Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook, Reviewed

​I love it when bloggers are awarded book contracts. It is wonderful compensation for all of the work that they put in, day after day, and a blog is work. If you’re not cooking and baking, you are developing recipes or hunting for ingredients, all the while trying to keep up with the latest new foods and trends. And, oh yes, styling,​​ photographing, and writing about all of that food. Such was the case with Maria Lichty and her new book, Two Peas & Their Pod.

Subtitled “Favorite Everyday Recipes from Our Family Kitchen,” it is quite a resource. As I was paging through, it occurred to me what a wonderful gift this would make for a pair of newlyweds. This book lays out all of the information that you need in setting up a kitchen. There is a section on tools for becoming a confident cook, kitchen gear and gadgets that you’ll need, how to organize your ingredients (after all these years this is still my nemesis), staple ingredients that are a must, as well as meal planning tips. The book is laid out in the order meals are consumed beginning with breakfast. If you aren’t taken in by the delicious sounding recipes, you will certainly be taken in by the mouthwatering photos.

One of my favorite salads of all time is her Chickpea, Avocado, and Feta Salad, that I wrote about here.  The fact that it contains ingredients that I tend to always have on hand, and that it’s very quick and easy to put together, are pluses to be sure, but the real winner is the taste. I look quite forward to trying all of the salads in this book, each one looking more inviting than the next.

Being a lifelong fan of cheeseburgers, I had to try husband Josh's favorite double cheeseburger recipe. I didn’t think it could be possible, but this may be my new favorite cheeseburger. The addition of mild Italian sausage in with the ground beef gives it an excellent, earthy taste that so many of them lack. Doubling up the patties, and topping them with two different kinds of cheese, just adds to the wonderfulness of this burger.  Factor in grilled onions and aioli, and you have yourself a quick little trip to heaven.

 The Easy Blender Salsa is another winner, and as easy as it is good. I was looking for something else to do with my mountains of fresh jalapeños, so decided to try this. Not only have I been using it as a dip with tortilla chips, I find it is a wonderful drizzled on top of a grilled burger, grilled chicken, or even over an omelet.

While I try to avoid them, chapters on desserts do tend to grab my attention, so I tried the lemon poppy seed Bundt cake. I made mine in loaf pans (because my new loaf pan is the absolute cutest) and it came out marvelously. This is a densely lemony, flavorful cake that reminded me of the poppy seed cakes my grandmother used to make.

Each recipe is preceded by a bit of verbiage that I quite enjoy. This type of thing in cookbooks has recently come under fire, but I find it delightful. It makes me feel as if I am connecting directly with the author, and that we are old friends.

I don’t have to tell you that my list of recipes to make from this book is a long one. My best guess is that it will take me until the end of the year to do so. You might consider joining me, and getting one for your kitchen bookshelves. This book is full of recipes to suit all tastes, diets, and interests. Vegetarians, meat eaters, vegetable fanciers, and dessert lovers will all find something of value in here. There’s so much, that I’m not sure what to try next.

You need this book in your cookbook library. Click the photo link below and make it your own.

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Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.