The Cook's Encyclopedia of Four Ingredient Cooking

I discovered this gem of a book at the library and am now looking for a copy to add to my own collection of cookbooks. I don't like recipes that involve a ton of ingredients and steps that end up taking forever so this was perfect! Dozens of four ingredient recipes, pictures on every page so you can see what you're making at a glance, and tasty. It's a refreshing change from some books that call for a can of this and a can of that. This allows you to make homemade meals with fresh ingredients and little fuss. The only con was that no substitutions were given for some uncommon ingredients in a couple of recipes. This would make a great gift!

I have made about 1/3 of the recipes in this book, and they have all been fantastic. Many of them are surprisingly simple to prepare. I give it four stars instead of five because some recepies are missing essential bits of explanation and several require kitchen implements that only the most well stocked kitchen would have.

As one with WAAAAY too many recipe books, I'll have to say that this is the most practical and useful book I've purchased to date. Being single, my motivation to cook was nearly nill - until I got this book. First, there really are just four ingredients - so cooking the recipies really is no big deal. There are no extras and nothing that's not in the ingredients list. There is a GORGEOUS picture for every single recipe. I get hungry every time I look at them. And, unlike many cookbooks, they all look good - not just a few of them. They all look very doable - even after a long day at work. In fact, my plan is to buy the ingredients on the way home and whip up something good after I get home. And, speaking of good, wow. A side dish isn't just a side - the taste blends are truly imaginative with salty & sweet (Watermelon and Feta salad) to hearty (beans and tomatoes) and go from soups to meats to sides. It makes it possible to impress someone, including yourself, without trying!