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I’m The Creator And Cook
Appetizers with Judith serves up 80+ recipes for dips, crostini, sliders, seafood, cheese, warm bites, and more, along with shortcuts, variations, and entertaining tips for turning little plates into a seriously delicious gathering. What is it about appetizers that makes them such an enjoyable category of food for you?
I’ve always been a fan for appetizers—the starters the sets the stage for a gathering. Sometimes they are quite simple with crackers and cheeses … other times cooking and setting a platter of tasty bites. For me, an entire meal of a variety of appetizers is perfect. I’ve even done dinner gatherings with friends that “dinner” is all appetizers. Sometimes, I’m the creator and cook … other times, it’s a potluck from others sharing their choices. One time I declared the theme as “Tapas Around the World”—what a variety showed up!
You describe yourself as someone who might open the refrigerator and create something based on what looks good. How does that spontaneity influence your recipes?
Whatever my eye lands on first is usually the starting point. I pull out the drawer the has cheeses … different types of nuts I’ve already roasted … check out what’s in the veggie drawers or in any of the “meal left overs” … then it’s to the freezer and possibly a bag with frozen baguette pieces … or to the pantry for something else to add.
What’s important is to be open. What tastes good? What could I add to it?
Which kitchen skills or techniques give home cooks the biggest return for the effort required to learn them?
Curiosity … understanding the power of salt and pepper as basics –getting the right knives, pans and tools –i.e. a fish spatula is a must have; I use wood cutting boards; my tools everyday tools are not hidden in drawers—knives are on magnetic tips I can easily grab, same with pots and pans—most are hanging. In the back of both Appetizers with Judith and Cooking with Judith, I take the reader into my kitchen—pantry, spice drawer, tools.
Many of the stories in the book connect particular foods with friends and gatherings. Why are food memories so powerful?
Food memories bring in the five senses — taste of course; add in feels/texture of the food—that first bite; the smell and aromas of cooking; the sight of the plate and presentation; even the hearing of sizzles, plates coming together … and always the gathering of others that bring in the stirring of it all. The perfect gathering.
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The author of Cooking with Judith is back with more delectable bites to salivate over. In Appetizers with Judith—Yummy Nibbles and Starters that WOW!, Judith Briles shares over 80 more of her recipes that she has created for you and your guests. Somethings produced with the opening of the refrigerator—but usually with planning, especially if a crowd is expected.How many will be here?
How much time is needed for prepping and cooking?
Within these pages are many of Judith’s personal favorites—the ones that are gobbled down at her gatherings.
If you love to have others over and have WOWlicious appetizers to enjoy, Appetizers with Judith delivers recipes that she puts together for friends and events she hosts in her home. Sometimes with just four … others, many dozens.
Explore.
Find your favorite WOWlicious nibble and starter.
Expect to discover the Unexpected that becomes your new go-to, never fail must have.
Dr. Judith Briles is a bestselling and award-winning Colorado author of 49 books that have been published in 17 countries. She discovered the joy of cooking long before her first book was written.
http://www.JudithBrilesBooks.com
Still Good: A Cookbook for Forgotten Food
Still Good, by Sid Sharma, is a practical, visually inviting cookbook built around a familiar kitchen problem: food that’s no longer at its prettiest but is still perfectly usable. Sharma’s guiding idea is simple, “Ugly is usable. Spoiled is not.” From spotted bananas and wrinkled berries to stale bread, soft tomatoes, aging dairy, and leftover rice, the book helps readers recognize the difference between food that needs to be discarded and food that just needs a new purpose. Sharma organizes the book around ingredients people commonly forget about, which makes it especially useful when you’re staring into the fridge wondering what can still become dinner.
One of the book’s strongest features is how easy it is to use. Ingredients are divided into stages such as “Still Good,” “Past Prime,” and “Last Call,” and the recipes match those stages. A soft banana might become pancakes, bread, or frozen banana ice cream, while tired tomatoes can turn into sauce, chutney, soup, or shakshuka-style eggs. That same approach continues through herbs, bread, rice, dairy, eggs, root vegetables, avocados, and assorted leftovers. The recipes are generally short, approachable, and built from ordinary ingredients. Small author’s notes keep the instructions personable, while the safety notes are a smart addition because they remind readers that reducing waste doesn’t mean taking chances with spoiled food.
The book also succeeds as something you can browse, not just cook from. Its warm photography and consistent page design make aging ingredients look surprisingly appealing, and the ingredient guides are especially useful because they give quick visual and written cues for deciding what to cook now and what to toss. The final section expands the idea beyond individual recipes with a leftover cheat sheet, freezer guide, substitution guide, kitchen notes, and a reflection on the habits that lead to less waste. That broader structure gives Still Good a practical philosophy: cook with what you have, pay attention to the condition of your food, and get comfortable adapting. The result feels less like a collection of fixed recipes and more like a friendly kitchen reference you’d keep nearby.
I’d recommend Still Good most to home cooks who regularly buy groceries with good intentions and then discover a soft vegetable, aging yogurt, half-used bunch of herbs, or container of rice a few days later. It would also be a good fit for students, newer cooks, budget-conscious households, and anyone trying to waste less food without turning meal planning into a major project. Experienced cooks may appreciate it too, especially as a source of quick ideas and reminders, but its greatest value is for someone who wants more confidence deciding what can still be saved and what to do with it. Still Good makes that decision feel manageable, and it turns the neglected corners of the fridge into a surprisingly useful place to start cooking.
Pages: 79 | ASIN : B0H6S6H6C7
The Flavors Factor: HOW TO AVOID JUNK-FOOD VEGAN TRAPS AND THRIVE ON A 100% WHOLE-FOOD PLANT-BASED DIET
The Flavors Factor is a practical, deeply earnest guide to building a healthier vegan or whole-food plant-based life around eight foundational foods: fruit, legumes, alliums, vegetables, whole grains, mushrooms, nuts and seeds, and spices. Bill Rennie frames the book around a simple but useful problem: people like Michelle can go vegan and still live on processed food, while people like James can “go plant-based” in name only, adding a salad while leaving the rest of the plate unchanged. From there, the book moves through nutrition, history, kitchen logic, recipes, meal rotation, and finally the playful Flavors Wheel and F-Factor game, all with the goal of making nourishing food feel repeatable rather than punishing.
I liked the book most when Rennie was making nutrition feel human. The opening admission that he came to plant-based eating for health rather than ethics gives the book an honest footing, and the oxygen-mask metaphor stayed with me because it gently reframes “selfishness” as stewardship. The strongest idea here is replacement, not deprivation. I think that’s a subtle but powerful distinction. Instead of wagging a finger at candy, oil, or meat, the book keeps returning to better anchors: fruit as sweetness with structure, legumes as the original protein source, mushrooms as savory depth, spices as both pleasure and function. It doesn’t make eating well sound like a moral exam. It makes it sound like a craft.
The writing has a friendly, slightly homespun rhythm that really works for this book. Rennie’s memories of Scottish suppers with chips and Heinz beans give the legumes chapter a warmth that a purely clinical nutrition book would never have. I also enjoyed the quirky teaching devices, like the Trojan horse image for hidden ingredients in packaged foods, the “oil refinery” distinction between whole olives or seeds and extracted oils, and the final “hit by a bus” metaphor that expands into a whole highway of preventable risk. The book is enthusiastic, and some sections lean more didactic than graceful. Still, I appreciated its sincerity. Even when the prose gets emphatic, it feels driven by care rather than performance.
By the end, I felt the book had done something valuable: it made plant-based eating feel less like an identity and more like a set of sturdy, flavorful habits. I’d recommend The Flavors Factor to curious vegans, health-focused beginners, and anyone who wants a warm, structured push away from processed convenience and toward meals that actually sustain them. It’s a thoughtful, practical book for readers who don’t just want to know what to stop eating, but what to build instead.
Pages: 502 | ASIN: B0H1T5FZYF
Cooking with Judith: Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating
This book is pretty much a love letter to food and the joy of sharing it. Judith Briles lays out recipes that run from appetizers like bruschetta and chicken salad boats to soups like corn chowder and French onion, plus sides, salads, pasta, quiche, desserts, and more. She isn’t trying to be some fussy gourmet. Instead, she invites you into her kitchen with a kind of “let’s play with food” attitude. She talks about keeping baguette slices in the freezer, making up recipes on the fly, and calling her friends over to be taste-testers. It’s casual, approachable, and definitely centered on comfort food with a little flair.
Reading it, I felt like I was flipping through a neighbor’s well-loved recipe notebook. It’s not intimidating. The directions are clear, and the ingredients are normal, which I love because I hate chasing down some obscure spice I’ll use once and never again. Judith’s little stories tucked in with the recipes gave me a smile, like the time her guest asked to buy chicken salad boats straight from her fridge. Those personal touches made the book feel warm and lived-in. Honestly, it made me hungry just sitting there with it. Her enthusiasm for food is contagious, and I appreciated that she didn’t try to pretend everything was perfect. She admits some dishes needed tweaks, and that honesty was refreshing.
One of the things I really enjoyed flipping through was the photos. Each dish had this polished, professional look, yet it still felt like real food you could actually make at home. The pictures gave me a clear idea of what the finished plate should look like, which made me even more excited to try the recipes myself. It’s the kind of visual nudge that makes you want to head straight to the kitchen.
Cooking with Judith is perfect for people who love to cook for friends, host casual get-togethers, or just want some easy, flavorful recipes that feel homemade and real. If you’re the type who enjoys chatting in the kitchen with a glass of wine while the oven does its thing, this one’s for you.
Pages: 106 | ASIN : B0DVNHFPG9
Literary Titan Book Award: Nonfiction
The Literary Titan Book Award recognizes outstanding nonfiction books that demonstrate exceptional quality in writing, research, and presentation. This award is dedicated to authors who excel in creating informative, enlightening, and engaging works that offer valuable insights. Recipients of this award are commended for their ability to transform complex topics into accessible and compelling narratives that captivate readers and enhance our understanding.
Award Recipients
Why Don’t Spinning Tops Fall: Conversations With Curious Caroline by Charles DeLisi
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
From Tuscany With Love
From Tuscany with Love is a heartwarming blend of memoir and cookbook, weaving together memories of an immigrant childhood with the rich, comforting flavors of Italian cuisine. Lauretta Avina takes us on a deeply personal journey from the sun-drenched hills of Tuscany to the bustling streets of Gilroy, California. Along the way, she captures the bittersweet reality of leaving behind one home to build another, tackling cultural clashes, language barriers, and the aching desire to belong. Sprinkled throughout the book are family recipes that act as emotional anchors, tying past and present together through food.
What I love most about Avina’s writing is how vividly she brings her past to life. She doesn’t just tell us about moving to America, she makes us feel it. The moment she describes her father kissing the ground upon arrival in the U.S. speaks volumes about the immigrant experience, full of both hope and sacrifice. Her struggle with identity is raw and relatable, especially when she recounts being taunted at school, called slurs, and feeling ashamed of her heritage. These memories aren’t sugarcoated, but neither do they come across as bitter; instead, they are told with a quiet resilience, as if she’s finally making peace with the little girl who just wanted to fit in.
Avina’s voice is strongest when she talks about home, but not just Tuscany, but the home she found in unexpected places. The summers spent in Italy, where she could finally relax and be herself, are some of the most touching parts of the book. You can almost taste the nostalgia in her words, especially when she describes the smells of freshly baked Buccellato or the festive magic of Christmas in Lucca. The recipes aren’t just thrown in as an afterthought; they’re memories in edible form, a way to keep traditions alive across time and distance. When she shares the story behind Befanini cookies, connecting them to the legend of La Befana, it’s clear that food is more than just nourishment, it’s a piece of history, a way to hold onto identity even when everything else is changing.
The book offers a unique blend of storytelling and recipes, creating an experience that feels both personal and immersive. The narrative is so powerful that the transition to recipes can be surprising, almost like stepping into a new chapter of her journey. Her father’s story is particularly intriguing, and I found myself wanting to learn even more about his experiences. The later chapters move quickly, reflecting the momentum of her journey. The book starts with deep emotional resonance, and while the ending moves at a brisk pace, it leaves the reader with a lasting sense of warmth and appreciation for Avina’s incredible story.
From Tuscany with Love is a beautiful, heartfelt read that would appeal to anyone who enjoys immigrant stories, food memoirs, or simply a good dose of nostalgia. If you love books that transport you to another place and where tradition and memory come alive with every turn of the page, this one is worth savoring. It’s perfect for food lovers, second-generation immigrants, and anyone who has ever felt caught between two worlds.
Pages: 194 | ASIN : B0DVJ8QGWQ
Literary Titan Gold Book Award: Nonfiction
The Literary Titan Book Award recognizes outstanding nonfiction books that demonstrate exceptional quality in writing, research, and presentation. This award is dedicated to authors who excel in creating informative, enlightening, and engaging works that offer valuable insights. Recipients of this award are commended for their ability to transform complex topics into accessible and compelling narratives that captivate readers and enhance our understanding.
Award Recipients
Enough Is Enough: An Addict’s Guide to Self In-Power-Ment
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
How to be a BAD cook: The Ultimate Quick Guide
“How to be a BAD Cook” is a refreshingly irreverent take on the traditional cookbook. From the outset, it’s clear that this isn’t your typical guide to culinary excellence. The book sets itself apart by not only embracing the mishaps and mistakes that often haunt the kitchen but also turning them into an art form. It’s an entertaining read, filled with recipes that delightfully defy culinary norms. Each recipe is a fun exploration of how to master the art of bad cooking, making it a hilarious companion for anyone who has ever struggled with a recipe or botched a dinner party and a testament to the author’s ability to find beauty in the unexpected.
One of the book’s strongest suits is its playful writing style. The author’s casual and witty tone makes even the most mundane kitchen blunders seem like deliberate, avant-garde culinary decisions. The sections are sprinkled with humorous anecdotes and sarcastic tips that make you chuckle at the absurdity of intentionally ruining a dish.
What I particularly enjoyed about “How to be a BAD Cook” is its unexpected educational value. While the recipes are designed to make failures into meals, they actually shed light on the common pitfalls of home cooking. By showcasing how things can go wrong, the book inadvertently teaches readers what to avoid in their culinary endeavors. It’s a clever way to impart kitchen wisdom wrapped in a package of humor and satire. This book doesn’t just make you laugh, it also empowers you with knowledge to avoid these kitchen mishaps in the future.
“How to be a BAD Cook” is perfect for anyone who loves cooking but isn’t afraid to laugh at their mistakes. It’s an ideal gift for novice chefs, kitchen klutzes, or anyone who enjoys culinary humor. If you’re looking to embrace the lighter side of cooking and learn a lot along the way, this book is a must-read. It’s a celebration of culinary chaos that turns every burnt cake and failed soup into a meal ready to serve.
Pages: 102 | ASIN: B0D25S5CLV
