Cooking for Two 2013 Author: Editors at America's Test Kitchen | Language: English | ISBN:
1936493438 | Format: EPUB
Cooking for Two 2013 Description
- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Cook's Illustrated (April 1, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1936493438
- ISBN-13: 978-1936493432
- Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 1 inches
- Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
I received my book yesterday, and not have not yet cooked anything from it. That said, the recipes are typical of the previous volumes of this book. They have similar steps and the ingredient mixing is familiar. There are a couple recipes I've seen that look very similar to previous recipes (Chicken with Israeli Coucous is one) but it's just slightly different to not be a complete knock-off.
Before I get started ... I work 12 hour shifts and I get home at 7:30 PM. I often prep parts of the dinner ahead of time (if I can) otherwise, I start the recipes from the beginning around 7:30 and usually by 8:30 PM we're eating. This is recipes that involve baking, skillet cooking, etc. I tend to not be gun-shy about trying any of them at that late hour. I'm NOT an expert cook by any means. I just follow the directions and get it done.
Here are the chapters:
The Main Course
One-Dish Suppers
Pasta For Dinner
Vegetarian Suppers
Dinner off the Grill
Light and Fresh
Express Lane
Slow-Cooker Favorites
Side Dishes
Baked Goods and Desserts
Express Lane is new to the series and it's similar to previous editions "One Big Roast" section, but uses pre-cooked foods as the main ingredient. It has 4 recipes for each ingredients. The ingredients are: Rotisserie Chicken, Chicken Sausages, Precooked Shrimp, Cheese Tortellini, and Canned Beans. Each segment has recipes that utilize each of those ingredients. Most are fairly basic and not complicated like a pasta salad with shrimp, or skillet tortellini with mushroom cream sauce. It's called Express Lane for a reason.
This book makes cooking for two fun and educational. Cooking for Two: 2013 is part recipe book, part textbook, part consumer shopping guide. It's everything you'd expect from the cooking staff at America's Test Kitchen. Home cooks of all levels will learn something because this book takes readers behind the scenes of each recipe, describing the trial runs of the dish and the strategy of how each recipe came to its final version. These introductory notes are what make this cookbook stand out. "Notes from the Test Kitchen" are sidebars with even more tips such as how to avoid the pitfalls of baked fish, how to create ridges on gnocchi, and short product reviews like the best flour tortillas, long grain rice, and grill tongs. Patient cooks who really want to learn cooking tips and tricks will soak up the information in these sections before diving into the recipes.
The well-written recipes are easy to follow without the introductions, but the extra information is like having a personal cooking lesson with the pros. Cooks will appreciate the accessibility of each recipe most of which are only two to three steps. Many of the ingredients are kitchen staples so there's little need to purchase specialty items you'll only use once. In fact, the book has a smart shopper's guide highlighting recipes with common key ingredients. Among the recipe categories you'll find: slow cooker dishes, lighter fare, express meals, desserts, pasta, and vegetarian meals. Don't skip any sections of this book because you'll surely find the cooking tips useful in other dishes.
I was ecstatic to receive this book and you will be, too. It will make a wonderful gift for two-person families, and even single friends who want a little food leftover for the next day.
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