Last spring, I spent the better part of four days tucked into a tiny cabin near Neumann University, working on my natural sweeteners book. I took a cooler full of food, a pile of cookbooks to use as reference when my own inspiration failed me, and a few things to read simply for fun.
Included in my pleasure reading was a PDF of Alana Chernila’s book The Homemade Kitchen, provided by her editor in the hopes that I might write a sentence or two of praise. After my first day of writing was over, I warmed some soup for dinner and settled down to read.
My original intention had been to read just a bit that night and then go to bed early. Instead, I sat at that little, formica-topped table and hungrily took in every word. Friends, I devoured this book.
Now, I had a feeling I would like The Homemade Kitchen before I even opened up the document. I am a fan of Alana’s writing and always feel a moment of anticipatory pleasure when I discover she’s posted something new on her blog. What’s more, since we met four or five years ago, Alana has become a dear friend. We don’t get to see each other too often, but whenever I find myself passing through Western Massachusetts, I point my car in her direction.
The reason I tumbled head first into these pages is that they bring together everything I want from a cookbook. It’s got appealing food, smart and sensible kitchen advice, wonderful writing, a glimpse into the author’s life, a pretty design, and glorious pictures.
When the physical book landed in my mailing box late last week, I was reminded of my time with that PDF all those months ago. While I haven’t cooked anything from it yet, I’ve broken the spine in half a dozen places and have littered the pages with post-it notes.
Just a few of the recipes I’ve marked include Broccoli Raab with Cheddar Polenta (page 61), Roasted Salmon with Yummy Sauce (page 163), and the Congee with Chicken and Greens (page 202). I’m hungry just listing them out.
Disclosure: The nice folks at Clarkson Potter sent me a copy of this book for review and photography purposes. No additional compensation was provided.
I almost always go with a dessert! Red velvet cake with ermine icing is a favorite.
My favorite potluck dish is homemade mac and cheese. Who could pass up oooey gooey cheesy goodness?
I love my Texas Brownie recipe. It’s homemade and I keep all the basic ingredients in the cupboard. Depending on how much I mix it depends on if it comes out cake like or thick and chewy. Homemade frosting gets done while it’s in the oven backing. Baking time also is just long enough to finish the frosting and the brownie dishes as well. The recipe calls for water or coffee as the liquid, but I like to mix it up with using flavored teas. I also mix up the extract for flavor changes as well. My friends love it because they get the same brownies they love, but with different flavors and textures each time.
My favorite potluck dish is a wonderful spinach artichoke dip recipe that I created myself! Everyone always asks for the recipe whenever I bring it.
Taco casserole…….it has been a family favorite for almost 50 years and you can make it for 4 or 25! We love it.
My favorite potluck dish is a quinoa salad with black bean, mango, red pepper & roasted corn. I like brining potluck food that can be enjoyed by people with all sorts of dietary restrictions or allergies – this one is really delicious and fits that requirement!
My favourite potluck dish is a pasta salad with broccoli, red pepper, onion and mayo.
My favorite dish is a baked beans and meat. Looks like a good cookbook
I like baked ziti for a potluck dish.
I always bring a really large bowl of Caesar salad to potlucks – it seems to go quickly. I make my own croutons and dressing…. The book looks great!!
I get many requests for my southwest chipotle smoked turkey tortilla roll ups…easy to make and travel well to parties.
Ambrosia! So good & so quick & easy to make. My husband’s favorite is either his roasted corn orzo salad or his mom’s recipe for drop donuts (like little beignets).
Looks like a great cookbook. In the summer, my favorite pot luck dish is Indonesian Rice Salad from the Moosewood cookbook – it’s a good side dish for anything, or a good main dish for vegans/vegetarians. Or I sometimes do a Sicilian rice salad from the Commissary cookbook. In cooler weather, I’ve done baked ziti or short ribs, my new fave. And wine. (Or, for special occasions, my famous Manhattans, with your Bourbon Cherries instead of maraschinos.)
My favorite things to bring to a potluck are cookies without nuts or dairy and lemon or pumpkin yeast rolls without dairy. That way I know that there are at least a few safe things for my family to eat.
My favorite potluck dish to take is probably some sort of roasted veg in the winter and garden veg platter in the summer. I also have a killer chocolate chip cookie recipe for a sweet contribution. Potluck is my FAVORITE meal!!
Oh, jumping up and down in happiness that this is open to Canadians! Aimee gave some away on Simple Bites, and I didn’t win, and now I have another teeny, tiny, chance!
Potluck fave? It depends…tomato/cucumber/curd salad; 4 layer dip; or saltine caramel crack(le), depending on season/mood.
It may not be glamorous but I always show up with a tray of pigs in a blanket. They always disappear.
Michigan Salad… romaine based salad with onions, cashews, feta, dried cherries with a homemade poppyseed of sorts dressing.
My favorite potluck dish is chicken thighs marinated in terayaki sauce, then baked with rhubarb orange marmalade on top. Yummy!!
My favorite is Heath bar toffee pecan bars – a recipe I got from a friend a long time ago but slightly “tweaked” accidentally by my husband a year ago when he bought Heath bar candy instead of the Heath brand toffee bits. His “mistake” was genious and the grandkids now look forward to it at each family event.
A dessert of course. Chocolate pumpkin cheesecake! My favorite fall holiday treat!
Always poached salmon with a great sauce, secret recipe, and a wild rice and organic veggie salad with a great vinaigrette, also secret recipe. Too long to type out, but will send if requested.
I have a pasta salad that is always a hit where ever I take it. The secret is in the garlic red wine vinegarette.
My latest favorite is a beautiful jelly roll filled with homemade raspberry jam.
In the summer time my favorite potluck dish is either a giant platter of pretty sliced fruit if I know there will be small children. If not, I’ll make a big pot of beans with bacon and sausage for extra flavor.
In the winter i love to make a big pot of chili for a potluck. In the summer i like a nice pasta salad!
I pull a jar of Honey peach chutney out of the larder and pair it with some goat cheese and crackers.
I love making a huge pot of black bean turkey chili, because I can take half and freeze half. It’s nice with a pot of sour cream on the side for garnish!
Favorite dish? As in I can only pick one? I guess it would be my raw avocado lime “cheesecake”. It’s raw, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan and has so much fruit in it that it’ll satisfy any sweet tooth. That way basically everyone (regardless of their special diet) is able to eat it.
My favorite potluck dish is a fruit salad. I love buying fresh in season fruit and putting them together for everyone to enjoy.
I make a braided onion and poppy seed bread that people seem to love. It is a tight crumb and slightly sweet yeast dough which is divided in two and rolled into long strips. I lay a filling of lightly sautéed minced onions, butter, and poppy seeds along the center of each, then encapsulate and twist the two together and finally form into a circle. When it bakes some of the filling bursts out and crisps up along the outside. It is wonderful.
My favorite potluck dish is a caprese orzo salad with pine nuts and balsamic vinaigrette. Thank you for sharing this cookbook! It looks amazing!
I love bringing hearty vegetarian salads, usually featuring an interesting grain, to potlucks.
I almost always bring dessert. I rarely make dessert for the family since I have ZERO self control when it comes to sweets. A potluck is a great opportunity to bake but not have the leftovers calling my name!
If I want to show off, my favorite potluck offering is crab fried wontons with plum sauce, but for my last potluck I just brought chips and a very spicy homemade salsa!
Several years ago we lived overseas and our daughters attended an international school. For every event the request was the same; homemade “American style” mac and cheese with brownies for dessert.
from what I could see of the book, the pictures are good. I like pictures ! My go to for potlucks is a dessert salad called Snickers salad. I also do baked beans.
Humming bird cake!
Love Alana cookbooks! My favorite potluck dish is a nice big pot of chili and my famous Kahlua coconut chocolate chip cookies!
I love to take crockpot refried beans & a big bag of tortilla chips for a potluck. If I forget to plan ahead, I take fruit 🙂
My favorite potluck dish is a tortilla espanola. It is inexpensive and easy to make—just onions, potatoes and eggs+salt/pepper—but everyone is always impressed somehow.
I love to make simple curried chicken salad tea sandwiches. They are light and full of flavor.
It is so hard for me when going to a potluck as I don’t eat grains and that leaves out so many popular dishes. I usually opt for a salad of some sort that does not include pasta. And deviled eggs is always a safe choice.
Honestly my favorite potluck dish is a simple veggie or fruit tray because my husband is diabetic & potlucks are rarely diabetic friendly. I do try to make my trays beautiful & delicious with fresh ingredients, homemade dips or dressings & the best cheeses.
My favorite potluck dish to make would be my purple kraut potato salad. Delish.
Depends on the time of year, if its in the winter I like to bring my hearty beef barley & vegetable soup with homemade buns. In the summer a quinoa salad or a cool dessert.
My favorite potluck dish to make is usually a dessert since I rarely make sweets for myself. I love to make lemon bars because they’re so nostalgic. My favorite dish to eat is a broccoli salad with a creamy dressing and bacon, green onions, and raisins. Trying a little bit of each dessert might be the best part about potlucks! I loved Alana’s Homemade Pantry book and can’t wait to get Homemade Kitchen!
My best potluck dish is Sheepherder’s bread – a great homemade bread large enough for a good-sized group.
My favorite potluck recipe is a spaghetti squash salad because I can almost guarantee no one else will bring one and it is always an “unexpected” hit! I use the recipe from Taste of Home.
My standard potluck dish depends on what season it is. Summer is a watermelon-feta salad with mint. In the winter, I’ll bake something, most likely a pie with either apples or pumpkin. In fact, I have a pie potluck party coming up this weekend and am still deciding what to make!
My favorite potluck recipe is an oriental salad. I can make it the night before or early in the morning and everyone always enjoys it!