I’m going to start with my overall review – Buy it! I reviewed April as a dud, but May certainly makes up for it. This months issue is packed with so many party ideas, easy recipes, and 100 tips from amazing chefs. I’d recommend you steal a few indulgent weekend hours, curled up in the spring time sun, with a glass of sage limeade (page 135) and devour this magazine.
The Best Feature:
100 Greatest Cooking Tips (of all time!) – This feature makes this issue a reader which I love! The tips are from all of your favorite food network starts and other elite chefs. They were all home cooks once too and they have some awesome ideas to share.
Pages that are Keepers:
Page 20: An Avocado a Day – 31 different things to do with delicious avocados
Page 85: Mix & Match Quick Bread – the mix & match series is new this year in the magazine and are a great way to learn a recipe method, but completely make it your own
Page 119: Dressed Down – a collection of popular salad dressings made low calories and low fat, they include ranch, Italian, carrot-ginger, thousand island, and blue cheese.
Party Hits:
Page 91: Popcorn Cake – having an Oscar party? A party to watch old movie favorites? Or do you just like to save awesome and easy cake recipes for your future children’s birthday parties? This cake looks awesome and so easy!
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| Popcorn Cake |
Page 45 & Page 125: Ice Cream Cake – this issue has two different ice cream cake recipes, bring on summer parties! Ice Cream Crunch Cake and Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream Pie
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| Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream Pie |
Page 131: Small Plate Party – there are recipes for all kinds of finger food that can all be done on the grill. Have the girls over for wine in the back yard and grill up Baby Lamb Chops with Lemon, Asparagus with Garlic Dip, and SalmonRillettes with Tomato Salad.
Page 135: Granitaville – need an ice cold dessert for the backyard summer cookout with the girls? Freeze up this granite ahead of time and bring it out after dinner.
Page 142: Sangria! Make this crowd pleasing cocktail this summer in red, white, or rose. I highly recommend you make this the day before!
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| Sangria! |
I can’t wait to try:
Page 98: Salami-Mozzarella Calzone – a great calzone recipe is one that I would love to learn and keep in my arsenal because after it’s been mastered you can make countless changes just like pizza!
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| Salami-Mozzarella Calzone |
Page 106: Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings – I make these spinach ball appetizers all the time, I guess you could say it’s my signature party food. These dumplings look like another fun way to get some spinach in our diets.
Page 127: Herb Soup with Crab – perfect for a dinner on a cool summer night.
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| Herb Soup with Crab |
Page 147: Chiles Rellenos – I’m a little afraid these might be too spicy for me but I love trying new Mexican dishes on Tuesdays with Matt – we’ll try this one soon and let you know how they turn out.
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| Chiles Rellenos |
I know I just threw a lot at you – I hope that’s proof that this issue rocks and you should pick it up at the grocery store this weekend!
Great review! I haven't taken the time to look at this magazine, but I will now. That ice cream pie looks perfect for summer desserts!
ReplyDeleteThe popcorn cake looks super cute!
ReplyDeleteawesome review.