Review of The Christmas Baking Cookbook: ’Tis the Season for 100+ Festive Treats Editors of Cider Mill Press

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to bake! Unleash the magic of baking this holiday season with 100 Christmas classics and unique indulgences.

’Tis the season for festive treats! Turn your kitchen into a haven of holiday cheer with The Christmas Baking Cookbook. From traditional gingerbread cookies to sweet innovations such as the eggnog-flavored cupcake, this cookbook is guaranteed to elevate your festive candies. Discover new favorites and expand your repertoire as you sit by the fireside this season with your favorite holiday goodies.

Inside you’ll

100 deliciously simple recipesStep-by-step instructionsEasy, festive decorating techniquesGather around the Christmas tree and treat yourself, delight your friends, and (most importantly) impress your in-laws. It’s time to deck the halls with loads of icing with The Christmas Baking Cookbook!

 Just what I needed to get the holiday baking started! 

I knew as soon as I opened the PDF to review this book, I had to have it. A few days later it arrived at my door and I have been baking since. LOL.  This book covers all of your holiday baking, everything from cookies to cakes, scones, muffins, sticky buns, bread, and more. 

I found the recipes easy to follow and loved the images of the finished product. 

Start with the Orange Cardamom cake, yummy! 

Book review of Shadows of Ravenwood by Blake Rivers

 

Who’s leaving cryptic messages in my small town of Ravenwood? Oh no… The mysterious Pumpkin Queen legend might be more than just a story.
Finding a centuries-old locket at the Halloween fair wasn’t part of my evening plans.
Yet here I am, drawn into secrets buried beneath our town.
A forgotten romance, a missing treasure, and a legacy no one talks about.
But then…
Victor Grimshaw’s lies go deeper than I thought.
And now, someone—or something—is watching me.
Uncovering Ravenwood’s secrets could mean risking everything.
But can I let Eliza’s story die without a fight?

I've read a lot of cozy mysteries but this book doesn't offer the cozy mystery story elements as countless others do. 

Put it to you this way, this book reads like a robot wrote it. 

The sad fact is, that this could have been a good book. The mystery surrounding the Pumpkin Queen is a good concept, but cozy mystery readers crave a show-me story. They want to know some tidbits about the town and characters, heck, even give us a bit of information about the cat, for that matter, but nothing. I've never read a book broken down into short sentences or small paragraphs like this one. 

Product review: Stainless steel liter box

 

IKITCHEN Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box, Small Metal Cat Litter Box, Deep Litter Box for Cats Kittens Rabbits, Easy to Clean Odor Control Durable Nonstick Smooth Surface 17.5 in x 13.5 in x 6 inches

Amazon link 

After over 40 years of being a cat parent and using plastic litterboxes, I'm screaming, "LITTERBOX GAME CHANGER!" The smell is nonexistent compared to the plastic, and if you have plastic litterboxes, you know what I mean. But it's not only the smell and cleaning difference, but it's also the wear with the plastic litterboxes and cats. They just end up in landfills in no time, which is something we don't need. I'll be changing all 8 litterboxes to stainless steel. 

Review of Craveworthy Baking

Finally, dairy-free and gluten-free recipes for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars, sweet breads, and savory breads that don’t compromise on taste or texture.   

If you have a gluten sensitivity, you most likely have, or will develop, a dairy sensitivity. This makes finding or adapting recipes a challenge—and none are tougher than baked goods. Author Danielle Cochran (The Salty Cooker) knows this struggle well. She’s spent years adapting and refining recipes to work without dairy and gluten. In Craveworthy Baking, she shares her ultimate collection of recipes. These are the hits that are so good, you don’t even need to tell people they are dairy and gluten  

Cookies and Chocolate Caramel Revel Bars, Cherry Hazelnut Biscotti, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Classic Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Banana Bread Cookies, Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Bars, Gooey S’mores Brownies, Strawberry Shortcake Blondie Bars, Turtle Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches, Lemon BarsCakes and Hummingbird Cake, Upside down Pineapple Cupcakes, Chocolate Coconut Tres Leches Cake, Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes, Coconut Cake with Raspberry Filling, Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Bundt Cake with Blueberry Swirl, Citrus Olive Oil Cake, Champagne Swiss Roll, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Angel Food Cake, Chocolate Cake Every Which WayCheesecakes, Puddings, and  Vanilla Crème Brulee, Sticky Date Pudding, Funfetti Cheesecake, Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Bars, Bananas Foster Cheesecake, Basque Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce, Black Forest Mini Cheesecake Bites, Flan, Cherry Clafoutis, Tangy Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce, Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, Vanilla Bean CheesecakePies, Tarts, and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Peach Cobbler, Eclairs, Cream Puffs, Cannoli Tart, Key Lime Pie, Raspberry Pistachio Galette, French Fruit Tart, Dutch Apple Pie, Pear FrangipaneSweet Breads, Muffins, and Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee Cinnamon Rolls, Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Apple Sticky Buns, Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips, French Vanilla Scones, Pumpkin Streusel Muffins, Monkey Bread, Orange Sweet Rolls, Orange Cranberry Muffins, Baked Fruit DonutsSavory Zucchini Bread, Soft Baked Pretzel, Pizza Dough, Cornbread, Focaccia with Rosemary, Parmesan, and Olives, Sweet Potato Bacon Biscuits, Bagel, Cheese and Scallion Scones, Dinner Rolls, Cathead Biscuits, Pepperoni Rolls, Buttermilk Biscuits, Buttery Panini Bread
Go make a batch of soft-baked pretzels for the party. Become a cinnamon roll connoisseur. Perfect that French fruit tart. Fix up an airy, golden loaf of Focaccia. You’ll do it all with ease because each recipe has been tested to ensure you have a flawless experience.

Start baking for everyone at the same time, with recipes that just happen to be dairy-free and gluten-free.

The cover says it all. 

It doesn't matter if you are looking to curve a few pounds by cutting out grains and dairy or if you are gluten-tolerant, Craveworthy Baking will help you curb your sugar cravings with easy-to-follow recipes that will have you drooling before you get past the first chapter. 

Review of : Beginner's Guide to Garden Planning and Design: 50 Simple Gardening Ideas for Adding Style & Personality to Your Outdoor Space (Creative Homeowner) Sustainable Gardening, Using Containers, and More Helen Yoest

 Get all the inspiration you need to plan and design your first garden! Gardeners are generally always looking for inspiration. In the forward this helpful gardening book, P. Allen Smith states, "Helen has outlined 50 ways to add style to express one's personal creativity in the garden — when in fact her 50 will inspire at least 50 more ideas." Rather than force her own creative ideas on you, author, gardener, and horticulturalist Helen Yoest teaches you to recognize and act on your own creativity! Inside this book, easy-to-follow sections are divided into four basic priorities to consider when thinking about your Garden Basics, Garden Styles, Garden Elements, and Your Garden Environment. Chapters include how to create rhythm, scale, and balance along with curb appeal to shape your owns ideas, plus a chapter on creating a sustainable garden environment where plants and animals can live together. You'll also learn about the importance of selecting the perfect space and sketching out your plan first, how to use containers effectively, how to think about fragrance in your garden, and how to incorporate other features including water, walkways, and walls. Let your imagination go wild and create an amazing space that will give back season after season, with Planning & Designing Your First Garden ! "Helen isn't interested in impressing readers with how much she knows. Rather she's concerned with readers impressing themselves with how much they can accomplish once they believe they can."

Are you looking to bring flowers and plants into your garden but don't know where to start? Well, this book would be a great place to start.

I've read all types of garden books and even taken Master Gardners classes and I still learned a few new things in this book I loved how the author covered sounds. Not many garden books cover garden sounds and believe me the more native plants you bring in the more birds, bees, and other wildlife sounds you have in your garden, it beats traffic noise any day. A simple bird splashing in the bird bath is one of the most simple sounds that brings gardens to life.

This book covers a bit of everything even vegetable garden and has wonderful pictures that will get your creative juices going.

Review: Chocolate Lover: A Baking Book―Decadent Treats

An irresistible collection of 60 recipes in a special package with metallic silver paper (just like a chocolate bar) and luscious photos of every bake, including cookies, brownies, cakes, tarts, sweet breads, pastries, and more, all featuring white, milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate.

Melty pools of chocolate in a warm chocolate chip cookie. A decadent, perfectly fudgy brownie. An oh-so-nostalgic yellow birthday cake with whorls of chocolate buttercream.


If your mouth is watering, join the club—and rejoice! Because this cookbook is here to satiate your every chocolate craving. These recipes run the gamut from easy 15-minute pleasures to impressive kitchen projects that double and triple down on chocolatey goodness:

• Weeknight treats like Peanut Pretzel Toffee Bark, Cocoa Tahini Marble Cookies, and Chewy Mochi Brownies
• Giftable sweets such as Chocolate Pumpkin Babka and Orange Olive Oil Chocolate Cake
• Morning indulgences from Lemon-Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins to Chocolate Frangipane Croissants 
• Special occasion bakes, including Strawberry White Chocolate Chantilly Cake, Coffee Caramel and Nutella Tart, and a stunning Neapolitan Icebox Cake

With guidance on melting chocolate, making ganache, caramelizing white chocolate, and so much more, Chocolate Lover is an indispensable baking book for chocolate enthusiasts everywhere, sure to become cocoa-smudged and frosting-stained from years of love and use. This is the perfect gift for the chocoholic in your life (including yourself!).

ACCESSIBLE, EVERYDAY RECIPES: This darling baking book is filled with approachable recipes that any home baker can follow. Novice bakers will find plenty of recipes to cut their teeth on (bark, hot cocoa, truffles), while more experienced bakers will revel in the project bakes (tarts, layer cakes, pastries). There is no complicated or finicky chocolate work here, no confections or candy. The well-tested recipes, thorough instruction, and multitude of photos ensure these desserts are easy to replicate. Like 100 Cookies or Snacking Bakes, this is good old-fashioned baking—the kind of sweet treats any home baker can make for a birthday, a bake sale, or a relaxing Sunday at home.

PERFECT GIFT FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS: With a drool-worthy photo for every recipe, this baking book is ideal for holiday and Valentine’s Day (or anytime) gift-giving. How sweet (pun intended) alongside oven mitts, a fondue set, or a few fancy chocolate bars?

EXPERIENCED AUTHOR: Michele Song went to pastry school in San Francisco and externed at the widely acclaimed Manresa Bread on their pastry team. Her impressive background means all the recipes in this book are reliable, easy to follow, and well-tested; they work every time and are beyond delicious.

Perfect for:

• Chocolate and dessert lovers
• Home bakers of all skill levels
• Frequent bake sale contributors and little treat enthusiasts
• Shoppers looking for a Valentine’s Day, holiday, or housewarming gift
• Fans of dessert recipe books like 100 Cookies, Snacking Cakes, Snacking Bakes, Dessert Person, or Zoe Bakes Cakes

 Pinching myself to make sure I haven't died and gone to chocolate heaven! 

As I was skimming through the book I landed on something quick and simple, Anytime Chocolate Snaking Cake, OMG, it was moist and amazing. All recipes are easy to follow, with simple ingredients and an image of each recipe. I will be adding this book to my cookbook shelf. Heck, just run on over to Amazon's website and take a look at the images of this book and you'll see for yourself what surprise recipes await you.

The contents are as listed: Sweet treats, cookies, brownies and bars, snacking cakes, celebration cakes, pies and tarts, morning treats, fried and chilled, and bakery favorites. Not all recipes are chocolate so something for everyone in this book.

Review of Modern Sourdough: Sweet and Savoury Recipes from Margot Bakery Michelle Eshkeri

 

In Tahini and Rye, Michelle Eksheri shows you how to make mouth-watering treats from the basics (bagels, sourdough starter and bread), through to classics with a twist (challah bread and butter pudding, babka, rhubarb and custard danish, pistachio and flower shortbread). The secrets to the seemingly complex are broken down in an easy step-by-step guide so that the perfect sourdough loaf will no longer be a mystery, opening up a world for the sourdough starter to hot cross buns, croissants and so much more. The provenance of ingredients is highly valued, creating seasonal twists such as wild garlic buns and flavor-forward bakes like rye brownies. 

With over 100 recipes covering bread, biscuits, buns and cakes, desserts, savoury baking and store cupboard essentials, Tahini and Rye is full of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

Holy smokes this book is not only drool-worthy it will make a great sourdough baker a great companion book.

I’ve been baking most of my life and at fifty I have collected hundreds of cookbooks and baking books, but there is only a handful I use every week and I could see myself using this one all the time. I love sourdough and have been using the King Arthur Flour method for many years and have been happy with it. Still, I am limited with recipes I can use my sourdough in so before I know it the sourdough is gone and I have to make it again. Hence, I need to broaden my horizon and have more recipes I can use sourdough in and this book would most definitely do that for me.

Not only does this book offer chapter after chapter of recipes for your sourdough, but it also offers specialties recipes for things such as cookies, cakes, and muffins and there is also jam and spreads.



Each recipe offers step-by-step instructions and wonderful images.

Bird-Friendly Gardening: Guidance and Projects for Supporting Birds in Your Landscape

 

Bird-Friendly Gardening is the definitive guide to planting a wildlife-welcoming home landscape filled with a diversity of native plants that feed, shelter, and support birds. With hundreds of North American bird species facing population decline or at risk of extinction, right now is the perfect time to create a home-based habitat garden that offers birds the resources they need to safely feed, migrate, breed, and thrive. Thankfully, making your outdoor space a secure and comfortable haven for many different bird species isn’t a Herculean task. It’s a matter of understanding the needs of our avian friends and how native plants, combined with purposeful garden design, can help meet those needs. And that’s exactly the know-how you’ll find here, outlined in a simple-to-follow, actionable format by author Jennifer McGuinness.  Step beyond the seed-filled bird feeder and suet block, and learn how to further provide for birds. Some of the topics covered in the book   How to design a bird-centered habitat garden in spaces large and small  Advice on providing fresh water year-round Understanding the connection between native plants and insects and the birds that rely on them How to design and plant a fruit garden, a bird seed garden, a runoff-absorbing rain garden, or even a container garden that nurtures birds Meet dozens of trees, shrubs, and other plants that support the insects almost all adult birds need to feed their young 18 step-by-step garden design projects and plant lists for creating a diversity of bird-friendly spaces Tips for preventing window strikes and cat kills Best practices for including bird feeders, nest boxes, and bird baths in your landscape Whether your “spark bird” was a lightning-fast Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a brilliant Indigo Bunting, or a petite Hammond’s Flycatcher, it’s time to put out the welcome mat for birds in your home garden. YOU can make a significant impact on the lives of thousands of birds, whether they’re just passing through during migration or making a feather-lined summertime home for raising the next generation. It’s time for gardeners from coast to coast to heed the call and welcome their flighty friends home with Bird-Friendly Gardening. 

Bird-Friendly Gardening gives newbies quite a bit to get started, but there is so much more than what this book offers. I was hoping to find more projects for landscaping ideas but there are only a few diagrams of gardening guides and hardly any for small spaces. This book failed to tell readers of the threat of invasive birds such as House Sparrows and Starlings. If you're truly passionate about native birds you must get to know how to control these birds from killing native birds. 

The upside to this book is it covers a lot of native plants to bring into your yard to help keep birds coming for years to come. What most people fail to realize the majority of our American home's landscaping is all Asian plants that offer no benefit to our native birds or pollinators, for that matter, and Yes, your amazing Crape Myrtle is an Asian plant that offers no benefits to our birds.

Another tip I wished this book would have covered. The majority of our major box stores in the US only offer Asian plants, you'll have to research in your area to find places that sell native plants, and some natives carry crazy expensive price tags. Through the years, I have found that my Masters Gardeners offers a yearly native plant sale that I attend and, Etsy is also a great resource to buy native seeds. 

Go and explore a birding world that will amaze you for years to come. 

Thank you, Netgalley for providing this title for review 

Amazon Affiliate link https://amzn.to/4aPdKWR

Feline cystomatosis cysts or Cat Blueberry Ears

I'm making this public to help more cats suffering from blueberry ears or Feline cystomatosis cysts.

If you google Feline cystomatosis cysts you will see images of a cat's ear full of little or large blueberry cysts on the inside and outside of the ear. This isn't fun for the cat, they itch like crazy and the cysts bust open constantly. Sookie was scratching so badly that her ear would bleed. 😭😭

I posted in several cat groups to see if I could find help but no one commented so I figured it was really rare but it's not, hundreds of cats suffer from this.

I took to Google about every other week to see if I could find her help. I found that carbon laser surgery would take them off, so I had to find a vet who offered the service. I called all over Nashville and nothing.

Several months later I Google again and a vet in Franklin came up. I called and sure enough, they offered the co2 surgery, but after the vet examined Sookie she didn't have to have the surgery. The vet gave us some meds to put in her ears, two rounds, one that day and the other in three weeks. When I took Sookie back to my regular vet after 4 weeks he was amazed, her ears only had a few blueberries left and after several months the others hadn't come back. She isn't suffering from her ears itching anymore either.

If your cat is suffering from this don't give up keep Googling you could get lucky like I did. If you live close to Nashville please make an appointment with the link below.

In the images below you can look closely at Sookie's ears and see where the cysts were in the second image, and in the third image, you can see one cyst still left. 

#catFelinecystomatosis

#catears

https://franklintnvet.com/

Book review of : Essential Oil Recipes for Home and Body Care: 100+ Organic Products to Make You Feel Better (Fox Chapel Publishing) Make Your Own Soap, Lip Balm, Candles, Immunity Boosters, Dryer Sheets, and More Stephanie Ariel

Your beginner-friendly essential oils guide! Whether you're new to the amazing world of essential oils or have been using them for years, this complete essential oils guide details their incredible benefits, as well as how to make — and even monetize — natural home remedies and self-care products! Essential Oil Recipes for Home and Body Care provides thorough insight on starting your at-home essential oil apothecary, the power of aromatherapy, how to use essential oils, and other informative topics before presenting 115 essential oil recipes you can easily make and use at home, gift to family and friends, or even sell for a profit! From all-natural homemade body scrubs, dryer sheets, and laundry soap to homemade candles, immunity boosters, medicinal balms for headaches, stings, itches, men's health, women's health, and so much more, each recipe includes clear, step-by-step instructions and tips for personalization. Also included are helpful tables for which essential oils to start with, including peppermint, lavender, ylang ylang, and more, plus need-to-have ingredients, from coconut oil and jojoba to sea salt, castile soap, candelilla wax, and other supplies. Author Stephanie Ariel is a certified aromatherapist with 20 years of experience in product design, artisan crafting, and DIY natural products, who exclusively uses essential oils and natural botanicals to make toxin- and chemical-free products. She is the proprietor of an online essential oils store, Artisan Aromatics. A complete starter's guide to using essential oils, this must-have resource will help you understand the basics and inspire you with endless possibilities!

You'll find endless possibilities with the book. Make money, use the recipes as gifts, or even for yourself. 

The author makes the ingredients and recipes clear and easy to create with her step-by-step instructions. 

I have read and bought several DIY essential oils books, and this one is by far the best book for everyday use. 

Do keep in mind if you have pets in your household, some dogs and cats are allergic to essential oils so please be careful using oils around them. 

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Bluebird nest spring 2023

My resident bluebirds were busy early this year. 

   They had their nest built mid-March and I would check every other day or so for eggs and to make sure no house sparrows around them or the nesting box. On the 6th of April, I went to peak in the nesting box and found 5 eggs! Two up from last year's 3. 

If you've never had the opportunity to host bluebirds, they are amazing parents and a joy to have in your yard. Just be warned if, you have house sparrows around, they will kill them, I almost lost the mom last year and learned quick they don't get along. 

I would check every few days to see if any of the eggs had hatched and it wasn't long until I noticed babies on the 15th of April. 

Once they hatched it doesn't take very long before they are ready to fly the nest. On April, 29th I took the picture above and on May 4th the last one left the nest. I hope these babies will make it and make many more native Bluebirds. 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 One of many winter resident birds in my yard includes the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 

Have you ever noticed a series of small round holes in your fruit trees or other trees in your yard? Well, then you have one of these beauties visiting your yard.

I’ve seen this handy beak work on my fruit trees for years but, I’ve never been able to catch an image of one until this year. About a week ago I caught a glimpse of a different kind of woodpecker at my suet feeder so, I grabbed my camera to take a picture and set out to find out what kind of woodpecker he or she was. To my surprise, I found out she was a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

For years I've noticed neat patterns of holes in my old apple tree and other trees but have never been able to attract this type of woodpecker to a birdfeeder or suet feeder until this year and this leads me to wonder if this could be a new female or if the sap is not too great in my tress this year for her to eat. Either way, she is really cool and is welcome to eat what she wants in my yard. 

If you notice small holes in your tress in a set pattern please don't worry about the tree it will live on. My old apple tree has served for many years and so have my other huge trees. 

One cool fact is hummingbirds love the sap that their sapwells leave behind. 

To find out more about these beauties click here https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/overview

The Irish Granny's Pocket Farmhouse Soups by Gill Books

Title: The Irish Granny's Pocket Farmhouse Soups by Gill Books

 Author: Gill Books

Source: Publisher request

Genre: Cookbook

Reviewed by Laurie 

There's nothing nicer than a bowl of delicious hot soup on a cold day! 

This delightful recipe book celebrates old-fashioned Irish soups that are enjoyed in farmhouses throughout the country, with nourishing traditional favorites that can be enjoyed by all the family. Includes recipes for potato soup, mutton broth, cabbage soup, beef and barley soup, and parsnip soup.

We may be in the middle of summer but as we all know fall and winter is just around the corner, so why not, go ahead and treat yourself to this fabulous soup book, that way you can go ahead and start preparing early.

Recipes are quick and easy to understand and with over 150 recipes, you won’t run out of ideas for quite some time. Each recipe offers a list of ingredients, directions, serving side, and an image.

I made a few recipes and so far, my favorite is the Tomato lentil soup, but I am a sucker for anything lentils

If you are still Covid-19 homebound please consider also buying their sister book, The Irish Granny’s Complete Cookbook and have some themed Irish food nights.

Cookbook review: The Irish Granny's Complete Cookbook By Gill Books

Title: The Irish Granny's Complete Cookbook

By Gill Books

Genre: Cookbook
Source: Publisher request
Rating: 5
Reviewed by Laurie 

Combining recipes from the bestselling Irish Granny's Pocket Recipe Book, Pocket Irish Potato Recipe Book and the Irish Granny's Pocket Farmhouse Kitchen, this large-format cookbook is your complete guide to traditional Irish cooking.

Granny has selected her best, most popular recipes to create the ultimate recipe book, something that belongs on every kitchen shelf. Let her teach you all you need to know about delicious, nutritious country cooking.

Includes traditional recipes like soda bread, Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, and the best recipe for scones.

The Irish Granny’s Complete Cookbook will have you cooking or baking up some wonderful recipes of scones, stews, bread, side dishes, main dishes, and biscuits which we American's call cookies.

You’ll find amazing deserts like butterfly cakes, Guinness chocolate cake and so much more. Each recipe offers an image and clear instructions. The downside for American’s is the oven recipes give gas temperature settings so, for those of us that have convection ovens, you’ll have to adjust. The Roasted Potatoes with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan are my favorite along with Buttermilk Scones.

Grab yourself a copy and transform your meals to amazing Irish dishes.