Bright, cheerful, fun, practical.....and if you have any nostalgia for Jersey food, Food & Other Things I Love by Caroline Manzo will give you serious cravings. The recipes in this book are simple to make with easy to find ingredient lists except for Taylor Ham which is really a Jersey thing!

You could learn to cook from this book, too. The recipes (some Italian, some American, some Italian-American) all work together and from a specific kind of family-oriented pantry. Because even though it's not a "what's for dinner?" book or a "quick and easy" book, it does fill those categories. It's a pretty healthy book too.. Many of the recipes are very veggie-oriented.

I'm a Californian but I lived in Central New Jersey for six years -- we were invited to Christmas parties, big sit down dinners at Italian-American restaurants, trips to the Jersey Shore. Oh yeah, all of it -- and this was the food we ate, and the hospitality and joie de vivre we experienced. Big lasagnas, a zillion other delicious easy pastas, deep dish sausage pizza. But not everything is a red sauce recipe. I love the "Down the Shore" section of the book with great hot weather, throw-it-on-the grill recipes like Grilled Artichokes and Italian Garden Salad. The Holiday section is full of delicious renditions of the holiday staples for a big but do-able family feast.

Throughout it all, the unique voice and recipe tweaks of Caroline Manzo shine through. I don't know her from television, but I do like her cookbook.

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the opportunity for advance review of this book.

It’s a cookbook with Italian American food. I’m not a fan of the layout, the red color and the font used. I also don’t like the recipes that uses bad word like the F word and ‘warm-a$$’. The recipes look ok, some I would try but overall I didn’t like this cookbook. I didn’t find a recipe that would make it worth it for me to have it. The content is organized in eight categories: Staples (lemon aioli, pesto), Lazy Mornings (frittata, French toast), Warm and Cozy (Italian wedding soup, turkey chili), Al Fresco (linguini with clams, caprese salad), Molto Bueno (Chicken parm, bolognese), Home For The Holidays (antipasti spread, lemon chicken), Something Sweet (struffoli, pumpkin banana ‘pudding’), and Late Night Snacks (Nutella Pizza, Root Beer Float). I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Food & Other Things I Love: More than 100 Italian American Recipes from My Family to Yours by Caroline Manzo, with Casey Elsass

This cookbook is a wonderful compilation of primarily Italian recipes, along with Caroline Manzo's unique takes on classic American dishes. The book is filled with helpful tips, ranging from kitchen stocking advice to party-planning how-tos. Manzo’s writing style feels personal and warm, as though she’s speaking directly to family or friends.

I particularly loved the layout of the book—each dish is presented clearly, accompanied by delightful graphics and vibrant pictures. The recipes are approachable for beginners, yet detailed enough to engage more experienced cooks. Overall, it's a fantastic addition to any kitchen.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I love the design of this cookbook, it's eye popping and just plain pretty. I enjoyed skimming through it to see all the pictures, it's a good balance (although I AM someone who loves pictures so there's never truly enough).

I haven't watched any of these real housewives shows but the storytelling on each recipe is great so know that it isn't just a book with recipes. It actually feels blog-like because there's short notes that she's made about her experience with each recipe, like how her mom and grandma made a breakfast dish for her which I can relate to.

I do cook a lot so might not be an expert at what a beginner might want, but I feel like most of these recipes are pretty approachable and the dessert section really spoke to me. It didn't seem like there were any really obscure ingredients to get either since it's very much Italian American.

I honestly might buy this book for my mom since I know she will love a lot of these recipes :)

Warning: do not read this while hungry! I got to know Caroline back when she was on Real Housewives of New Jersey. Her love of food and family was apparent while on the show and it's very apparent in this cookbook as well. I loved the format and her passion definitely shines throughout. I'm excited to try the italian hot dogs, english muffin pizzas, and short rib sliders, just to name a few. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review - pub day is 9/24/24!

What a lovely cookbook! Everything about it screams Italian home cooking and family. I like that the recipes are broken up into sections as well as being listed in an index by ingredients. I do wish there more photos.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #ChronicleBooks for a free copy of #Food&OtherThingsILove by Caroline Manzo; Casey Elsass. All opinions are my own.

As an OG Real Housewives fan, I was thrilled to find that Caroline Manzo came out with a cookbook! The food all looks delicious, the stories and explanations of the foods and their histories within her family were engaging and interesting, and her list of tools and little notes and advice were really helpful. Definitely recommend to anyone who is a Real Housewives fan or just loves good Italian cooking!

I have loved Caroline Manzo for ages!! She's a RHONJ OG and I love all things Bravo. It was cool to see her recipes and read the little anecdotes throughout. I look forward to trying some of the recipes!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I have been a long time Manzo fan, from Real Housewives to being apart of "the community" of the Dear Albie podcast. This cookbook is really an ode to her family. I love the little commentary bubbles on each page with how this recipe came about and how it is meaningful to her family. There are so many recipes I can't want to try, but plan to prioritize the sauces and soup! I also appreciated that so many of these were simple with few ingredients or things that we would already have on hand. I have always been jealous of all the social media posts of Sunday dinners, and now we can try from home! Thank you Caroline for sharing!!!

Great for lovers of this Real Housewife but nothing really standout in terms of recipes. I appreciated Caroline's hubris that food should taste "good" and not just "pretty".

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

Such a fun, yummy looking cookbook. So many ideas for easy food to eat and enjoy. I can't wait to try multiple things.

I am impressed with the layout and variety of recipes in this book. I also like the stories and notes and tips for entertaining that are included in the recipes. There are many recipes that I would love to make. The photography is also great.

Loved Caroline Manzo from RHONJ and have been a fan of her's from the beginning. Loved her family cookbook with her family recipes from her Grandmother. She continues to carry out the tradition with creating the recipes with her grandchild, Markie. I loved that the recipes were very easy, staples you have in your pantry and easy to follow directions. Loved the stories that went along with the recipes. Pictures were fabulous. I would definitely purchase this cooking book, it's a no nonsense cookbook. Loved it, great cookbook.

Food and Other Things I Love
Author: Caroline Manzo
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I was initially drawn to this cookbook from being a RHONJ fan. I'm happy to say this book was good! It features some classic Italian recipes as well as some unique recipes for potato salad, meatloaf, and other comfort foods. The recipes sound super delicious and are accompanied by well shot photos, as well as, little stories behind their inspiration. I can't wait to try out a bunch of the food from this book!

Thanks to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Caroline Manzo for an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This was a good cookbook with great pictures and easy-to-follow recipes. The also has stories to go along with different ones as well as ways of setting and decorating your table. I found her stories or tidbits to add to this book and make for a different type of cookbook. Very much worth the read.

There is something that is just so relatable about Caroline Manzo throughout the pages of Food & Other Things I Love. Aside from so many feel-good recipes that are also approachable, Manzo's humor and warmth scream from the pages. Even the photos of her throughout the book make you want to wrap her up in a hug.

I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this cookbook, having had a chance to review an electronic advanced reader copy thanks to NetGalley & Chronicle Books!

This cookbook reads like a warm embrace. Caroline welcomes you into her family for a ride through modern and classic Italian fare. Crisp, beautiful images, and interesting ingredient tweaks kept me turning pages and rummaging my fridge to see which recipes I could pull together that very day.

As a longtime Real Housewives of New Jersey fan, I adored this cookbook. You can tell how much Caroline loves her family & loves cooking for them. It shows through in these recipes and stories. I loved the tips she offered and cannot wait to buy this when it comes out. I’m already planning to cook some of the recipes soon!

As a major Bravoholic, I was thrilled to preview this cookbook! This cookbook feels like a warm hug and like it was passed down from my own grandmother. The recipes feel surprisingly easy instead of intimidating! The inclusion of family photos, recipe notes, and the recipe introductions are so inviting. Looking forward to the publication date!

This was a fun cookbook that showcased the author's personality, heritage, and family. The recipes included classic dishes, such as, bolognese, lasagna, meatballs, and turkey meatloaf. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the more elegant selections like truffle asparagus and eggs and grilled artichokes. Yum! As they say we shouldn't grocery shop on an empty stomach, beware of reading this cookbook on an empty stomach. You will want to make every recipe that was thoughtfully curated/written for this cookbook.