Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100+ Great Recipes With Foolproof Instructions

Some of my friends took an interest in cooking when they were young, and can whip up fabulous desserts without batting an eye. I always joked that my best friend and I would have to live together, since I didn't mind laundry and she didn't mind cooking. Now that I'm miles away from her food and can't live on cereal, I decided to pick up "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen." If you're like my friend and already have a basic idea of cooking, this probably isn't for you. But if you don't know how to boil water, Kevin and his mom are here to help. The cookbook is often funny and has a lot of helpful tips that will make things far less daunting for the culinary-challenged. They also provide recipes for everything from Quesadillas to Vegetable Stir Fry to a Turkey dinner, so no matter what kind of food you're in the mood for, you'll be able to find something. Plus, most of the time the recipes for entrees include a suggestion for what to serve with it to make a more complete meal. Also, one thing I've found most helpful is that most of the recipes in this book make two servings. For someone cooking for him/herself, this is ideal. After two meals with the same dish, it's going to get old. This way you'll be able to have leftovers without eating the same dinner for breakfast two weeks later. So far "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen" has made cooking a far less daunting task for me, and provided me with a healthy alternative to pizza every night. If you're afraid of your oven and don't know how to make those pink blobs of uncooked chicken itnto a meal, this book is definitely for you.

Okay, I'll admit this book does have some _very_ basic recipes, but overall I love this cookbook and use it often. Unlike other "easy" cookbooks, the beauty of this one is that most ingredients are fresh (very little packaged/canned stuff). He doesn't assume that just because you are a beginner you should only cook from a box (yuck!). By calling out the fresh ingredients, you are actually LEARNING how to cook - what to add to make it taste a certain way, etc. - versus adding in packaged seasoning that teaches you nothing. Plus nearly everything I have made tastes great! The instructions are simple and very easy to follow and the warnings and tips are quite helpful. I also like that he provides options or substitutes if you don't like or have a certain ingredient (on some recipes). One the whole, the recipes are foolproof, easy, healthy, and tasty!

I consider myself somewhat handy in the kitchen, but when I got my own apartment, I found that there were still some basic things I didn't know how to do. That's where this book came in. It taught me not only how to do those basic things, but also to make great meals that I had always thought were difficult (like pesto sauce). Between "Mom Tips" and ratings from "Very Easy" to "Difficult," it's hard to screw up these recipes as long as you know your level of ability in the kitchen. It's also nice because once you get the easy stuff down, you can work up to the harder stuff. There is also a good list in here of the basics for those of us who come into an empty apartment with an empty kitchen and no idea what to buy as far as staples (like ketchup, mustard, pasta, etc).The recipes in this book are pretty much fool-proof, and they taste great. After venturing on to bigger and better things in "regular" cookbooks, I still come back to this one from time to time for great recipes. It is a must-have for any newbie in the kitchen and an awesome cookbook for anyone who wants to know the easy way to make just about anything.

When I was reading the instructions on how to make a grilled cheese, this was a clear sign to me as to the effectiveness of a book like this. Simply put, I'm am the laziest college student ever, except for my housemate who eats hot dogs raw because the microwave is too tough. So, this book is wonderfully simple and fun to read. I'm not ashamed to use this cookbook and I can make meals that are fun and lead to more experimentation in the kitchen. Thanks Kevin and Mom.

Kevin Mills and his Mom have put together a cookbook that is entertaining and useful. Although this cookbook is aimed at beginners, the recipes are creative and tasteful. This book gets beyond the ho-hu basic meals (ie chili, scrambled eggs, and hambergers) and moves onto more challengeing and palet pleasing recipes. Kevin's girlfriend is a vegetarian, and so he has included recipes that satisfy both of them. Recipes are rated from "Very Easy" to "Difficult". The sage wisdom displayed by Kevin's Mom is invaluable. I recommend this book for any beginner, hesitant cook, or unique cookbook collector!