dishoncookingI’m still trying to figure out the best way to organize all of the information I want to on this blog. So for now this cookbook gets it own page.
I love this cookbook as it more or less taught me how to cook. I have made the majority of the recipes and know that these women love to cook for their families and enjoy eating delicious meals. They are twin sisters who used to have a catering company in San Francisco…they have other cookbooks which I own – a couple smoothie books and an entertaining book for appetizers. They also have a wrap cookbook which I don’t own. I have written these sisters via Chronicle Books but never heard back. I would really love for them to write more cookbooks, have a show, tour, etc. But they even took their catering website down and I don’t know how else to contact them. Anyway, just want to say thanks to them for the confidence they gave me to cook new things and to help me realize how important cooking well for your family is, on so many levels.
So … here’s a quick review of what I’ve made from this book. My favs receive a 6 star (yes 6 star!) rating. Please comment!
Basics & Beyond
Our “Can’t Do Without” Marinade: 5 stars. I make this marinade a lot – but mainly for beef and chicken.
Gussied Up Marinara Sauce: 4 stars. I made this a long time ago so I should probably try it again…or use better jarred sauce would help too.
Summertime Marinara sauce: 5 stars. Just perfect.
Flaky Piecrust: 5 stars. I don’t buy piecrust anymore, and haven’t since I bought this book. Well, maybe one time I caved in an emergency. But piecrusts actually take about 10 minutes before it needs to sit in the fridge to get cold, then just roll it out. The taste is so nice and fresh – once you make your own you can’t go back. This recipe is very clear and easy to follow.
Pizza Dough: ?? stars. I used to make my own pizza dough and had pizza parties and everything. Then I moved and I swear I haven’t been able to get it right! But for 2 years this was a great recipe so it’s me, not the recipe.
Balsamic Vinaigrette and the Mighty Mint Vinaigrette: Both 5 stars. Both are delicious, easy and worth it.
Pesto: 5 stars. Good, classic recipe. Good tip to freeze some of it which is helpful if you are only cooking for 2!
Caramelized Onions: 5 stars. Great directions to make deliciously caramelized onions!
Appetizers, Finger Foods and Snacks
Warm Artichoke and Green Onion Dip: 5 stars. I didn’t think it would be anything special but low and behold it was really good and we loved it.
Crudites with Green Onion-Mint Dip: 5 stars. Learned how to blanch vegetables and it’s true, they are much more flavorful and it’s worth the extra work. Great dip.
Guacamole: 4 stars. Nice recipe for a classic guac.
1-2-3 Mexican Dip: 5 stars. I make this a lot for parties and it’s always gone! It’s easy to make and everyone loves it! Also can be made in advance which is helpful. Does take a little bit of time to prepare the layers, but not too time consuming.
Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Torta: 5 stars. Women love this appetizer! Men do too, but I don’t think they appreciate it as much, at least that’s my experience with the few parties I have brought this to. This is very good and looks very fancy.
Herbed Buttermilk Popcorn: 3 stars. It’s good, but not overly so for the work and mess…but different and fun.
Smoked Salmon Platter: 5 stars. I didn’t think I needed a recipe for a smoked salmon platter, but followed their directions anyway and was glad I did. Their serving suggestions are very helpful and the platter was delicious!
Soups and Salads
Chicken Soup for Your Soul Mate: 4 stars. This was one of the first recipes I made from this book which was a mistake because it’s A LOT OF WORK. Or at least I felt that way when I was totally new to cooking and made this for my new husband who was sick. It is very good but I just remember it taking forever.
Creamy Mushroom Soup with Brie Crostini: 5 stars. There are a lot of mushroom soup recipes out there and this is a keeper! The soup is perfect, very enjoyable and of course the crostini just makes it dynamite.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Creme Heart Swirls: 5 stars. This soup has a nice flavor to it and not complicated. The heart swirls are a nice touch!
Butter Lettuce with Mango, Goat Cheese, and Mighty Mint Vinaigrette: 6 stars. Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! I love mango so that helps. And I like the surprise of mint. This combination is so wonderful – it’s light and fun and yes, tasty!
“Off the Chart” Salad Combinations: 5 stars. A useful chart that use over and over again. Thanks ladies!
Red Leaf Lettuce with Grapes, Blue Cheese, Pecans, and Balsamic Vinaigrette: 5 stars (as if you were wondering, because it just sounds obviously delicious!) It is a really great salad.
Confetti Coleslaw: 5 stars. I’m typically not a fan of coleslaw but needed to make some for a party. This coleslaw was really good and even I enjoyed it. It’s time consuming though.
Orzo Salad with Lemon, Feta and Pine Nuts: 4 stars. This is a really nice salad, but my husband wasn’t wild about it probably because it was a cold pasta salad? A lot of flavor though and nice and light.
Mexican Chicken Salad with Taco-Ranch Dressing: 6 stars. Talk about exceptional! This is very good and the ranch dressing is so yummy. A lot of fun and great for those taste buds.
Classics ad All-Time Favorites
Classic Lasagna: 6 stars. I make this any lasagna opportunity I get. There is an unexpected ingredient – cream cheese – that think makes the dish. Now that there are so many chicken sausage flavors like mushroom (not just italian), I nearly always substitute the Italian Sausage Links for chicken sausage – the various flavors help change it up since we like to make it so often. Great for entertaining.
Roast Chicken and Vegetables: 6 stars. I LOVE making this because it’s easy, good for us, and we use the leftover chicken for sandwiches. My husband prefers a little more flavor for the chicken so I’ve played with variations from other sources. I think it’s perfect the way it is 
.
Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Glazed Apples: 3 stars. We didn’t like this much…it’s okay.
Personalized Chicken Potpies: 5 stars. Time consuming – yes. Worth it – depends how much you like potpies! It’s a great recipe if you really like potpies and certainly best in the winter.
Beef Burgundy: 5 stars. It’s been awhile so I should make it again but I do remember it’s delicious.
“Oh-Baby”! Baby Back Ribs: 4 stars. This is a nice rib recipe but there are others out there that are a little more exciting. This is a nice classic recipe though.
Sweet-and-Sour Brisket: 4 stars. I decided to make a Jewish dinner one night and this was our entree. I don’t really care for brisket so the rating has more to do with that than the recipe … it’s a good recipe.
Texas Chili with All the Fixin’s: 6 stars. This is my good friend Debbie (and Nestor!)’s favorite chili recipe and one of mine too. It’s really, really good!
Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese: 3 stars. Stovetop doesn’t do it for me when it comes to mac and cheese. I like it baked, in the oven, with a topping. My husband liked it though.
Better Than Grandma’s Meat Loaf. 5 stars. Don’t be afraid of meat loaf! This is an easy and tasty recipe. Great classic. We substitue Mrs. Dash seasoning mix for the Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Entrees
Wild Mushroom Risotto: 5 stars. This risotto is nice on its own or as a side. Really nice mix, rich taste. Love it!
Pasta with Pesto, Shrimp and Sweet 100s: 4 stars. An easy and tasty pasta dish.
Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze: 5 stars. This is really, really easy. Be careful on the mustard or it will overpower anything else.
Corn Chip-Crusted Halibut with Creamy Salsa and Cilantro: 3.5 stars. I struggle to enjoy this recipe. It’s fine but nothing special.
Grilled Tuna with Soy-Ginger Glaze and Pickled Cucumbers. 4 stars. It’s tasty and easy and healthy. The cucumber relish is fun and makes the dish more interesting and delicious – it’s easy, don’t skip it!
Chicken with Prosciutto, Fontina and Mushroom Sauce: 5 stars. Men seem to love this dish. My husband loves this and male guests have raved about it. I like it, just not one of my favs – it’s really rich.
Chicken “Divine”: 5 stars. Apparently this is a classic casserole dish. It freezes nicely and is delicious. Just a little time consuming.
Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa: 5 stars. I love this because it’s healthy and fun. Sometimes I roast my own red peppers and other times I’ll buy them in a jar. This recipe benefits from buying fresh peppers and roasting them yourself. I’ve used this for entertaining and it worked well.
Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa and Blackberry Syrup: 6 stars. I give this a high score because the mix of flavors is really nice but also because it’s a great dish for entertaining. It looks more impressive than it is (very easy) so guests feel extra special.
Lamb Chops with Mint-Mustard Sauce: 5 stars. My husband really enjoys lamb so I will make this sometimes. It’s a nice recipe – easy and delicious!
Grilled London Broil Fajitas: 6 stars. This is terrific! I often pair this with rice and beans, or just black beans as it suggests. The rub for the beef (or chicken) is so tasty, it makes for a great meal.
Filets Mignon with Green Peppercorns and Brandy Cream Sauce: 5 stars. I couldn’t get green peppercorns when I made this but it still turned out wonderfully. I made it for our anniversary one year and we loved it.
