Vegetables, It's more than a Good Thing

Vegetables are incredibly sexy, and this Martha Stewart's new book has the photographs to prove it.   This cookbook offers numerous helpful tips on buying, storing, prepping and cooking these wonderful vegetables.  The recipes are easy and drool-worthy.  For example, the roasted wax beans with peanuts and cilantro is a sure fire winner with its caramelized sweetness.  Adding broccoli rabe to a ham cheese croque monsieur elevates a simple sandwich into a fabulous sandwich.  I've made plenty of kale chips, but never thought to dip them in balsamic glaze.  As a gardener, I am always looking for new ways to use a bountiful harvest and this book will serve as an inspiring reference guide. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Whet My Appetite: It's a Good Thing

Appetizers.  They are a good thing.  I'm sure Martha Stewart would agree.

Sounds so easy, unless most of your friends are foodies and will judge you.   Unless it's 100+ degrees and the thought of turning on the oven just kills any social desires.   Unless you find yourself too tired, or too bored with your usual repertoire.  Yes, I foresaw these obstacles long ago and purchased Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres as insurance.  Just in case I ran out of ideas, inspiration and appetite.

While Hors D'Oeuvres was voluminous and a little intimidating with its details in smaller fine print, appetizers is more casual and inviting.  The golden rules in the front are so useful for someone like me who tends to prepare way too much food and stress out.   Of course, to be fair, many of my friends are foodies with discriminating palates.   Stewart says her winning formula is 10 bite size hors d'oeuvres per guest, probably 12-14 per foodie?

Edamame with chile salt or with some heat (Garlic/soy blistered) is always a hit in my home. Roasted spiced chickpeas is another winner that doesn't require too much fuss.  I like the diversity of recipes so that you can choose a few really simple appetizers and a few that engage more of your culinary skills.   For example, I rarely deep-fry but Stewart's recipe for arancini looks quite tempting and do-able.   Signature cocktails have come back with a creative vengeance so her chapter entitled Sips is very handy.   The photos are spectacular and instill confidence that your spread will be visually stunning as well as nom nom delicious.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.