homeschoollisa's Full Review: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
When I married at the age of 19, I knew absolutely nothing about cooking. My husband loves to tell the story of the first meal I attempted to cook for him. It began with a box of Hamburger Helper and a pound of hamburger. It ended with me crying, "How do you brown ground beef?" I believe he ended up cooking supper that night.
I've come a long way since then. I owe a lot of my growth to the fact that my Grandmother bought me the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book shortly after that disastrous evening. By reading it and following directions, I was soon able to prepare food for church potlucks and admit that I had cooked it!
This cookbook has helpful hints all the way through it, even inside the front and back covers. Inside the front cover, you will find "Broiling Meat/Poultry", "Weights and Measures," and "Microwave Timing Tips." Inside the back cover are "Emergency Substitutions" (a lifesaver if you don't live near a grocery store) and "Ingredient Equivalents."
The cookbook has nineteen sections, each designated by a handy tab. Each section includes recipes, Nutrition Analysis, and helpful hints. Some recipes are conveniently labeled "Easy" or "Fast." The nineteen sections are:
1. Appetizers & Snacks
2. Beverages
3. Breads ("Yeast Breads" and "Quick Breads")
4. Cakes
5. Candy
6. Cookies
7. Desserts
8. Eggs, Cheese, & Legumes
9. Fish & Shellfish
10. Freezing & Canning (very useful with my first garden!)
11. Meat (including "Ground Meat"!)
12. Pasta, Rice, & Grains
13. Pies
14. Poultry
15. Salads & Dressings
16. Sauces & Relishes
17. Soups & Stews
18. Vegetables
19. Special Helps
The "Special Helps" section was especially useful to me a new cook. Although the recipes are easy to follow, sometimes (often at first) I would come across a term I didn't understand. That's when I turned to Tab #19. It includes the following useful advice:
"Organizing Your Kitchen"
"Common Ingredients"
"Equipment Tips"
"Food Safety and Storage"
"Shopping Tips"
"Meal Planning"
"The Basics of Good Eating"
"Calorie Tally" (helpful during those many diets)
"Seasoning Guide"
"Cutting Techniques"
"Measuring Techniques"
"Cooking Techniques"
"Preparation Techniques"
"Microwave Basics"
"Microwave Techniques"
"Grilling Techniques"
"Crockery-Cooker Techniques"
"Cooking Terms"
"Garnishing Techniques"
"Cooking at High Altitudes"
My cookbook has food stains throughout it. It has spent much of its life laying open on my kitchen counter. When I have run into a cooking question that Better Homes and Gardens didn't answer, I have always known there was only one answer left: Call Mama!
I don't use this cookbook as much as I used to. It's not because it's no longer helpful. Rather, I have used it so often that I have memorized many of the recipes. I need it in my kitchen, though, because I never know when I might need it. When my daughters leave home, they will carry with them their own copy of Better Homes & Gardens with them. They're sure not getting mine!
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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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