Books That Cook: Dig in for delectable dishes
By Ellen Folkman, Times Correspondent
Published October 17, 2007
Title: Fix-It and Enjoy-It: Diabetic Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good with the American Diabetes Association (Good Books, $15.95; 284 pages)
Generally speaking: This is the newest in the author's "Fix-It" series of simple recipes. Unlike some of the others in the series, the dishes in this book are prepared on the stove or in the oven, not in the slow cooker. This is a good all-round cookbook.
For: Geared toward diabetics, but the variety of recipes (more than 500) is so extensive that it will appeal to a larger audience.
Recipes: Cranberry pudding, cheesecake bars, creamy asparagus soup, orange-glazed turkey cutlets, pot roast and wine and sweet pork chops.
Thinking ahead: If you have a family history of diabetes, this is a good cookbook to get you on the right path to healthful eating.
Corn Bread Stuffing
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons canola oil
8-ounce package corn bread stuffing
16-ounce jar unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper
1/3 cup boiling water
- In a large skillet, saute onions and celery in canola oil until soft. Add stuffing mix, applesauce, herbs, seasonings and boiling water. Toss until evenly moist.
- Stuff turkey, or if baking separately, spoon into a buttered 1-quart baking dish. Cover with foil.
- Put in a 325-degree oven during the last 30 minutes that your turkey is baking or bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes on its own.
Yields 6 servings.
Source: Fix-It and Enjoy-It: Diabetic Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good with the American Diabetes Association (Good Books, $15.95)
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Title: 2500 Recipes: Everyday to Extraordinary by Andrew Schloss and Ken Bookman (Robert Rose, $24.95; 600 pages)
Generally speaking: With 2,500 recipes, you'd be hard-pressed to not find what you want among the casseroles, breakfast food, pies and muffins, low-calorie dishes, snacks, sandwiches, sauces, pasta and more. This cookbook delivers.
For: All skill levels. Recipes are easy to follow and most don't require any difficult techniques or unusual ingredients. 2500 Recipes will push you out of your mealtime rut.
Recipes: Orange chicken with apricots, scallops with oyster and shiitake mushrooms, turkey with garlic black beans, pecan catfish fingers and sweet potato chips, stir-fried sesame vegetables, bitter grapefruit marmalade and gingerbread muffins.
Spaghetti Squash with Artichoke and Mushroom Sauce
10-inch spaghetti squash
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clover garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Artichoke and Mushroom Sauce (recipe below)
- Cut stem end off squash, halve lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a large pot of boiling water, boil squash until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and scrape flesh with a fork. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute squash, garlic, salt and pepper until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Mound on platter and top with artichoke and mushroom sauce.
Artichoke and Mushroom Sauce
12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, with liquid
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
8 mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Drain half the liquid from artichoke hearts and coarsely chop hearts. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly softened. Add artichoke hearts with remaining liquid, parsley, salt and pepper.
Serves 4.
Source: 2500 Recipes: Everyday to Extraordinary by Andrew Schloss and Ken Bookman (Robert Rose, $24.95)
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Title: Isabel's Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors from the New California Kitchen by Isabel Cruz (Clarkson Potter, $27; 224 pages)
Generally Speaking: Isabel's Cantina is full of bold flavors. This is a solid Latin cookbook, even for beginners. There are no difficult techniques, however you may have to hunt for some ingredients. The author owns five restaurants on the West Coast and includes some of their most popular recipes.
For: Fans of global cuisines.
Recipes: Pina colada pancakes, dragon potatoes, bananas with vanilla ice cream and rum, chargrilled rack of lamb with cinnamon and cumin, chipotle-marinated grilled rib eye, jalapeno shrimp and roasted pumpkin soup.
Fusion fun: Cruz blends the flavors of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico with Japanese and Thai accents. Novices may not be so adept at mixing and matching, so be careful if you are making several dishes from the book for one meal.
Tropical Fruit with Tequila Honey Sauce
1 1/2 cups cubed honeydew
1 1/2 cups cubed cantaloupe
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup premium gold tequila
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- Toss the honeydew, cantaloupe, mango and kiwis in a medium bowl and then divide among 6 dessert glasses. Refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 1 day.
- Combine the honey and tequila and whisk until blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove the dessert glasses from the refrigerator. Whisk the mint into the sauce and then drizzle the sauce over each portion.
Serves 6.
Source: Isabel's Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors from the New California Kitchen by Isabel Cruz (Clarkson Potter; $27)