2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Cookbooks

We get asked A LOT about our favorite cookbooks. But how could we pick just one? That's like asking us to name our favorite child; honestly, it depends on the day.

Yet we know you have holiday shopping to do. You might want to pick up a cookbook for the foodie in your life or to drop some hints on the titles you'd like to unwrap. So today, dear readers, we offer up some of our faves.

XOXO,
Amy, Andrea and Erin

Disclaimer: These reviews are simply the opinions of the ladies at Hot Dinner Happy Home. No publishers asked us for endorsements or compensated us for writing about their cookbooks.

Amy's Picks: 



Great Food Fast
Despite having the ugliest cookbook cover of all time, this is a good introduction to the pressure cooker. I got a pressure cooker this year -- a gift to myself --- and these easy-to-follow recipes came in handy. After I made Chicken Noodle Soup, it was easy for me to figure out the quantities and timing for my own soups, such as Potato Soup like my mom makes and my Midwestern Vegetable-Beef Soup. For a kid-friendly dinner, try the Pizza Joes. If you are tired of the endless stirring involved in making risotto, then I direct you to the Cajun Crab Risotto.



The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes
This book combines two of my loves -- cooking and France. And it's the prettiest cookbook ever with delicious photos of food and Paris. Consider this a great gift for cooks and francophiles as well as those who would appreciate culinary inspiration or a gorgeous cookbook to adorn their kitchen. A word for those who do cook, the recipes are simple, classic French dishes, some with a little twist. For example, there's Coq Au Vin  On Skewers. I once  made our entire Easter meal from this cookbook and it consisted of Lemon an Lavender Chicken, Parisian Asparagus, Creamy Potato Bake and Creme Brulee. Recipes are listed in French and English. --Amy



The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out

Is healthier eating a goal for 2016? Blogger Angela Liddon's book is my go-to for healthy plant-based meals. This is a collection of both lighter fare and surprisingly filling dishes. Some of my family's faves: Perfected Chickpea Salad Sandwich, Our Favorite Veggie Burger and Glowing Strawberry-Mango Guacamole. I also like Liddon's smoothies, such as the Classic Green Monster Smoothie, and the On the Mend Spiced Red Lentil-Kale Soup. For this year's Super Bowl, in which our Carolina Panthers might (knock on wood) be playing, I plan to whip up some Life-Affirming Warm Nacho Dip. --Amy

Slow Cooker Revolution

This cookbook lived up to its title and revolutionized how I think about slow cooking and how often I use my slow cooker, which is all the time. I have lost count of how many people I've given this cookbook to, but I know Andrea is one. I also have the second volume -- the easy prep edition, which is full of recipes that don't take as long to prepare or cook. But I like this one more because more of its recipes require eight hours or more in the slow cooker, which means dinner can cook away while I'm at the office. Some of my family's faves: Barbecued Beef Brisket, North Carolina Pulled Pork, Easy Barbecued Ribs, Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing and Big-Batch Bolognese Sauce. --Amy

Andrea's Picks:

America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
So I love to bake, but baked goods aren't always so healthy. Same with the Mexican-inspired dishes my family loves. Thanks to a recommendation from a neighbor, I've found healthier versions of these recipes. I'm still working my way through it, but the Better For You Banana Bread and Layered Tortilla Tart are excellent! --Andrea

A Family Christmas Cookbook
My brother gave me this cookbook nearly a decade ago and despite the title, I use it all year long. Many of the recipes are very similar to meals and goodies I grew up eating, like Ricotta Cookies, Pesto Sun Dried Tomato Pate, Country Chicken and Spiced Red Cabbage. Best thing about this book? It offers numerous recipes for the same dish, which makes it easy to customize to your own tastes. --Andrea

Indian Inspired Gluten Free Cooking
My husband and I love Indian food. Our old Cincinnati neighborhood boasted at least five Indian restaurants. This cookbook demystifies the cuisine and the recipes are surprisingly easy to prepare. Try the Spinach with Lentils and Coconut, Spinach Lentil Rice and the Broccoli with Red Onion and Ginger. I've given this cookbook to several friends. -- Andrea

Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy Prep Edition
The original Slow Cooker Revolution made me fall in love with my slow cooker all over again. I find that I use the easy-prep version more often these days because our family life is increasingly busy and I don't often want to take the time required for lots of crock pot preparations. The Cuban-Style Pork Roast with Mojo Sauce and the Mexican-Style Pulled Pork Tacos are favorites in our house. --Andrea

The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon
Blogger Sara Forte's newest cookbook is my favorite of the year. Bowl + Spoon is filled with simple, wholesome and delicious meals, sauces, sides, dressings, sauces and desserts. Many recipes are vegetarian, which is helpful as I'm always looking for non-pasta meatless meals. And the photos are simply gorgeous.

Erin's Picks: 

America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
This list clearly demonstrates our love for America's Test Kitchen. This cookbook is my go-to for the "standards" and has inspired many of the recipes on this blog. Skillet Broccoli with Toasted Garlic and Lemon, All-American Meatloaf, and Pan-Seared Steaks with Red Wine Pan Sauce are some of my favorites. I also love the buying guides and helpful tips scattered throughout the book. --Erin

An Occasion to Gather (The Junior League of Milwaukee Cookbook)
This book was a gift from my friends Jill and Kelly when we lived in Milwaukee. I love how it represents the city and my time there. Everything I've tried from this cookbook has been delicious. Plus there are great regional insights, like how to organize a beer tasting, a list of necessities for tailgating, and the perfect menu for a Bunco party. Milwaukee will always have my heart and so will this cookbook. --Erin

Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
The title says it all...this book is full of great food that you can get on the table fast. It's full of 30-minute meals, and you'll have most of the ingredients in your pantry. I love how it's organized by season, because, "a change in weather affects how we cook as much as what we cook." --Erin

Cincinnati Chili

Every time we visit Cincinnati, we make at least one visit to the iconic chili parlor in our old neighborhood. Chili is this Ohio city's signature dish and I've been trying to recreate the exact taste for years.

My husband grew up eating this soup-like meat sauce served over spaghetti and topped with a gigantic mound of finely shredded cheddar cheese. This is the 3-way. Add onions on top for a 4-way; add beans to make it a 5-way. You must sprinkle on some oyster crackers (or 'Cincinnati crackers' as my son Sam calls them) before you eat this meal. The crackers soak up the sauce that the spaghetti doesn't catch.

You can also ladle this chili onto a hot dog in a bun and load it with cheese for a coney.

Cincinnati-style chili originated with immigrants from Macedonia and Greece who created the dish to appeal to more customers.

My boys have been eating this chili since they could hold a spoon. My first exposure came when I was in college, and the taste has grown on me ever since.

What sets Cincinnati chili apart is the tenderness of the ground beef (achieved by cooking the meat in water) and the blend of spices, which I'm still trying to perfect.

This recipe is the closest I've come to mimicking the flavor of my family's favorite brand of Cincinnati chili. (If you want to try the real deal, look for cans or frozen packages of Skyline Chili or Gold Star Chili in your grocery store.) What's served in Cincinnati's chili parlors does not have onion or beans cooked with the meat, but we like it that way. If you want to be more traditional, save the onions and beans for topping.

Lots of online resources debate whether the original recipe used bay leaves or cumin. We'll probably never know the secret blend. If you have ideas or tips on how to tweak the spices, tell us!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cincinnati Chili

2 cups of water
20 ounces ground beef (cut the fat and use 1 pound 90% lean ground sirloin and 4 ounces 80% lean ground chuck)
1 large or jumbo sweet onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 ounce can plus 3/4 cup tomato sauce, unsalted
3 teaspoons tablespoon cider vinegar, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 bay leaf
1 15 ounce can of unsalted dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound to 3/4 pound spaghetti, cooked to package directions

Toppings:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped onion
Warm kidney beans
Oyster crackers

Using a Dutch oven or other sturdy large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add ground beef, breaking up and stirring to crumble the meat into very small pieces.

Stir in all other ingredients (using 2 teaspoons of the cider vinegar) up to and including the bay leaf. Return contents to a low simmer and then partially cover. Cook between 1.5 and 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until sauce just starts to thicken. You want to maintain a nearly soup-like consistency.

Add in kidney beans and cook for another 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar and remove from heat.

Fill bowls with about 1/2 cup of spaghetti. Add about 1 cup of chili. Top with shredded cheese, onions, kidney beans and oyster crackers to taste.

Cincy Chic...that's us, alright!

Honk! Honk!

Hear that? Yeah, I was just tooting my own horn for a minute there. (Did it sound a little like a migrating goose to you, too?)

I am absolutely tickled to announce that Hot Dinner Happy Home is featured in the Best Kept Secrets issue of Cincy Chic, an online magazine for the lovely ladies of Cincinnati. You can check out the article here to read up on Hot Dinner Happy Home and see a picture of me with my favorite haircut ever.

If you're joining us from Cincy Chic, welcome to the party! You're in for a good time. You can continue the conversation with Hot Dinner Happy Home over on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (Erin, Amy, Andrea) and Instagram.

And since we're the kind of gals who like to feed our friends, here's a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffin for you.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

P.S. Hungry for more? Check out all of our recipes here.

Turkey, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

The warmer days of middle March mean my boys play outside as long as they can. As the nights remain cool, it's a good time for a spicy-sweet chili that fills their bellies without being too heavy.

This turkey, black bean and sweet potato combo is nourishing and the slightly honeyed taste of the potatoes hints of full-on spring.

This dinner is close to my heart because I first started making it when we moved from Cincinnati to Peoria. We spent three months in a cozy, turn-of-the-century cottage. Our temporary home offered a tighter space that fostered just the right amount of family closeness we needed during our transition to a new city.

Since then I've tweaked this recipe from its original – a skillet potpie with a cornbread topping. I never could get the cornbread to be anything buy mushy. Now I serve it on the side. And my boys eat more of the chili. Points for Mom!

Whenever I make this meal, I think of the start of our Peoria adventure (four years ago now!) and it warms my soul. I hope it makes your family feel all warm inside, too.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Turkey, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Adapted from GoodHousekeeping.com.
Serves 6.

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup water
1 jumbo onion (about 1 pound) finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves finely chopped or 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 or 2 tablespoons canned chopped roasted green chilis or pickled jalapeño peppers, if you prefer more kick
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (14.5 ounce) no salt added, fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, mostly drained
1 can (15 ounce) no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional:
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for topping

Place sweet potatoes and water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and vent. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until tender.

Using a deep 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over a medium-high flame. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. (Don't worry – while this looks like a ton of onions, they melt down and add a subtle flavor to the chili.)

Add garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add turkey, salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up turkey into small pieces.

When turkey is lightly browned, add roasted chili or jalapeño peppers, chili powder, cumin and the sweet potatoes with their liquid. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes while stirring.

Add tomatoes, beans and black pepper and heat until bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Dish up chili into bowls. Top with cilantro and cheese.