Just Easy Recipes » Cooking Books

Mary Berry’s Baking Bible

Louise — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:00:37 +0000

This definitive collection from the undisputed queen of cakes brings together all of Mary Berry’s most mouth-watering baking recipes in a beautifully packaged edition. Filled with 250 foolproof recipes – from the classic Victoria Sponge, Very Best Chocolate Cake and Hazelnut Meringue Cake to tempting muffins, scones and bread and butter pudding – this is the most comprehensive baking cookbook you’ll ever need.

Mary’s easy-to-follow instructions and handy tips make it ideal for kitchen novices and more experienced cooks alike, and full-colour photographs and beautiful illustrations will guide you smoothly to baking success. Drawing on her years of experience to create recipes for cakes, breads and desserts, Mary Berry’s Baking Bible will prove to be a timeless classic.

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Jamie’s America

Louise — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:00:13 +0000

When we think of American food, we tend to think of cheesy hamburgers, French fries and extremely large pepperoni pizzas. But in his new and refreshingly different book, Jamie shows us that there’s much more to American cuisine than junk food! The book is divided into four section, each covering a different area of USA.

As well as being a visually stunning journey, Jamie’s America is a practical cookbook. And the food is as varied as the landscapes – from spicy Mexican in the desert to freshly caught Alaskan salmon. With 120 brand new recipes, and Jamie’s diary narrative running alongside, this is a celebratory cookbook of a country with a wide food heritage.

Says Jamie: “America – a country of many contrasts. For me, it presented the ultimate food trip to explore places, ingredients, food culture and traditions. I wanted to get to the heart of great American food, to get past the junk and super-sized portions. I set off on what I knew would be a completely inspiring trip. I wasn’t wrong… from New York to New Orleans, the energy of Los Angeles to the big skies of Wyoming, I found what I was looking for: some of the most diverse and delicious recipes I’ve ever come across! And with 120 of them in this book, I’ll show you the quick and easy way to put a little slice of America on your dinner table. What a trip!”

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Reference: Penguin Books

A Farm in My Heart

Louise — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:07:02 +0000

Doornkraal is a farm near De Rust where Swepie and Anne le Roux have farmed for decades. This is where they taught their children – all seven of them – to live off the bounty of the land. Everything served at Doornkraal’s table comes from the farm. The smoked sunflower seeds, the butter, the ricotta… The fish would have been pulled from the farm dam earlier in the day; the quince sweets might still have been fruit hanging ripe and heavy on the tree but a few hours ago; and the cream would have made the heart of the separator go klink-klink-klink only that morning.

Emilia le Roux is one of the seven children who grew up on Doornkraal. She and her husband, Francois Smuts, wrote A Farm In My Heart: From the yard to the pantry and the table for everyone who yearns for the land, and who wants to bake and cook for the ones they love in a real farm kitchen.

This is not simply a cookbook, it’s also a down-to-earth, do-it-yourself guide to preparing your soil, making compost, planting, nurturing and harvesting. It will inspire you to reacquaint yourself with your own piece of land, and to live a simple and soul-filled life.

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Reference: book.co.za

Nigella Christmas: A recipe book you shouldn’t be without

Louise — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:47:51 +0000

Christmas is a time for family and friends, for tradition and treats. But, let’s face it, when the pressure to feed and entertain builds up, the festive season can begin to lose its sparkle…

That’s where Nigella comes in. With her no-nonsense approach, her inspirational ideas and empathy for the practical realities of the season – combined here with reliable, easy-to-follow recipes and reassuring advice about planning and cooking ahead – Nigella Christmas is guaranteed to bring comfort and joy and make sure the season of good will stay that way.

Here is everything you could wish for to make your life and your Christmas easy and enjoyable: from party canapés, cocktails and manageable mass catering to scrumptious Christmas cakes and puddings; from no-fuss brunch to quick and easy homemade christmas presents (chutneys, preserves and other delectable standbys) and edible tree-decorations. There are mouthwatering recipes with a seasonal twist and simple menus for feeding friends over the extended holiday season with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment. And, of course, exciting and inspiring variations for the main event itself – from her traditional super-juicy turkey with all the trimmings, to festive ginger-glazed ham and the Ultimate Christmas Pud; from goose, rib of beef, stuffed rolled pork, all the way to a special vegetarian Christmas feast, a chocolate pudding for Christmas pudding haters, a French Yule Log, and the Boozy British Trifle.

Nigella’s cakes, as always, gladden the heart – and, like many of the recipes here, are at home all year round – but her ‘At-a-Glance Christmas Dinner Countdown’, together with make ahead and freeze ahead tips throughout, can help take the stress and strain out of the season. With its glorious illustrations, Nigella Christmas will surely be a perennial favourite, the book we will all reach for – for inspiration and reassurance – as soon as Christmas comes round each year.

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Simple Stylish Meals

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:17:45 +0000

The third in a series of four exciting new recipe books by Sharon Glass, Simply Stylish Meals boasts a variety of easy-to-follow recipes fit for entertaining for any occasion, no matter whether you’re a novice or a pro. The book boasts 78 full colour photographs and 71 fresh, innovative recipes as well as preparation time and cooking time for each recipe.

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Fabulous Food

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:02:22 +0000

“Fabulous Food” is a collection of practical, reasonably easy, delectable recipes in a visually captivating format. All 180 recipes have been photographed in full colour, with an easy layout and design that will make reading and using the book a pleasure. “Fabulous Food” is a combination of the new and the old – a selection of recipes garnered from “Fig Jam and Foxtrot” and “Return to Corriebush”, plus a few from the author’s books that are now out of print, as well as new and unpublished creations.

All in all, a fabulous book to use in your kitchen, or to give as a treat to a foodie friend or newlyweds. The contents include: Soups; Starters, Snacks, Light Meals and Salads; Fish and Seafood; Chicken; Meat (Venison, Ostrich, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork); Pasta; Vegetarian Main Courses; Desserts; and, Baking.

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500 Cupcakes: The Only Cupcake Compendium You’ll Ever Need

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:44:01 +0000

Once upon a time, cupcakes were only a kid-friendly party favourite. No longer! Cupcakes are now the treat of the times – simple and chic. 500 Cupcakes is just that: a storehouse of recipes, written in clear instructions and appealingly packaged in bright, modern colours. 500 Cupcakes from front to back provides what bakers of all levels need to produce tempting creations. The introduction provides a comprehensive look at equipment and ingredients, plus a description of the cupcake-making process, from getting started to storing and transporting the yummy results. The collection of recipes span from classic flavours and shapes to new favourites for every style and taste including recipes for alternate diets. Each recipe is written in clear language (great for the novice baker), and every one features three variations on the basic recipe (great for the experienced baker seeking new flavours).

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Nigella Express

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:35:04 +0000

Nigella and her style of cookery have earned a special place in our lives, symbolising all that is best, most pleasurable, most hands-on and least fussy about good food. But that doesn’t mean she wants us to spend hours in the kitchen, slaving over a hot stove. Featuring fabulous fast foods, ingenious short cuts, terrific time-saving ideas, effortless entertaining and easy, delicious meals, Nigella Express is her solution to eating well when time is short. This new book is every working mother’s dream and a joy for everyone who wants to cook but can’t seem to find the time.

Here are mouth watering recipes, quick to prepare, easy to follow, that you can conjure up after a long day in the office or on a busy weekend, for family or unexpected guests. This is food you can make as you hit the kitchen running, with vital tips on how to keep your store cupboard stocked, freezer and fridge stacked. When time is precious, you can’t spend hours shopping, so you need to make life easier by being prepared. Not that the recipes are basic – though they are always simple – but it’s important to make every ingredient earn its place in a recipe. Minimise effort by maximising taste. And here too is great food that can be prepared quickly but cooked slowly in the oven, leaving you time to have a bath, a drink, talk to friends, or do the children’s homework. Minimum stress for maximum enjoyment. This is a new generation of fast food – never basic, never dull, always do-able, quick and delicious – for the busy lives we lead. The Domestic Goddess is back but this time it’s instant.

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Cakes to Celebrate Love and Life

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:21:10 +0000

Both stylish and playful, Cakes to celebrate love and life offers a wide variety of bakes from across the world, including traditional cakes, modern creations and everything in between. Each contribution features the creative twist so characteristic of the boutique bakery, cakebread, and its motto ‘We don’t make mistakes, we simply keep inventing new recipes’. This collection of 89 recipes marries exotic with local, old with new, stylish with school fete, and each is photographed in colour. Whatever milestone you may be celebrating – a christening, a child’s birthday, an anniversary, a wedding or any other special event, you will find inspiration in these easy-to-make cakes. In fact, it’s enough to make any cake lover, from novice to experienced baker, grab an apron and mixing bowl with renewed enthusiasm.

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Cook with Jamie

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:13:40 +0000

This is the book Jamie has always wanted to write and it’s his biggest ever, a practical guide that will teach you the basic techniques and skills that trainees at Jamie’s Fifteen restaurant learn in their first year. Learn how to cook the most popular dishes served at the restaurant with simple accessible recipes that don’t taste simple. Get Jamie’s advice on the best equipment to have in your kitchen or shopping for maximum value and quality. Learn to recognize and cook different cuts of meat and get stuck into over 100 new recipes to fine-tune your culinary skills or celebrate your passion for cooking. With simple instructions illustrated by clear photographs and useful advice, Cook with Jamie is sure to become indispensable. “I’m going to be treating the reader like one of my students at Fifteen. I’ve broken down recipes to their simplest and I talk about buying and shopping tips, techniques and short cuts, but I have also given a great background of encyclopaedic-type info at the start of each chapter which is really helpful stuff” – Jamie Oliver

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