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Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining
Not Your Mother's guide to recipes for today's entertaining.
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
108 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
About the author
Beth Hensperger
31 books54 followersBeth Hensperger is a passionate professional- and home- baker who is both extremely creative and extraordinarily prolific as an author and developer of quality recipes. Her training included a ten-year apprenticeship as a restaurant and hotel pastry chef as well as having her own custom wedding cake business and attending classes given by some of the top bakers in America. Though restaurant trained, she considers herself more of a dedicated home baker than a chef.
Beth’s writing career began when she was chosen as the Guest Cooking Instructor for the March 1985 issue of Bon Appetit. She is now the author of fifteen cookbooks, many of them best sellers. Her most recent books include: Williams Sonoma Breads (Weldon Owen), Bread For Breakfast (Ten Speed Press), and The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook (HCP). The Bread Bible (Chronicle Books) is the recipient of The James Beard Foundation Award for Baking in 2000. Beth's Basic Bread Book (Chronicle Books), a sequential text for the beginning home baker, published in the Fall of 1996, was chosen as one of the best baking books of the year by People Magazine. She has been nominated twice for the IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards. Her books are all represented at the prestigious Culinary Collection of the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When she isn't up to her elbows in flour, Beth is a monthly food columnist with the San Jose Mercury News "Baking By the Seasons". She is a regular contributor to Cooking Pleasures, Food & Wine, Shape Magazine, Bon Appétit, Veggie Life, and Pastry Art and Design Magazines.
Beth’s writing career began when she was chosen as the Guest Cooking Instructor for the March 1985 issue of Bon Appetit. She is now the author of fifteen cookbooks, many of them best sellers. Her most recent books include: Williams Sonoma Breads (Weldon Owen), Bread For Breakfast (Ten Speed Press), and The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook (HCP). The Bread Bible (Chronicle Books) is the recipient of The James Beard Foundation Award for Baking in 2000. Beth's Basic Bread Book (Chronicle Books), a sequential text for the beginning home baker, published in the Fall of 1996, was chosen as one of the best baking books of the year by People Magazine. She has been nominated twice for the IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards. Her books are all represented at the prestigious Culinary Collection of the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When she isn't up to her elbows in flour, Beth is a monthly food columnist with the San Jose Mercury News "Baking By the Seasons". She is a regular contributor to Cooking Pleasures, Food & Wine, Shape Magazine, Bon Appétit, Veggie Life, and Pastry Art and Design Magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 12, 2021
I haven’t had a chance to try many of the recipes from this book yet, but it’s full of things I want to try. The recipes are well written and easy to follow, plus the beginning of the book and some sections give you the know-how to adapt their recipes or create your own.
September 26, 2017
This is this the first slow cooker cookbook I have read with recipes that I would actually make.
January 14, 2014
This is a great, really extensive slow cooker book that does exactly what it sets out to do - feature great recipes for entertaining. The authors are very knowledgeable, and there is explanatory text and notes for each type of food, as well as for most recipes. There is a chapter of non-slow cooker sides, too.
There are some really creative recipes in here - turkey and oranges. . .works well, who knew? Many of the recipes are slow cooker adaptations of other recipes. Generally that would make me think the authors weren't creative, but they're adaptations from Mark Bittman, Julia Child and several other notable names - so the recipes are good standards. I also liked that they ran the full high-low range, including everything from Frito Pie to Venison with dried cherries.
If you're an avid slow cooker, you probably have some of these already (like many of the dip recipes) - and some of the apps might be easier made in the oven. And most of these recipes aren't for every day - they generally have several steps and are more elaborate. But for special occasions, they'd be perfect.
The slow cooker is great for entertaining since you can generally do all the prep beforehand, so you'll have more time with your guests. This book includes several dishes that I hadn't thought possible in the slow cooker. They even make truffles with the slow cooker! And have a low fat truffle recipe (using prune butter) that I can't wait to try. I'd have liked more photos, but overall this is a great book that is well worth the price and accomplishes exactly what it sets out to. If you're a fan of crockpot cooking, you've got to check this out.
There are some really creative recipes in here - turkey and oranges. . .works well, who knew? Many of the recipes are slow cooker adaptations of other recipes. Generally that would make me think the authors weren't creative, but they're adaptations from Mark Bittman, Julia Child and several other notable names - so the recipes are good standards. I also liked that they ran the full high-low range, including everything from Frito Pie to Venison with dried cherries.
If you're an avid slow cooker, you probably have some of these already (like many of the dip recipes) - and some of the apps might be easier made in the oven. And most of these recipes aren't for every day - they generally have several steps and are more elaborate. But for special occasions, they'd be perfect.
The slow cooker is great for entertaining since you can generally do all the prep beforehand, so you'll have more time with your guests. This book includes several dishes that I hadn't thought possible in the slow cooker. They even make truffles with the slow cooker! And have a low fat truffle recipe (using prune butter) that I can't wait to try. I'd have liked more photos, but overall this is a great book that is well worth the price and accomplishes exactly what it sets out to. If you're a fan of crockpot cooking, you've got to check this out.
October 13, 2011
I bought this book mostly as a companion to Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker, but I haven't used it quite as often. Because the recipes are intended "for entertaining," the yields are quite high and not usually practical for my family of two (and I haven't seen anything so remarkable that I just HAD to scale it down to make it).
One recipe I made was too large to fit comfortably in the cooker (and I did use an oval 7 qt.) and not terribly flavorful, although the idea was good. Other recipes have been more successful, and bring what I love most about NYMSC to slow cooking--using fresh ingredients and good herbs and spices.
One recipe I made was too large to fit comfortably in the cooker (and I did use an oval 7 qt.) and not terribly flavorful, although the idea was good. Other recipes have been more successful, and bring what I love most about NYMSC to slow cooking--using fresh ingredients and good herbs and spices.
November 9, 2015
Great descriptions
First, let me get this out of my way, there were quite a few typos that drive me mad. I am a grammar Nazi.
Secondly, I feel as this wasn't a cookbook for the masses. Guess that's why Mother wouldn't use it. She'd speed to much time in the grocery store.
But overall this book was well written and filled with an introduction full of useful information. The recipes seemed easy to read, I would have lived to have tried some of these recipes, but my kids would never have touched them. They're too picky for their own good.
First, let me get this out of my way, there were quite a few typos that drive me mad. I am a grammar Nazi.
Secondly, I feel as this wasn't a cookbook for the masses. Guess that's why Mother wouldn't use it. She'd speed to much time in the grocery store.
But overall this book was well written and filled with an introduction full of useful information. The recipes seemed easy to read, I would have lived to have tried some of these recipes, but my kids would never have touched them. They're too picky for their own good.
December 14, 2008
Every recipe I've ever tried by Beth Hensperger has been fantastic, and the ones from this are equally amazing. I've used this book for all those must impress meals, and everyone raves. I love this book. It's perfect for taking the pressure of cooking for parties, but still have delicious food that is sure to impress.
October 29, 2009
Esoteric ingredients in some of the recipes. However, the introduction is very good, so it gets two stars. I realize the recipes are supposed to be gourmet but I still didn't like this one nearly as well as other slow cookers I've reviewed.
April 29, 2010
Overall a little too refined for my tastes. :) maybe I'll revisit it another time when speed and efficiency are not top on my list of recipe-requirements. And if I acquire a taste for game meats.
This book is above me.
This book is above me.
January 23, 2014
This was the most unusual slow cooker cookbook i ever read. So many recipes that i had NO CLUE you could pull off in a crock-pot. Like poached eggs or roasted walnuts. Seriously? (no, not at the same time) I will be trying some of her cider recipes, definitely!
September 7, 2009
400+ pages of recipes for my slow cooker, what's not to like? ALl kinds of ideas in here.
December 18, 2009
This cookbook is fantastic!
Read
January 11, 2010some day I will learn to cook!
December 10, 2010
most of these recipes have been hits so far.
February 24, 2011
Mehhh..
November 13, 2011
Excellent ideas for entertaining.
Recipes for different sized slow cookers.
I definitely want to check out the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Original!
Recipes for different sized slow cookers.
I definitely want to check out the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Original!
December 13, 2014
Not the cookbook I was interested in at this time. I will, however, look for the aurthor's earlier, more basic one.
November 18, 2016
This one's a keeper!
April 1, 2010
Of all Hensperger's slow cooker recipe books, this one is the best.
January 9, 2011
Only a few of these recipes appealed to me...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews