The Best of Bridge Cookbooks Review

I admit it – I’m a foodie!  And some of my favorite go-to recipes were given to me by close friends that are also foodies (one year, our Christmas gift to each other was a collection of all of our favorite recipes).  I trust their palates and experience.  When I learned that  The Best of Bridge Cookbook Series was started by 8 friends who played bridge together and shared a love for cooking, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy!  I’m thrilled to share with you my review of two cookbooks in the series from Robert Rose Publishing, The Best of the Best and More, and The Rest of the Best and More.

My Experience with The Best of Bridge Cookbooks

These books are well designed, inside and out!  One of my favorite functional features of the series is that the books are spiral bound with a hard back cover.  This means that the book easily stays open to the recipe I’m using.  The spine on the book also allows it to lay completely flat, making it perfect for using on counter tops, or in cookbook stands.  Sometimes, the little things make a big difference.

Both of these books are a compilation of favorite recipes from the previous 6 Best of Bridge Cookbooks.  Both books have well over 70 tried and true recipes.  I have cooked from both of them, and really liked all the recipes so far.  To be honest, my mouth drools just flipping through the books!  The other day my 9 year old decided to check them out, and ended up begging me to make one of the salad recipes.  It was delicious!  We’ve also made the Crispy Garlic Chicken, Bare-Naked Chicken, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Patrick’s Salad, and Orzo with Parmesan and Basil.  All have been scrumptious, and things that my entire family enjoys.  I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of these gotta-have cookbooks, and can’t wait to continue to cook my way through them.  Rose Publishers was nice enough to allow me to share a recipe from both of the books with you!

From The Rest of The Best and More:

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad Recipe (page 210)

The superb flavor of jerk pork – the perfect dinner for a summer’s day.  This recipe looks involved, but it’s not.

• 2 tsp. salt 10 mL
• 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper 2 mL
• 1 tsp. ground cumin 5 mL
• 1 tsp. chili powder 5 mL
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 5 mL
• 2-3 pork tenderloins (21⁄2-3 lbs. TOTAL) 1-1.5 kg
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 30 mL

Glaze

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 250 mL
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic 30 mL
• 1 Tbsp. Tabasco 15 mL

Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 45 mL
• 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice 15 mL
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 15 mL
• 1 tsp. curry powder 5 mL
• 1⁄4 tsp. black pepper 1 mL
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil 125 mL

Salad

• 3 Navel oranges, peeled, white 3
• pith removed
• 6 cups baby spinach, trimmed 1.5 L
• 4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage 1 L
• 1 red pepper, in thin strips 1
• 1⁄2 cup golden raisins 125 mL
• 2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled
•  2 avocados cut diagonally into thin slices

To Prepare Pork: preheat oven to 350°f (180°c). combine salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon. coat pork with spices. heat oil in ovenproof frying pan over moderately high heat; brown pork, turning often. leave in pan.

To Make Glaze: combine ingredients and pat onto tops of tenderloins. roast in middle of oven for about 20 minutes. let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
To Make Vinaigrette: whisk together juices,
mustard, curry powder and pepper. Add oil in a stream, whisking thoroughly.

For The Salad: cut oranges crosswise into thin slices. toss spinach, cabbage, peppers and raisins in a large bowl with 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) vinaigrette.

To Assemble Salad: cut pork at a 45° angle into
1⁄2″ (1.3 cm) slices. line a large platter with dressed salad. arrange sliced pork, oranges and avocado in rows on top. Drizzle some vinaigrette over avocado and oranges. Pour juices from frying pan over pork.

Excerpted from The Rest of The Best and More Recipes from The Best of Bridge Cookbooks

© 2012 www.bestofbridge.com / www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

GRAND SLAM FINALE (page 267)
a Best of Bridge tradition!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs 250 ml
• (30 wafers)
• 1⁄2 cup toasted almonds, finely 125 ml
• chopped
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted 60 ml
• 4 cups fresh strawberries 1 l
• 12 oz. good quality white chocolate 340 g
• 4 oz. cream cheese 115 g
• 1⁄4 cup sugar 60 ml
• 1⁄4 cup orange liqueur or frozen 60 ml
• orange juice concentrate
• 1 tsp. vanilla 5 ml
• 2 cups whipping cream 500 ml
• cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Combine wafer crumbs, almonds and butter. press into bottom of a 9″ (23 cm) springform pan.
2. Wash, dry and hull berries. reserve a couple for garnish.
3. Cut a few strawberries in half, lengthwise, and press flat sides all around side of springform pan.
4. Arrange whole berries, points up, on crust.
5. Chop chocolate and melt in double boiler or microwave. cool slightly.
6. Beat cheese until smooth, then beat in sugar.
7. Mix in liqueur (or juice) and vanilla.
8. Slowly beat in chocolate. whip the cream. Stir about 1⁄3 of cream into chocolate mixture and fold in the remainder.
9. Pour over berries, shaking pan gently to fill in between berries.
10. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (overnight is fine).
11. Remove sides and bottom of springform pan.
12. Dust with cocoa and garnish with reserved strawberries.

Excerpted from The Best of The Best and More Recipes from The Best of Bridge Cookbooks

© 2012 www.bestofbridge.com /  www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Are Your Tastebuds Tempted?  Here’s How To Buy The Best of Bridge Cookbooks:

Just log onto www.robertrose.ca to purchase any of the Best of Bridge Cookbooks.  You can also find Best of Bridge Cookbooks at online retailers like Amazon.com.

Win a The Best of Bridge Cookbook

Robert Rose Publishing is generously providing one of The Best of Bridge Cookbooks to 2 akronohiomoms.com readers!  Publisher chooses which cookbook for each winner.
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Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on August 10, 2012 when a winner will be drawn at random. I will notify the winners and they will have 36 hours to respond or another winner will be selected!

This was not a paid post. My own opinions were used based on my perceptions and experience. Thank you to Robert Rose who supplied the product for the review & giveaway.

Beth

Beth celebrates the everyday wonders of life with a keen eye for deals, a flare for the color green, and an honest desire to share with her fellow moms here in town! Check out more of Beth's recent articles, and subscribe to our daily email/rss feed to see what she writes next!