sweetsue_98's Full Review: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
What’s for dinner? Does that ring clear to most of you? It sure does to me, and after 32 years, although I love to cook, it does get tiring. Oh well, we all need to eat!
Through the years I have quite a collection of cookbooks. There are some that I use regularly, and others that I wonder why I even bought them. Maybe it was the pretty cover or great illustrations, but the one that I have had for many years, and continue to use, is the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. I will admit that there are some older versions of this kitchen staple in my home, even one that was my mothers‘. Although the new versions are updated and new recipes added, cooking methods changed, they are all excellent resources.
The most recent version I purchased for my daughter, and my daughter-in-law for Christmas a couple of years ago. It was a perfect gift as my newly wed daughter-in-law is from Mexico, and this basic book provided her with all the necessary information for conversion from the metric system. Also, it has proved to be an excellent reference for her, and one that is used constantly. The second copy is still in my home and I constantly find myself going back and checking something that I needed to know about a particular item I am cooking.
The book is extremely user friendly. First of all, the binder is almost impossible to wear out, as evidenced by the old editions in my cookbook collection.
This most popular cookbook is full of information that anyone can use. In the initial pages there is an introduction will tips “for the way you cook today”. Just to get you off to a good start the emphasis on this introduction is on saving time, saving effort, and eating right. These are definite emphasis on the way we are eating today. No one has the time to stand in the kitchen all day, so saving time as well as effort is a great help to all of us.
Each of the 20 sections starts out with a cover page with an attractive picture. On the first page of each subdivision there is a complete Nutrition Analysis for each recipe. For example the first is “Appetizers And Snacks” and you can take any of the 12 pages of recipes, and refer to the Nutrition Analysis for calorie content, protein, carbohydrates, fat, for that specific item you are thinking about preparing. In addition there are the US RDA Per Serving information so you know what percent of certain vitamins and minerals are in each serving.
After the Appetizers and Snacks section, you will find that the book flows nicely through all of the type of food you could possibly want to prepare.
The sections are:
1. Appetizers and Snacks
2. Beverages-which include a party guide, and instructions as simple as making coffee to homemade soda pop.
3. Breads-this is divided in to yeast breads and quick breads
4. Cakes- complete with tips on greasing cake pans to how to choose a pan. There is even a section on using a cake mix and the extra ingredients you can add to make it special.
5. Candy-excellent information about the different types of candy, and how to prepare them.
6. Cookies-you might not want to read the calorie information in this section. There are certain recipes designated as “Fast” to help you fix something in a hurry.
7. Dessert-again we all know about the calories, however with such items as the “Fresh Fruit Bowl”, you don’t have to eat all your calories for one day in your dessert.
8. Eggs, Cheese, and Legumes-this is a great section with basics such as scrambled eggs, omelets, to an excellent illustrated section on cheeses.
9. Fish and Shellfish-in addition to recipes there are lots of tips on freshness, storage, a complete page on selection fish, plus some nice sauces that make a difference in fish cooking.
10. Freezing and Canning-since I am someone that still like to can food, make jams and jellies, this section is very valuable to me. If you are a newbie the information on how to freeze your food is essential to the longevity of the product.
11.Meat-most important are the various kinds of meat, and the different cuts. There are excellent illustrations that help you know what you are buying in the store. Also, stir-frying tips complete with carving information are in this section.
12. Pasta, Rice, and Grain-excellent illustrations of all types of pasta and grains, plus some basic recipes to more involved.
13. Pies-great fruit pie recipes with excellent information about making piecrusts. This is a very helpful section, and includes a page on making fruit pit fillings.
14. Poultry-great assorted recipes and information on safe handling of poultry.
15. Salads and Dressings-the illustrations just keep getting better. Every type of green is shown in photos, plus some fun recipes such as taco salad.
16. Sauces and Relishes-starting with the classic white sauce to making salsa, this section has a world of knowledge to help you add those little extras that make your meal special.
17. Soups and Stews-perfect ideas for those comfort foods, and cold days.
18. Vegetables-there is quite an emphasis on fresh vegetables, and I love the recipe for Pennsylvania Red Cabbage.
19.Special Helps-don’t overlook this area for guidance from organizing your kitchen, shopping tips, and meal planning.
20. Index-simple to use index with much cross-referencing.
You can see that the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book is a tremendous resource for your kitchen. No wonder it has been rated the number one cookbook. I would highly advise that this is the perfect first cookbook or the one you always return to. It should be in everyone’s kitchen.
New for the '90s, America's #1 cookbook returns in a totally new and revised 10th edition. Bantam's bestselling backlist cookbook has more recipes, mo...More at Barnes & Noble.com
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