Book Review: The Loving Kitchen

I was really excited to review The Loving Kitchen: Downright Delicious Southern Recipes to Share with Family, Friends, and Neighbors, since I love finding new family favorite recipes. Food Blogger Leann Rice (www.LeAnnCooks.org), has put together this cookbook with the goal of using food to bless others. Whether it's making a meal for a sick friend, a grieving family, a new parent, or someone you just want to show love to, Leann has a great collection of Southern recipes in The Loving Kitchen for any occasion.

The chapters include breakfast and brunch recipes, breads, appetizers and salads, entrees, vegetables and sides, and desserts. There is also a chapter in the end with ideas for how you can use your food to bless those around you. I love the concept of the book, but no cookbook is worth it's weight if the food isn't good. So, I prepared two recipes from the cookbook, and both were huge hits.

I made "Buttermilk Pancakes" (p. 15) for my kids, and added blueberries. They loved them. My 5 year old ate 3 pancakes, and deemed them "delicious". 

I also prepared "Cinnamon Spice Donut Muffins" (p. 29) and they were devoured. I could see making a batch of these and bringing them to a neighbor or having a friend over for tea and these muffins.

Since the first two recipes I made were so good, I plan to use this cookbook often to try even more recipes. I also appreciated the perspective that our cooking can be used as a gift to others, instead of just necessity or sustenance for ourselves.

Bottom Line 8.5*/10*

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.