Cooking Light Superfast Suppers: Speedy Solutions for Dinner Dilemmas Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I received this cookbook as a gift. This is the first cookbook that I've found in which the recipes are simple and quick enough to make after work without being a burden and the food is always delicious. I've probably made 30 of the dishes now and they have all been hits with my family. This is my favorite cookbook out of the 100 or so I have. I use it everyday.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cooking Light Superfast Suppers: Speedy Solutions for Dinner Dilemmas


In a world that makes ever-increasing demands on people`s time, Superfast Suppers is indeed a lifesaver. Innovative recipes with carefully calculated ingredients (never more than 10), and attenuated prep times (not longer than 20 minutes), get cooks in and out of the kitchen in record time to put delicious meals on the table. Clever and always quick, Superfast Suppers will revolutionize your cooking with no loss of nutrition and no compromise in taste. Especially notable are the 20 recipes with less than 10 minutes of prep time, the 10 slow-cooker dinners and the 25 `Deadline Desserts` which require only 15 minutes from beginning to `yum!` Finally, this book boasts the unique `Have It Your Way` chapter that lets everyone create their own special meal from one basic item and a plethora of toppings. Any way you slice it, Superfast Suppers is a must-have for today`s families on the go.

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Cooking Light Superfast Suppers: Speedy Solutions for Dinner Dilemmas

Read More...

The Weeknight Survival Cookbook: How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am very pleased with this book: it is simple, the recipes can easily be modified, and best of all: there are shopping lists. I find that a large part of my meal executing woes are caused by not having time to plan and make lists. The foods are very middle of the road: not too gourmet, not too many processed foods. A couple meals a week are vegetarian, but carb watchers can add a fish fillet or chicken or something to the meal easily. Lots of veggies are included too. After purchasing a similar book that ended up suggesting I make "duck tacos" this book is a winner. Tip: take it to an office supply store and have the cover laminated and have it spiral-bound for easy use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Weeknight Survival Cookbook: How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes

Most quick and healthy cookbooks define "quick" as 30 minutes. In this step-by-step cookbook, registered Dean Irwin takes the term to Olympic speeds, offering 12 weeks of recipes for healthy dishes, each of which can be prepared in just ten minutes!

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about The Weeknight Survival Cookbook: How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes

Read More...

New Classic Family Dinners Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a cookbook that you will keep open on your kitchen counter. The pictures are inspiring, and Mark Peel's voice throughout the book is encouraging and mentoring. I truly enjoyed just sitting down and reading the cookbook, like a book. The book is more like cooking classes, not only recipes. Truly enjoyable is how each recipe has an intro. to it, and a tip to make it work.
The surprising part was how much time was spent on the foreward. Rather than just a cookbook, with an index of recipes, Mark talks you through how to begin sparking up family dinners. I received the book Sept. 24, and have used it nightly since.
It is more fun to cook, when you have the reasons for doing it the way you should, right there. Complete with explanations on how to avoid lifeless green beans, or how to fry chicken just right. It's all in the know how...takes your family meals from plain to top level, just by knowing the secrets here and there.
This cookbook is a lot of fun, and is just like going through a lesson with a friend. There is a lot of personality in this book, so it is just not another dry cookbook, with no one encouraging you to try something new.
I am having fun with this cookbook, and my family of 5 looks forward to the change in the kitchen atmosphere...the boys lay out the ingredients, and my youngest reads the directions. We do it together, and they have learned something from each recipe. Now we know why our fried chicken just wasn't crispy enough before! We followed the recipe in Mark's book, and it was out of this world.

Click Here to see more reviews about: New Classic Family Dinners

Get 35% OFF

Click here for more information about New Classic Family Dinners

Read More...

Time for Dinner: Strategies, Inspiration, and Recipes for Family Meals Every Night of the Week Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was a subscriber to Cookie Magazine, and found myself greatly missing it when it was taken out of circulation. One of the sections I missed most was the recipes that showed one ingredient (for instance, ground turkey), and then plotted a graph showing 3 different ways to cook that item, with photos, tips and final pictures of the meal. All on one page! Well, this cookbook brings that back, along with fantastic images of a stocked fridge, pantry and cabinets. This is a cookbook with usable recipes, helpful tips and great ideas to encourage family dining. First on my list to try is the ice-cube-tray sushi and the sesame noodles with extras. And one more thing - it is a feast for the eyes, with killer photographs and detailed ingredient lists.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Time for Dinner: Strategies, Inspiration, and Recipes for Family Meals Every Night of the Week

Whether moms have picky or adventurous eaters and whether they love to cook or just endure it, getting dinner on the table weeknight after weeknight is enough to make a mom throw in the towel. It's a grind that wore down former Cookie magazine editors, Pilar Guzm n, Jenny Rosentrach, and Alanna Stang until they made it their mission to figure out all the ways they could reclaim the family dinner. Time for Dinner is that playbook of tricks, inspiration, plans, and 100 go-to recipes. With 250 photographs, it's a visual toolkit of a book that gives every mom the ideas and strategies she needs to get a great family meal on the table night after night without losing her mind (or her sense of humor).

Get 39% OFF

Click here for more information about Time for Dinner: Strategies, Inspiration, and Recipes for Family Meals Every Night of the Week

Read More...

The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this when I returned to work when my daughter was 10 months old. I initially bought it for the downloadable shopping lists, but instead of going by week, I go by seasons, flip through to find 2-3 recipes that jump out at me, and buy the ingredients for those. The next week, I pick up where I left off. The meals have simple ingredients, interesting flavors, and are easy to prepare. 2 minor things: the meals are 30 minutes to prepare, but may take longer to cook, so keep an eye on that. Also, some of the recommended dish sizes are on the small side, so I sometimes size up (9x13 instead of 8x11, for instance) to make sure that it fits well without bubbling over.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families

The Six O'Clock Scramble cookbook is a companion to Aviva's wonderful email-based newsletter service that provides busy moms with easy and nutritious meals for their families.The Scramble is a weekly e-mail newsletter that features: Five flavorful and healthy, tried-and-true dinner recipes with side dish suggestions, emailed to you each week. Easy-to-prepare dinners in 30 minutes (or less), most with fewer than 10 ingredients. Delicious, easy recipes like Asian Turkey Burgers, Tortellini Tossed with Fresh Mozzarella, honey glazed salmon and red beans and rice burritos. Includes an organized grocery list so you can print and shop. Perfect for working or full-time parents, or anyone who wants to make easy, delicious home-cooked meals. From O, The Oprah magazine:Aviva Goldfarb had one of those ideas - incredibly obvious, yet nobody had thought of it - that immediately make the pieces of your brain fit together with a neat click. A wife, mother, self-published cookbook author, and organizational ace, Goldfarb realized that for most people 6 P.M. was too late to start wondering what to cook for dinner. So she started the Six O'Clock Scramble (thescramble.com), a weekly e-mail newsletter with five days' worth of dinner recipes, plus grocery lists. The meals (grilled teriyaki chicken tenderloins one night, baked huevos rancheros another) take about a half hour to prepare and are creative, healthy, unprocessed and kid-friendly without being adult-alienating. A subscription costs $5 a month - a small price to pay for a whole new kind of happy meal. Goldfarb herself is happy, having graduated from the self-publishing business: Next fall St. Martin's Press will release The Six O'Clock Scramble Cookbook.

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families

Read More...

Bradley Ogden's Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this book many years ago after a wonderful brunch at Ogden's Lark Creek Inn and I've cooked from it many times. It's especially nice for homey dishes with an elegant touch. Many of the ideas were sourced originally from Ogden's cooking roots in Michigan and California and feature locally available produce and meats.
After all these years I still peruse this book for new ideas when we expect out of town company. Everyone always loves the results!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bradley Ogden's Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Click here for more information about Bradley Ogden's Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Read More...

The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These recipes are quick, easy, good, and best of all, a little more adventurous than your normal "family" cookbooks filled with chicken nuggets and pasta. I am not one to plan a week's meals ahead, and I love that I can open this book and find something great to make out of what I have on hand. I've made at least 15 of the recipes and every one was great. The prep time estimates seem to be pretty accurate. Our family in general likes things a little more spicy than most, so some recipes were a little bland but I just add a little more seasoning if that happens. I think they would probably be fine for most people, especially kids.
I think the authors are right on the mark with their advice on kids trying new foods, no "yuck!"s etc. Their philosophy is similar to our own house rules, and as a result my boys (3 and 7) are great eaters. I had the pleasure of meeting the authors at a bookstore signing, and I was very impressed with their knowledge, sensibility, and friendliness!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time

For the legions of harried moms who have tossed in the dishtowel on cooking healthy meals (or any meals!), the easiest-ever guide for bringing super nutrition back to the kitchen. Getting dinner on the table night after night can be a challenge.So it’s no surprise that busy moms often rely on fast food, takeout, and convenience meals like macaroni & cheese, chicken nuggets, and fries.The kids love it but the drawback is that little twinge of guilt moms feel every time they feed their family another not-so-healthy meal.At the end of the day, many children end up with a poor diet high in sugar, saturated fat, and calories … a major factor in the rising rates of obesity.Finally, here are realistic guidelines designed to give families a healthy meal makeover. The Moms lay out a 5-Step Meal Makeover Plan, explaining how to market good nutrition to kids, establish food rules, and make life easier in the kitchen.In The Best of the Bunch chapter they reveal which brands of kid convenience foods–hot dogs, frozen pizza, and more–are the best tasting and most nutritious ones out there.The Moms show how to stock a healthy pantry and whip up delicious anytime meals using pantry staples. They even serve up 120 reworked recipes for family favorites such as Fast-as-Boxed Macaroni & Cheese, Squishy Squash Lasagna, Cheesy Broccoli Soup, Sweet Potato Fries, and Chocolate Pudding with Toppers.

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time

Read More...

Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Perhaps Rachael Ray is becoming a bit overexposed as she now has many cookbooks flooding the market, a televison show and a magazine. While I applaud her moxy and industrious nature, I am beginning to think that she is spread too thin. This latest offering, "2,4,6,8 - Great Meals For Couples or Crowds" is not up to par with some of her earlier offerings. The idea is great - menus sized for the number of guests that you are planning on cooking for - and all of this is supposed to be accomplished in 30 minutes as well.
For starters, the recipe lists are long - so that tells me right away that only an accomplished cook will be able to achieve these menus in under 30 minutes. A newbie in the kitchen will struggle to put these dinners on the table in under an hour. Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic - personally, I like that as I cook like that all the time. But again, for a newbie or perhaps a mom with fussy eaters, this could be a problem. The other issue is the portion sizes. I made the "Crab Cakes With A Creamy Grainy Mustard Sauce" with the "Wilted Spinach With Tomatoes" (page 69 listed as Appetizer-as-entrée). This was supposed to be a menu for two - but the crab cakes amounted to a half pound per person. This was WAY too much for myself and my husband! (I ended up taking half of this mixture and transforming it into a crab bisque the next day - it was wonderful!) If I ate like the portions suggested, I would be as big as a house! 1/2 pound meat portions seem to be the standard here. That was very disappointing to me, but I shouldn't be surprised, Ray always states that she is not skimpy on portions.
The menus are clever enough and most will be satisfied with the offerings here. There is plenty of variety: Indian food, Italian, Tex-Mex, Moroccan and more. You will certainly get ideas for your family or guests. I think the book is good overall, but not my favorite. I think her "Express Lane Meals" and "Classic Rachael Ray" are far better offerings.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds

If you’re like Rachael Ray, mealtime is a time to hang out and reconnect with family and friends. That means you could be making a late dinner for you and your sweetie one night and making brunch for your entire family the next day. No matter how many people join the party, Rachael firmly believes that cooking should be fun, easy–and done in 30 minutes or less.Transforming recipes for four into recipes for two or eight can be a tricky guessing game. If you use twice the amount of chicken will you have to cook it twice as long? Is it possible to make a satisfying pot of soup for two without having to eat leftovers for a week? What’s the best–and most economical–way to feed a crowd of eight?With Rachael Ray: 2, 4, 6, 8there’s no need to guess, because Rachael has designed right-sized menus for every occasion, with perfect meals for two, four, six, or eight. For date night you don’t want tons of food, so Rachael’s Croque Madame sandwich with a Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette salad and a killer vodka cocktail strike just the right note.For family dinners, double dates, or those who love leftovers, Rachael whips up classic meals for four like Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza or Grilled Shrimp with Chorizo Skewers. For poker night with your buddies, Rachael knows exactly which ingredients stretch into a 30-minute meal for six, like Uptown Sweet and Spicy Sausage Hoagies. Throwing adinner party is a pleasure when you’re armed with stress-free meals for eight like Italian Chicken Pot Pie and Boozy Berries and Biscuits. With complete menus for family dinners as well as easy and impressive meals for entertaining plus lots of super simple desserts that taste like a million, no matter what the occasion, the perfect meal for your crowd is never more 30 minutes away.

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds

Read More...

Desperation Entertaining Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I pull this book out every time I face an entertaining challenge, and I always find at least one recipe that's perfect for the occasion. The guacamole-with-peas and black bean "hummus" dips wowed my New Year's Day guests and they were really tickled when I revealed the secret ingredients. (They said, "You must really trust the "Deperation" ladies!" I do!)
Witty commentary and helpful shopping, presentation, and decorating tips make this a fun book to browse through.
Some warnings and comments: Unlike the original "Desperation Dinners," this book focuses on multi-stage do-it-ahead recipes. Those wanting lots of menus that can be on the table in an hour or less will be disappointed.One long chapter is devoted only to grilled main dishes; another to slow cooker meats and soups. If you don't grill or slow cook, half of the main dishes won't work for you.
Certain food themes are repeated ad naseum - there are 9 creamy dips, 6 chicken salads, 5 chilis, 4 kinds of slaw, and 8 breakfast casseroles. The beverage and side dish chapters are slim, but the dessert chapter is much larger here than in "Desperation Dinners." Both authors are North Carolinans, and the book is heavy on Southern favorites. Although they make some concessions to low-fat dairy ingredients, this is not the book to turn to for low-fat, low-carb, or low-calorie ideas.

Because these dishes rely on partially-prepared ingredients such as "already-cooked" bacon, and because the authors favor shrimp and fine cuts of meat, most recipes are expensive. If your grocery store is rural or small, you'll struggle to locate some ingredients.
Check this out if you're looking for easy entertainment-specific recipes, throw-together dips, do-it-ahead plans, and lots of interesting advice for the host or hostess. Most dishes serve 8-12.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Desperation Entertaining

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Desperation Entertaining

Read More...

Forking Fantastic: Put the Party Back in Dinner Party Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Ok, I've only had this book for 24 hours, so the recipes are not battle-tested, with the exception of a yummy Spanish Tortilla I made with leftovers last night (think frittata, not mexican tortilla). Having said that, I love the spirit of the book. It's aimed at someone who basically never throws a dinner party because of the stress involved. The recipes, shopping tips, etc all emphasize maximum deliciousness with least effort - for instance, it recommends never peeling a vegetable. It correctly identifies the surprising tastiness of frozen peas. I could go on.
The pleasure the authors take in a wine-infused, too-many-people-in-a-small-apartment kind of a dinner party is infectious. All in all, if the use of the f-word bothers you, or you want your dinner to look great in photographs, look elsewhere. If you've been meaning to get 8 people over for dinner more often, and want some help, this is just the ticket.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Forking Fantastic: Put the Party Back in Dinner Party

Get 22% OFF

Click here for more information about Forking Fantastic: Put the Party Back in Dinner Party

Read More...

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Over 280 Incredibly Flavorful 5-Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are in need of a book for quick meals, Fresh Food Fast by Cooking Light is a nice choice.
I am going to give a quick overview of this book for anyone interested in knowing what to expect from it to help you decide if you want to look into FRESH FOOD FAST by COOKING LIGHT.
The sections are:
SOUPS
LOTS of choices from unique cold soups like Creamy Avocado Soup with Tomato Lump Crab Relish to Sweet Potato Leek and Ham Soup. All soups have a salad recipe with them that the authors suggest serving with it on the same page- I found this handy.
SANDWICHES
Unique ideas like Pear Walnut Sandwiches and Grilled Grouper Sandwiches with Tartar sauce are nice in this section. There are also some standbys like Sloppy Beef Skillet Sandwiches and Grilled Pork Sliders with BBQ Sauce. Many sandwich recipes in this book have an accompanying recipe on the same page for a soup or salad to go with the sandwich you are preparing. Examples of these recipes are Sweet Broccoli Slaw with Cranberries and Minted Pea Hummus
SALADS
Some examples are Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinagarette, Cous cous, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad, and Grilled Salmon and Grapefruit with Blood Orange Vinagarette. Again in this section many salad recipe also have recipes on the same page you can make to go with it, such as Tomato Basil Soup, Greek Style Pita chips. Most recipes, though, have just the dressing recipes on the same page.
This is my favorite section of this book.
MEATLESS MAIN
Examples from this section are Grape, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Pizza, Mediterranean Style Frittata, Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto, and Southwestern Rice and Veggie Cakes. In this section, some of the recipes have side dishes appearing on the same page with them to make with the main meal.......such as....Spicy Tricolor Pepper Stir Fry, Creamy Chipolte Wedge Salad, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze, and Lemon Balsamic Broccoli.
MEATLESS MAIN is my second favorite section of the book (well, tied with Fish).FISH AND SHELLFISH
Look at some of these recipes- Catfish with Cilantro- Chipolte Rice, Baked Flounder with Dill and Caper Cream, Pistachio Crusted Grouper with Lavender Honey Sauce, Lemon Artichoke Halibut en Papillote and Sunflower Seed-Crusted Orange Roughy. A few side dishes appear with the entrees to accompany them (on the same page again) such as Minted Sweet Snap Peas and Balsamic Grilled Peaches (made to go with Peach-Glazed Salmon with Raspberries).
This is actually tied with Meatless Main as my 2nd favorite section. There are many different fish recipes in here which I enjoy very much.
MEATS
Smothered Pepper Steak, Ginger Lime Beef Stir Fry, and Mustard Molasses Flank Steak are some examples of the beef recipes in this section. Lemon Herb Skillet Pork Chops, Curried Pork and Chai Rice, and Asiago Crusted Pork Chops are some pork recipes in the MEAT section. There is only one ham and two lamb recipes in this book, which was disappointing to me. I would have liked to see a few more lamb recipes, and even some venison or other game meats.
POULTRY
Chicken Tortilla Pie, Fried Panko Chicken Tenders,Cumin Spiced Chicken with Chunky Tomato Sauce and Kalamata Balsamic Chicken with Feta are a few examples of the recipes in this section. The only turkey recipe in this section is Turkey Basil Rolls, and there are two sausage recipes.
KITCHEN SECRETS
Super short cuts
15 minute pantry (how to prepare your pantry to cook quickly)
Speedy Side dishes
Side Staples to have on hand
4 Fail-Safe Sauces
Metric Equivalents
COMMENTS
I found this book to have a wonderful assortment of recipes for quick yet appealing meals in many categories. Many dishes are unique and interesting. The photos are lovely. Each recipe has a photo next to it which is well laid out and very attractive.
The recipes are not for those who like very plain and unspicy foods. Most recipes in here are flavorful and you can leave out the spices if you like, but it might be disappointing.
I really like the recipes in this book. They are fresh, delicious, and easy to make. I usually find that they take 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to prepare, but that is including prep time. I am sure that the 15 minutes is not including prep time.
This is a great book for when you are too tired to think of what to make for dinner and need someone to hold your hand and tell you what to make. Anything I don't want to make exactly as is, I can easily substitute without much thought.
I really like this book.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Over 280 Incredibly Flavorful 5-Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes

With over 280 incredibly delicious flavorful 5-ingredient, 150 minute recipes at your fingertips, you'll discover how simple it is to serve a healthful home-cooked meal on a busy weeknight. Our Test Kitchens experts have paired easy side dishes and desserts with superfast entrées to create over 160 mouthwatering menus. Organized by easy-to-use food categories, including Soups, Sandwiches, Salads, Meatless Main Dishes, Fish and Shellfish, Meats, and Poultry, Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast offers recipes that are great for you and taste great, too! With short ingredient lists, straightforward procedures, fresh ingredients, and delicious results, the recipes and meals in this cookbook will be the most requested, often-repeated solutions in your weeknight repertoire.

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Over 280 Incredibly Flavorful 5-Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes

Read More...

Dinner for Busy Moms: Easy Strategies for Getting Your Family to the Table (Simple Solutions for Families) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Dinner for Busy Moms is the perfect companion guide for any busy mom or person for that matter..
Not only did I smile as I read it, I related to author and almost felt like
she knew my life and knew exactly what strategies I needed to get dinner on the table. Totally
user friendly.. mine has stayed in the kitchen on my cookbook shelf, and is the only cookbook I have
opened in the past week!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dinner for Busy Moms: Easy Strategies for Getting Your Family to the Table (Simple Solutions for Families)


How do you improve your family's health and relationships, save money, and raise happier kids who get better grades and are less likely to do drugs? Family dinners! These easy strategies will get your family back to the table.

Jeanne Muchnick, mother of teenagers, is a lifestyle editor and writer.

Get 28% OFF

Click here for more information about Dinner for Busy Moms: Easy Strategies for Getting Your Family to the Table (Simple Solutions for Families)

Read More...

Quick Fix Meals: 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I preordered this book (placed my order on Feb 21), and it arrived Mar 13 (it didn't hit the stands until Mar 12, so I was impressed with the Amazon delivery service -- especially since I did the Super Saver shipping). But anyway, about the book...
I was looking forward to this book's release, since I enjoy the show. I compare Robin Miller to Rachel Ray's "30 minute Meals" series, so I'm also comparing their cookbooks. The recipes in this book are very similar to Rachel's recipes. If you're looking to spice up your dinner time, you'll find little difference between Robin's book and Rachel's series (they have the same types of recipes with interesting ingredients and flavors that "normal" folks like me would never think of trying). Most recipes don't have tons of ingredients, but they do have ingredients that require everyday folks to make a special trip to the grocery store. Don't expect to open this book and just start having dinner.
Both cooks claim to have the secret to great dinner in a flash. I sum up the difference between Robin and Rachel as this: Robin just takes you a few steps back and tells you HOW to make it quick, not just how to cook. She comes out the winner because she gives you the secret: pre-planning, prepping, and a well-stocked kitchen.
The first chapter in the book explains her strategies, such as "In the Bag" -- creating meal kits and storing them in fridge or freezer for later use, and "Morphing It" -- using one dish to create many others. Not exactly rocket science, but if you're a full-time working mom like me, you just never quite heard or saw it put this way.
She also includes a section on how to get your kitchen to be "quick fix" friendly. Prepping, storing, freezing, 5 basic sauces to prepare and store, her top 10 never-without pantry and fridge items.
The recipes include time-saver tips, ways to "quick fix it" your way. The Morph It section starts with a main recipe, and the "morph it" recipes follow (no searching through indexes to find the matching recipes -- a BIG PLUS). All the recipes include timing guides for prep and actual cooking time, so you can plan when you want to prep and when you want to cook. The index is complete, but is organized like the indexes in those coooking magazines at the grocery store.
The print in this book is small! It's in a green ink and a brown ink, which is sort of easy on the eyes, but it could be a bit bigger. Also, all the recipes that are on the left page have the ingredient list on the inside of the page, near the center fold. I don't know why they did this, because I found myself pulling the book apart to see the recipe list. This will definitely wear the book out quicker than normal.
I'm leaning more towards Robin's book, only because of her overall strategy included in the book (prepping ahead, morphing one dish into many). The authors did a good job of trying to make the book organized and not chaotic or daunting. The language is very friendly, not formal. It stays true to the whole concept of de-stressing the dinnertime dilemma. Rachel's great too -- this book just speaks more to women like me, who feel guilty about how many nights I put $5 pizza on the table when my family deserves better.
UPDATE: I've had the book for 2 months now. Still love it! But one downer: the dessert section could have been taken from a Sandra Lee "Semi-Homemade" recipe book. Cool Whip, jam, chocolate sauce, with a bit of fruit thrown in.
NEW UPDATE: This book has really changed the way I shop and cook. I have several very helpful habits now!! I ALWAYS have pre-cut onions, green peppers, celery, and potatoes in my freezer. When I make any gravy or sauce, I make a big batch and store it in a ziploc bag. And once or twice a month, I'll cook a whole bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts, slice them up, and toss then in ziploc bags in the freezer. Just these few tricks have TREMENDOUSLY changed how fast I get dinner on the table. Even if I didn't like the recipes (which I mostly do), these new habits made the book price worth it 20x over!!!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Quick Fix Meals: 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy

Robin Miller is the host of the new series on Food Network, Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, which provides viewers with recipes, time-saving tips, and strategies for serving up fresh, healthful meals every day with the least possible effort. In Quick Fix Meals, Robin shares her best time-saving strategies for putting fresh, delicious food on the table every night. Her recipes are organized by these techniques, which include Meal Kits (pre-prepping the ingredients for a weeknight meal on the weekend, bagging them, and having them ready to go in the fridge; the result--meals that can be on the table in literally 10 minutes); Morph-It Recipes (enjoy Herb-Crusted Turkey Tenderloin one night and you've got the makings for Chili-Rubbed Turkey Medallions or Pan-Seared Turkey with Apples and Melted Blue Cheese another night), and Greased Lightning, unbelievably tasty recipes that can be put together and on the table in 20 minutes. There are also Simple Sides that go together in no time, as well as, for those who just can't live without dessert, a collection of In-a-Snap Sweets.

Get 41% OFF

Click here for more information about Quick Fix Meals: 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy

Read More...

Real Simple: Meals Made Easy (Real Simple S.) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a "been there, done that" cook. So I use very few cookbooks. If I am baking a cake, sure, I pull down "Joy of Cooking" or better yet, I am likely to make a genoise from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I have about 10 cookbooks, but those two plus "The New York Times Cookbook" are the only ones I refer to. Otherwise, I am making my standard fare most nights. For parties, I pull down my three or four tried-and-true recipes from my card box.
BUT...."Meals Made Easy" is a cookbook I think I will be adding to my slim pile of regulars. Wow! I found page after page of easy but elegant meals, from corn-scallop chowder (a variant on my standard crowd-pleasing corn-potato chowder), and a number of composed salads of great merit like tuna and white bean, Greek Salad. The Greek salad is not the usual romaine-and-feta-and-olive, either. This one has cherry tomatoes, pear tomatoes, cheese, pepperoncini and cucumber cubes. And there were sauces and variants on chops and steak that go from boring to glorified. And there are variations on meatballs, chops, steak strips, stir fry that are a twist on the usual but are absolutely easy. The pictures are appetizing and inspiring, which helps you decide, yes THAT'S what's for dinner.
The book is divided into the following sections:
1. One Pot Meals
2. No Shop Meals
3. 30 Minute Meals
4. No Cook Meals
5. Freezer Meals
6. Shortcut Meals
7. Reliable Sides
There are a few basics like lasagna and roast chicken. There are money saving ideas (from boning chicken breast to those no-shop meals that save a budget-busting takeout night or restaurant night.) There are no desserts. There is a section on suggested kitchen equipment, including the mandoline for fast slicing (I use a version attached to a bowl and I do agree, it speeds up salad and side dish cooking tremendously.)
I think this is a must-give for weddings and graduation-just-starting out. Anyone can enjoy this book (except the passionately vegan) and it's full of easy but beautiful ideas for fine meals whether you alone, you and yours, or with friends for entertaining. I highly recommend this book as a standard for any cookbook shelf.
Joanna Daneman

Click Here to see more reviews about: Real Simple: Meals Made Easy (Real Simple S.)

When it comes to the challenges you face every day, getting dinner on the table is always at the top of the list. Not only do you want the meal to be healthy and taste good, but you want it to be fast and simple to prepare. As straightforward as that sounds, somehow-in the midst of a busy life- the task seems nearly impossible. In "Meals Made Easy", the first of a series of "Real Simple" cookbooks, you will find smart and doable dinnertime solutions for every night of the week, no matter how little time (or few ingredients) you have. Even better, these are dishes the whole family will love, yes, including your children. Featuring more than 75 foolproof recipes, all illustrated with large, lush photos, "Meals Made Easy", is custom-made for your life, with chapters dedicated to: dishes that can be prepared and ready in 30 minutes or less; freezer-friendly dinners to make ahead of time and eat whenever; cuisine that calls only for a cutting board, no cooking necessary; meals you can cobble together using the items in your cupboard; and recipes that require just one pot (and blessedly very little cleanup time).

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Real Simple: Meals Made Easy (Real Simple S.)

Read More...

Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day: Make-Ahead Meals that Transform Your Suppertime Circus into Relaxing Family Time Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It does contain many very healthy recipes (which, I know some others do not, so this may be just what you're looking for), however, they're simply NOT things I could get my family to eat.
Spaghetti sauce with mashed winter squash and flaxseed? Besides, I already know how to freeze spaghetti sauce. Then nachos and burritos made from the same spaghetti sauce? Mexican and Italian foods have *very* different flavors in this household, there's no sneaking that past my pre-schooler.
A recipe for a veggie platter "to munch on all week?" I already know how to cut up veggies and offer them as snacks. And, how this is *so* different from the crudites 'recipe' elsewhere as to justify it's own 'recipe' I don't know.
Quinoa and Carrots? Sesame Fish Cakes with Baby Bok Choy? Lentil Quesadillas with Smoked Almond Apple Salad? They don't save me any time if my family has no interest in eating them.
Lots of menu charts and a good work schedule, as well as shopping lists - IF all the recipes pre-choosen for that week work for you. I suppose if you're *really* time crunched (and eat *very* healthfully!) this could be helpful. Since there are few recipes I can pick and choose from in this one, they really don't help me out at all.
It was the Lemony Baked Shrimp recipe that 'lured' me in, and while I still think it sounds great, I wouldn't have bought the book just for that.
I have found Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer to be FAR more family (read: child!) friendly, with MANY more options that appeal to all of us.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day: Make-Ahead Meals that Transform Your Suppertime Circus into Relaxing Family Time

Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day is the ultimate cookbook for today's busy parents. Instead of facing a suppertime circus, it allows moms and dads to prepare meals in advance so they can hurry home to more important things. Author Theresa Albert is a home-cooking efficiency expert who shares her culinary knowledge and organizational expertise—she offers more than three months worth of delicious, nutritious, family-friendly dinners, with plans on how to shop for, prepare, and cook each meal. Since the planning and preparation of each weeknight meal is done in three hours or less on a weekend afternoon, all parents need to do each weeknight is heat things up and get everyone to the table.The thirteen weekly plans feature delicious and affordable recipes for a variety of tastes, such as Chicken Cacciatore, Meatloaf Florentine, Lemony Baked Shrimp, Baked Mashed Potatoes and Potato Skins, Sesame Broccoli Salad, Easy Minestrone, Oatmeal Cookies, and more. With nutritional analyses, itemized shopping lists, great leftover ideas, countless kitchen tips, and "quickie meals from what you've got," Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day offers less stress Monday through Friday, which makes spending time together as a family possible once again.

Click here for more information about Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day: Make-Ahead Meals that Transform Your Suppertime Circus into Relaxing Family Time

Read More...

Better Homes and Gardens Dinner Express (Better Homes & Gardens) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This cookbook definitely offers meals prepared in under 30 minutes, but at the expense of your wallet. About 85-90% of the recipes include using ready-made, packaged meat and/or pasta. Some included recipes would cost just as much as a restaurant meal. It is a nice cookbook if you keep some of the prepared products on hand for "just in case" you are running out of time and need a quick meal. For someone who already uses a lot of ready-made items, this cookbook would be a wonderful tool to take your usual fare up a notch. I gave it 3 stars for that reason only. Glad this book was in the bargain section for a couple of bucks when I bought it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Better Homes and Gardens Dinner Express (Better Homes & Gardens)

Delectable dinners in just thirty minutes from start to finish!Whether it's finding the time to make a tasty meal for your family, or planning a dinner party for friends, you don't have to sacrifice great flavor for quick and easy dishes. Better Homes and Gardens® Dinner Express offers a wealth of easy and inspiring ideas for main dishes, appetizers, desserts, and more—all ready in just thirty minutes or less.Filled with mouthwatering photos and 200 quick and easy recipes, this cookbook proves that quick can equal delicious. Savory yet healthy recipes, like Salmon with Feta and Pasta and Garlicky Steak and Asparagus, are just minutes away. • 200 recipes and 100 full-color photos in an affordable paperback format make this a great deal for cooks on a budget • Includes recipes for family-size meals, quick daytime snacks, sides, and desserts • Each recipe can be prepared in under thirty minutes!For busy parents in need of family dinner solutions—fast!—Better Homes and Gardens® Dinner Express offers hundreds of great ideas to help you tackle every cooking challenge.

Get 15% OFF

Click here for more information about Better Homes and Gardens Dinner Express (Better Homes & Gardens)

Read More...

Taste of Home: Dinner on a Dime: 403 Budget-Friendly Family Recipes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own many cookbooks from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone to Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006. While these are still my favorite cookbooks, most nights you just don't have unlimited money and several hours to make dinner. I bought Dinner on a Dime for quick, cheap, but still homemade meals for those rush nights as a better alternative to fast food.
Look & Feel:
This book has a glossy cover and pages with at least one picture on each page. It is 255 pages long. Probably the thing I dislike about it most is the binding; it is difficult to get this book to sit open. But, for the price of the book the bright pictures and nice pages makes you feel that you have gotten your money's worth.
Index:
This book has two indexes. The first is an Alphabetical Index, the one you expect in a cookbook. The second, which is an interesting concept, is a General Index which "lists every recipe by food category, major ingredient and/or cooking method" (251).
Introduction:
This book has several "introduction pages" starting with Dinner on a Dime.
Dinner on a Dime: This two page layout gives you "thrifty grocery shopping tips" (4). Some are obvious such as "buy generic" (5) and "use coupons" (5), but others are very thoughtful including "when a sale is not a sale" (4). These two pages include a total of 21 tips to saving money while grocery shopping.
The next intro page is Grocery Shopping Guidelines--Aisle by Aisle. It splits the store up into 6 categories, produce, meats & seafood, canned goods, frozen foods, breads cereals & pasta, and dairy, with tips on how to save money in each section. Most of these tips will be familiar to those who try to shop on a budget regularly such as "buy generic brands and stock up when on sale" (6).
The third intro page is Cost Effective Pantry. This is actually a very useful 8-step guide to cleaning out, organizing, and understanding what is already stocked in your pantry. They make the point that if you don't already know what is in your pantry you may buy duplicates or allow things to go bad.
The last introduction page (and the most useful, in my opinion) is the Stocking Up and Storage Guidelines. On these three pages they give general information about pantry, refrigerator, and frozen foods storage. Along with this they also include a 2 1/2 page chart with regularly-used food items and how long they will last in the pantry, in the fridge, and in the freezer.
Organization:
I really like the organization of this book. It is not filed into your typical organization ... The categories are: Breakfast & Brunch, Beef, Pork, Poultry, Fish & Meatless, Planned Overs, Freezer Pleasers, Side Dishes, Soups & Salads, Breads, Desserts.
Breakfast & Brunch: This section was surprising in a "Dinner Cookbook" but then again Breakfast for Dinner can be fun. It includes 20 recipes such as Vegetable Ham Quiche, Sausage Pancakes, French Toast Fingers, and Old-Fashioned Doughnuts.
Beef: This section includes 45 recipes such as Roast Beef & Gravy, Country-Fried Steak, Slow Cooker Beef Au Jus, Chili Spaghetti, Vegetable Beef Stew, Swiss Pot Roast, Traditional Meat Loaf, and Cajun Style Pot Roast.
Pork: This section includes 28 recipes such as Pork Potpie, Oktoberfest Roast Pork, Pork Chop Potato Dinner, Sausage Macaroni Bake, Pizza from Scratch, Barbecued Ham 'n' Peaches, Spaghetti Squash Supper, Mexican Pork Roast, and Sausage Scalloped Potatoes.
Poultry: This section includes 29 recipes such as Country Roasted Chicken, Oregano-Lemon Chicken, Breaded Chicken with Orange Sauce, Chicken Veggie Casserole, Creamed Chicken Over Beans, Tex-Mex Turkey Casserole, Oven Fried Chicken, Cranberry Turkey Loaf, Ranch Turkey Pasta Dinner, and Honey Barbecued Chicken.
Fish & Meatless: This section (which leans heavily towards fish rather than meatless, vegetarians should look elsewhere) has 19 recipes such as Lentil Tacos, Cajun-Style Catfish, Easy Fish Fillets, Garlic Salmon Linguine, Soft Fish Tacos, Tuna Mushroom Casserole, Crispy Catfish, and Linguine in Clam Sauce.
Planned Overs: This is a particularly interesting section that includes various recipes that all use similar ingredients so you can make one meal Monday night and another (entirely different tasting meal, but with very similar ingredients) Tuesday or Wednesday night. This section includes 63 recipes (of which 3 are gingerbread dessert recipes) such as Fried Fish Nuggets, Meatball Lasagna, Quick Calzones, Corn Bread Chicken Bake, Taco Pizza Squares, Pork Chop Potato Casserole, Meat Loaf Shepherd's Pie, Parmesan Chicken, Gingerbread Cake, and Spicy Pork Sandwiches.
Freezer Pleasers: This section is another useful and rare section (compared with other cookbooks) with recipes for dishes you can make ahead and freeze so when you want dinner you just pull it out of the freezer and heat it up. This sections has 32 recipes such as Spaghetti Casserole, Sweet Barbecued Pork Chops, Three Cheese Kielbasa Bake, Pizza Meat Loaf Cups, Meat Sauce for Pasta, Cheddar Turkey Casserole, Taco-Filled Pasta Shells, Make-Ahead Sloppy Joes, and Pizza Pasta Casserole.
Side Dishes: This section has 65 recipes such as Curried Butternut Squash Kabobs, Stewed Tomatoes with Dumplings, Roasted Parmesan Potato Wedges, Whipped Carrots with Cranberries, Crispy Potato Cubes, Bacon Bean Stalks, Home-Style Scalloped Potatoes, Bacon Cheese Fries, Baked Onion Rings, and Apricot Rice Stuffing.
Soups & Salads: This section has 39 recipes such as Chicken Noodle Soup, Classic Macaroni Salad, Creamy Tomato Soup, Five-Can Chili, Supreme Spaghetti Salad, Chunky Potato Soup, Corny Coleslaw, and Italian Vegetable Soup.
Breads: This section includes everything from muffins to dinner rolls, includes 13 recipes such as Simple White Bread, Whole Wheat Rolls, Jumbo Banana-Carrot Muffins, Buttermilk Rolls, Soft Onion Breadsticks, and Honey Glazed Drop Biscuits.
Desserts: This section includes 50 recipes such as Boston Cream Angel Cake, Chocolate Mint Parfaits, Sweet Potato Custard Pie, Cran-Apple Cobbler, Butterscotch Fudge Bars, Delicate Chocolate Cake, Hoosier Cream Pie, Spiced Cocoa Cupcakes, Chewy Peanut Butter Bars, Chocolate Cream Dessert, Stovetop Rice Pudding, Creamy Strawberry Pie, Frosty Peach Pie Supreme, Pear Gingerbread Cake, Honey Lemon Cookies, Peanut Butter Brownie Cups, Banana Custard Pudding, and Strawberry Graham Dessert.
I have only tried a few recipes so far, but they have all been good and up to taste of home's quality. One personal touch I liked about the book was before each recipe was a little 1-2 sentence blip from the recipe's maker about why this recipe is special or enjoyable for them. Such as: "Since my husband likes spicy foods, I frequently sprinkle chopped Jalapeno peppers over half of this casserole just for him" (192) and "After trying this soup in a restaurant, I went home and made it myself. Now I can have it whenever I want" (199).
Pros:
*Tasty Recipes
*Most meals can be made for $8-$12 for 4-6 servings
*Beautiful, glossy pages with many pictures
*Simple Ingredients
*Clear Instructions
*Foods kids and adults will both actually eat
*Does a good job of including familiar favorites with some new dishes; well balanced
Cons:
*This book talks about healthy eating a lot in the introduction, but just a glance over the food list and you will easily see that there are scarcely any "healthy" recipes (I believe in portion size and moderation, but for some people this may be a concern)
*The books binding makes it difficult to sit open
*There is no estimated cooking/preparation time in the recipes
Overall I strongly recommend this book. I feel that the "Pros" strongly overcome the minor "Cons" and will continue to pull this book regularly from its shelf.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Taste of Home: Dinner on a Dime: 403 Budget-Friendly Family Recipes

Wondering how to put satisfying meals on the table while staying on a sensible budget? Now it's easier than ever to serve mouthwatering meals without breaking the bank. The ultimate source for comfort foods, Dinner on a Dime is the secret behind every thrifty cook's success. Featuring 403 delicious, easy-to-assemble dishes that turn economical ingredients into mouth-watering sensations that are sure to please everyone. From hearty entrees: Sausage Macaroni Bake, Slow-Cooked Ribs, or Country Roasted Chicken to savory side dishes: Broccoli Au Gratin, Noodles Florentine, or Home-Styled Scalloped Potatoes, and from tempting desserts: Rich Cheesecake Bars, Creamy Strawberry Pie, or Chocolate Chip Cake to breads, soups, salads, snacks, and more. Filled with ideas for turning leftovers into sensational second-day dishes plus freezer pleasers that will have delicious, home- cooked meals waiting for you to heat and eat. This book also offers money-saving advice that makes the most of your grocery budget, dozens of useful cooking tips, and the guarantee that every recipe was tested in the kitchens of Taste of Home, the world's #1 cooking magazine-this is the ideal cookbook for everyone from starving students to large families. Cutting the grocery bill has never been easier...or tastier!

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Taste of Home: Dinner on a Dime: 403 Budget-Friendly Family Recipes

Read More...