The Comfort Table

by Katie Lee Joel, Paula H. Deen (Foreword by), Miki Duisterhof (Photographer)

Nothing is more comforting than a home-cooked meal. And the best home cooking starts with fresh ingredients found close to home with foods that are local, seasonal, and organic. Raised in her grandmother's Southern kitchen, Katie Lee Joel comes from a "family of great cooks and big eaters." And she knows exactly what appeals to the home cook: recipes that are delicious, easy to follow, quick to prepare, and made with readily available seasonal ingredients.

In The Comfort Table, Katie dips into her archive of family recipes and updates all the classics from her childhood growing up in West Virginia, and also creates some inventive new favorites. This mouthwatering assortment of more than 125 recipes includes Southern staples like Fried Green Tomatoes, Chicken and Dumplings, Peach Cobbler, Meatloaf, and the quintessential Pulled Pork BBQ, which stand alongside contemporary classics like Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup, Citrus-Tarragon Mahi-Mahi, and Dijon and Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb.



But The Comfort Table is about more than just good old-fashioned home cooking. It's about sharing delicious, healthful meals -- made with love -- for friends and family. Katie's rich assortment of recipes for starters, salads, soups, entrees, side dishes, breads, breakfast, desserts, and drinks, is accompanied by entertaining tips and anecdotes to delight the modern foodie. The Comfort Table is a comprehensive, unpretentious, refreshingly accessible guide to creating unforgettable meals for occasions big and small.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference

241 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a pretty picky eater, and I found 17 recipes that I'd like to try!
I think it was a winner.

I will try:

Hot spinach and artichoke dip
Italian sausage and provolone flat pie
Chicken club salad
Chopped salad
Buttermilk coleslaw (and I have never tried traditional coleslaw)
Gazpacho
Roasted tomato soup
Chilled cucumber soup
Spaghetti with meat sauce (has chili powder in it, interesting)
Roasted cauliflower
Spinach and bacon timbales
Broccoli and cheese sauce
Pat's refrigerator rolls
Pumpkin muffins
Peach fizz (boozey drink)
Bourbon slush

(and I will be stealing ideas for caramelized bananas, and a dijon-pistachio crust intended for lamb...)

[Megan M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book needed more pictures of the food and less of the cook. Also, less Paula Deen. If I wanted to read one of Paula's recipes, I would have picked up her cookbook. Can't there just be a nice Southern cookbook that has nothing to do with that woman? Please?

That being said, her recipe for Rocky Road Fudge was a hit with the boyfriend and I was definitely inspired by her puff pastry Flat Pies.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook! Katie Lee's recipes are easy, delicious and some will be staples in your food rotation!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

good recipes, liked the organization/grouping of the chapters.
She gives good advice, and I also enjoyed the playlists of music she provided.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may want to try some of these recipes, but it almost seems like there were more pictures of Katie Lee than of the food. The flat pies look intriguing.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

many recipes with too much mayonnaise and cream cheese. she did have good advice about preparing for a dinner party ... but I'd get my recipes from another source

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice basic cookbook, with some interesting recipes including buttermilk coleslaw. Wouldn't necessarily purchase now, but bought it 10 years ago for the mere reason she was married to Billy Joel and about my age and therefor I was curious. I did enjoy the section about her pantry and how she "always" has champagne in the fridge in case someone pops by...just like most 20-30 somethings. ;P

[Elisa Garza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though she's a couple years younger than me and is married to Billy Joel (!), everything I've made from this has been awesome. I love the book design, photos and her style (Kaity, I think you two could be related - her eyebrows, nose and smile totally remind me of you - beautiful!). Here are some things I've tried:
1. Caprese Flat Pie - oh my gosh, unbelievable! (You can't think about calories or fat grams on this one!)
2. Chicken Club Salad - so good and filling! This salad is a meal, and so flavorful.
3. Chili - I couldn't find the ground pork and wasn't crazy about adding taco seasoning mix (which has MSG), but, wow, this chili is good. And I know chili, I'm from Texas (and I've been to different chili tasting events :).
4. Pumpkin Muffins - amazing! Now there's quite a bit of sugar in these, but I've had people I should go into baking after making these (I think I can just credit the recipe).
5. Cinnamon rolls - excellent! And I love that this is a quick bread recipe so you don't have to mess with yeast.
6. Quiche with Broccoli, Peppers and Goat Cheese - Mickey goes crazy for this quiche, and he's not easily impressed.
7. Anne's Spiced Coffee; Lemonade - she has other great drink recipes, too.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so set and ready to cook from this book. With very little time to be in the kitchen, I need recipes that are really quick and easy. I was inspired to buy this when I tasted one of her desserts (chocolate peanut butter cake -- absolutely delicious!!), but it turns out that eating her food is much easier than making it (for me). Great recipes for someone who can dedicate time and love to cooking or baking.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first saw Katie on the Kitchen on the FoodNetwork. I had no idea who she was until a co worker said that she had some cook books and she used to be married to Billy Joel? I found many of the recipes in this book I would make. She was really schmanzy with her table settings and entertaining food. Much of it was very simple and some of seemed to be no big deal. So would i buy this for myself? Probably not.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had I perused this book long ago before my own huge cookbook collection and blog readings, I would have found this cookbook to be great. However, as of now I have most of these recipes in other forms that I like much more than her versions. Yet, there were a handful of recipes I copied in order to make very soon...

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The roommie made the chocolate cake with peanut butter and chocolate icing. So good. A lot of the recipes look delicious and pretty accessible. I would kind of compare it with the Barefoot Contessa, but with a southern flare.

[Mhopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great basic cookbook, Joel's recipes are easy, inventive and will wow your family and friends. One of my favorites. Personal favorites are the pork-chops, the cookies-n-creme truffles, and the chili.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paula Deen wrote the foreword so has her endorsement. Like that she's a WV girl who done good (there are a couple local recipes included). As most of the cookbooks I read have not tried out any of the recipes.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook! All the recipes are easy, contain ingredients that I have already in my kitchen and the pictures are great. I especially love her meatloaf and apricot-glazed braised pork chops.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes:
if I ever lose my recipe box I will just buy this book and be all set -- she cooks just like I do; my only complaint is not enough photos of recipes compared with photos of the beautiful Katie Joel herself

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first bought this book without realizing who she was, I just liked the recipes. It is one of my most used cookbooks. The banana bread is the best I've ever had. The chicken club salad is simple and yummy. A great cookbook for beginner cooks.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything in this cookbook looks very good. The book itself is gorgeous. Now I just need to stop procrastinating and start cooking :)

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cookbook. It has great, easy, wonderful recipes that anyone can make. And I already have a lot of the ingredients on hand. My favorite cookbook thus far!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be a lot less than what it is. Katie has some interesting recipes that I want to try, and clearly enjoys entertaining.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice recipes but a little too fancy for my taste

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"avocado, radish, and grape quinoa salad" p.260
"sole meuniere" p.166
"succotash salad" p.248
"asparagus with roasted garlic aioli" p.50
"creamed spinach" p.39

[Stephanie Denison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't really begun to try the recipes in this book, but I love it. I love that it is by a fellow WV girl who is a transplant somewhere else, but not ashamed of where she is from.

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is way too derivative in both concept and recipes to be worthwhile.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, creative recipes and music suggestions.

[Saundra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book full of ideas and lovely pictures. I enjoyed perusing this book for ideas for my own kitchen. I basically got this as a reference.

[Susie Stangland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have prepared almost every recipe in this entire book several times. Friends have requested certain dishes from it. Each one was amazing! Kudos to Katie Lee!

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely set up with lovely pictures, but nothing caught my attention.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my go-to cookbooks. Excellent recipes that are more exciting than your every day cuisine, and mostly healthy. Also has lots of great pictures.

[Kalee Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this cookbook! Katie's recipes are approachable and absolutely delicious!! This is my go-to book!