Cookbookmaniac
  • Mushroom Risotto from Valvona & Crolla by Mary Contini
    Cheap Eats Recipes

    Cutting corners. If you have read my previous post about patience you'll know that I have very little of it... except when it comes to cooking. I will not tolerate waiting in line for a sandwich but I can stand over a pot and stir a risotto for ages. There is something about the stirring that brings me joy and comfort. However, time is not the kind of corner that I am writing about. It's the expense of ingredients. I try my best to stay faithful to a recipe when I am cooking. However, I am not opposed to substituting, adding or eliminating ingredients if I find them unnecessary, difficult to find, or ridiculously expensive. My jaw nearly hit the floor when I approached the cheese counter at the local delicatessen only to find that the fontina cheese that this recipe called for was $65.99 per kilogram. Good golly! Although…

  • Autumn from the Heart of the Home by Susan Branch
    American Restaurant Reviews

    This has to be the most charming book that I own. It is a recipe book but also includes entertaining and decorating ideas for the month of autumn. The book is filled with watercoloured sketches, hand-written recipes and sentimental quotes. The recipes take advantage of the best nature has to offer and includes chapters on Halloween and thanksgiving. I also appreciate that most of the recipes are time & cost effective and healthy. These are family recipes that you will want to make time and time again.