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Watermelon Mojito

Watermelon Mojito by lisaiscooking

As the summer heat settles in, a book full of beautiful cocktails is a welcome sight. In the new book from David Alan, Tipsy Texan: Spirits and Cocktails from the Lone Star State, there are classics as well as cocktails with new twists, and I want to sit in the shade and sip every one of them. I recently received a review copy of the…

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Animal Cookies

Animal Cookies by lisaiscooking

Yes, I do a lot of baking. I go through quite a lot of all-purpose flour and granulated sugar, but I also love getting to experiment with various whole grains and less refined, natural sweeteners. Now, there’s a book devoted entirely to that latter category of baking. It’s Honey and Oats by Jennifer Katzinger, and I received a review…

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Sweet Potato Scones with Brown Sugar Icing

Sweet Potato Scones with Brown Sugar Icing by lisaiscooking

Since 2008, West Oakland has had the good fortune to have a soul food restaurant feeding the community in more ways than one. Tanya Holland opened Brown Sugar Kitchen to serve breakfast and lunch, to purchase most of what the restaurant uses from local producers, to hire local cooks, and to become a venue that supports local…

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Sour Cream Corn Bread

Sour Cream Corn Bread by lisaiscooking

There are times when you need to know a dish is going to be terrific. When friends or family are visiting and I really want to put a delicious meal on the table with no uncertainty, I head for the Barefoot Contessa books. I’ve lost count of Ina’s recipes that have become my go-to’s because everyone always loves them. And, I’ve lost…

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Fatayer with Cheese and Spinach

Fatayer with Cheese and Spinach by lisaiscooking

If I’d been asked a few weeks what I knew about Lebanese food, I would have said that I didn’t really know anything. It turns out, I’ve been enjoying the flavors of Lebanese cooking for years without even realizing it. I received a review copy of the new book Comptoir Libanais: A Feast of Lebanese-Style Home Cooking by Tony Kitous and…

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Buttered Buckwheat with Fenugreek Kale and Spicy Yellow Split Peas

Buttered Buckwheat with Fenugreek Kale and Spicy Yellow Split Peas by lisaiscooking

Can cookbooks read minds? I’m pretty sure that’s what this new book from Molly Watson did. The book is Greens + Grains, and it is full of dishes made exactly the way I like to cook. When I started reading my review copy, I was sure this book was made…

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Cornmeal with Rosemary and Parmigiano Biscotti

Cornmeal with Rosemary and Parmigiano Biscotti by lisaiscooking

There’s a lot to love about biscotti. You can go a very traditional route with them or veer off into all sorts of creative directions. For Christmas this past year, I got creative by baking big, mocha latte biscotti with chocolate chips in them that got drizzled with a white chocolate-espresso glaze. I’ve also made a peanut butter…

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Starry Starry Nights Cookies

Starry Starry Nights Cookies by lisaiscooking

These days it’s becoming more and more likely that when you bring baked goods to a party or other event, you’ll encounter several guests who need to know what ingredients were used and if they need to avoid the item in question. I’ve been trying to bring optional offerings to events when possible like gluten free, dairy free, vegan,…

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Honey Cashew Morning Buns

Honey Cashew Morning Buns by lisaiscooking

I like the idea of cutting back on sugar. I’ve been doing just that for a while now. I’ve been baking fewer sweet treats and looking for ways to incorporate natural sweeteners other than refined sugar. So, I was delighted to find out that Joanne Chang’s newest book is all about Baking With Less Sugar, and I received a review copy. She…

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395 views
Tomato Leaf Pesto

Tomato Leaf Pesto by lisaiscooking

Tomato season is in full swing here in Austin, and I’ve been bringing home as many as the two of us can consume. A tomato is possibly the easiest type of produce to put to good use in the kitchen, but I had no idea that the leaves of the plant can be used as well. I received a review copy of the new book The CSA Cookbook by Linda Ly…

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Strawberry Coconut Cake

Strawberry Coconut Cake by lisaiscooking

I’m a believer in cakes for birthdays. A candle in the middle of a brownie or a set into a scoop of ice cream doesn’t work for me. I appreciate all sorts of sweets on other days or for other occasions, but on my birthday, there needs to be cake. Even if I bake it myself as I usually do. And, luckily, I had just read a review copy of…

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Crumb-Topped Blackberry Muffins

Crumb-Topped Blackberry Muffins by lisaiscooking

Do you listen to music in the kitchen? Sometimes I listen to a shuffled mix of music, or I’ll play live a local radio station from their website, or I’ll pick something on Pandora. When I pick something specific, more often than not it’s jazz. And, Sarah Vaughan is one of my favorites. When I read the head note for the recipe shown…

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