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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200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes from Burritos to Enchiladas

Aromatic and flavorful, the dishes in 200 Easy Mexican Recipes combine an alluring blend of flavors with a relatively simple and colorful presentation style to guide the home chef in creating great Mexican meals for the whole family. And the recipes are really easy.

Inspired by authentic dishes, these foolproof basic recipes bring the flavors of Mexico into the home kitchen. Made with ingredients easily found at local grocery stores, the recipes are quick to make, easy to serve, and affordable — quite simply, a selection of some of the best Mexican dishes ever.

In addition to all the fabulous and exciting dishes, Kelley Cleary Coffeen offers a wonderfully interesting account of the traditions and culture surrounding Mexican cuisine, along with a handy glossary of the flavors of Mexico, an ingredient list, and a list of a tools and equipment.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors, on 200 Easy Mexican Recipes:

Readers of Cooks&Books&Recipes know that I’m all about easy cooking. So when “easy” is part of a cookbook title, I pay attention. But easy by itself isn’t enough. Recipes also need to be trustworthy or imaginative or both. And when it comes to Mexican food, well, I’ll just say this: I’ve lived in border states (Texas, Arizona, California) for more years than I’m going to admit publicly here, and I’ve had way more than my fair share of Tex-Mex, Mexi-Cali, and Southwestern food. I love it all.

Based on my review of this cookbook, I can tell that Kelley Cleary Coffeen does too. I want to cook every single recipe in this cookbook. That rarely happens for me. OK, wait, I’ll confess: after all these years, I still can’t get myself to even want to try menudo (beef stomach), and I also am still no fan of stuffed jalapenos. But that’s it. I want to cook everything else in this cookbook (see my “next-to-try recipes” list below).

Whether you’re new to the cuisine or, like me, have been enjoying it for years, this is your go-to cookbook for Mexican recipes. The bonus is that they’re also easy to prepare and cook. Score!

The Cookbook Basics:

Paperback (7 x 10 inches)

224 pages; 200 recipes; 2 color photo sections (~ 25 recipes)

Chapters and Sections: History; Mexican Cuisine Essentials; Appetizers; Salsas,  Relishes, and Sauces; Tortillas and Breads; Soups and Stews; Vegetables, Beans, and Salads; Tacos, Tostadas, Burritos, Tortas, and Tamales; Mexican Grill; Enchiladas, Fajitas, and Other Favorites; Beverages and Cocktails; Desserts

About the Author: Kelley Cleary Coffeen grew up along the southern border of the United States and developed a love for Mexican food and the unique culture of the Southwest. She developed a love for cooking at the age of 15, when she started baking a peanut butter brownie recipe she found in Seventeen Magazine. It became a favorite with all of her neighbors, giving Kelley the great satisfaction of pleasing others with food; she has been cooking ever since. Her creativity in the kitchen has resulted in a flourishing culinary career.The author of five cookbooks, Kelley is also a food consultant and media personality.

Next-to-Try Recipes: Bacon and Green Chile Quesadillas; Tomatillo Avocado Salsa; Homemade Flour Tortillas; Chicken and Lime Soup; Festive Mexican Slaw; Crispy Potato Tacos; Grilled Shrimp with Avocado Butter; Burrito Bowls; Pink Cadillac Margarita Punch; Tres Leches Cake; every other recipe (except maybe two, see above)

Photo: Sabra Krock

Author Robin Robertson, on Seitan Ropa Vieja:

There are many variations of this flavorful Latin American dish. This vegan version, made with a combination of seitan, black beans, and mushrooms, is my favorite! Served over rice, it makes a delicious dinner when accompanied by a green vegetable. It’s also terrific spooned into warm tortillas and topped with diced avocado or vegan sour cream.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Notes:

Looking for a way to enjoy tacos without the meat and animal products? Here’s your answer: a recipe for Ropa Vieja (Spanish for “old clothes”), substituting seitan for the traditional shredded flank, brisket, or skirt steak. Though originally from the Canary Islands and a staple dish in Cuba, Ropa Vieja can also be piled into tortillas or taco shells and served with avocados and sour cream, as shown above. And here’s another bonus of this recipe: it’s cooked in the slow cooker. Super-easy vegan. Super-fun celebration, whether Cuban- or Mexican-style.

But what’s with the odd name? Apparently, the name comes from the fact that the cooked and shredded meat and vegetables look like colorful strips of old clothes or rags. Or there’s another origin story, noted in Wikipedia, “about a man whose family was coming to his home for dinner. Being very poor, the man could not buy them enough food when they came. To remedy his situation, he went to his closet, gathered some old clothes (ropa vieja) and imbued them with his love. When he cooked the clothes, his love for his family turned the clothes into a wonderful beef stew.” I like that one.

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Seitan Ropa Vieja

Featured Recipe From: Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker: 200 Ultra-Convenient, Super-Tasty, Completely Animal-Free Recipes

Slow Cooker Size: 4- to 6-quart

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours on low

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced paper-thin
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon natural sugar
• 1 pound seitan, shredded or very thinly sliced
• 2 portobello mushroom caps, grilled scraped and discarded, shredded or thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 (15-ounce) can beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Flour tortillas or hot cooked rice, for serving

Directions:

1. For the best flavor, heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and continue cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cumin and cook for 1 minute longer. Alternatively, omit the oil and saute these ingredients in a few tablespoons of water or combine them in a microwave-safe bowl with a little water, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, sugar, seitan, mushrooms, beans, broth, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on Low until vegetables are tender, 4 to 6 hours.

3. Just before serving, add the lime juice, then taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot, spooned into tortillas or over rice.

Recipe © 2013 Robin Robertson

Reprinted with permission from Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker: 200 Ultra-Convenient, Super-Tasty, Completely Animal-Free Recipes by Robin Robertson (Harvard Common Press, 2012)

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

In Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker, Robin Robertson addresses any lingering skepticism readers may have about whether slow cookers can have delicious, meat-free applications. She shows how to take into account the water content of vegetables and the absorptive qualities of grains when vegan slow-cooking, and she provides practical guidance on how to work with different models of slow cookers, with their varying sizes, settings, and quirks and personalities.

Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker  includes eleven recipe chapters, four of which focus on main courses. There are homey and comforting foods in the American and European style: a Rustic Pot Pie Topped with Chive Biscuits; a Ziti with Mushroom and Bell Pepper Ragu. And there are lots of East Asian, South and Southeast Asian, and Mexican/Latin dishes too.  Beans, which cook slowly under any circumstance, are fabulously well-suited to the slow cooker, and Robertson includes such appealing recipes as a Crockery Cassoulet and a Greek-Style Beans with Tomatoes and Spinach. Eighteen robust chilis and stews—two more categories that do well in the slow cooker—include a warming Chipotle Black Bean Chili with Winter Squash and a surprising but yummy Seitan Stroganoff.  The many soy-free and gluten-free recipes are also clearly identified.  Altogether, the collection offers readers loads of ways to expand their vegan repertoire and to get maximum value from their investment in a slow cooker.