California Pizza Kitchen Pasta, Salads, Soups, and Sides

It is definitely worth buying it! I bought it because of the Spinach & Artichoke dip, at first I was little intimidated but as I read the instructions there was nothing to it. I've made a full course meal out of this book and everybody raved about it. I can't wait to try more recipes, this is definetly a keeper!

WONDERFUL RECIPES. ESPECIALLY LOVE THE JAMBALAYA WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY SAVOURED IN ONE OF THEIR RESTAURANTS. WELL WRITTEN, WELL ILLUSTRATED. EASY TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS. I DEFINITELY PLAN TO PURCHASE THEIR NEXT BOOK.

Though some of the recipes can be time consuming (bbq chicken salad...lots of chopping), they are absolutely delicious. To CPK's credit, they definately make you appreciate what you pay for. I use this book more than the pizza one. My favorite recipes are the BBQ chicken salad, Ceaser salad, the foccacia bread, the rosemary chicken sandwich, etc. Basically I cook the recipes I like to order and it tastes just like the restuarant, so make what you like to order :-). An added bonus is that by cooking it myself, I can incorporate lower fat options and adjust the recipe to save on calories. Happy cooking!

I like this one much better than the original California Pizza Kitchen Pizza recipe book. The pizzas really are too complicated for me to want to make at home. But the recipes in this book for soups, salads, sides & desserts are wonderful and easy to replicate at home. We love the Spaghetti Carbonara and the Apple Crisp is the best I have ever had!

I did not anticipate using this book very much, and purchased it intending to use one recipe I was familiar with and wanted. I ended up using nearly every recipe in the book. I have come to understand the artistry of cooking by studying the different uses of flavor and textures in this book. Whats even more appealing is that CPK donates all their proceeds from the book to charities. I would say the only downfall is that most recipes require planning (making the sauce the day before, stocking the oriental vegetable in the refrigerator, or cooking the chicken beforehand) I would definately say the final dishes are worth the preparation. This is especially a great book if you are interested in expanding the type of cuisine you eat (ie getting away from casseroles, chicken, mashed potatoes, the old standards) and eating more intersting and exotic foods, especially vegetables.