[.ca] Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to ... (ISBN 0764565486)

From Amazon.com:
Betty Crocker's Cookbook is 50! In celebration, an updated and expanded ninth edition of this American classic reminds us once again of the value of good old-fashioned comfort food. The original Big Red Cookbook was immediately popular with a postwar audience seeking basic cooking advice and simple recipes that took advantage of several then-new convenience products. The ninth edition remains true to its roots, presenting exemplary instruction, savory mainstream dishes (that still make use of convenience foods and the products of parent company General Mills), and, most notably, standout chapters on baking and dessert specialties. New to this edition, which offers nearly 1,000 recipes, are grilling and vegetarian chapters; up-to-date nutrition information; additional color photos; and contemporary formulas for the likes of Brie with Caramelized Onions, Asiago Bread, and Tandoori Chicken with Chutney. Instruction was and is the book's strongest suit, and any cook--novice to professional--will benefit from its many how-to features. These include step-by-step directions with photos, tips for kitchen timesaving, and troubleshooting advice. The book also includes several comprehensive glossaries (those on cooking terms and ingredients are particularly good). Standouts among the vast recipe collection, more than 300 of which are designated fast or low fat, include old favorites such as Macaroni and Cheese, Old-Fashioned Baked Beans, and Lemon Chiffon Cake. A few newer ones, such as Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Bread, also qualify. Published, as ever, in a loose-leaf binder, the book celebrates American culinary know-how, a broad-based tradition of good home cooking, exemplary baking, and the conviction that food and commerce can meld to help people cook easier and eat better. Happy birthday indeed! --Arthur Boehm

You'll use this all the time:
Some cookbooks are filled with beautiful, delicious recipes that you'll never make because you just don't have the time. This isn't one of those books. I use Betty more often than any other cookbook because, while the dishes may not win any presentation awards, they taste great, and they are easy to make. When flipping through the book, I never have to ask, "what is that and where do I buy it?" Some of the recipes are best reserved for when you have some time, such as the meatloaf and from-sratch chicken soup, but the time involved is mostly cooking time, so you can start the meal and move on to something else. Most recipes can be made within 40 minutes, with minimal prep time. There's a good mix of healthy meals and fat bombs, and even some suggestions for turning a fat bomb into something your doctor would approve of. This is the best general cookbook on my shelf. I have been disappointed with very few recipes in it, and I have made about half of the recipes in the book. It's a great choice for the home cook -- someone who knows his or her way around a kitchen but doesn't have a culinary degree.

Practical,:
I found this cookbook to be useful and practical as well. Give it a try!

Practical and Basic:
This is the foundation cookbook for every American home. As a male, I have used my Betty Crocker cookbook for everything from pancakes to cookies to turkey dinners. This is a survival guide that includes so many recipes that are both practical and represent a broad spectrum of basic American foods that you will find yourself falling back upon this book again and again. There's nothing fancy here,and ethnic foods are somewhat limitied. But if you want a decent meatloaf or cake recipe, you can find it here. I plan to buy another copy of this book to give to my son when he moves out on his own (I think he plans to do that someday).

I could not live without this book.:
I have used Betty Crocker's Cookbook for over 28 years and finally it just wore out! I've purchased this one and it's as good as the old one with updated recipes and techniques. This is not a gourmet cookbook, although there are recipes in it that could qualify. Instead, this is a basic, "how-to" and "chow-down" cookbook that I recommend to everyone - beginner and old-hand cook alike!

Essential but Uninspiring:
I rarely ever look for a meal idea or creative inspiration in this book (with the exception of dessert), but I always go to it when I want advice on technique or process. I feel very strongly that I have to trust a cookbook's editors to test their recipes, and I always feel that the Betty Crocker staff holds the top spot in this area. Their test kitchen is legendary, and I believe them when they say this recipe is foolproof. The recipes I have made from this book have been successful, and the tips and technique instructions have been indispensable. I stopped using my own mother's family pie crust recipe and technique in favor of Betty's. Sorry, Mom, but the absolutely perfect Lemon Meringue Pie I made beats yours hands down. For beginners and basic cooks, this book is perfect, but I recommend that you at least flirt with the idea of trying some foods a tiny bit more exotic. For vegetarians (of which I was until just recently), don't expect this to be a good resource for vegetarian meals. There is a new Vegetarian section, but it is unimaginative. For bakers, nothing too fancy, but more wholesomely delicious than many pie/cake books I have come across.