Beverly Leblanc

This cookbook took me a little longer than most to get through, which is an indicator of how appealing I found it initially. While I love soup, and happily accept it as a meal (stated because I have encountered those who feel that soup CANNOT be a full meal in itself), I found the amount of non-vegetarian dishes a bit off-putting. This is said from my personal preferences on cuisine, and should not be taken as any indication of a lack of quality in the cookbook!

The main sections of the book include an in-depth technique and basics section, with information on making stocks and accompaniments. The recipes are divided into

Meat and Game
Poultry
Fish and Shellfish
Vegetable and Grains
Chilled Soups

Chock full of soup recipes it is! And since I am not a fan of cold soups, I really only found one chapter useful. That being said, the recipes are well written, easy to understand, cover a variety of cuisines and make use of a myriad of ingredients. Dairy-free, nut-free, wheat-free, vegetarian and vegan recipes are clearly and colorfully labeled. The difficulties of the recipes range from easy to intermediate skill levels.

Recipes that stood out to me include Slow-Cooked Tomato and Orange Soup ( I have never eaten anything like that before!), Edamame and Pumpkin Soup (sounds like a great match), and the beautifully named Sunshine Winter Soup (with carrots, shallots, pumpkin, and saffron).

I think this book would appeal to a great many home cooks, specifically those who enjoy soup and are not vegetarian. Even vegetarians can find some great recipes, too!

**eARC Netgalley**… (meer)

I Love My Slow Cooker isn't a life-changing cookbook, but I like it a lot. I find most of my recipes online these days, but I think LeBlanc's collection deserves a place alongside the other specialty cookbooks on my (virtual) bookshelf.

It's got the standard cookbook set-up: you can find general slow cooker info and some solid helpful tips in the beginning of the book; I've been using a slow cooker for a while and I still managed to find a few tidbits I could use. Then onto the recipes!

The photos throughout this cookbook are very nice, and the recipes themselves go outside the range of your the typical old-fashioned slow cooker guide, which pleased me immensely. This one is full of things like Hot and Sour Duck and Mushroom Soup, Vegetable and Cashew Red Curry, and Vanilla and Pepper-Poached Pears. It also has plenty of the usual fare, like Pulled Pork and a One-Step Beef Stew. I think anyone could find something to like, but those who don't find dishes with non-standard ingredients appealing won't get as big of a kick out of this book as a whole.

In general, I think I Love My Slow Cooker breaks down recipes well, with clear writing and easy-to-understand directions. No complaints there.

I highlighted about a dozen recipes before deciding to try LeBlanc's Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup, since I had almost everything on hand. The recipe was very easy to follow, took practically no time to prepare -- I'm a slow chopper, so it took a little longer than the 15 minutes stated in the recipe, but it still didn't take too long. The end result was hearty and delicious. I'm looking forward to trying more!… (meer)

I read I love my slow cooker by Beverly LeBlanc, in exchange for review from netgalley.com. The book was published by Watkins Publishing Unlimited and Duncan Baird Publishers.

I choose the book because I love to cook, but starting to use the crock pot more. Usually, I stick to soups or meat. Slow cooking saves time and money. I can put the food in the crock pot the night before (provided no one tries to turn off the pot or eat the food) and finish it the next morning. The kiddies could be eating by noon. Also, slow cooking is a great way to tenderize meat (go ribs. cooked some fall-off-the-bone ribs the other day). I did not really know you can cook dessert in the crock pot, until I saw a show on the food network this weekend. This book had great, colorful pictures and amazing recipes. From soups to meats to veggies to entrees to desserts. Definitely keeping the book until it is archived on netgalley.

The beginning of the book discusses crock pot basics. It discusses different types of crock pots. it also discusses which crock pot to buy for different types of foods. Other topics to consider are portability, cord size, types of lids, flavors, and when to add items like beans, rice, etc.

Some recipes I liked include:

Turkey, Wild Rice, and Tomato Soup
Apple Sauce
French Roast Lemon Thyme Chicken
Almond Creme Caramel
Lemon Pudding
Bread Pudding
Rice Pudding… (meer)