Reviews (8)

Quick, creative, delicious
This is BY FAR the most clever cookbook I've ever used.I've had it for a while and just recently decided to use it as it is intended.I followed the shopping list and have been making the recipes for the week.My thoughts:
This book is for busy single vegans.
I have been a vegatarian for about 7 yrs. I've always wanted to go vegan, but living with my parents I couldn't. Now that I'm old enough and living on my own, I've made the move to vegan. However, it seemed like I was always eating the same things and I wanted to try some new recipes. Of course being on my own, when I used other cookbooks I had tons of leftovers and was eating them for days. I saw this book while browsing Amazon and liked the fact that it is designed for busy single people.
Best Cookbook Ever
I bought this book for a vegan friend and now want to buy it for myself. It is by far the best book for vegans or people who live alone. The recipes are broken down into a weekly menu with a shopping list at the beginning of each week. All perishable food items are used up within the week, saving money. There is a wide variety of recipes and they are all very simple but full of flavor.I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoy my new beverage of choice. Made from 100% organic soy, taste just like coffee and no caffeine. Finally, I got rid of that wired up feeling all day and feeling great. Look for it on the net by googling "s o yfee". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - Cookery for One    4. Vegetarian - General    5. Vegetarian - Vegan    6. Vegan cookery   

Editorial Review

With Read more

Reviews (36)

Worth every dollar
This book is meant to be pedagogical rather than just listing a bunch of recipes (although there are a lot of good ones in here; almost 800 according to the back of the book).This book is more for the advanced beginner/intermediate cook who is ready to take their abilities to the next level.
Not Julia's best
I have the first edition of this book and had problems with recipes, some I knew were wrong and could figure them out. I heard from the publisher and there were more than 20 mistakes which were fixed in subsequent printings. So if you are buying this do not get the first edition!!!

If the foundation is strong, the cooking will be good
This is the best foundational book on how to cook well. There are other books that offer more encyclopedic coverage of the details of cooking a range of foods. There are other books that give insight to specific culinary traditions. And there are a few that try to present foundational cooking strategies. But none match this book for equipping any cook, novice or experienced, with systematic, proven techniques for producing excellent food from quality ingredients. The specific recipes are slanted toward European style dishes and meals. But don't let that specialization obscure the rich insight into fundamentals. How to make a sauce, how to prepare the bird or the roast, how to handle vegetables -- what to do and what to avoid. Variations on a basic theme. The book is rich with all of these. If I were just beginning as a cook, this is the first book I would want and the only book I would need. I have more experience than that now -- but this is still the best resource available when I want to get back to basics and retool my cooking sensibilities. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Methods - Quick & Easy    5. Reference    6. Cooking / General    7. General cookery   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Methods - Quick & Easy   

Editorial Review

In Italy there are no mothers who are bad cooks. Can this be possible? In the case of Giuliano Hazan, whose mother is Marcella Hazan, yes. Marcella is the doyenne of Italian cookbook authors published in the United States. And Giuliano is no slouch, either. Though his first cookbook, Read more

Reviews (21)

What!!! No GARLIC????
I was hoping to buy an Italian food cookbook.What I got was a cookbook about Italian "inspired"creations that he, the author, himself created. Mostly this book seems like a pat on his back for he mentions how everyone loves this or that dish every few pages....and he is proud because he made all the recipes himself!! Not authentic to me.Hardly any recipe contains garlic and I feel forced to doctor the recipes in order to get any flavor.My only hope for this book is that the deserts (I haven't tried one yet) makes up for the rest.
I found a new favorite!
I"m so glad I ordered this cookbook. The recipes are easy and the ingredients (except for a couple of things) are available in the local supermarket. Being of Italian descent myself, I was looking for something different than the usual that was simple & quick to prepare. I found it in this cookbook and every one of recipes that Itried was delicious. The Meat Pie "Pizza Style" is a huge hit in my house. Bravo!

Lack of Pictures
I think this book is not meant for me. There was too little pictures. Dishes that have vegetable that i didnt like. Lack of recipe for pasta. i guess i dont know much of about italian food, but most of the food doesnt sound good because of whats in it. Personally i do not recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cookery, Italian    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Italian cooking    6. Methods - Quick & Easy    7. Quick and easy cookery    8. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    9. Cooking / General    10. Italy    11. National & regional cuisine   

Reviews (5)

Delicious, Healthy Food Fast!
I love to browse through different cookbooks.I have quite a collection, and usually go to the library to find new recipes to try before I decide to purchase the entire book.I normally look for 3 things in a cookbook, besides delicious recipes that will work for my family.This includes:
quick dinners
This book is pretty good at quick light cuisine, but its not very original, like the magazine from which it comes, the ingredients are often very similar giving many of the recipes similar tastes. I have found at least four good recipes that my whole family have liked though- the turkey and peas is delicious and kid friendly.I recommend buying the magazine first- Eating Well, and then deciding on the book.

Eating Well does it again!
Eating Well Magazine in my favorite cooking magazine and this book is every bit as good.The recipes are easy to do, and are delicious, as well as healthy.My only negative comment is that I already have a lot of the recipes from the magazine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. General    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Cooking / General    7. Health & wholefood cookery   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (17)

Meals to Freeze and Reheat
"A mini-session consists of choosing one main ingredient, such as chicken, and then preparing a group of chicken recipes in a single afternoon or evening. A mini-session usually involves only an hour or two of cooking rather than the eight to ten hours often required for a complete month of cooking." ~Deborah Taylor Hough
Good, but not for everyone
I picked up a copy of this book at the library because I wanted to see if I could save time and money by making meals in bulk.Being a vegan, I eat a lot of stirfrys, beans, lentils, soups and stews and I thought it would be easy to substitute some ingredients for the non-vegan ones.Unfortunately, this was not the case.The book suggested that you can make the recipes vegetarian by using TVP or tofu but it just doesn't work.So if you're not a vegetarian/vegan this book would be perfect for you.

Great condition. Arrived quickly.
I had no trouble with this transaction. The book arrived in new condition ahead of scheduled arrival time. Thanks.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Health & Healing - Low Fat    4. Methods - Canning & Preserving    5. Methods - Lite    6. Methods - Quick & Easy    7. Cooking / Canning & Preserving    8. Cooking/Methods - Baking    9. Cooking/Methods - Quick & Easy    10. Frozen foods    11. Make-ahead cookery    12. Quantity cooking   

Editorial Review

Award-winning author, Nina Simonds (Read more

Reviews (6)

Delicious!
You will try one recipe after another and be impressed with the results.There are lots of veggies but you you will eat in delight at the flavors and textures and not because they are good for you. The recipes are easy enough for any night and special enough for company.

A Rehash
If you are seeking recipes and information about an array of spices, and herbs, you will find this selection too narrow. There are a handful of European-style recipes that feature Mediterranean herbs, but most are fundamentally Asian. South America, Native North America, and many other cuisines full of exciting flavors are entirely unrepresented. You will, however, find numerous recipes containing ginger, as well as the key spices in Indian curries.
Great Taste and Easy to follow
So far I have made several things from this book and cant get enough!I cook for my friends and am always trying to come up with new recipes to try when I came across this book and had to buy it one the spot.The recipes are easy to prepare, the ingredients are not hard to find either.I am going to get her other cookbooks, if they are anything like this one I will be so happy.There is a section in this book that has come amazing marinades and surprize you do not need to marinate them overnight.Highly recommend this cookbook escpecially if you are into the Asian Fusion genre. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery (Herbs)    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Health & Healing - General    6. Herbs    7. Quick and easy cookery    8. Regional & Ethnic - Asian    9. Specific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments    10. Spices    11. Cooking / Health   

Reviews (4)

just like mom use to cook
I am Vietnamese and moved to France with my parents in 1946.My mother was an exquisite cook.I unfortunately did not benefit from her gift.However, when I turned 30 I began to ask for recipes from my cousins.I have bought 5-6 copies pf this book for my children and friends.It is the most concise Vietnamese cookbook.The illustrations are very helpful.

very veggie
Pictures of asian ingredients used made this book so easy to use. Plus ingredients are inexpensive and can be used for more than 1 recipe throughout the book. Pictures of each dish make each recipe visually appealing.Plus step-by-step pictures as well.

Great cookbook
I have been a fan of Vietnamese food for many years, however I have always gone to a restaurant for it.These instructions, including the pictures of the ingrediants, make it very easy to make the dishes yourself.I just take the cookbook with me to the market when I am shopping. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - Quick & Easy    4. Regional & Ethnic - Asian    5. Regional & Ethnic - Vietnamese    6. ASIA    7. National & regional cuisine    8. Vietnam   

Reviews (8)

A must have!
I bought this book about 2 months ago and find myself constantly referring to it and even using some of the shortcuts from it in other Cooking Light recipes I make.This is a must have for anyone who is crazy busy and likes to be healthy.
Everything we've tried is GREAT
With a newborn and a toddler running around, I'm constantly strapped for time. This book has been a solution for me. Each recipe I've tried has been easy to make, very tasty, and healthy too. I am going to begin purchasing this book for every baby shower I go to. It is a must for anyone who likes to cook, loves to eat, but no longer has time to do either...

Great, easy-to-follow recipes
I've tried over ten of the recipes, and they've all turned out great.The shrimp and pea cream pasta is my favorite!I like the variety of recipes, and they're quick enough to try them during a busy workweek. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Health & Healing - Low Fat    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Quick and easy cookery    7. Suppers   

Reviews (5)

The Never-Fail Cookbook
What can one add to this review's title?
excellent book for learning to cook!
I love to cook yet I barely look for cookbooks. Interestingly, my boyfriend starts cooking and he is the one finding this book excellent to follow step by step(and he's never cooked for anybody at all!). The book also gives you an overview on essential ingredients, tips for variation and even wine recommendation. For the person like him - has no ideas what will turn out from a recipe, this book is perfect with its pictures and detailed description. He has tried more than half of the recipes and honestly, those are all quick but great pasta dishes!

Great!
This cookbook is easy to follow and the recipes are really good.It gives some different recipes to add to your pasta repertoire, rather than the usual red sauce.I like this book so much, I've bought it and given it as a gift several times.The bolognese recipe is awesome! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - Quick & Easy    4. Specific Ingredients - Pasta    5. BG-KITS - BG-MISCELLANEOUS KITS    6. Cooking / Pasta   

Reviews (21)

This Book is a Lifesaver
I have enough 30-minute cookbooks to open my own bookstore.While the recipes in them are good, at times, they take more than 30-minutes to prepare when trying to help a 6-year old with homework.This book makes a overwhelmed grandma cry.I cooked on Sunday and Monday I picked up my grandson from daycare, prepared dinner, helped with his homework, got him ready for bed and cleaned the kitchen all before 9:00 p.m.I'm usually up until midnight cleaning and preparing for work the next day.Thank you, thank you Dena Irwin.My search is over.

This cookbook rocks!!!!
I have a shelf full of highly rated cookbooks, but always had issues with finding the time, experience, and organization to use them. Domestic I am not, but eating out all the time is expensive and unhealthy so I found this fantastic little book (thanks for all the reviews, everyone).
Great concept; recipes not kid friendly
I'm a working mom of 4 boys, all under the age of 10.I really like this book and the overall concept.Having it state specifically what to make and how to use the leftovers from today to use as an ingredient in tomorrow's meal, is a huge time saving idea.The pre-made shopping lists are such a perk.The book is useable from the moment you open it; no lengthy reading required to implement it's plan.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Desserts    4. Menus    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Quick and easy cookery    7. Cooking / Desserts    8. General cookery    9. Health & wholefood cookery   

Editorial Review

Diane Phillips, celebrated cookbook author, culinary school instructor, and brand spokesperson, presents a pantry full of helpful, timesaving suggestions in Read more

Reviews (13)

A great Cookbook
This cookbook is one of the best I have come across. I love cookbooks and I'm always trying different recipes. But this cookbook has really got me trying one recipe after the other. A great Cookbook
This cookbook is one of the best I have come across. I love cookbooks and I'm always trying different recipes. But this cookbook has really got me trying one recipe after the other. A New Favorite
After finding this book in the library and looking through it... I knew I HAD to buy it. There were just too many recipes I wanted to try. I usally only buy canned soups, and while I have used them in creative ways I never dreamed that they, along with dry mixes could add so much to so many foods! I plan on making one of the shrimp dip recipes for our department pitch in, and a co-worker is going to make the Tomato Soup Spice Cake. This book is for the novice as well as the experienced cook. Keep it handy.. you will use it often! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brand name products    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Courses & Dishes - Soups & Stews    6. General    7. Methods - Quick & Easy    8. Quick and easy cookery    9. Soups    10. General cookery   

Reviews (6)

Quick and Easy Ayurvedic Cookbook
The recipes are easy to follow and not expensive to make.Trying to eat healthy gets to be so expensive, this book offers many tasty economical alternatives to fast food.

perfect for the lazy healthnut
This book has easy to follow/easy to cook recipes. I've already made two of the recipes, neither of which required obscure or expensive foods, and both of which were very easy to make. Both recipes took 20 minutes TOTAL - preparation & cooking time - to make, which is an added bonus since I find many veggie/health recipes to be very consuming. To top it off, the results are tasty. One word of caution - some of these recipes are a little ayurvedic suspicious - there are some foods which one may consider to be unfriendly to certain doshas but are listed underneath the dosha recipe anyway.

Great book on Ayervedic cooking
This book is a must! If you're interested in Ayurvedia and its principles - then you'll really enjoy this book. It has sections on the constitutions and recipes for each of these. There's lots of great recipes along with information in each section. It's a great choice and a wonderful addition to your culinary cooking choices. It is for all tastes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Health    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Medicine, Ayurvedic    6. Methods - Quick & Easy    7. Nutrition    8. Specific Ingredients - Natural Foods   

Reviews (2)

4 Ingredient Cookbook
I love it ! Now that there are just the two of us at home, this makes meals so much easier. I always seem to have the right ingredients on hand when I go to do these recipes. Makes me wonder what took me so long to buy this book.

Wanna be a quickie gourmet cook?!
I've had this cookbook for four years, and it's amazing.I've learned to make so many quick and yet delicious things with this cookbook, it's a staple in my house!I recently let a family member borrow it and she didn't want to give it back, so now I'm buying one for her!The dessert section is especially great for quickie desserts...this family member used it to make a lot of little desserts for a baby shower!If you could just have one cookbook, this should definitely be it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Beer    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Methods - Quick & Easy    5. Sale Books   

Reviews (17)

Yummy yummy for my tummy
I love this cookbook, the recipes are great!Thanks Deanna & FamilyFun Magazine!

Excellent Family Cookbook
IF your kids won't eat broccoli under any circumstances, theywon't like it in a recipe in this cookbook, either. Don't raise your kids to be picky eaters. Teach them to be willing to try something new, even if they didn't like it before.
Making memories
My two year old loves this book. We've already had many special afternoons together baking homemade scones. She is so proud when company arrives and she can serve them something she helped make!The recipes in this book are wonderful, we all love the turkey meatball subs and the pb &j muffins! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, American    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Methods - Quick & Easy    5. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    6. Cooking / American / General   

Reviews (3)

Great French Food, Doable Every Day
This book is a combination of two earlier cookbooks: Le Cordon Bleu Quick Classics and Le Cordon Bleu Classic Light.
A set of recipes which minimize shopping and prep times while retaining the classic French-flair cuisine features
Le Cordon Bleu is the most famous culinary arts institute in the world, offering courses in schools around the world: it's also famous for classic French dishes which typically require in-depth cooking skills and lots of time. Cooks who want the flavor without the prep hours will thus welcome Le Cordon Bleu Quick & Easy: a set of recipes which minimize shopping and prep times while retaining the classic French-flair cuisine features. From Pan-Fried Scallops with Mango and Salsa to Thai Chicken with Peppers, both French and international flavors blend in delicate sauces and spices. Blend in lovely color photos and you have a real winner.
Recipes for the rest of us
I have tried many of the recipes in this book and the results have been amazingly good despite my limitations as a cook.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Methods - Quick & Easy    5. Quick and easy cookery    6. Regional & Ethnic - French    7. Cooking / Gourmet    8. Sale Books   

Reviews (33)

excellent value
After receiving the authors' monthly e-newsletter for over a year, I decided to purchase the book. I have not been disappointed! It's well laid out, lots of useful information and the recipes are easy to make. My only comment is that the recipes tend to use a lot of packaged foods - pre-chopped, that kind of thing. It's easy to substitute those things for do-it-yourself chopping. But the recipes are healthy and yummy. I made the Banana Blueberry Pancakes this morning and thought they were fantastic. I would highly recommend this book.

Get this book, you wont be sorry.
This book was listed in my recommendations on Amazon.I almost never buy books without looking at them first...and definitely not cookbooks.So I checked this out from my library and have prepared 9 of the recipes so far.Only one was a thumbs down from my family.I'm going to purchase this one because it is one I want to own.The recipes don't call for a lot of ingredients and don't take a lot of time to prepare.

Excellent
I tried several recipes and my family loved them!I originally got this book from the library, but decided to buy it.We liked the blueberry snack cake, sweet potato fries, and several of the main dishes.The recipes really only take a few minutes, and they are healthy, but not so healthy that my family refuses to eat them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American cooking    2. Cookery    3. Cookery, American    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Health & Healing - General    7. Methods - Microwave    8. Methods - Quick & Easy    9. Nutrition    10. Nutrition And Diet    11. Quick and easy cookery    12. Quick and easy cooking    13. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    14. Family & Relationships / General   

Reviews (6)

Decent but not worth the price
The tips are decent but not really worth the price of the book. Also, there isn't a lot of text so you can read the book in under an hour.
Best Kitchen Tips
I bought this book for a gift, but have looked at it myself, of course.It looks really interesting andvery helpful.Most books from Cook's Illustrated seem to be that way.

The Best Kitchen Quick Tips
I gave one as a Wedding present & included most of the products listed in the book for the young couple to use.This made a very unique gift and was fun to search for items. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. General    5. Kitchen utensils    6. Methods - General    7. Methods - Quick & Easy    8. Miscellanea    9. General cookery   

Reviews (11)

Summertime and the grilling is easy!
Sandra puts a spin on lots of "regular" grilling dishes. Everything I have made from this book has brought nothing but yummms from my dinner guests. A must have book for grillers.

great food
Fantastic~~I don't know what the reviews did wrong to say that none of the recipes are good.they must not know how to grill or cook.I bought the book and within the first week, made 6 of the recipes!! They are fantastic, easy to follow and taste great. I keep her rub on hand and the only difference is that I check the food more often so it doesn't burn. If you know how to cook or grill, that's what you need to do. I have several friends and family members that bought it too and love it. Best grill book I ever had.Will try the oven recipes in the winter to see how they turn out.

A collection of awful recipes
I'd say that only 1 out of 10 of these recipes are edible.Some actually got throw away before I even contemplated serving them.And the overwhelming majority of them clearly have mistakes (like mixing up teaspoons and tablespoons/omitting directions for called for ingredients/directions that contradict themselves within the recipe) or have difficult or impossible to follow directions.This book seems very, very poorly written and edited. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Methods - Barbecue & Grilling    4. Cooking / Quick & Easy   

Reviews (5)

Great Cookbook with Great Results!
Great cookbook with well written instructions.Practical recipes for the most part.
Good recipes, beautiful photos, but NOT quick!
The photos in this book are really gorgeous and the recipes do work.However -- there is NO WAY one person could make any of the full menus in just an hour!I would say that each individual dish takes at least an hour -- doing a whole Martha menu is a major undertaking.Another problem -- many of the ingredients are hard to find (even in the sophisticated greater Boston area!) and she relies heavily on fresh herbs in practically every recipe, which is just not practical for me. Not only is fresh sorrel unavailable in any store I know of, but evensorrel SEEDS, so you can grow your own sorrel, are hard to find!

come on martha
i purchased this book based on the on-site reviews. although it must have worked for some, not this cook.i enjoy the kitchena lot and consider myself pretty good at it--- just a bit bored and restless with my current menus.this was just way too stuffy. or perhaps the new phrase is "way too martha".yick.the menus are dated and boring.oh well, i tried. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Menus    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Quick and easy cookery    7. Cooking / Quick & Easy