Southern Living Home Cooking Basics Cookbook Review

Have you ever wished you had a cooking teacher right beside you when trying something new in the kitchen you’re unsure about?  Wouldn’t it be great to have step-by-step instructions along with photographs to help you master new cooking techniques?  Looking for lots of southern recipes to impress your family and friends with?  The new Southern Living Home Cooking Basics: A complete illustrated guide to Southern cooking will fit the bill in all these areas plus some.  It’s like having a Southern grandmother there to guide you in the kitchen.

Whatever your skill level, this book from Southern Living is a welcome addition to any cook’s collection.  With over 375 recipes, this 416 page book includes so much detailed information that’s hard to put it all into words.  Each chapter is filled to the brim…you’ll just have to check it out for yourself.  Here’s a glimpse of what’s included in each chapter: 

The Setup (The tools and equipment that make cooking a pleasure) – cookware, bakeware, knives, tools, power tools, table settings, barware.

The Ingredients (A guide to purchasing and storing wholesome food) – spices, sugars & salts, vinegars, fats & oils, rice, other grains, corn, nuts & seeds, various cheeses, beans, vegetables, greens, herbs, fruit, poultry, pork, fish & shellfish, steak cuts, wines.

The Prep (Everything from mincing garlic to deveining shrimp) – just about anything you need to do prep wise is included in this chapter.  Learn how to prepare an artichoke, freeze berries, clarify butter, make compound butter, cut a chicken and much more.

The Methods (Everything you want to know about cooking Southern) – the no cook, bake, boil, braise, fry, grill, roast, sauté and steam methods include recipes as well.  I can’t wait to make the Simply Deviled Eggs using Greek yogurt & cream cheese!

Then there are the recipe chapters…lots of recipes y’all:

Appetizers & Beverages – Lemonade Iced Tea, Banana-Pecan Smoothies, Homemade Orange Soda, Maple Coffee, Gorgonzola Truffles, Warm Turnip Green Dip, Roasted Garlic-Edamame Spread, Dixie Caviar Cups, Macaroni-and-Pimento Cheese Bites

Breakfast & Brunch – Buttermilk Pear Pancakes, Lemon-Poppy Seed Belgian Waffles with Blackberry Maple Syrup, Streusel Coffee Cake, Praline Pull-Apart Bread, Buttermilk Breakfast Cake, Breakfast Pizza Cups, Cheddar Cheese Grits Casserole

Breads – Doubly Whammy Yeast Rolls, Easy Three-Seed Pan Rolls, Fresh Herb Spoon Rolls, Best-Ever Scones, Garlic Herb Bread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Southern Soda Bread, Cornbread Focaccia

Sandwiches & Soups – Goat Cheese and Strawberry Grilled Cheese, Hot Brown Panini, Pressed Cuban Sandwiches, Pumpkin-Acorn Squash Soup, Loaded Potato Soup, Turnip Greens Stew, Easy Chicken and Dumplings, Hoppin’ John Stew with White Cheddar Cheese Grits

Meats & Poultry – Southern Stuffed Rosemary Chicken, Grilled Chicken with Corn and Slaw,  Spicy Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce, Apricot-Pineapple Sweet Ribs, Braised Beef Brisket

Fish & Shellfish – Blackened Salmon with Hash Browns and Green Onions, Classic Fried Catfish, Pecan-Crusted Tilapia, Bayou Fish Fillets with Sweet-Hot Pecan Sauce, Coconut Shrimp, Southwest Shrimp Tacos, Roasted Tomato-and-Feta Shrimp

Side Dishes – Butterbeans and Bacon, Baked Grits and Greens, Two-Cheese Squash Casserole, Church-Style Lemon-Roasted Potatoes, Cornbread Stuffing with Sweet Potato and Squash, Hoppin’ John Salad, Big Daddy’s Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad

Sauces & Condiments – Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette, Soda Pop-and-Soy Marinade, Lemon-Caper Cream, Spicy Peach Ketchup, Sausage Gravy, Pecan-Honey Butter, Fresh Peach Salsa, Collard Green Pesto

Desserts (my favorite chapter, of course!) – Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings (shown above), Caramel Cream Cake, Mocha Latte Cupcakes, Blackberry-Apple Upside-Down Cake, Raspberry Tiramisu Bites, Pecan-Peach Cobbler, Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies, Peach-and-Toasted Pecan Ice Cream

Mmm…I’m getting hungry again!  This would be a great gift for anyone who loves to cook or for someone who is just beginning to spend time in kitchen.  You know, it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas gifts now! 

Photos are from Southern Living Home Cooking Basics, Oxmoor House 2012 (provided by YC Media).

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Southern Living Home Cooking Basics for review purposes from YC Media.  The opinions expressed in this post are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.