Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens: Killer Recipes for Guys

I bought this book because I'm one of those guys that wants to be like MacGyver in the kitchen. Need to make something for a nice dinner with friends but all you have in the kitchen is beer, cereal and some leftovers? That's what I want. To an extent, this book provides those recipes. You can make french toast with Cap'n Crunch cereal, onion rings with Corn Chex, and a chicken pot pie with a fine brew from the fridge. Many of these recipes, as advertised, are not only extremely tasty but also fairly simple to make. But certainly not all of them. For example, I bought all the ingredients for the french toast mentioned above, and my wife and I woke up Sunday morning with french toast on our minds. I pull everything out and get ready, then I read the recipe more closely. You have to start this recipe the NIGHT BEFORE!! Not too cool for a guy like me. Nevertheless, I made it the following weekend and it was great (VERY sweet, but great). The blueberry pancakes are so good (and fairly simple after making a few times) that my wife requests them practically every weekend. Some of the recipes not only call for a lot of ingredients and long prep times, but also require spices and other things you may not readily have on hand, and may not ever need again until the next time you make the same dish. I'm not saying this is entirely bad, or even different from other cookbooks, but it does run somewhat contrary to the gist of this cookbook. Overall, do I recommend the book? Absolutely! Despite its flaws, it had me at the Hot Fudge Salsa...

This is one of the most useful cookbooks ever. Tucker Shaw breaks it all down in an engaging, no-nonsense style that makes the recipes easy to follow, appealing, and simple enough for even the most clumsy cooks to turn out really good eats. Shaw avoids fancy hard-to-find ingredients; you can get everything you need at a regular old supermarket. Shaw also provides level-headed advice about how to outfit your kitchen so you can do all the basics. But Shaw proves that the basics don't have to be boring. Whether it's adding Cheerios to your health shake (don't knock it till you try it!) or concocting a surefire hangover cure, Shaw's recipes are clever without being complicated and tasty without being time-consuming. This book is perfect for guys on the go who want to expand their horizons beyond the frozen food aisle. But it's not just for guys. This book is for anyone who likes good food without the fuss.

What a fantastic book for guys AND girls! Great recipes written with a great sense of humor...