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Best Jewish Holiday Cooking

The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods
Combining the inventive spirit of a new generation and respect for their culinary tradition, they present more than a hundred recipes pulled deep from the kitchens of Eastern Europe and the diaspora community of North America. Drawing inspiration from aromatic Jewish bakeries (Classic Challah with a Marble Rye Twist, Seeded Honey Rye Pull-Apart Rolls), neighborhood delis (Home-Cured Corned Beef and Pastrami, Rustic Matzo Balls, and Old World Stuffed Gefilte Fish), old-fashioned pickle shops (Crisp Garlic Dilly Beans, Ashkenazi Kimchi), and, of course, their own childhood kitchens, Yoskowitz and Alpern rediscover old-world food traditions, helping you bring simple and comforting recipes into your home. “The Gefilte Manifesto is a comprehensive guide to contemporary Jewish cooking complete with sharp writing, beautiful photography, and robust flavor. The whole point of the book, by the founders of the Gefilteria, the inventive online Jewish food company and caterer, is reworking traditional kosher Ashkenazi cooking and preparing dishes from scratch, with recipes like an inspired kimchi-stuffed cabbage." In a new cookbook of Ashkenazi food, Jeffrey Yoskowitz and Liz Alpern recast these and other humble, much-maligned specimens of Old World cuisine as the unlikely stars of a culinary movement." "A blend of enthusiasm and expertise, The Gefilte Manifesto , their fabulous debut cookbook, offers Alpern and Yoskowitz’s take on time-honored comfort foods with their heady flavors and wonderful textures, like Rustic Matzoh Balls in Classic Chicken Soup (aka Jewish penicillin), Chopped Liver Pâté, light Cauliflower and Mushroom Kugel and Wine-Braised Brisket with Butternut Squash. Grandma never made Cardamom Pickled Grapes, Challah with a Marble Rye Twist or Dark Chocolate and Roasted Beet Ice Cream, but she’d approve of these delicious innovations and recognize their Ashkenazi souls. "From the minute I opened up The Gefilte Manifesto , a Flatiron Books publication, I realized that Yoskowitz and Alpern had struck gold, taking on traditional favorites and blowing them out of the water in a hip and trendy culinary renaissance." "In the pages of this beautifully written, accessible cookbook, Alpern and Yoskowitz recover and reinvent Eastern European Jewish classics and add a bunch of recipes that likely would have baffled their great-grandparents. Right alongside these classics are recipes for making Ashkenazi kimchi, root vegetable latkes and dark chocolate and roasted beet ice cream."
Reviews
"My husband has made Challah, two kinds of knishes, bialys and pickled grapes!"
"I love this cookbook."
"Love the drinks section, especially the kvass recipes."
"Best Jewish cookbook ever, finally found my grandmothers recipe for egg noodles for Passover."
"I made the traditional gefilte fish coquilles and the traditional &citrus horseradish."
"Not only do I love this book, but it was the perfect gift for my Ashkenazi mother!"
"Recipes I made so far have not been as good as expected, but I have not given up on it yet."
"A fabulous modernization of traditional Ashkenazi cuisine."
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Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook
No matter what you select, this essential book, which combines and updates Nathan’s classic cookbooks The Jewish Holiday Baker and The Jewish Holiday Kitchen with a new generation of recipes, will bring the rich variety and heritage of Jewish cooking to your table on the holidays and throughout the year. Twenty-five years ago, Nathan published The Jewish Holiday Kitchen, a landmark work that juxtaposed recipes with oral histories.
Reviews
"Best collection of fabulous Jewish cooking, organized by holiday."
"After nearly 3 decades of using the ripped up (and rebound) copy of this book, I was so delighted to stumble across an update."
"If you enjoy cooking, trying different recipes, and like some adventure when it comes to kosher cooking there are recipes in here for you!"
"If you purchase a copy for the chicken soup recipe, my hint is cook over two days, remove the fat between cooking and don't add more water."
"In her "Jewish Holiday Cookbook" a wide range of recipes for each of the Jewish holidays is included."
"I have used and loved this cookbook since I bought my copy in the early eighties."
"I have purchased many of them as gifts over the years."
"AS my friends who are not Jewish cooks, always rave, over my holiday dinners, this was a great choice to give, as a gift!!!!"
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Modern Jewish Baker: Challah, Babka, Bagels & More
Step-by-step instructions for the seven core doughs of Jewish baking. Shannon Sarna is the editor of the popular Jewish food blog The Nosher.
Reviews
"these books were gifts for family members."
"The recipes are easy to follow."
"This cookbook on challah, babka, bagels, rugelach, hamantaschen, pita, matzah, and related things like dip is possibly my favorite cookbook of the year. Shannon's instructions on bread baking, particularly her excellent diagrams on braiding, filling, etc, make this accessible even to the novice bread baker, while there's plenty here to learn for more experienced bread bakers."
"I normally do not leave reviews because I just don't have time, but I love this cookbook so much I feel compelled."
"But the book is so much more, because after the recipe for basics -- with clear and easy to follow instructions -- there are loads of innovative variations, such as pull-apart challah with spinach artichoke dip (DELICIOUS!!"
"My first babka ever was a huge success and I look forward to tackling every recipe in this book. Which is the most important feature of any recipe book in my opinion."
"I’ve been making challah for years and found Modern Jewish Baker to provide me with permission to play with my baking!"
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Best Holiday Cooking

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations
Ree Drummond—accidental country girl, award-winning blogger, Food Network personality, and #1 New York Times bestselling author—presents The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays , a fantastic collection of recipes, photos, and homespun humor to help you celebrate all through the year. Whether it's the anticipation of Christmastime or the ghoulish glee of Halloween, if I see a holiday on the horizon, I simply can't contain my excitement. There's just something about the traditions, the family togetherness, the resurfacing of childhood memories . The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays is an all-out celebration of the scrumptious, mouthwatering recipes that define our favorite occasions throughout the year. From luck-inducing Hoppin' John on New Year's Day, to a perfectly savory/sweet Glazed Easter Ham, to luscious Caramel Apples on Halloween, to a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving feast with all the fixins, these pages are positively brimming with recipes guaranteed to make your holidays deliciously memorable . Host a party for the Big Game for your football-loving friends, make Mom a lovely Mother's Day breakfast-in-bed, invite your sweetie to a Valentine's Day romantic dinner for two .
Reviews
"I love The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl for straight comfort food. Ree’s books have photos of both the finished dish and photos of the process making the dish, which makes her books terrific to empower teenagers to get going independently, and feel really proud bringing those yummy dishes to smiling people at the table. Pictured below: 1) Huevos Rancheros – p6, with Enchilada Sauce – p8, and Pico De Gallo – p23. She has you make them in those cute little disposable tins if you’re going to freeze them. One is to add a red bell pepper, and my husband had just brought one in from the garden, so that went in, too. I am embarrassed to say that I was wondering what sort of bowls Ree had that these 4 servings could fit in. It's a make ahead and just needs 40 minutes in the oven when you're ready."
"So I have been a stay at home mom for 15 years, and I have been working full time now for 5 months. (cook, bake, take care of kids, grocery shopping, etc) Now that I'm working, I don't want my family eating the crap from fast food or pre made food from the stores (too many add ins that aren't good for you). I have bought cook books before (none of hers) and was disappointed because the ingredients were either too expensive or there was only a couple of recipes that my family would actually eat."
"There is also several sections on different types of side dishes and even desserts so readers can mix and match main dishes with the sides and desserts they like to make a complete meal. I was especially pleased with the section on freezer meals. While basic and certainly not an attempt to be a treatise on the subject, this section gives readers the opportunity to prepare staples to keep frozen and then provides several different ways that those frozen staples can be used to make different meals."
"The purpose of the cookbook is tactile: Some of us just like holding a book of lovely recipes in our hands, flipping the pages and attaching sticky notes all over it.. Well, I've flipped the pages of this book and I give it five stars."
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Best Seasonal Cooking

The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
A self-trained chef and food photographer, Angela Liddon has spent years perfecting the art of plant-based cooking, creating inventive and delicious recipes that have brought her devoted fans from all over the world. The Oh She Glows Cookbook also includes many allergy-friendly recipes — with more than 90 gluten-free recipes — and many recipes free of soy, nuts, sugar, and grains, too! Whether you are a vegan, "vegan-curious," or you simply want to eat delicious food that just happens to be healthy, too, this cookbook is a must-have for anyone who longs to eat well, feel great, and simply glow! Her first cookbook, The Oh She Glows Cookbook , is an international bestseller.
Reviews
"I made that recipe, and truly loved it - loved it enough that it joined the ranks of my all-time favorites - but it wasn't until I read a review for this very cookbook, accompanied by a different recipe (Thai peanut noodle bowl) that sounded fairly delicious, that I started to consider buying a cookbook new when then only cookbooks I buy ever are used and cheap. Smoothies, Juice, and Tea - 11 recipes - probably the biggest disappointment for me in the book; I'm not big on smoothies, juice, or tea...and when I want something like that, I don't need a recipe to make it. Salads - 8 recipes - I'm good with the smaller number of salads included here; I've got salad recipes coming out the wazoo, and never mind that I'm usually pretty good at coming up with a salad all on my own. Soup - 7 recipes - A couple of these sound a bit weird, but there are two for sure that I want to make as soon as I get to the grocery store again. Sides - 9 recipes - some of these feel a bit like cheating (baked fries needed a recipe? Power Snacks - 9 recipes - two roasted chickpea recipes is probably pushing it, but I possibly would have bought this book just for the peanut butter cookie dough bites. Homemade Staples - 27 recipes - this chapter almost made me knock the book down to four stars - it's totally cheating to call things like oat flour and roasted garlic "recipes," and by my count there's only 88 recipes before this chapter, not "over 100" - but I think the others made up for it. Now that you've grown old reading this, I'll just summarize by saying that although I haven't made all the recipes in this book, the ones I've made all deserve five stars...and I'm looking forward to trying most of the rest of them."
"I definitely don't hate it and I haven't had any total disasters, but overall I just haven't found it inspiring or any of the recipes particularly phenomenal. However, the apple crumble was okay but I wouldn't serve it to guests; the orange-miso dressing for the soba noodle bowls was gross (and I'm a huge fan of miso); the tofu scramble was not particularly great and I think I'll stick to my own recipe for that one. The savory sections have a gross-looking nacho dip, tex-mex casserole and "fiesta bites" (all of which are heavy on the oil and processed ingredients) but few simple vegetable-rich dishes."
"This book has EVERYTHING you can imagine : from simple 5 minutes recipes for a delicious overnight cold oatmeal (my favorite to prepare at night for a healthy awakening) to incredibly complex and delicious recipes that make take a couple of hours to make, but OH MY Do I glow when I eat them? This books makes me even happier I became vegan and it is a MUST for the beginning vegan that is unsure about taste and that especially wants to stay away from the overly processed vegan alternatives on the market. Make your own delicious vegan sour cream?"
"I recently changed my lifestyle and eating habits in January 2016, and this book has really inspired me to be more creative with plant based recipes."
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Best Party Cooking

Thug Kitchen Party Grub: For Social Motherf*ckers
From appetizers like Deviled Chickpea Bites to main events like Mexican Lasagna, Thug Kitchen: Party Grub is here to make sure you're equipped with dishes to bring the flavor without a side of fat, calories, and guilt. Thug Kitchen blew up the Internet back in 2012, when they first began blogging.
Reviews
"This book has five chapters covering: Breakfast, small bites / dips and just great snacks you can serve, salads /sauces and sides; main courses and finally in Spin the bottle: Sweet stuff -desserts, cocktails - all the good stuff you need for a social gathering (think Sangria, setting up a good Bloody bar; or reliving those sneaky high school days with a hard lemonade) This is fun food, party food - it tastes so good yet is really is quite healthy and these folks show you how the two can go hand in hand! As was the case in the first book; you will not find yourself on the hunt for Dulse Flakes, Sea Cucumbers or Orange Blossom Nectar - yes all things I have found in recipes from other cookbooks - instead this is real food made of real ingredients you can find in your local grocery store: Tofu, Chick Peas, fruits and veggies, herbs. Read the previews and if you are looking for fun, delicious , simple foods, that are vegan and quite frankly, not like anything you will find in any other vegan cookbook, then get this -you will not be disappointed!"
"TK strikes again with their second cookbook!"
"I'm all about the fine upper crust food, but if you want comfort food ."
"Got this as a gift for my sister in law who loves to throw party’s and is a vegetarian!"
"Gift for my sister, previously got her the original for Christmas."
"OMG how can you not like this book!"
"a gift and a gag at the same time...always good fun recipes and fun at the same time."
"This cookbook is amazing!!"
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Best Christmas Cooking

Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook: For the Best Christmas Ever
Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook is packed with all the classics you need for the big day and beyond, as well as loads of delicious recipes for edible gifts, party food, and new ways to love those leftovers. I hope you’ll come back to it year after year.
Reviews
"Well written simple recipes as usual with Jamie's books."
"So many great recipes."
"Lovely Christmas Cookbook with a lot of tips for your holiday food."
"I brother loves Jamie Oliver!!!"
"Beautiful recipes for a special celebration/."
"Amazing recipes!"
"This was a gift."
"How about a roast goose, roast beef, a jerk ham, porchetta, turkey (with detailed instructions from refrigerator to the table, carving included), turkey wellington, roast chickens with four different flavored butters, or rack of lamb, roast venison, duck---even a rather grand and saucy meatloaf. It's a drop-dead gorgeous presentation with all the cutout shapes baked into it's lattice top. There are gifts to give, such as fudge spiked with whisky & clementine, rocky road with popcorn, nuts, clementine, ginger, sour fruit, & chocolate, limoncello and pear pickle. The many gorgeous color photographs both instructional and aspirational, give the holiday season clarity. Give it as a gift, and find a place on your shelf for invaluable advice on getting it on the table for all your holiday seasons to come."
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Best Halloween Cooking

Mediterranean Diet For Beginners: Fast and Easy Mediterranean Diet Cookbook and Home Recipes for Weight Loss
Is it time to lose weight, get healthy, and give your family the best possible nutrition? heart disease type 2 diabetes high blood pressure obesity some cancers fibromyalgia Parkinson's disease Alzheimer's disease... It is useful for people wishing to lose weight as it is rich in fruit and vegetables and lower in sugars and saturated fats than a typical Western diet.
Reviews
"As my wife and I are on a health kick at the moment we have been looking for a cookbook that contains tasty, healthy recipes that are easy to follow and taste great."
"One review on here said it has beautiful pictures of each finished dish but no pictures at all in the book I received."
"Mediterranean Diet For Beginners by William Watts Review 3/28/17. Do you want to live a healthier lifestyle for years to come? We have changed so much over the years and it shows in what and how we eat due to the lifestyle changes and being on the go that fast food has taken over. After reviewing this cookbook, I see that many of the ways that I have changed my cooking habits run along the same lines as this but I also saw that there are so many ways more that I can enhance the way that I eat and my cooking methods. But more than that you will be able to understand the concept of eating for healthier reasons and the benefits you can reap from this type of eating. For people with IBS problems it is easy to modify many of the recipes to eliminate what we can’t eat, there are so many ways to prepare the foods left in our diets that will be close."
"Everything is easily laid out to follow and has pictures of finished meals that other cookbooks on Amazon, I have found, do not have. This cookbook offers 100+ delicious and healthy Mediterranean recipes and for each you will find: 1."
"The Mediterranean Diet is more than just a “diet,” it is a healthy way of life that puts emphasis on fresh, wholesome foods, and moderate amounts of dairy produce and healthy fats."
"Mediterranean Diet For Beginners by William Watts. Table of contents then an introduction. Food pyramid is explained using pictures and words about each category. Each recipe includes a title color photo, prep cook total time, servings and calories."
"I have been on the Mediterranean diet for sometime now."
"Recipes are not really “beginner”."
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Best Appetizer Cooking

Forest Feast Gatherings: Simple Vegetarian Menus for Hosting Friends & Family
When food photographer and stylist Erin Gleeson left New York City to live in a cabin in the woods of northern California, she started the blog The Forest Feast to document her vegetable-centric, seasonal approach to cooking. The book offers 100 new, innovative vegetarian recipes, along with some fan favorites from the blog, arranged in a series of artfully designed menus that are tailored around specific occasions and seasons—whether a summer dinner party, a laid-back brunch, a vegan and gluten-free gathering, or holiday cocktails. Erin Gleeson is the author, illustrator, and photographer behind the New York Times bestselling cookbook The Forest Feast , The Forest Feast for Kids , and the popular blog of the same name.
Reviews
"Absolutely stunning book in every way."
"I am happy that this book contains new recipes."
"Great for easy, vegetarian cooking that doesn't require a bunch of expensive or rare ingredients."
"Full of wonderful party food and drink ideas."
"Beautiful book with practical yet elegant recipes."
"The photos and recipes are wonderful."
"Easy recipes and an overall lovely cookbook!"
"seriously one of the most beautiful cookbooks ever!!"
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Best Tablesetting & Cooking

Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun
After more than twenty years of running Barefoot Contessa, the acclaimed specialty food store, Ina Garten published her first collection of recipes. In the autumn, when it's not Thanksgiving, Ina roasts a fresh turkey, which her friends enjoy with popovers and a creamy spinach gratin. Filet of beef is easy to make for a fancy dinner with oh-so-good gorgonzola sauce, or sliced into sandwiches and served with lobster rolls for a Superbowl party. And fans of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook will be delighted to find the recipe for the Lemon Cake they drooled over but only saw pictured, right here in this book. "A good party is not about the food," says Ina Garten, "it's about the people." That may be true, but her Barefoot Contessa Parties! Autumn brings beautiful menus like the one where you cook with your guests and end up with a feast of Potato Pancakes with Caviar, Salad with Warm Goat Cheese, Rack of Lamb, Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, and Apple Crostata.
Reviews
"Ina Garten is my kind of cook- wholesome, well prepared food that looks good enough to eat."
"I have all of Ina's books and they are my reference for all of my cooking."
"I love her advice and her recipes."
"great book, as always Barefoot Contessa has great, easy to cook ideas."
"All of Ina's cookbooks are wonderful."
"I don't give that many parties, but I really enjoy reading and trying Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa recipes."
"great recipes, just as you would expect from Ina Garten.."
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Best Thanksgiving Cooking

Appetites: A Cookbook
Appetites, his first cookbook in more than ten years, boils down forty-plus years of professional cooking and globe-trotting to a tight repertoire of personal favorites—dishes that everyone should (at least in Mr. Bourdain’s opinion) know how to cook. “In what might be his most accessible book yet, Bourdain reveals his “Ina Garten-like need to feed the people around me” with a terrific collection of recipes for family and friends.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) ).
Reviews
"Great pictures."
"Bought this when it first came out."
"Great book!"
"A fun read."
"Appetites is his love of food and a way to the fun in the kitchen, if you dare."
"Good Information from Bourdain -this is an entertaining read as well as a good cookbook ..."
"Not only is this book a work of art, beautiful and irreverent at the same time, but out of the many great cookbooks I have collected in my life, nobody gives better directions."
"Great eclectic collection of recipes."
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