Amish Wisdom - Lined Journal

 

Amish Wisdom  - Lined Journal  

by Quiet Fox Designs

an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

Amish Wisdom is a nice sized, hard-bound book. It is for journaling and each page is a generous area for you to express your thoughts. The bottom of the each page contains a thought provoking or whimsical Amish quote. Here are a few of them:

                   Money is a tool, not a goal. 

                  Be what you wish others to become. 

                  An ounce of work is worth a ton of wishing.

                  Deal with the faults of others as gently as 
                                  you do your own.

       Personally, I found with it being hard-bound, there was a solid surface to write on even when I held the book in my lap. 

       This book is nice either for personal use or to give as a gift.

DISCLAIMER:  I was given this book by a relative and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

COFFEE - The home baristra's guide to making the Perfect Cup by Mary Banks & Christina McFadden

COFFEE  - The home baristra's guide to making the Perfect Cup

by Mary Banks & Christina McFadden

Lorenz Books

This book is a cross between a coffee-table photo book and a recipe book!  It is full of full-color photos that show off their subject.  It also includes step by step recipes to brewing coffee and making coffee beverages. And an in-depth look at where coffee beans are cultivated, how they are harvested, and how they are roasted..

Sadly, this book also includes recipes for alcoholic coffee beverages. Therefore we will not promote nor recommend this potentially great book.

DISCLAIMER:  I was given this book by a relative and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

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                                                                   Clip art from FreeClipart

the Best Yes - Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands, by Lysa Terkeurst

Publisher's photo

the Best Yes - Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands,  by Lysa Terkeurst
Nelson Books


Lysa Terkeurst writes in a conversational, comfortable style that makes reading her books comfortable and interesting.  She also has a gift of weaving spiritual truth throughout the sharing of her life experiences.

Throughout the pages of "the Best Yes", the author shares help and wisdom for all of us, especially those of us that feel that we can't say no to any request and try to somehow add yet this new request to our already over-full to-do plate.  

Some of those wise tidbits from this book that helped me are:

     "The decisions we make dictate the schedules we keep.  The schedules we keep determine the lives we live.  The lives we live determine how we spend our souls.  So, this isn't just about finding time.  This is about honoring God with the time we have."

     "... We've got to practice wisdom in the everyday places of our lives. ... Never despise the mundane. ..."

     "Knowledge is wisdom that comes from acquiring truth.
     "Insight is wisdom that comes from living out the truth we acquire.
     "Discernment is wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit's reminders of that knowledge and insight."

     "Your current direction will determine your destination."

     "Fear of failure is the real cause of our analysis paralysis."

     "It feels thrilling to say yes to this now.  But how will this feel two weeks, two months, and six months from now? ... Could any part of this yes be tied to people pleasing ...."

     "We must not confuse the fact that saying no isn't the same as being hurtful."

    "... I'm sorry but I can't give it the attention it deserves."

   

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased this book and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

free clipart from Dover

OPTION B, Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, by Sandberg and Grant

Stock Photo

Option B, Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy 
By Sheryl Sandberg with Adam Grant

Borzoi Book Published by Alfred A. Knopf,
a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York


  After the death of my Mother, I sank into a deep depression and encountered tremendous stress as a result of being the executrix of Mom's estate.  My niece, Stephanie Hanks, attended a seminar at her church in which Sheryl Sandberg's story was shared.  Sheryl had experienced the sudden and unexpected death of her husband and she shared her own journey through grief and starting life over.  

  Stephanie sent me a copy of Sandberg's book, Option B, with the hope it would help me.  It has taken me a while to get through the book because my own grief was overwhelming.  However, I did finish it and wanted to share my review.

  Sheryl Sandberg is a gifted and experienced speaker and at the time of her writing this book was the chief operating officer at Facebook.  Though the book is not written from a Christian perspective, it is not totally secular either.  

  The author is open and honest about her own experience with grief, how she handled and didn't handle it, and how it affected her and her two children, both of which were pre-teen when their father died.  The title of the book comes from a comment made to her by a close friend shortly after the death of her husband.  The friend told her, "Option A is not available.  So let's just kick ... Option B."

       The book is real truths told mostly through personal experiences of the author, her family, and her friend.  Perhaps the author's goal was to show by example that others have survived and become stronger so you can, too.  For me, all the stories became emotionally weighty and hard to go through.  I found myself skimming through them.

  However, there were several things that the author shared that were noteworthy for me:

"No one ever told me," C.S.Lewis wrote, "that grief feels so like fear." ...  The fear is constant and it felt like the grief would never subside.  [Sheryl Sandberg,]

"Avoiding feelings isn't the same as protecting feelings."

"... [the person] dies a second time when no one speaks their name."

"Anna Quindlen puts it more poetically.  ‘Grief,' she writes, is ‘a whisper in the world and a clamor within.' " 

"There are two different emotional responses to the pain of others: empathy, which motivates us to help, and distress, which motivates us to avoid." 

"It's hard to understand - or even imagine - another person's pain."  

"... friendship isn't only what you can give, it's what you're able to receive."

"... five stages of grief ... denial, ... anger, ... bargaining ... depression, ... acceptance. ... They are five stages that don't progress in a linear fashion but rise and fall.  Grief and anger aren't extinguished like flames doused with water.  They can flicker away one moment and burn hot the next." 

"... trauma can also lead to self-doubt in all aspects of our lives.  This loss of confidence is another symptom of pervasiveness: we are struggling in one area and suddenly we stop believing in our capabilities  in other areas.  Primary loss triggers secondary losses." 

"... gratitude is passive: it makes us feel thankful or what we received.  Contributions are active: they build our confidence by reminding us that we can make a difference." 

"Empathy was nice but encouragement was better."

"A traumatic experience is a seismic event that shakes our belief in a just world, robbing us of the sense that life is controllable, predictable, and meaningful." 

"Tragedy does more than rip away our present; it also tears apart our hopes for our future."


Perhaps where you are in your journey with broken-ness, loss, or grief, you will glean even more from Option B.  


DISCLAIMER:  I was given a copy of this book and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Free clipart

Seven-Mile Miracle by Steven Furtick

Seven-Mile Miracle, Journey Into The Presence of God Through the Last Words of Jesus.
By Steven Furtick
Multnomah, Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York


  Reading the title, one would assume the author is dealing with the seven physical miles that Jesus walked on His way to the cross at Calvary.  However, Steve Furtick is actually dealing with the last saying of Jesus from the cross during His crucifixion.  

          1. A word of Forgiveness:  "Father, forgive them, ..."
2. A word of Salvation:  "... today you will be with me in paradise."
3. A word of Relationship:  "Woman, here is your son, ... Here is your mother."
4. A word of Abandonment:  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
5. A word of Distress:   "I am thirsty."
6. A word of Triumph:  "It is finished."
7. A word of Reunion:  "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Pastor Furtick gives the spiritual application of these last words of the Lord not only in the Prophecy-fulfilling aspect, but in the Christians' life.  Using his own personal stories and experiences, he shares these seven truths spoken from Calvary to encourage, challenge, and teach the reader of the Lord Jesus and God the Father.  

Seven-Mile Miracle is written in a casual, conversational tone.  It is easy to read with deep spiritual truths interwoven throughout.  An encouraging read for Christians no matter where they are in their walk with the Lord.  


About the Author: Steven Furtick is the best-selling author of Sun Stand Still, Greater, Crash the Chatterbox, and (Un)Qualified. He is also the founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church, based in Charlotte NC, which since its founding in 2006 has grown to multiple locations across several states. He preaches around the world and holds the Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Steven and his wife, Holly, have three children and live near Charlotte, North Carolina.


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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Free Clipart courtesy of Dover Publishing

The Carnation Evaporated Milk Cookbook. 1992 Edition

The Carnation Evaporated Milk Cookbook.  
1992 Edition
Smithmark Publishers, Inc. New York


     This full-sized, hard-back book is full color and has great illustrations.  However, as I went thru the recipe sections, I was sorely disappointed!  

     With all of the recipes using Carnation Evaporated Milk that were available for inclusion in this cookbook, the editors choose recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend this book. 



DISCLAIMER:  I was given a copy of this book and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

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This is the link to our family recipe blog.  Check it out and feel free to try our recipes!  Cris 

 www.goodgrubbfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com

Free image from Dover Publishing

Campbell’s Simply Delicious Recipes. 1992 Edition

Campbell’s Simply Delicious Recipes.  
1992 Edition
Brimar Publishers, Inc. Canada

     This full-sized, hard-back book is full color and has great illustrations.  However, as I went thru the recipe sections, I was sorely disappointed!  

     With all of the recipes using Campbell’s condensed soups that were available for inclusion in this cookbook, the editors choose recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend this book.  


DISCLAIMER:  I was given a copy of this book and this is my personal review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Free image from Dover Publishing

Talking With God - What to Say When you Don’t Know How to Pray

Talking With God - What to Say
When you Don’t Know How to Pray. By Adam Weber WaterBrook Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York


     Adam Weber’s book takes a fresh and interesting approach to one of the most important and potentially confusing parts of the Christian’s daily life: prayer.  We all know that we should pray, we want to pray, but wonder if we are doing it right.

     But Pastor Weber gives us hope.  He assures us: 
The truth is, prayer is simple.  It’s like talking,
                talking with a good friend.  
Here’s the best part: No matter where we are in 
                life, God can’t wait to talk with us.

     Talking With God is written in a casual, conversational tone as the author shares his own personal situations and insights that brought him to this new revelation on prayer.  It is easy to read with deep spiritual truths interwoven throughout, and yet you come away with the realization that as God’s children, we can come to our Heavenly Father and pray like a child:

                “Pray like a kid?  Yup, become like a child.”

     Regarding the layout of the book, the author has included what he refers to as “field notes”, which are numbered as foot notes generally are and listed in the back by chapters.  These field notes are little “asides” and add personal information related to the paragraph in the chapters.  However, I found that stopping each time to read the note distracted from the flow of the text.  Personally, I found it best to read the chapter’s field notes at the beginning of the chapter I was about to read.  It made the flow better and added the personal “color” to the chapter.

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About the author:

     Adam Weber is the founder and lead pastor of Embrace, a church that has 6 campuses in 2 states.  He and his wife, Becky, live with their children in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Drawing courtesy of Ashley S. Hatfield

The Case For Christmas, A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the manger.

The Case For Christmas, A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the manger.
By Lee Strobel
Zondervan Publishers, Willow Creek Association


     Lee Strobel is a "... law-trained newspaperman..." who was an atheists that had a life-changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.  With such a background, he uses his analytical approach to investigate the life of Christ to uncover and present the facts with the evidence to back it up.  

     The Case For Christmas recounts his consultations with experts on the Bible, archaeology, and messianic prophecy as he searches out the true identity of Christ and His birth.  He answers such questions as:

Can the biographies of Jesus be trusted?
What does archaeology reveal?
                Did Jesus fulfill the attributes of God?
                Did Jesus uniquely match the identity of the Messiah?

     This is a small, paperback book of only 91 pages.  But it is HUGE in it's information and focus!  It is tremendous information and great "food for thought".  An excellent read - for the new Believer or the mature Christian.


DISCLAIMER:  I purchased a copy of this book from Christian Book Distributors (available at www.christianbook.com, CBD Stock No. WW340591).  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

The Daniel Plan Cookbook. Healthy Eating for Life.

The Daniel Plan Cookbook.  Healthy Eating for Life.
By Rick Warren, D. Min., Daniel Amen, M.D., 
and Mark Hyman, M.D.
Zondervan Publishers


     This is a large, hardback book that is a companion to the very popular Daniel Plan diet.  It consists of 265 pages and hundreds of recipes.

     While this book does not go into detail about The Daniel Plan diet, there are several chapters that are great basics on choosing the right foods and which ones to avoid.  Also included a chapter on basic kitchen utensils used to prepare the recipes, basic cooking essentials, time and cost saving tips, and smart snacking information.

     And recipes!  Hundreds of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts.  All of which fulfill The Daniel Plan diet.

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased a copy of this book from Christian Book Distributors (available at www.christianbook.com, CBD Stock No. WW344264).  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Image courtesy of Dover Publishing

The Flower Workshop, Lessons in arranging blooms, branches, fruits, and foraged materials

The Flower Workshop, Lessons in arranging blooms, branches, fruits, and foraged materials.
By Ariella Chezar with Julie Michaels
with Photos by Erin Kunkel
TEN SPEED PRESS, Berkeley


     It is obvious from the introduction through the last page of The Flower Workshop that author Ariella Chezar’s passion is flowers and displaying the beauty of each element.  Her book provides chapters on floral arrangements dealing with color and variety, basics of building arrangements from elaborate to simple, creating wreaths with fruits and berries vases, a seasonal flower guide, and an informative chapter on tools and how to use them.

     The author states, “This book is meant to inspire.”  And it certainly does!  The Flower Workshop is not only educational but enjoyable to just browse.  

     Photographer Erin Kunkel has done a superb job of providing photographs of the author’s work that are instructive, and informative and some are beautiful enough to frame!

     This is such a high quality book that should be left out on the coffee table,  not hidden away on a shelf!

DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

We will NOT review nor recommend AMERICA'S BEST BREAKFASTS - Favorite Local Recipes From Coast to Coast

       The idea of having access to breakfast recipes from established restaurants all across America made this cookbook extremely inviting!  While I was expecting the usual assortment of waffles, egg every sort of way, and omelettes, I didn’t expect dishes such as Beef Noodle Soup or Pork and Hominy Stew to be considered “breakfast” dishes - but I should have as everyone has a different notion of what breakfast is and what time of day or night it should be consumed.

       However, I was most disappointed that a cookbook of breakfast dishes had a number of recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  
  
       Therefore, since we condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend America’s Best Breakfast.


DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

THE GIFT FOR ALL PEOPLE - Thoughts On God's Great Grace

The Gift for All People - Thoughts On God's Great Grace
By Max Lucardo
Published by Multnomah Books

     Years ago I heard a preacher say that the disciples who walked with Jesus every day  accepted His humanity, but struggled with His deity.  By contract, this preacher said, modern-day Christians accept Jesus' deity but struggle with His humanity.

     In his book The Gift for All People, Max Lucado shares with the reader insight into the human side of our Savior, Jesus, who grew tired, felt hunger, wept, suffered the anguish of separation from the Father, and the cruel pain of the Crucifixion.  To quote the Author:

"We see an agonizing, straining and struggling Jesus.  We see a ‘man of sorrows.'  We see a man struggling with fear, wrestling with commitments, and yearning for relief. ...

"Seeing God like this does wonders for our own suffering.  God was never more human than at this hour.  God was never nearer to us than when he hurt.  The Incarnation was never so fulfilled as in the garden."

But we are not left with just the suffering of our Savior.  The Author goes further than just the Crucifixion: he reminds us through Bible examples and personal experiences how God the Father loves His children with an everlasting love and that the death of our Savior Jesus opened the way for sinful humans to received all of the blessings of forgiveness and His divine presence in our own human suffering.

While each chapter of this 127 page book was taken from prior publications by the Author, the collection is an insightful and uplifting study on the humanity of our Savior and God's wonderful gift of Grace.  

     Easy to read, yet profound in it's truths, The Gift for All People is equally appropriate for the mature Christian as well as the new convert.  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
More than 120 million readers have found inspiration and encouragement in the writings of Max Lucado.  He and his wife, Denalyn, live in San Antonio, Texas, where he serves Oak Hills Church.

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson
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Photo courtesy of Doc Watson Photography

We will NOT review nor recommend TASTE OF HOME'S WEEKNIGHT COOKING MADE EASY - 2005

Weeknight Cooking Made Easy - 2005 
Taste of Home Books
Reiman Media Group, Inc. Publishers




     The Taste of Home editors have always provided practical and wholesome recipes that please family appetites.  This book of quick and easy recipes keeps with that tradition and the book itself is full color and a quality production.

     However, I was extremely disappointed when I found that the cook book contains recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not endorse nor recommend this book.  

C.E. Watson

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DISCLAIMER:  A family member provided a copy of this book for me to review and share on our blog.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

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We will NOT review nor recommend 5 IN 5 FOR EVERY SEASON

5 in 5 For Every Season 
By Michael Symon
with Douglas Trattner 
Clarkson Potter/Publishers


     I am not a follower of the television show “The Chew”, so I am not familiar with Michael Symon.  But his cook book offering of meals with “five fresh ingredients that cook in five minutes” really sounded like something that was going to be a real asset to my schedule.

     As I went thru Mr. Symon’s book, I realized that his idea of a “quick” meal wasn’t the same as mine!  Most take a lot more preparation time that I take in preparing my main dish!  And the “five fresh ingredients” weren’t the only ingredients in the recipe.  He uses a lot of the other ingredients are not standard items in my pantry nor ingredients that my family would be willing to try.   

     But I was most disappointed when I found that the cook book contains recipes that  include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not endorse nor recommend this book.   

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson
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We will NOT review nor recommend THE CHILI COOKBOOK

The Chili Cookbook 
By Robb Walsh
with Photography by Eva Kolenko
Ten Speed Press, Berkeley

     When you mention “chili”, everyone has a memory and conception of what it is and how it should be.  This nice, hard bound book by Robb Walsh explores all aspects of this favorite dish, from the “usual” bowl of ground meat, tomatoes, onions, and spices to the unexpected dishes covered under the broad definition of “chili”: Lobster Chili, Hungarian Goulash, Green Chile Chicken, and more.

     Robb Walsh also provides the reader with an interesting and informative history of spices and recipe origins, all of which add depth and color to the reading.

     However, as I went thru the recipe sections, I was sorely disappointed! 

 

     The Chili Cookbook contains recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason. Therefore, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend this book.

  

About the Author:  Robb Walsh is the author of more than a dozen cookbooks, including the iconic Tex-Mex Cookbook and Legends of Texas Barbecue.  He is also a former restaurant reviewer for the Austin Chronical, Houston Press, and Houstonia Magazine.  Robb is a cofounder and board member of Foodways Texas.

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

Paper Goods Projects, a Super Make-It Book

Paper Goods Projects, a Super Make-It Book 
By Jodi Levine, photographs by Amy Gropp Forbes
Ten Speed Press, Berkeley

     Have you ever been standing there with an empty paper towel roll in you hand, sure that you could do something crafty with it but not sure what?  Well, author Jodi Levine has the answer for that roll and so many more common household items!

     Paper Goods Projects, a Super Make-It Book, is a colorful 112 page book in which the author gives both the instruction and the inspiration to make fun and useful items.   The crafts range from simple for kids such as “Doily Butterflies” and “Big Box Blocks” to more complex ones for teens such as “Coffee Filter Water Lilly Table Setting”, “Balloon Planets”, and “Recycled Box Pop-up-Cards”.  

     The book is full of great ideas for rainy day projects, home-schooling art lessons, hand-made party decorations, or Vacation Bible School crafts, all with supply lists and directions for each project that are clear and easy to follow.  

     And after learning how to make “Tube Animals” and “Sea Creatures Mobile”, you will be hard pressed to ever throw away another empty paper towel roll!  

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About the Author:  

JODI LEVINE is a lifelong crafter. In her nineteen years on Martha Stewart’s staff, she held the roles of craft editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine, editorial director of Martha Stewart Kids magazine, and product designer for Martha Stewart’s popular line of crafts. Jodi is a frequent guest on NBC’s Today and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two sons.

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any form of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

We will NOT review nor recommend A JEWISH BAKER'S PASTRY SECRETS

A Jewish Bakers’s Pastry Secrets 
By George Greenstein with Elaine Greenstein, Julia Greenstein, and Isaac Bleicher
Ten Speed Press, Berkeley



A Jewish Bakers’s Pastry Secrets is a large, hard-bound, 202 page volume and the introduction is a loving remembrance of the author’s parents and their bakery.  Mr. Greenstein then goes on to provide chapters on baking equipment, tools, ingredients, and basic techniques -- all of which are very informative and easy to comprehend.

The chapters that follow are collections of the family’s recipes.  However, as I went thru the recipe sections, I was sorely disappointed!
 
A Jewish Bakers’s Pastry Secrets contains recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend this book.

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

We will NOT review nor recommend THE HOSTESS TWINKIES COOKBOOK - Twinkies 85th Anniversary Edition

The Hostess Twinkies Cookbook - 
Twinkies 85th Anniversary Edition
Ten Speed Press, Berkeley

What can be more iconic as the All-American sweet treat than a Hostess Twinkie!  When Blogging for Books offered a Twinkies COOKBOOK, I was excited about reviewing it.

The introduction to this little hard-back book gives the history of the creation of this snack and it’s cultural status, along with great photos of the original ads.  However, as I went thru the recipe sections, I was sorely disappointed!

With all of the recipes available for inclusion in this cookbook, the editors choose recipes that include wine and/or beer and/or beverage alcohol as an ingredient.  We condemn the consumption of alcoholic beverage in any form and for any reason.  Therefore, we will not review, endorse, nor recommend this book.

DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson

ROOTED IN DESIGN, Sprout Home’s Guide to Creative Indoor Planting

ROOTED IN DESIGN, 
Sprout Home’s Guide to Creative Indoor Planting
by Tara Heibel and Tassy de Give
Ten Speed Press Publishers, Berkeley

Potted plants have always been a part of my personal environment, but I have never given much thought to actually incorporating them into the overall decor and function of my rooms.  Rooted in Design gave me a totally new look at ways to utilize the plants I love in functional applications.  The Authors have provided a little book that is informative, concise, and easy to read.  Chapters include ways to mount plants in containers on walls, groupings for ledges and floors, terrariums and self-watering containers, and even easy to follow instructions for macramé holders forKokedama free-form planting methods.  There is no end to the decorating inspiration provided in this colorful, high quality book!

*NOTE: The authors suggests the use of whiskey bottles and whiskey barrels as containers sharing a bottle of wine with one’s partner.  As I do NOT condone the use of beverage alcohol in any form for any reason, it is herein noted that this review does NOT agree with nor condone this suggestion by the book's author.  

CE Watson

Authors Bio:

Tara Heibel has done monthly gardening segments for ABC Morning News.  She also writes a regular gardening Column for The Huffington Post.

Tassy De Give has appeared on the Martha Stewart Living radio show and has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times.

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DISCLAIMER:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  I have not received any type of financial compensation for this review.  C.E. Watson