Delicious Trina2:51 PM 1 comments

Here goes my first review on anything since high school, and my first review on a cookbook...ever.

Who really reviews cookbooks anyway? 

Anyone actually use a cookbook?  For more than one recipe, I mean?

I do know people (my mother included) with libraries of cookbooks.  Nearly every woman has that red and white plaid cookbook in her kitchen.  You know, the one from Better Homes and Gardens with absolutely no pictures and ingredients that only existed in personal gardens and obscure grocery marts in 1960.  The one that suggested spending 4-6 hours over a hot stove while the oven was on would be a good time. 

This past Mother's Day, Mr. Almeda took me to Borders (it's a bookstore, for those of you who don't get out...or read) to pick out a cookbook.  No, he wasn't making any suggestions with that move: I asked for it.  I quickly found the food section and we started flipping through the books. 

That red and white cookbook...is not the one I'm reviewing.  And I can proudly say, that even though I did notice that very same book in the store, I did not pick it up.  Useless items are not welcome in my kitchen.

I did have a checklist of requirements for this book: 

• Pictures.  I need to know what the food is going to look like for two reasons: I need to know if the recipe is appetizing and I need to know what it's supposed to look like so I can tell if I screwed it up. 
•  Short ingredient lists.  Let's face it, I'm on a budget.  The shorter the list, the less stuff I have to buy.  And that typically translates into a lower grocery bill.
• Recognizable ingredients.  Specialty stores are out of the question.  I do not want to travel to Istanbul or Guadalajara for that one key ingredient. 
• Simple preparation.  I'm not a chef.  After about 15 minutes, the kitchen is no longer fun or exciting.  After about 15 minutes, I'm hungry, inpatient, and did I mention hungry.  So is my family.  Many arguments and tantrums start around 6pm.  Coinkydink?
• Variety.  No one wants to eat the same cuisine every single day.  No one in my family, anyway. 

Fast Fix Family Food, by Better Homes and Gardens, met each of my criteria.  There are pictures of every recipe.  I have been able to find every ingredient in my regular grocery store, and I've managed to stay within my budget every week.  I find myself in the kitchen "prepping" for no longer than 15 minutes for every recipe I've tried (yes, cooktimes vary, but actual labor is simple and as the book claims: "fast").

Over the last 4 weeks, I have prepared a different meal every night.  That's 28 different dinners.  We've had Asian cuisine, Italian, Mexican, Seafood, Vegetarian, and good ol' American cookin'.  I've tried new ingredients (like mangos), and I've noticed more room in my freezer and a much more impressive stock in my refrigerator.  I think it's worth saying again just because I've found this part so impressive: I've kept our grocery bill within our $100 a week budget and...I've been going to bed with my tummy satisfied.

Other perks I didn't initially consider:

• There are food storage tips in the beginning of the book.  For example, a slice of bread may help reduce those lumps in your brown sugar.
• There's an index in the back of the book.  Have chicken and don't know what to do with it?  Well here ya go.
• Recipes didn't require extensive clean up.  Many recipes were prepared using a cutting board, knife, spatula, and a pan.

So, if you're looking for a budget-friendly and easy way to spice up your dining life, I highly recommend checking out this gem of a cookbook.