Great for Home Cooks (especially beginners)
937114
I bought this book, as well as a few other cookbooks, over a year ago when I first moved from a dorm to an apartment.  It has since become my go-to cookbook.  One of the things that attracted me to it at first, besides looking delicious, was that for each recipe there is a series of photos showing the recipe being cooked.  As a novice cook, it was nice to be able to compare the dish that I was preparing to the pictures of what the dish was supposed to look like at that stage.

As for the recipes, well, they're awesome.  The recipes for roast chicken, beef stew, chicken fajitas, and cauliflower cheddar soup are my favorites, but there are lots of other good ones too.  Another thing that I love about this book is its variety.  There isn't a massive amount of recipes like I have seen in some cookbooks, but this book manages to cover a lot of ground with the recipes it has.  There are chapters on stir-fry, curries, soups, salads, 30-minute-or-less recipes, ground beef, roasts, pasta, veggies, fish & seafood, meats and desserts.  While I know this hardly encompasses all of the cuisines on the planet, I have found it to be a pretty good variety, and they are suitable for cooks of all skill levels.  I still have a ways to go before I have made all of the recipes in this book, but I look forward to getting there.  I haven't found a bad one (or even a so-so one) yet!
4240149
This cookbook is great You can use it to cook full meals or just as a reference book. The step by step instructions are easy to follow. It has instructions to make everything from scratch, even condiments, dressings and many other things you might buy at a store as an individual ingredient. I was a home cook that could boil water, make a grilled cheese sandwich and heat up a can of soup, but now I can cook full meals that impress. This book is just as helpful to beginning cooks as it is for seasoned chefs. I highly recommend it.
2361889
In his cookbook So Good  100 Recipes From My Kitchen To Yours, Richard Blais says So here is a collection of recipes that work at home that you want to prepare time and again. They aren't restaurant dishes with complicated cooking instructions and tons of garnishes. Now while I agree that you won't need a Michelin Star to whip up these recipes but they aren't exactly entry level either. But who cares, they look like they are worth the effort!

When you flip through the recipes you will enjoy a lovely full page for color pictures and lots of little tips or comments about the recipes. The introduction is short and sweet, though I might have liked to find out how he transitioned from McDonalds to cooking school.

Categories For Every Need

Starters
Soups and Porridge
Pasta
Fish and Seafood
Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose, Squab (and Rabbit)
Beef, Pork, Lamb, and Goat
Vegetable
On the Side
Desserts

As previously mentioned, these are not recipes for the new cook. While the detailed instructions are excellent, make sure you read the recipes before you start. A few of the recipes require specialized tools or unusual ingredients not found in every kitchen so you might have to make accommodations.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book. Because I cant resist a good chip, I have chosen the recipe for Triple-Cooked Fries. See the review and recipe on RecipesNow! Reviews and Recipes Database.

(This review is based on a complimentary copy of the book sent by the publisher in return for an honest review)
2935734
this small book has inspired me and opened up a new world of cooking.

Even though its just a very simple collection of recipes without any additional explanation, the collection is diverse and ranges from the exotic to the supremely accessible.

The color photographs are great, and realistic. The large pages have plenty of white space for notes. (and conversions, some of the recipes will have metric an english units, so do if you will be put off by this type amateurish-publication quality, save your money)

However flawed the implementation may be, its easy for me to say that its been worth 100% of the money, I hope it benefits the author though. This happened to be just what i was looking for.
thanks
2717975
I love this cookbook! It's spiral-bound and sits up easily on your countertop (a big plus for me!). I've made several recipes and ran into only one I could do without (not a big fan of spinach lentil soup). The ingredients required are not exotic or hard-to-find at all especially in the small-town grocery store where I shop (with the exception of whole wheat pastry flour, but she gives a substitution for that). They are also quite budget-friendly I have found. She also gives advice about what to make with the meal to round it out (for example: bread, veggies) and most of the recipes are ingredibly quick and easy to make (a lot of 15, 10, and even 5-minute recipes!).
Another plus is that the recipes don't include a lot of processed ingredients, something I'm trying to avoid. She cuts the sugar in the dessert recipes instead of replacing them with artificial sweeteners. A good recipe book your whole family would enjoy.
Very much recommended!
395859
I got this book about a week ago.  I have been following the week's menu and it is great.  The shopping lists make buying groceries a breeze, and I spent $70 less than usual!!  My daughter doesn't like everything, but she is getting used to the idea of vegetables.  I recommend this book to anyone who cooks.  It is good, simple home cooking, with the added bonus of having solid nutritional thought behind it.  I have been a subscriber to magazines like Cooking Light etc., but these days the magazines are calling for more and more esoteric (and expensive) ingredients.  This is a book a normal cook can really use.
I only wish it had been printed on laminated paper!
1786466
I've been cooking my way through this book and the recipes have been hits with my family.  I've made the Easy Baked Mac & Cheese, Baked Shrimp & Orzo, Baked Quinoa with Kale and Chickpeas, and the Parmesan Chicken with Warm Arugula & Fennel Salad (I omitted the radicchio as it's a little too bitter for me).  I've seen a few of these recipes before in the Cook's Country Magazine, Turkey Meatballs with Lemony Rice and Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables, but they're very good recipes so I don't mind the repeat.  I made the Mexican-style Pulled Pork for tacos in my slow cooker and my family all enjoyed coming home to that great smelling pork.  As usual with Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country, these aren't "dump it and forget it" type recipes.  They involve some effort, which I don't mind but some people do.  I do wish that there were more vegetarian recipes and also more weeknight-friendly ones, but there are a few of each.
3123883
Wonderful book of recipes, I made a lot of the chicken and mushroom dishes, and they were delicious! The best thing about this is the theme running throughout -- you can combine and adjust recipes with the author's helpful tips and reminders. This is a wonderful starter for those looking to cook from scratch and not spend hours laboring over the stove.
547086
This cookbook is amazing! I've made about 8 recipes from it and they have all been fantastic! It's so nice to be able to cook such flavorful dishes at home without a lot of experimentation.
2269682
Cook's Illustrated is known for their thorough approach to recipe development and fantastic monthly magazine. They've compiled a basic cookbook that is a wonderful addition to any home cook's collection.

THE GOOD
The sheer volume of wonderful recipes is a great start for any novice cook, or someone who likes a reference for the basics. The line drawings illustrate technique well. I appreciate the explanations on why certain techniques or ingredients work better than others (though these are abbreviated some in this cookbook.)

THE SO-SO
I love looking at food photography (and am often drawn to cook things based on pictures). This cookbook does not meet that felt need. The index could be better, things could be listed better, and in multiple places, to make them easier to find.

OVERALL
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook is my favorite general cookbook, and I use it quite a bit, even in the age of digital everything where I can get rated recipes and see beautiful presentation on blogs. Because it has not yet steered me wrong. I often use it to adapt things I've found online (using the CI tips and tricks.)
4164262
I've been doing a lot of research on different diets and settled on Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Steven D. Shaw, It's great for beginners. I'm not much of a cook so I'm super happy to see a non complex recipe and it's not time consuming. Definitely worth the money!
2416199
I'm considered a pretty good cook and have been cooking a long time but I've learned a LOT from this cookbook. I'll be passing it along to my daughter and buying this as gifts for those starting a household.
956123
My wife and I like to cook, but certainly have not had any formal training.  The recipes frequently come out so well (despite my best attempts to foil them) that you would think we knew what we were doing!  I like the "know your ingredients" sections that tell you everything about a given topic, too.  Educational.  We have several prior versions of the book, but found this new edition to have enough new content that it was worth the price.
4367370
Great introductory product for home chef. Have used it only once so far; the steaks turned out unbelievable. It kept the temperature pretty constant and super easy to use. Does not include any recipes. I like the fact it included a rack.
974873
I've used many recipes from America's Test Kitchen over the years, and for the most part have always been pleased with the result. This cookbook is a wonderful compilation of quick and easy recipes for families.

If you are looking for a cookbook that is simply basic recipes, this is not the cookbook you are looking for. It's like the big sister to Betty Crocker. The recipes are a bit more involved, a bit more upscale, a bit more current. This is not to say that beginner cooks will be unable to use this cookbook. One of the best parts of this cookbook is the first couple of chapters. Knife skills, how to stock a kitchen with cookware, useful tools, prep work, etc. are covered in detail. Though it may not be the norm to read a cookbook, I sat down with this and read it like a novel. Afterward, I took the cookbook into my kitchen and sorted through tools, cook and bakeware to streamline my kitchen. I have to say that in the weeks following I have found cooking and baking to be an easier process now that I know I have the tools I need and don't have to sort or dig through duplicate or unneeded items.  That alone is worth the price of this cookbook!

The pages are of heavy, glossy paper, which is nice. They should stand up to heavy use. The book is separated into sections like most cookbooks are, and the dividers are of sturdy cardstock. Recipes are clearly written and easy to follow, though I wish they had included nutrition information. Some of the recipes are not exactly...healthy. Delicious, yes, but not something you would be able to make on a regular basis, no. Thankfully, there is a very helpful section on substitutions so it is possible to tweak the recipes to make them more waistline friendly. The pictures with the recipes are helpful as well. After trying out several recipes, I have to say the prep and cooking times are almost always dead on as are the pictures. I love trying out new recipes and having them come out looking just like the photo!

Throughout the recipes are helpful little blurbs to make preparation easier. For example, on the page with the Lemony Chicken and Rice Soup (which is sooo good), there is is a box at the bottom that details how to trim and slice fennel. It was nice since fennel isn't something that I work with rarely. I also loved the Quick Pantry section at the end of the cookbook. It was a listing of favorite products used by the Test Kitchen. While I'm not a brand devotee, I do like knowing that certain products work best in certain recipes.

I really am enjoying this cookbook. Since I started using it, it has been in a prominent spot in the kitchen as I go to it frequently. Having a source of quick and delicious meal ideas for hectic days when take-out or fast food seems like the best option, I can instead made a wonderful family meal in the time it takes to have a pizza delivered. The Kid Friendly section is a boon - our family has yet to make a recipe from this section that our son hasn't liked or not wanted to help on.

I would recommend this book for anyone or any family that tends to run short on time when it comes to making meals but doesn't want to fall into the pizza/take-out/frozen store meals rut. Ingredients are easy to shop for at almost any grocery store, so no time is wasted searching for obscure, order-from-the-internet-only ingredients. This cookbook is an excellent way to get tasty family meals on the table in less than an hour with minimal fuss. I look forward to getting additional cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen if they are all as wonderful and helpful as this one is!
706967
It's not just a collection of recipes. This book touches very basics of culinary art. Highly recommend this for any beginner cooks at home.
1809422
I am excited to give this cookbook to my godson for his birthday.  Though it is still a couple of years before he leaves home the book gives great basics - pantry necessities, cooking word dictionary and great "how to" tips. He wants to be a chef and I can't think of a better way to continue his cooking education / experience.  I feel fortunate to find this book as a close friend recommended it but bought it some 20 + years ago for her nephew who was leaving for college. Hope this blurp helps anyone looking for an easy, simple, fun starting out cookbook.