Saving Dinner Basics: How to Cook Even If You Don't Know How: A Cookbook

by Leanne Ely

Cooking 101If you think that folding an egg has something to do with laundry, or that a wok is good exercise, you’ve come to the right place. Nutritionist and family meal-planner extraordinaire, Leanne Ely knows her way around a stove and a pantry–and she provides everything you need to know, from mincing garlic and barbecuing beef to pulling off your first dinner party. Select chapters feature tasty recipes that can be prepared with the greatest of ease. You’ll find practical and trustworthy advice on• equipping your what you must have, what you don’t need• stocking your cupboards, fridge, and freezer with the essentials• selecting fresh produce and high-quality meats, poultry, and fish• slicing, dicing, sautéing, simmering, and other prep techniques• whipping up quick, scrumptious dishes with ingredients on hand• ensuring that your main course and side dishes are ready at the same time• preparing mouthwatering one-pot meals, from Lemon Tarragon Chicken to Easily the Best Casserole in the World• baking fast and easy cookies, pies, cakes, and cobblersSaving Dinner Basics also includes a handy glossary of common food terminology, a spice primer (it’s about time you discovered thyme!), and a troubleshooting guide for various cooking challenges. Let Leanne Ely help you turn your kitchen into what it was meant to the place where great meals begin.Leanne Ely is considered the expert on family cooking and healthy eating. She is a syndicated newspaper columnist (The Dinner Diva), a certified nutritionist, and the host of SavingDinner.com. Leanne has a weekly “Food for Thought” column on the ever-popular FlyLady.net website, as well as her own e-zine, Healthy Foods. She is the author of Saving Dinner, Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way and Saving Dinner for the Holidays. She lives in North Carolina with her two teenage children.“Anyone who finds cooking a mystery needs Saving Dinner Basics.”–Marla Cilley, The FlyLady, author of Sink Reflections

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Reference

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2006

Reviews

[Marley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars seems harsh, but the description "it was ok" is far more fitting than the 3-star description of "liked it."

My quibble with the book is that it didn't live up (down?) to the title. For instance, the author gives a recipe for Hollandaise sauce without ever mentioning what I would want Hollandaise sauce for. Several of the other recipes exhausted me just reading them; I have no intention of tackling something so ambitious. The book is ostensibly aimed at cooking novices, but it seems to come across with the assumption that we all want to suddenly be gourmet chefs. In my experience, those of us with limited kitchen experience are that way because we don't want to spend hours in the kitchen or are intimidated by complicated recipes. We are looking for simple basics and tricks to make our time in the kitchen easier. Recipes for boiling chicken carcasses down into soup? Not something I'm going to be doing.

This might be a good book for youngsters just moving out on their own or someone who is now cooking for a large family.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good book for very beginning cooks. She gives a lot of basic instruction, and kitchen guidance. I thought she could have included more recipes and a little less general guidance, or tips within the recipes.

She does include nutritional information, which is great. And the desert section is particularly strong. But with no pictures, there are other books out there that cover the same territory better.

I think that her site would be worth checking out.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SOOOO practical for a kitchen dunce like me. I actually made a really tasty diner out of it last night too. My one complaint is that she tries overly hard to make every phrase as "pun"-ny as possible. Still didn't detract from the 5 stars for the usefulness and hope it provides in setting up regular family dinner time!

[Joy Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, easy to understand instructions. The recipes are amazing and healthy! This cookbook makes cooking seem like the easy task it really is. I never felt overwelmed or thought, "I can't cook that recipe." All the recipes have normal, easy to find ingredients. LOVED IT!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

my very own idiots guide to cooking. The recipes are easy and yummy.

[Cel]

It did not live up to my expectations.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great if you are just learning to cook, or brushing up on basics. I borrowed a copy from our local library but I'm still tempted to buy a copy.

[TheRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for people who don't know how to cook. I often give this as a bridal shower gift.