What's for Christmas Dinner? by Sarah Rossi {book review}

How is it December already? 

It's the question we ask ourselves every year because time just seems to go faster and faster as we get older. Today is December First and although the majority of my Christmas shopping is done I am still feeling the pressure of the big day. 

My little family isn't traditional and even less traditional for me as I live abroad. So, it means we have had less than traditional Christmas meals over the years. This year I thought I'd try to go back to what is consider traditional Christmas food, but I didn't want the fuss or hassle. Hence my excuse to purchase yet another cookbook, specifically this one What's for Christmas Dinner by Sarah Rossi. 

Sarah's What's for Dinner? and What's For Dinner? In One Pot have been life savers the last couple years and I have made the majority of recipes from both books. So, I cannot wait to put this one to good use this Christmas. She give us some great guides in the beginning for timings and prep and menu suggestions. The book covers everything from the main meal on the big day to parties, breakfasts, baked goods, and homemade gifts; literally everything is covered. 

This book was clearly written by someone with years of experience prepping and executing Christmas dinners and food for the whole season! 

So, I used the recipe for Braised Red Cabbage for my Thanksgiving dinner and it was great - it added cranberry sauce and I had never tried that before it was good. I look forward to trying more recipes from this book this month and I am sure some will become favorites that we use very year. 

*I purchased my own copy - thoughts are all my own - not being paid for this review

Death by Chocolate Cake - Crown of Midnight (by Sarah J Maas) {book review}

“Is that … chocolate cake?”- “I thought you might need some.” - “Need, not want?”A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and he almost sagged in relief as he said, “For you, I’d say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need.”

- Crown of Midnight; Sarah J Maas 

The scene that the above quote comes from is when Dorian sees Celaene carrying a whole chocolate cake to her rooms. There are times in our lives when chocolate cake is much more a need than a want. After reading this in Crown of Midnight I couldn't get chocolate cake out of my head. I bought all the ingredients and was determined to make it...

... a whole week later. Having been out of the baking game for a while I had forgotten the time and mindset that is required for baking layered cakes. They aren't difficult but they do require a certain amount of patience as you have to wait for them to cool completely before icing and so on. I started my cake so late at night and was exhausted with the clean up that I wasn't exactly in the mood for a slice until the following day. And let me tell you that this cake was worth the effort and the wait. 

The recipes calls for: 

cake: 275g dark chocolate, 275g unsalted butter, 1 tbsp instant coffee, 250g plain flour, 40g cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp bicarb, 250g caster sugar, 250g light brown sugar, 5 eggs, 100ml buttermilk

Frosting: 250g unsalted butter, 500g icing sugar, 50g cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 tbsp of evaporated milk (give or take depending on constancy)

Decorations: chocolate chips or curls or whatever you want

{full recipe in *Jane's Patisserie cookbook by Jane Dunn available now}

There have been many dry and crumbly chocolate cakes in my past, but this one was neither of those things. It's probably one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had or made! This recipe alone makes it worth picking up a copy of the cookbook! 

Crown of Midnight 
by Sarah J Maas 

mini review

It was never my intention to read a single Sarah J Maas book. Having seen them all over social media I never expected them to live up to the hype. So, after some persuading by my book buddy reader Charlee I picked up a box set of A Court of Thorns and Roses - after literally devouring them and Charlee gifting me a copy of House of Earth and Blood a Crescent City novel I have finally admitted that I am a fan. 

It was only time before I read the Throne of Glass series - it is her first series having written Throne of Glass as a teenager. There are some benefits from having read the above series first as in that it was easy to pick up these books and already understand some of the world and familiarity to how Sarah J Maas writes characters. Which I personally think is something she is particularly good at and why I come back to her books. 

Crown of Midnight is the second book in the series which picks up pretty much where the first one left off Celaena has just been bestowed with the title of King's Assassin and we see her take on this role struggling with playing the game by the kings rules. Given the task of killing a suspected leader of a rebel group working against the king Celaena takes her time trailing them and trying to figure out what they know because she suspects there is more that is going on. 

It's been a pleasure seeing the character growth for all the characters as they start to become more three dimensional. Celaena's love for chocolate cake is one I can get behind and the only reason this post has been written. It's also been great trying to pick up the threads of what might be in the following books. When you are reading a highly popular series that is also old it's hard not to see spoilers so out of my deductions from living on bookstagram I have made a few predictions but time will tell as I continue the series with Heir of Fire. 

It's not normal for me to write a book review and I don't think this can even be called one? 

* full cookbook review here - 

lemon polenta cake {inspired by We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman} (recipe)

Recently I started thinking about the days when I used to bake and blog a couple times a week, being a blogger and somewhat of an influencer before the word influencer was used to describe what I was doing for fun. I miss it, but it is work. Fun work, but work. 

Before the blog post there is the planning/inspiration, the shopping and cost of ingredients, then the baking and the clean up. After that you have the photo taking and editing and the writing... 

Once you get the blog post up it's the self promotion. Have you used the right hashtags? Making sure you post at the right times to try and get the most views. And now so much has changed. I have to make reels or tiktoks? Who reads blogs anymore? 

I loved it as a creative outlet when I was at home with the kids, but now a days life is different. Life is always changing. 

Netgalley gifted me an ecopy of *We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman - it's a devastatingly beautiful and sorrowful story about how one's life changes when your best friend is diagnosed with cancer. 

One of the things that Edi wants is a Sicilian lemon polenta pound cake that she came across once at a bakery and never saw again. So, there is a hunt for the recipe in the book. This is not the above, but it is a damn tasty polenta cake from the gorgeous Nigella. It can be found on her website as well as in her book Kitchen. 

lemon polenta cake: 

200g soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)

200g caster sugar

200g ground almonds

100g fine polenta (or cornmeal)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

3 large eggs

zest of 2 unwaxed lemons (save juice for syrup)

(syrup)

juice of 2 lemons

125 grams icing sugar

Line the base of a 23cm / 9inch circle or square cake tin (grease sides with butter if needed)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/ 350°F.

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and soft. 

Mix the dry ingredients together (almonds, polenta, baking powder) and then beat a third of it into the butter mixture, then add one egg and beat until combined, alternate again with another third of the dry ingredients, egg, and then the last of the dry mixture; mixing well between each addition. 

Lastly add the lemon zest and then scrap into your prepared tin, I used a spatula to smooth it into the corners. Pop it into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. 

I left mine in accidentally for a few extra minutes, but when it comes out it make still look a little wobbly, but if the cake tester comes out mostly clean you are good, it also will cave a little in the middle that is normal. Leave to cool in the tin, while making the lemon sugar syrup. 

Which one makes by boiling the lemon juice and icing sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Using the cake test or something similar using anything bigger will be destructive to the cake according to Nigella, pour the warm syrup slowly over the cake, I used a brush to spread it over the top to stop it just pooling in the middle. Leave to cool completely in the tin before taking out and cutting up into 12-16 squares/slices (depending on how you want to distribute it)! Enjoy!

> Will keep for 5-6 days and is suitable for freezing just make sure you wrap it up tight and eat within a month. 

"Everyone dies, and yet it's unendurable. There is so much love inside of us. How do we become worthy of it? And, then, where does it go? A worldwide crescendo of grief, sustained day after day, and only one tiny note of it is mine." - Catherine Newman 

* I really enjoyed this story, the writing style was different, but once adjusted to it was easy to follow. Not sure I particularly liked the characters, but that didn't stop me from relating to what they were going through and it gave me room to question how I would feel or respond in a similar situation. Also appreciated that it didn't cover up the real and horrible sides of watching someone you love die. Out now!

Coconut & Lemon Bakewell (recipe review) Inspired by Soul of Cinder by Bree Barton

Soul of Cinder by Bree Barton is the third instalment of the trilogy that started with Heart of Thorns and followed by Tears of Frost. Soul of Cinder picks up right where Tears of Frost left off with Mia and Pilar on another journey, but not really sure of where they are going. What they do know is that after having just found each other the worst thing would be to lose the other one, but it's hard to support someone when you are still trying to figure out what it is you need or want. 

The whole series is a journey of these amazing characters over coming hardships and set backs only to finally grow into who they were always meant to be. People who can make real change in a really messed up world. I don't know what else to say without giving anything away that happens in the previous books! All I can say is that I highly recommend this series, it has some really good twists and although set in a fantasy setting is one of the most real series I have read in a while.*

On to the the Coconut and Lemon Bakewell in Soul of Cinder when Mia and Pilar arrive in this new land one of the first things they expreience is a lemon coconut.

Where the image of what this hybrid fruit would look like, in my head, is still inclusive it didn't take much of a stretch to know what it would taste like and that I would have immediately thought of all the things I could bake with it!!

I finally settled on a Coconut & Lemon Bakewell Tart! I do live in England and a Bakewell Tart is a classic so why not? I found this recipe in John Whaite Bakes by John Whaite winner of The Great British Bake Off season 3! For this recipe you will need time to make the pastry as it needs to rest before baking so if time is an issue you could make the pastry dough the night before. 

Short Crust Pastry: 

250g plain flour
125g salted butter, cubed
1 large egg
cold water

1 egg white, beaten (you need the yolk so keep it!)

- In a bowl rub the flour and butter together with your hands until it resembles bread crumbs. You want to do this quick as not to allow the heat from your hands melt the butter to much. Add the egg and 1 tsp of water and bring the pastry dough together. Add water sparingly if needed until the mixture comes together. Knead gently for just a moment before wrapping in baking paper and resting in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry, line your 10 inch/25cm loose bottomed tart tin with pastry pressing it into the grooves and trimming the edges off. Don't forget to prick the base with a fork and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Make the filling(s)

frangipane filling: 

175g unsalted butter, room temp

175g golden caster sugar

4 large eggs

85g desiccated coconut 

90g ground almonds

1 tbsp plain flour

zest of 2 lemons

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix until just combined, then fold in the coconut, almonds, flour and zest. The mixture looks a bit funny, but trust me it's okay! Fill a piping bag with the mixture and put to the side. 

lemon curd filling:

150g lemon curd

1 egg yolk

Mix the lemon curd with the egg yolk and set aside. 

continue: Preheat the oven to 190C or 170C fan. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice or whatever it is you use and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and take away the baking beads and blind bake for 12 minutes. After that take the pastry out and brush over the egg white, it helps avoid a soggy bottom and pop into he oven for another minute! 

Let the pastry cool slightly before layering first the lemon curd mixture and then carefully pipe on the frangipane filling. I smoothed mine out before popping into the oven for 30-35 minutes. It should be golden brown and slightly wobbly when it comes out of the oven. Allow to cool completely before icing!

for the icing:

250g icing sugar

2 tbsp of water 

desiccated coconut and lemon zest to top

Mix the icing sugar and water together it should become a pourable but thick icing. If need be add a little more water but add it little by little so it doesn't become too runny. Top with coconut and lemon zest! 

Soul Cinder by Bree Barton is out now!!! I bought my own copy all opinions are my own. I made a recipe inspired by the first book in the series Heart of Thorns! That can be found here!! 

*Please note the series does delve into sexual assault and depression. 

John Whaite Bakes is an old book and I was sent it to review back in 2013 when it was published, but besides the book I did not receive any other compensation. It is a great book and have made several recipes from it! Full review of the book is here!! 

The Power of Sprinkles by Amirah Kassem {a book review}

The power of sprinkles indeed.

I don't think I know a single person who doesn't smile or get excited when presented with something that is full of color and this book along with our author, Amirah Kassem, is full of color and fun!

Amirah grew up in a home where her mom was always baking and creating and as she grew up she followed in her mother's footsteps baking for her close friends and family; presenting them with cakes that were suited just for them. She had a stint in the fashion world as the colors and textiles drew her in, but her love of baking never stopped.

She continued to create cakes for the people around her and when they started asking where the cakes were bought from she decided to take a step in that direction, baking 6 layer cakes that were so beautiful you almost wouldn't want to eat them, in her very own bakery cleverly named Flour Shop in New York City.

For those of us who don't live in New York and might not get an opportunity to visit her bakery, we have her book. The Power of Sprinkles. This book is visually stunning. It's bright and colourful, but it is more then just eye candy... it's creative, clever, and thoughtful.

She shares with us 35 different cakes for all occasions I will just show you some of my favorites.....

We get a lovely insight into Amirah's life and she shares with us the most important cake in the book: The Rainbow Explosion Cake. It's the most important because it gives us all the techniques and tips and tricks we will need to create these amazing cakes.

Those tips and tricks cover a vanilla cake recipe, magical frosting, tools and tips for frosting cakes, colors and dyes to use, sprinkle science, working with chocolate, and layering the cakes - everything you will need to create your own masterpieces.

I myself am not much of a decorator and normally I would look at these pictures and feel a bit daunted, but her writing exudes a confidence that makes me feel I am capable of creating these cakes.  Maybe a few of them require a bit more experience, but there are just as many that don't require as much experience and effort as you might think.

If you are looking to expand your baking profile or need some inspiration as Amirah's story is definitely uplifting check this book out!!

The Flour Shop - 177 Lafayette St. NY, NY 10013

*I was provided a copy of The Power of Sprinkles: a cake book by Amirah Kassem to review by the publisher, abrams&chronicle books, retails at £17.99 and available now on Amazon! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page for more information.

Pescan: A feel good cookbook by Abbie Cornish & Jacqueline King Schiller {cookbook review}

When the publishers wrote to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a copy of Pescan, I responded right away with a a yes of course! Having experienced a vegan lifestyle, but not being able to maintain it after the month, I have been looking for alternative ways to try and get back to a plant based diet.

The authors best friends and they share a love of food and wellness and from that came what they call "pescan." Which is essentially dairy-free, plant-based, and gluten free but with options of high-protein seafood and eggs incorporated.

The book gives us each of the author's story anyhow they got to this book. They also give us a guide on how to feel good in the kitchen, the pescan lifestyle, and stocking your kitchen with all the good things.

Then the rest of the chapters get into the recipes. The first chapter covers the basics and batch cooking then it continues with breakfast, eggs, soups and salads, beans and grains, pizza and pasta, seafood, party food, and last but never least dessert. The book ends with a section called gatherings which includes menu plans for different events and gatherings.

Recipes I have already tagged to try out: 

Everyday Magic Beans
Blended Vanilla Iced Mocha
PB&J Overnight Oats
Curried Tofu Scramble
Banana Pancakes with Cardamom Spiced Berries
Quinn's Breakfast Cookies
Lobster, Corn, and Caramelized Leek Frittata
Creamy Truffle Mushroom Soup
The Happy Hippy Quinoa Salad
California Dream Burgers
Lemon-Pea Risotto with Mint
Fiesta Veggie Rice
Pesto Zucchini (courgette) Noodles with Cannellini Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Creamy Mushroom Lasagna with Pesto
Italian-style Grilled Halibut
Spicy Buffalo Tofu Fingers with Avocado Ranch Dressing
High-Protein Black Bean Brownies

There are so many more recipes to choose from and not only that it has a wealth of information on how to cook basic things so you can play and make your meal time your own. And in my opinion that is the sign of a great cookbook.

This book offers something for everyone. It's great for people who want to avoid dairy or gluten, but it's not just for them. There are some fantastic ideas and flavor combinations and I really can't wait to try the recipes out!

*I was provided a copy of Pescan: A feel good cookbook by Abbie Cornish & Jacqueline King Schiller to review by the publisher, abrams&chronicle books, retails at £21.99 and available now on Amazon! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page for more information.

My Top 5 Vegan or Plant Based Cookbooks (Veganuary)

There are many different reasons someone might want to be a Vegan, a term that was coined not all that long ago for people who don't eat anything that comes from an animal; some vegans even cover everyday products as well. But a group of them got together and said hey let's make January Veganuary, let's give people the information that shows how being vegan can benefit you and the world, and let's show them how it's not all that hard! 

That isn't what this post is all about and as I am a newbie to this Vegan stuff and honestly probably not all that qualified to give it. If you are looking for more of that information veganuary.com is a good place to start. 

This post is to show the four new cookbooks I picked up and one I already had living on my shelf. I don't need much of an excuse to buy a new cookbook, but I think learning to cook and eat a plant based diet is a pretty good one! 

The first two books I picked up were Bosh! and Feed Me Vegan for All Occasions, shortly followed by a much recommended book The Green Roasting Tin and then of course Leon's newly released Fast Vegan. It's early days, but I have already tried a few recipes from the these books as well as read them almost cover to cover .... only picked up Fast Vegan a couple days ago. 

Bosh! 

by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby 

- At first glance you wouldn't even know this book was plant based the recipes are all ones you probably recognise! It isn't until you look closer you see the differences and by differences I mean one glaringly obvious difference and one slightly less so. There isn't any meat in any of the recipes, but more so there isn't any dairy. There are dairy substitutions when needed and it's when you recognise that you recognise what this book is all about. 

I think this is my favorite out of the ones I have, I have already tried two of the recipes and bookmarked more! I would also recommend this book to any one of any diet because you don't need a label to use this book! It literally has everything you could want from a cookbook.

Want to learn more about Bosh! - visit their website bosh.tv 

Feed Me Vegan for All Occasions

by Lucy Watson

- One of my secrets is that I used to watch a lot of Made in Chelsea, not as big of fan now, but love the older episodes because of the people on them, including Lucy Watson. I follow her on social media and she talks a lot about her vegan lifestyle and it's always made me curious. So, it was a no-brainer for me to pick up a copy of her book. This is actually the second book, the first I flipped through at the store and nothing grabbed my attention like it did in this one. So, having to watch my wallet as I don't live in Chelsea I just bought the one. 

What I liked about this one compared to the others is that most of the ingredients and recipes are straight forward. These are the recipes I will be using when needing to make something quick, delicious, and fuss free. She also includes weekly meal planner to help those just starting out and a section on vegan pet food. 

Want to learn more about Lucy Watson's Feed Me Vegan - follow Lucy on social media 

writing this it is 99p on amazon kindle 

The Green Roasting Tin 

by Rukmini Iyer

- This was recommended by two people I follow on instagram (I live on instagram so if you don't follow me already - go do it I will follow back if you make yourself known to me) one a vegan and another a vegetarian. Both parents that have busy lives with kids and jobs and lives... I already said lives. Although the recipes may take longer in the oven there is little to no prep. Just throw it in the tray and pop in the oven, do chores, helps kids with homework, read a book, drink a cuppa or whatever and let the oven do the work and still have a delicious tasty meal on the table! 

This is one of those books that suits anyone's lifestyle and any time of year. The book is broken down first into Vegan and Vegetarian and then the recipes for each are broken down by speed: Quick, Medium, Slow. You just can't go wrong with this one! Bonus for me was the infographics showing how to combine/cook different vegetables. I am a sucker for a good infographic though. 

Leon: Fast Vegan

by Rebecca Seal, Chantal Symons & John Vincent 

- One of my favorite cookbooks is my Leon: Family & Friends cookbook. Already a company that values good food, not just good as in tastes good because that you can get a lot of different places, but food that tastes good and is good for you. They have restaurants across the UK and several cookbooks and it's natural after publishing Fast Vegetarian that they would go that step further with Fast Vegan! 

This book I only picked up recently as it was only published recently so haven't read through the whole thing like I have the others, I'm about half way and it's everything I expected and more. I can't wait to try some of the recipes from this book. 

Want to learn more about Leon visit their site leon.co 

Last but not least a book I have had many years now - 

Ms. Cupcake - The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town! 

by Ms. Cupcake aka Melissa Morgan

- I had a friend who was allergic to dairy and eggs and never could enjoy cake. There was no way I could allow that! And it was that thought process that lead me to think: well vegans don't eat dairy or eggs so what do they do for cake? It was when this book came to my life. There are not words to express how great this baking book is.

If you live in London you can just visit her shop, but if you don't then I suggest you pick up this book. I have made cupcakes and muffins and various other things that all turned out great for me! I also met Ms. Cupcake at the Cake & Bake show years ago. Being Vegan isn't just about eating vegetables - which sounds so very boring - but it's being aware of what you are eating and the bigger picture of where our food comes from and how it's produced. 

Want to know more about Ms. Cupcake and the delicious treats visit her site mscupcake.co.uk 

> These cupcakes were made from a recipe from Ms. Cupcake for my daughter's birthday as my vegan friend and her son were attending and not a single one of the party goers realised they didn't have any eggs or dairy in them! 

Last note - It's interesting how we use meat as the focus of our meals and vegetables as a side dish. These books, even if you aren't vegan, are a great way to look at vegetables as the star not as a side act. I may not continue to be strictly vegan after the 31st of January, but I know I will be adding recipes from these books to my repertoire from now on.

I hope to share a bit more on here this month as I attempt a vegan diet/lifestyle. Anything you'd like to see or that I should try let me know in the comments! 

*all books were purchased by me - all opinions are my own please see contact/policy page for more information

Lavender & Lovage by Karen Burns-Booth {book review}

Part travel diary, part memoir, part history & all cookbook, Lavender & Lovage is an invitation from Karen Burns-Booth to join her on a personal culinary journey through the memories of the places she has lived & visited.

That is an excerpt from the back of the book and it gives a brief idea of what this book is all about, but it's so much more. With books it's always hard to describe what's inside to make a potential reader pick the book up, buy it and take it home with them. It's hard to tell them what they will feel when reading it because books, yes even cookbooks, resinate with people for different reasons.

One of Karen's first memories is of food. As she tells us the story of her first bowl of sweet sticky rice, on a hot day during the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong in the 1960's, we get the feel for the rest of her story. If you couldn't guess it features food.

In Karen's book, like her blog, food is the constant. It's the rest of life that is the variable and makes this book a real gem amongst all the other cookbooks out there. I had the pleasure of meeting Karen at a Food Blogger Connect conference back in 2014. It was a brief 'hi what's your blog name?' and I have been a follower before that encounter and since.

The break down of the contents follows most traditional cookbooks with breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and everything in between. Karen's style is all her own, but the way the book is laid out and the passion that shows through reminds me a lot of Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater respectively.

Each recipe has an introduction and tells us where the recipe is from (the index is broken down by continents and countries.) Not only do we get the intros, but some of the recipes have memory snippets, taste notes, travel notes, or historical recipe notes. A few of the recipes even have more than one of these in various combinations depending on the recipe.

As mentioned already this book is more then a book of recipes, it takes you places you may or may not have ever been. The photography is beautiful and all of them are the author's own photos. If everything I have just written doesn't convince you or you want a taste of what to expect the book to be like visit Karen's blog Lavender & Lovage.

It's one of those books that you will keep for years and refer to time and time again. If you or someone you know is a big foodie you can't lose by picking up, yourself or a loved one, a copy of this book.

*I was provided a copy of Lavender & Lovage: A culinary notebook of memories & recipes from home & abroad  to review by the publisher, Passageway Press, retails at £31.37 and available now on Amazon (Kindle edition less, but the physical book is beautiful)! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page for more information.

Homemade Christmas by Yvette Van Boven {book review}

Everyone has their own Christmas traditions, some very classic and some very obscure, but Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without food. If we get down to it a lot of our holiday's and celebrations revolve around food. We indulge and go a bit over the top when it comes to a special day and why shouldn't we?

You may recognise the style of the cover of the book because Yvette Van Boven has several other books out and if you have had the pleasure to own or read them you will know what to expect from Homemade Christmas and if you haven't well there is no reason you shouldn't start with this one!

Not only does the author give us some amazing recipes there are tips to help keep Christmas as stress free as possible. And if you have read any of my older posts from this time of year you will know that this time of year is not my favorite.

Even though I have taught myself over the years to just chill and do what I need to do for my family and myself there is still a level of pressure from ... well do we really even know? Who is in control of all this pressure? Know one really knows.

After reading this book I learned two things. First that with the help of this book I can ease some of that pressure I feel by following some of Yvette's tops tips. And two this book isn't just for Christmas. It's full of heartwarming dishes that are good all autumn/winter long.

The book is broken down starting with Christmas Stress-Relief Tips (which I desperately needed), The Morning, Drinks, Snacks, Soups, Small Plates, Main Courses, Side Dishes, Desserts, all which are pretty self explanatory. The book finishes up with Pantry aka essential things to keep in your pantry followed by Menus. Which is extremely useful because it breaks it down by menus such as Cold Buffet, Romantic Christmas Dinner Menu, as well Christmas Breakfast and/or Brunch and includes menus for Veggies!!

It's an overall great book. I say that a lot and I fear that it is losing it's meaning, but I do love a good cookbook. The thing is I don't talk about the books that I don't keep or that just didn't interest me much. So, when I do say it's a great book I do mean it. Yvette has a great style and clear writing I don't know why I haven't ever read anything else by her before. Definitely something that will need to change!

Even though I am an American living outside of the US I always celebrate Thanksgiving with my children, in hopes that some of my traditions are ingrained in them. This book has offered me some great suggestions and recipes to try for my up coming Thanksgiving meal. When I do I will be sure to share pictures on all my social media channels. 

Have a look at Yvette's website for her other titles as well as recipes! All the photo's of the food are pictures I took of the book. 

*I was provided a copy of Homemade Christmas by Yvette Van Boven (photography by Oof Verschuren) to review by the publisher, Abrams, retails at £26.99 and available now from your local book retailers or online! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page for more information.