COOKING WITH CHEF GARFIELD--THE CELEBRATED CAT IS NOW A CELEBRITY CHEF! TWO DELIGHTFUL COOKBOOKS FROM THE CAT IN THE CHEF'S HAT!

 


GARFIELD...RECIPES WITH CATTITUDE! 

from Gooseberry Patch 


Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude!: Over 230 Scrumptious, Quick & Easy Recipes for Garfield's Favorite Foods...Lasagna, Pizza and Much More!  Gooseberry Patch and Garfield the cat... it's a match made in food heaven! The first new Garfield cookbook in ten years, Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! is packed with over 230 yummy recipes near and dear to Garfield's tummy. Gooseberry Patch fans will love this fun new twist on the quick & easy recipes they've come to expect. Garfield collectors will love Gooseberry Patch and Garfield the cat... it's a match made in food heaven! The first new Garfield cookbook in ten years, Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! is packed with over 230 yummy recipes near and dear to Garfield's tummy. Gooseberry Patch fans will love this fun new twist on the quick & easy recipes they've come to expect. Garfield collectors will love the strips and quips by Jim Davis, while the simple recipes will entice even inexperienced cooks. Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! delivers heaps of homestyle flavor and Garfield's humor adds tons of fun to each page. Readers will love Cheesy Scramblin' Pizza for breakfast. Happy Burgers, Baked Chili Fries and Jim's Spicy Deviled Eggs (from Davis himself!) are on the lunch menu. Spicy Honey Chicken Wings and Crispy Bacon Bread Sticks are perfect for snacking and sharing. At dinner, they'll love Bow-Tie Lasagna, Creamy Salmon Manicotti, and Meatball Pizza Pockets just as much as Garfield does. Even a bachelor like Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, can make Incredibly Easy Pot Roast and Spicy Roasted Potatoes with these simple-to-follow recipes. Of course, it isn't dinner without dessert, so treat yourself to Caramel Apple Pie. Chapters include: Breakfast Is Served...Time to Get Up!; First Lunch, Then a Catnap; Snack Attack!; Lotsa Lasagna, Pasta & Pizza; It's Dinner Time...Now!; and Dinner is Over, What's for Dessert? There are plenty of Garfield gags and illustrations, plus easy cooking tips and simple substitutions... the kind of advice Gooseberry Patch fans have come to love. 



MY REVIEW:   When the world's most fabulous feline foodie joins forces with a renowned cookbook publisher, expect incredible edibles! "Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude!: Over 230 Scrumptious, Quick & Easy Recipes for Garfield's Favorite Foods...Lasagna, Pizza and Much More!" is a joyous joint venture from Garfield and Gooseberry Patch. I love Garfield--he makes me laugh out loud! Whenever I would chuckle when reading the newspaper, Mama would always say: "What's Garfield done now?". The folks at Gooseberry Patch offer the most mouthwatering cookbooks you could imagine, and they really topped themselves with this terrifcally tasty collection from our favorite culinary cat--Chef Garfield. This cookbook is loaded to the max with food and fun, and there are images of Garfield and friends on every page of the book. Each page also has a helpful hint or side note. The recipes are divided into sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and of course, a special section for lasagna, pasta, and pizza. These recipes are easy to prepare, and you will easily find something to please everyone--even the pickiest of eaters. Just a sampling of the delightful dishes you will find: "Crustless Breakfast Pie"; "Lazy Cat Pancake"; "Mom's Chicken Soup for a Cold"; "Deluxe Greek Salad"; "Pull-Apart Pizza Bread"; "Salty-Sweet Crunchy Mix"; "Classic Lasagna"; "Farmers' Market Fettuccine"; "Oven-Fried Catfish", "Hushpuppies", and "Farm-Fresh Coleslaw"; "Picnic Basket Cake"; "Country Cheesecake Bars"; "Just Peachy Blueberry Crisp"; and "Double-the-Fun Fudge". There are also recipes for treats for cats and dogs. Kids of all ages will enjoy reading this cookbook, and you will find many new family favorite recipes from Garfield and Gooseberry Patch.  




 


I'm in the Mood for Food: In the Kitchen with Garfield  
by Jim Davis with Recipes from Barbara Albright    



Over the years, Garfield the cat has struck a chord with readers who can identify with his laid-back, shall-we-say-lazy approach to life. The famous feline--whose passion for food and sleep is matched only by his aversion to diet and exercise (he prefers lie-downs to sit-ups)--has become the poster cat for all kinds of people, none of whom would ever describe themselves as "Type A's."


To celebrate being the world's favorite feline, Garfield introduces I'm in the Mood for Food: In the Kitchen with Garfield.


Chock-full of tasty recipes, the cookbook also features spot art and food-related Garfield comics in color. I'm in the Mood for Food includes chapters on Family Food, Party Food, Pasta, Outdoor Cooking, Kids' Recipes, Snacks, and Desserts. Consider some of these mouth-watering morsels: Lazy Cat's Lasagna, Color Me Hungry Red Pepper Potato Frittata, Royal Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken and I'd Rather Be Happy Than Thin Chocolate-Chunk Cookies. All in all, I'm in the Mood for Food will appeal to cooks everywhere, especially those who love Garfield and, like him, believe that the best things in life are edible.  



MY REVIEW:   I adore Garfield. He makes me laugh out loud. Garfield adores food. He is foodie extraordinaire! This tubby tabby is an expert on lasagna, laughter, and mastering his hapless master. "I'm In The Mood For Food: In The Kitchen With Garfield" offers lots of humor from Garfield and his creator Jim Davis, and dozens of wonderful recipes from Barbara Albright. This cookbook is good enough to eat, with easy-to-fix recipes that are fun food for the whole family. Don't worry about calories--you'll burn them off laughing! Try these recipes on for "Garfield size" enjoyment: "Cheesy Baked Potato Casserole"; "Tempting Tuna Steaks"; "Color Me Hungry Red Pepper Potato Frittata"; "Killer Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie"; "Lucky Ginger Pennies"; "Macho Nachos"; "Brownie-Bottomed Ice Cream Pie"; "Life's a Party Havarti Shrimp Dip With Garlic Toasts"; "When in Doubt Pig Out Breaded Pan-Fried Pork Chops"; "Royal Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken"; "I'd Rather Be Happy Than Thin Chocolate-Chunk Cookies"; and of course..."Lazy Cat's Lasagna".

"The Cake Boss"--BUDDY VALASTRO--rich family history--lasting legacy of over 100 years

 


Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia  by Buddy Valastro 


In this heartfelt memoir, master baker and star of the #1 hit TLC show, Buddy Valastro tells his inspiring story—and recounts his family’s warm memories from a lifetime of living, loving, and cake making.
Television viewers have fallen in love with Buddy Valastro, master cake maker, and his funny and fiery family, proprietors of Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey, on the smash hit TLC series Cake Boss. Now, to coincide with Carlo’s 100th anniversary, cake designer extraordinaire Buddy Valastro brings together his passion for baking and his high-energy family stories in the pages of this charming, heartwarming book—complete with 25 recipes and tips that will make every reader the “cake boss” of their own kitchen.Buddy’s beautifully designed cakes are the stuff of legend—and so is the remarkable story of his father, a beloved pillar of the community and himself a talented baker who set the stage for his family’s rise to the pinnacle of their industry. Cake Boss recounts the story of Buddy’s life and of his family’s bakeshop, originally established in 1910 and now a Hoboken, New Jersey, landmark and culinary tourist destination. Here also are twenty-five recipes for Carlo’s Bakery’s most sought-after pastries, pies, cupcakes, and cakes, an irresistible combination of time-tested old-world recipes and modern creations, all founded on a rock-solid “old-school” baking foundation and classic techniques.This is the incredible true story of how Carlo’s Bakery came to be, how one hard-working family realized their patriarch’s dream of making their beloved bake shop a household name. The special bond and loving dynamic of the Valastro clan make this an uncommonly touching and truly inspiring memoir. 


MY REVIEW:   An engaging and involving memoir, "Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia", by Buddy Valastro, is told in a warm, personal style just as though Buddy were speaking directly to the reader. Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey, is the family-owned and operated bakery extraordinaire which has achieved legendary status in its more than one century of making the sweetest of dreams come true for its many loyal customers. While the cakes and confections produced by the bakery fulfill the fantasies of the most fanatic foodies, it takes the lifelong hard work and devotion of the family and friends who work as a team to ensure the consistent quality and customer service for which Carlo's Bake Shop is noted. The heartfelt story of the Valastros, their family and friends, and the living legacy of their landmark bakery made a natural transition to TV with the hit show, "Cake Boss", on The Learning Channel (TLC). Included along with magical memories and appealing photos are recipes for the bakery's most popular pastries, pies, and cakes: "Classic Biscotti"; "Pecan Wedges"; "Cannoli"; "Ricotta Pie"; "Banana Cream Pie"; "Crumb Cake"; "Carrot Cake", and more. Spend some time with "The Cake Boss" and his family, and you might just hit the road to Hoboken.   


Review Copy Gratis Simon & Schuster      







The Essential Cake Boss (A Condensed Edition of Baking with the Cake Boss): Bake Like The Boss--Recipes & Techniques You Absolutely Have to Know   by Buddy Valastro 


Bake Like the Boss! 


The Essential Cake Boss is a perfect slice of Buddy Valastro’s beloved bestseller Baking with the Cake Boss—a sweet collection of Buddy’s core recipes and techniques; the building blocks of Buddy’s show-stopping desserts; and many of his most popular, signature creations. You’ll learn to work with baking and decorating equipment, bake perfectly moist cupcakes and cakes, and work magical effects with frosting and fondant. Gorgeous photos let you follow Buddy as he shows how to create his artistic flourishes and decorations. The Essential Cake Boss also features charts that let you mix and match cake flavor, frosting, and liqueur syrup to create your own trademark cakes.  


Bursting with delicious, tried-and-true recipes, handy tricks of the trade, and stories told in Buddy’s inimitable voice, The Essential Cake Boss is a rare treat— a fun, accessible guide to baking that inspires home bakers to new culinary heights, all in a gloriously designed, fully illustrated book worthy of the Cake Boss’s unique artistic vision.  


MY REVIEW:   "The Essential Cake Boss" may be a condensed version of master baker Buddy Valastro's "Baking with the Cake Boss", but it is filled to the brim with mouthwatering recipes and expert baking methods and helpful hints. While you may never achieve the level of food artistry of the "Cake Boss", you can elevate your level of baking skill and culinary knowledge. You won't just be in awe--you'll be truly inspired. Sections such as "Basic Baking Techniques", "Decorating Techniques", and "Working with Fondant" are magically mixed together with recipes for cookies, cakes and cupcakes, and frostings and fillings. Try to resist the appeal of these tempting treats: "Double Chocolate Chip Cookies"; "Pignoli Cookies"; "Christmas Tree Cupcakes"; "Raspberry Dream Cake"; "Old Fashioned Italian Rum Cake"; "Red Velvet Cake", and more. Fully illustrated from cover to cover, this slim volume contains a wealth of baking and decorating techniques. Practice makes perfect, and the test products are scrumptious.  


Review Copy Gratis Simon & Schuster   







Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss: Recipes for Get-Togethers Throughout the Year  by Buddy Valastro 



Make every gathering with your friends and famiglia extra special with these great new cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and other delicious, gorgeous desserts—and 100 other original recipes featuring the Cake Boss’s signature twist on favorite family foods! Besides being a master baker and fantastic cook, Buddy Valastro is a great host. He knows the key to every successful family dinner, gathering, or party: a fabulous cake as the starring attraction together with great food! Clear, step-by-step instructions and photos will guide you through recipes perfect for all generations and for every occasion—birthday parties, anniversary parties, summer barbeques, and feasts for the major holidays.  


As he does in every book, Buddy brings his characteristic warmth and flair to Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss, sharing personal stories alongside cooking, baking, and decorating tips. His charisma as well as his delicious appetizers, dinners, and desserts make this an indispensable cookbook for every holiday and special occasion. Whether you’re cooking for six or sixty, these delicious dishes from the Cake Boss will make your next family gathering an event to remember! 


MY REVIEW:   "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro brings his signature style and joy for food and life to "Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss: Recipes for Get-Togethers Throughout the Year''. Featuring fantastic food for all occasions--topped off by unforgettable desserts--this photo-filled book will have you returning to the kitchen again and again to create memorable celebratory meals for family and friends. Each recipe comes with its own story, making the preparation and enjoyment of the finished dishes all the more special. You and your loved ones will appreciate the irresistible appetizing appeal of recipes like these: "Antipasto Salad"; "Apple-Oatmeal Cookies"; "Sesame Chicken Fingers"; "Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes''; "Roasted Rib Eyes with Horseradish Butter"; "Cherry-Glazed Holiday Ham''; "Eggnog Ice Cream"; "Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus"; "Smoked Salmon Risotto"; and much more. Organized by holidays, special occasions, and "just because" days, this cookbook offers traditional favorites and new discoveries that will add so much flavor and fun to your get-togethers with family and friends.  


Review Copy Gratis Simon & Schuster 

REVIEW: "Old-School Comfort Food--The Way I Learned to Cook" by popular TV Chef Alex Guarnaschelli

Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook

by

Alex Guarnaschelli

How does one become an Iron Chef and a Chopped judge on Food Network—and what does she really cook at home?

 
Alex Guarnaschelli grew up in a home suffused with a love of cooking, where soufflés and cheeseburgers were equally revered. The daughter of a respected cookbook editor and a Chinese cooking enthusiast, Alex developed a passion for food at a young age, sealing her professional fate. Old-School Comfort Food shares her journey from waist-high taste-tester to trained chef who now adores spending time in the kitchen with her daughter, along with the 100 recipes for how she learned to cook—and the way she still loves to eat.

 
Here are Alex’s secrets to great home cooking, where humble ingredients and familiar preparations combine with excellent technique and care to create memorable meals. Alex brings her recipes to life with reminiscences of everything from stealing tomatoes from her aunt’s garden and her first bite of her mother’s pâté to being one of the few women in the kitchen of a renowned Parisian restaurant and serving celebrity clientele in her own successful New York City establishments. With 75 color photographs and ephemera, Old-School Comfort Food is Alex’s love letter to deliciousness.

MY REVIEW:  Our concept of "comfort food" is influenced by the family kitchen of our childhood and our encounters with food from outside the home. If you are a true "foodie", then you have a fascination with all the things that combine to complete your food and make it into the finished dish which you consume. "Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook", by accomplished chef and TV personality Alex Guarnaschelli, is a perfect example of how our differences in heritage and life experiences shape our idea of what is our comfort zone, and that includes our favorite foods and beverages. Written with dry humor, and a refreshing, down-to-earth tone, this cookbook almost makes you feel as though you and Alex are having a conversation about food. Even if your idea of comfort food is much different than hers, you will appreciate her amazing "journey in food". Her earliest food impressions were provided by her esteemed cookbook-editor mother, and by her father, whose Italian heritage was blended with a love for cooking Chinese food. Once grown, and out on her own, Alex traveled the globe, cooking and learning from some of the most highly-renowned chefs in a number of the most prestigious restaurants in the world. Her eventual return to her home turf of New York added further layers to her adventures in food, as she worked in a Madison Square Garden steakhouse, taught at the Institute of Culinary Education, and even held a job as private chef for a family on Park Avenue. Now an executive chef at more than one top New York City establishment, Alex is also a veteran star of numerous TV food and cooking programs. In addition to sharing her recipes, Alex also shares cooking techniques and essential kitchen tools, and she is not afraid to specify her favorite brand names for ingredients. She also provides a "sources" pages featuring some of her personal picks for places and products. Here are some of her recipes which I found most appealing: "Overnight Garlic Bread"; "Chilled Iceberg Wedge with Blue Cheese and Leeks"; "Shrimp and Cucumber Salad"; "Mom's Meatloaf"; "Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops with Apple and Brussels Sprouts"; "Broiled Bluefish with Corn and Bacon"; "Mashed Potatoes Chantilly"; "Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Caramel Top"; and "Evil Cheese Biscuits". Also included is a "Make it from Scratch" chapter which provides recipes for such kitchen staples as butter, pickles, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce. You will enjoy this view of "comfort food" from an author whose love of subject and considerable skills and knowledge shine through from page to page.

Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

"The Tuscan Sun: Recipes from our Italian Kitchen" by Frances and Edward Mayes--Lose yourself in the transporting photography of the food, the people, and the place (plus book and film "UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN")

"The Tuscan Sun: Recipes from our Italian Kitchen"   by Frances and Edward Mayes

“Tuscan food tastes like itself. Ingredients are left to shine. . . . So, if on your visit, I hand you an apron, your work will be easy. We’ll start with primo ingredients, a little flurry of activity, perhaps a glass of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and soon we’ll be carrying platters out the door. We’ll have as much fun setting the table as we have in the kitchen. Four double doors along the front of the house open to the outside—so handy for serving at a long table under the stars (or for cooling a scorched pan on the stone wall). Italian Philosophy 101: la casa aperta, the open house.”—from the Introduction
 
In all of Frances Mayes’s bestselling memoirs about Tuscany, food plays a starring role. This cuisine transports, comforts, entices, and speaks to the friendly, genuine, and improvisational spirit of Tuscan life. Both cooking and eating in Tuscany are natural pleasures. In her first-ever cookbook, Frances and her husband, Ed, share recipes that they have enjoyed over the years as honorary Tuscans: dishes prepared in a simple, traditional kitchen using robust, honest ingredients.          

A toast to the experiences they’ve had over two decades at Bramasole, their home in Cortona, Italy, this cookbook evokes days spent roaming the countryside for chestnuts, green almonds, blackberries, and porcini; dinner parties stretching into the wee hours, and garden baskets tumbling over with bright red tomatoes.           

Lose yourself in the transporting photography of the food, the people, and the place, as Frances’s lyrical introductions and headnotes put you by her side in the kitchen and raising a glass at the table. From Antipasti (starters) to Dolci (desserts), this cookbook is organized like a traditional Italian dinner.
           
The more than 150 tempting recipes include:

·         Fried Zucchini Flowers
·         Red Peppers Melted with Balsamic Vinegar
·         Potato Ravioli with Zucchini, Speck, and Pecorino
·         Risotto Primavera
·         Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Sausage
·         Cannellini Bean Soup with Pancetta
·         Little Veal Meatballs with Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes
·         Chicken Under a Brick
·         Short Ribs, Tuscan-Style
·         Domenica’s Rosemary Potatoes
·         Folded Fruit Tart with Mascarpone
·         Strawberry Semifreddo
·         Steamed Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Frances and Ed also share their tips on stocking your pantry, pairing wines with dishes, and choosing the best olive oil. Learn their time-tested methods for hand rolling pasta and techniques for coaxing the best out of seasonal ingredients with little effort. Throw on another handful of pasta, pull up a chair, and languish in the rustic Italian way of life.

MY REVIEW:  One of my favorite "mindcations" is "Under the Tuscan Sun". In my version, everything has the beautiful glow of Renaissance reds and golds. Even I am beautiful and glowing. Rustic, yet regal, my villa is filled with light, laughter, gorgeous food and great wine, good times and good people. Acclaimed writer Frances Mayes set the wheels of my mind in motion when I saw the film version of her book, "Under the Tuscan Sun" (starring the wonderful Diane Lane), and then I added to my enjoyment of the film by reading her books and following her blog. Now Frances and her husband Edward Mayes, an accomplished poet, have given their readers a very special gift: "The Tuscan Sun: Recipes from our Italian Kitchen". Cooking and reading are two of my favorite pastimes. The more complicated your life, the more demands made on your time, the more you need to take the time to care for yourself. Food is not just a necessity for life, it is a pleasure for all of our senses. Cooking should be something that you enjoy, never just a chore. "The Tuscan Sun Cookbook" celebrates the food and lifestyle of a region both simple and spectacular, a glorious combination of earth, sea, and sun. The well-stocked pantry, the bounty of the sea and the soil, basic, well-used pans and utensils, and timeless food preparation techniques are all highlighted here along with incredibly beautiful, vividly-hued photographs. My favorite photo in the book is the first one, which shows Frances and Ed in the kitchen of "Bramasole", their home in Cortona, Italy. Their love of each other, and the joy of their extraordinary life together clearly shines in the appealing, inviting image. Then there are the recipes, which are organized by course and expanded and illuminated by the involving stories and delicious images spread throughout the book. All of your senses will be engaged and satiated. Inhale the aromas, treat your eyes to the visual feast, and then savor the flavors of food, fabulous food such as: "When-in-Rome Artichokes"; "Fiorella's Red Pepper Tart"; "Pasta Shells with Shrimp and Three Cheeses"; "Angry Pasta"; "Minestrone: Big Soup"; "Risotto Primavera"; "Pizza with Caramelized Onion and Sausage"; "Chicken Under a Brick"; "Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Vinegar"; "Sea Bass in a Salt Crust"; "Peach Gelato"; "Folded Fruit Tart with Marscapone"; and "Fig and Walnut Tart". There are wine suggestions for many of the recipes, and a special chapter on wine and other libations closes the book. Frances and Ed Mayes will capture your culinary imagination and leave you longing for the golden warmth of the Tuscan sun.

Book Copy Gratis Clarkson Potter Publishers




Under the Tuscan Sun (book)

An enchanting and lyrical look at the life, the traditions, and the cuisine of Tuscany, in the spirit of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence.

Frances Mayes entered a wondrous new world when she began restoring an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There were unexpected treasures at every turn: faded frescos beneath the whitewash in her dining room, a vineyard under wildly overgrown brambles in the garden, and, in the nearby hill towns, vibrant markets and delightful people. In Under the Tuscan Sun, she brings the lyrical voice of a poet, the eye of a seasoned traveler, and the discerning palate of a cook and food writer to invite readers to explore the pleasures of Italian life and to feast at her table

Under the Tuscan Sun (film)

 

Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book, Under The Tuscan Sun follows San Francisco writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) on a ten-day trip to Tuscany. 

 

When Frances Mayes learns her husband is cheating on her from a writer whom she gave a bad review, her life is turned upside down. In an attempt to bring her out of a deep depression, her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), encourages Frances to take a tour of Italy. 

 

Once there, she is captivated by the beautiful Italian countryside, and impulsively buys an aging, but charming villa. Fully embracing new friends and local color, Frances finds herself immersed in a life-changing adventure filled with enough unexpected surprises, laughter, and romance to restore her new home - and her belief in second chances.

 
Frances Mayes

 

Frances Mayes's new novel is Women in Sunlight, published by Crown. With her husband, Edward Mayes she recently published The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. Every Day in Tuscany is the third volume in her bestselling Tuscany memoir series.

In addition to her Tuscany memoirs, Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany , Frances Mayes is the author of the memoirs Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir; A Year in the World; the illustrated books In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home; Swan, a novel; The Discovery of Poetry, a text for readers; and five books of poetry. She divides her time between homes in Italy and North Carolina. 

http://www.francesmayesbooks.com

"Nonna’s House: Cooking and Reminiscing with the Italian Grandmothers of Enoteca Maria"--the "secret ingredients" are love, laughter, and life!

Nonna's House: Cooking and Reminiscing with the Italian Grandmothers of Enoteca Maria   by Jody Scaravella and Elisa Petrini

This beautiful collection of food and nostalgia features great traditions from the heart of Italy, with delicious recipes and colorful stories from the internationally celebrated grandmothers of Enoteca Maria—a one-of-a-kind Italian restaurant where a rotating cast of nonnas are the star chefs.

Enoteca Maria takes great home cooking seriously. At this intimate, hospitable restaurant on Staten Island, all the cooking is done by ten nonnas (grandmothers), drawing on their own family recipes, handed down for generations, which reflect their regional traditions. Here are their delicious homemade pastas, risottos, desserts, and more, which have foodies from all over the world taking the ferry to the forgotten borough for an authentic taste of Italy.

Beautiful full-color photography captures the fresh, distinctive flavors of these surprising dishes. Nonna Cristina shares her beautiful Risotto with Strawberries, Black Pepper, and Parmesan; Nonna Margherita offers delectable Stuffed Peppers with Pine Nuts and Raisins; and Nonna Teresa shows off her prize-winning Meat and Cheese Lasagna. Nonna Elvira whips up her peerless Linguine with Cuttlefish and Ink; Adelina creates a savory Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Sausage, and Chestnuts; and Rosaria makes handmade Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Cherry Tomatoes and Porcini Mushrooms. Nonna Carmelina shares her classic Potato Pie with Ham, Salami, and Mozzarella; Rosa confides her nonna’s secret recipe for Rabbit with Sage; and Nina sautés Chicken alla Capricciosa, with prosciutto and mushrooms. Nonna Francesca launches the book with advice on the time-honored art of preserving everything from olives to soppressata.

With its utterly delicious tastes of grandmother’s kitchen, Nonna’s House is a legacy of flavors passed down through generations, now captured here forever. Restaurant founder Jody Scaravella says it best: “If I have a choice between a three-star Michelin chef’s restaurant and Grandma’s, I’m going to Grandma’s. I’m going to the source.”

**********

Jody Scaravella, or “Joe,” is the creator of Enoteca Maria, which opened in 2007 on Staten Island, with its signature cooking by Italian grandmothers. The “nonnas” have captivated the media, not only in New York but nationally and abroad, and have appeared on the Today show, Rachael Ray, Fox & Friends, and CNN’s Eatocracy, among other media.

THE BANNON BROTHERS SERIES—contemporary romantic suspense from author JANET DAILEY

 

With relentless suspense and a deft feel for creating men of power and character, Janet Dailey introduces three unforgettable brothers: RJ, Linc, and Deke Bannon.

TRUST—Bannon Brothers 1  by Janet Dailey

Cold cases aren't RJ Bannon's usual line of work. But Ann Montgomery's long-ago abduction is too intriguing to pass up. Ann was just three when she was taken in the night from her family's historic Virginia mansion more than twenty-five years ago. The socially prominent Montgomerys launched a heartbreaking search but no trace of the missing girl was ever found.

Bannon knows the chances of finding her now--alive or dead--are slim, yet he can't stop searching for answers. Especially once he meets Erin Randall. A beautiful, talented local artist, she seems to share some tantalizing connections with the vanished Ann. As the legacy of lies and deception comes to a shocking climax, a hidden menace explodes, and Bannon vows to protect Erin at all costs. . .even if it puts his own life on the line. . .

Praise for Janet Dailey and Bannon Brothers: Trust

"Dailey launches her Bannon Brothers trilogy with this fast-paced, compelling romantic mystery." --Library Journal

"Romance and suspense blend seamlessly into the tightly crafted plot." --Romantic Times

HONOR—Bannon Brothers 2  by Janet Dailey

Never Let You Down…

Rugged. Tall. Built to last. Linc Bannon has it all--and he's there every time Kenzie needs him. Their mission is to serve their country stateside, Linc in high-level intelligence, Kenzie training combat dogs. Independent and sexy, Kenzie is definitely one of a kind--and the only one he wants. But if you ask her, she doesn't need a hero in her life.

Until two of her friends, thousands of miles apart, are suddenly struck down. One, a soldier, is dead; the other, a civilian, is barely alive. Linc goes into action and uncovers a lethal web connecting the tragic events. A killer is at large, unhinged and with unfinished business. Now Kenzie has no choice but to join forces with the one man who can get past her defenses. . .

TRIUMPH—Bannon Brothers 3  by Janet Dailey

The Bannon brothers are a breed apart, ready to face any challenge.

Deke Bannon, federal criminal investigator, risks his life just about every damn day--but that doesn't mean he'll let Kelly Johns do the same. The gorgeous news anchor doesn't care that her life is in peril for knowing too much and trying to find out more. To protect Kelly, Deke will have to keep her close--no matter how hard she fights him.

Good luck with that. Kelly's every instinct tells her she's stumbled across the story of her career. But there's a catch. Without Deke, she can't infiltrate the dark underworld operating beyond the reach of the law. With him, she's in a whole other kind of danger. On the case, Deke Bannon is a force of nature--unpredictable, unstoppable, and always one step ahead of her. Except when he takes her in his arms--and the world stands still for both of them.

JANET DAILEY

Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

http://www.janetdailey.com/

FILL YOUR READING BASKET WITH FRESH PICKS FROM BETHANY HOUSE INSPIRATIONAL HISTORICAL FICTION

 

 

 

THE POTTER'S LADY  by Judith Miller

 

 

"The Potter's Lady" is Book Two in author Judith Miller's "Refined by Love" series. Readers are once again treated to the beautiful setting of the mountains of West Virginia. Newly graduated from the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, Rose McKay is eager to put what she has learned to practical use. Rejoining her family in Grafton, West Virginia, Rose is determined to convince her brother, Ewan, to invest in a pottery-making business. She is equally determined to use her own ideas and newly-acquired design skills to make their venture a success. Rylan Campbell had worked his way up through the years to becoming the assistant to the owner and operator of the pottery business, and now he had to adjust to the new owners and their ways of thinking and doing business. Competition is strong from a rival local pottery maker, and a design competition offered by a prestigious hotel seems a good way for McKay Pottery to make their name known in the industry. Rose and Rylan must put their differences of opinion aside to work for the good of the company. Time spent together brings a new appreciation of each other's skills and abilities, and awareness of one another as more than coworkers. Hopes for a happy future are now broadened to include a wish for personal joy along with success and recognition. The faith that carried Rose through trying times as a social outcast immigrant at the school will also see her through the conflicts caused by those who do not share in the happy dreams of the McKay clan. Judith Miller is a wonderful writer who enriches each of her stories with well-researched, involving historical detail and charming, compelling characterizations. Readers will also enjoy "The Brickmaker's Bride", Book One in the "Refined by Love" series.

 

 

Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

A NOBLE MASQUERADE  by Kristi Ann Hunter

 

 

 

All of the elements readers love in Regency romance are to be found in "A Noble Masquerade"--a delightful debut work from author Kristi Ann Hunter. This inspirational historical romance with touches of humor and mystery will keep the reader's interest, and they will smile as they turn the pages. Lady Miranda Hawthorne comports herself as a proper lady, even while in the tenure of her fourth London season. Since childhood, her longing for a life of freedom and adventure has been secretly detailed in unsent missives written to Marshington, an old school friend of her brother, Griffith. When one of the letters is discovered by Griffith's new valet Marlow, and the man mails the letter to Marshington--now the grown up Ryland Montgomery, Duke of Marshington--complications ensue. Miranda is equally captivated by Marlow and by Ryland, who begins to correspond with her. As confusing emotions swirl around Miranda, intrigue builds and tensions increase. Who will Miranda choose when mysteries are resolved and true identities are revealed? Through it all faith has a guiding hand, and when all is said and done, will love and a hopeful future be the heart's reward?

 

 

Review Copy Gratis Library Thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE LOST HEIRESS  by Roseanna M. White

 

 

 

Author Roseanna M. White begins her "Ladies of the Manor" series with "The Lost Heiress", an Inspirational Historical Romance set in the early twentieth century. Although her childhood is spent in the royal palace of Monaco, Brook Eden bears a British birthright with uncertain origins. Raised by the royal family, the Grimaldis, Brook was once thought to be the illegitimate daughter of Prince Louis, heir to the throne, and opera diva Collette Sabatini. After that assumption proves false, mystery remains as to the truth of Brook's ancestry. Determined to find her real family, Brook seeks help from her lifelong friend, Justin Wildon, Lord Harlow. When Justin travels to England to further his education, Brook asks him to investigate her lineage, and he discovers that she is actually the Baroness of Berkley, and heiress to a sizable estate. Her real father, the Earl of Whitby, is alive and anxious to finally meet her. Travel to the estate of her newly-found family brings a few answers and even more questions. A tragic history may be repeating itself, and Brook will need the strength of her faith and the support of her dear friend Justin to help her courage remain steadfast. Justin has his own issues of inheritance to deal with, and as changing circumstances bring about new responsibilities, the relationship between Justin and Brook also changes. Has the friendship that began so long ago deepened into the love of a lifetime? Can the bond they share survive threats to their happiness and grow into a future filled with joy? "The Lost Heiress" is an involving, intriguing Inspirational Historical Romance from author Roseanna M. White.

 

 

Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

A WORTHY PURSUIT  by Karen Witemeyer

 

 

 

Karen Witemeyer is a talented writer who creates charming characters and gives them very entertaining story lines. Threaded throughout all of her books is an underlying core of deep, abiding faith. In "A Worthy Pursuit", Charlotte Atherton, also known as "Lottie" is the dedicated headmistress of Sullivan's Academy for Exceptional Youths. When the school abruptly closes under questionable circumstances, Lottie is forced into action to protect the children in her care. One girl in particular, orphaned Lily Dorchester, had been placed under Lottie's guardianship through written documentation by the child's mother, Rebekah. Two young boys, whose neglectful families chose to ignore the children as much as possible, would accompany Lottie and Rebekah on their flight to safety. Along for the ride, was Mr. Dobson, a worker from the school who accepted Lottie's decision without question. Lottie knew very well who was behind the closing of the school--Randolph Dorchester, who wanted to reclaim his granddaughter. Lottie had promised Lily's mother to keep the child from her grandfather, and she meant to stay true to her vow. Stone Hammond, bounty hunter extraordinaire, known as the best tracker in Texas, has never come home without his quarry. How hard could it be to retrieve a young girl from a schoolmarm on the lam? When the real situation turns out to be much different than he expected, Stone must rethink his purpose in pursuing a small girl and the feisty woman so fiercely protecting little Lily. An attack by a bobcat threatening the children leaves Stone wounded, and a grateful Lottie allows him to stay with them while he recuperates. As mutual attraction and admiration grown between Lottie and Stone, trust and hope begin to take root. Is there a way to ensure Lily's happy future, and will that future include a newly-formed family with Lottie and Stone? A leap of faith, a kind turn by the hand of fate, and a real and lasting love will all come together to answer this most urgent question of the heart. "A Worthy Pursuit" is indeed a worthy choice for lovers of historical romance.

 

 

Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books