[.ca] Pillsbury: Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook: 50th ... (ISBN 060960838X)

Useful and diverse recipes!:
This is one of those cookbooks that you can leisurely browse through and discover and rescover many great recipes. There is a nice variety here. All have clear, easy to follow instructions. The brownies on the cover turned out beautifully. That is a complicated recipe, but it is broken into simple steps. Any level chef would enjoy concocting these creative recipes! I also had fun learning about the history of this famous bake-off. This cookbook is a nice addition to any kitchen!

Innovative Recipes; Delicious Results!:
Over the years I have often turned to Pillsbury Bake-Off recipes for innovative appetizers, meals and desserts. I was happily surprised to discover that this cookbook, of over 350 award-winning recipes from the Bake-Off contests, had been published. I bought it recently and have not been disappointed. It is true that many of the recipes call for prepackaged or convenience foods. However, the time saved in preparation and the wonderful tasting results prove that, sometimes, the ends justify the means. Some of my favorites include: Corn and Pumpkin Soup with Jalapeno Pesto, White Chile with Salsa Verde, Creamy Spinach and Tortellini; Grilled Chicken and Mango Corn Salad, Crafty Crescent Lasagna, Salsa Couscous Chicken, California Casserole, Chewy Peanut Brownie Bars, Lemon Meringue Dessert Squares...and I could go on and on. The photographs are beautiful and illustrate the finished product, as well as provide some attractive serving ideas. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. "Best Of The Bake-Off" also provides a hands-on history of the evolution of American cooking over the last 50+ years, with short spotlight stories about many of the Bake-Off winners. This fun and easy-to-use cookbook is, in and of itself, a real prize-winner!! JANA

Bake with the Best!:
Paging through this cookbook is always a bit of an adventure and promises to yield a delicious dish for just about every occasion. Whether you are looking for a dessert (some of the best recipes in this book are for desserts) or for a main dish, there is something for everyone in this book. Some of my family's favorites include Creamy Broccoli and Rice Soup, Savory Crescent Chicken Squares, and Ramen Vegetable Beef Stir-Fry. Our favorite goodies include Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies, Pecan Pie Surprise Bars, Raspberry Filled White Chocolate Bars, Caramel Apple Cake, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake, and Cookie Cheesecake Squares. I have used this cookbook on many occasions and although I love the recipes, I wish that the book was in a binder instead of a hardcover book. Also, I tend to like cookbooks with more pictures, but I felt that the stories that were included about many of the winners was an excellent addition to this book. Overall, I highly enjoy trying many of these recipes and I feel it is an excellent addition to any cookbook collection. Enjoy!

A fun book with a few gems:
I like this book. Whether you will too depends on what kind of cook you are. From my point of view (though many think differently) the weakness of this book is the large proportion of recipes based on processed foods. Of the 366 recipes in the book, 57 of them call for Pillsbury crescent rolls or refrigerated biscuits - especially unappealing because of the hydrogenated oils. Almost every soup recipe is made with canned goods and most of the entrees call for packaged foods. Of 46 cake recipes, 26 are based on packaged mixes. The desserts also tend to be quite sweet. However, there are a number of good, from scratch recipes included in this collection. The Whole Wheat Raisin Loaf, Ring-a-Ling sweet rolls and the Nutty Graham Picnic Cake are excellent. The Tiramisu-Toffee Torte was also a winner when made with a from-scratch white cake rather than a mix. There are quite a few more interesting recipes I have yet to try. In sum, if you embrace packaged foods in all their convenient glory, you'll love this book. Even if you don't use convenience products, there's still a lot to like here. Go ahead and give it a try, but don't buy it as your only baking book. However, if you are really a purist, buy another book.

A Must Have Cookbook:
This cookbook has delicious recipes that are simple to follow and do not require outrageous or hard to find ingredients. I have made probably 20 to 30 of the recipes from the front of the book to the back and every single one (how many cookbooks can you say that about?) have turned out good enough for guests. My friends and I have started calling this book "The Good Book". The Banana Crunch Cake is so good, my family eats the whole thing in one sitting!