Labelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing about

I finally broke down and got this book, after repeatedly hearing everybody talk about how great the recipies were. THEY DIDN'T LIE!! In commemoration of Black History Month, I decided to throw a Sunday dinner, inviting my mom, grandmother and other family members over. I can cook, but never cooked a Soul Food Dinner. Needless to say, the invitees were skeptical, but supportive. I made the Over the Rainbow Mac & Cheese, Screamin' Mean Greens, Sumptous & Simple Fried Chicken, and for dessert, Norma's Black Bottom Sweet Potato Pie. EVERYTHING TURNED OUT GREAT!! My Grandmother & Mama were so proud. The only thing left was one chicken wing, and that was because everyone was too full and too ashamed to take it!!! I am now going to order Patti's "Lite" cooking book, because if I continue to cook and eat like this, I ain't gonna make it!! This is the only cook book I ever bought that works!! I recommend this book to everyone!!

I'm a great cook but I learned by using cookbooks. I collect cookbooks that assemble classic and easy recipes for dishes like macaroni & cheese, potato salad, greens, etc. I collect cookbooks to pass on to generations to come. Patti's cookbook is definitely in that collection.I had never made potato salad before Patti. My fiance LOVED it and he doesn't eat his MOTHER'S potato salad! Thank you Patti.

I bought the book because I'm a fan of Patti LaBelle's music and her life stories (from her autobiography. Now, I'm a fan of her food! For an Irish-American woman in Michigan like me to be able to make Macaroni and Cheese and Smothered Chicken alone was worth ten times the price of this book. My Italian husband who grew up in New York eating out-of-this-world soul food from neighborhood restaurants and cooks was amazed. He was asking for thirds! I can't wait to try out more recipes. Be warned, many of these recipes are traditional soul-food recipes, i.e., high in fat/cholesterol/calories. You can, however, use substitute ingredients to lower the sin quotient. You only live once, so as long as you don't eat like this everyday, try the recipes in their original form - you'll love the food!!