Mums Still Know Best: The Hairy Bikers' Best-Loved Recipes [Hardcover]

This second helping is a book (and series when it comes) that I've been really looking forward too. Loved the first one a lot.

This one is done is the same style and layout as the first. Mixture of recipes from Mum's up and down the country, plus others from Si and Dave. Recipes from home and abroad. Nice little introductions to the recipes. Almost all the recipes have pictures to go with them.

Chapters are:* Comforting Food * Al Fresco* Taste of Home* Lazy Weekends* High Tea* Distant Shores* Posh Nosh* and *Family Classics*.

I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 because, although I like it I was a little bit disappointed that there aren't more baking recipes, there are a number of cakes but only two biscuits / cookies, and we love a good biccie in our house!

Still if you liked the first book (and even if you've never heard of it), this one is worth a go - it's a great family cook book and I will definitely cook from it.

A taster of recipes from the book are:

Some classics like:
Macaroni Cheese,
Spaghetti Bolognese and
Steamed Syrup Sponge Pudding.

Plus others like:
Mama's Curry,
Minced Beef Pinwheels,
Mud Pie,
Meatballs in Gravy,
Mom's Hockey Puck Meatloaf (it's not but the name stuck!),
Mulligatawny Soup,
Beef Olives,
Italian Pear and Chocolate cake and
The Jones Boys' Favourite Chicken & Mushroom Crumble

First recipe tomorrow night - Eve's Pudding - yum.

Being a student at University, I won't mind to admit that a) my budget can be rather limited sometimes and b) I am not the best cook in the world. Yet this book solves both dilemmas, as most of the dishes are made up of ingredients that are easily sourced and cheap, and all of the recipes are explained in a fashion simple enough for the average cook, but with enough detail to not condescend.

I got this book yesterday on pre-order, and it has been great for me, as well as my picky flatmates. I didn't purchase the first book, but my Mum had borrowed the original a few times, so sent me the follow up. I wonder if she was trying to tell me something about the quality of my food?!

Anyway, the recipes themselves are simple, concisely worded and most, not all, come with diagrams to see (hopefully!) what the finished article will look like. You can tell that the editors went to a lot of trouble to search for the best of the hairy bikers recipes, as well as the best from mums around the country. No recipe is too hard, or out of place.

Since I have had it only a short while, I will only give you a bit of detail on the two dishes I have so far made. But, trust me, the rest of the dishes look very edible and lovely too.

I made a "Mamas Curry" and a fruity chocolate cake. Both of these recipes and all the others include short intros to get "a feel" for them, and for you to decide if it is too much of an undertaking or not. I have made curry before, so their take was easy to make and the suggested ingredients were cheap and not too different from the standard curry, so no complaints.However I had never made the pear and chocolate cake before, but it turned out great due to good directions and some luck!

Overall a great cooking book for students on a budget (as many of the recipes are cheap as mentioned), but also as a general purpose cookbook, as other recipes look a bit more expensive and hard to make but this may suit others looking for a challenge or something for that get-together.

What a collection of honest to goodness recipes we have here, page after mouth watering page of delicious creations that demand to be tried and enjoyed. The basic concept of this book is to publish an array of recipes that mum would have cooked. Wholesome nourishing belly fillers with a surprisingly basic list of ingredients. My greedy little fingers could hardly turn the pages with excitement and this latest offering from Si and Dave did not disappoint. Containing eight distinct sections this book promises dishes for every palate.

1. Comforting food.
This section bursts into life with a fantastic tomato soup with fried cheese sandwiches. That's enough read no further I could live on that but no there's more: Sausage casserole, mamas curry, sweet and sour potatoes, Hargreaves meat and potato pie ( feeds twelve in case the local football team drops by!) and homemade fish fingers to name but a few.
2. Al fresco.
I thought this would be all salads and BBQ food but no: Chicken Kiev, spiced potted beef, minced beef pinwheels ( yummy!) mud pie and homemade lemonade. Not a lettuce leaf to be seen.
3. Taste of home.
This is a fantastic chapter with some of the highlights being: Macaroni cheese, smashed up chicken, welsh cakes and a beautiful dutch pea soup. My home never tasted like this!!
4. Lazy weekends.
For when you have some time on your hands and want to enjoy the whole culinary experience this chapter is a must try: Braised steaks, Old fashioned rabbit stew ( yes I did actually!) Jean's chicken pie and roast belly of pork being some of the more succulent highlights.
5. High tea
This is a chapter of contrasts containing both something to really get your teeth into and the more luscious of recipes. Like egg and bacon pie and luscious lemon Swiss roll or corned beef and onion pie and eccles cakes. What are you waiting for?
6. Distant shores.
My least favourite of the sections except of course for the toffee apples.... toffee apples, yes, toffee apples. I will try the duck a l'orange though.
7. Posh nosh.
For when you want to impress, roll out a double cheese souffles, lamb cutlets in pastry or stuffed marrow. For me though it was the fillet steak stuffed with goats cheese and we won't mention the pigeon ..... or will we?
8. Family classics.
Now here's a section that will appeal to all: Deep filled chicken and mushroom pie, spicy south Indian chicken curry, Italian pear and chocolate cake and eve's pudding to name but a few.Lots of chicken dishes in here easy and very tasty.

I'm not the most adventurous cook in the world or even in my kitchen but I do like dishes that will fill up and satisfy the hungriest of bellies, this book abounds with such dishes. I now have a quickly expanding repertoire along with a waistline but best not to mention that! This review mentions a mere smattering of the recipes contained therein so if you have any questions as to what may or may not be there, well ....... go buy the book I'm busy cooking!