Great Good Food: Luscious Lower-Fat Cooking

I was given this book as a gift in maybe 1994 but never had the counterspace to make its recipes on until I got married in 2000! Since then, my husband and I have often enjoyed meals from it. In a nutshell, it is a fabulous means of eating healthy but flavorfully and without a lot of fat! Some of its pros: with each recipe is given the calorie, fat, cholesterol, and carb content of it as well as how many people it serves; it offers an abundance of informative, health-conscious information on some of its pages (such as a section listing a variety of fruits and vegetables and the nutritional benefits of each one, as well as a section that defines and explains things about cholesterol, fat, sodium, etc. in relation to the body); on pages throughout, complete meal menus using recipes that complement each other well are suggested; the recipes are quaintly classified by seasons, holidays, and even by day and time of day--i.e., morning/breakfast, "Afternoon Tea", "Mother's Day Brunch", "Sunday Evening Dinner," etc. Recipes involve more prep time than your average cookbook recipe (like Betty Crocker, for instance), but that's because every single ingredient you use is FRESH! NO CANNED and NO FROZEN stuff. So, your body is guaranteed optimum taste and nutrition! I must add that my husband has never been big on vegetables; yet, whatever vegetable side I've made from this book so far, he has scarfed it down with a smile! I never truly enjoyed cooking until I started using this book. It revealed to me that I CAN make gourmet-tasting meals, and THAT by itself is a swell reward!

I was thrilled to find Great Good Food. I used to make everything out the of the Silver Palate cookbooks and New Basics. However, all of the recipes were so calorie-laden. So, now I make many of my old favorites only lighter (and better). I also apply her "lightening" methods to recipes from the original books. Rosso's grouping of the recipes by season is nothing new. The Silver Palate Good Times cookbook is also organized in this fashion, and it is rated one of the best cookbooks. Familiarize yourself with the index (very complete), and you will be more than satisfied. As for the ingredients not being readily available, if one does any kind of cooking, these are things that you already have, or needed an excuse to buy.

Have not found a bad recipe in the book. Every dish I have tried has come out well. Have been getting compliments and sharing these recipes with others but am now buying copies as gifts for family and friends. Recipes are easy to follow and ingredients are usually on my shelves or easily obtainable. One of our daughters has the original "Basics" and I had the "Great" one without either of us knowing it. When I gave a hard-bound edition as a wedding gift, the bride wrote saying "Thank you so much. My "Silver Palate" paperbook is nearly worn out." Cook books do not come any better!

I love this book. I haven't found any of the errors mentioned in another review. I always take this book with me when we go to the beach or the lake. I love the use of fresh and regional foods and this book takes the best advantage of both. I've given this book as a gift countless times. I wouldn't be without it.

Being a 'foodie', I have used many cookbooks - but the best by far is Great Good Food. Everyone I cook for (and I entertain frequently) swears that my food is the best they've ever eaten. I don't tell them my secret (which you ALL know now) - everything I make is out of Great Good Food. You can't even tell that this is lower fat food. The book is organized by season with sample menus for different occasions, and includes cuisine and ingredients from all over the world. The index and table of contents are easy to use, and the illustrations are charming. You will definitely be inspired to try new tastes. And don't worry - these recipies never fail