Holiday Gifts Part 6 - Vegan Baking

It's obvious, with 18 pounds of butter in my refrigerator and my penchant for buttercream frosting, I'm nowhere near a vegan. With my hatred of most things green, I'm not even close to being vegetarian. But vegan baking intrigues me. I find myself looking at more and more recipes and books about vegan baking. I don't think it's the lack of my beloved butter and eggs that makes me curious. I think its the recipes themselves. Vegans are much more experimental with flavors than traditional bakers. I've never seen a traditional baking book with a recipe for Wasabi and Chocolate Cupcakes. While I may never be a vegan myself, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for some great vegan recipes. So whether you're a vegan or not, check out some of these books. You might be surprised by what you find inside.

Holiday Gifts Part 5 - Bread Baking

There's nothing like a good piece of bread. I'm a total breadaholic. Forget those low-carb, no carb diets. I need my bread. I rate restaurants on whether they give bread or rolls before your meal. The better the bread, the more likely I'll be back. I know it can't be all that healthy, but I can't help myself. Because I can't get enough, I've tried lately to incorporate more whole grains into my obsession, to maybe balance out the carb overload. But healthy, whole grain bread, and other artisan styles are expensive, so why not take matters into your own hands and bake up a loaf at home? With some of the new bread baking books that have come out this year, it's easier than ever. With techniques that require no kneading to methods that only take a few minutes a day, we can all enjoy our carbs at home for less!

Holiday Gifts Part 4 - Cupcakes

Cupcakes are all the rage right now. With entire bakeries devoted to them, aptly called Cupcakeries, who wants an entire cake when they can have deliciously adorable personal sized treats? With their pretty paper liners and their perfect swirl of frosting, who can resist? Cupcakes are one of my favorite things to bake, and I'm thrilled at the amount of books written solely on these miniature delights. It seems the ideas are endless. With flavors ranging from classic to crazy, cupcakes have taken on a life of their own, and seem to be here to stay. Who knows, they might even take over the world some day! So check out some of these great cupcake books, and many more I couldn't list and bake up a batch of these petite sweets.

Holiday Gifts Part 3 - Baking Made Easy

We all have busy lives. Whether we spend it at work, with our family, our friends, or just catching up on the latest posts on our favorite blogs, our time is precious. Most of us don't have an abundance of extra time to slave away in the kitchen. Sometimes we need a shortcut. A time saver. Sometimes we just need that boxed cake mix, because we've got more important things to do. What if there was a way, with just a little effort, to take that store boxed cake mix and make it taste homemade? With The Cake Mix Doctor, there is.

And what those who find themselves with a little extra time to bake something special, but don't know where to begin? Allow the kitchens of Better Homes and Gardens and Betty Crocker to teach you everything you need to know to become a better baker. Whether you lack the time, or the skill, these are just a few of the many books to get you in and out of the kitchen with time and sanity to spare.

Holiday Gifts Part 2 - Kids Books

Kids can be hard to shop for. After 8 holidays working at a toy store, I saw my fair share of the frustration on faces of the parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Especially as the season wore on. The “hot” must-have toys were gone in a flash, and everyone was left wondering, “What do I get now?” Faced with aisles upon aisles of bright, flashing, noisy toys, all requiring batteries, it was almost overwhelming for those shoppers of an older generation who hadn’t bought presents for a child in quite a number of years. Not having a child to buy for in my family or my friends, I even count myself in this group. What happened to the good old days of using your imagination to create something? And where has the family time gone? It seems more common these days for everyone to live separate lives in separate rooms. Being occupied with TV, video games, and computers, the time spent interacting with each other is growing slim. It’s time to get the kids away from the TV and into the kitchen, and spend some quality time creating meals and treats to be shared by all. Give one of these great books designed for young chefs, and help pass along the love of good food.

Holiday Gifts Part 1 - Holiday Books

Whether you’re an avid baker, or only crank up the oven once a year, the holidays are prime season for baked treats. With the cold weather moving in, we’re all searching for something to keep us warm, and there’s nothing better than a handful of cookies straight from the oven. Well, maybe enjoying those warm gooey cookies with a hot mug of cocoa in front of a crackling fire and snuggled in a warm fuzzy blanket, but really—the cookies are the best part. Baking is part of the tradition of the holidays, whether we’re baking a batch to leave for Santa, or several dozen to take to a cookie exchange, or mailing off a box halfway across the globe. And we can’t forget the gingerbread houses, the Yule logs, and the breads, cakes, and pies to accompany or finish up for our festive meals. No time during the year are we more apt to bake than the holidays, and there’s no part of the year that more cookbooks are dedicated.

Holiday Gift Guide

The carols are playing, the lights are twinkling, and the Santas are making their lists and checking them twice. With the holiday shopping season upon us, it can be a challenge to find the perfect gift for those hard to shop for family members and friends. What do you get for the person that has everything? The cousin from across the country you only see once a year? The niece or nephew whose likes and dislikes change almost daily? It can be frustrating, but I’m here to help! From kids to cupcake lovers to those with special diets, I’ve put together a list of the best baking and cookbooks of the season, so you can pass on the gift of delicious goodness! Who wouldn't want a book full of tasty treats to make all year long? I know I would! Over the holiday season, I’ll be featuring a bunch of titles to help you decide on the perfect gift for that hard to shop for (or not so hard to shop for) person in your life, so keep checking back! And Happy Holidays to all!

• Part 1 - Holiday Books
• Part 2 - Kids Books
• Part 3 - Baking Made Easy
• Part 4 - Cupcakes
• Part 5 - Bread Baking
• Part 6 - Vegan Baking