An Edible Mosaic™

Everyday Fare With Extraordinary Flair

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • about
    • contact
    • accessibility
    • privacy policy
    • terms and conditions
  • cookbooks
  • recipes
  • explore world cuisine
    • arabic and middle eastern
    • asian
    • british
    • buffalo foods
    • czech
    • dutch
    • ethiopian
    • french
    • german
    • greek
    • indian
    • irish
    • italian
    • jamaican
    • jewish
    • latin
    • polish
    • russian and ukrainian
    • tex mex
    • thai
  • web stories
  • my other blog

Home » Cookbook Reviews » Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant {Cookbook Review and Giveaway}

Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant {Cookbook Review and Giveaway}

September 15, 2014 by Faith 152 Comments

Seriously Delish

If you’ve been waiting as excitedly as I have for Jessica’s (How Sweet It Is) cookbook to be released, you’re probably in how-sweet-it-is-heaven right now. For those of you who don’t have her book yet, just know that if you like her blog, you’ll adore her cookbook!

For starters, Seriously Delish is drop-dead gorgeous. Jess’s photography is breathtaking (and mouthwatering), and because I know you’re wondering – yes, there is a picture for nearly every single recipe in the book. And as for the recipes…let’s just say, Jess leaves nothing to be desired because there is literally something to entice everyone. But maybe what I love most about her book is that her genuine voice – the same funny, sweet girl we all know and love from her blog – shines through brilliantly.

Jess has a real knack for creativity in the kitchen (think Chorizo & Balsamic Brussels Nachos, Spicy Zucchini Nuggets with Honey-Chipotle Ketchup, Cinnamon Sugared Bacon (!!), and Chocolate-Almond Butter Popsicles with a Smoky Almond Crunch). And even when she remakes a classic, she does it with flair and makes it uniquely her own (like Mini Crab Cakes with Sweet Corn & Blueberry Salsa, Parmesan-Pistachio Kale Chips, and White Cheddar Apple Crisp). Even something as ordinary as caramelized Brussels sprouts becomes extraordinary when sautéed in coconut oil and topped with shaved Parm cheese (like in Jess’s recipe for Crispy Salt & Pepper Brussels Sprouts, which was the first recipe I tried from her book).

Seriously Delish is a fresh new set of beautiful, approachable recipes for the food lover who cooks just because they’re hungry, just to feed their family or friends, or just because it’s a random Tuesday night. In short, it’s a cookbook for everyone who enjoys good food.

Here are a few recipes from the cookbook that I’ve tried so far…

Sweet Potato Hash, Scrambled Egg, and Herb Goat Cheese Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Sweet Potato Hash, Scrambled Egg, & Herb Goat Cheese Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Jess is absolutely right when she says there’s nothing better than being able to eat a real breakfast – like the kind you’d make on the weekend – on a weekday morning. And she’s a genius with these burritos. There are all kinds of flavors going on in there (sweet, savory, and cheesy), and they all come together perfectly. I love the use of smoked paprika here; its smoky flavor simulates bacon, so even though this dish is vegetarian, you’ll be thinking bacon and eggs as you eat it. Looking in my freezer and finding it stocked with a stash of things like these burritos makes me a very happy girl.

Roasted Blueberry-Basil Brie

Roasted Blueberry-Basil Brie

If you’ve never made baked brie before, you’re missing out on one of the world’s best – and easiest – appetizers. The only thing better than gooey melted cheese is gooey melted cheese topped with sweet/tangy fruit. In this recipe, roasted blueberries are an ingenious compliment to the earthy flavor of brie, and fresh basil brightens up the dish perfectly.

Creamy Blue Cheese-Avocado Dressing

Creamy Blue Cheese-Avocado Dressing

This dressing is thick and creamy with a balanced flavor profile and bursts of robust blue cheese flavor. It’s like the best blue cheese dressing you ever had (or you’ve never had until now). I’ve eaten it dolloped on top of a huge bowl of salad greens, as a dip for pretzels, and as a condiment on a turkey sandwich. I might have even simulated the buffalo wing experience; added a couple dashes of hot sauce to the mix, served it with celery sticks, and eaten the whole batch (with help from a friend!) in one sitting.

Accidental White Wine Baked Cod

Accidental White Wine Baked Scallops Cod

I am crazy about scallops. When I first looked over Seriously Delish, so many recipes called to me from the very beginning, but I immediately knew I had to make this one sooner rather than bookmarking it for another day. (Plus I loved the story that Jess told about how this recipe came to be!) Ironically, I had everything on hand except for scallops (I like to buy them fresh when I’m planning to make them, so they aren’t a fridge staple for me), but I did have frozen cod on hand. I thawed the cod and cut it into large chunks (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches) and followed the rest of the recipe exactly as written. I’ll be making this again with scallops and again with cod, and probably again with shrimp. Did I mention I want to make it again? ;)

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lover’s Brownies

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover’s Brownies

We’ve all had brownies before. Most of us probably even have a favorite recipe or box mix (hey, I’m not judging; I know box mix brownies are killer!). No matter where you stand in your quest for the perfect brownie, you need to try these. You can’t see from my picture, but there’s a Buckeye-like layer of peanut butter between the brownie and the chocolate ganache on top…and it makes these brownies. Rich and decadent, they are an aptly named chocolate/peanut butter lover’s paradise. Make them the next time you need a celebratory treat, and then try to hold off making them again until you have another special occasion; good luck holding out! (Bonus, the recipe is available here!)

I’ve also tried Jess’s recipe for “Sour Cream and Onion” Popcorn, which was pretty fabulous and completely reminiscent of my favorite potato chip growing up. (She nailed the flavor!) And I’m not done yet; I can’t wait to make Roasted Cherry, Coconut, & Quinoa Breakfast Bowls, Strawberry Soda (Floats!), Crab Cake Cobb Salad Stacks, Cheesy Polenta with Garlic Butter Mushrooms, and Mocha-Coconut Tiramisu, to name just a few.

:: GIVEAWAY ::

Because I love Jess’s beautiful cookbook so much, I’m incredibly excited to be able to give away a copy of it to one lucky reader! (Thank-you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for their generosity!)

To participate in this giveaway, just leave a comment on this post telling me who you love to cook for. (No matter who it is, I’m sure there’s a recipe for them in this cookbook.)

For extra entries, you can do any of the following (please leave a separate comment for each):

  • Tell me which How Sweet It Is recipe is a staple in your kitchen (or which recipe you’re dying to try).
  • Like An Edible Mosaic on Facebook.
  • Like How Sweet It Is on Facebook.
  • Follow An Edible Mosaic on Twitter.
  • Follow How Sweet It is on Twitter.
  • Tweet the following: Enter #giveaway on @AnEdibleMosaic to win a copy of @HowSweetBlog’s #SeriouslyDelish #cookbook! https://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=18338

You do not need to have a blog to enter this giveaway. For shipping purposes, this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. This giveaway ends on September 18, 2014 at 11:59 PM EST. Once the giveaway ends, the winner will be randomly chosen and notified via email. The winner will have three days to respond with his or her mailing information, otherwise a new winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck to all!

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of Seriously Delish (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; September 2014), and the publisher is also providing the cookbook for this giveaway. As always, opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items, which helps me keep this site alive – thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!

Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews Tagged: Accidental White Wine Baked Scallops, Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover’s Brownies, Cookbook Reviews, Cookbooks, Creamy Blue Cheese-Avocado Dressing, Giveaways, How Sweet It Is Blog, Jessica Merchant, Recipes, Roasted Blueberry-Basil Brie, Seriously Delish, Sweet Potato Hash Scrambled Egg & Herb Goat Cheese Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Comments

  1. cindy jones says

    October 1, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    I like edible mosaic on facebook

    Reply
  2. cindy jones says

    October 1, 2014 at 6:59 pm

    I love cooking for my family

    Reply
  3. Vickie says

    September 26, 2014 at 12:12 am

    And, I follow you on facebook as well.

    Reply
  4. Vickie says

    September 26, 2014 at 12:10 am

    yikes..I didn’t answer the right question..therefore, I will combine two so as not to have an extra entry (cheating) haha..I want to try her recipe for BBQ Chicken French Breads. Further I like her fb page How Sweet It Is. thanks.

    Reply
  5. Vickie says

    September 26, 2014 at 12:01 am

    I love to cook for my mom..friends and family

    Reply
  6. Celeste says

    September 24, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    I love to cook for my boys and my friends.

    Reply
  7. DAWN RENEE' says

    September 19, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    I love to cook for my friends who are my family! And they love it too and new creations are always well received.

    Reply
  8. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:16 pm

    This recipe is on my hot to do list! homemade graham crackers… totally trashed up.

    Reply
  9. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:14 pm

    I love to cook for my sweetie, Mark!

    Reply
  10. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    tweeted and here is the link: https://twitter.com/sharylmk1/status/512755876705214464

    Reply
  11. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    Following How Sweet It is on Twitter.

    Reply
  12. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    Following An Edible Mosaic on Twitter.

    Reply
  13. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    Liked How Sweet It Is on Facebook.

    Reply
  14. Sharyl Wolter says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    Liked An Edible Mosaic on Facebook.

    Reply
  15. Sara D says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:25 pm

    you bet I already like How Sweet on FB!

    Reply
  16. Sara D says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:24 pm

    for my shiny new husband

    Reply
  17. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:12 pm

    tweet: https://twitter.com/suburbsanity/status/512740907196493824

    Reply
  18. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:11 pm

    I Follow How Sweet It is on Twitter as suburbsanity

    Reply
  19. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:11 pm

    I Follow An Edible Mosaic on Twitter as suburbsanity

    Reply
  20. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:10 pm

    I Like How Sweet It Is on Facebook as debbiekaye

    Reply
  21. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    I’m dying to try the cheese-smothered-stuffed-poblanos

    Reply
  22. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    Like An Edible Mosaic on Facebook as debbiekaye

    Reply
  23. debbie says

    September 18, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    I love to cook for my husband. He always appreciates whatever I bring to the table!

    Reply
  24. Chaya says

    September 18, 2014 at 5:18 pm

    I love to cook for my hubby.

    Reply
  25. BECKY says

    September 18, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Following How Sweet It is on Twitter.

    Reply
  26. BECKY says

    September 18, 2014 at 11:56 am

    Following An Edible Mosaic on Twitter.

    Reply
  27. BECKY says

    September 18, 2014 at 11:55 am

    Liked How Sweet It Is on Facebook

    Reply
  28. BECKY says

    September 18, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Liked An Edible Mosaic on Facebook.

    Reply
  29. BECKY says

    September 18, 2014 at 11:52 am

    I have some respect to cooking scallops because I always over or undercook them. Can’t wait to try the Accidental White Wine Baked Scallops!

    Reply
  30. Kristina N. says

    September 18, 2014 at 10:02 am

    And I like How Sweet Eats on Facebook as well :)

    Reply
  31. Kristina N. says

    September 18, 2014 at 10:02 am

    I like you on Facebook!

    Reply
  32. Kristina N. says

    September 18, 2014 at 10:01 am

    Jessica’s bbq chicken is so easy to make on the weekends. I definitely keep that one around when I’m in a pinch and know I have a busy week coming up.

    Reply
  33. Kristina N. says

    September 18, 2014 at 10:00 am

    I love cooking for everyone and anyone, but especially my husband! He’s not a big cook, but loves food so it’s always great to see him in awe of what I cook.

    Reply
  34. nicole says

    September 18, 2014 at 9:19 am

    and follow how sweet on twitter! @nicolehering :)

    thanks for a fun giveaway!

    Reply
  35. nicole says

    September 18, 2014 at 9:19 am

    also follow you on FB!

    Reply
  36. nicole says

    September 18, 2014 at 9:07 am

    oh boy…i’ve been following how sweet for years now and have tried a few recipes I still swear by (and accidentally repin :)) although, i am hosting a wine tasting on saturday and must say that brie is next on my list. must have this cook book!!

    Reply
  37. Laura McCabe says

    September 17, 2014 at 7:13 pm

    I love to cook for my soon to be husband and 8 yr old step daughter. I follow How Sweet it is on Facebook and love jess’ website.

    Reply
  38. Maureen says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:04 am

    The recipe I know would be a hit would be the Ginger Garlic Steak tacos.

    Reply
  39. Maureen says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:02 am

    In a general sense I like to cook for my family. Usually it is just my husband but many times I will bring in dinner to my parents.

    Reply
  40. cassie says

    September 17, 2014 at 7:25 am

    I love to cook for my husband!

    Reply
  41. Rebecca says

    September 16, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    I love cooking for my fiance and occasionally for friends (when we’re not all crazy-busy)!

    Reply
  42. JoAn says

    September 16, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    I look cooking for out-of-state guests and visiting family members.

    Reply
  43. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 4:01 pm

    I posted a tweet: https://twitter.com/AnnaZed/status/511979317857767424

    Reply
  44. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 4:00 pm

    I follow How Sweet It is on Twitter on Twitter where I am @AnnaZed.

    Reply
  45. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    I follow An Edible Mosaic on Twitter where I am @AnnaZed.

    Reply
  46. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 3:50 pm

    I like How Sweet It Is on Facebook on Facebook as Margot Core.

    Reply
  47. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 3:48 pm

    I like An Edible Mosaic on Facebook as Margot Core.

    Reply
  48. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    I make the Seriously Delish Mom’s Awesome Gravy all the time!

    Reply
  49. Margot C says

    September 16, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    I love to cook for my step-son. @5 years old and an athlete, he’s my best customer.

    Reply
    • Margot C says

      September 16, 2014 at 3:05 pm

      make that 25 years old, a bit of a typo there!

      Reply
  50. Tara says

    September 16, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    I tweeted the giveaway

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

Affiliate Disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

meet faith

I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

an edible mosaic cookbook

affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

Home | About | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Contact

Copyright © 2023 | Faith Gorsky, An Edible Mosaic™ | All Rights Reserved