Taste of Home - Taste of Home: Cooking School Cookbook: 400 + Simple to Spectacular Recipes

taste of home B O O K S REIMAN MEDIA GROUP, LLC GREENDALE, WIA TASTE OF HOME/READERS DIGEST BOOK 2012 Reiman Media Group, LLC 5400 S. 60th St., Greendale WI 53129 All rights reserved. Taste of Home and Readers Digest are registered trademarks of The Readers Digest Association, Inc.Editor-in-Chief: Catherine Cassidy Vice President, Executive Editor/Books: Heidi Reuter Lloyd Creative Director: Howard Greenberg North American Chief Marketing Officer: Lisa Karpinski Food Director: Diane Werner, RD Senior Editor/Retail Books: Faithann Stoner Editor: Christine Rukavena Editorial Intern: Andrea Mesalk Project Art Director: Jessie Sharon Associate Creative Director: Edwin Robles Jr. Content Production Manager: Julie Wagner Layout Designers: Emma Acevedo, Nancy Novak, Catherine Fletcher, Kathleen Bump, Julie Schnuck, Holly Patch Copy Chief: Deb Warlaumont Mulvey Copy Editor: Susan Uphill Recipe Asset System Manager: Coleen Martin Recipe Testing & Editing: Taste of Home Test Kitchen Food Photography: Taste of Home Photo Studio Administrative Assistant: Barb Czysz Taste of Home Cooking SchoolsGeneral Manager: Erin Puariea Field Staff & Program Manager: Betsy Fryda Sales & Marketing Manager: Jamie Piette Andrzejewski Associate Brand Manager: Lauren Scott National Business Development Specialist: Marc Padron Experiential Marketing Specialist: Mitch Cooper Operations Coordinator: Dawn Strzok The Readers Digest Association, Inc.President and Chief Executive Officer: Robert E. Guth Executive Vice President, RDA, & President, North America: Dan Lagani President/Publisher, Trade Publishing: Harold Clarke Associate Publisher: Rosanne McManus Vice President, Sales & Marketing: Stacey Ashton For other Taste of Home books and products, visit us at tasteofhome.com.For more Readers Digest products and information, visit rd.com (in the United States) or see rd.ca (in Canada).International Standard Book Number (10): 0-89821-947-7 International Standard Book Number (13): 978-0-89821-947-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2011940520 Cover PhotographyPhotographer: Rob Hagen Food Stylist: Diane Armstrong Set Stylist: Pam Stasney G et ready to learn, have fun and discover new favorites with the experts at Taste of Home Cooking School! Whatever your skill level in the kitchen, you will learn tricks, tips, secrets, entertaining ideas and so much more with this vibrant collection of more than 400 of our best-loved recipes. Whether you crave a magnificent lasagna, long for comfort-food classics like barbecued ribs and potato salad, or are making a holiday meal for the very first time, youll find what you needand so much morein the Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook! The chapters in this volume are organized for the way you want to cook and entertain. With the first two chapters, Appetizers and Drinks, you can plan casual get-togethers with pub favorites like guacamole, mini cheeseburgers and stuffed jalapenos. Or host a cocktail party with more upscale fare and the recipes to make martinis, old-fashioneds, an exciting banana-flavored eggnog and more.

In the next chapter, youll take a tasty trip to your all-time favorite restaurants without leaving your own kitchen. Prepare burger-joint and bistro favorites, delicious, easy Mexican food, pizza-parlor specialties and fabulous Chinese takeout. These foods are so yummy, fresh and affordable youll quickly see why we call this chapter Better Than Takeout! Youll also find soups, meats, pastas, vegetarian choices and side dishes to make a complete meal. Then join us for breakfast with two dozen tempting recipes that serve one, two or a hungry houseful of overnight guests. Youll find impressive, easy casseroles that are perfect for brunches, holidays and potlucks, too. Whether youd like a simple pastry to go with breakfast or to try your hand at making a beautiful loaf of braided challah, the Baking chapter is sure to inspire! Youll find rocky road brownies, homemade scones and a variety of savory recipes that help you put homemade bread on the table fast.

No special day is complete without a sweet, delectable treat. Whip up adorable cupcakes, make a classic cherry pie with lattice top, learn the secret to perfect creme brulee and master three easy, no-special-equipment-needed techniques to create a beautifully frosted cake. At Taste of Home Cooking School, we love to share our passion for good food with you! Our culinary specialists demonstrate recipes and share professional techniques with over 300,000 viewers each year. With this beautiful new volume, you can bring our lessons into your own home. This is the cookbook you will turn to again and again. Go ahead, grab an apron and join us today! Taste of Home Cooking SchoolP.S. Look for the icon throughout this book for low-effort recipes with big rewards!MEASURING CORRECTLY:the secret to success!LIQUIDS Place a liquid measuring cup on a level surface.

For a traditional liquid measuring cup, view the amount at eye level to be sure of an accurate measure. Do not lift cup to check the level. Some newer liquid measuring cups are designed so that they can be accurately read from above. For sticky liquids such as molasses, corn syrup or honey, spray the measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray before adding the liquid. This will make it easier to pour out the liquid and clean the cup. SHORTENING Press shortening into a dry measuring cup with a spatula to make sure it is solidly packed without air pockets.

With a metal spatula or flat side of a knife, level with the rim. Some shortenings come in sticks and can be measured like butter. SOUR CREAM & YOGURT Spoon sour cream and yogurt into a dry measuring cup, then level top by sweeping a metal spatula or flat side of a knife across the top of the cup.