Thursday, November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving; Cook With Us Using Our 'Desperate Housewives' Cookbook Review

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from all of us here at SitcomsOnline.com! We thank you for coming everyday and even today when you are all with your families. Today we have a treat for you. A review of the Desperate Housewives Cookbook! What a perfect Thanksgiving treat it is to you! It is full of delicious items and it has something for everyone, whether it be Bree's Roast Turkey with Gravy or Lynette's Grilled Cheese. So, without further adieu, read and eat away...


The Desperate Housewives Cookbook: Juicy Dishes and Saucy Bits (Hyperion, $29.95) brings delicious and scrumptious meals and treats from those classy Housewives and their neighbors! The cookbook is by Christopher Styler and Scott S. Tobis. Styler gives us his recipes and the text is composed by Tobis. The cookbook has over 125 recipes and is 267 pages! The cookbook is divided into character sections. Each section has recipes related to a character. You even have a recipe for Susan's famous macaroni & cheese...but don't worry it is not as terrible as she makes it! I will get to more of the dishes soon, but let me tell you what characters are featured. First up we have Bree's recipes, then Susan, Gabrielle, Lynette, Edie, the deceased Mrs. Huber, Mike, Felicia, and good 'ole Mrs. McCluskey. Inside some of the character's recipes are borrowed recipes from other characters, like Mama's Solis' Quesadillas. The last section of the book has information on the food on the set of the series. It is a quick 5-page read and you learn a lot about how the food is used and eaten on the set.
For Bree Van De Kamp, dinner is not about convenience, it is about simmering, braising, pureeing, steeping, chopping, and flambeing. From Basic Puree Soup and Lobster Risotto with Herb Oil, to Blueberry Muffins and Buckwheat Pancakes, Bree's meals are sure to impress.
An earth-mother type with better intentions than kitchen skills, Susan Mayer believes that it's the thought that counts. Here, Susan has gathered some of her favorite, foolproof (even Susan-proof!) recipes to share, including Roasted Peppers and Fresh Mozzarella Topped with Arugula Salad, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Chocolate-Butterscotch Bars.
Left to her own devices, Gabrielle Solis steers towards simple and healthy fare that she can put together on her own. Gaby's recipes include Guacamole with Warm Chips, Shrimp with Chorizo and Bell Pepper, and Rum-Glazed Pineapple.
Whether Lynette Scavo has spent the day taking care of the kids or the climbing the corporate ladder, when it's time to pack the kids' lunch or put a family dinner on the table, she'll take quick over perfect. Her recipes are time efficient and kid-friendly such as Grilled Cheese, French Toast for Breakfast (or Dinner) with Blueberry Syrup, Buttermilk-soaked Fried Chicken, and Potato Casserole.
Although Edie Britt technically isn't a housewife, the neighborhood flirt does have a few recipes that are sure to be crowd-pleasers (especially all-men). Her faves include Oysters Poached in Champagne and Cream, Sausage Puttanesca, and Molten Chocolate Cake.
And some of the neighbors have recipes to offer, too! Whether it's Mrs. Huber's Strawberry Smoothies, Mike's Rib Eye Steak, Felicia's Double Whammy Chocolate Pudding or Mrs. McCluskey's Peanut Brittle.
Those are just a FEW of the items for each character. You will find much more when you browse the book. I get hungry each time I look at it. I'm no cook, but even I can use some of these recipes. So, a real cook out there would love this book even more.

As a Thanksgiving treat, I leave you today with a recommendation for today's meals:
Breakfast: Bree's Buckwheat Pancakes & Blueberry Muffins and Gabrielle's Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Lunch: Lynette's Grilled Cheese & Irresistible Brownies and Susan's Vegetarian Chili.
Afternoon Snack: Gabrielle's Guacamole with Warm Chips and Lynette's Babysitting Cookies
Dinner: Bree has your main courses - Poached Turkey Tonnato, Roast Turkey with Gravy, and Two-Step Braised Duck. Susan has a side dish of Foolproof Macaroni & Cheese and Slow-Roasted String Beans. It's Thanksgiving so let's eat more with Gabrielle's Green Rice and Spicy Paella. We will also need Gaby's Fruit Salad with Yogurt-Honey Dressing. And finally who else do we turn for dessert? Edie of course! Her Molten Chocolate Cake will leave you breathless!
Midnight Snack: After a huge dinner, you are probably stuffed but let's end your day with Felcia's Almond Macaroons! What a perfect snack to end your day!

-- Reviewed by Pavan
(5/5 stars)

To purchase the book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
Official Show Website
TV.com Page
Hyperion Books


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, July 18

Happy's Place - "Heart of the Matter" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Emmett is late to work, Bobbie becomes paranoid at the thought of why and begins to overreact; Gabby and Takoda help Steve pick out a new barstool to prove changing his obsessive-compulsive disorder habits won't negatively impact the world.

Happy's Place - "Baby Doll" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Gabby expresses her concerns about parenting, Bobbie reassures her she'd be a great mother, which prompts Gabby to bring in an AI baby doll and turn the tavern into her own personal day care.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 14)

Friday, July 18

  • Chris Distefano (Benders) - Chris guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) - Watch Hannah on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Shane Gillis (Tires) - Shane appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Abby Elliott (The Bear/Indebted/Odd Mom Out) - Abby is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brandy Norwood (Zoe Ever After/The Game/Moesha/Thea) - Brandy and Monica are guests on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Jason and Aparna are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Eugenio Derbez (Acapulco/Rob) - Eugenio chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana is chatting with Drew about her new movie Love Hurts on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Freddie Prinze Jr. (Freddie) - Freddie can be heard on the Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.


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