Kitchen Confidence: Essential Recipes and Tips That Will Help You Cook Anything: A Cookbook

Admittedly, I'm not one who particularly loves cooking, but I do love good food. And I really love a cookbook that can make cooking more enjoyable. After looking through this one, I knew I had to have it. First, the pictures and layout are downright gorgeous. There's not a more beautiful cookbook out there. But it's much more than just eye candy that makes you salivate. It's also chock full of tips, tricks, and personal stories from Kelsey. The day I got the book, I found myself actually reading each and every page.But, of course, the most important part -- the recipes themselves. Every one I've tried has been an absolute home run! Some are simple (grilled apple, bacon, and cheddar sandwich...so yummy), while others are more complex (carnitas tacos...SOO GOOD). No matter the recipe, Kelsey makes them super easy -- even for a novice cook like myself. I'm learning all kinds of new things, like how to stir-fry, which I've always wanted to know how to do. In short, buy this cookbook! It's an essential for every kitchen. Guess what my mom and sisters are getting for their birthdays this year? Yup, this cookbook!

I was so excited to get this book in the mail. I think Kelsey's recipes are so fun and fresh and she makes me feel a little more brave to go outside of the box and try new methods and flavor combos that I would not or felt like I could not try before. I can definitely see why she titled this "Kitchen Confidence". I loved all of the information on what supplies and ingredients I should have in my kitchen. One of the best as far as that goes that I have seen in my opinion. It is a great mix of recipes. I love that there are many traditional recipes but also many "fancier recipes" that will test my palate and expand my horizons. Her show and this book both make me braver than I have been in the past. The only thing I wish were different was there being pictures with all of the recipes. Not worth a star deduction in my opinion though. I am excited to use this and will update when I get a better feel for the recipe's. Trying the "Essential Crepe" recipe tonight with my niece as she is studying France and I thought it would be so fun to show her something they eat there.

I just spent the evening going through this book and I have put bookmarks on most of the recipes. They are written in a concise and organized manner. The pictures are beautiful. I am very anxious to start making some of these old-time favorites with their new spin. She has taken each recipe up a notch or two. Instead of using so many processed foods, her recipes show just how easy and quick it can be to make things from scratch. I am very conscious of healthy food and avoiding the processed MSG laden items. With her recipes, she makes this very easy to do.

This short but sweet cookbook is inviting and welcoming, layout is attractive - colorful, simple and cute, with many lovely pics. Just flipping through, I kind of fell in love with it. If I'd designed a layout, I'd have done it very much like this. Explanations are clear and simple - this stuff isn't hard to make!The best thing about this cookbook, though, is The Recipes (listed below), which is really the most important thing in any cookbook. Some cookbooks are disappointing, containing only a few things I actually want to make. Here are LOTS of recipes I can USE, all in one little book. Some new basics for things I know I like and a few that seemed too frou-frou before, but after reviewing the recipe seem very doable.It's not a complete and comprehensive "How To" for all things cooking-related, but explains all you need to know to make the food in this book and has quite a few explanations of cooking terms scattered through the book (with helpful listing of page numbers in the front.) It's a great cookbook for beginners who want to get their feet wet, learn a little, make some really good food and not work oh-so-very hard to do it.I've made a few things and they've all been fun, easy to do and (most important!), very tasty! I HIGHLY recommend this book for an easy, but delicious collection of recipes. None of it is difficult and many things have ideas for variations listed. (I'll keep making more and if any aren't good, I'll update.)Two things i did not like:1. It doesn't list a "stand mixer" as a required piece of kitchen equipment, but the Rapid Rolls recipe tells us to use one. Newbies sans mixers might flip out and think they can't make the dish. A note that it can be done without a mixer would be helpful.2. A Complete Table of Contents in the front would be helpful. You have to go to each chapter to get a list...or just print this out, because I'm about to list them for ya! - I was doing it for myself, anyway. :)Breakfast and Morning Treats:Berries and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast, 18Baked Eggs with smoked bacon, spinach and goat cheese, 20Prosciutto, Mushroom and Gruyere Strata,22Quiche Florentine, 24Skillet Sausage Hash with eggs, 27Essential Crepes,with variations, 28Banana Bread, 30Green Smoothie, 31Essential Buttermilk Biscuits, with variations, 32Almond Scones, 35Blueberry Muffins, 36Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese glaze, 39Starters:-Tomato guacamole, 44Hot Artichoke Dip with roasted peppers and kale, 45Antipasti Bruschetta, 46Grilled Shrimp Rémoulade Cocktail, 48Green Goddess Dip,49Deviled Eggs with candied bacon, 50Crab Cake Croquettes with homemade tartar sauce, 52Fried Homemade Pickles with ranch dressing, 55Fennel and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, 58Glazed Buffalo Chicken Wings with buttermilk-blue cheese dressing, 60Grilled Flatbread, 63Caramel iced Onion-Tomato Jam, 67Ratatouille Tart, 69Salads:Summer Potato Salad, 72Pickled Cucumber Salad, 73Charred Corn Salad with basil Vinaigrette, 74Essential, Everyday Tossed Green Salad, with variations, 76Grilled Veggie Panzanella with mozzarella and basil, 79Stone Fruit Salad with Sherry vinaigrette and roasted almonds, 80Cilantro Lime Slaw, 81Summer Bean, Pea and Radish Salad, 82Fusilli Caesar Salad, 85Grilled Fruit Skewers with Chili and Lime, 87Tarragon Chicken Salad with grapes, 88Greek Shrimp and Orzo Salad, 89Chopped Cobb Salad, 90Sandwiches and Soups:Meatball Parmesan Heroes with essential tomato sauce, 94Shrimp Rolls, 97Grilled Apple, Bacon, and Cheddar Sandwiches, 98Tuna Melt, 100Sloppy Jane Sliders, 101Pressed Picnic Sandwich with roasted red pepper-pepperoncini spread, 102Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder, 104Asian Chicken Noodle Soup, 107Sweet Pea Soup, 108Roasted Tomato Soup with pesto and cheesy croutons, 110Vegetable Barley Soup, 113Bean and Hominy Chili, 114Main Courses:Essential Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese with variations, 118Lemon-Scented Chicken Thighs with crispy croutons and carrots, 120Chicken and Poblano Stew, 124Steak and Pepper Stir-Fry, 127Tortellini with snap peas and lemon-dill cream, 129Grilled Pork Chops with Peach BBQ Sauce, 130Pot Roast with potatoes and root vegetables, 132Sweet Potato-Coconut Curry, 135Lasagna with sausage and butternut squash, 136Carnitas Tacos with pickled red onion, 139Poached Salmon with ginger sauce, 141Pan-Seared Scallops with chimichurri, 142Chicken Piccata, 144Moroccan-Spiced Roast Chicken with creamy cilantro sauce, 147Herb-Butter Roasted Turkey, 150Oven-Fried Chicken with peppered milk gravy, 152Oven-Baked Ribs with tangy BBQ sauce, 154Pan-Seared Spanish Steaks, 158Cod en Papillote with tomatoes, olives and oregano, 161Tuna Noodle Casserole, 162Sides:Butter Braised Cabbage with bacon, 166Rapid Rolls, 168Sautéed Spinach with feta, 171Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with maple and pecans, 173Sweet Cornbread, 174Toasted Vermicelli Pilaf, 175Essential Quinoa Pilaf, with variations, 176Bacon and Blue Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes, 182Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, 181Cheesy Smashed Potatoes, 182Creamy Cauliflower Purée, 183Sausage, Apple and Pear Dressing with cranberries, 184Lemon Risotto with peas and Parmesan, 186Creamed Corn, 187Roasted Root Vegetables with cider vinaigrette, 189Haricots Verts Amandine, 190Desserts & Sweets:Chocolate Chip Cookies, 194Gingerbread Cookies, 195Simple Sugar Cookies, 197Lemon Bars, 198Honey Corn, 200Fudge Mint Brownies, 202Banana Split Icebox Cake, 205Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream, 206All-American Apple Pie, 207Skillet Blueberry and Peach Cobbler, 211Concord Grape Granita with lime and mint, 212Grandma's Banana-Nut Sheet Cake, 214Essential Yellow Birthday Cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, with variations, 216I just hate it when cookbooks don't do this for us, don't you? "Do your own Table of Contents" should be outlawed, especially where cookbooks are concerned. :)

I recommend it highly. I bought it based on a review I read here and honestly couldn’t be more pleased with the recipes. I think Kelsey really chose GOOD recipes for this.I use it ALL THE TIME. In fact, I’ve never had a cookbook that had more recipes I’ve really liked enough to make over and over again. I’m not getting into the “Cornbread v Sweet Cornbread” fight…wait, Yes, I am! I LOVE HER (sweet) Cornbread. I do, so sue me. And every time I make it for non-snooty “Cornbread shouldn’t be sweet” people, I get loads of compliments.Everything I’ve made here is YUMMY. And I’ve made a lot.I am buying this one as a gift. As long as it’s in print, I will give it as a wedding gift and to anyone else who might make use.I wish she’d do another cookbook for just two people/servings. Kids grow up and move away and then it’s just two people. :)I have 200 cookbooks (200, not a type) and I don’t rave about all of them!Go Kelsey!!!! Thumbs up (and fingers and toes, too!)

Love this girl on tv and her enthusiasm for her food when she tastes it made me want to try some of her recipes , this book does that and does not disappoint . Arrived quickly and well packaged