Diana Lamb

While our weather is cold and rainy, it is a great time to turn on the oven and bake up a storm! For some fresh ideas and new recipes, come to Smiley Library and sample our latest baking books.

If you are at all familiar with the show, “The Great British Bake Off!,” then you may recognize one of its judges, Paul Hollywood. “Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics” is Paul’s hand-picked collection of ultimate favorite recipes. Home bakers of all skill levels will find new savory and sweet recipes to try. Every recipe is accompanied by one or more full-page color photos. Many of his choices hail from Great Britain, such as Victoria Sandwich, Barm Cakes, Bin Lids, and Iced Finger Buns, which are baked doughnuts filled with whipped cream and strawberry jam, then covered in a thin layer of icing. Paul includes a surprise dessert that is not destined for the oven. See if you can find this one unbaked treat. It will be worth the search.

Calling all dessert lovers, this next book is definitely for you! Claire Saffitz agrees that a meal isn’t complete without a little something sweet. Her latest book, “What’s for Dessert,” seeks to satisfy our sweet tooth with 100 approachable recipes. Morning Glorious Loaf Cake is a delicious cross between a Morning Glory Muffin and a carrot cake. It is covered and filled with a maple cream cheese frosting. This might be served at brunch or as a snack with coffee or hot tea. Frozen phyllo dough gives Phyllo Cardamom Pinwheels and Honeyed Nut and Phyllo Pie their crispy, flaky texture, yet it also soaks up the butter, sugar, and honey. Nuts, popcorn, and caramel come together in a one-pan anytime treat Claire calls Caramel Peanut Popcorn Bars. Lastly, Blood Orange Pudding Cake is a creamy citrus dessert that needs no frosting and separates into two layers while it bakes. Serve with fresh sliced blood oranges on top.

When you hear the phrase ‘comfort food,’ what comes to mind? For some, it might be a warm frosted cinnamon roll, chocolate chip cookies, or a bowl of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. For others, it may be a fondly-remembered childhood meal, such as baked macaroni and cheese, chicken tamale pie, or a hearty beef stew with sour cream and onion biscuits. You can find recipes for all of the above and many more mouthwatering dishes in “Comfort Baking” by Stephanie Wise.

King Arthur Baking Company invites home bakers of all skill levels to join their next class. The company has a school campus located in Norwich, VT, and a second one in Skagit, WA. If you are unable to attend in person, then you’ll want to check out their new book, “Baking School: Lessons and Recipes for Every Baker.” A lesson in creating a sourdough culture will help you create Deli Rye Bread and Crispy Sourdough Crackers. The secrets to making a flaky pie crust, fluffy biscuits, rich moist cakes with creamy frostings, and buttery croissants that melt in your mouth are waiting for you within the pages of this book.

Thanksgiving has finished for another year, and we at Smiley Library hope it was a happy one. Now, the December holiday preparations and festivities are in full swing. For some speedy dinnertime suggestions to keep everyone’s mood merry and bright, why not check out the following cookbook selections.

“Food52 Simply Genius” by Kristen Miglore contains her latest collection of tasty and approachable recipes for time-strapped home cooks. Turn frozen potato gnocchi into either an easy Asian-inspired sheet-pan dinner with chili crisp and baby bok choy or a skillet pepperoni pizza with kalamata olives and melted mozzarella. Most recipes include a “Great With” pairing suggestion such as ultra-smashed cheeseburgers with a salty coke. Finally, all vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dessert recipes are each grouped together as a category within the recipe index.

In this next time-saving cookbook, a little prep once a week, can quickly help you put together four complete home-cooked dinners. “Prep and Rally” by Dini Klein, offers 10 weeks of menus, each with a ready-made grocery list. You can take a picture of it with your cell phone before leaving for the store. Not sure what to do with any leftovers? Not to worry, as a whole chapter of creative meal suggestions and recipes is provided. Now you can make the most of what’s on hand and cut down on food waste. Breakfast, brunch, and sweet treats round out this family-friendly book.

For those of us who have dietary challenges, turn to Danielle Walker’s “Healthy in a Hurry” for fast and friendly mealtime inspiration. Danielle’s recipes are free of grains, dairy, and legumes, as well as, processed sugar, additives and seed oils. A sneak peek of what you’ll find includes kid-friendly creamy bacon cheeseburger soup, teriyaki salmon packets, spicy Cajun chicken pasta, and brats with warm potato salad and kraut. Dessert lovers might enjoy banana-chocolate mug cake, salted chocolate cuties, and refreshing pineapple whip.

Casseroles, skillets, Instant Pots, soup pots, and sheet pans are featured equipment in Melissa Clark’s new cookbook, “Dinner in One.” Melissa’s one pot or pan recipes are streamlined so that there is less mess, less work, and more flavor. Meatball sub sandwiches on garlic bread come together using a sheet pan, and take advantage of store-bought marinara sauce. Turkey and bean tamale pie could be made using any variety of ground meat and is ready in about an hour. Green shakshuka with avocado, chili, and feta is one of the fifty or so meatless recipes. With fewer dishes to wash and a speedy cleanup, you’ll have more time for holiday shopping, decorating, and wrapping presents.

“Murder is the unique crime, the only one for which we can never make reparation to the victim.”   – P.D. James

On a chilly evening in late December, 2011, Russ Faria returned home to discover a shocking and unforgettable scene. There on the living room floor, lay his wife, Betsy. A dark stain of blood covered her face and pooled around her head. The blade of a black-handled kitchen knife was embedded in Betsy’s neck. She had been stabbed 55 times. The Troy, Missouri police, a judge, and jury believed Russ Faria was guilty of the crime. However, four days before her death, Betsy changed the beneficiary on her life insurance policy from Russ to her friend, Pamela Hupp. Did Russ Faria murder his wife or did Pam Hupp kill her for money? Find out the details in “Bone Deep: Untangling the Betsy Faria Murder Case,” by Charles Bosworth Jr. and Joel J. Schwartz.

Brynhild Storset began life as a poor Norwegian farm girl in 1859. As a young girl, she dreamed of escaping poverty by marrying a wealthy man and having children. When this dream died, Brynhild crossed the Atlantic to start a new life in America, and she changed her name to Belle. Along the way, Belle’s dreams and ambitions turned dark. During her lifetime, Belle would become a dangerous serial killer, who murdered at least 40 men, women, and children. “America’s Femme Fatale,” by Jane Simon Ammeson, chronicles the macabre yet fascinating life of Belle Storset Sorenson Gunness.

“The Doomsday Mother,” by John Glatt, centers around the troubling story of Lori Vallow Daybell and the murder of her two children. Lori was raised in Rialto, Calif., and graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1991. How could a devoted wife and mother end up being indicted on first-degree murder charges of her own children? Evil spirits, zombies, doomsday visions, past lives, light and dark spirits, brainwashing, and the end of the world all play a role in this national attention-grabbing story. Currently, Lori is awaiting trial in Idaho.

“What I’ve enjoyed most though is meeting people who have a real interest in food and sharing ideas with them. Good food is a global thing and I find that there is always something new and amazing to learn – I love it!” – Jamie Oliver

Have you tried cooking with a wok? If you are at all curious or would like to improve your skills, then check out “The Wok” by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. This exceptional book is brimming with interesting kitchen-based science, helpful techniques, and a variety of delicious recipes. Soon, you’ll be cooking take-out favorites like Sweet and Sour Pork, Pad Thai, and General Tso’s Chicken at home.

“Learning Korean” by Peter Serpico is a welcome introduction to the variety of flavor profiles found in Korean home cooking. Some of the recipes you may want to try are BBQ Beef Short Ribs, Onion Pancake, Black Bean Noodles, refreshing Jujube Tea, Crab Soup, and Pork Dumplings. Peter also includes over a dozen varieties of Korea’s best-known dish, Kimchi.

Whether you are slurping, scooping, or twisting them, noodles are a fun food to eat. “That Noodle Life” by Mike Le and Stephanie Le give you 75 international pasta-centric recipes for more fun and easy meals. Tomato Lime Shrimp Cold Noodle Salad or The Soba Bowl are refreshing options to enjoy right now. Garlic-Butter Bucatini with Oyster Sauce would be yummy with grilled meats and veggies or on its own with an optional green salad.

Have you ever visited a Chinese Bakery? If not, then let Kristina Cho, in her new book “Mooncakes and Milk Bread,” introduce you to some of her savory and sweet treats inspired by Chinese bakeries. With an abundance of color photos and clear instructions, you may choose to make tender BBQ Pork Buns, flaky Curry Chicken Puffs, Honey Pistachio Mooncakes, or Shiny Fruit Cream Cake to share with family and friends.

“Gardening is medicine for our spirit, mind, and body. When we grow a garden that is in tune with the elements and the earth’s ebbs and flows, we’re cultivating more than meets the eye.”  Juliet Blankespoor

It’s not too late in the season to start growing your own fresh veggies and herbs! In her latest book, “Raised Bed Gardening,” CaliKim shows you how to build, fill, and plant a raised bed garden. Her detailed instructions, helpful tips, and photos make this book a good choice for new gardeners.

A profusion of gorgeous flowers in bold colors await you inside “The Flower Yard” by Arthur Parkinson. Every bloom within this book, from tulips and hyacinths to sweet peas, dahlias, and sunflowers, were grown in a mass of large containers. This is a wonderful book for armchair gardeners as well as for those looking for fresh inspiration.

“The Healing Garden” by Juliet Blankespoor is your entrance into the world of herbal plants. Juliet assists curious gardeners to learn about choosing, growing, harvesting, drying, and using herbs in medicinal and culinary recipes. Juliet profiles 32 easy-to-grow plants including yarrow, hibiscus, calendula, and bee balm.

“How to Garden When You Rent” by Matthew Pottage encourages gardeners living in temporary dwellings to beautify their outdoor surroundings. Any sized space, be it a balcony or a backyard, can benefit from Matthew’s creative ideas and projects. Before you begin, be sure to check with your landlord first.