This book threw me for a loop. I wasn't sure if the stories inside were real or made up, but does it matter? They're lovely and accompany the recipes to a T. You Be Sweet: Sharing You Heart One Down-Home Recipe at a Time is crowded with southern standards I couldn't wait to bake in my just-barely-hanging-in-there oven. Amy Lyles Wilson and Patsy Caldwell collaborate in crafting this collection of sweet, quirky tales depciting southern life which is never devoid of food. We all know that nothing of any import happens unless there's food, or at least until dessert arrives at any gathering. At least, that is the way it should be.
I tried so many pies out of this book, that my family--well, okay, just Ian and I, were swimming in pie. Elsa hasn't developed her pie palate yet. She will. But wait, there's more than pie in this book. It's just that I like pie. No, I LOVE pie. We're a pie-centric household.
So the Chocolate Banana Caramel Cream Pie was yummy. Totally. I'm never a fan of meringue, but this was nice. Every bite, was a delight.
And this was my first sweet potato pie, I've ever eaten, or made. I've been converted. It was delicious. I could make one every week and live on sweet potato pie alone. Swear. Dollop a bit of fresh whipped cream on it, and it's killer. The recipe is a keeper.
What else? Now all the recipes I tried were not my favorite. Like in the book the authors say that the Banana Butterscotch Bread is such a winner. They always have folks asking for the recipe. I made it. Neither Ian or I loved it. Couldn't get Elsa to eat it. Yeah, she's almost five, and still particular about what she eats. Usually fairly good about trying any carbs though. She's like her mother; she'll eat bread easy. But she said no to the BBB.
Surprise Coconut Pie WAS a surprise indeed. My main problem with this pie was that I constructed it in stages. As a mother who works outside the home, I can't spend as much time baking as I'd like, so I didn't have time to make this in one day. Unforunately, I set it aside in the fridge and then finished and baked it the next day. So my surprise was that the crust, which was supposed to be lovely and crisp, was soggy as... insert your choice of noun there. And instead of using typical shredded coconut on top of the meringue, I used this frou-four shaved coconut I got at the frou-frou organic store, so that's what.
Oh, and this Blackberry Crumb Pie was probably one of my favorites. Love blackberries. They're probably my favorite fruit of all. And soon it will be blackberry season. Hey, by the way, local people, Scott's Strawberry booths are popping up everywhere, so we'll have strawberry abundance before long. And maybe I can concoct a Strawberry Crumb Pie!
Basically all I made from this book was pies. There were other recipes I was drawn to, like the Red Velvet Cheesecake and the Bread Pudding made from doughnuts. I simply ran out of time. Regardless, this cookbook entertained me for at least a month as a flipped back and forth picking out recipes to try. No glitches with measurements. Everything came out well. Good eating and I've added this one to my permanent cookbook collection.
I received a review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, just to let you know, so I'm in accordance with the new FTC regulations, but otherwise, I received no other form of compensation for this review. It's just what I do. I love to read. I love to write. And I love to share my opinion.
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