Grill Power Book Reviews
See what professionals and home cooks are saying about Grill Power…
UPI
Book Review: Grill Power
By Marcella S. Kreiter
Chicago, Jan. 18 (UPI)—The first book dedicated to indoor grilling has hit bookstore shelves and it makes the outdoor grilling enthusiast want to run inside where one can pursue the passion without fighting weather, smoke and bugs.
Holly Rudin-Braschi’s Grill Power bills itself as the first written specifically for indoor electric grills and not only provides hundreds of recipes but cooking tips as well. Rudin-Braschi was in Chicago for the just-ended International Housewares Show, promoting grills for Salton and pushing her tome. She is a certified health, fitness and nutrition lecturer, as well as a food journalist and cooking instructor.
“My love affair with grilling began the summer I was 6 years old during a visit to my Uncle Mannie and Aunt Ruth’s house in Los Angeles,” says the Petaluma, California resident in the introduction to the cookbook. “That’s when I realized how much I adored watching my Uncle Mannie grill dinner each night on his charcoal barbecue.” The first indoor electric grills came on the market in 1995. Rudin-Braschi said once she tried it, she was hooked. The problem was there were no cookbooks specifically geared toward the appliance and “you must know exactly how your grill works before cooking with it.”
Grill Power explains the different types of grills and how they work and each recipe provides cooking times for both hibachi-style and two-sided grills. Rudin-Braschi advises dedicated grillers to buy a digital thermometer so internal temperature can be determined.
Rudin-Braschi makes liberal use of grids to provide nutrition information as well as quick reference for special preparation instructions and grilling time. (“I’ve dealt with corporate types a lot,” she said.)
In addition to the usual beef, fish, lamb and poultry sections, Rudin-Braschi has provided an extensive section titled, “Mighty Meatless Meals.” “Getting kids to eat their fruit and vegetables is really tough sometimes,” she said. “Put them on a stick and stick them on a grill and the kids can’t get enough.” And since families don’t live by entrees alone, Rudin-Braschi provides recipes for side dishes to accompany the main dishes—along with marinades—and then provides the calorie, sugar, cholesterol, protein, fat, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber and calcium content for each meal.
“ABOUT FOOD”
February 1/01 in the Canadian Jewish News
BY NORENE GILLETZ
It’s the middle of winter, but people are grilling their food—indoors! Electric indoor tabletop grills are one of the fastest-selling small appliances on the market today. Holly Rudin-Braschi, cooking teacher and certified health fitness/nutrition expert, has written Grill Power. This comprehensive, tip-packed guide is filled with a wealth of information on the use and care of all styles of electric grills. It features 50 healthy, easy-to-prepare menus and 125 recipes, plus nutritional analysis.
This is not a Kosher cookbook, but most recipes can be adapted easily. It offers many vegetarian options, ingredient substitutions, variations, timesaving tips and serving suggestions. There’s lots more than just burgers or steaks!
Grandma Jennie’s Basic Burgers
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg or 2 egg whites (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
1/2 cup grated or finely chopped onion
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. pressed garlic
1 lb. ground meat or vegetarian meat substitute
canola oil cooking spray
4 hamburger buns
Preheat grill to highest setting. In a large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, egg, onion, ketchup, mustard and garlic. Using your hands, gently fold meat into wet mixture; mix until combined. Divide into 4 equal portions. Wet hands and shape burgers about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and no thicker than 3/4 inch. Refrigerate covered until ready to grill; this helps burgers set so they hold together better on the grill. Wash hands thoroughly. Spray each burger lightly on each side with cooking spray. Place on preheated grill and cook until done (see below).
To serve: On each plate, place a lettuce leaf, then top it with a burger, sliced tomato and sliced onion. Place a bun on each plate, garnish with a pickle and serve.
Two-Sided Contact Grill: 6 to 7 minutes. Place burgers on preheated grill and put upper grill plate down on top of it. Do not lift the upper grill plate or disturb the food until time is up or you will not get distinct grill marks. If burger has not reached 160 F internal temperature after initial timing period, continue grilling for additional 1 to 2 minute intervals until done.
Note: Double the cooking time if you are using a hibachi, combination grill or infusion grill. Turn burgers at half time.
Norene Gilletz, a Canadian author of kosher cookbooks, gives lectures and cooking demonstrations throughout North America. Submit cooking questions to the CJN. Visit Norene’s web site at http://www.gourmania.com or contact her at goodfood@gourmania.com
“Easy Grilling Recipes!”
By Gloria Martinez
“I received Grill Power by Holly Rudin-Braschi as a gift. It is by far the most informative cookbook I have ever owned. I am a senior citizen and have reached that age of appreciating a good, healthy but simple meal. I own a wonderful indoor grill, but have not used it as much as I would like to because of my inability to be creative. Since receiving this wonderful book, I find myself using my grill at least 2 or 3 times a week.”
“Excellent Book!”
By J. Merritton
“This book has been fantastic even for an experienced griller. The recipes are excellent and the organization of the book makes it user-friendly. I do not find the “fluff” I have found in many pop cook books. I have done lots of outdoor and indoor grilling and have used two kinds of indoor grills and found Grill Power very helpful on both types. I commend the author and look forward to other books down the pike. Five stars on this one.”
“Delectable Grilling!”
By Alexandra Jurasinon
“Holly has put together a fantastic book! Her charisma and love for what she does comes through clearly in her writing and anecdotes. What energy! The information on different grill types is great, particularly when she incorporates this with each recipe so the reader isn’t second guessing. Having a strong interest in nutrition, I love all the charts she has put together—advising the reader on fat, protein, sodium, etc. What a great reference book. As a vegetarian, I’m particularly excited about all the tofu, fruit and vegetable recipes. I can’t wait to read through it all and start grilling!”
“A Top Indoor Grilling Recipe Book and Primer!”
By Adrian Black
“This book is truly worth every penny. Rarely is any cookbook a good and useful read from cover to cover. This is both cookbook and grill primer. It is far more useful than any of the inserts that came with your grill in regards to it (other than things such as manufacturer information, etc), that’s for certain. Grill Power is useful beyond measure. It has recipes in it, most healthy. However, here “healthy recipe” isn’t a dirty little phrase, that gets you all set for a horrible food experience in the name of nutrition. The recipes here are actually, dare I say it, better than their fattening counterparts. This is someone saying this who HATES and loathes with a passion, “diet food.”
“Rain, Sleet & Snow Won’t Stand In The Way Of Great Grilling!”
By Amazon Customer
“I am so inspired by Grill Power; Holly takes the confusion out of indoor grilling and shares secret tips to help make it easier than I ever dreamed possible. And the advice she gave in the book helped me choose which model grill would suit our family. Best of all, the delicious recipes included are perfect for any occasion—my family has loved every one I’ve made so far. Healthy flavorful foods that are quick and convenient to make—what’s not to love? I definitely recommend it.”
“A Wonderful Resource!”
By Amazon Customer
“Each time I have prepared a recipe from Grill Power for friends, the response always is “Where did you get that recipe? Can I have a copy?” Holly Rudin-Braschi’s recipes are inventive, nutritional and, above all, very tasty! The research that has gone into the preparation of this cookbook is readily apparent. Although the cook can jump right in and prepare any recipe, there is a lot to be gained by taking time to read the introductory chapters about the basics of grilling, suggestions for stocking your pantry, and information on nutrition as well as culinary techniques. Indoor grill owners who are novice chefs will gain a lot of confidence from using this book. Even more experienced cooks are apt to pick up some new ideas for the use of their cooking tools. Best of all, there is a wonderful variety of recipes contained in Grill Power—something for any mood you may be in.”
“Finally, I Can Really Use My Grill!”
By Shirlee J. Hoch
“How many small household appliance sit in the cupboard because I use them for only one dish? There’s a crockpot for corned beef and cabbage on the 17th of March and a crepe maker for New Year’s Day. And why did I buy that bread maker and pasta machine? My George Foreman grill was just used for steaks and burgers before I bought Holly’s book, Grill Power. NOW, it sits proudly on my counter for use several times each week, saving me time and providing delicious meals for my family. Not only do I grill pork chops with a glaze, the side dishes complete the task of preparing company perfect meals in a flash. Thank you Holly!”