CookSmart: Perfect Recipes for Every Day

I'm a busy Mom who none-the-less wants my kids to eat real food. I don't have time for mistakes and trial and error. The book explains the entire process in an easy to read and understand manner and without fail, the recipes have all turned out fabulous. In fact, they are so delicious they have earned me quite a reputation. Now, whenever there is a pot luck - I get requests. The Blue Ribbon Chili is like the filet mignon of chili - I went to a barbecue this weekend and brought the Asian pasta salad and every single person asked me to send the recipe. I just got an email asking once again. I sent them the link to the book instead ;-) I sing Pam's praises often. Now my sister, her brother-in-law and several friends are all devotees. I highly recommend this book (my primary resource) as well as Pam Anderson's "How to Cook Without A Book" - the pan sauces alone make that one a worthwhile purchase.

Every recipe in this book that I've tried so far has been a hit right away. The cinnamon rolls, the chocolate cake, the pumpkin pie, the ribs... everything has turned out perfectly. The cinnamon rolls and chocolate cake have even turned into regular additions at my cafe. Pam Anderson writes with a distinctive voice that makes reading her trail and error accounts entertaining as well as informative. As a cook who always wants to know why a recipe works, not just that it does, it was interesting to see on paper the same recipe permutations I tend to go through myself.

There is one recipe in this book that is worth the price of the book alone -- the oven ribs. She tells you how to make ribs for a crowd with a quick rub using some spices and mustard and then you simply cook them for a couple of hours at a low heat right on the oven rack. I made them all summer and now I've printing up the recipe on cards to give out since I am asked so much for the recipe. They are simply the best ribs. You can also make them either a dry rub or "wet," like some people prefer. And what's great is that you can make them all winter too. What a great recipe. I've also tried the pumpkin pie and boy, oh, boy, is that my favorite and only three cans too. This is "my" pumpkin pie recipe from now on. You can really tell Pam did her homework on these recipes. thanks Pam!

Like her previous book, "The Perfect Recipe" (another must-have by the way), Anderson has made this home-chef very happy. Really excellent recipes, and so well written - it makes cooking even more fun! I especially loved the "Ribs that Taste like you have Slaved all Day" chapter; I live in NYC and even an apartment dweller can make superb ribs thanks to Pam Anderson. I highly recommend this cookbook. It sits right next to my "Joy of Cooking" and is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I've had so many of the recipes in this book and each one is just better than the other. They really are the Perfect recipes, I can see why Pam is so popular. I like to call this my "memory food" book, since all the food taste like I remember it tasting at its best. Chocolate Cake tastes like the best diner chocolate cake. The ribs are better than any roadhouse or bbq I've been in and they are so easy as well. I recently fed a crowd and "everyone" wanted the recipe. The oven fried chicken tastes like fried without all that messy oil! The key lime pie is my favorite and I've eaten a lot. And the peanut butter cookies and the chocolate chip cookies are better and bigger than any mall-cookie seller. Veggie lasagna pleases all my vegetarian friends and meat lovers alike. I could go on and on. I've already given this book as gifts and they have bought the book for presents of their own. Every recipe will quickly become "your" recipe." I'll never make Ceaser salad any other way again. All I can say is give me more. My only complaint is that there are no pictures.