The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day

One of the world’s most popular food blogs, RecipeGirl.com is the place to go for easy, family-friendly recipes. With hungry mouths to feed and little time to waste, busy moms and dads need simple options that don’t involve a drive-thru, hard-to-find ingredients, or hours spent in the kitchen. The Recipe Girl Cookbook offers all that and more with recipes that use fresh ingredients. As a mom herself, author Lori Lange knows how valuable your time is. But she also knows that you won’t sacrifice quality for quickness. With 195 simple and simply delicious recipes for everything from breakfast to happy hour to dinner and dessert, plenty of variations and substitutions, and handy icons to call out vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free recipes, family meals will never be the same again.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Featured Cook Alice:

Hello, Cooks&Books&Recipes readers! I’m so happy to be here with you all today. When I heard that RecipeGirl, Lori Lange, was coming out with a cookbook, I wanted to get my hands on it immediately. If you don’t read her blog or haven’t heard of her, Lori Lange (aka RecipeGirl) is pretty popular. She went from being an elementary school teacher, to a stay-at-home-mom, to a recipe developer and food blogger. Lori started her blog in 2006 and now has a huge following. I think it’s her easy-going and approachable style and her simple, straightforward, and delicious recipes that have her fans coming back for more.

When I received the The Recipe Girl Cookbook in the mail, I was glued to it for a few days straight, just flipping through all 300+ pages. From cocktails to sides & salads to dinner ideas to my favorite “20 Themed Menus for Entertaining” (I love that Lori put this into her cookbook), RecipeGirl has it all covered. And I am continuing to enjoy The Recipe Girl Cookbook: it is a great one for home cooks at all levels, with recipes you’ll probably be cooking over and over again.

The Cookbook Basics:

Paperback (5.9 x 9.8 inches); Kindle edition

336 pages; color photos (by Matt Armendariz)

Chapters and sections: Stocking Your Kitchen: The Basics; Hungry Mornings; Let’s Do Lunch; Happy Hour; Salads & Sides; Dinner at 6; Sweet Treats; Let’s Party; 20 Themed Menus for Entertaining

In the press: San Diego Union-Tribune

Cookbook video:

Photo by Matt Armendariz

Author Lori Lange (RecipeGirl), on Broiled Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Slaw:

I think it was my sister who first introduced me to the beauty of salmon. Of course, she lives in the Northwest, where they truly have the best salmon of anywhere I’ve ever been, and that probably prompted me to declare my love for it right then and there. To this day, salmon is my favorite go-to quick dinner. I enjoy it lightly seasoned with a little added sweetness and broiled, and it’s terrific when paired with a simple sweet slaw.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Featured Cook Alice:

I immediately knew the Broiled Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Slaw would be the magical first recipe I was going to try from The Recipe Girl Cookbook because I love salmon and anytime I see an interesting or new way to cook and serve it, I’m intrigued.

Salmon might be my favorite cooked fish. Not only is it packed with Omega-3′s, but it has loads of vitamins and protein too. We don’t eat it as often as I’d like because my husband spent a summer (while he was in college) in Alaska working on a salmon fishing boat. I think he said he wanted something fun to do. . . . Anyway, he can never look at a salmon with a straight face. But now that we have the girls and they like salmon too, he’s outnumbered.

I like that Lori uses canned pineapple mixed with fresh cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper for the slaw. And I really love the sauce mixture for the salmon.  I found the pineapple slaw to be really tasty and perfect with the salmon. The two worked well together. This is so extremely easy and quick to make — perfect for a weeknight dinner. My only tips for this recipe: (1) Definitely try to use a pyrex baking dish or roasting pan for this because the salmon sauce will drip, and you don’t want to end up with a big mess. (2) Check on your salmon! You don’t want to burn it.

The next time I make this, I’m going to double the dressing. It was wonderful, and I wished I’d had even more to drizzle on my salmon. If you are looking for a quick, light, and healthy recipe, this is it.

Photo credit: Alice Choi, Hip Foodie Mom

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Broiled Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Slaw

Featured Recipe From: The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Slaw

• 5 cups finely shredded cabbage (about 1⁄2 small head)
• 1 1⁄2 cups finely chopped canned pineapple (reserve 2 tablespoons juice for dressing)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed and cut into very thin strips
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1⁄2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from canned pineapples for slaw)
• 1⁄2 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salmon

• 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

To prepare the slaw, in a large bowl, toss together the slaw ingredients.

To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss. Set the slaw aside while you prepare the salmon.

Preheat the oven to broil. Spray a small roasting pan or Pyrex dish with nonstick spray.

To prepare the salmon, place the salmon in the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne and salt. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Broil the salmon for 5 minutes and then spoon the sauce over the salmon again. Broil for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is cooked through to the center. To serve, toss the slaw one more time to reincorporate the dressing. Divide the slaw among 4 bowls. Top the slaw with the broiled salmon and serve immediately.

Make-ahead Tip: This recipe can be quickly assembled by doing all of your chopping and shredding in advance (up to 1 day). The dressing may also be prepared the day before serving.

© 2013 Lori Lange

Reprinted with permission from The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day by Lori Lange (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013)

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock — perhaps a rock filled with coffee, alcohol, dairy, eggs, sugar, shellfish, deep-water fish, wheat, meat, soy, and processed foods (wait, that’s where I live!) — you’ve certainly heard about Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest cookbook It’s All Good. With reviews ranging from adolescent and snippy to fan-girl yet reasoned, getting a feel for this cookbook isn’t easy. Paltrow’s way of eating (i.e., an elimination diet) definitely isn’t my preference, but I know many people who follow similar dietary paths. Food is a personal choice, of course. And I would choose her Sweet Potato and Five Spice Muffins for a breakfast or a snack or a dessert any time. I think I’m smelling the sweet potatoes, maple, vanilla, and spices baking in the oven as I type…

As a bonus, the link below features two of Paltrow’s other recipes: Many-Mushroom Soup and Lamb Tagine with Squash and Chickpeas. Strangely enough, I suspect I’d like both of those too. Who knows? Maybe “elimination” can taste good.

Find the recipe for Sweet Potato and Five Spice Muffins here: Hello! Daily News

More on the cookbook: It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great by Gwyneth Paltrow (Grand Central Life & Style)

The Hot Sauce Cookbook: Turn Up the Heat with 60+ Pepper Sauce Recipes by Robb Walsh

Cocktails for a Crowd: More than 40 Recipes for Making Popular Drinks in Party-Pleasing Batches by Kara Newman and Teri Lyn Fisher

Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen by Edward Lee

The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table by Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence

Art Smith’s Healthy Comfort: How America’s Favorite Celebrity Chef Got it Together, Lost Weight, and Reclaimed His Health by Art Smith

The Batali Brothers Cookbook by Leo Batali and Benno Batali

Guy Gourmet: Great Chefs’ Best Meals for a Lean & Healthy Body by Adina Steiman, Paul Kita, and the Editors of Men’s Health

The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide from Bon Appetit by Adam Rapoport

Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food from the Winner of Master Chef Season 3 by Christine Ha

That’s a Lot of Crock by Brenda Stanley

Cookies & Cream: Hundreds of Ways to Make the Perfect Ice Cream Sandwich by Tessa Arias

Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining: 100 Plus Recipes and 30 Party Plans

Throwing a terrific party is now much easier. What buffet table is complete without a slow cooker full of meatballs, dip, chili, or another tasty dish? The triple slow cooker offers a way to cook a tremendous variety of delicious, hot, slow-cooked foods.

Developed by the creative cooks who wrote the four bestselling Babycakes cookbooks, Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining has a recipe for virtually every occasion — whether it’s New Year’s Eve, a child’s birthday party, Halloween, or Oscar night.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors, on
Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining:

What a brilliant idea! And to think that I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a triple slow cooker. With the help of this cookbook, you can use the one appliance to prepare full meals and parties, all while letting it do most of the work while you go about your day. The party plans take care of everything: New Year’s Day, Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day,  Father’s Day, Halloween — even graduations,overnight guests, baby showers, game nights, and tailgate parties. In addition to the recipes, the book gives instructions on how to prepare for each party, from countdown to make-ahead and even to the decorations. Whether you’re brand-new to hosting parties or an experienced planner looking for new ideas, you’re covered!

The Cookbook Basics:

Paperback (9.9 x 7 inches)

192 pages; 100+ recipes; 1 color photo section (13 party plans, 39 recipes)

Chapters and Sections: Slow Cooker Know-How; Ready, Set, Party!; Party Plans; Dips and Cheese Fondues; Appetizers and Snacks; Soups, Chilis, and Sauces; Main Dishes; Sides and Salads; Sweet Endings and Hot Drinks

Next-to-Try Recipes: Hearts of Palm Dip; Asian-Style Ribs; French Onion Soup; Overnight Fruited Oatmeal; Savory Sage Bread Dressing; Cheesecake Fondue

Website of Authors Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss, aka “The Electrified Cooks”:
Plugged Into Cooking

Photo: Cooks&Books&Recipes

Authors Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss, on
Hot Corn Dip:

This delightfully different dip is captivating. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors:

This hot corn dip is the starter to a three-recipe Mother’s Day buffet menu, with all three dishes intended for cooking in a triple slow cooker: Hot Corn Dip; New Orleans Spicy  Barbecue Shrimp; and Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert.

Photo credit: David Shaughnessy

It is incredibly easy to make (gold star #1), with a result that is both creamy and spicy (gold star #2). Spicy is important over here, because my mom loves food with a kick, and she’s the one we’re cooking for on Sunday. If you prefer less heat, I’d suggest using about half of the jalapeños noted in the recipe.

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a triple slow cooker, but after perusing the Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining cookbook, the appliance is now on our must-get-immediately list. In the meantime, we’ll be making this corn dip ahead of time, as noted in the recipe, for Mother’s Day. Of course, that will be our second batch. We already cooked up round one today, for testing and tasting. And yes, it’s just about finished off …

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Hot Corn Dip

Featured Recipe From: Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining: 100 Plus Recipes and 30 Party Plans

Tip: Canned corn with red and green bell peppers (such as Mexicorn) adds flavor and color, but if you prefer, you can substitute plain canned whole-kernel corn.

Make Ahead: Prepare dip through step 2, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Cook as directed.

Yield: 5 cups (1.25 L)

Ingredients:

• Nonstick baking spray
• 2 cans (each 11 oz or 341 mL) whole-kernel corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
• 1 can (4 oz / 113 mL) chopped mild green chiles
• 1/4 cup drained chopped pickled jalapeños
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Spray one slow cooker stoneware with baking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine corn, green chiles, and jalapeños. Stir in Cheddar-Jack, Parmesan, and mayonnaise. Transfer to prepared stoneware.

3. Cover and cook on High for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once every hour, until cheese is melted. Turn to Warm for serving.

Recipe © 2013 Electrified Cooks LLC

Reprinted with permission from Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining: 100 Plus Recipes and 30 Party Plans by Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss (Robert Rose)

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No Bake Makery: More Than 80 Two-Bite Treats Made with Lovin’, Not an Oven by Cristina Suarez Krumsick

Bakeless Sweets: Pudding, Panna Cotta, Fluff, Icebox Cake, and More No-Bake Desserts by Faith Durand

I Scream Sandwich: Inspired Recipes for the Ultimate Frozen Treat by Jennie Schacht

The Flying Brownie: 100 Terrific Homemade Food Gifts for Friends and Loved Ones Far Away by Shirley Fan

The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America’s Favorite Desserts by Jessie Oleson Moore

The New Wine Country Cookbook: Recipes from California’s Central Coast by Brigit Binns

Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese: A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings by Tenaya Darlington

Crackers & Dips by Ivy Manning and Jen Altman

Delish Just Four Ingredients–Fast! by The Editors of Delish

Vegetable of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year by Kate McMillan

Simply Allergy-Free: Quick and Tasty Recipes for Every Night of the Week by Elizabeth Gordon

What Would Brian Boitano Make?: Fresh and Fun Recipes for Sharing with Family and Friends by Brian Boitano and Giada De Laurentiis

Bacon Nation: 125 Irresistible Recipes by Peter Kaminsky and Marie Rama

100 Grilling Recipes You Can’t Live Without: A Lifelong Companion by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison

America’s Best BBQ – Homestyle: What the Champions Cook in Their Own Backyards by Ardie Davis and Chef Paul Kirk

Off the Eaten Path, Second Helpings: Tasty Eats and Delicious Stories from the South’s Less-Traveled Trails by Morgan Murphy

Southern Living Home Cooking Favorites: Over 250 Simple, Delicious Recipes the Whole Family Will Love by Editors of Southern Living Magazine

The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Home Grown Recipes from the Green Mountain State by Tracey Medeiros

Edible Twin Cities: The Cookbook by Angelo Gentile

Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad

Photo credit: Penny De Los Santos

Recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking, Pati Jinich

Seitan Ropa Vieja

Photo: Sabra Krock

Recipe from Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker: 200 Ultra-Convenient, Super-Tasty, Completely Animal-Free Recipes by Robin Robertson

Margarita Pie

Photo credit: Colin Erricson

Recipe from 200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes from Burritos to Enchiladas by Kelley Cleary Coffeen

Photo credit: Colin Erricson

Author Kelley Cleary Coffeen, on Margarita Pie:

Refreshing, simple flavors of a margarita infused into a dessert are exceptional. This margarita pie is light and luscious and quick to make!

Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors:

As I mentioned in my review of this cookbook, I wanted to try every single recipe. So I thought making a choice for recipe-testing was going to be difficult. The husband and I started looking through the book, saying “Yes, that one. Oh wait, that one!” But then we landed on Margarita Pie. I love margaritas. And I’d always thought a margarita dessert would be fun. My husband loves pies. And all desserts. The intersection of our “loves” made this an easy choice.

As you can see from the photo of our version (below), we added a touch too much green food coloring. (I haven’t bought food coloring in years, but what happened to the bottles with the little droppers at the top?! Even though I was pouring very slowly…) Ours didn’t exactly LOOK like a lime margarita, but it tasted the same — and hey, you could serve this on St. Patrick’s Day.

One other tip: we added tequila to the whipping cream, for an extra flavor (and other?) kick. You could always make this recipe even easier by using store-bought whipped topping, but I suggest making the small extra effort for the real thing. The taste and texture are worth it.

Photo: Cooks&Books&Recipes

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Margarita Pie

Featured Recipe From: 200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes from Burritos to Enchiladas

Tip: Use a high-quality prepared liquid margarita mix with a medium sweet-sour balance.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice           
• 1 can (14 oz or 300 mL) sweetened condensed milk
• 1⁄3 cup (75 mL) liquid margarita mix (see Tip)       
• 3 drops green food coloring
• 1 (9-inch/23 cm) store-bought vanilla-flavored cookie crumb crust
• 1 cup (250 mL) heavy or whipping (35%) cream   
• 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar     
• 1 lime, thinly sliced
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and egg yolks until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Continue mixing and add lime juice, condensed milk, margarita mix and food coloring and beat for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Pour into pie shell and bake in preheated oven until center is firm, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled for at least 1 hour or for up to 4 hours.

3. Just before serving, in a medium chilled bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve slices of pie on individual plates topped with whipped cream and garnished with lime slices.

Recipe © 2013 Kelley Cleary Coffee

Reprinted with permission from 200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes from Burritos to Enchiladas by Kelley Cleary Coffeen (Robert Rose, 2013)

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