Editorial Review

The slow cooker is perfect for today's fast-paced lifestyle, in which everyone is time and energy-conscious, economy-wise, concerned about nutrition, and demanding of great flavor. This comprehensive collection of 350 exciting recipes takes a new look at cooking withÂ’ America's favorite appliance. Relying on wholesome ingredients and fresh, modern flavors, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook features everything from traditional slow cooker classics to savory international cuisine to delicious no-fuss desserts. ... Read more

Reviews

Slow cooker cooking without canned or packaged foods!, June 24, 2005
I love my crockpots (I have two oval ones in different sizes). I have several crockpot cookbooks in my bookshelf and have also read many others which I borrowed from the library. After reading these books, I came to a sad conconclustion that most people who use crockpot are not "real cooks" from many cookbook authors assumption; they write books for those who use a crockpot to make "canned soup+meat+frozen/canned veggie dishes."
I like quick and easy dishes and use canned soup occasionally but I don't want them to be the main item of my cooking.

With this thought, I was surfing the net a couple of days ago hoping to find a crockpot cookbook using fresh wholesome food and I came across this book.

The authors of this book created crockpot recipes for a cook like me (if you agree to my comment above, you will be happy to see this book!). After I read a couple of reviews by other Amazon users and bought this book (along with the Gourmet Slow Cooker Cookbook) from Amazon.

Yes, it requires more prep time and more ingredients but isn't it worth making that much efforts for healthier and tastier meals?! YES!!

Also, most ingredients appeared in this book are common items in my kitchen.

The only minus (4 stars istead of 5 stars) is the lack of photos of the recipes. I read cookbooks for plesure and those sumptuous looking photos are important to me. I know it makes the book more expensive if you have photos but it would be great if there are several pages of photos under each category to show how good these dishes look! I would definitely pay several more dollars for the photos for this book!

You will fall in love again with your crockpot!, November 19, 2005
I love cookbooks and I love to cook. Until now my least favorite cookbooks have been my crockpot books. BORING! So my crockpot only gets pulled out when I need to cook a pot of beans or take something to a potluck. What a shame. I mean, what could be more convenient, safe, and economical than cooking with an appliance that you can leave unattended for hours and that doesn't heat your whole kitchen?

"Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" is facinating and exciting. Why? Because of so many healthful, whole grain ideas, such as the "From the Porridge Pot" and "Rice and Other Grains" chapters. And soups! We will be eating soup all winter....I can't wait to try all of the recipes included in this section, including all of the stock recipes (chicken, turkey, beef, vegetable, and variations). From my bookshelves full of cookbooks, this has taken its place as one of my top two or three favorite cookbooks.

This cookbook is substantial, with over 500 pages of recipes and slow cooker how-to. Casseroles, poultry, beef, pork, fish, side dishes, stews and desserts are all included. The only pictures are on the front and back covers. They are beautiful and I do wish there were a few more pictures included.

It has been a while since I have been this excited about a cookbook (quite an accomplishment, as I do get quite excited about cookbooks). I wish there were a forum where I could read reviews of the various recipes, just to help me decide which recipe I will try next! Highly recommend.

A Great Primer, Lots of Good Recipes, March 29, 2005
This is a great book for those new to slow cookers, or for those who have previously been disappointed with slow cooker recipes. The first 20 pages offer a solid body of information about all things pertaining to slow cooking: What is slow cooking? About the stoneware insert; Slow cooker shapes & sizes; how to use the new "smart pots"; temperature settings; breaking in a new pot; high altitude slow cooking; the basic "rules" of slow cooking; cooking times; adapting conventional recipes; useful cooking techniques, and more. Each section of recipes includes a nice introductory informational section, and each individual recipe has some introductory information as well. Recipe groups include soups, veggie stews, side dishes, a rice section, and there's a whole section on cooking various types of porridge...cinnamon apple oatmeal, overnight steel-cut oatmeal, maple oatmeal with dried fruit & spices, and various other grain type porridge recipes. Put all the ingredients in the pot at night before going to bed, and wake up to warm, creamy porridge of one type or another. Each recipe indicates number of servings, general type of crockpot to use, and cooking time. My main complaint, and the reason I can't give this 5 stars, is that nutritional information is not given for any of the recipes. Also, a minor layout complaint is that sometimes a recipe will start on one page and finish up on the next so you have to turn the page to see the rest of it. I would prefer to see one recipe per page. Other than these two things, this is a good cookbook with a nice selection of recipes, and definitely very useful for someone new to slow cooking as it will familiarize you with all the techniques necessary to successful slow cooking.

AWESOME!!!!!, May 31, 2005
As a new mother of twins, I was struggling to get dinner on the table every night. I tried the slow cooker, but all the meals were so heavy and they all tasted the same. I saw this book and decided to give it a try. I have made about 10 things from it and every one was so tastey. I have never been so happy with a cookbook, and my husband is thrilled. I am actually planning dinner parties as I can prepare the dinner during the twins' naps and let it cook all day, and serve a very impressive dinner when company arrives. I can't say enough about this cookbook. I have never written a review of anything before, but wanted to share this book with other busy mothers. It is your best weapon for getting a healthy and delicious meal on the table.

Definitive Slow Cooker Book?, December 11, 2005
Who knew there could be such a thing as a definitive slow cooker book, but I think this is it. This book is not only full of recipes (350 of them), but there is a slow cooker basics section that was absolutely wonderful -- more well written than the instructions for my new Rival Crock Pot.

I love that the book has such a large variety of recipes ranging from soups to desserts, vegetarian to meat, traditional to contmporary and simple to complex (not too complex). If you're only going to buy one slow cooker book, let this be the one. (This book along with a new slow cooker would make an excellent gift for the new cook or busy cook.) If you're a crock pot master and are really looking to shake things up, you may want to consider The Gourmet Slow Cooker instead of or in addition to. It has way fewer recipes, about 55, but they are certainly international and inspiring.

Only if you have a lot of time on your hands, November 20, 2006
I was incredibly disappointed in this cookbook. A large number of the recipes seem to be more about proving the varity of foods you CAN cook in the slow cooker, rather than foods it is USEFUL to cook in the slow cooker. Keep in mind that unless you're looking to soften tough meat, you can make almost any slow cooker recipe on the stove if you have an hour or two to babysit it. This is a book of recipes that require a lot of babysitting (adding ingredients, stirring, or doing something else in the middle of the cook time), run four to six hours, and require you to hang around the house all that time.

I'm a working foodie who uses the slow cooker to make fun, interesting meals that I can leave to cook during the work day. Between the babysitting required and the less-than-8-hour cook times, I was very disappointed in the number of recipes from this book I could use at all.

I highly recommend Judith Finlayson's books for a better alternative.

Excellent Encyclopedia on Useful Technique. Buy It!, August 26, 2005
`Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook' by expert bread cookbook author Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann is hands down the very best book on its subject you are likely to find. It is easily twice the size of my former slow cooker favorite, Judith Finlayson's `The 150 best Slow Cooker recipes' and easily more than twice as good, although this former favorite does have some virtues not in the current subject, such as both English and metric units of measure for all ingredients.

This is a cookery subject on which you do not expect to find a serious treatment by a major cookbook author. Like blender recipes and toaster oven recipes and grill pan recipes and pressure cooker recipes, you usually find books which are little more than one step removed from a manufacturer's booklet, published by the likes of Sunset Press or other speciality publisher, not by the Harvard Commons Press. But, like Jean Anderson's book, `Process This' on food processor cookery, this is a first rate addition to any good cookbook library. In fact, not only is it better than Finlayson's book, it is a lot better than Anderson's book on the food processor.

The quality of the book should be no surprise, given the track record of the principle author, Beth Hensperger. While she is not the leading currently active writer of books on bread (that honor would probably go to Peter Reinhart), she is easily one of the top three or four on the subject and has the James Beard awards to prove it. Co-author Kaufmann is less distinguished, but in reading her biographical sketch, it is clear this is a natural book for this pair, as they have already done a volume on rice cookers, and there are probably no two closer electrical cooking gadgets quite so close to one another as the rice cooker and the slow cooker. It probably also explains why there is relatively little in this book which tells one how to use a slow cooker as a rice cooker, since they already did a book on the subject AND, in spite of the strong similarities, there are enough differences to keep one from easily substituting one for the other.

Aside from the rice cooker stand-in role, this book has simply everything I expected it to have. Every single recipe and every single type of recipe you might expect is here. One thing I hoped for and found, in spades, was a group of recipes for stocks and broths. This is something I have found in no other slow cooker book, as obvious as it is to include it.

In spite of the fact that this is an excellent book which I would recommend to anyone wishing to cook with a slow cooker, I must insert the caveat here that while the slow cooker can be a modern version of time honored traditional cooking methods such as the braise, the daub, the tagine, and the Dutch oven techniques, many other recipes in this book are adaptations of techniques which may really be better done by other means. That is, the time saving gained by using the slow cooker may, in some cases, be gained by losing some culinary virtue. The best example I know is with the recipes for barbecued pork ribs. Adapting barbecue to the slow cooker is a natural, as both are low heat long cooking methods. But, you are approximating true barbecue and not producing a real barbecued result, as there is no smoke involved in the cooking. I will give one more plug to Ms. Finlayson's book on her pork rib barbecue recipe which I have done several times and I find it superior to the recipe for the same dish by Hensperger and Kaufmann. So, if you have Finlayson, Hensperger may not be a major advantage. But, if you have no slow cooker book and you want one, Ms. Hensperger and Ms. Kaufmann have given us the best one I have seen.

It is quite possible that the single most valuable section in this book is in the chapter `From the Porridge Pot'. This gives several different recipes for breakfast dishes with oats, granola, and other varieties of porridge. I saw Alton Brown do this on his `Good Eats' show on oats and I really wished I could find someone with some more details on the technique. Well, here it is. Everything you always wanted to know about making hot breakfast meals with oats, millet, wheat, rice, barley and corn set up the night before and ready for you in the morning.

The next best thing are all the general tips on slow cooking, including suggestions on how to adapt conventional braise, stew, and soup recipes to the slow cooker. One warning from this book which I will repeat here is that while the book includes recipes for several seafood dishes, almost all of them involve adding the seafood near the end of the long cooking period, so there are a fair number of recipes which require some mid-course or landing procedure intervention. But, the authors cover this point again and again.

I am happy to see that the authors avoid endorsing any one slow cooker manufacturer, although they do give some tips on evaluating and selecting a slow cooker and the size of slow cooker best suited to various requirements.

If you like to use the slow cooker or think it will fit into your lifestyle or just enjoy having a good book on every different cooking subject, then this is a book for you.

Highly recommended.

The best slow cooker recipe book available, December 19, 2005
I recently purchased "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" after purchasing a slow cooker. I am interested in using a slow cooker so I can still eat home cooked meals during times when I'm working a lot of hours. I generally prepare most of our meals from Cooking Light or Food and Wine. I was not interested in making slow cooker meals with condensed soups or other processed products and wanted an alternative to the meat and potato recipes most slow cooker recipe books featured. "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" fit the bill perfectly. There are numerous healthy recipes throughout the book as well as recipes from many different ethnic cuisines. While the traditional recipes you expect are in here, they are augmented with recipes such as Pork Tenderloin in Peanut Sauce or Orange Hoisin Beef. There is only one recipe which uses onion soup mix. None call for condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup! There are also numerous vegetarian meals. So far I have made the Beef Fajitas and the Black Bean Chili - both were excellent and very easy. I am also excited to try foods which I never expected to make in a slow cooker such as the cakes, breakfast cereals and chutneys. I also appreciated the information on high altitude cooking, as I live in Colorado. My one complaint would be the cooking times. Most are less than 8 hours so they are not practical for making while I'm at work. I have purchased a device made by Rival that allows me to program my traditional, two-setting slow cooker. I'm hoping this will allow me to make the recipes with shorter cooking time during the week.

ONE OF THE BEST!, February 2, 2006
I cannot tell you how happy to see so many great new books coming out in the past few years on slow cooking. For so long slow cooking has been looked down upon as being a relic of our parents time but I have become a huge convert to slow cooking in the past couple of years and as long as books like these come out I will continue to love my slow cooker. As a working family it just works out so well to toss something in it in the morning and have it done to perfection when you get home. I cannot stress enough the importance of buying a good slow cooker, particularly one that is programmable for time and temperature. Spend the extra few bucks.

As the book suggests, this is not your mother's slow cooker book with dozens of recipes for roasts or stews, largely tasteless. How does the Tex Mex enchiladas sound? Or Tortilla Soup, or Thai Pork with peanut sauce? And yes, there are many great recipes for roasts and stews...The comprehensive books includes chapters on: Soups, Chilis, Beans, Pasta, Poultry, Beef & Veal, Pork & Lamb, Ribs & wings, Fish, And desserts, among others. An outstanding introduction to slow cooking covers the history of slow cookers and just what slow cooking is, and covers the basics of types, sizes, temperature settings and more. Even longtime slow cooking fans will find the information valuable.

In all there are 350 recipes and while I've only made about a dozen or so, they have all been full-flavored and delicious. A wonderful addition to your cook book collection.

NOT A FAN OF NOT YOUR MOTHER'S SLOW COOKER COOK BOOK!!!!, October 23, 2006
This book is sloppy. There are over 350 recipes presented higgeldy piggeldy throughout...no pictures and many recipes start three quarters of the way through one page and extend to the next. Not only are you flipping from one page to the next, but you may read through a recipe a dozen times until you realize the authors have neglected to tell you what to do with those mushrooms you sliced 1/2 inch thick (as in Slow cooker lemon chicken page 285). They obviously rushed through the publication of this book and decided to forego the details in favor of jumping on the slow cooking bandwagon. While there are some great recipes, the book is too unweildy and too poorly laid out to find them. Try another slow cooker book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Finally, all in one handsome volume, the best 1400 slow-cooker recipes!
New York Times bestselling author Phyllis Pellman Good has gathered the biggest collection of tantalizing, best-ever slow-cooker recipes into one great book.
The recipes in this amazing treasure are all-
Collected from some of America's best home cooks.
Tested in real-life settings.
Carefully selected from thousands of recipes.
Eight small "galleries" of full-color photos of delectable slow-cooker dishes from the collection add sparkle throughout the cookbook.
Phyllis Pellman Good's cookbooks have sold nearly 10 million copies. Her five beloved Fix-It and Forget-It cookbooks have themselves sold more than 8 million copies! Three of her cookbooks have been New York Times bestsellers.
This is the perfect BIG COOKBOOK! Easy to understand, easy to use.
Absolutely manageable for those who lack confidence in the kitchen.
Convenient for those who are short on time.
Will bring a "make-it-again" request from all who are lucky enough to enjoy these tasty dishes.
Fix-It and Forget-It BIG COOKBOOK, with its 1400 best slow-cooker recipes, is another winner!

... Read more

Reviews

THE Go-To Cookbook for Slow Cookers, January 13, 2009
With 1,400 recipes, the Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook is the only book for slow cooker recipes you'll need. It will be your go-to cookbook when you're in a hurry for dinner. The recipes are SIMPLE: simple ingredients and simple preparation. You can throw together many of the recipes if you have 20 minutes before you run off to work in the morning. You are likely to have most of the ingredients in your kitchen -- no exotic, hard-to-find ingredients in this cookbook.

You also will save grocery money. Many recipes call for less expensive cuts of meat since cooking at a very low temperature all day will make meats as tender and juicy as the more expensive cuts.

The recipes are laid out in an easy-to-read style that not only identifies the serving number, but you'll know how long it takes to prep the ingredients. The directions are step-by-step and are very easy to follow.

Two features from the cookbook are worth mentioning. Recipes that are healthier and lighter are marked in the corner. You can use these recipes for a healthier meal (or appetizer, soup, etc.), and they are just as convenient and quick to put together as the traditional ones. Another standout feature is the surprisingly helpful little hints that author Phylllis Pellman Good put on the bottom of every other page or so. Though most hints are slow cooker-related, other hints are surprisingly helpful when preparing any type of food. At 658 pages of recipes, you'll find loads of hints -- worth reading on their own.

I also was intrigued with many of the appetizer recipes. Does anyone ever think, "I need an appetizer. I'll pull out my slow cooker"? Not me! But I have to say, "Irresistible Cheesy Hot-Bean Dip" and "Fruit Salsa" were recipes I marked for future party bring-alongs.

People like me who love to cook usually have scores of cookbooks on the shelf, and we probably regularly use only a couple of them. The Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook will be the the only slow cooker recipe book on your shelf. It has all the recipes you'll ever need for slow cooking.

Great Variety, Lots of Unexpected Ideas, February 3, 2009
At first glance, this cookbook seems like a bad crockpot joke. Almost every recipe I flipped to requires cream of mushroom soup or a packet of dried onion soup. Seriously. Two of the five recipes for Sloppy Joes call for cream of mushroom soup.

Then it dawned on me. Two of FIVE recipes for Sloppy Joes. I started looking more closely and realized that most recipes in the book offer several different versions. Sometimes it's the ingredients that vary, sometimes it's the amount of preparation, sometimes it's both. You're bound to find at least one version of each recipe that works for your tastes and cooking style. You may find other versions that you're willing to try.
The recipes are arranged by type, and a small icon at the top corner of each page makes it easy to flip through the book and find the chapter you're looking for. There are also clear icons to indicate if a recipe is considered light, or if it's meatless.

The book is in the style of a hometown fundraiser cookbook. Each recipe includes the name and town of the person who submitted it, and some include a brief comment from the cook about how you might want to serve it, or to whom. The author also scatters random little kitchen tips throughout the book.

The recipes are well organized, with cooking times and recommended crockpot sizes clearly indicated at the top. Any recipe marked "light" includes nutrition information at the end.

I'm giving this four stars instead of five because:

(1) I don't love the binding. It's a large cloth-bound volume (think big dictionary) that is awkward to use in the kitchen.
(2) The organization is a little loose. For instance, all hot dog recipes are listed in the pork section, even those calling for all-beef franks.
(3) The definition of "light" isn't really fair. The nutrition analysis assumes you use the smaller amounts in any range and leave off anything listed as optional. This seems reasonable, until you notice that the light recipe for chicken and dumplings indicates that the dumplings are optional.

I plan to try many of the recipes, and to use this cookbook for inspiration for my own creations. The sheer variety of options for each recipe makes me want to experiment with ingredients and combinations I may not have come up with on my own.

Too many processed ingredients, January 30, 2009
This cookbook is huge and full of recipes, and the variety is such that there is something for everyone in it. There are "light" and vegetarian options. However, the vast number of recipes in this book (at least half, I'd say) call for processed ingredients like canned soup and powdered soup mix. A recipe for applesauce where the first ingredient is a jar of unsweetened apple sauce is not a cookbook-worthy recipe by my standards. If you cook this way, you'll love this cookbook. It makes me wish I had had it (and a Crock Pot) in college, when my idea of alfredo sauce was a can of cream of mushroom soup.

Also use your discretion with the directions in the recipes and test your Crock out first. I've made one thing so far and found 8 hours on high to be far too much time for a pork tenderloin. It was done after 4. The book does tell you this too of course. It also is helpful by giving the ideal Crock Pot size for each recipe, with a good amount of variation.

Not for gourmets, November 21, 2009
I bought a slow cooker after hearing gourmets say wonderful slow-cooked food is. I also bought this cookbook. A month later I haven't used my slow cooker. None of these 1400 recipes are anything I want to make. A typical recipe is "take a pound of hamburger and a can of cream of mushroom soup and 12 hours later you'll have beef stroganoff." Then the next five pages have ten slightly different variations of the same thing. Plus there's no table of contents and the index is a mess. This book is just a compendium of recipes people sent her, with little or no editing. I was hoping for a book like "Microwave Gourmet" by Barbara Kafka, which I bought at the same time and have used many times, because it shows how to make gourmet meals with less time and effort.

destined for donation at this point, February 28, 2010
First I must say that I am a huge fan of the slow cooker and use it five times per week. I have about twenty slow-cooker cookbooks and use them all the time. This particular book is a collection of recipes with comments submitted by home cooks all over the country. Someone has calculated the nutritional content of each one. I am doubtful that most of these recipes have been tested by the author or by anyone actually involved with the publication of the book. It says on the book's cover "tested in real-life settings". I guess that means by the people who submitted them. I have prepared about a dozen of the recipes and have found none worthy of repeating. They tend to be bland, boring or worse. There are, as many reviewers have noted, multiple versions of the same dish. I can only guess that including all of them was easier and less painful than tasting them. It makes for a very big book which I'm sure will be probably find a new home at the library book sale.

Just Combining Cans, February 1, 2009
I was disappointed to find that so many of these recipes are simply a few cans of this and that, heated up in the slow cooker. Since I am trying to cook more to get away from using so much processed food, this did not further my aim. Also, though there are hundreds of recipes, there is an amazing amount of near-duplication. I really found very few that struck me as interesting, tasty and wholesome recipes.

Great addition to my collection, September 18, 2009
This book has allowed me hours of pleasure just looking for interesting and easy recipes for my slow cooker. I am a great fan of cooking with my slow cooker because even though I am retired, it frees up my whole day and we still have a delightful meal to put on the dinner table. I have adapted many recipes to my slow cooker, have two on hand, and have worn out two of them. This book is the first one I pull off the shelf when I need a new recipe or one that I have partially made up and need to spice it up a bit. This is the biggest and best slow cooker cookbook I have ever seen and I am glad It is mine. I saw it advertised in one of the many catalogs I receive and the first thing I did was check on Amazon as I always do since I inevitably get a lower price. This one was really a winner. Thank you Amazon.

The only crock book cook book you will need., January 30, 2009
This book has about every recipe you can think of in it - way more than you'll use. As I am currently as student, I need quick and easy meals without eating a lot of processed foods. This is the answer. I put the food in the pot first thing in the morning and off I go. When I get home, dinner is ready!

Although there are quite a few recipes with processed food in them, it's easy to change them. I substitute real cheese for processed; low salt / unprocessed broths and soups from health food stores and skim milk for whole milk. Healthy, quick and easy!

not so great, February 14, 2009
1400 receipes sounded great, but way too many have a canned mushroom soup base or something equally awful. Would not recommend.

Great book and lots of recipes and information, May 14, 2010
This book is wonderful. Has recipes for everything from appetizers to main dishes to beverages and deserts. There is very little that you could possible think of that this book does not have a recipe for. It also has different recipes for the same thing, like Split pea soup, where it has 3 different split pea soup recipes, while most other cookbooks I have seen will usually only have one. So if you don't like one, you could try another one to see if you like it better.

There is also a page for Equivalent Measurements, Substitute Ingredients for when you're in a pinch, and of course the index. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The greatest invention since sliced bread may be the machine that makes the loaves that you dream of slicing. The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook finally bridges the gap between great taste and convenience, with over 300 glorious recipes for bread machines. The automatic bread machine makes it possible to enjoy fresh and signature loaves of bread without the time and expense usually involved in bread baking or purchased artisanal breads. Today's bread machines are versatile, affordable, safe, and efficient, turning out perfect loaves time after time. Try Croissants or Banana Bread for breakfast, lunchtime sandwiches on Honey Whole Wheat Bread or Tomato Bread, a loaf of Garlic Focaccia or a Sage and Onion Bread-stuffed roast for dinner, or even Candied Chestnut Panettone and Pumpkin Cloverleaf Rolls for the holidays. Classic white loaves, hearty whole-wheat breads, sweet breads, swirled breads, pizza doughs, quick breads, even jams are easy to make right in the bread machine. Renowned bread baking expert Beth Hensperger's best bread recipes yield great results-- just add the ingredients, and let the machine knead, rise, and bake loaf after loaf of fragrant, delicious fresh bread. ... Read more

Reviews

Can't live without it!, August 17, 2002
I bought this book last Christmas after receiving a machine for a gift. I made a few recipes from the owner's manual and experienced quite a few flops. I refused to be defeated and knew there must be a book out there that would help me make good bread (with the machine that I had begged for). THIS is the book!

I read all the reviews that precede 2002 and got the book right away. I love the way Hensperger explains ingredients, the science of bread and how the machine works. We use our machine at least 3-4 times a week. Some of my favorites from the book include the Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns (I will never buy storebought again!), the Garlic Foccacia, the Orange Bread with White Chocolate, Apricots and Walnuts, and for sandwiches my family loves the Instant Potato Bread and the Maple Buttermilk Bread, both of which turn out light and fluffly.

I remember reading a review that discussed the different ways to measure flour. For some reason, if I do it Hensperger's way, I always have to add more flour. So, I just scoop it without aerating the flour first.

Another review mentioned that you "have to" use SAF yeast. I haven't found this to be true. I have used the SAF, but have also used fast-acting and bread machine yeast. Both have turned out fine. All of the ingredients have been at a local supermarket (I live in a small town - 23,000, on the Central Coast of CA) except the specialty flours like barley, spelt, semolina, etc. Those I have found at a health-food store.

I can't say enough good things about this book! My copy is tattered and stained and I am enjoying working my way through all the recipes. It is a book I definitely can't live without

Some fabulous, some that just don't work, June 24, 2005
I am a fan of Beth Hensperger's, and have baked my way through others of her bread books, and so was very excited when I discovered this book. Several of the breads I have made have been fantastic -- the Whole Wheat Cuban Bread and the Spelt Bread, for example. But I've had many problems when baking from this book (I bake twice weekly, and experiment once a week), which suggests that some of the recipes weren't tested, they were just "written" or adapted from convetional recipes. I'll mention two, the Honey Wheat Berry Bread and the Sennebeck Hill Bread. If you follow the instructions for the 2-pound loaf, in both cases, you'll have a bread that will rise way beyond the capacity of the largest machine -- I have a Zo, with a huge capacity. I was lucky enough to be in the kitchen at the time, and rescued the breads by taking the pan out, putting a greased heavy duty aluminum collar around the baking pan, secured with paper clips, and baking in the oven. That's not what I expect from someone as skilled as Hensperger. And I don't want to have to be in the kitchen when using a bread machine. So be forewarned.

Delicious Vienna bread, January 17, 2001
I received this book for Christmas, and have been having lots of fun with it. I first made a country-style bread that combined whole wheat and bread flours with a touch of maple syrup, and it was yummy. I'll be trying one of the Italian semolina bread recipes this weekend for an Italian dinner party. But my favorite so far has been the Vienna bread. It is best while still warm from the machine (slathered with butter, if you're feeling naughty). It is fairly dense for a white bread, makes great sandwiches, and keeps well for several days. I haven't yet tried any of the biga (starter) breads, but I am looking forward to them. I wish the book contained a cinnamon-raisin bread recipe that was *not* gluten-free; I'll have to improvise.

The instructions in this book are clear and very easy to follow. I also appreciate knowing which recipes are suitable for use with the delay timer. While some ingredients are hard to find, plenty of the recipes call for readily available items. I've discovered that the vital wheat gluten required in most recipes is available at my local Safeway, as are Red Star yeast and semolina flour.

The fact that vital wheat gluten is *not* the same as wheat gluten flour is mentioned in the book, but not emphasized strongly enough. Also, I have to remember to add salt along with the liquid ingredients, although the recipes list salt with the dry ingredients, because my bread machine manual states that salt can interfere with the action of the yeast if it comes in contact with the yeast too early. Perhaps this is a possibility unique to my machine (a Breadman Ultimate). I agree with an earlier poster who complained that recipes using the Dough cycle (for breads to be baked in an oven) call for unplugging the machine at the completion of the cycle; this seems unnecessary.

Overall, I am pleased with and inspired by this book, which contains a great amount of useful information and a slew of easy and delicious-sounding recipes! Thanks, Beth!

Fantastic Cookbook!, August 15, 2006
I absolutely LOVE this book!! Buy-it-a-ring-march-it-down-the-aisle love it!! I'm one of those people with more cookbooks than I shake a whisk at and I go to this one over and over and over! It has everything! I've never had a loaf go wrong and every recipe I've tried is just delicious.

To start with, the Roman Bread alone (p. 409) is worth the price of the book! The granola bread, the blueberry coffee cake, Mexican chocolate bread, brioche rolls...I could go on and on!! It has everything from the simplest white and wheat to unique breads using exotic grains and interesting nuts, fruits and herbs (persimmon bread, lavender rosemary bread). It's made me a better baker because there are so many notes on the science of how bread "works". And it's not just bread - if you could make pot roast in a bread machine this book would tell you how to do it! There are jam recipes, quick bread recipes and recipes for using the leftover bits. There are pizza and calzone recipes that include the toppings, not just the dough. The Cheese Pizza Torte is amazing!
I love my bread machine but I'm not the biggest fan of the shape of the pan, so I often use the dough recipes and then proof the bread and bake it in a regular pan. Many of the recipes for country loaves have you do that anyway for a more authentic loaf.

My husband bought me the book as a Christmas present when I was 4 months pregnant. Here it is August and the bread machine hasn't gone back into the cupboard yet! It's a miracle our daughter wasn't born weighing 17 pounds! Forget whatever companion book Amazon recommends with this book - buy the latest Billy Blanks or Kathy Smith video (or both!) - you'll be eating A LOT of bread if you get this book!

GET THIS BREAD BOOK! Your search is over!, January 17, 2007
I have been a bread machine user since the very first models came out ages ago. I make bread now, more than ever. This is the first book I turn to for creative, delicious recipes, and troubleshooting. I am a mile high above sea level, and after we moved here, I thought I would never make bread again. The altitude was causing my bread to be disastrous.

I first got this book from the library, and checked it out for about 12 weeks. I successfully tried several of the recipes in the book, and my passion for bread was ignited again! I bought my own copy to have forever. Beth takes all the problems and guess work out of bread making, at any altitude. I even contacted her about a baking question, and she answered me within 1/2 hour. How's that for service?

The recipes are delicious and rewarding to make. There is only one recipe that I would warn about. It is the one with the crushed sugar cubes. Mixing the recipe as listed damaged some of the non stick on my bread pan and paddles. (I am a freak about keeping things nice, so this was really a downer.) I would change the recipe to making the dough in the pan, sans the cubes,knead them in by hand before the last rise, and then bake the loaf in the regular oven. This will protect your pan, and you will still have that wonderful bread.

I have a lot of bread making books, and bread machine books. If you are only going to have one, make it this one. If you have more, get this one anyway! You will use it more than the rest! It is comprehensive, and will satisfy just about any bread baker out there. I hope you try it and like it as much as I do. Blessings!

I use this book more than any other cookbook on my shelf, May 16, 2006
I am a working mom but I love to cook and I love good food. My husband is European and won't eat American store-bought bread, so I got my first bread maker shortly after we were married almost 16 years ago. I got this book quite a few years ago and I've opened it about once a week since (about how often I make bread). I've made more than half of the recipes in the book, and they are all wonderful. I really couldn't live without it.

However, as others have said, the whole wheat recipes are generally not quite that. Only one or two of the WW recipes are 100%. The others have half to 3/4 white flour. The author explains why - she doesn't feel that you get a "satisfactory" result with the whole wheat flour, and she adds a lot of extra gluten to these recipes.

However some of us really like the dense 100% whole wheat(or other grain) breads. I wish that there were a companion volume dedicated just to whole grains. I learned so much about machine bread baking from this book - now I want to learn just as much about machine bread making with 100% whole grains.

I'd really like to understand the properties of the other bread-grains better, as well.

Needs more instructions for more whole grain flours., January 15, 2006
This book has amazing breadth, many different ideas for different types of loaves. But I want to make bread with all (or nearly all) whole grain flours. I was amazed at how many recipes had a large percentage of regular while bread flour.

Even the breads in the section for Whole Wheat, Whole-Grain, and Specialty Flour Breads the recipes had lots of white flour. For example the following all have over 50% of the flour as white flour: "Nine Grain Honey Bread", "Barley Bread", "Whole-Greain Daily Bread".

I like the heavier dark breads, and admit that most people like lighter breads than I do. This book would have gotten more stars if she would only tell me how to adapt the recipes. The author does mention that in time beginners will figure out how to adapt recipes, but I would like some hints rather than going through the school of hard loaves.

Wonderful Recipes, November 16, 2008
Baking is my thing, even though I must cook everyday foods to survive. Because I have limited shelf space, and because I want to simplify my life, I only keep those cookbooks I use and treasure. This is one of those books. I love the recipes in this book!! They are accurate and produce consistent results. If you like glossy pictures in your cookbooks then this book is not for you, but if you want easy and tasty recipes then this is the best book in the market.
In reading some of the negative reviews I would like to comment that perhaps the fault does not lie in the recipes, but in the cook. Successful baking requires quality ingredients, careful measuring and correct temperature. Of all the ingredients used in bread baking the most important is of course the flour. Not all flours are created equal, they vary in protein content and moisture. Protein helps give structure to the dough, a soft spring wheat, low protein, flour (White Lily, Wondra) is good for cakes, a high protein winter wheat flour (most bread flours) is good for breads. The moisture content of the flour determines the amount of liquid to be added to the recipe. I have found Gold Medal and Pillsbury flours have a higher moisture content than other flours and require slightly less liquid. So try the same recipes using a different flour, and check the dough before the machine goes into the bake cycle and adjust accordingly..... too wet, add flour; too dry, add liquid. Lastly, always use the same brand of flour and learn to work with it. I use King Arthur flour exclusively for consistent results.
I know some of the info in this review is not necessarily about the book in question, but the info may be helpful to someone having difficulty in achieving consistent results in the baking process.

Every recipe is a hit!, February 13, 2001
I bought this book because I read the reviews written by other customers and they were overall very good. So far I've made 3 recipes from the book - a flax seed bread, beer bread and a whole wheat bread - and they've all turned out amazingly well. I was resigned to the "fact" that bread machine bread was more dense than grocery store bread - until I tried these recipes. The bread is light and moist and the crust is crispy and delicious. I haven't bought the SAF yeast, I'm using regular bread machine yeast but it doesn't seem to matter. I admit - because I'm from Canada, apparently our flour is different from US flour - that I modify the recipes a bit - reducing the flour by 1/8 to 1/4 cup. I've also found that I can reduce the amount of sugar and fat called for in the recipes and still have excellent results.

This book is wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone with a bit of knowledge of baking and a desire to spend some time with their bread machines.

From four to five stars! Wish it could be six!, February 13, 2001
I originally gave this book four stars, but after trying *many more* of the absolutely delicious recipes, I felt compelled to write a new review and up the star count to five. This book is fabulous! The more I use this book, the more Beth Hensperger seems like a friend guiding me as I learn about my bread machine's capabilities, and I can't thank her enough.

I ordered the SAF yeast from the King Arthur Flour Company and it really does make a difference. (The expiration date stamped on the package troubled me, because it was only a five months away, so I emailed King Arthur and learned that if you keep the yeast in the freezer, it will be good for a year or more. The stamped date is based on professional bakery use, where the yeast sits out in a hot kitchen every day.)

I have tried several whole wheat and semolina breads, graham bread, seeded whole grain breads, and white breads, and they all turned out beautifully. The semolina bread was particularly luscious baked on the French bread cycle for a crackling crisp crust and slathered with garlic butter, as Hensperger recommends. Using Hensperger's guidelines, I successfully added gluten to other recipes that did not call for it and saw the breads rise perfectly.

Beth Hensperger's talent for recipe development is amazing; her sandwich buns and pizza crusts turned out great, too! (A nice bonus is her pizza sauce recipe, which is scrumptious and very easy.) I love, love, love this book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The fresh, robust flavors of Italian grilled sandwiches.

A panini is an Italian-inspired pressed sandwich enjoyed throughout Italy and, increasingly, in North American cafés, restaurants and kitchens. Italians regard panini as fast food thanks to its easy preparation, which also accounts for its success in North America. Sales of panini makers have skyrocketed, with small appliance manufacturers releasing new models each year.

Tiffany Collins provides great recipes that replicate the bistro experience and maximize the use of a home panini maker. Among the recipes for this vibrant, flavorful food are:

• Salami, prosciutto, mozzarella panini with roasted red peppers; Philly cheesesteak panini
• Bacon, spinach and hard-boiled egg panini; smoked salmon, red onion, cream cheese and caper panini
• Sweet Italian sausage, provolone and tomato sauce panini; hummus, red onion and Swiss cheese panini
• Pulled pork panini; Tuscan tuna and white bean panini; shrimp club panini
• Cuban panini; smores panini; sliced beef, caramelized onions and gorgonzola panini
• Smoked turkey, brie and Granny Smith apple panini; south of the border turkey panini with perfect guacamole.

This Italian tradition can now be experienced at home and enjoyed by the whole family.

Reviews

Not just a sandwich, July 20, 2008
O.K. I love cookbooks. I also love sandwiches. So what's not to love here. In my opinion, the term "Panini" is a bit overused these days, but marketing is marketing. The recipies in this book are intelligent, classy, fun and of course, delicious. My wife and I have tried 3 to date and are well on our way to try, not all, but many more. The layout, the "tips" and the headers for the sandwiches allows you access to the amount of thought that went into this book. I typically love cookbooks with many, many pictures. This book, however, doesn't need that many. The sandwichs' name is a picture in itself. Don't get me wrong, the pictures the book does have are beautiful. So, yes, I love this book. And by the way, who needs to go out and buy a panini grill when the ol' George Foreman works just great.

Title says it all!, August 28, 2008
I've purchased quite a few cook books for my panini press, but nothing is as user friendly as this one. Not only are the recipes very good but the ingredients are items that can be found in your own kitchen. I did not have to go out to buy anything special. My husband(who is somewhat picky) and son have devoured all the sandwiches I have made so far. Thank you, Tiffany Collins!

Much more than just a panini cookbook!, July 13, 2008
A fantastic cookbook if you're always looking for new ideas that are easy to make and delicious to eat! Great ideas that get you out of the normal cooking rut, and paninis that make you look like a pro! got rave reviews from my family.

Well organized, great photos and additional recipes for condiments and spreads that I didn't expect. A nice suprise! I just ordered more as gifts for my friends. My kudos to the author.

Recipes for everyone!, December 22, 2008
I bought several copies of this cookbook to give as Christmas presents to friends and family. My sister sticks to a strict vegetarian diet, and I read through the vegetarian section to see what was offered specifically for her. I was amazed! The vegetarian recipes are abundant and every one sounds delicious! Each recipe is written almost like a little story and before I knew it, I was well into the book and reading it like a novel. I didn't think anyone could come up with 200 panini recipes -- Tiffany Collins not only came up with a splendid variety of ingredients to put together in a panini, but she also included hundreds of great tips. With the selections she's provided, I could be eating a panini every day for months and the variety would make it seem like I was eating a different gourmet meal each time. What a great way for busy families to prepare and serve quick and easy nutritious meals!

I needed this help!, July 10, 2008
I am a single father who cares about receiving good reviews from my kids, when feeding them. The '200 Best Panini Recipes' book has been a Godsend for me. The variety of recipes including Breakfast Paninis, Desserts, Chicken, Beef, and Panini Just for Kids, seperated by chapters, makes it easy for me to select and utilize the right recipes for my children. The author's tips and descriptions makes it easy for this amateur cook to receive good reviews from my children!

Fabulous!, July 8, 2008
I just picked up a copy of this book and I have already made a handful of these recipes. They are SUPER easy, and a lot of the ingredients are items that most people probably have on hand. My favorite so far is the grilled chicken, roasted peppers, spinach and jack cheese. Another thing I really like about this book is that you can either use store-bought dressings or you have the option to make your own from the recipes included at the back of the book. If you don't already have a panini grill, she includes helpful tips on picking one out.

A delicious solution, April 6, 2009
When I lived in Italy, I practically lived on crisp, yummy panini sandwiches, and have been making them here for years. Most cooks have their own ideas about what makes a great panini, but we often rely on the same old ingredients. Tiffany Collins brings fresh, inspiring ideas to this simply satisfying treat, and with so many great ideas to choose from, you can eat a different panini every week for years and never have the same meal twice! Move over pasta, move over pizza: Tiffany's well-built panini book is the solution for tasty meals that are quick, easy, and oh so satisfying. It's a great resource, too, for combining ingredients that "work" well together, whether they're in a panini or not.

Tiffany knows her panini!, August 5, 2008
Wow! Tiffany has widened my panini world! Her recipes are practical and delicious. What a beautiful, easy to use, nicely formatted cookbook! I think this means that I will keep my panini machine on the counter at all times since I will now be using it daily! Thanks, Tiffany!

Panini's, May 11, 2009
Excellent, simple recipes and ideas for making great paninis. Suggestions for use of leftovers are also very helpful. The recipes for sauces at the end of the book are fantastic and useful for dishes other than paninis. Much prefer this book over "Simple Italian Sandwiches" which I also purchased.

Rockin' good recipes, December 17, 2008
Two take-aways from this book. One, the variety and combinations of ingredients. Expect flavor pairings you don't expect. Two, the ease of prep. Panini's by definition should be easy, and these recipes keep it that way. I'm on sandwich #11 and counting. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Amazon.com ReviewProduct Description
Finally a book that combines the fresh, exuberant flavors of great Italian food with the ease and comfort of a slow cooker. Michele Scicolone, a best-selling author and an authority on Italian cooking, shows how good ingredients and simple techniques can lift the usual "crockpot" fare into the dimension of fine food. Pasta with Meat and Mushroom Ragu, Osso Buco with Red Wine, Chicken with Peppers and Mushrooms: These are dishes that even the most discriminating cook can proudly serve to company, yet all are so carefree that anyone with just five or ten minutes of prep time can make them on a weekday and return to perfection.

Simmered in the slow cooker, soups, stews, beans, grains, pasta sauces, and fish are as healthy as they are delicious. Polenta and risotto, "stir-crazy" dishes that ordinarily need careful timing, are effortless. Meat loaves come out perfectly moist, tough cuts of meat turn succulent, and cheesecakes emerge flawless.

Recipe Excerpts from The Italian Slow Cooker

Chicken Parmesan Heroes

The Butcher's Sauce

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Reviews

Brian O'Rourke, January 11, 2010
I have to admit I'm a great fan of Michele Scicolone. I got one of her cookbooks long ago, baked the best cookie I've ever had, and have been addicted to her wonderful recipes, stories and style ever since. This book continues her tradition of crafting perfect cookbooks. Why do I say perfect? Well, I'm not a professional cook, yet I can follow her recipes and create fantastic meals. Many cookbooks have recipes that are tricky or simply don't come out at all. Michele's books are totally trustworthy. Her recipes work flawlessly, deliciously. I just opened my copy of Italian Slow Cooker, found the recipe for Chicken Ragu, and looked at the outside temperature. It's only 10 degrees above zero in the Catskills, but I'm tasting her ragu tonight and the world is warm and comfy.

I recommend this book to everyone.

Brian O'Rourke

Patience Rewarded: Slowly Wonderful Cucina Italiana, January 11, 2010
After spending a mouthwatering hour perusing this wonderful cookbook my wife and I went out and bought a slow cooker. Easy and delicious stocks, soups and a splendid turkey bolognese sauce were our first efforts. We will be soon be on to other sauces, vegetables, stews and desserts.

Michele Scicolone's instructions are always accurate and easy to follow. Her invention and taste sense make this book a total delight.

Wonderful cookbook!, January 10, 2010
This is a WONDERFUL cookbook! I have made most of the recipes in it and have enjoyed each one. They come out delicious (not the grey mush that most crock pot recipes turn into) and are relatively easy. I also like that they don't all need a million ingredients. A lot of these recipes use things you likely already have on hand. TWO THUMBS UP!

Love it!, January 11, 2010
I got this book for christmas and just love it! I am a pretty experienced cook and have been looking for a good crockpot cookbook that does not call for a can of cream of mushroom soup and frozen chicken breasts, but that also uses ingredients I would have in house. Had the cauliflower and potato soup tonight and even my "meat and potato" 15 year old son admitted it was pretty good! Also, made the beef barolo over the weekend, one of the best pot roasts I have had in a long time. Looking forward to trying more! Great book!

First get out the skillet, January 21, 2010
I was given this cookbook because I love Italian food and love the ease of the slow cooker; but I must have other prerequisites for what I consider the main purpose of a slow cooker's easy cooking than what this author does; despite the statement on the back cover;" Plug it in, walk away and cook like an Italian grandmother". I really love to cook but to me a slow cooker is for, yes slow cooking but the wonderful ease of plopping ingredients in and coming back hours later to a satisfying meal. That is not what most of these recipes are, so if your ideal of what a slow cooker's purpose is; just know before you get this book, that out of the total 113 recipes I counted, 53 require you to get out the skillet first and cook or brown food before you put it in. That includes more than chicken, which many say they would rather brown first. Personally, the chickens I have done in a slow cooker have been fine without the browning first, so I was shocked to see so many recipes say get out the skillet; and that doesn't count the ones that said " in a saucepan cook....".
The book is very tightly bound and I had a hard time getting it to lie flat. I had to weight it with canisters on each side. The recipes are one to a page and there are quite a few pictures.
It contains recipes for: soups, sauces for pasta, risotto, polenta, grains, seafood, eggs, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, pork, lamb, vegetables, dried legumes and desserts.
So, just know that this is not the typical throw it in and let it slow cook book. The food is good and it's nice to have that slow cooker bubbling away keeping things warm; but for most recipes in here you are going to have to do some extra preparation.

authentic and better than most slow cooker cookbooks, April 15, 2010
These long winter months are a great time to use that slow cooker your received as a gift, or to dig it out of a cabinet. Hearty stews and hot soups are delicious, comforting meals for cold evenings.

For my money, this is the most enticing slow cooker cookbook out there right now. The author, Michele Scicolone, is well-known as an Italian cookbook writer. Italian cuisine, with its soups and stews and other braised dishes, is well suited to the low, steady heat of the slow cooker.

Unlike the majority of slow cooker cookbooks out there, this one does not use highly-processed shortcuts of dubious origin like condensed cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix or pre-mixed spice packets. The results are far more flavorful and authentic.

Hint: For those of you with crockpots that don't have a programmable timer, you can buy a programmable electric outlet timer that will cut off the power to an outlet after a set time, so the food won't be overcooked.

Another great cookbook, January 13, 2010
Those familiar with Michele Scicolone's work will not be surprised that she has turned out yet another great cookbook. This book takes slow cooking to a new level. There is great variety in the recipes from first courses to dessert;and as always, the recipes work. Many of the recipes are beautifully photographed. The "Chunky Pork Shoulder Ragu" is one of my favorites. This book is a must for those who love classic Italian food but who can't be home all day to cook it.

Good slow cooker recipes, April 11, 2010
There are several imaginative recipes in this book. Cooking an entire chicken and then having great meat for chicken salads and other uses is a great idea. I've always simmered it on top of the stove, but that requires my attention. The polenta works well. I haven't tried the risotto yet - maybe this weekend. . . The lamb shanks with beans and gremolata currently my family's favorite.

Some have complained that the recipes are not just 'dump and run' and require some prep time. This is true. The prep time is rarely more than 5 minutes. If you don't do them, the food will still be good and nourishing, it will just miss being pretty by being browned and some of the deeper flavors won't develop. Decide whether 5 mins or enhanced flavor is important to you and go with it.

Creative use of a Slow Cooker, January 24, 2010
Like many busy cooks, I appreciate the ease and delight of a slow cooker. Coming home at the end of the day to the smell of dinner ready to serve is wonderful! My problem was always that the food all tasted the same--mushy, soupy, brown, blah.

The recipes in this book are creative and more interesting than those I have found online or in other books. The Italian Slow Cooker is mindful of seasonal produce, with lighter options that will be perfect for warm days, as well as desserts and grains. Risotto in the slow cooker? Brilliant! Polenta pear cake? Hello, dinner party menu!

I have a new appreciation for the slow cooker.
Thanks, Michele. Another great book.

Flavor and Simplicity, January 13, 2010
I've been a fan of Michele's cookbooks for many years.
The recipes are simple, true to the Italian taste and loaded with flavor.
This cookbook combines it all and is a terrific source for the busy cook who enjoys the benefits of the slow cooker. I'm buying an additional one to send to my daughter.
Thanks so much Michele for another great hit.
Karen Mines
Woodstock, NY
... Read more

Editorial Review

Everyone loves fresh bread, but not the time it takes to make it. Bread machines are hot items in the kitchen because they take the work out of making homemade bread. Even better, Betty Crocker takes the mystery out of the bread machine and brings you easy-to-use recipes for both 1 1/2-pound and 2-pound loaves that work for all the popular bread machine models. We've packed this book with over 100 recipes to tempt your tastebuds. There are delicious bread recipes for classic favorites, rustic breads, sweet doughs, coffeecakes and buns. Betty Crocker's Bread Machine Cookbook also offers a host of recipes for doughs to mix, then shape and bake in a conventional oven -- such as foccacia, breadsticks and pizza doughs -- with easy-to-follow illustrations on how to shape and trim the loaves. Best of all, you can trust these recipes will work in your bread machine because the Betty Crocker kitchens have tested the recipes in several different machines to ensure success at home. We've also loaded up this book to include information on bread machine ingredients; glossary of bread machine ingredients, techniques, and terms; and a breakdown of the various features found on different models of machines and how to use them. There's nothing better than the taste of homemade bread -- and no one brings it to you better than Betty Crocker. ... Read more

Reviews

Great book, October 14, 2002
when I bought my bread machine a year ago I was really excited about buying a cookbook to try it out. I found so many books, and most of the reviews said "buy this one it's the best", or "you won't need another one"... I got all confused. So, since I have most Betty Crocker cookbooks, I choose this one, 'cause I know they only have try and true recipes. In fact, it didn't let me down.
The book starts with an introduction about bread machines in general, how they work, and ingredients. It has a chart with all kinds of flours and teaches you what kind of bread you'll get.
Then the recipes. Including here, classics like white bread, Sally Lunn, garlic bread. New ones like orange capuccino brad. It has one of the best bagel recipe.
It's divided in 7 chapters:
Chapter 1: Good and Savory loaves
Chapter 2: Wholesome Grains Loaves
Chapter 3: Fruit and Veggie Harvest Loaves
Chapter 4: Smaller Can Be jst Right
Chapter 5: Rustic Loaves and Flatbreads
Chapter 6: Satisfying Rolls and Breadsticks
Chapter 7: Sweet breads and Coffee Cakes

The book has plenty of pictures, and this, especially for a beginner, is pretty important to know what it will look like the bread you are gonna bake.

A year later, I find myself still using this fantastic book and having excellent results. It has over 130 recipes so it's impossible to get bored.

Breads lack variety in consistency but info/reasearch great, February 27, 2005
��There are several very positive comments that I have about this book. First, the recipes were tested on all 3 sizes of loaves. Therefore, sometimes proportions of ingredients will not necessarily agree with proportions of bread weight in order to get the same bread. I was happy to have someone else go through these tests so that I didn't have to. Another interesting element to this book is that they show pictures of how "wrong" breads look and list what possible ingredients were out of proportion. This is very helpful in analyzing the outcome of your bread. Finally, I am a picture person and all of the breads have beautiful pictures next to them.
��The big negative I found in the book was that all of the breads I made (about 7) had the same consistency. If you are interested in creating more interesting types of breads, such as light airy french breads with crunchy crusts or ciabatta's - you will be hard pressed to find them in this book.

Editorial Review

Beautiful to display and practical to use, Slow Cooker is truly a godsend for time-challenged cooks who want to prepare healthy, tasty, and satisfying meals but don’t have hours to spend hovering over their stoves. Replete with all the high standards that have made Cooking Light a trusted favorite, this new edition provides over 58 beautifully photographed recipes with useful, easy-to-follow instruction. ... Read more

Reviews

Beyond Cream of Mushroom Soup, January 9, 2007
I'm not much for creating my own recipes. I think I have the skill to do it, but I simply haven't the time, particularly not for a slow cooker (isn't the point of having one, after all, that you have so much to do, see, experience that you don't want to spend anymore time than necessary in the kitchen?). So-o-o it was with some trepidation that I ordered this book. Truth be told, it was to bump the order over $25, so S&H would be free. Imagine my delight and surprise when I found actual recipes inside, not meat-or-veg-with-canned-soup-poured-over. In particular I love the recipe for a tamale pie, with cornbread crust and cheese topping. As with any slow cooker, the special taste you get from high direct heat is missing, but most of these recipes are juicy, stewy things with delightful combinations of flavors. Best of all, each is accompanied by a nutritional analysis which allows me to cipher Weight Watchers points. I have found that one of the things I miss most about living alone is opening the apartment door after work and smelling -- what? -- furniture polish? something gone bad in the trash? This book and my slow cooker let me open the door to the delightful aroma of a supper I know I will enjoy. Buy it; you'll like it.

Essential Slow Cooking Recipe Collection, July 20, 2007
Here is the Cooking Light 57 essential recipes for slow cooking. As other slow cooking cookbooks, this covers the bases: appetizers, desserts, main dishes, etc.

The layout is exceptional: clean with two pages per recipe, with one page full color photo. Other nice feature (especially for the cook not too familiar with certain ingredients or techniques) is a highlighted ingredient or technique, e.g. water bath, kitchen shears, rice wine vinegar, etc.

So far tried the following and turned out remarkably nice, easy to prepare and equally nice to dine: Turkey Thights with Olives and Dried Cherries; Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms; Chicken with Figs and Lemons; Fudgy Caramel Pudding Cake; Thai-Style Pork Stew.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive collection for slow cooker, but the pick of the crop, what the editors have determined to be 'essential' recipes for the slow cooker.

Nice to have in collection.

Recipes have potential, January 7, 2007
I have tried several recipes from this cookbook as I love to use slow cookers. I have yet to find that "perfect" recipe that can be duplicated exactly as written for fabulous results. As the magazine, many of the recipes need some tweaking so that it can fit your taste. For instance the potato soup recipe was easy and produced a creamy soup (not as good as the Baked Potato Soup from Cooking Light - but the vegetable broth that I used gave it a sharp aftertaste. Next time I will use chicken broth. What I have always enjoyed about the recipes from the magazine is that one can go to the website and check out other readers experience with the recipe and read what they changed and why. I couldn't find any of these on their webpage so these recipes are uncharted territory. I don't think that this will become my favorite slow cooker cookbook but I will use it - with adjustments as I go.

Yummy but Non-Complicated Recipes w. Ingredients in your Pantry, October 26, 2008
I recently bought a new crockpot with the thought of fixing meals that would be ready when I returned home from work. I was delighted to find this cookbook, which I hoped would combine convenience with lighter, healthier meals than you typically find with traditional crock-pot recipes.

So far, I've tried a few recipes which have been delicious. However, my hopes of stuffing the crockpot as I headed out the door were a bit na�ve, as the ones I've tried have all required at least 30-60 minutes of preparation time. As a result, I've adjusted my methods and have begun preparing the meals on the weekend for reheating and serving during the first part of the week. Another alternative might be to measure and chop everything the night before for assembling the next morning. It's not that these recipes are complicated or difficult - it's simply that when I last used the crock-pot, my repertoire of recipes was quite limited and confined to only those that featured few ingredients and were extremely simple. An example is the one with boneless pork chops that you toss in the crockpot and throw a can of cream of mushroom over. Not exactly gourmet fare, but it doesn't get much easier and was quite tasty, believe it or not.

Most of the recipes are for 6 servings and since there is just the two of us, I freeze the rest in two serving containers to enjoy at another time. For the most part, the ingredients are those that are easily found in the grocery store or even in your pantry -nothing exotic or expensive. The crock-pot size indicated in all the recipes I've encountered so far is either a 3 or 4 quart. I recently replaced my crock-pot with a Hamilton Beach model that comes with 3 different quart size crocks - 2, 4 and 6 - which has proven to allow a lot of flexibility and perhaps even doubling the recipes.

For those wishing to watch the bottom line, the book provides the per-serving count of calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, fiber , iron, sodium and calcium for each recipe that includes the side dish - such as rice or noodles - that they suggest serving with the entree.

We're fairly big eaters and the sad reality is that what some recipes consider a serving is about half of what we'd actually like to eat. So far, we've found the portion they've indicated to be a serving is adequate. Knowing how many servings each dish is supposed to provide helps us with portion control, which is our downfall.
I've enjoyed the results of this cookbook and am having fun trying different recipes and having most of the work done up front with little clean-up afterward.

Long on looks, short on substance, September 1, 2007
Each recipe takes up a full page and is accompanied by a full-page illustration, so the book is quite handsome, but has very few recipes compared to a standard cookbook. The recipes it does have rely too much on specialized, processed products that I, for one, do not keep on hand in my kitchen. Another drawback is that most of these supposedly healthy recipes are extremely high in sodium, which makes them unacceptable to me. I returned this book.

Disappointing, May 25, 2007
I expected better from Cooking Light. This book is very different from the creativity and general reliability of the magazine. Obviously not written by the editors. It uses too many commerical short cuts, processed products, and the recipes do not look "light" at all. Visually it is poorly styled and photographed and produced on cheap paper. There are much better slow cooker cookbooks, and anyone with a little cooking experience can adjust to lighten them up. I'll stick with the magazine - they have a section on slow cookers. This book is not worth the money.

Great slow cooker cookbook!, March 15, 2007
I received this as a gift and have already given it to others. I have several other slow cooker cookbooks and this one is my favorite. So far we've made the black bean with corn bread on top dish and the beef stroganoff which are both on the "top favorite recipe list". Looking forward to trying more recipes in the book!

Odd Recipes, February 8, 2008
I got this cookbook because I was looking for healthy recipes for my slow cooker. While the recipes are no doubt healthy, few-to-none of them are for what I would consider "common" dishes. I ended up getting the Betty Crocker Slow Cooker cookbook (which gives you a nutritional breakdown for every recipe at the bottom of each page) and like that one a lot better.

Tasty meals, January 11, 2007
This has been a wonderful cookbook. I'm a fan of Cooking Light and all the creative and healthy recipes it has to offer. This book is filled with tasty, lowfat meals and would be a book I would recommend to any busy mom!!

Just another pretty face, March 31, 2009
Nicely written and photographed, but no outstandingly different recipes. Not Your Mother's Slow-Cooker Cookbook is more innovative and comprehensive. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook proves there's more to this popular appliance than a convenient way to cook a pot of rice. Complete with tips on buying and using a rice cooker, as well as selecting and preparing every kind of rice, grain, and dried bean, this book includes 250 recipes for everything from hot breakfast cereals and creamy desserts and puddings to classic vegetable, bean, and rice combinations and savory whole meal cuisines. ... Read more

Reviews

One thing to consider...SMELLS, March 25, 2005
I have owned rice cookers for many years. My latest, the Zojirushi NS-ZAC10, is the best I have ever used. I figured it would be a good idea to branch out from using the rice cooker to cook only rice, so I purchased this highly recommended book.

While the book is very good, and the recipes I have tried so far have all been quite tasty, there is a major consideration that you should be aware of when making many of the recipes in this book: residual odors.

Yes, when you use your rice cooker to make the delicious "creamy breakfast oatmeal" with steel-cut oats, bear in mind that your steamed white rice will smell of cinnamon for at least three or four batches afterwards. My 11-year old (a steamed rice 'purist') noticed the cinnamon 'essence' immediately and complained that 'something was wrong with the rice.'

Similarly with any of the dishes which call for sauteing onions in the rice cooker, or adding other strongly aromatic ingredients. If you use your rice cooker primarily for preparing perfect (and I mean PERFECT) steamed rice, you may not want any other flavors mingling in there.

Just something to keep in mind.

Otherwise, the book is a great resource. There are a few minor inconsistencies (try finding 'congee' in the index), and the resource materials can be a bit confusing (to be fair, the number of rice varieties is quite daunting). And if you are an experienced cook you may get tired of being told the exact procedure for washing rice in every recipe, but all in all, the sheer variety alone is easily worth the price. Also, it is worth noting that if you have a fuzzy logic rice cooker, you will not be able to use it for any of the recipes that employ steaming (which is a fair number of dishes), but you can easily adapt these recipes to any another stovetop steaming setup you may have.

Just remember to plan your rice cooker experiments around your need for 'un-tainted' steamed rice, and you will enjoy "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook"

We use this cookbook at least 3 times a week (usually more), November 20, 2002
I bought a rice cooker, learned the basics of preparing rice and then wanted to expand my skills. So I bought a few cookbooks but this is the ONLY one that has recipes my whole family loves, so much so that we use it at least 3-5 times a week and never feel like we're eating the same thing.
The recipes aren't just for rice but for all sorts of grains and vegetables and fruits as well. In fact, I'm ready to throw out my crockpot because the meals prepared in the rice cooker are much better, don't have that overcooked, stewed taste you can get with a crockpot and have all the convenience and ease that I need with my busy schedule. The directions are clear and the recipes range from the simple (plain cooked grains) to the more complex (rice with coconut and currants... or grits with cheese and spices )
The ultimate test of a good cookbook, of course, is getting compliments and raves about the food. Every time I've made a recipe from this book, the food has been devoured quickly. We rarely have leftovers and my son's friends even make a point of looking in the kitchen to see if the rice cooker is turned on ( yes, the recipes in this cookbook are THAT good).

turns a rice cooker into a major kitchen appliance, April 28, 2003
I used to use my rice cooker several times a week. With this cook book and my new fuzzy logic rice cooker, I use it several times a day. It will appeal to cooks of all levels. For cooks experienced with rice and whole grains, the most important part of the book will probably be recipes for the porridge cycle of a fuzzy logic cooker: rice porridge, puddings, custards, and hot cereals. Even for experienced rice cooks, however, this book has excellent information on different varieties of rice and different types of dishes. In addition to many styles of rice dishes, it includes recipes for other grains such as couscous, bulgur and grits. It is well laid out and has commentaries on grains and dishes that will enable creative cooks to invent their own recipes as well as using the very tasty recipes included in the book. Although the recipes suggest the size of the cooker to be used, you need to use some common sense. I have a small cooker and have successfully made recipes suggested for other size cookers. This book is utterly clear and easy to follow. All the recipes work, and all taste wonderful. If you have a rice cooker, especially a fuzzy logic cooker, you need this book.

Don't buy unless your cooker is a "fuzzy logic" one, March 2, 2006
After reading all the reviews of this cookbook, I decided to purchase it. I've been looking for a good rice pudding recipe to be made in a rice cooker.

However, the book is nearly useless to me. Every single recipe in the pudding section calls for using a "fuzzy logic only" cooker. I checked the oatmeal and porridge section as well -- and found the same.

So, it might be a good cookbook for people who own $200 rice cookers, but for the majority of us, the book is just not worth it. There are too few recipes for regular old rice cookers.

(And I find it disingenuous that, when the authors talk about the differences in cookers in the beginning, they fail to note that the majority of their recipes only work in the expensive machine.)

Great, But Not Foolproof, July 23, 2006
While I love this cookbook, I'm going to tell you about the problems so you can get better results from it.

1. Measuring is a challenge! Depending on your rice cooker, liquids can be measured three ways: using the rice cooker cup, by the marks inside your rice cooker bowl, and by a standard measuring cup [8 fl oz.]. Dry ingredients can be measured by either the rice cooker cup or by a standard dry ingredients measuring cup. Before beginning any recipe, make sure you know what measures are being used, and do not make any recipe for the first time when company is coming over, in case you need to adjust it. Based on numerous recipe failures, I think the writers sometimes mixed up the measurements. They definitely could have made the information clearer in each recipe. How about a revised edition? ;)

2. Some recipes, polenta for example, have overly long cooking times, such as two porridge cycles back to back, or 90 minutes. Polenta cooks on the stovetop in 20 minutes; even a single porridge cycle is too long. Feel free to cut cooking times short.

3. When cooking oatmeal, polenta, grits, etc. with the porridge cycle, open the cover up, and leave it up, once the contents reach a simmer. If you don't, starchy lava will flow out of the vent and make a horrible mess, hot liquid may shoot out, and the recipe may be ruined as a result. If your rice cooker starts to spit, use extreme caution when you open the lid, as the hot contents may splash and burn you.

4. If a recipe says you can skip pre-soaking for tapioca, beans, etc., don't. Your final results will be much better using a traditional overnight soak in cold water.

5. When making risotto, don't perform the first step, briefly saut�ing the rice in oil, in the rice cooker. Because rice cooker bowls are narrow and deep, the rice will be steamed, and your risotto will be mush. Instead, saut� the rice as usual in a large flat frying pan, then transfer the contents to the rice cooker bowl. Also, use the variety of Arborio called Carnaroli, as it holds up the best.

6. Use an easy to clean rice cooker; mine is the Panasonic from Williams Sonoma. You can avoid lingering odors--even from cinnamon and curry--if you can take the top completely apart and wash it each time. Soak the parts in cool water, not hot, and they should clean up easily. If odors remain, put two or three cups of cold water in the rice cooker and run it through the regular cycle, taking care that it doesn't cook dry. By cups, I mean 8 fluid ounces. ;) Then let it cool, take it apart as much as you can, and let the pieces dry completely in a dish rack.

7. No recipe is foolproof! Variances in rice crops, local water, and rice cookers will affect the outcome. If it doesn't work the first time, make adjustments and try again.

Just Plain Comprehensive, October 6, 2002
I got this book as a gift after debating whether to buy it for about six months. I have a fuzzy logic cooker and wasn't sure if the recipes in the book were for regular rice cookers or the fuzzy logic type. Turns out its for all kinds of rice cookers. In fact the book basically is a reference guide to rice, rice cookers, rice recipes and anything else eatable the authors attempted to cook in the appliance. The only thing that fuzzy logic cookers get left out of is steamed items. Each recipe tells you if it is appropriate for the rice cooker you have. Most of the recipes seem to work for all cookers.

Comprehensive is the word that came to mind the first time I sat down with this cook book. The first section deals with rice cookers and describes each kind in detail and how to use it. That takes 16 pages. Then they move on to every type of rice you are might encounter in the whole rice loving world. That's another 16 pages. Included in that section is a page devoted to how to make packaged rice mixes in the cooker; things like rice-a-roni or some of the new orleans red beans and rice mixes or casbah brand.

The recipes start appearing on page 34 and one thing to know is that THERE ARE NO ILLUSTRATIONS. The recipes are separated into chapters like pilafs, risottos, deserts, and other unlikely items, like little meals, dim sum and grains. What is convenient is that at the start of each chapter is a little table of contents for that chapter listing the name and page of each recipe. What a great idea. In each chapter if there is any step of a recipe that can't be done in a cooker that gets its own little recipe. The recipes are laid out well; the ingredients are listed in a different color type than the directions.

There are some things they want you to do that seem weird, like melting butter and sauteing things in the cooker using the quick cook cycle with the lid open. I haven't tried that yet. One day, but not today. Making different breakfast oatmeals and porridges seems like high adventure to me.

There are lots of side items about rice or other ingredients, including a list of useful items found in asian markets. Things like that are printed on different colored paper. Even a amall history of rice.

...

WoW, December 4, 2003
I bought this book before I purchased my rice cooker. I really wanted to prepare beans and whole grains, not just rice. I learned that I could use this appliance in many ways. It made me so excited to purchase a rice cooker. All questions are answered. You CAN use this book to prepare many healthful foods in the basic on off rice cooker. There are only a few recipes that require the fuzzy logic rice cooker. I don't think I have ever had a cookbook that was so well written and entertaining to read, or easy to follow.

A suggestion, December 25, 2008
I borrowed this book from a friend and loved it so much that I'm going to buy it from Amazon, but I noticed that many people have left reviews saying that some recipes leave lingering aromas in their cookers. With that in mind, I'd like to leave some helpful advice for people who are planning on making "aromatic" recipes in their cookers:

To rid your cooker of most smells, put a little bit of baking powder in the bottom (1 or 2 tbsp. I think) and about 1-2 inches of warm water. Leave it for a few minutes, wash the sides with the baking powder mixture (just to be sure you got all the smelly parts :D) and then wash normally.

I know this doesn't directly pertain to the book, but I hope it helps.

Great Recipes and Intro but..., March 16, 2006
First of all, this is a great book that everyone with a rice cooker should own (although if you don't have one, obviously save your money). I've only just begun to explore the recipes, but they are quite good. I haven't found any other rice cooker cookbooks near this quality, depth, etc., basically this book fills a empty spot on my shelf. So thanks Beth Hensperger!

The two disappoints in this book were:
1) Most recipes work with only an on/off cooker OR a fuzzy logic cooker, not either! I thought my sanyo ecj-d100s did everything. In fact, I was happy to note the introduction claims that no fuzzy logic cookers can steam food, only of/off. My sanyo can steam, but it still can't make any of the 5 custards apparently.
2) The book itself is bound in a way that does not let it lie flat on the countertop when open. This is true for most paperbacks though and even some hardbacks. Most recipes however, are simple enough that you don't need to refer to the book more than a few times.

(...)
Oh and if you're looking for recommendations on a rice cooker, this book will not advise. Though I'd suggest a zojirushi zcc, myc or the sanyo ecj-d100s.

If you use a rice cooker, this book is very helpful., March 14, 2004
I have been using a rice cooker at least 3x/week for over 16 years, but only to make white rice. I bought this cookbook so that I could explore other ways to use this "must-have" kitchen appliance. I think the book is well worth the price, even if you don't own a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker. There are not too many recipes that call for "fuzzy logic" cookers only. Most recipes can be done with either the "on/off" type (like I have) or the "fuzzy logic" type. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Ultimate Pressure-Cooker Cookbook

Nobody knows more about pressure cookers than Vickie Smith, creator of the leading pressure-cooker Web site, MissVickie.com. Now, at last, Miss Vickie has gathered all of her pressure-cooker wisdom into a book. Whether you're a pressure-cooker newcomer or a longtime fan, you'll find all the recipes, techniques, and tips you need for a lifetime of great pressure-cooker meals.

Miss Vickie's Big Book of Pressure Cooker Recipes is jam-packed with nearly 400 fast, tasty, foolproof recipes, ranging from one-pot meals like Chicken and Rice with Mushrooms to Sweet and Sour Pork, Navy Bean Soup, and Chocolate Malt Cheesecake. Miss Vickie's detailed recipe instructions and special techniques, such as "pan in pot" pressure cooking, guarantee that each dish comes out perfectly cooked--and perfectly delicious.

But Miss Vickie gives you more than just great recipes. Her book also provides in-depth guidance on every aspect of choosing and using a pressure cooker, including:
*

A buyers' guide to modern pressure cookers
*

Step-by-step pressure-cooker instructions
*

Pressure-cooker safety
*

Basic and advanced pressure-cooking techniques
*

Common mistakes in pressure cookery
*

Adapting recipes to the pressure cooker
*

Tips, tricks, and troubleshooting


Offering hundreds of recipes that are proven to work--and proven delicious--plus plain-English answers to all of your pressure-cooker questions, Miss Vickie has created the single most useful pressure-cooker book ever published. It's a resource you'll turn to again and again as you explore the world of pressure-cooker possibilities and pleasures. ... Read more

Reviews

Comprehensive and Valuable Cookbook, September 5, 2008
I am really enjoying this book. It has a lot of information on cooking all different food types in the pressure cooker as well as tips to ensure success. (When reading, I recognized some of my previous cooking errors.) There are comprehensive pressure cooking time charts and information for multi-level cooking as well as real variety in the recipes . They predominantly call for fresh and easy-to-find ingredients.

I wanted to address the low-rating reviews that recommended Lorna Sass's books over this one. I own two Lorna Sass books: while they are quality cookbooks and do include more recipes for vegetables and grains, there is information in Miss Vickie's cookbook that does not appear in Lorna Sass's. I do understand that people's needs and preferences are different, but there is much in this book to recommend to all pressure cooker users.

There may be other motives in some reviews in which Miss Vickie's book is not accurately represented. I used to visit a pressure cooking forum on Vegsource (a vegetarian website). One day, Miss Vickie posted in response to a question on that forum and was attacked by other members of the site because she has meat-based recipes on her own website. When I quietly reported this to the moderator, hoping to have the offending post removed, I was banned from the site. Lorna Sass is heavily promoted on this site because she has written a book for vegetarian pressure cooking (although, paradoxically, she authored several other books containing numerous meat recipes). This experience has colored my view of some of the negative postings.

I use this cookbook a little more often than the Lorna J. Sass books., September 24, 2008
I want a complete balanced meal when I cook. This means I use the microwave, pressure cooker, stove, and oven all at the same time to cook everything. I don't usually cook one pot meals. Pressure cookers work great for meats and grains. Brown rice is quick and easy. I tend to use a pressure cooker mostly for meats, soups, and stews. The Lorna Sass books are very nice. The Sass Whole Grain book cannot be beat. I have all of the Sass books but I find I tend to use this book a little more often than hers. I am glad that I have all of these cookbooks. I would buy this book first to begin pressure cooking, then get the Sass books. They have things that are not in Miss Vickie's book. Vickie Smith and Lorna J. Sass are the two best authors of pressure cooker cookbooks. If you want vegetarian or vegan pressure cooking, get the Sass books. They are superior for that. For a good all around general purpose pressure cooking cookbook I recommend you get Miss Vickie's Pressure Cooker Recipes. Its the one I reach for first. Its also the one I give as gifts to others.

Good recipes overall but not for electric pressure cookers, September 30, 2008
I have only tried a handful of these recipes. They turned out pretty great. However, they are all geared towards manual pressure cookers, NOT electric pressure cookers. The author is pretty clear about the fact that all her recipes are intended for manual pressure cookers and she is even a bit condescending towards those that purchase electric ones. I probably would have chosen a different book had I known that, since I own one of each and would like a book that covers both. If you own a manual one, I highly recommend this book though.

Informative and substantial selection of recipes, February 29, 2008
I've been using a stove top pressure cooker for a while, but with inconsistent results. Miss Vickie's book is such an excellent resource. I have a better idea as to why some previous attempts did not work out too well. The reader will gain a sense of confidence and the recipes are varied and numerous. Plan to try the meat sauce for pasta this weekend. I'm not much of a cook, but I do feel that my efforts to prepare better tasting and healthy food -- in less time -- are well invested with the pressure cooker. Miss V, Thank you for such an excellent resource!

High praise for this book, March 18, 2008
This is the last word for me in pressure cooker cookbooks. It is an encyclopedia of information for the how-to's and do's and don'ts of pressure cooking. Every possible problem or question seems to have been anticipated and answered. Then there are time charts for every kind of food that one would want to cook under pressure. Last but not least, the wonderful recipes literally make your mouth water.

I received my copy today from Amazon.com (good deal, by the way & I got free shipping too), and didn't waste any time trying it out. Our Irish dinner -- a day late, I know -- turned out perfect.
Actually, I bought this book thinking my daughter could benefit from it. Now I see that I'll have to get another one to give to her...I need this one for myself!

Now, sooner or later someone will surely complain "...I couldn't give it 5 stars because there aren't any pictures..." I'm surprised that these same people don't also expect "scratch, sniff & taste" pages. Don't we all know what food looks like? Even someone who has never cooked before knows what a potato, or a carrot, a potroast or a chicken is supposed to look like. Yes, visuals would enhance the appeal of the book, but honestly, the recipes and directions are so well presented that photos are really not necessary.

I'm looking forward to trying many, many of the interesting recipes.

Good job, Miss Vickie!!

Update: Now that I have had this book for a while, and have tried many of the recipes and techniques, I want to say that this book is truly worth the money. Many people focus their pressure cooking attentions primarily on main dishes and especially meats. Miss Vickie's main dish recipes are wonderful. However, in addition to great meals, this book offers adventures in delicious desserts and side dishes as well.

She also has a great website dedicated entirely to pressure cooking, where you can post questions and receive answers. Type "Miss Vickie's Guide to Modern Pressure Cookery" in the search. Check it out.

Essential cookbook for "green" cooks, July 8, 2008
If you use a pressure cooker, this is a must have. My days are busy! Beef stew? 7 minutes. Swiss steak? 10 minutes. Great recipes, well organized and totally loaded with ideas that won't risk your life and limb. I'm tired of the, "my grammy's pressure cooker exploded and we were scraping food off the walls for a week" story. Today's cookers are safe (when used correctly), huge time savers and create fabulous meals especially from tougher cuts of meat. My favorite is pot roast using a chuck roast, onions, carrots, celery and Johnny's Seasoning salt. Fall apart tender, melt in your mouth delicious. Plus, faster cook time = "green" cooking.

What a great book!, May 5, 2008
I've been using a pressure cooker for years. This is the largest and most comprehensive cook book for my cooker that I have ever seen. I can't imagine needing anything more. This book is 470 pages of great information and wonderful recipes - something for everyone. I am so pleased I ordered this!

very useful book, April 11, 2008
this book was quite helpful. For example, I didn't know you could cook pasta in the pressure cooker! Worked out great!

Super Book!, April 18, 2008
I have read through the book and found many recipes which I think I would like to make. I find that the recipes are very much to my taste with ordinary ingredients for the most part. I just made the Cube Steaks and Gravy with Carrots and Potatoes, a one-pot meal. It was wonderful! The potatoes were cooked on top of the steaks in a steamer tray. I was delighted to find that the potatoes were ready to be mashed when the steaks were done. It was a very "down home" meal. There are lots of suggestions in the book for making food in the pressure cooker taste good without the blandness of some pressure cooker recipes. I can tell that I will be making good use of this book.

Great tips, great recipes, June 18, 2008
This is a comprehensive cook book, full of good and useful information for the beginner or the experienced cook. The list of cooking times for individual foods included most everything one finds in the supermarket, the cooking tips are very helpful in customizing ones own favorite recipes to pressure cooking or crafting new recipes. If one can only get but one cookbook about pressure cooking, this would be the one to get. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Create a perfect night out by gathering friends and family around a pot of warm melted cheese, chocolate or a cooking style eager to add flavor to your favorite dipper. The Melting Pot dares you to Dip Into Something Different® with this collection of recipes from our fondue to yours. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Great Book!, January 13, 2009
This is my first fondue cookbook and I am just in love with it. Finally I can have the fondues that they make at the Melting Pot without having to shell out some major $$$$.

First, the book is really well made. It's hard bound, and stays open to the page you want quiet easily. It also has a built in ribbon bookmark to easily mark the fondue your making.

Second, Although I don't care for their little notes about what people say about how great their restaurant is - I did love the little notes throughout the book about the history of fondue, or about the different cheeses you will be using, or even about dipping etiquette.

Third, They give you such good directions. At the beginning of the cheese fondue section they have step by step section with pictures for each step, that applies to almost every cheese fondue you will make. I found it really helpful, and now I understand why I have had some issues with fondue in the past! So far I have made the Garlic and Herb Cheddar Fondue (OMG yum! I also added about twice as much green goddess dressing, because I liked it so much). I also made the Feng Shui Fondue, and "The Original" Chocolate Fondue. All turned out just amazing. As others have noted - I had trouble finding Butterkase. But I spoke with an expert on cheeses at my grociery store, and she instead recommended for me to use 2 very different Fontinas in the Feng Shui. (I used Carr Valley Fontina and substituted the Butterkase with Cademartori Fonti) I think an alternative cheese could easily be used in any one of the three recipes that call for Butterkase if you have trouble finding it. Other then that - all of the ingredients are easy to find and get ahold of. I'm making the Goat Cheese Fondue next! Yum!

Also, some people seemed unclear about what it includes, so to clarify these are the sections in the book: Cheese Fondue, Salads & Dressings, Cooking Styles Fondue, all of their dipping sauces, Chocolate fondue, and cocktails and coffees.

Lastly, What I really love about all of these, and they point this out in the book, is that you can make many of these fondues for little $ if your a poor college student, like me, or you can also spend a lot of money and get some quality cheeses and other ingredients to add, like when I go home and my parents are buying the ingredients :) You also don't absolutely need to have a fondue pot or fondue forks - I just use two pots put together and my normal forks. It makes this a truly great gift for any person who likes to cook.

Love It!, December 26, 2008
This is awesome! I can't belive how many receipes they have provided, it's all in there. They even have drinks, salad dressings and marinades. I am so excited to start using this. All the cheese fondues look awesome. If you love the Melting Pot, you won't be disappointed. I would have purchased this book for the Wisconsin Trio Cheese fondue alone, and was amazed at what other recipes they included. I did make the Wisconsin Trio with success. Had a little trouble finding butterkase cheese - but you should be able to locate it at a larger grocery store that sells Boars Head in the packaged cheese department.
Coupons in the back - 3. 1 for free product (wine/garlic and chocolate) 2 others to use for a night out.

If you love Melting Pot, you will LOVE this cookbook, December 1, 2008
I was very surprised to see in this cookbook how many recipes they shared directly from the menu. In fact, I am not quite sure if they left anything out of the book that isn't on the menu. They have everything from cheese, meat, dessert, marinating, sauces. This is by far, my favorite cookbook!

LOVING IT!!!!, October 6, 2009
Loved eating at the resturant and now I can make my favorites at home, from the cheese, to the main course, to the dipping sauce for the meats to my favorite the chocolate. Some ingrediants are hard to find but I just google and find the substitute, It is awesome. We fondue whenever we want now.

Create the Melting Pot experience at home, August 2, 2009
Great cookbook! I was surprised to see how many recipes from the Melting Pot were in the book. The book has everything from the famous cheese fondues to salads, marinades, broth cooking styles, sauces, and deserts. You can really create the Melting Pot experience at home! I have tried many of the cheese fondues and they have all come out well. The only substitution I use is corn starch instead of the suggested flour to help keep the cheese from sticking to itself and make the fondue smooth and creamy.

Fondue lovers need this book!, May 12, 2009
I am very happy with my purchase. After eating at the Melting Pot, my husband and I wanted to bring the experience home to friends. I ordered the book and we followed through with a fantastic dinner for the four of us. The recipes were well written, easy to execute and included everything from the restaurant we were interested in. I was extremely happy that the dipping sauces, marinades and rubs are included. My only complaint is the book leaves out suggestions for dipping (vegetables, breads, etc...). We were able to recreate according to memory from our experience but it would have been great to include dipping suggestions. I am certain that this book will get a lot of use-we've already planned dinner #2!

Informative cookbook!, January 9, 2009
It took awhile to get this baby in my hands, but I love it! I love the Melting Pot restaurant, and this book gives you everything you need to know to make the exact same fondues at home! The cooking styles are included, along with how to begin your bases. The recipes are pretty intense on the ingredients, but I wouldn't expect anything less. The two copies I bought also include three coupons to the restaurant. It also has a ribbon bookmark to keep your place.

This book sells for $30 in store, IF you can find it in store! My local one has been out of stock for maybe 2 months. I called multiple times to get it and never got a response on it. I purchased my first copy a month before Christmas, and it took a couple weeks to get here. I ordered my second copy on Dec 24, and the estimated delivery date was Jan 30 because it was back ordered! However I just received it yesterday (Jan 8) and was pleasantly surprised.

A fancy cookbook that is highly recommended!

Melting Pot Recipe book, December 24, 2008
This book is an awesome substitute for an expensive meal. The recipes were detailed and fun to prepare! The process of making the fondue took several thrilling fun hours, and the results were well worth the preparation time. I suggest this book to anyone who enjoys fondue as an appetizer, meal or dessert!

Great cookbook!, December 12, 2008
I was pleasantly surprised to see the quality of this cookbook. It's beautifully bound in hardcover with lots of pictures. All of my favorite recipes are inside...including the "Green Goddess". I love that they included recipes for some of the mixed drinks served in the restaurant too. I liked the book so much that I ordered a second copy as a Christmas gift for a friend.

Wonderful cookbook, September 17, 2009
I bought this book because we wanted to recreate our experience at The Melting Pot at home with our own fondue set. Well this book made it possible. It is lots of fun and makes cooking all of our favorites possible. It also has some coupons to the Melting Pot in the back of the book which don't expire for years. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The book has already sold more than 5 million copies, so we didn't want to spoil it! We have only added a few enhancements to this original cookbook in the wildly claimed Fix-It and Forget-It cookbook series:
1. Brand New: 100 new recipes for slow cookers.
2. Brand New: "Prep Time," "Cooking Time," and "Ideal Slow-Cooker Size" are included for each recipe.
3. Brand New: 4 pages of basic and very helpful "Extra Information":
"Substitute Ingredients for When You're in a Pinch"
"Equivalent Measurements"
"Kitchen Tools and Equipment You May Have Overlooked"
"Assumptions about Ingredients in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, Revised and Updated"
4. Brand New: 1 page of "Tips for Using Your Slow Cooker: a Friendly, Year-Round Appliance."
5. Brand New: Additional tips and tricks for making the most of your slow cooker, spread throughout the book.
6. Brand New: A second color-a rich purple-for recipe titles, contributors' names and addresses, the words "Tip" and "Variation," and the numbered instruction steps.
7. Brand New: The drawings on the opening pages of chapters and the spot illustrations throughout.
8. Brand New: 1 page of tip-in color, right inside the front cover.
9. Brand New: 2 pages of review excerpts to position the original book's success, immediately following the tip-in page of color.
10. Revised: An improved Index!
11. Revised: A personal Introduction to the book by author Phyllis Pellman Good.
12. Revised: Good's personal comments and voice throughout the recipes.
We've learned a lot since the original Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook first quietly appeared. Now you and your customers can benefit with this new edition of the beloved favorite - Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook REVISED and UPDATED!
... Read more

Reviews

Not exactly haute cuisine, but has a lot of useful recipes, February 1, 2002
Yes, crock pots, once considered a kind of quaint relic of the seventies, are making a comeback. And why not? The basic idea is that you take a bunch of ingredients, throw them into the crock pot in the morning, and by dinnertime, voila--you have something hot, fragrant, and tasty. And what's more, a lot of the foods cooked this way taste even better as leftovers.

The strength of this cookbook is in the sheer volume of recipes provided, and in their overall simplicity. These truly are "fix it and forget it" types of dishes, including a lot of soups, chiles, and simple stews. Surely out of the 800+ recipes here anyone who purchases this book will find enough winners to make it a worthwhile buy.

Potential buyers should be forewarned, however, that this is by no means *haute cuisine*. Lots of the recipes include generous glops of canned creamed soups, dry soup mixes, canned vegetables, "American" cheese, and other gastronomical abominations. The point is, however, that there are so many recipes included that it's easy to skip over those and go on to ones that appear more promising.

The bottom line is that during the short time that I have owned this book, it has proven itself incredibly valuable and useful. My wife and my family are very glad that I picked it up, and that I brought the ol' crock pot out of its previously semi-retired state.

Nutritious Meals for Busy People, October 20, 2001
We hate to cook, but restaurants, take-out and frozen foods have lost their appeal for my husband and me in our last 6 years as empty-nesters. Our new larger crock-pot and THIS book have been the answer! Since the larger cookers are far superior to their ancestors of the 70's, we were looking for interesting recipes that stretched beyond the lentil soup recipes of the older crock-pot cookbooks. On the other hand, we didn't want to have to make a special trip to the international market for exotic ingredients each time either. Lemon roasted chicken, beef burgundy, and the tenderest ribs ever are just a few of the great meals we've had from this collection. While some of the old crock-pot stand-bys are included: baked beans, chili, lentil soup, and one pot meals made with cream of mushroom soup and cheese, there are many newer and creative recipes that serve their purpose - easy to prepare with common home kitchen ingredients, ready when you get home for dinner, and delicious.

A Must for Your Cookbook Collection, September 1, 2001
I've compared this cookbook with Betty Crocker, Sunset, Hoffman, etc. In my opinion, it beats all of them. Fix It and Forget it is a collection of recipes from people all over the country. There are twenty different chili recipes to choose from, as well as appetizers, desserts, main dishes, and soups. The book is divided in these categories, listing several recipes per page. Each recipe is very simple to follow. So far, I've tried the Saucy Pork Chops and the Creamy Chicken Italiano. The pork chops were excellent, and I'm not a big pork lover. The Chicken Italiano was a step up from the Chicken Helper you can get in the supermarket. If I make this again, I'd put more spices in it. If you don't like a lot of spice in your food, then you'll enjoy this dish.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who has a crock pot and anyone who doesn't. Some of these recipes, like the pork chops, you can cook on the stovetop. There's something for everyone in this book.

AWFUL -- UNLESS YOU'RE TRYING TO GET SICK OR FAT, February 25, 2006
I bought this book after reading some online reviews and have never been so disappointed in a cookbook. Just about every recipe includes high-sodium, high-fat, junky canned and/or processed food ingredients such as cream of mushroom soup. I simply don't eat that way and wasn't about to start just so that I could use my new slow-cooker. In all fairness, many crockpot cookbooks use these ingredients, I've learned, but this one doesn't even seem to have been put together by an expert. It appears to be a compilation of solicited reader submissions and reminds me very much of a community potluck fundraising cookbook. For instance, there are several recipes titled 'pot roast,' each submitted by a different person and no pictures, not that pictures would have changed my opinion of this book. When I purchase a cookbook, I'm trusting the author to have created or at least tried the recipes in the book and to present the best one. Not the case here. I returned the book and went to a local bookstore, and sat there with a bunch of cookbooks, reading through each to determine which one to buy. By the way, "Fix it and foget it lightly" wasn't any better. My selection was 'Not your mother's slow cooker cookbook," which presents recipes using only healthy ingredients that I would actually eat.

WHO EVER THOUGHT LIFE COULD BE SO SIMPLE!, September 18, 2001
If you run as short on energy and time during the run of a day as I do, you will not want to be without this terrific book. Who ever thought meal preparation could be so simple for those of us who put in a full day at the office. The title says it all: "Fix It and Forget It" Forget the microwave section of your favourite supermarket and pass by the fast food outlets on the way home - too much of that will eventually play havoc with your health anyway. It takes just a few minutes each morning, when we do have the energy, to peel a few veggies, cut up a portion of meat if that is to your liking, toss it in the slow cooker with a dash of this and a dab of that and...voila, your meal will be waiting for you at the end of the day. The recipes are terrific in this book, particularly the stews and soups, and the flavourful goodness that comes out of the pot is out of this world! Buy the book; it's a real time saver.

Majority of recipes not healthy (but some are), repetitive, February 12, 2003
I bought this book and I am not sure I would again. There are about 800 recipes in the book. There are 4 major drawbacks to this book. First -- A vast number of them do contain a LOT of cheese and fats (1 to 3 cups per recipe) and preprepared soups and soup mixes. Definitely not the healthy meals I try to prepare. Second -- There are multiple variations of the same recipe. How many times can you vary beef stew and beef vegetable soup and still call it a different recipe? This book does it about 50 times. Third -- the table of contents isn't detailed enough. You have to sift through 200 main dish recipes at a time. It would have been nice if there was some grouping such as 'beef main dishes, chicken main dishes, vegetarian main dises' etc. Fouth -- It could use a better overview section on the principles of slow cooking to cover such things as safety, keeping the crockpot at least 1/2 full, etc. Having said that I did go through and highlight the recipes that I would cook -- reasonble in fat and salt content. I found that there were only about 10% (excluding the repetitive ones) that I would use. Because of the 800 recipes to start with this still leaves me about 80. I tend to think of the value of a cookbook in how many recipes I get for the value. So this one ended up being 80 recipes for the cost of the book. That's not unreasonable.

Not as useful as many others, October 26, 2004
For people looking for sheer quantity of recipes, this may be a great book.

For me, however, there were two significant problems with the book. First, no attempt seems to have been made to standardize the size of the recipes -- and you can't tell from reading the recipe whether it was developed for a 2 qt crock-pot or an 8-qt one. Other crock-pot cookbooks I've found have all recipes calculated for one size (often the common 4-5 qt crock-pot), and those using other sizes know to multiply or divide as need be. Another aspect that seemed missing in this cookbook was an introductory section with general crock-pot cooking tips -- since so many crock-pot cookers are students, young adults, or those just unfamiliar with cookery, this can be incredibly important.

Two books I'd recommend instead of this one are "Betty Crocker's Easy Slow Cooker Dinners" and "Crock-It" -- the former will appeal more to those wanting to cook dishes from a diverse range of cultures, the latter will appeal to those looking to use the crock-pot for homestyle casseroles and the like.

I've been looking all over for this book!!, August 16, 2001
Okay, first our old slow cooker died. We hardly noticed since we only used it a few of times a month. Then summer hit and we got busy with work and suddenly we realized we were eating from the snack food section of the 'One Stop' way too much. Beef jerky should not be considered an 'entree'. We bought a new cooker, then started thinking we really needed a good slow cooker cook book to go with it. I bought two books. One is good. This one is GREAT! Lots of recipes with affordable, everyday ingredients that I can pronounce! And better still, the kids will eat what comes out of the slow cooker every time. . . no complaints!!!

Throw out your other slow cooker cook books!, November 19, 2001
This is by far, the best crock pot cook book that I have ever come across. The recipes are from real cooks - like you and me - and are extremely delicious and easy to prepare.

What I liked best about this book is that a lot of recipes have a couple of different versions. For example, when I made rice pudding, I had about five different recipes to choose from. Some had cooked rice, some didn't, some involved putting a dish inside the crock pot and some required different amounts of involvement from me.

The best thing about this book is that almost every recipe in it I can actually picture myself making. None of the recipes are too difficult or too fancy. Plus, the book is a great bargain because it offers more recipes for a lower price than the other slow cooker cook books.

This would make a great gift (with a brand new crock pot!) for a college student or someone getting married!

The cookbook that makes you look like Betty Crocker!, June 16, 2001
This is a FANTASTIC cookbook! There are recipes for all kinds of dishes; dips, soups, main dishes, desserts, etc. So many recipes are easy - great for any mom/cook with not enough hands or time to get things done. A few things that I like best about this book are 1)most recipes are comprised of ingredients I already have on-hand or can use for more than one recipe, and 2)many recipes have multiple versions so I can choose the preparation or ingredients that work best for me. The PERFECT gift for a shower, housewarming, birthday, etc. So easy that even the worst cook can whip up something impressive! A must-have for every kitchen! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Big Green Egg Cookbook is the first cookbook specifically celebrating this versatile ceramic cooker. Available in five sizes, Big Green Egg ceramic cookers can sear, grill, smoke, roast, and bake. Here is the cookbook EGGheads have been waiting for, offering a variety of recipes encompassing the cooker's capabilities as a grill, a smoker, and an oven.

The book's introduction explains the ancient history of ceramic cookers and the loyal devotion of self-proclaimed EGGheads to these dynamic, original American-designed cookers. Complete with more than 160 recipes and 100 color photographs, the Big Green Egg Cookbook is a must for the more than 1 million EGG owners in the United States and a great introduction for anyone wanting to crack the shell of EGGhead culture. ... Read more

Reviews

Big Green Egg Cookbook, August 1, 2010
As a newby to the BGE Egghead group I love this book. Not just the recipes but the information in the front is very helpful. It explains how to cook with direct heat or indirect, gives you lots of tips. I went and bought a plate setter and cooked my first pork loin using the indirect method and followed their tips. It came out so juicy and cooked to perfection. I am now going to advance to mixing rubs :) The local BGE dealers sell the same book for $50 so I loved getting it for such a good price on Amazon.

Book is OK, better off with trial and error, September 23, 2010
Being a first time BGE user, I thought this was the book to have, but it had quite a few froo-froo recipes that I would never make. It's got nice pictures and a few good recipes. I've had my egg for a month now and have found that recipes on line are good for beginners, and then it is just trial and error, and writing down everything, including times, temps, weather conditions, what rub was used, how long it marinated, etc. So far I have made pulled pork and brisket and both turned out incredible. I would recommend the Smokology book for beginners.

Big Green Egg Book is Great, August 21, 2010
This book is a must have for Eggheads. If you are new to the egg this is an great tool to get you started. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow is the first cookbook from Stephanie O'Dea, the extremely popular slow cooking blogger: affordable, delicious, nutritious, and gluten-free recipes to delight the entire family.

In December 2007, Stephanie O'Dea made a New Year's resolution: she'd use her slow cooker every single day for an entire year, and write about it on her very popular blog. The result: more than three million visitors, and more than 300 fabulous, easy-to-make, family-pleasing recipes, including:

• Breakfast Risotto
• Vietnamese Roast Chicken
• Tomatoes and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Cranberry Syrup
• Falafel
• Philly Cheesesteaks
• Crème Brulee

--and much more. Make It Fast, Cook It Slow is the perfect cookbook for easy, quick prep, inexpensive ingredients, and meals that taste like you spent hours at the stove.

Reviews

Disappointed, January 3, 2010
I stumbled across Stephanie's cooking blog and ordered myself her book for Christmas (as a gift from my husband!) I was really excited about trying out her recipes--and especially thought it was cool that she writes a verdict after many of the recipes stating her opinion. I found her writing to be witty and appreciated her sense of humor. On Christmas day I scoured through the book, selecting some recipes to try--I chose recipes based off of my taste preferences as well as her positive reviews of them.

I tried the Brown Sugar Chicken (pg. 244) which she raves about. My family ate it, but didn't particularly enjoy it. It was very sweet (which she says it is)--but there wasn't really any depth of flavor (maybe it needed a couple bay leaves or some other herbs?) it tasted just like sugary chicken. I realize that taste is very subjective and many people may enjoy this dish, we however did not.

Next up I tried the Breakfast Risotto (pg. 48). She also raves about this dish. I will agree that the aroma was delectable. The spices were a very good combination, my complaint was that the texture was goopy. I made the recipe exactly as printed and I also got a little curdling (from the 2% milk???) which looked unappealing. This dish may actually work out if cooked on the stove top, but I don't think the recipe fared well in the crock pot.

Then I decided to try out the Hot and Spicy Artichoke Dip (pg. 30) to bring to a New Year's Eve party. Again, her verdict on the recipe is very positive. I made the recipe exactly as printed (there's only 4 ingredients!)--when it was done and I give it a taste it was BLAND. Blah. I attempted to salvage the dip by adding some black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. But it still wasn't right, way too thick and still a little bitter tasting. Well, we take it to the party anyways (maybe it's just us who thinks it tastes gross?)--and at the end of the party (30-40 people in attendance), the dip has barely been touched. It really was not good. At this point the recipes are 0 for 3. I decide to check out her blog to see what others thought of this particular recipe. To my annoyance her rave review written in the book was not the same as the one written on her blog. The review written in her book is actually in reference to the artichoke dip sold at Costco, NOT the one I just made. I felt that this is incredibly misleading, which is why I am only rating the book 2 stars.

The only recipe which has been a "keeper" for me is the Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (pg. 206) It's very very good (didn't add the mushrooms and didn't thicken it).

IN SUMMARY:
If you purchase this book, know that you are purchasing a book full of recipes which have been TRIED by the author. I do not believe that the author fine-tuned/tweaked/perfected the recipes. Not all of the recipes have a verdict, and I wonder if those are even worth making since the author didn't rave about them. There are a whole lot of recipes and I am sure there are some "keepers" amongst them that will make it into your meal rotation. If you have the patience and resources to test out the various recipes then this is a book for you. If you are like me (a busy wife and mother of 3 young children) and are looking for good recipes without all the trial and error, then this is probably not the book for you (seeing as only 1 out of the 4 I tried was a "keeper"). And if you are on the fence, check out her blog, try a few recipes for yourself and see how you like them before making the purchase.

Disappointing, March 20, 2010
I wanted to love this cookbook. I'd read Stephanie's blog and had tried a couple of her recipes. In retrospect, they weren't great enough to remake, so I should have realized that her wonderful writing style didn't equate to culinary ability.

Other reviewers have mentioned that the recipes are really rough--they definitely are for me. Every single one I've tried has been off--cooking time, spices, consistency. I've used our crock pot quite a bit over the years, and usually things turn out if I follow the directions in the recipe. Stephanie's directions, even if followed exactly, don't necessarily mean I'll have something edible for dinner. When I get a recipe from a cookbook, I'd like to think it's been tested at least a couple of times and produced consistently good results. Things I've tried:

Broccoli Casserole (p. 81)--watery, bland, my son (who loves broccoli and cheese) wouldn't touch it
Beans and Rice (p. 121)--bland, nothing special--the crockpot kindof zaps the flavor I get on the stovetop with a similar dish
Taco Soup (p. 135)--one of her favorite recipes, but when I tried it last week, my husband asked, "Isn't this the same not-so-good soup you tried off her website last year?" Oh yeah. We love Mexican food, but the mesh of flavors just is not good.
Apple, Cheddar, and Turkey Meatballs (p. 238)--This one I cooked on high, and everything that touched the sides of my crock burned even though it was well within the time frame she'd specified. Pretty sure she didn't test her recipes for low _and_ high settings. I did appreciate that they were gluten-free meatballs, but we didn't even like the middle ones that weren't burnt.
Applesauce Chicken (p. 239)--This is not that good, and it is not tender. It's just blah. And her "verdict" makes me think her kids agreed.
Brown Sugar Chicken (p. 244)--she promised that this was amazing. It was tender, but nothing special, and awfully sweet.
Eggplant "Parmesan" with Feta (p. 282)--I love eggplant parmesan, and this just failed to deliver. The breading doesn't stay since you don't fry the eggplant or anything, and it just becomes a gloppy mess.
Applesauce (p. 384)--This technically works, but it doesn't make very much at all, and it's way faster (and more fragrant) on the stovetop. I know you can walk away from the crockpot, but it didn't seem worth it with how much it made.
Yogurt (p. 59)--My first batch was a failure, then I went back and read comments on her website that helped the next two batches turn out. Her recipe isn't failsafe, and though I'll be making yogurt in my crockpot from now on, it's the comments of her readers that made it a keeper, not her cookbook.

I'm hesitant to try more of the recipes because I really don't think she's a good cook! I have several gluten-free friends that I was hoping to give this book to, but I won't. The people giving her 5 star reviews seem as impressed with her writing and personality as I was, but I wonder how many will be disappointed when they actually try the recipes. Stephanie seems like a great person on her blog, but maybe she should write restaurant reviews or something else that plays more to her strengths.

If you're looking at buying this cookbook, I strongly suggest trying some of the recipes on her website first.

The Crock-Pot is Back With A Vengance Thanks To Stephanie O'Dea, October 13, 2009
I've never been a "crock-pot" person, although I've always liked the idea of crock-pots - leaving a whole meal in the crock in the morning and returning to a complete meal in the evening - so easy, so good, so convenient. The problem, though, was that my family is not big on stews, which is what I thought crock-pots were for, so I left my crock-pot in a drawer and that is as far as the relationship has gone. Those days are over.

Stphanie O'Dea has taught me that my crockpot is not my mother's crock-pot anymore. The crock-pot can be used used to make a traditional beef stew, yes, as described on page 211, but the crock-pot can also be used to make delicious soups, meats, side dishes, appetizers, dips, and desserts. The woman has a recipe for making banana bread in the crock-pot for goodness sake! All kinds of ideas are whirling around in my head. I can use the crockpot to prepare a new, sexy appetizer for the holidays, like the buffalo chicken dip described on page 25, instead of the same old stuff. I can use the crockpot to impress my friends with the delicious and fragrant chai tea latte like the one described on page 8 at the next Bunco meeting. I can also use the crockpot to help my children create caramel apples and look like the coolest mom ever! The sky is the limit with this book. It even has a recipe for recycling old candles to make new ones. Yes, I said candles, in the crock-pot!

Excited, yet? There's more. There are 454 pages of easy to understand recipes with easy ingredients in this book and they all look delicious. There is also a description on most recipes that the author calls "the verdict" where she tell us how each recipe went over with her family, including the specific verdict of her young children - invaluable information for a mom who who can not afford to waste time or money on a recipe her family won't eat.

This book was so well put together it inspired me immediately to put it to use. I've been through every page and while I started to dog-ear the pages of recipes I found interesting, I quickly stopped because I would have dog-eared the whole book! Last night, I made my first crock-pot dish in 15 years. I prepared Horseradish Scalloped Potatoes, p.95. They were delicious, just like the author's verdict said. Amazing. Cooking this fall/winter is going to be a lot more fun and a lot more satisfying!

You won't be disappointed!!!!, October 14, 2009
I've been following Stephanie's blog for longer than I can remember and have had this book pre-ordered for longer than I can remember. :-)

I have made the Pumpkin Spice Latte, more than one fondue, and the Moroccan Lentil Soup, just to name a few. They were all extremely tasty, and I have been waiting so long for this cookbook to come out so I can browse through the recipes in print rather than online.

Stephanie's wit and her willingness to try anything are what initially drew me in, and I was concerned that maybe the book wouldn't replicate her recipes and style completely. However, I am happy to say that everything in the book lives up to my highest expectations. I am now going to order multiple copies to give as Christmas gifts because out of the several slow cooker cookbooks I have, this one outshines them all. It's honestly the only one you'll ever need.

Plus, you've really gotta try the Lentil Soup. My husband and I love it so much I've made it several times and have been waiting on the fall weather to make it again. It's time! :-)

Buy this book, and I promise, you really won't regret it!

Update on March 19, 2010: More recipes to try: Brown Sugar Chicken; Chicken Parmesan; Turkey Breast with Onion, Butter, and White Wine; Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole

Also, I bought 8 additional copies of this book and gave them to friends as gifts. So far, each friend has come back to me and told me how much they love this book. They especially recommend the Chicken Parmesan, the Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole, and the Moroccan Lentil Soup. Happy Cooking!!

Bland and a Disappointment, February 3, 2010
The author writes in a very delightful and witty manner. And it certainly opened up my eyes to the possibilities of what COULD be done in a crock pot, IF only there was a good recipe. I have tried at least 6 recipes, so far, and 2 of them were inedible. Three of them were just blah. And the one that we actually enjoyed was a recipe I tweaked when I realized how flavorless it was going to be if I didn't assist the recipe a bit. I would pass on this book unless you enjoy the challenge of doctoring bad or blah recipes.

Not something for a beginning cook, January 24, 2010
I agree with the reviews that complain about blandness and no depth of flavor. I've tried three recipes, and while one turned out good (though my husband didn't care much for it), one was far too spicy with no support from the other ingredients, and the other was all bland.

Maybe the author has different tastes than we do, but the execution seems very uneven. I'm not experienced enough as a cook to know what to add or subtract to make something better, and I don't have time to experiment (which is why I own a slow cooker.) I need a foolproof cookbook that's going to give me successful meals with good flavor off the bat.

Just okay (barely), April 21, 2010
I know I'm in the minority, but I don't care for most of the recipes in this book. I have 5 little kids and we're gluten free, so this cookbook appealed to me immensely. I put the book on my wish list for Christmas before trying any recipes. I tried 3 different recipes off her blog, they weren't very good, so I was going to remove it from my list. However, my MIL bought it for me, so I thought I'd give more recipes a try. I assumed that the recipes in the cookbook would be tweaked and perfected. I have tried at least 15 recipes (from various categories) and I've liked 3. Three! The Broccoli Cheese soup is awesome, there was a Chicken with Cream Cheese that was really good, and the Granola was great after I altered the recipe a bit. That's it though. There are a few recipes that I made some notes on, b/c I could try to improve them, but I feel like I've wasted a lot of time and money for pretty poor dinners. My husbands a good sport, but after last night's failure (Mexican Breakfast Casserole, that she 'just loved') he said, "Is this a recipe from that cookbook that we haven't liked any of?" Guess I'll shelve it and find something else. Too bad - it had great potential!

Every time you use a crockpot, it's a little bit of an experiement, October 16, 2010
I am going to start out by saying that I am completely biased. I just looove Stephanie O'Dea. I think she is an engaging writer, she is honest about her results and she is also, as judged from the one or two emails I've exchanged with her, a very nice person. She is not a professional cook. She doesn't claim to be. She also is not an expert with the crockpot in the sense that she spends her time in a test kitchen. I think she could lay claim to the title of field expert, based on the amount of use her multiple crockpots seem to get. Or maybe not.

More than that Stephanie is an engaging writer, who doesn't pretend not to have flaws, and who makes reading about cooking fun. Her approach to recipes is real. And I love the verdicts she gives at the end of each recipe. In fact, I love them so much I think there should be a law that they are included in every cookbook. Because Stephanie is one of the few people I believe has actually personally tried, at least once, every recipe in her book. And I appreciate that kind of dedication to one's subject.

Stephanie is exactly what she represents herself to be, she's a busy mom of three small children, who uses her crockpot on a regular basis, isn't afraid to experiment with it to keep from serving the usual variations of stewed chicken, stewed pork, stewed beef and stewed prunes that many people end up producing, and is willing to share her successes, and failures with the world. She spices her recipes according to her tastes and her family's tastes. Not a standard flavor profile for North America as figured out by a room full of scientists. Not your family's taste. It's kind of up to you, actually to figure that last one out.

I have been following Stephanie's blog for most of the time it's been up. I've tried a lot of the recipes in this book. Not half, maybe not even a quarter. Some of them have been absolutely fabulous every time, some of them have been 'eh' the first time, and better progressively as I made the changes needed to suit my family's tastes, or perhaps to correct for the vagaries of my personal crock pot. (My personal ONE crock pot. I keep trying to win another one on Stephanie's blog, but so far no luck. If she keeps giving them away, I'll keep trying.) A couple of the recipes have been utter, utter disasters. C'est la vie en la cuisine, oui? But I don't worry about it really, because culinary disasters happen. That's why take-out was invented.

As cookbooks go, this one is definitely a staple in my kitchen. I will never have the unnatural relationship with my crockpot that Stephanie has with hers. I don't want to. I'm actually a little creeped out by it. But I do appreciate the fact that my crock pot went from a Christmas present that kind of annoyed me to a go-to kitchen gadget that rarely sees the inside of my cupboard. And I credit Stephanie's efforts for that change.

Ok, some of the recipes do seem a bit bland to me, but apparently there are some kids who don't like spicy food and a couple of them live at Stephanie's house. I know how to add spices to change a flavor profile, so it's not a big deal. If you don't know how, I respectfully suggest that you learn. Experiment. Have fun with your food, kind of like Stephanie does. What's the worst thing that could happen?

Great Recipes but book is redundant, January 1, 2010
I have tried many of Stephanie O'Dea's recipes and they have been a life saver the past few months. Some of them need extra seasoning and she often calls for way more liquid than necessary, especially for soups, but most of the dishes we've tried have been great. Other reviewers have said many of these recipes would be better or the same in the oven. I agree with this but as a SAHM with two small kids it works better for me to get dinner ready early in the day. I'm not sure how well many of the chicken dishes would work for families with two working parents (or people who are outside the home all day) because the chicken gets overcooked, crumbly, and dry if left to cook too long. This could be my crock pot but I have found almost every one of these recipes cooks in a shorter time than she indicates and other than soups things tend to get dry and burn on the warm setting. I generally start my dinners around noon and often have to turn off the crock pot by 4:00 if I'm making a chicken dish. And I almost always start with frozen chicken.

We do not eat red meat or pork so I can't say if the same thing happens.

The main reason I'm giving this book only three stars is the recipes are *exactly the same ones on her website* (minus the flops). When I added the book to my wishlist I figured there would be some overlap but didn't expect there to be no new content. As much as I like Stephanie O'Dea and don't mind supporting her I don't understand why you would sell a book with the same content you are giving away for free. If you have internet access at home there is no reason to purchase this book.

EDIT:
I have read many reviews of the particular Crock Pot I own and there are complaints about it cooking too fast. It appears the problem is my machine rather than the recipes. I have learned to work around it as I don't work during the day so it's not a problem.

What I'd also like to say is how Stephanie O'Dea has changed the way I use my slow cooker. While this is more a "get dinner on the table" cookbook rather than one for serious chefs she has inspired me to cook in a whole new way.

Finally--A Crockpot Cookbook with "Real" Ingredients, November 27, 2009
I did an extensive amount of research on crockpot cookbooks before I chose this one. I didn't want one that focused heavily on "cream of . . ." soups or heavily processed foods. With several food allergies and sensitivities to worry about as well, I also needed one that included basic ingredients but had great variety at the same time.

This book fits the bill--beyond my expectations. I love it because:
1. The recipes were all tested on the author's family (dad, and two kids--3 and 6), and she's honest about when her kids DIDN'T like the recipe--a plus.
2. She uses mostly healthy ingredients and cooks from basic ingredients.
3. Her youngest daughter is gluten free, so all of the recipes are gluten free or can be. That means there are many easily adapted recipes to be friendly to our family's allergies and sensitivities (no dairy, corn, gluten, nuts)--not all, but many.
4. A great variety of types of recipes, including some basics like bread, yogurt, rice, desserts that I can use as reference for my own recipes.

So, thank you, thank you. This cookbook fills a great gap in crockpot cookbooks! ... Read more

Editorial Review

With 101 easy recipes to choose from-from breakfast to dessert, including breads and rolls-the Dutch oven might just become the most popular cooking method in your house. Recipes include the Mountain Man Breakfast, Sausage Spinach Wreath, Dutch Oven Stew with spicy Jalapeno Cheese Bread, Caramel Apple Cobbler, Stuffed Pork Roast, Cinnamon Rolls, Dutch Oven Pizza, Apricot Raspberry Glazed Cornish Hens, and White Chili.

Reviews

Nice book, but not my kind of cooking, May 17, 2009
This is a nice little cookbook, with very clear directions for temperatures and numbers of coals and where to place them. Most of the recipes are intended for 12" dutch ovens, although I'm sure they could be adapted for other sizes.

My main quarrel with the book is that many of the recipes are not for the kind of camp cooking that I do. About 1/4 of the recipes are for yeast breads/rolls. If this is the way you want to use your dutch oven, there are some great sounding recipes here! However, this isn't the way I cook when I am camping. A few other recipes call for a special "Camp Chef Ultimate" dutch oven. Then there are the recipes calling for cornish game hens, mutton, orange zest, asiago cheese, almond extract, red wine, white chocolate, or toasted pine nuts. Again, if this is the kind of cooking you want to do with your dutch oven, I'm sure the recipes are great, but it isn't my style.

Of the remaining recipes, several are the traditional camp fare - breakfast casserole, hamburger casserole, stew, and 'dump' cobbler. Others have added a nice variety to my menu (teriyaki barbecue chicken, Catalina chicken, manicotti, etc.). I was just disappointed to find that so few of the recipes are ones that fit my camp cooking style.

Practical easy to use book, December 4, 2006
I have been using a dutch oven since I was a youth in scouts. This book has clear instructions on how to: assemble a successful recipe, number of coals, location of coals and cooking time make for a success every time. The quality and diversity of recipes is outstanding. The guide at the beginning is also useful on oven care and how to regulate temperature.

Excellent book--it gets used almost daily, February 8, 2008
My boyfriend has a lot of cast iron--in fact, they are his pots of choice to use. However, he didn't have a lot of recipes for his dutch ovens. I took a chance and ordered this book for him. He absolutely loves it. The recipes are easy to read, understand, and use. The results are delicious. He refers to it almost daily, and is constantly trying new recipes out of it. I recommend it to anyone who likes to use dutch ovens.

Made for camping, September 7, 2008
This book is great, filled with recipies all will enjoy. Some dutch oven cookbooks seem to give receipes that are for mountain men or hillbillies (road kill)... ok just kidding. However, I am a leader in a scout troop and our last campout the scouts used this cookbook to make their meals. They found several that they wanted to try so I am sure they will continue to use in the future. Typically the hunt through a cookbook for one with ingredients they will eat. This one is a must for anyone who uses a dutch oven on campouts. The ingredients are things that are easy to find and even the picky eaters can find something.

Decent, but not a must-buy, May 15, 2009
Has some good recipes (we bought the Kindle version so that we can take it with us without the bulk). The Kindle version is well-laid out. I like that it lists the ingredients clearly, making it easy to go shopping. However IMHO, the recipes are neither terribly unique nor special. I've found that similar recipes seem to be available on the web. Also a little lacking in the area of main courses.

Just what I wanted!!!!!, January 11, 2009
I bought this for my husband who had been looking for just the right cookbook for his dutch oven. This one is perfect!!!! It tells you on each recipe how many coals you need on the top and bottom of the dutch oven. It also lets you know the temperature to use if you want to use it in the oven as well. My husband is thrilled with this cookbook and the variety of the recipes is wonderful. Can't wait to try them all out!!!!

Great recipe book, June 30, 2008
Nice easy recipes with "idiot proof' instructions that includes exactly how many coals you need to cook with. Perfect for a beginner dutch oven cooker. Can't wait to try some on my next campout!

Dutch Oven Cooking, April 21, 2009
Great recipes here! It even tells you how many coals to put on top and beneath the oven! Worth the "dough." (A little pun there..... :)

101 Things To Do With A Dutch Oven, January 12, 2009
I bought this Dutch Oven cookbook, along with Cee Dub's Dutch Oven & Camp Cookin' and Camp Cooking:100 Years, for my father-in-law for Christmas. The three were sold together for a savings. My father-in-law is really enjoying them. He makes new recipes and is always excited to share them with us. I personally liked this one best, but he seems to enjoy reading the trivia in all of them.

Camp food doesnt have to be dull, April 3, 2010
My husband and I are avid kayakers and campers. A friend of ours exposed us to the joy of dutch oven cooking about 10 years ago and the first meal we had was lasagne- which was AWESOME! When you're camping every weekend from Aril to October you get sick of the tradional beans, chili, hot dogs, cornbread, etc. This book really is a must have for those who want to really enjoy cooking outdoors! Fresh bread & rolls, breakfast casseroles, cabbage rolls, and poached pears...come on--this book is great for the wilderness foodies out there. Best of all, because it's specific on the number of coals needed and the temperatures you're cooking with, it makes creating your own recipes so easy. We do alot of the prep work at home (mixing the dry ingredients in ziplocks & labeling them with the measurements of the other items we need to add, really saves us a lot of time. I highly recommend it to anyone, new or experienced, who actually wants to enjoy meals made over a fire. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Amazon.com ReviewProduct Description
You'll never run out of meal ideas for your slow cooker with this massive, photo-filled compendium. The second book in the Ultimate series, following The Ultimate Cookie Book, this giant collection of recipes will keep your slow cooker meals delicious and exciting for years to come. There's way more here than just pot roasts and stews; this book offers recipes for main courses, appetizers, sides, and even desserts and breakfast. With all that, you'll never lack for ideas again!

Nearly 500 pages in length and packed with full-color photos and hundreds of inventive recipes—The Ultimate Slow Cooker Book is a great deal at a great price.

    • Includes 400 recipes, including main dishes, appetizers and beverages, soups and stews, side dishes, breakfast, and desserts
    • 200 full-color photos and a beautiful design will help inspire your next slow cooker sensation
    • Features tips on converting many of your favorite conventional recipes for soups, stews, and roasts so they can be prepared in the slow cooker
    • A great big cookbook at a small price

Whether you've been using your slow cooker for years and need new ideas or you're a first-timer looking for easy dinner solutions, this is the ultimate slow cooker book for you.

Recipe Excerpts from The Ultimate Slow Cooker Book

Pumpkin, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Stew

Lemon–Poppy Seed French Toast

Better-Than-Grandma’s Chicken and Noodles

Reviews

Your field guide to expanded use of your slow cooker, March 23, 2010
So many of us have slow cookers and yet so few of us get much beyond pot roasts or stews. Why is that? I think it is because we don't really understand the potential of a slow cooker and the basic cooking techniques that can enhance what you can cook in them.

This book is for everyone who has a slow cooker and wants to explore all the things you can do with it. The first ten page chapter teaches you how to best use your slow cooker, what you need to be concerned about, including how to adapt regular recipes to slow cooker recipes. You will also get really good advice on food safety, when to add various kinds of ingredients, and how to layer them in your cooker. They warn you, for example, to not have your timer start your cooker more than two hours after you put the ingredients in the pot. And never cook your meat from a frozen state. Also, if you have large roasts, cut them in half. When you should add your pasta, how you prepare ground meat for clos cooking, and how to use dry versus fresh herbs. Helpful tips, right?

Since this is The Ultimate book on slow cooking, you get recipes for things I know I never even expected could be done in a slow cooker, but once you think through the recipes they really do make sense. You get chapters on appetizers and beverages (yes, drinks such as hot chocolate, hot punches, and the like), breakfasts, soups, stews, poultry, beef & veal, pork & lamb, meals without meat, side dishes, and even desserts.

Each recipe tells you the ingredient list, the size of slow cooker the recipe is made for (so you can adjust to yours), the steps to make the dish (remember it isn't all just dump it in, turn it on, and come back 8 hours later), and nutrition information. Many of the dishes have appetizing photographs of the dish. Helpful notes about the recipe and tips for slow cooking generally are given throughout the book and will help you make better dishes more easily and with easier cleanup.

The book is colorful, laid out clearly, and the page edges have different colors for each section. In addition to an index you are also given advice for metric conversion of the recipes and the very last page has a list of emergency substitutions you can make for ingredients you suddenly realize you don't have on hand. These substitutions will be helpful to you for any dish you make, not just slow cooker meals.

Now, these recipes often include canned ingredients, mixes, and so forth. Since the idea of slow cooking is so much about convenience and ease of preparation, these kinds of choices can make sense. If you want to cook from scratch ingredients you could, but you have to add a lot of prep time. Just do what you want and have fun!

A very useful resource for home cooks wanting to push their slow cooking boundaries.

slow cooker lover, April 15, 2010
Love having the slow cooker for preparing meals AHEAD of time! It is so easy, and great to be out and about, and come home to the ready to eat dinner there! And this cookbook is outstanding! Recipes are easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious. I usually prepare them the evening before; put them in the cooker in the refrigerator, and then set it up, turn it on in the morning. The delicious aroma greets one when you open the door when you arrive home. And all you have to do is get yourself seated, and enjoy a GREAT meal!

Great cookbook! Lots of choices!, February 22, 2010
This cookbook is great! There are lots of pictures. Of the several meals I've made so far, I've liked them all.

Great book, July 16, 2010
I have made about 5 recipes from this book so far. Each time they have turned out great. Once in a while the meat seems a little dry, so I'm trying to figure out how to prevent that from happening. Each recipe has the nutritional information. I have found it very helpful.

Glad I read others' reviews, December 15, 2010
Got my Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker along with this book that I ordered according to customer reviews & ratings. Glad I did...recipes are not cumbersome with exotic ingredients & saw things in this book that I had not imagined one could cook in a slow cooker. Glad I invested in this book. Have had other slow cooker cookbooks & was either discouraged or bored with them. This IS the BEST slow cooker cookbook!


Happy Camper ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Informative, Entertaining and Ever So Useful, January 11, 2005
Don't buy this book if you're looking for recommendations on which brands of applicances to buy -- even Alton Brown would admit that you're better off checking out "Cook's Illustrated" or "Consumer Reports" for that. What this book is brilliant for is the explanations of what the most commonly used kitchen tools do and don't (and can and can't) do and how they work, along with the practical tips for picking the items that suit your needs best. Alton Brown does, from time to time, make specific recommendations, but he tells you why he likes those items so that you can accept or reject them on the merits. Also it should be noted that some of his recommendations run contrary to what he recommends for baking in "I'm Just Here for More Food," so if you bake a lot, you might want to read that book as well before shopping for items such as scales and mixers that are used in both cooking and baking. "Gear For Your Kitchen" covers items used in both, but emphasizes cooking.

Alton covers each type of equipment thoroughly, explaining, for instance, what types of pans are good for different types of cooking applications, and what are the various properties of the different materials out of which they are made. So not only do you end up understanding the diffference between a sauce pan and a saucier, you can figure out whether clad metal or copper is your best bet. This same type of treatment is given for knives, small appliances, etc.

But my favorite part of the book has to do with sanitation and storage. The explanations of why certain sanitary measures need to be taken are coupled with easy ways to do it. I couldn't get a frozen enchilada smell out of my microwave oven until I mixed water and bleach in the proportions Alton recommends in a plastic spray bottle. So simple and obvious and yet...

While reading this (cover to cover in practically one sitting -- it's that readable) I found myself enjoying Alton's humorous descriptions, numerous photos and drawings. But I've found myself going back to the book as a handy reference for ingenious ways to use items I already have and ideas for shopping more intelligently.

Since buying this book I've cleared out and reorganized my kitchen and even though I bought a lot more stuff after reading this book, I have more space and am able to use it more efficiently.

Thanks Alton!

Fine Tune your Kitchen and add fun to your cooking, September 14, 2003
The top five (5) reasons for reading Alton Brown's GEAR For Your Kitchen are:

1. The tabulation of types of `Pots and Pans' materials, their advantages, disadvantages, and relative costs. This chapter alone is worth the price of admission. This section will not save you money except for its advice on non-stick pans. All sources I've seen from Mario Batali to AB agree on not spending a lot for Teflon � lined pans, except be sure to get them with oven proof handles for making frittatas.
2. The thoughtful discussion of knife design and how different design features are important, or not important for different cutting tasks. This section will save you money, unless you are a knife freak.
3. The discussion of most major types of gear, which give you the features you should find most desirable. You may not agree with AB's choices, but he tells you how to make the choice which is best for you.
4. The essay on kitchen sanitation. This is one of many areas where the home cook can learn from professional chefs' practice. I'll bet that even Martha Stewart is not as careful as Alton recommends, and I plan to begin following his recommendations immediately. Note that one can make a little game of finding all the oblique references to Martha Stewart in the book. I've found four (4).
5. The explanation of accuracy versus precision in evaluating measuring devices, especially weighing devices. Being a former chemist, I would argue that AB gives too little credit to the role of the balance, although I concede that using it in the kitchen does require both extra space and special knowledge the average chef may not have.

To the book's credit, it has a wealth of references to actual makes and models, while I have detected no bias to any one manufacturer, in spite of some gratuitous general kudos to OXO. AB's opinions are based on a thorough and thoughtful use of kitchen tools over many years, so his opinions are much better than your Aunt Ida, no matter how good her apple pie may be. However, I take some with a grain of salt. I would not dismiss springform pans unless I heard both Maida Heatter and Nick Malgieri gave them up.

Another minor nit I would pick is in his use of the term multitasking. In computer science, where the word was born, it means the ability to do two things in parallel, not two different things in series! I would especially disagree with some of the uses to which he puts a rolling pin, as some secondary uses may lead to nicks which may harbor microbeasties and impair it function. The solution of sanding said roller may give it an uneven shape. Tsk Tsk.

This book is much better than his first, since it addresses in a comprehensive way a subject which is only dealt with in a very piecemeal way by any other source, including Cooks Illustrated. His first book was just another collection of recipes with humor and some (occasionally) misleading science.

Great Resource for Cooks of Any Caliber, October 12, 2003
"Gear for your Kitchen" provides a fairly in-depth discussion on the whys and hows of choosing various sorts of kitchen implements, from cutlery to pans to small appliances. Alton Brown uses his sense of humor to help present this information in a book that is truly easy and pleasurable to read. There is another book of this nature, a very large and diverse treatise, which attempts to showcase all the various sorts of kitchen gear available to the home cook. But unlike "Gear" it doesn't provide the information that we really need to choose our cookware.

What is great about this book is that in addition to giving actual suggestions of specific products for various sorts of implements, it also goes into great detail to show you how to choose items that will work for you. Brown is careful to highlight areas where paying more money isn't likely in your best interest (e.g. the non-stick fry pans as mentioned in another review, for instance) and where it is (e.g. cutlery).

The goal of having the smallest set of kitchen wear to do all the cooking you need to do is a running theme in this book. In addition to a suggested exercise in minimizing your current kitchen implements, there are many suggestions on how you can use items for tasks other than they are intended, instead of buying specialty pieces (e.g. using the bottom of a heavy fry pan in the place of a meat pounder).

This book is a great resource for cooks of all sorts, from beginners to those with years of experience. It will make a great gift for those people who are just starting out on their own!

Where were you Alton?, October 12, 2004
About a year or so ago I finally gave up. All my knives were dull. All my pans were warped and flaking. All my appliances were not working as I wanted. I decided that I enjoyed cooking, but avoided it because of my equipment. I decided I'd start buying only stuff that'd last a life time or until something better came out.

It started with picking up some Wusthof knives, one every couple months. Then I started getting some new small appliances, and now I'm on to pans. I've cleaned out my "junk" drawer of unitaskers and replaced them with quality instruments.

The bad news, if I had Alton's book, I would have saved a lot of time on research. The good news is, I did fairly well on my own.

I admire Alton and this book in particular for two reason: He's innovative with his tools so that the least number of items can do the most tasks. I used to have four different garlic tools. I now I have one -- a knife. Also, a cooking tool doesn't have to come from a cooking store. Second, I enjoy how Alton doesn't shy from naming names, both the good and bad. In most parts of the book, he explains exactly what he thinks you should have and why. It's up to you if that sounds good to you.

A nice little plus is he gives recipes demonstrating some of the gear he discusses. So when you go out and buy something new, you can try it out.

You'll see a lot of this book on his shows. This is probably what this book is best at, a reference for the TV show. The book is not an authoritative look at what pan is best for this or that, or whatever. Cook's Illustrated is probably a better source for this. This is more of an overview of information. Some parts are more in-depth than others. I get the impression that the book was written from Alton's memory. In other words, Alton relied on past research and experience to write this book without going the extra steps to be more in-depth or complete. Some items are better researched and more in-depth than others, which illustrates this point. If it's important to Alton, he knows it front and back and has tested various products. If not, you just get a rough guide of what to look for.

In short, this book is basically Alton's view on cooking tools, which certainly is impressive, but I would not recommend making this book a shopping list. I don't agree with everything in the book, but it does arm you with enough information to know what you're doing at the store. Case in point, I'm looking for a new roasting pan. Alton incorrectly states that the All-Clad has an aluminum core -- it's only stainless steel. While certainly a quality pan, I'm looking for a more affordable alternative since the big thing with All-Clad is the aluminum core. Alton comes into play on what I specifically want: A stainless steel (non-reactive) pan that is heavy enough to de-glaze on the stove. In this case, I'm looking past Alton's strong product recommendation, but I know exactly what I want and why.

Alton's books and shows made me aware of my neglect for food safety. Some great tips in there. The kitchen truly is the most danger room in the house.

If you enjoy Alton's show and his tips for gear, you'll like this book, even if you've seen every episode. At the very least you'll have something to reference. For everyone else, I'd say page through it at a book store and look up topic you're familiar with. If you agree with what he says, buy it. You'll probably agree with everything else.

I don't like the new Cuisinart either, June 29, 2004
I'm a hobby cook and also a gadget-junkie, so I was delighted to discover this book by one of my favorite people on the Food Network. Brown covers much more than simply can-openers and veggie-peelers, though. His topical chapters cover pots and pans, storage containers, small miscellaneous utensils, safety items, "sharp things," and "small things with plugs," and perhaps the best way to read the book is to browse from the beginning and then read his descriptions, comments, and opinions on certain items as they come to mind. I'm a regular reader of the consumer tests in COOK'S ILLUSTRATED, too, and I think Brown and Christopher Kimball would agree in many ways on what makes a particular tool useful and what features to look for among the products available. Brown's judgments are admittedly personal but he explains them very clearly. Not everything must be specially purchased, either; he recommends a length of dental floss for cutting slices of soft cheese, and he boils eggs in an electric kettle that automatically turns itself off when it reaches a boil. (Great idea!) The book's page design is also quite nice, with good photos and drawings of the tools he discusses, side discussions and tips highlighted in color, and lots of open space. All his sources appear at the back of the book. I certainly hope he does a revised and updated edition in about five years.

Three words: buy this book, November 20, 2004
My fellow reviewers who agreed that this book is worth 5 stars have probably said what I feel better than I could. In a nutshell, this is an excellent resource to have on hand to learn which tools you really need for YOUR kitchen....not Alton's.

The six-month "purge" in the beginning of the book is worth the price of the book alone. It's such a simple technique but it's laid out in such logical detail that anyone who does this will know immediately how much space and money they've wasted on kitchen trinkets, cheap and expensive alike.

The section on cookware is an excellent resource for people who are scraping by on whatever cookware they got from their mother or from the local superstore. It'll help you choose the cookware (and individual pieces) that are best suited for YOU.
I also found his information on cutlery selection to be valuable.

Also, Brown doesn't automatically lean toward the idea that "expensive is better". In fact, he seems refreshingly honest when he tells you that superior tools can often be bought cheaper than at a restaurant supply store. One example is that he opts to use a trowel from the local hardware store rather than buy an expensive "pie server" from one of the houseware vendors.

In other areas, he's candid enough to say, "Hey, this is going to last you a lifetime and if you buy the cheapo, you're going to regret it."

Overall, I thought it was refreshingly honest, thorough and -- well, just plain fun to read.

Regarding the the person who said that "$28 was too much" for a book that "wasn't very big", I'm not sure what the complaint was. Although the book is 200+ pages, well-written and wonderfully designed, that's not even the pragmatic point of the book. It's this: knowing the information in this book will save you a heck of alot more than $28 when buying the RIGHT kitchen gear instead of wasting money on stuff you don't need or shouldn't own. If it does that.....well, in my opinion, it's done its job.

Plus, even if someone knows alot of this stuff, it's a good gift item for the chef/cook in YOUR life. Buy two and give one as a gift!

Can a Kitchen Implement Book Be Interesting? YES!, August 9, 2004
How interesting can a book on kitchen implements be? I have always loved kitchen gadgets and machines, and although I'm the one who drags my wife through the kitchenware sections of stores, I still asked this question about this book. Well, it is a very interesting book, and I wish I had read this before buying most of what's in my kitchen.

Alton Brown is the host of the Food Network show GOOD EATS. The show was first brought to my attention by a local radio morning show DJ. Alton is a sort of combination of Julia Childs and Mr. Wizard with a little wackiness of Jeff Corwin thrown in. After quickly getting addicted to the show, I wondered if Alton had any books, and my search led me to GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN.

In the short time I've been watching the show, he's twice lifted his fire extinguisher and said, "This is the only unitasker in my kitchen." That philosophy permeates this book. You will also find that he will often use non-kitchen tools if he feels they perform the task better. He serves pie with a masonry trowel and scapes dough with a drywall taping knife.

He's not afraid to name names, which is extremely beneficial and not often seen in books (Don't want to upset potential advertisers!). So instead of just describing what to look for in an item, he tells you what item(s) meets those requirements. Of course, this risks making the book quickly dated. He is also not afraid to say what items he's abandoned when they were poorly "updated," such as now recommending the Kitchenaid food processor over his once-favorite Cuisinart because Cuisinart changed the toggle switch to a membrane switch. Hopefully, some of the revelation will guide the manufacturers to provide better products.

The book is very easy to read, and reads like listening to the author on his show. The layout is very attractive. The book is punctuated with interesting sidebars giving historical information on the materials and products. There are actually a handful of recipes using the tools described in that section. For example, the section on food processors includes a recipe for Hummus. The book is full of photos of recommended items. There is a several-page table on cooking utensil materials: what they are, what they're good for, and what they're not. Some of these sidebars and tables are very appealing to an engineer like me (Alton Brown, in general, probably appeals to engineers like me), but may be boring to others. You can skip many of them without much damage.

Chapters are Pots and Pans, Sharp Things (knives and slicers), Small Things with Plugs (electric countertop kitchen appliances), Kitchen Tools Unplugged (pretty much any tool that doesn't fall into the other categories), Storage and Containment, and a potentially ho-hum chapter on Safety and Sanitation, which wasn't so bad. I could probably benefit from this last chapter, although (famous last words) I've never gotten sick from anything I made in my kitchen. It's harder explaining to my wife why I'm buying spray bottles and squeegees.

I can offer a few suggestions for improvements. Mainly, additional illustrations are needed to help describe differences in some items. He could use diagrams to describe different kinds of pots and pans, different turners and spatulas, and the different whisks. He does this very thing describing different kinds of knives and the parts of the knives, but falls down on the job in the other sections. There are text descriptions like "straight sides," "curved sides," "flared sides," "sides that curve outward," "they all have an offset angle built into them either at the tip or in the handle," and others. It can be hard to conceive in your mind (or maybe it's really simple, and I'm just messed up because I'm an engineer and he's not describing what plane he's working in, what line he's referring the angle to, etc.) By "straight sides" does he mean "vertical?"

And p. 192 confuses me. Alton insists there is a difference between turners and spatulas, but under "Wide, Solid Turner," he describes a particular product he owns, and there is a photo of it with a caption that clearly describes it as the same item, but calls it a "spatula." Furthermore, the next section, "Cake Spatulas," the first describing spatulas, refers to "the spatula described above." Ugh. Which is it? Are spatulas and turners the same or not?

OK. Minor point.

Mr. Brown does concedes that there may be a few good unitaskers, and admits to owning a few, but only if they do a job you need a done a lot, and it does it very well. Oh...and he does discuss fire extinguishers.

I don't think I'll personally purchase this book since it is in the my local library, and it's not something I think I'll have to refer to frequently. However, if you don't have access to it, or want to keep it around for the recipes (or have an unlimited book budget and bookcase space), I'd highly recommend purchasing GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN.

From a fan Great Book, but not a good buy, January 22, 2005
This is a great book, and very informative. As he does in his first book, he explains the concepts behind cooking in an almost scientific. BUT many of the most important tidbits are found in abbreviated with his first book. He also tends not to give the full story when endorsing a particular product. The Pressure Cooker, Stand Mixer, Perfect Beaker, etc. So before you buy, look at the recommendations on this site, consumer reports, and any other nonpartisan source you can.

My suggestion is try and find this book at your library, then decide if you want to buy it. For me I took a few notes, then returned the book. I can always go check it out, and its not the type of book I'll always have out.

(oh and before any of you try this, the terra cotta smoker is great, but not nearly as cheap and convenient as the smokey joe smoker in I'm just here for the food).

A Must-Have, June 10, 2004
Nominated this year for another James Beard Award (for Tools and Techniques), Alton Brown has yet another gem for all to enjoy, "Gear For Your Kitchen". In this wonderful gem, Alton Brown explains how you can declutter your kitchen within 60 days and stock your kitchen with useful tools that you will actually use!

As any "Good Eats" fan will tell you, Alton Brown believes in "multi-taskers." His logic is: Why have a yogurt maker when you only use it once a year? Instead, he shows us, on one of his shows, how he utilizes a heating pad and a couple of canisters to achieve the same results.

Not only does he suggest unusual items for your kitchen (a cigar cutter to chop chives), but he also recommends traditional items. He explains the process with which one should consider before purchasing any item. He does explain how he chose that certain coffee maker, but he explains how we need to figure out which one is best for us.

Being as he is forever in search of a great utensil or appliance, he is quick to point out which items are more difficult to clean, and not worth buying, and which ones are worth buying. In the section devoted purely to pots and pans, he explains each metal used for cooking, the best uses for that metal, how to care for it and the good and bad points with each metal.

Instead of purchasing that expensive imported terra-cotta cookware, he suggests (with diagrams) on how to create your own cookware from flowerpots...I mean, they are both made from the same material. Why pay more because one says "cookware"?

And he doesn't stop there. He also helps his readers by helping them select safety and sanitation supplies for their kitchens!

And if you thought that was not enough, he has a large resource section, in the back of the book, where he recommends some excellent places to purchase your items, either through mail, telephone or Internet!

This book is complete with Alton Brown's sense of humor, wit and enthusiasm. He is one of the only people out there creating books for people who never went to culinary school. I appreciate his thoroughness, and recommend this book to all new cooks, and for the more seasoned chefs as well.

Always fascinating, February 16, 2005
My husband bought me this book (along with the newest set of the Good Eats DVDs). Initially, I didn't think that this book would be for me even though Good Eats is one of my favorite shows. As interesting as Alton Brown is, I didn't think that a book just about kitchen tools would be interesting. Then I started reading it. AB has such a unique way of writing that I was instantly mesmerized. It makes me want to go through my kitchen and purge all the unitaskers I've accumulated over the years. I will get there, though it may take a while. As an added bonus, he includes quite a few interesting recipes (that correspond to the gear he is talking about). I will never again doubt AB. In my opinion, he's the best there is in the cooking world. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Here's a collection of tasty and attractive dishes that can easily be prepared with little to no attention and are ready when you want to eat. Succulent meats, tender poultry and even vegetarian dishes, hot and full of simmered-in flavor, are waiting for you when you want them. This book is full of more than 120 no-nonsense, delicious recipes that are easy for anyone to use-just dump in the ingredients, dial the heat, and dinner will be ready when you get home from work. All the preparation can be done the night before, so putting dinner on in the morning a breeze. Recipes include everything -- meat, chicken ,and meatless main dishes to side dishes, dips, drinks, and even desserts -- with more than 50 photos of these easy, delicious meals. Slow cookers are an all around economical choice -- from the price of appliance to the amount of time spent cooking and the ingredients you can use makes this subject appealing to a wide group of consumers. Slow cooking enhances the flavor and also tenderizes all varieties of meat, including the less expensive cuts, so it is an economical way to cook. Most recipes have cooking times of 8 to 10 hours, so they can be started at the beginning of the day and be ready for dinnertime. Slow cookers are not only for the work-a-day world; they're also very convenient for entertaining and when stove/oven are being used for other food preparations. It is perfect for making crowd-size hot beverages, such as hot chocolate or mulled cider, and it keeps dips and side dishes hot for several hours, making it perfect for hassle-free entertaining and meal making. With Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook, putting dinner on the table has never been easier. ... Read more

Reviews

In Love With My Crockpot, January 11, 2000
If you thought crockpot cooking was a bad idea from the seventies, think again. This fabulous book has a wonderful variety of recipes that are easy, inexpensive, and newly healthy for a nineties audience. Not only does it provide plenty of recipes to keep you busy, but it also explains how to adapt your own favorite fast-cooking recipes to the slow cooker. As a working woman, I can't emphasize enough how this book has brought healthy, easy, hearty cooking into my life. I highly recommend it to anyone who is busy, but wants to eat well.

My gosh, Betty Crocker goes beyond pot roast!, February 15, 2003
I was reluctant to buy a crockpot, perhaps because I'm a little bit of a cookery snob. I'm not a pot roast and meatloaf person; I prefer recipes with a little more zing and originality. But when my friends insisted that recipes existed for much more interesting crockpot fare, I browsed through slow cooker books to see if they were right. This is the cookbook that convinced me I should buy a crockpot. Wow.

The Thai Chicken and the Mango Chutney Chicken Curry recipes quickly became favorites in my house. There are also recipes for Cuban Black Beans and Rice, Lamb Dijon, and Squash and Apple Bisque as well as for the crockpot staples. This cookbook isn't satisfied to offer a single stew recipe; it provides nine vastly different ones, using beef, pork, chicken, or even venison. Somehow, good old-fashioned Betty Crocker realized that cooks like me didn't want to compromise much when it came to crockpot cooking.

I highly recommend this book for its non-traditional fare.

Good, better, best, December 18, 2000
If I had to choose one crock pot cookbook to own, I would still choose Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery. Every recipe I've tried in there turned out delicious! Crockpot aficionados, however, need variety in cooking styles. Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook fills the "runner up" category. Most helpful are the suggestions regarding cooking beans in a crockpot, which has always been a tricky affair. In fact, my favorite recipes in this Betty Crocker cookbook are bean recipes. Savory Garbanzo Beans with Vegetables was much appreciated by a crowd of six vegetarian friends of mine. Its "secret" ingredients, believe it or not, are horseradish and mustard! Sounds strange, but tastes great. The Lima Bean and Kielbasa Soup is so delicious that my friend made her own batch of it two days after trying it at my house! A little less exciting, but still comforting on a cold winter day, is Chicken and Rice Gumbo Soup, topped with hot red pepper sauce. The only "bomb" I've tried so far was the Burgundy Stew with Herbed Dumplings. The stew was fine, but steaming dumplings on top of a crock pot recipe is doomed to failure, I'm afraid. It looks like a gloppy mass of uncooked biscuit dough, and not like dumplings, because the circumference of a crock pot does not allow for separate dollops of the dough. Bake some biscuits in the oven and ladle the soup on top of a biscuit in each bowl, instead. Finally, this recipe book has a very nice format. Alongside each recipe are "success tips", "ingredient substitution" advice, and "finishing touch" recommendations which guide the cook along. Each recipe includes helpful nutrition data, and the large majority of the recipes are accompanied by a full color photo of the finished dish. If you are already a Mable Hoffman fan, the Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Cookbook is likely to come in a close second.

Impressed, December 10, 2002
Well, color me impressed. I was not expecting much from this cookbook - didn't think there was any way Betty Crocker would be "with it" - but this book kept showing up in my recommendations, and I do love my crock pot, so I ordered it. The book arrived today and I'm in love! Not only is the book full of interesting, yet easy, recipes, but there are plenty that are relatively lean (<30% fat). Yes, nutrition information is included! And I love that it is spiral-bound inside the hard cover; very well put together. There are even recipes for what to do with leftovers from other recipes. My only beef with it is that most of the recipes don't include high-temp cooking times, so if you don't have eight hours to let something cook, you're outta luck.

Crockpot Cooking for Gourmets!, January 22, 2005
Like another reviewer, I resisted getting a crockpot because I'd like to think of myself as a gourmet cook. I recently had gastric bypass surgery, and my surgeon recommended a crockpot as a way to really make meats tender and easier for me to get (and keep) down.

What a cookbook! It is my first crockpot cookbook, and it was an excellent buy. I liked the "Crockpots for Dummies"-type information in the beginning. Each recipe also has excellent tips - did you know that Basil increases strength with cooking time, but Cilantro mellows? Neither did I, and both are useful tips while cooking! The spiral binding is also wonderful. The pot roasts are delicious, as are the Pork Chops with Mixed Dried Fruit. Tonight I prepared the Beef Brisket with Cranberry Gravy, and felt compelled to write.

I highly recommend this cookbook for crockpot newbies like me. Veterans should find useful and delicious recipes as well.

Its Great, November 6, 2000
Im a reformed low carb eater... This book is great it gives me the carb counts and protein counts. The meals I have made are divine. It is great for a person who is eating low carb to find a cookbook that helps those who work a decent (not out of the box) meal. Try it.. I got one for all 3 of my sisters.

Delicious recipes and easy to follow, December 14, 2004
Thanks to this book, I come home several times a week to a dinner that is ready to eat - and delicious! I have tried about 50% of the recipes and so far, all of them have turned out very well. My favorites are the Fruited Pork Chops, which are so good I served them to my family on Thanksgiving rather than turkey! Other highlights are the Hungarian Goulash, the Garlic Pork Roast with plum sauce and the Cassoulet. Best of all, I always have enough left over for lunch the next day.

On top of this, every recipe has a complete nutrional analysis, so if you are watching carbs, you can choose recipes based on that.

My family and friends love this cookbook - they get to eat the results!

Betty does not let you down., April 16, 2006
This was my first slowcooker cookbook for my first slowcooker, and I have yet to have a bad meal from it. The directions are clear, easy, and almost foolproof. It allows for convienance foods like canned beans or frozen veggies, without using a lot of processed food or added fat, also there are several for dried beans (cheap and good for you). Most of the ingredients are easy to come by. The tips are very helpful. I will be making some of these recipies for as long as I am still cooking. The spiral binding is just a great added touch. If you have a slowcooker buy this book.

Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook, March 8, 2006
I had been looking for a cookbook like "the old days" when you threw everything into the slow cooker and turned it on for 8 hours. I found it in this cookbook! Too many slow cooker recipe books demand too much preparation of the ingredients before starting the cooking. This book is wonderful, the recipes are easy and the selection of soups is unlimited. I like being back to "the old days" and using the slow cooker as it was originally intended.

Simple, Tasty , Perfect!, August 27, 2005
I don't know why anyone would give this book a low rating and say the recipes had no flavor...I have tried many of the recipes and I love spicy food, and I have found the recipes to be wonderful! They taste good, they're easy, they have simple ingredients for the most part, and you barely have to lift a finger for dinner!!! I love this book and am buying one for a friend! ... Read more

Editorial Review

From simple to spectacular, recipes created for the stand mixer.

Sales of the stand mixer are consistently on the rise -- understandably, since it's perhaps the most integral piece of culinary equipment one can own. No other machine can knead dough, grind meat, slice vegetables, whip egg whites and make ice cream.

This new edition features 40 brand new recipes and 16 pages of all-new color photography. The outstanding collection of delicious recipes will inspire everything from appetizers and soups to homemade pasta dishes and sausages, from divine desserts to special snack treats.

Some of the delicious recipes include:

• Parmesan cheese straws; minestrone; falafel pitas; deep-dish chicken and sausage pie with biscuit crust
• Potato latkes; Hungarian sausage; garlic kielbasa; basic egg pasta; lemon black pepper pasta
• Banana walnut bread; sour cherry scones with orange glaze; the ultimate chocolate chip cookie
• Cranberry maple squares; banana cream pie; chocolate amaretto cake; French vanilla ice cream.

A special section on understanding the equipment answers questions about stand mixers and their attachments and gives detailed information on their uses. Also included are dozens of valuable tips and techniques from expert chefs.

Reviews

Now I know how to use my Kitchen Aid, November 4, 2005
I've had a Kitchen Aid for 3 years, but never used it as anything more than a souped up hand mixer. A friend gave me this book along with the pasta roller and grinder attachments about a month ago. I've used a half dozen recipes out of this book and all have been great and in the process I've really learned to use my Kitchen Aid. Learning to use the pasta roller was more than worth the price of the book and the pasta recipes are killer. If your buying a Kitchen Aid or giving somebody one as a present this book is the perfect compliment - its really expanded what I can do with my mixer.

Terrificly Useful!, November 6, 2005
I was so pleased to receive this book from a friend. At first, I wasn't sure that it would be useful to me as I do not have the different attachments for my mixer other than what it came with. I was so pleasantly surprised to find so many wonderful recipes that do not require extra attachments. So far, (I think the Orange Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake and the Potato and Cheese Pierogi's are my favorite, but I am working my way through the recipes and may find new favorites tomorrow!!!

Lost without it, July 21, 2006
Bought a lovely Kitchenaid stand mixer.

And that's what it did. Stand. And do nothing. Until I bought this book.

Seriously, Kitchenaid should up the price of the mixer by the cost of this book, and throw it in as an essential attachment.

Very helpful, lots of explanations and tips. Couldn't work without it. If you splashed out for the mixer, splash out for the book. It's as essential as the power cord.

Get Real, March 25, 2006
I have a bone to pick with reviewers who slam a book because it may not have pictures. You can't judge a book by such petty criteria. After all, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (one of the best books ever written about French cuisine) doesn't have pictures. To have or to have not pictures is something that a publisher determines when deciding a price for the book. You want to spend $40 on a book with pictures? Fine. For my money I'll take a $20 or less price point cook book with great recipes any day. The Mixer Bible is chock full of great recipes whether you have the extra attachments or not. The authors were recently on a Kitchenaid conversations panel where they stated that half the recipes in the book can be made with only the basic 3 attachments that come with most mixers whether Sunbeam, Viking or Jennaire. It seems like they really tried to write a book for anyone with a stand mixer. They wrote a great book to cook by, not to use as a picture book. Judge a book not by its cover, but what's inside in the way of recipes and know how.

Indespensible (if you have the attachments), February 23, 2006
This gets 5 stars IF you have a KitchenAid mixer with attachments. It makes the difference between actually using all those cool attachments and putting them away in a drawer! I wouldn't recommend it to those who have the mixer, but no attachments, because it's use would be limited.

I had no idea!!!!!!!, October 20, 2005
This is a great book for any kitchen with a stand mixer. These two ladies have come up with some really good recipes that are created with the mixer and makes use of all of the attachments that I never knew how to use before. Kitchen Aid should be pretty happy with this one. I learned that I have a machine that can do everything I need in the kitchen and it is so much fun doing it. I can't wait for the next book.

Triumph!, October 6, 2005
Finally I have discovered the many uses of my mixer. From pasta to apple sauce, I had no idea there are so many wonderful recipes that can be made with a mixer. Traditionally my mixer was used mainly for cakes and soups, but now I realize there is so much more that can be done. This book explains in detail how to use all of the attachments (thank goodness) and also gives lots of helpful tips with the recipes.

Finally!, September 7, 2005
Finally, a cookbook with lots of fun and sophisticated recipes with easy to follow instructions for every level of cooking skills. I haven't found a recipe yet, that my family and friends haven't raved about!

Great book for anyone with a stand mixer, March 26, 2006
I've had this book for a month now and even though I thought I knew what my mixer could do, this book has really opened my eyes to the possibilities. I also tuned into the authors on a KitchenAid.com live forum discussion and they are very knowledgable about cooking in general, and of course the stand mixer and attachments specifically. Apparently their cooking teachers as well as writers and I think it shows in their recipes. They're written in a clear, easy to understand step-by-step format. I've probably made about 10 of the recipes so far and they've all been fantastic. I don't have any of the optional attachments yet, but I just ordered the pasta roller because we make a lot of fresh pasta in our house and the book walks you through the process and has a ton of great recipes too. The best part about the book though is how great the recipes taste. The authors and my family must be on the same culinary page, because everyone has enjoyed everything so far and all of the dishes we've tried have been starred to make again. A very good investment for the stand mixer owner.

Excellent Reference/Recipe Book!, December 12, 2006
I received my electric stand mixer as a wedding present 6 years ago and used it solely for cakes and cookies. What else would it be for?

I purchased The Mixer Bible because I was contemplating donating my beautiful mixer to charity unless I could find more ways to use it. Thank goodness I found this book! It includes instructions for using the various paddles and accessories to make the stand mixer a useful everyday tool. There are suggestions for using the mixer for such things as making meat loaf and other main dishes, as well as the usual cakes, breads and cookies. The sausage recipes have even made me interested in making my own--it looks so easy (I just got the book yesterday so I haven't had the chance to try it yet)! Plus, it includes recipes for making your own ice cream...with a mixer!!!! I never would have thought it possible!

Recipes, tips, suggestions and things to avoid are all included in this easy-to-read book. If you own a mixer and use it more as a decorative piece, you owe it to yourself to get this book before you decide it's taking up too much space. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pasta Machine Cookbook is a major revision of the first cookbook to focus on the pasta itself, rather than the sauces to go with it. It's full of new, improved recipes for both hand-cranked and electric pasta machines. Home-made pasta is quick, easy, and a delicious improvement over store-bought pasta. Pasta has fewer calories and carbs—and more protein—than rice or potatoes. All the recipes here are written for hand-cranked and electric machines. The Pasta Machine Cookbook includes sections on different types of pasta; hints on the machines, cooking, and serving; and a section on sauces, toppings, and fillings. ... Read more

Reviews

Contains some useful recipes and some useless recipes, January 2, 2002
If you want to make a reasonable selection of pastas, this book will give you recipes to do it. Spinach, tomato, and other flavored pastas, as well as pastas made from a variety of grains. It also contains a reasonable selection of sauces that are generally easy to make, though if you have any experience making pasta sauces (or another cookbook that covers the topic), I doubt you'll find anything terribly interesting or innovative to try as far as sauces go.

However, I guess that wasn't enough to fill up a book, because the book also has a bunch of recipes that look questionable at best. It looks kind of like the author sat down and tried to brainstorm everything she could possibly think of to make pasta out of -- kind of an illustration of the old adage that if all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. For example, there are some recipes for curry pastas here, which seems like a reasonable enough idea if you can think of something to make that wuld go well with it. However, the author's only serving suggestion is to then make a curry and serve it over the curry pasta, which makes a lot less sense to me than making a pasta with a flavor that would complement whatever curry you are making. There are a number of recipes like this, where the author suggests using a set of ingredients from a dish in a pasta to go with the dish.

Beyond that there's no discussion of making tortellini and only a brief discussion of making ravioli, with only a few ideas for fillings. This seems like an area where the author's creativity could have been put to far better use, as there are a vast number of possible fillings that might go really well tossed lightly with oil or with a simple cream sauce.

This is a very inexpensive book and it contains a wide variety of of useful recipes for various pastas, so this book does the job it sets out to do. However, I can't help but think it could have been a much better book if a little more thought and discretion could have been put into it.

A Fabulous Guide to Pasta Making!, February 19, 1998
This is a great cookbook for anyone who had or wants to own a pasta machine. The easy to follow recipes are adjusted for both the hand crank and electric machines as well. For this past Valentine's Day my girlfriend and I brought out her old pasta machine and following one of the recipes we made a four-spice pasta that was incredible. We had once tried to make pasta before and it took a lot longer then because we didn't quite know the proportions needed. However, following the instructions Donna German gives. Making pasta took a lot less time, even with a hand crank pasta machines. Although we have not tried any of the sauce or main dish recipes they look pretty darn good too. Off to find my own pasta machine...:-)

Making fresh pasta has never been easier!, April 21, 2000
I bought this book a few years ago after purchasing an electric pasta maker. The instructions are very clear and concise. But the best thing is that the book gives the reader a huge number of pasta recipes including the use of various flours, herbs, vegetables, fruits, spices and cheeses. After using the book for awhile, I decided to experiment with some of my favorites...garlic, basil and parmesan. You will delight every person who sits at your table and you will be proclaimed an absolute gourmet chef. Pasta is very healthy and now it can be equally delicious. Imagine chocolate pasta topped with brandied strawberries! Even the kids can make pasta with these recipes. I have had many hours of culinary pleasure thanks to Donna German and you will too!

Interesting, but..., March 23, 2005
I bought this book when I first got my hand-crank pasta machine. It's kind of fun, but most of the recipes are far too elaborate and highly flavoured. Very few of them sound like something you'd want to do start to finish. I agree with the Italians -- pasta is fairly basic -- have fun with the sauces. (I do wish I had the patience to make those cute little candystriped "packets", though.)

This is inexpensive enough to be an "idea" book, if you want to try something "exotic", which pasta isn't, of course.

For Pasta Lovers who want to go a step further, July 15, 2006
Excellent book to prepare your own pasta at home. The book is adapted to both hand-cranked and electric extruder pasta machines.

Buy this book only if you are willing to do something exotic and elaborated with the pasta. If you love pasta but want to save the trouble, keep the pasta simple and play with the sauce recipes. In this case you may want to try a different book, like "Pasta Sauces" by Charles Bellissimo, or "The Essential Pasta Cookbook".

Absolute must for pasta machine users, October 29, 2007
When this book first showed up I was disappointed, because of its size. I was anticipating a bigger book. But my initial disappointment was quickly turned around once I looked inside.

Without a doubt, this is the most useful book I have for making pasta with a pasta machine. It is packed with information. It focuses more on the pasta making itself rather than the sauces. Recipes for sauces are available everywhere, but finding recipes for different types of pasta is tough.

I also like how it provides different recipes for using a past bike vs. using an extruder.

A must have reference if you are into pasta making.

The only pasta machine cookbook I need, March 10, 2001
I like making pasta to match my whim, and this cookbook has served me well. I have never been disappointed, although I do heed the warnings for certain ingredients (e.g., fresh spinach). The sauces I have tried have also been quite satisfactory (in the same way the French say "Ca va" and mean it's very good).

This is the only pasta machine cookbook I own - I haven't desired another (and I am a cookbook addict).

never done it before ??? !!!, November 15, 2007
The New Pasta Machine Cookbook. I am a Chef from Europe and never learn about pasta. I do quiche, eclair, crepes etc and became interested by Bob my neigbor. So I starded to read and became VERY save and surprise every body even the Italian in my communauty, what fun I have. Yvon

Pasta made from many different ingredients, June 13, 2008
I wasnt sure what this book was about when I purchased it, but so you know, it is all about making pasta from various different types of ingredients, such as buckwheat, quinoa, rye even, as well as the basic egg dough we are familiar with. It is great to have somethign else to make pasta out of besides the usual flour/semolina. I havent tried too many of the recipes yet, but those I have tried worked out well and the finished product was received well too. Interesting.

Nice guide for pasta machines, March 24, 2009
I have an Atlas 150 with a ravioli attachment, and the instructions that came with the machine are minimal. Every time I wanted to make pasta, I had to find recipes on the internet. I like to use whole grains. This book gives plenty of basic and non-basic recipes, and the proportions make it easy to double (or even triple). It's nice to not have to go to the internet for recipes anymore.

There are only a few basic sauces, but from someone who only sees recipes as guidelines, I think they make nice quick references.

Overall, a must have recipe book for pasta machines. I think they should come with this book! I'm getting one for mom :) ... Read more

Editorial Review

A winning combination of healthy eating and convenience.

Here's an ideal combination: a tasty meal, nutrition for good health, and the convenience of a slow cooker. The Healthy Slow Cooker offers more than 100 delicious, nourishing recipes that are healthy and contain key nutritional, health and wellness information. Along with a complete nutrient analysis, each recipe will feature: - An icon denotes vegan friendly recipes - "Mindful morsels" that highlight particular nutritional elements - "Natural Wonders" that provide an a overview of a dish's healthful benefits

For example, Indian-Style Chicken with Puréed Spinach provides 400% of the daily requirement of Vitamin K, and cumin in the recipe improves digestion. Here's a small sampling of the tantalizing array of recipes:- Creamy Polenta with Corn and Chilies - Moroccan-Style Lamb with Apricots and Raisins - Ribs 'n' Greens with Wheatberries - Winter Vegetable Casserole - Cranberry Pear Brown Betty - Indian Banana Pudding

For diabetics, the book features a separate section of useful advice and nutrition guidelines. ... Read more

Reviews

Healthy Cooking Made Easy, February 25, 2006
I studiously avoided learning to cook for 50+ years but a friend who's very health conscious recommended trying a slow cooker. This cookbook gave me the additional boost I needed. Finlayson is very knowledgeable about nutrition, and somehow manages to make it interesting to read about. Plus, she gives tips on what to prepare the night before, so you can set up the crock pot in the morning, turn it on, and have a great meal by the time you get home. I love the Thai Pumpkin Soup, which has become a favorite in our household. If you're trying WeightWatchers point system, this has an abundance of good recipes.

International Flair, March 23, 2006
Reviewed by Geri Eden for Reader Views (3/06)
In a world of fast food, deli's and supermarket fare, Judith Finlayson shows us how we can savor tasty, slow-cooked meals with only minutes of prep time. Her 288 page cookbook is filled with beautiful pictures of finished dishes, tips, make ahead info, nutritional charts, mindful morsels and natural wonders. Judith opens the book by giving an in-depth look at how to use your Slow Cooker by walking you through information about the various sizes of crock pots, how to care for them, tips on speeding up the cooking process, reducing liquids, the proper size, the use of herbs and baking within the crock pot cooker.
The cookbook is well organized, has an easy to read larger font and uses contrasting headers and shading that aids to move the reader's eye from one section to another. Her cookbook is separated into seven sections titled: Bread & Breakfast, Soups, Poultry, Seafood & Fish, Meat, Pasta & Grains, Just Veggies and Desserts. She closes with Diabetic Food Values, a Bibliography and an Index.
Her recipes include common spices that most cooks should already have on hand and fresh ingredients that can be easily found in any grocery store. No extra trips to specialty food sources. What's really impressive is that she covers all types of meals like dishes you can make for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. One of my favorite recipes was for Creamy Tuna Casserole which is something you might never think of being able to cook in a crock pot.
Judith has written several Slow Cooker cookbooks and this particular book may be of special interest to those that enjoy recipes with an international flair. In addition to American and European favorites, there are numerous dishes from the Middle East. You will undoubtedly find dishes to please just about everyone. Finlayson continues to prove that Slow Cookers can be used every day and should be brought out for more than just the infrequent home or work party with food like queso, cocktail meatballs or party sausages. So dust off your crock pot and get cooking!

Not all at Once, February 1, 2006
THE HEALTHY SLOW COOKER:
More than 100 Recipes for
Health and Wellness

By Judith Finlayson

Slow cookers are different now. No longer do you put all ingredients in to return home and find an non-distinctive, mushy, rather flavor-lacking concoction.

After four books, Findlayson has reached important conclusions for better slow cooker creations. Some of these make her feel zucchini, peas, snow peas, fish, seafood, and milk/cream do not respond well to long cooking. She also feels peppers, hot sauces and curry powder do not do well with long cooking. Her solution? Add these during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Each recipe has a two-page spread with headnotes, preparation tips, make ahead hints, "Mindful Morsels," and "Nuture Wonders" which expand on the nourishment of the main ingredient, The book also gives Nutrients Per Serving and significant vitamin content.

Besides breakfast, even bread items and tempting desserts, The Healthy Slow Cooker helps you make some tempting, exciting dishes. Here a description of some of the recipes:

Beet Soup with Lemongrass and Lime -
Combines garlic, gingerroot, red bell pepper, red chile, lime zest, coconut cream and cilantro.

(The Spanish favorite) Caldo Verde -
Has cumin, onions, carrots, garlic, chickpeas, potatoes, paprika, collard greens and smoked sausage

(A Moroccan favorite) Harira -
Calls for celery, onion, garlic, tumeric, lemon zest, tomatoes, red lentils, chickpeas and parsley. This is best topped with Harissa made from red chile peppers, caraway and coriander seeds, cumin, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon and sweet paprika

Spicy Peanut Chicken -
Incorporates, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, gingerroot, peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce, red curry paste, coconut milk, green peas, roasted peanuts and cilantro.

Cioppino -
Made with onions, fennel, garlic, anchovy filets, tomatoes, dry white wine, fish stock, white fish, shrimp, crabmeat, red bell pepper, chile pepper and optionally topped with Easy Rouille made from mayonnaise, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and hot paprika.

Beef and Barley with Rosemary and Orange -
Includes mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots garlic, orange zest and dry red wine. Can be topped with Persillade of parsley, garlic and balsamic vinegar.

Chili con Carne -
Make with flour, olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, cinnamon stick, cumin, beer, kidney beans, ancho chili powder, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, poblano chiles, cilantro, sour cream, red onion and roasted red pepper strips.

Barley and Wild Rice Pilaf -
Calls for onion, garlic, rosemary leaves, tomatoes, vegetable stock and toasted pine nuts.

Tamale Pie with Chili Millet Crust -
Make with onions, olive oil, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, black or pinto beans, tomatoes, corn kernels, green bell pepper and jalapeno or chipotle pepper.
May be topped with millet, water, black pepper, Monterrey Jack cheese and chopped green chiles.

Review by Marty Martindale, 2006, Largo FL

Healthy and Delicious!, September 21, 2008
If you read some of the reviews on this site you'd think that the author has you going to exotic and bizarre grocery stores and spending hours preparing these dishes. Its simply untrue. If you're looking for a cookbook that has you open 5 different cans of salty foods and throw em all together for some mushy and unrecognizable (yet fast!) food product then don't buy this one. This one outlines how you can create wonderful, filling, nutritious meals for your whole family. Yep, you are required to chop up fresh fruits and veggies and add in whole grains and beans but isn't this what we should be adding to our meals anyway? I've tried probably half of the recipes in this cookbook and I have enjoyed them all. They freeze wonderfully so you can place them in individual portion sized containers to bring for lunch. This is nutritious and thrifty. She uses almost no processed foods in her recipes (except broths but you can make those yourself) which I appreciate as we try to avoid those foods. I highly recommend this cookbook as her approach to "healthy" food is moderate and logical. BTW, I live in a fairly small area and have been able to find all ingredients needed at my local generic grocery store.

Not for a beginner or if you want easy recipes, January 9, 2007
Unfortunately I have to agree with "too difficult"s review.
This book has wonderful recipes but they are more complicated than if you tried to cook them the standard way using a regular cookbook. This works for people who actually get home from work before 7pm or have time to prep for cooking. Could be a good weekend cookbook.
Really it seems some of these things could be adjusted to the modern working person's lifestyle, it would be better if the cook book gave you alternatives to "browning seeds and grinding them"(!) Healthy cooking doesn't really require all that. But I plan to substitue here and there through out the book........ If I keep it.
On the plus side: Lovely pictures.

Inspiring and useful book for cooks of all levels -- and time constraints, April 7, 2008
I think this is an absolutely wonderful book. It makes it possible even for someone like me -- with little cooking experience, even less time, and to boot, a kitchen that is in the middle of a serious renovation -- to prepare delicious and very healthy foods. The food is incredible, the instructions are clear, and the accompanying information is very useful. I can't say enough good things about it. In addition to being healthy, each recipe is unique and subtle, yielding a dish that makes my short time in the kitchen very rewarding. The book is organized well with a layout and pictures that invites browsing through the recipes.

Most of my previous health food endeavors have been limited, primarily, to low-calorie foods. This book takes healthy eating to a different dimension by considering vitamins, ratios of meats to vegetables, and nutritional variety. I've enjoyed reading the information paired with each recipe as much as I've enjoyed the food itself. And that's saying something -- I've prepared perhaps one-third of these recipes, and all have been winners. It includes recipes using a wide variety of ingredients, many of which I would never have tried nor known how to cook without using this book. For me, it's perfect -- this is the kind of food I want to eat, but learning the techniques and cooking it via means other than the slow cooker is not something I have time to do, unfortunately.

My time and budget constraints have meant cutting a few corners prescribed by the recipes, but the recipes have turned out very well for me. The book includes instructions and measurements for grinding your own spices, as well as introductions to exotic and otherwise intimidating (to me) specialty food items that require going beyond the fare at, say, Kroger grocery stores. I don't grind my own spices -- I buy them in bulk to save money, and for these recipes do my best estimations based on guidelines in the beginning of the book and my own tastes. I also try to substitute some of the more expensive food items. (Many recipes call for nothing beyond the ordinary, and the ones that do usually only have an ingredient or two that exceeds my normal food budget.) The recipes are still FABULOUS.

Another aspect of the book that many here have noted is that the cookbook author includes, in each recipe, instructions for "softening" vegetables and browning meats on the stove before putting in the pot. This makes a huge difference in terms of taste. And I must also say that of the other slow cooker cookbooks I own, most say in the introduction that doing this is a good idea, but they don't include it in their recipes. Given that, this cookbook isn't significantly more complicated in its instructions than most others on the market.

I will soon wrap up this long review... but I do encourage anyone interested in a relatively easy way of cooking healthy, truly unique food to seriously consider this book. The results of each recipe are undeniably wonderful, and I believe the ingredients and methods are adaptable to a wide range of cooking abilities and budgets.

Delicious, healthy food for working families, October 23, 2007
This cookbook asks you to brown the meat and veggies ahead of time. This makes a tremendous difference in the taste. No gray, mushy meat here. I do the prep work the evening before (usually less than a 1/2 hour) then set it to cook in the morning. OK, yes, I do put it in the 'frig over night. I find I prefer to cut the time by one to two hours from the one Ms. Findlayson recommends.

I also like the nutrition information provided for each recipe.

My college bound son asked for this cookbook and a crockpot of his own. That's as high praise as I know of.

Wonderful Cookbook, March 16, 2007
If you don't mind some prep time, this is an amazing cookbook. The author really did a great job with guidance on so many levels - how to prepare, when you can prepare parts of the recipe ahead (and how), what the nutritional values are, etc. I haven't had a single recipe come out poorly, and I am no cook.

Coolest Cookbook Ever, September 10, 2006
I've gone through enough cookbooks to confidently say that this book is the best presentation, and tidbits of information about health benefits, nice pictures of select recipies, and yummy, original, simple recipies for your slow cooker. I came back to this site to see if there would be other cookbooks by this publisher. I don't give it five stars, only cause I have to do all the cooking and am bitter.

Wonderful!, November 15, 2008
I normally cook and cook a lot every single day!
This slow cooker is my first one.
On the contrary of what the recipes advise, I throw everything in the pot and forget it. Nothing prepared ahead as suggested or whatever.
The result? Delicious.
Take my word, don't bother, make your life easy. Collect everything you have and that's it. If the peppers are missing, too bad if they are not essential of course. You do not have fennel but have fennel seeds, that will be it.
It is creative, simple and easy if you want it to be that way :)
And a tip, you've put too much water? Simple: take the cover off...
Enjoy,
Claude ... Read more