Martha Stewart. Who doesn't know who she is? Culinary goddess, home-trending leader, magazine and television mogul. A leading expert in all things home-oriented, she's truly one of the first go-to's in the world of cooking, baking, or any kind of DIY thing.
I am a fan of her work. She bakes, she makes, she cakes, she's a lifestyle genius. And so is her team of experts that creates Martha Stewart Living (the magazine, just in case you're new to the world of Martha Stewart). Probably the smartest thing Martha has ever done is surround herself with people who know what they are doing, just as well as she does. I've been a fan of Martha Stewart Living for awhile; it's a pleasure to read and I do not question for one moment how all that awesomeness gets into less than a hundred glossy pages. She's got people who know what they are doing right by her side.So, as a reviewer for Blogging for Books, as soon as I saw a copy of Martha Stewart Living's One Pot up for review, I snagged it. I pounced. I leaped with glee. I think we all know by now that I love to cook. I love to make and create and be a creative maker. An opportunity to review (which means try out, eat, and love!) a new Martha and Martha's team cookbook, I was all over it.
I pushed the order and send button. Done.
And then I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
A few more days of waiting and the book arrived from the publisher. Finally!
What was I so excited about, really? A new cookbook? Oh, yeah, definitely. Or was it that it's a cookbook that's all about tasty simplicity? Just as much the latter.
Now, I am a kid in a candy store when it comes to new books. For sure. I love a good book, I love getting books, I love writing books, I love reading books, and I love reviewing books. Love books. Did I say that enough? Well, I do!
And this golden opportunity to review and try out some new Martha recipes was nearly too much joy for me to handle. Okay, not really. I can handle some Martha joy. And some delicious something - all made in one pot.
First, I have to say that this book is really, really well-written. As would be expected, the team of experts at Martha's magazine have kept the meals simple, easy to read, easy to make and filled with beautiful pictures that make your mouth water.
Secondly, I love the extreme simplicity of this book. Most of the recipes require only a handful of ingredients, things you would typically find in an American kitchen. And they really are one pot only. A few require you to brown things first, but they suggest you brown and remove, then add the next ingredients all using the same pot. There might be an extra bowl here or there, or even the occasional plate, but when does cooking not require you use dishes? The recipe I chose to make happened to be the Fruit Skillet Cake which I adapted to be gluten-free and dairy-free and had it tossed together and baked up in less than an hour. Super easy, super fast, and incredibly delicious. (The cake was really outstanding and came right out of the skillet.)
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| A finished Skillet Fruit Cake made with local plums |
And my final reason to love this book was the helpful advice. That's kinda Martha's specialty. Most of us know that. And of course, a major focus of Martha Stewart Living. The One Pot book includes recipes that are cooked in stockpots, skillets, slow cookers, roasting pans, pressure cookers, and more. Each section has a how-to guide on buying/choosing a pan or skillet, why some work better than others, the difference between a saute pan and a skillet, how to use a pressure cooker (and not be afraid), what makes for a good slow cooker or stockpot, and on and on. Tips, advice and simple guides on the first two or so pages of each section prior to the recipes is just as helpful as a full-length guide. It's simple and yet, perfect.
I just fell in love with this book. The simplicity, the delicious recipes, the convenience of one pot (and truly one pot). Everything from it is a genius idea that requires so little effort, the greatest achievement will be getting to the bookstore to buy it before they are all gone.
Happily enjoy!
*I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
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