Title: Beef It Up!Author: Jessica Formicola
Genre: Cookbook
Format: Kindle
Date of Publication: May 24, 2022
Description: Where’s the beef? It’s on the dinner table tonight! This focused collection of recipes offers 50 tasty ways to serve up protein-rich beef meals without a lot of fuss. Flavorful beef suppers (Cheeseburger Soup, Shepard’s Pie Mac & Cheese) are featuring along with new classics (Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas, 20-Minute Mongolian-style Beef ), salads (Southwest Steak Salad w/ Chipotle Ranch and Steakhouse Salad w/ Blue Cheese), quick hits (Empanada Hand Pies and Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce), and the tried-and-true burgers, steaks, and chili. Juicy photos provide the inspiration and confidence cooks of all levels need to deliver on the promise of a great meal every time.
My Thoughts: I have been on a cookbook requesting spree. I am really trying to eat healthier for myself, my son, and my husband. Cooking with a 2 year old has been hard, so I have had to figure out how to do it, and I have been finding enjoyment in trying new recipes with him. One item that we almost have on hand is ground beef, which is why I thought Jessica Formicola's newest cookbook, "Beef It Up!" would work great for my family.
As I have mentioned before, I love a cookbook with photos and Jessica Formicola's definitely has some but not many. Just as other cookbooks, the first chapter is all about the cookbook, tips for using the ingredients (beef), and kitchen tools. To be honest, I usually skip over the first chapter and skim over the table of contents to see what recipe names pique my interest.
The recipes seem pretty easy and use your typical household grocery ingredients and tools. I'm not a fan of cookbooks where I have to go out and buy special ingredients or special tools, and this was not the case. Each recipe has your basic information such as prep time, cook times, and amount of servings. The one thing that it is missing is the number of calories per a serving. I really prefer a recipe that includes that since I am trying to be more mindful. I don't necessarily need the full nutritional information but the calories for a serving is always nice. So its something that I am going to have to calculate myself.
I bookmarked several recipes to try in this cookbook. On a whim one night, I ended up deciding to make the Cheesy Baked Burritos recipe, which actually has a very good looking picture. The ingredients for this recipe were easy and I had everything on hand. The recipe was super quick and the steps were spelled out in a way that was easy to understand. I absolutely loved the cheesy baked burritos and I plan to make them over and over again. I also found that they reheated well.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars because it lacked the calories per a serving and I feel like more photos are always necessarily for a cookbook. I eat with my eyes first.
About the Author: Jessica Formicola is the creator of Savory Experiments, a trusted food and lifestyle blog. She appears regularly on national networks providing cooking demonstrations and entertaining ideas. She has contributed to Parade, The Daily Meal, Mashed, and Better Homes & Gardens, and has partnered with over 100 national food brands on product releases and cooking tutorials. Formicola lives near Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and children.
Many thanks to Storey Publishing, LLC and Netgalley for this review copy. This is my honest opinion.
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