aside from my first high school job cooking in a restaurant, I bake in my home kitchen for the benefit of family (including my four pugs) and friends. And since 2007, I've enjoyed sharing recipes through my blog, Baked Chicago. What got me started on this baking path? It may be destiny: my mother's maiden name is Baker. And like a lot of kids, I remember helping mom in the kitchen. One of my earliest baking memories is brownies from scratch, using the cooking bible of its day - the Better Homes & Garden Cookbook with the iconic red-and-white plaid binding. I quickly learned to experiment by throwing in my own variations like chocolate and butterscotch chips, toffee, and peanut M&Ms - all in the same dish. These early baked "masterpieces" got a warm reception at school parties. Fellow high school students dubbed my rich and unusually dense brownies "ton cake." Over the course of high school, I made a ton of "ton cake." I still love tinkering with recipes and the challenge of breaking them down to the simplest terms, changing up ingredients and textures to create unique, truly flavorful treats. Here are a few truths I've discovered along the way that make my baking simple and successful:Focus on fewer, high-quality ingredients in your recipes.Baking from scratch is almost always easier (and cheaper) than from a box.A recipe should be easy to follow and execute. [There's nothing I hate more than a kitchen sink full of dirty pots, pans and utensils.]Brownies are among the most decadent of baked deliciousness, yet deceptively easy to make and a great canvas for culinary expression. In this cookbook, you'll find 33 of my best brownie and brownie-inspired recipes. All are easy to follow with instructions fitting on a single page. I hope they inspire you to express your simply decadent baking creativity. Baking success in the kitchen doesn't have to be hard work. Simply, bake like you mean it. ~ Harvey Morris

    We include detailed instructions and tips on how to make crepes using my Mom's easy recipe for crepes. Also included are easy breakfast casserole recipes that can be made ahead, finger food ideas for brunch appetizers, and brunch classics like baked ham and scalloped potatoes.All the recipes in this book are made from scratch using ingredients that are easy to find, and many of which you will already have in your kitchen cupboards. Some of the dishes are quick to make, while others take a bit more time, but are worth it.As with all Easy Recipes from Scratch cookbooks, this collection of best brunch and breakfast recipes includes photos of every dish and plenty of tips and recipe variations.Most of these recipes have been in my family for a generation or two. Many of them are from my childhood and represent happy family get-togethers to both of us.We hope that you enjoy this collection of special recipes and are inspired to cook a fabulous brunch or breakfast for your family and friends!~Nicole and Marie

    Learn how to make Effortless Chili, Scrumptious Caponata, and Spicy Pumkin Samosas! All projects, are written by veggie experts, and contain pictures for each step so you can easily make it yourself, even if it’s your first time in the kitchen. Let's get cooking!

    In addition, easy-to-understand icons indicate whether a recipe is easy, healthy, quick, or inexpensive. Everything you need to host, or attend, a successful potluck is here, including: 300 tasty and creative recipes Tips for transporting food safely Indications of whether a recipe can be made ahead of time Menu suggestions for a variety of potluck parties Guests can make the dishes on their own and bring them to the host’s home, or they can all gather in the host’s kitchen and make them together. With this book, cooking for the perfect potluck party has never been easier!

    Baking Basics and Beyond allows even absolute novices to prepare a wide array of delicious, healthy breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and more. In a warm, reassuring manner, Pat Sinclair leads beginning bakers step-by-step through each recipe, thoroughly explaining each technique and direction. After learning a basic technique, additional recipes provide further practice and more elaborate results. This second edition contains more than 100 recipes, from old favorites like icebox cookies, cornbread, and brownies to updated classics, including Butterscotch Cashew Blondies, Chai Latte Custards, and Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding. Throughout, explanations and precise tips, based on Sinclair's years of baking experience, make readers feel as though there is a friendly teacher in the kitchen, peering over their shoulders, and guiding them toward perfect results, every time.This new edition of this basic, down-to-earth, reader-friendly baking guide is updated with beautiful full color photos throughout.

    This E-book will give you tons of recipes and ideas for delicious homemade soups. Make them for lunch, dinner, winter, fall, or whatever your heart desires.

    Are you happy with what you see? Or are you a part of the nutritional statistic that estimates that 68.8 percent of American adults are overweight or obese. Sadly, 16 percent of our children under age 19 are considered overweight. Many kids today are destined for a lifetime of struggling with their weight and serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. There's a lot of national debate about how so many of us got this way, but most experts agree we're sitting at our desks or on the couch too much and not moving our bodies enough. And yes, there is just too much good food (and bad food) everywhere, including on our dinner plates. This serious public health issue continues to build, and it is estimated that 73 percent of American adults will be overweight or obese. We are long overdue in reversing this trend! So let me congratulate you on taking the first step in managing your weight with the purchase of this cookbook. I hope that this collection of recipes will help you make smart food choices every day. These low-carb recipes - from the Mediterranean Beef Kabobs to the Crab Chowder - taste really good, and I have trimmed fat and calories to make each recipe better for you and your family. The benefits of smart eating and maintaining a healthy weight are tremendous - including that feel-good feeling every time you look in the mirror.

    Focusing on technique and fundamentals, it will teach you how to prepare all of the famous types of pizzas such as hand tossed, deep dish, stuffed crust, calzone, grilled pizza, and dessert pizza to name a few. It also includes the outlines of toppings for some of the more archetypal pies such as the famous “White Pizza” and “Pizza Margherita”. After mastering the techniques and sauces here you will be able to make pizzas that far excel those of the famous chain restaurants in both flavor and appearance (of course homemade is always healthier, too). But remember, it is your pie, so don’t let anyone else tell you what you should put on top of it and you won’t have to eat humble pie!

    The largest and most comprehensive cookbook ever published on this subject, 1001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes is composed of the very best dishes from author Dave DeWitt's collection of chili pepper?laden recipes. Created from his globe-trotting travels, from colleagues, and from research in authentic, obscure, and out-of-print cookbooks from all over the world, the book is loaded with a huge variety of soups, stews, chilies, and gumbos. It also includes a broad selection of barbecue dishes for the grill, a lengthy list of meatless entrees and vegetable options, and even a surprising array of zesty beverages, desserts, and breakfasts. Recipes are organized according to the region from which the chili peppers come: South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, the United States, Europe, the Mediterranean and Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Asia and the Pacific. A treasury of the very best the world has to offer of great spicy foods, no serious cook should be without this jam-packed trove.

    My tested recipes have short ingredient lists and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions.Each recipe require four ingredients or less (EXCLUDING WATER, OIL, COOKING SPRAY, SALT, PEPPER, AND OTHER OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS).These recipes were also designed with your health in mind, and each recipe includes a nutritional analysis.In the introduction to the book, you will discover 5 simple tips that can significantly reduce the time you spend in the kitchen preparing meals.But the "meat and potatoes" of this book are the amazingly simple to prepare recipes, including:Grilled Shrimp BrushettaWild Mushroom PizzaThai Shrimp CurrySweet Potato and Pomegranate Spinach SaladCreole Chicken SoupPortobello PaninisToasted Israeli Couscous with CherriesChocolate-Raspberry-Coconut CakeYou will also get 5 superfast menus that will make weeknight cooking quick and easy, with streamlined "game plans" and quick recipes that will help you put a main dish and a delicious side on the table in a snap.These are quick and easy recipes that will bring exciting new possibilities to your dining table, and most importantly, they will help you find more time to enjoy life

    Recipes cover everything from how to make your own tortillas and salsa to a wide variety of "taco-guts." Bacon, Eggs, Home Fries, Chorizo, Nopalitos - we've got you covered!Quote from listing at Amazon

    After school activities, work, doctor’s appointments, even daily errands get in the way of the ability to cook a nutritious and tasty meal for the family. The ability to cook just about anything in a slow cooker can alter that imbalance. Slow cookers are the most overlooked and valuable kitchen appliance in the modern home. Almost everyone has one, but most people don’t realize the versatility of slow cookers. This recipe collection provides just a brief introduction to what these appliances can do. The recipes contain ingredients found in most kitchens, and produce delicious and healthy results. The goal of feeding a family is providing healthy food that you can feel good about preparing and serving. Processed foods are an easy answer, but their nutrient value is lower, and their sodium content is generally higher than home-cooked meals. This collection strives to provide a wide variety of options using very few processed items. That said, there are some items such as soup stocks and tomato sauce that are used. As a result, I’ve included a brief prologue with some basic recipes for kitchen staples that you can make ahead. Each recipe was prepared in our test kitchen. Each recipe includes an original picture of the actual recipe that was prepared.The recipes in this report call for ‘large’ eggs by default, and unless a cooked ingredient is specified, all items are to be incorporated in the raw state. Since this is a family and diet friendly cookbook, none of the recipes use lard, pork, or alcohol. Major allergens such as peanuts and berries are also largely avoided. Each recipe includes the following sections:TitleBrief descriptionPhotographNumber of ServingsPrep TimeCooking TimeIngredientsInstructionsNutritional InformationCooking tips [where appropriate]Relax for a while. Read a book, watch a TV show, go for a walk; good food doesn’t have to make you a slave to your kitchen!

    It has a rich history, dating back to before civilization and taking part in a multitude of events we celebrate every year. It's the most popular snack food around the world, and the second most popular snack in America (falling just behind potato chips). Popcorn can be found all over the country, at movie theaters, carnivals, and most people's kitchens or pantries. It is a common misconception that popcorn is an unhealthy snack. The reason some people avoid popcorn is because they don't understand the real culprit! Behind its supposedly unhealthy status, are the seasonings and additives, often added to commercially packaged products to liven up the bland natural flavor and to lengthen it's shelf life. The popcorn itself is a wholegrain, and these can help prevent cancer and lower the risk of heart disease, while also supplying healthy nutrients that support our vision. There are many different methods to create popcorn, but the basic principle stays the same. All you have to do is make the kernels hot enough to heat the moisture contained naturally inside, and turn that into steam. The steam creates pressure from inside the hard shell casing and before you know it, POP! - the kernel is turned inside out and is ready to be consumed. As long as you can generate heat and have some kernels on hand, you can make popcorn!Enough of the history, what about the recipes? I've gathered 30 of the finest popcorn recipes from around the world for your snacking pleasure, and have tried to keep them free from artificial sweeteners, preservatives or other nasty additives wherever possible. I've specified 9 cups of popped corn for most recipes, as that gives 3 generous cups per serving - you can have as many or as few servings as you fancy, but keep an eye on the calories! For your convenience, I've also included nutritional data from the USDA for each recipe (that's the U.S. Department of Agriculture and not the United Square Dancers of America!)My preference for both flavor and health reasons, is freshly air-popped popcorn - so I have used that kind for all of these recipes. Everything in this book can be made with kernels you have freshly popped, or if you are in a hurry (or feeling lazy!), then you can always use the plain store bought pre-popped variety - just make sure you check the packaging for artificial nasties!Most of the ingredients for these recipes can be found at your local grocery store or deli, but if you get stuck, then the slightly more unusual ones can also be bought online via a link at the end of the book.Enjoy preparing and sharing!Lorix

    REVISED November 2011.

    Working moms don't have time to stay in the kitchen for hours. We need meals that are nutritious, easy, and delicious. I decided to write this book, so you don't have to go through the local drive through on the way home. Let your dinner cook while you are at work. A slow cooker is a working moms best friend. Within my slow cooker recipe cook book, you will find easy and delicious dinners you can toss in the slow cooker in the morning and have a hot dinner when you return home from a long day.Also, you will love using your slow cooker for desserts. This cookbook will enable you to bake incredibly moist, tasty spoon cakes and bread puddings. You will also enjoy substantial time savings and easy clean up.Easy Apricot ChickenCheesy Chicken Chicken And StuffingBayou Chicken Pasta Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chicken Chicken ParmesanCreamy Italian Chicken Easy Chicken And DumplingsChicken And BroccoliThai Chicken With PeanutsChicken Fettuccine Apple Pork RoastRoot Beer BBQ PorkSweet And Savory Pork Roast Sweet Glazed Pork Chops20 Cloves Of Garlic PorkHarvest Pork Chops And StuffingSlow Cooker BBQ RibsEasy Beef StroganoffFrench Dip SandwichEasy Pot Roast Bonus Pot Roast CasseroleFrench Onion BeefSlow Cooker French Onion SoupWild Rice Pumpkin StewHotsy Totsy SoupSlow Cooker Alphabet SoupSlow Cooker Beef And Veggie SoupPotato SoupEasy Broccoli Cheese SoupSlow Cooker Ham And Lentil SoupMexican Chicken SoupEasy White Chicken ChiliBeef And Barley StewSlow Cooker Chicken Potato StewBeefy Mushroom StewHearty Beef StewChicken Al La King StewCheese Tortellini StewChicken And Rice StewEasy Ground Turkey ChiliSlow Cooker Chicken ChowderEasy Meatball StewBlack Bean Chicken And Bacon StewHam And Split Pea SoupEasy Smoked Sausage Potato StewPeanut Butter Fudge CakeChocolate Peanut Butter Spoon CakeSlow Cooker Fudge CakeCarrot Spoon CakeSimple Pineapple Spoon CakeChocolate Chip Cookie DelightNutella Spoon CakeChocolate Raspberry Spoon CakeBlack Forest Spoon CakeApple Pumpkin Spoon CakeHarvest Peach CobblerApple CrumbleIsland Coconut Bread PuddingCinnamon Bread PuddingApple Cinnamon Bread PuddingChocolate Chip Bread PuddingClassic Whipped CreamVanilla Bean Whipped CreamNutmeg Whipped CreamChocolate Whipped CreamPumpkin Whipped CreamCoconut Whipped Cream