2024 the best stew recipe review

Price: $35.75
(as of Dec 10, 2024 01:22:10 UTC - Details)

You'll never run out of delicious soups and stews with this extensive, photo-filled collection of recipes

This new addition to the Ultimate series features enough incredible soups and stews to try a new recipe every day of the year! It's all here, from timeless classics like potato chowder to intriguing new flavors like minted watermelon soup. Perfect for any day and any season, these recipes cover every course, from appetizers to desserts (believe it or not!) and every season, from hearty winter comfort foods to light and chilled summer refreshers.

Nearly 500 pages in length and packed with full-color photographs and hundreds of inventive recipes, The Ultimate Soups and Stews Book is a great deal at an unbeatable price.

Includes 400 recipes covering every meal, every season, and virtually any occasion250 full-color photos will keep you inspired when it's time to fire up the stewpotFeatures more than 100 recipes that are perfect for fuss-free preparation in your slow cookerPacked with tips and helpful pointers, including information on ingredients, how to make your own stock, and much more

Whether you're full-time soup lover or just love a meal that's simple and easy to prepare, this is the ultimate soup cookbook for you.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1118335619
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Better Homes & Gardens; First Edition (February 12, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781118335611
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1118335611
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.36 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.44 x 1.09 x 9.19 inches
Reviewer: David
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent cookbook. Worth every penny.
Review: This book is nothing short of phenomenal.I needed a book which had only stew, soup and chili recipes so I wouldn’t have to search haphazard for the ones I had on hand in various sources. After reading lots (and lots…) of reviews on Amazon, I decided to buy this book. Wow, am I glad I did. It was worth every penny (approx. $15, which is fairly inexpensive for a quality cookbook such as this).Upon thumbing through the book when I first received it, I have to say that the vast majority of recipes definitely look extremely delicious (I have a pretty good eye when it comes to sizing up recipes. I have been an avid home cook for about 15 years and have seen, and made, my fair share of bad recipes). None seem too exotic to try nor ‘clunkers’ that were put in the book at the last minute to fill space.The overwhelming majority of recipes do not rely upon pre-made / processed foods (such as already-made canned soups and sauces, or other processed foods). Are there some recipes that do? Yes – but they are the exception and not the rule. For the remaining recipes, you will definitely need to have your mise en plas ready – not a bad thing (at least for me) since I much prefer to make things from scratch.Here are some bullet-points on the book’s highlights:• About half of the recipes have a color photo of the finished product (usually a small inset photo at the top or bottom of the page). I have not done an exact count.• I have yet to see a recipe call for ingredients that cannot be purchased at a local mega mart (the more exotic ingredients might be feta cheese…maybe chorizo and also faro – but again, I am stretching to consider these ‘exotic.’). Otherwise, we’re dealing with typical products – broth, carrots, onions, flour, chicken, beef, dried herbs, etc., etc. You will likely have 80% of the ingredients on hand for most recipes.• The majority of recipes are 100% from scratch (very few call for pre-made ingredients). Keep in mind, though, that there is an entire chapter on ‘quick’ recipes which do tend to rely on these. If that’s a problem, then don’t worry – for every recipe that does call for some type of pre-made / processed product, you will likely find 10+ other recipes that do not. Don’t let that be a ‘deal breaker’ for you.• The book is strictly soups, stews and chili – no chapters here on cocktails, salads, sandwiches, stir-fry, etc. To me this is not a bad thing – after all, I wanted soups, stews and chili and nothing else.• Each recipe is entirely different. You will not see a recipe that looks suspiciously similar to any others. Some cook books are notorious for simply changing an ingredient, or two, and calling it a ‘new’ recipe. You won’t find any of that here.• A *minor* complaint I have is the book binding – the book will not stay open so you will have to continually open the book as you make the recipe. My solution for this is to simply photocopy the recipe and just use the sheet rather than the book (I tend to do this with any recipe that I frequently make).• Extremely detailed index to locate recipes by name or by ingredient or genre.• There are LOTS of recipes here and varied, too. There’s no doubt you will find dozens of recipes you will enjoy making. You won’t even scratch the surface. There’s even a chapter titled “Spin the Globe” which has recipes from different cultural cuisines. This allows the cook to keep an open mind and explore new ideas instead of making the same old tried and true soups for a change (i.e., chicken noodle, minestrone, beef vegetable, etc).I have posted a photo of the Red Posole recipe (As I make more recipes I will come back and add photos and give my thoughts). The red posole turned out fantastic, by the way. I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation of recipes without a doubt.UPDATE: 02/05/2016(Note: I previously submitted an update for this cookbook 1 + months ago but it never appeared. That update was for the butternut squash bisque along with a photo – not sure why it never updated)I made the Easy Beef & Noodle Soup (Page 63) – pic included. This is from the so-called “Superfast Simmers” chapter. The idea is to use part store-bought ingredients and part homemade. I wanted to start making these so I could have some quick soup ideas under my belt for when I needed soup on a pinch.I was very impressed and will be adding this to my regular rotation of soup recipes. This soup was excellent and also extremely easy. What’s more, you can easily store the ingredients in the cupboard so they are available when you need them. It’s basically 1 can condensed beef broth, 1 can cream of onion soup (I had no idea there was cream of onion soup, but my grocer had it), water, noodles and ground beef. The soup came together rather quickly. You can even prepare some of this in advance (like the pasta noodles and beef) so that the process is even faster. That’s what I did.Next time I make this I may use basic onion soup. These cream-based soups don’t always blend easily (not the recipe’s fault). I used my immersion blender to smooth it out before I added the other ingredients. So far this is the 3rd soup I have made from this book – prior soups were the red posole (see original review); butternut squash bisque (Amazon never posted my update) and this soup.UPDATE (October 31st, 2016) – 2 pictures added. I made the Cream of Chicken & Rice Florentine (Page 157 – from the ‘low fat’ recipe chapter). As with the prior soups, this one is definitely a winner. This soup reminds of the cream of chicken and rice soup I used to eat at Baker’s Square when I was a kid – spot on, and actually better since I made it myself. The texture is thick, but not too thick. Between the rice (which is cooked directly in the soup) and the roux made with some flour and one of the cans of fat-free evaporated milk, the mouth-feel was perfect. This would be great on any cold night. This soup will definitely be made again, and again….Full disclosure: I did make one *slight* modification. The recipe calls for a couple of cans of fat-free evaporated milk. To compensate for this additional, non-broth liquid, I added a couple of chicken bullion cubes to compensate for the possible dilution of flavor.UPDATE (Nov 17th, 2016) – 2 pictures added. I made the Italian Sausage soup (Page 305). This recipe was fairly straight forward in terms of ingredients, preparation, taste & seasonings. No complaints. However, I think it could have benefited from more ‘interesting’ ingredients. The original recipe calls for carrot, celery and orzo. I would replace the orzo with something a bit heartier such as elbows or ditalini. As for the carrot & celery, I would omit both and perhaps use cooked broccoli and a few handfuls of fresh spinach. Would I still make the recipe as originally written? Definitely yes. It was good and I had everything on hand to make it – except the Italian sausage. I still consider this a great recipe that I will make again (either with my slight modifications or as originally written).UPDATE (March 23rd, 2017) – 2 pictures added. I made the Mexi-Chicken soup (page 73, from the low fat recipes chapter). This was very good and fairly simple. This recipe somewhat reminded me of a more simplified version of the red pozole (reviewed above). The red pozole uses pork shoulder, this recipe uses chicken. The red pozole uses red enchilada sauce, this recipe uses jarred salsa, and they both use hominy. Nevertheless, they are both different enough to be totally different soups. I also could see this lending itself well to customization. For example, instead of canned hominy, use the same amount of canned or frozen corn (it’s really the same base product) – and I don’t have many other recipes that use hominy other than this and the red pozole. The recipe called for a green bell pepper, but I used the same amount of a poblano pepper. I imagine this didn’t change the flavor profile all that much. I used a poblano because it seemed a tad more authentic. This soup is definitely a winner and will be made again.UPDATE (April 30th, 2017) – 2 pics added. I made the Minnesota Wild Rice Soup (Page 344, from the Coast-to-Coast regional chapter). I was watching a food show on The Travel Channel and one of the recipes they featured was wild rice soup from Minnesota. It looked good and, lo and behold, there was a recipe for it in this cook book. As with the other recipes, this one is fairly straight forward. Wild rice, chicken broth, some carrots, onion and celery, diced chicken and half ‘n half. Nevertheless, it was fantastic. Will absolutely make again. The only ingredient I didn’t have on-hand was the wild rice, but I was able to find it fairly easily at my local mega-mart.Full disclosure: This recipe called for the addition of half ‘n half. To compensate for the possible loss in flavor from this non-broth liquid, I added 1 chicken bouillon cube. I did the same thing for the Cream Of Chicken & Rice Florentine soup (reviewed above).(Note: This is the 2nd time I am submitting the following update. If it appears twice, I apologized in advance. I have been having trouble updating reviews.)UPDATE (February 11, 2018) – 2 pics added. I made the Pork and Hominy Soup (Page 113, from the Hearty & Meaty chapter). The soup turned out excellent. I gravitated towards this soup because it called for using canned hominy. Two previous soups from this same cookbook use hominy, too, so I wanted to see if I could find yet more recipes where it could be used (see my reviews for red pozole and Mexi-Chicken soup – both reviewed previously).The pork & hominy soup was fairly easy to make, flavorful and lean – it uses pork tenderloin which is fairly easy to work with and economical, at least where I buy it. As well, the ingredients should be available in any mega mart. This is another winner soup that I will be adding to my rotation of soups.UPDATE (March 4th, 2018) – 2 pics added. I made the Curry-Ginger Lentil soup (Page 234, from the Make It Meatless / Low Fat chapter). The soup was great. I had been wanting to try something fairly exotic and interesting and this was a good choice. I have a container of curry powder (which probably dates back to the Regan era) that I had been wanting to use and now I have a recipe where I can use it (I know there are other recipes in this book that use it, too).The ingredients were fairly inexpensive – sweet potatoes, lentils, broth, and a few other ingredients that should be available at any grocery store. The recipe wasn’t too exotic in flavor yet it held my interest as something a little more adventurous than, say, chicken noodle soup. I am definitely going to be making this again.UPDATE (May 2nd, 2018) – 2 pics added. I made the Chicken curry and apple soup with white rice. (Page 377, from the Sunday Specials, low fat chapter). I am still on an ‘exotic soup’ kick and found another recipe where I could use my curry powder.This one is an Indian take on the classic chicken & rice soup. Wow...was this ever delicious. A solid soup that I would make again. The curry powder was ‘just right’ – not too overpowering. The apples (I used golden delicious, as recommended in the recipe) really play well with the savory curry powder. As a thickener the recipe uses plain, instant tapioca powder. I have seen this trick before, elsewhere, for soups, stews and gravies. It definitely gave the soup a very nice silky texture. If you have trouble finding the product, check out the baking isle near the prepared puddings – that’s where my grocer had it. If you cannot locate it, just use a cornstarch slurry. You should get the same results.Side note: Some of these recipes, including this one, are written for slow cookers. I don’t own one. The transition from the slow cooker to the stove top, however, is not complicated at all. Just prepare it as you would any other soup. Some of the previous recipes I’ve made and reviewed from this book were also for the slow cooker – I don’t remember which ones. 100% of them turned out perfect when made on the stove top.

Reviewer: MSB
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Best Cookbook EVER!
Review: I bought this cookbook last winter and have actively used it since then, making anywhere from 1-3 soups per week. Bar none, it is THE BEST cookbook I have ever purchased or been given. The soups run from quick and easy - ready in 20-30 min to slow cooker recipes and remakes of old classics (beef bourgignon, etc). I have yet to hit a dud: the soups are savory, well-flavored; and for the most part very healthy. I thought I was taking a chance when I made one that called for quite a bit of kale and butternut squash, but it was delicious and the family loved it. On the other end of the spectrum is one with shortribs and polenta; of course that was a hit. My only comment would be at times I'd recommend adding more salt (but I much prefer that to the alternative). I tend to steer away from the ones that use the ready-made ingredients, to be honest, but to have those as an option when you just have no time is very helpful. The ones that I have made have been surprisingly good (20 minute noodle bowls- my daughters love and want to make themselves. And can!). Buy it. You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer: Ritz
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Extremely Well Done
Review: Glossy pages, lots of colors, a photo on every page spread, large black easy-to-read print and delicious recipes that are easily made and modified make this a really fine book. Soups and stews are my favorite one-dish meals that store well and include healthy ingredients. They are especially easy for a single person wishing to make good use of their ingredients.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great; but with reservations.
Review: This cookbook is very useful and easy to adapt to your tastes- they seem to make it easy to change things to suit your tastes. Also it's set - up to easily get to the subject you want; however, you can't go from one to the other without going back through the table of contents. Other than that it's very usefull.

Reviewer: Pam
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: This is hands down the best cookbook I have ever purchased
Review: This is hands down the best cookbook I have ever purchased. It is rare to find a cookbook where every single recipe looks delicious and consists of common healthy ingredients (no weird hard-to-find stuff). It is perfectly laid out as well-- tabs to help you find just what you are looking for and beautiful color photos of each recipe (400 of them!!). I bought 3 for gifts but ended up keeping one of them for myself. I would highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who wants to make healthy, flavorful, convenient, easy to prepare meals for themselves or their family.

Reviewer: Shirley-Minnesota
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Lots of good recipes!
Review: Given to a friend who loves to make soup. She loved it and her daughter even borrowed it. Easy to read, good print color, convenient size, and so many selections. This book did NOT have a lot of"over the top recipes" that I would not make. I would buy again, maybe for myself this time.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer Pam
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Not so many new ideas
Review: I bought the Kindle version by making stake. It takes a lot longer to look for interesting sounding or looking recipes this way. I've been about halfway through and so far haven noted two interesting sounding recipes.

Reviewer: Virginia teacher
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Always finding another great soup!
Review: I use this book every week in my cooking. The ingredients are easy to find, and yet there is a big variety of delicious recipes. Most of the choices are healthy too. I am here buying my third copy so my daughter can have one of her own.

Reviewer: Macysmarts
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: would recommend this book to my friends

Reviewer: Daren M.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: 2nd copy. Had to replace it. Amazing book

Reviewer: Monique Bates
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Very nice book thanks