general

This book is wonderful! It's full of fast, easy and delicious meals from ingredients you probably have around the house!

I didn't have enough room in the title - but it's good for not only new / timid cooks but also folks in a hurry or with limited refrigerator space, etc - a long list, really.

I bought this book for a teenager who was living with us in the 'tween time' between home and college. She wanted to cook but was a bit intimidated by the idea of just jumping in to something complicated.

She cooked for us frequently using this book, with great success and pretty darn good flavor, too. We also used it frequently to plan menus for vacations in places that had kitchenettes - we could buy most of the food before we left home, and just supplement as needed with quick trips to the refrigerated section.

Sure - most of the ingredients come from cans and boxes, and everyone knows that fresh is best, but even cans and boxes are better than McDonald's! Besides - you can always add a salad or side vegetable to freshen things up.

A great gift for students, nest-leavers, roommates, and very busy families. New parents, too, I'd suggest!

I am a serious health nut, and after trying out the recipes in this book, I shortened the time it takes to cook meals for my family by half. Laura Karr's recipes taught me to replace high-caloric mixes and hard-to-find seasonal produce with, of all things, jazzed-up baby food! For those of us who enjoy delicious, seasonal dishes but have a hard time finding ingredients or aren't willing to pay $4 for an artichoke when canned hearts costs a dollar, this book is a lifesaver!
My grandmother LOVES the book- I gave her a copy for her birthday and she swears by it- she doesn't have to go to the grocery store as often and she ends up saving lots of money.
Next time you are at the grocery store- go to the canned food section- you will be amazed at what foods come canned- and the have NO PRESERVATIVES. I even learned that there is very little pesticide residue in canned foods!