30-Minute Get Real Meals

I really enjoy cooking, but sometimes the thought of being in the kitchen for hours is a little too much to handle. Enter this fantastic cookbook that contains delicious, healthy and super fast meals. To be able to cook a good meal in the time it takes to defrost and cook a frozen entree in the oven is a real treat. All the dishes that I've prepared from this cookbook have been extraordinary. You can tell that they are all well thought out in that they are very tasteful and the tastes all compliment eachother instead of competing. (Thank you Rachael for your Creamy Polenta and Bolognese Sauce!) Probably my favorite thing about this cookbook (besides the super fast meal prep) is the inclusion of carbs. I know that everyone is saying no to carbs, but I just can't say no altogether and finally someone (Rachael Ray) agrees with me: carbs in moderation is OK. This is an all around great cookbook and I'm glad to have it in my kitchen.

So far I have been very pleansantly surpirsed. I buy cookbooks but usually give up on them - this one has kept me cooking for weeks now. We've loved everything we've tried so far. Her food is very tasty with plenty of spices. YUM !

I've used all her books and this one is the best in my opinion. I didn't realize when I bought it that it was a "low carb" cookbook, and frankly, one couldn't tell from the recipes. That's what the "real" means... you are eating a better balance of carbs but you wouldn't know it by the taste. I love that 95% of the ingredients are things you would have in your fridge or pantry already, though I was inspired to plant a few herbs because her abundant use of the basic ones is part of what makes these recipes so tasty, healthy and, well, special. I am a stay-at-home mom of 3 small children and my kids liked ALL the recipes I tried (over 10 of them which is a "WOW" for any cookbook!) Dinner becomes so monotonous with kids and this really spiced up our dinnertime. And, the best part, every evening that we use one of her recipes, I wake the next morning weighing LESS than the day before! Oh yea, the recipes CAN be done in 30 minutes IF you have things chopped and cleaned beforehand and not the first time around when one is constantly re-reading the directions. I agree with the other reviewer about too many fish recipes since few people have the time and means to purchase all that fresh seafood and kids rarely like it. If you can afford fish and have kids that will eat it, you don't need a cookbook. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait till she comes out with another like it!

Another winner from Rachael Ray! I have all her books, and I must say that I like this one the best. I am a fan of her 'diet' philosophy-that is she doesn't have one. I am not a big fan of restrictive diets. I can't see depriving my body of a certain group of foods in the belief that it is going to be good for my body. That is why I was so excited for Ray's new book. There are so many delicious and sensible meals in here where do you even begin: The Swedish Meatballs and noodles were a huge hit with my boys! They love meatballs and hey who doesn't, and we all love pasta, so this was a nice way to eat the two together, as opposed to just spaghetti and meatballs. My favorite is probably the Cream of Cheddar Soup and Lime Chicken Avocado salad. And for the first time, Ray includes a dessert chapter. We have only made one recipe-Mascarpone Parfait with Citrus Fruit- but it was delicious. I just can't say enough about this book. It is her longest book yet, coming in at just over 240 pages and it is jam packed with yummy and simple recipes that use lots of fresh foods as well as convenience foods when time is a factor (and let's face it...when is time NOT a factor!) Great book-highly recommend adding it to your collection.

Well, low carb has been all the rage for sometime now although the fad seems to be slowing down somewhat. But not before TV's spunkiest cook can put her stamp on low carb as Rachael Ray does in her latest book. At 256 pages this is Rachael's largest book yet. I've never quite been able to get meals done in 30 minutes. i guess it probably helps having good editors and a staff but even at 45 minutes or so I've enjoyed every one of Rachael's books. It's good food where taste is first, not fancy presntation and ingredients that have you haunting exotic food stores to find. The recipes here are not all that low-carb so don't be put off by thinking it's a diet cook book. It's just another great one from Rachael where carbs are used in moderation, but not at the sacrifice of taste. Call them good-sense carb recipes as opposed to low-carb. There's plenty of bread and pasta to be found inside. With all her books the emphasis is on good food and good food done fast and this one, like the previous ones, is right on the mark. Wonderful Italian and Mexican dishes, burgers, even desserts. And it all comes to you in Rachael's endearing, homey way of writing that comes across so well on TV. With her new publisher now being a part of Random House, the book is much more well-presented than her previous ones. Bolder colors that stand out and just plain look better. Another winner from Rachael!