Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Money Saving Meals

I bought this as a gift so I cannot comment on the content. The price was the best I could get anywhere, even with a coupon at a bookstore. The book arrived in perfect condition very fast.

I love this cookbook and the fact it was in great condition was a plus!

I love watching (and reading) the Food Network celebrity chefs. Sandra Lee has never been my favorite, although I do own some of her work (Cooking Light, Cooking 3, Desserts). Most of the time, I didn't like her recipes because (often) they didn't save me time or steps in comparison to a homemade recipe. I often wondered: Why use store-bought ingredients when starting from scratch takes the same amount of time as Sandra's semi-homemade method? In this book, however, I truly understand and appreciate Sandra's methods. There are many casseroles in this book, as well as Round 2 Recipes (such as cooking a 5-6 pound turkey and using the leftovers for more recipes), and freezer meals (with helpful information on freezing and reheating). The reason I appreciate this book more than Sandra's previous books is because it really does save time! I also feel that Sandra uses more fresh ingredients in this book. Sometimes I don't want to make her dishes because they call for so many processed ingredients. This book utilizes grocery store standbys from the deli that - while more expensive - are at least freshly made! Which brings me to my next point...the title of the book is misleading! You WILL NOT save money compared to Sandra's other books. I don't know why this isn't called "Semi-Homemade Cooking 4"...the recipes aren't more cost-friendly than usual. Perhaps her publishers and Food Network were looking for a new angle? I would say that you'll spend between $15-30 on any meal in the book (with an average-stocked pantry). Therefore, I recommend the book to fans of Sandra (obviously) but NOT to those looking to really save money. In my personal opinion, this is Sandra's best cookbook yet. I just wish it didn't mislead readers into thinking they'll save a pretty penny.

First off, I will caution people by saying that I did not find these to be particularly money saving if following Sandra Lee's brand recommendations. If you buy store brands, they are indeed quite thrifty, but Lee's brands often cost double the store brand. Having said that, once again Lee delivers fast, easy, delicious results. I've made about 10 recipes out of here and all have been HUGE hits. I have recommended it to everyone I know.