Super-Speedy Book Reviews

Wherein The Frugal Hostess attempts to redeem herself with the various publishing houses that have sent her review copies of books by finally actually reviewing them. 

(All links in this post are affiliate links, which means that TFH gets a tiny commission if you buy them using these links.  She also gets a commission if you use a link from this site to buy anything on Amazon, so if you're a big Amazon shopper and want to send some cash to FruHo, do that.  FYI, this is not a lucrative source of income; TFH has made, like, $.68 since she joined the Amazon affiliates program a year ago.  But you can help change that.  Ahem.)

Super-Speedy Book Review #1: Gifts Cooks Love

This book has an awkward title, beautiful photography, and at least one really cute idea that FruHo will be stealing.  It's full of homemade food gift ideas that vary in difficulty.  It really would make a great gift for a cook, although TFH must say that it reminds her a great deal of Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon.  The cute idea?  Make up little breakfast treat baskets for hostess gifts.  Fill them with coffee, muffins, homemade jam, etc.  Cute, right?

Super-Speedy Book Review #2: Fix It, Make It, Grow It, Bake It: The DIY Guide to the Good Life by Billee Sharp

This book is so full of great ideas for saving money and living frugally that you could read it 12 times and still not absorb it all.  Luckily, it's a tiny size, so it won't take up too much space on your shelf.  This is a great thing to buy yourself if you've decided to live a greener lifestyle or just want to save money.  The tone is friendly and not at all sanctimonious, so you don't feel like slapping the author (which is so often the case with these kinds of books).  Right on, book!

Super-Speedy Book Review #3: The Frugal Foodie Cookbook by Lara Starr with Lynette Shirk

This is another cute little book that doesn't take up a lot of space.  It has recipes for making use of all your food so that you waste nothing.  There are lots of ideas for lunches to avoid eating out, and the piece de resistance is "Exponential Chicken," which is five nights worth of extremely varied menus made from one chicken poached on Sunday.  TFH loves the idea of that, although FruHubs would never, ever, ever be able to get behind that idea.  He freaks out about planning one day in advance, much less an entire week.  This would be a great gift for a recent college grad or newly-weds.

Super-Speedy Book Review #4: Mess by Keri Smith

FruHubs got TFH another of Smith's books (Wreck This Journal) a few years ago for Christmas.  It was cool: a journal with instructions on each page for taking unexpected action, like to rip the page out and tear it into tiny pieces.  FruHo never did a lot with the journal, though; it felt sort of awkward and silly.  This is another similar journal, but the instructions are better in this one (I-TFH-HO).  It also includes quotes and ideas for further research.  This is a great book for an artist or someone who needs to shake off some uptight-ness.

Super-Speedy Book Review #5: Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson 

O-TFH's-G, this is an awesome cookbook!  It is filled with recipes for things that combine - you guessed it - salt and sweet in interesting ways.  Some of most unusual are "Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Crostini," "Lavender Fleur de Sel Shortbread," and "Fig and Ricotta Pizza."  The Frugal Hostess made the recipe for dark chocolate coconut bars, and it was amazing!  If you or your loved ones are into salty sweets, definitely add this book to your shopping list.

The Frugal Hostess insists that you come hang out on Facebook. What? Like you don't already spend three hours there a day.

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Little Recipe Books and.... a GIVEAWAY!!!

These little recipe books were super easy to make but look cute enough to give as a gift.  The covers came from The Frugal Hostess's idea of heaven, Paper Source, and are over-sized matchbook shapes.   The recipe cards are A2 size notecards, equivalent to a fourth of a letter-size piece of paper.  In fact, you are encouraged to use actual paper rather than card stock, because you can't fit enough card stock into the cover.  You can get, like, a maximum of four pieces of card stock in there. whereas you could do 8-10 sheets of typing (Ha!  Is that even a thing any more?) paper.  But it's up to you.

Easiest directions of all time:

1.  Buy those matchbook things.
2.  Type up your favorite recipes and cut them up.  You know, into the quarter-size sheets that will fit into the matchbook, not a bunch of paper flowers or something.
3.  Poke or punch holes in the recipes to fit the matchbook.
4.  Stick in the recipes; fasten with brads.
5.  Then, stick a fabulous label on the front, and you're done!

The adorable labels on the front?  The Frugal Hostess has been on the verge of wetting her pants over these.  For real, could you die?  They are from a set of stickers and gift labels called "CONFECTION-ERY", and they are precious illustrations of cupcakes, candies, Popsicles, and ice cream sundaes.  FruHo wishes she could chew up the stickers, they look so good.

Don't you wish you had some?

Hmmm.  Well, OK.  TFH has some for you.  Yep, you heard right.  You can win some of these fabulously adorable stickers - in fact, a whole box of them!  But that's not all.

In case you don't have time to make your mom a recipe book, The Frugal Hostess picked up a few little things to go with the labels.  There's a pink journal for recording favorite recipes and the best bake sale ever cookbook (affiliate link, but you won't be buying it because you're gonna win!).

To win, just leave your favorite baked good in the comments, and FruHo will pick someone at random.  Leave your comment by 6PM Eastern on Friday, and the winner will be announced on Sunday.  Yippee!

UPDATE: If you love baked goods and hate the idea of childhood hunger, visit or donate to the Atlanta Food Bloggers Bake Sale, benefiting Share Our Strength.  All details are here.



OOPS, forgot to mention: This giveaway is sponsored by The Frugal Hostess.  Because she loves you.