The Four Ingredient Cookbooks

by Linda Coffee

Emily Cale and Linda Coffee, co-authors and publishers of the original Four Ingredient Cookbook series, have combined their skills to bring over 700 quick, simple 4-ingredient recipes to help busy people conserve time, energy and enjoy cooking. This revised edition contains all the recipes from The Four Ingredient Cookbook, More of the Four Ingredient Cookbook, and Low Fat & Light Four Ingredient Cookbook—it’s three cookbooks in one! Using only four ingredients, you’ll create delicious dishes - Roasted New Potatoes
- Rolled Chicken and Asparagus
- Lemon Angel Food Cake
- Cucumber Salad
- And many more! With over one million sold, this essential cookbook belongs in every kitchen!

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite part of cooking is shopping for ingredients. With many recipes I either end up forgetting something or else I get everything on my list except one item, which I then discover the store doesn't have. The recipes in this book help avoid both those problems.

Every single recipe in the book consists of no more than four ingredients (and there's no cheating where one of the ingredients is something else you have to make that itself contains multiple ingredients).

I've only tried a couple of the recipes so far, but they've both been good, and others I've looked at look promising.

I've found that this book also encourages experimenting in the kitchen. Even with just the two recipes I've cooked I've found myself thinking of things that I could add to the recipes. Not that they aren't good as written, but it's just so much easier to tinker with simple recipes like this than with ones that include a dozen or more ingredients.

The book is designed for people on the go, and it's definitely good for that, but I think it's also good for those of us who like to cook but don't necessarily want to cook recipes that require a degree from a cooking school and access to a gourmet food store to successfully complete.

[Michelle Hankes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! There are so many great recipes that are simple and easy. Sometimes I'm not so keen on the ingredient list - there can be a lot of processed foods and packaged items, but you can always substitute and make up your own based on the great recipe ideas they have. Fun book for anyone!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love owning this cookbook. Recipes are simple, everything I've made has been good, fun to look through. It's the perfect cookbook when you didn't "plan ahead" and it's 3 pm, you don't feel like going to the grocery store and you need to make dinner.

[Crnbryeggshls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad starter book, especially if your current idea of cooking is heating up frozen mac & cheese. Some of the "ingredients" are actually prepared mixes though.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cookbook should be entitled Cooking From Your Pantry. Very few, if any, ingredients are fresh. If you have a can of cream of anything soup in your pantry, you can make most of the main dish recipes and a box of cake mix will make most of the dessert recipes. On the other hand, if you are a fan of Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade, this cookbook is for you!

[Pandionhalatius37.6 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little outdated and very simplistic, would be good if you had to host an alien party tomorrow and had never seen earth food before. As an ex-cook, some of the seasonings are unusual combinations or a bit bland, but everything is simple to prepare and can easily be fancied up.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am using this almost every day. There are just 2 of us and it allows me to fix meals quickly. The recipes are easy to follow. 700 recipes so most days I can find one or 2. Have liked everything I have fixes.

[Pamela Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great cookbook using ingredients you probably have in your pantry.

[Tracy Barton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.... I like the idea of having just four ingredients, and the directions for most things seemed simple enough. They just didn't SOUND appealing to me. And my kids are super picky eaters, so I knew none of the items in there would appeal to them. Just wanted to check it out and see what it would be like....

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing in this really impressed me.

[Fed · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good if you want to eat unhealthy. Not much fresh and green, but quick and easy.