Customer Reviews

Betty Crocker Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 10th Edition

5 star:		(190)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have always had a Betty Crocker cookbook around. It was the first cookbook I took with me when I moved away from home, and it still remains the first book I grab for if I have *any* questions about a recipe I'm making.

The book is great for cooks of all levels. It has a lot of great introductory information - how do you boil an egg? What are the different cuts of meat? It provides a lot of easy recipes that taste delicious and are nutritious as well.

In addition, the book also eases you into many advanced recipes. Looking to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for the relatives? Trying to make a birthday dinner really special? This cookbook has the recipes for you, all easy to understand and with gorgeous photos.

This version is definitely an improvement on previous versions as well. There is information on grilling and vegetarian meals, something lacking in the last versions. They've also added in a number of ethnic dishes that are quite tasty.

If this book isn't on your kitchen shelf, be sure to buy a copy!

You will be pleasantly surprised by this book. This book has a lot of information that goes along with the recipes. You will be amazed at all of the supplimental information that goes into this book. The way to buy fresh vegetables, how to look for good cuts of meat, ways to stretch meat, and a host of ideas with each recipe. The book is clearly written, and it makes it very easy to read. There are pictures for many recipes as well, this pictures aren't of just the finished product either. I think you will find this book covers the basics, and goes well beyond that. If you know someone that is just starting out, or perhaps learning to cook this would be a great choice for them.

Time was when the words Betty Crocker actually stood for the best in general-purpose cookbooks, although the recipes, for better or for worse, were always a product of their times. The very first "Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book" was published in 1950 (still available), revolutionized how cookbooks were produced, and was an enormous best-seller. The recipes were the result of much thorough testing in the company's kitchens and in homes across America. This was cooking from scratch with very little reliance on convenience foods in its pages. This gradually changed as Betty and her books became more and more of a shill for General Mills' products and her name got plastered on one mix after another to the detriment of good cooking.

The 1956 edition was an expanded version of the original 1950 book, with many more recipes and clearer photographic reproduction. It contains the most recipes of the entire series and is, in my opinion, the best cookbook Betty ever made. The next two editions came out in 1961 and 1969 and were both loaded with recipes and wonderful tips/helps, although you could see the beginnings of sacrificing quality for convenience--especially in the 1969 edition, which has some horrendous shortcut recipes that border on parody--but this was still relatively minor in proportion to the majority of the recipes. If you have these books, treasure and keep them; you'll never see their likes again.

The current 10th edition looks good but, like the past several editions, the number of recipes has been drastically reduced. Gone are the many variations, which are especially missed in baked goods. It was wonderful having recipes of many cakes that were sized for two people or small families and having different mixing methods to choose from. Now way too many recipes are of the "dump and stir" method instead of choosing methods that would insure the best results. Also gone is the very friendly, assuring, conversational voice of yesteryear. Yes, there are recipes covering a wider range of ingredients and styles, but they are mostly stripped-down versions.

It's obvious that the folks at Betty Crocker now seem to think that no one really cooks these days and can't be bothered with proper preparation of dishes, which begs the question of why General Mills even bothers to publish new editions. The "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook" is a better bet for those looking for an all-purpose, everyday guide. It has a better layout, the recipes and ingredients are generally of a higher quality, and there are more recipes and variations than Betty Crocker's had in some time. Even better, if you care at all about the quality of the food you eat and serve your family, I highly recommend the cookbooks of Cooks' Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. Their comparable general-purpose cookbook is called "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook." The recipes are tested and reworked--dozens of times, if necessary--to be the best their staff can make them and you get precise directions and brand recommendations to ensure quality results. It's a shame that Betty Crocker has tarnished her reputation for excellent advice and recipes, but there's even better stuff out there now. Go for it!!

I bought this cookbook recently after buying my sister a copy for Christmas. I found that I was using her cookbook more than several of my own. She is not quite as advanced as I am at cooking and so she was enjoying the simplicity of the recipes and ingredients. I was going to it for basic ideas which I could create and alter towards my tastes.

This book was extremely easy to use and follow, with clear, decisive instructions. The ingredients needed in most of the recipes are very common as well. The print and picture ratio is good, so it's not overly stocked with words or graphics.

Betty Crocker has always released good cookbooks. I have one from my parents that dates back to the 1970s that is still a wonderful book.

I have only had one recipe that I have tried from this book that I have not liked, and that's probably because I realized too late what the flavor combinations would taste like. All the other recipes I have used (which is about 5 in the past month) have been splendid in result, especially the rice pudding.

As I said before, this was very very easy to use and follow, with great graphs and information and would be very helpful to the beginning or amateur cook. For more experienced cooks, though simple, this would be a great basic cookbook to have around when one wants to make something intricate, but needs the basics first. For example, if you wanted to make a pesto alfredo sauce, you could start by reading about Betty Crocker's simple cream sauce and from there, improvise to your palette.

This is recommended for everyone with an interest in cooking; big or small. It is beautifully published and has great recipes.

I only had to take one look at this book and I knew it was going to be great. It truly has everything you need to know to cook today. Betty teaches you step by step all the basics in breads, cakes, cookies, meats and so much more. From how to knead your bread dough to when your meat is done. Complete with reasons for when things go wrong, to teach you what not to do next time. Besides giving you the basics this cookbook contains many great recipes 90% of which contain everyday items. Recipes you will want to make for your family regularly. I know I will come back to this cookbook time and again for all my questions and to find great meals.

Vegetarian recipes, Tandori chicken, Chai, tofu even!! Most of the recipes are from scratch using fresh ingredients, yes this is not your grandmother's Betty Crocker Cookbook. It will be hard to find a recipe that calls for a can of cram of mushroom soup! Heck, one can even try his or her hand at making a variety of pastas from scratch! That said, fear not all the favorites are here too, meatloaf, muffins, breads, mac and cheese, tuna casserole... all in the straight forward comfort food versions we cherish and love. That is what I love about Betty Crocker, all the food is good, but not a hint of being pretentious, scaring the cook with hard to find ingredients.

My family always seemed to have a Betty Crocker cookbook given to them as a rite of passage into adulthood, I bestowed the honor upon my sister this year for Christmas. I am quite impressed with the latest edition. There is a new section on grilling and also for vegetarians.

The recipe layout is very easy to read, pictures showing how scarmbled eggs, rice, etc should look as well as what they shouldn't look like (with an explanation of what the cook did wrong) The pages are very colorful with plenty of hints and inspiring photos. The writing "voice" is very patient, and understands the fact that the reader may not know how to even boil water. It's OK here, the novice cook will not be spoken down to. For the more experienced cook who may be bored to tears, the layout is such that he or she çan bypass those sections.

It shouldn't be a surprise that these books stay with the owner forever and even as one gets better at cooking, this is the book that one turns to over and over. I have owned mine for more than 10 years and still use it on a regular basis. Many great culinary memories await within the pages of this "Rite of Passage" book!

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.

I grew up learning how to cook using Mom's Betty Crocker cookbook. This book is just like Mom's, with all the basic recipes. Plus many more for today's busy cook. Bread machine recipes, vegetarian, etc. I bought it to get the basic recipes I have to call Mom for. But it has so much more! It has everything! This is the only cookbook I plan to buy!

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).

This cookbook looks like a comprehensive cookbook but it's not. It contains some great recipes--from simple, country-style cooking to more sophisticated fare, along with some excellent kitchen tips. Even parts that might seem pretty simple and banal will end up having lots of useful info. There is an explanation of brining along with some wonderful recipes. There is info on smokers--and how to turn your regular grill into a smoker. Betty will help you get the crystals out of the honey and soften brown sugar quickly. There is a wealth of kitchen knowledge-all very well-organized and beautifully laid out. The problem? I think the recipes are sparse. For example, I had bought a lot of pork tenderloin on sale the week I bought this. There are only five recipes for pork chops or pork tenderloin. And two of those are grilling recipes. There are around two recipes for veal, two for lamb. There are a good number of chicken recipes, though. I was beginning to suspect that it was a new healthy slant that had caused the scarcity of the pork and red meat recipes until I noticed the desserts. If you are looking to make desserts, you will find plenty of recipes. I'm not sure if there will be recipe pages for sale in the future to flesh out parts of the cookbook. I like these recipes so much I would certainly consider that. This is a very nice cookbook. I love the information and the recipes that are there. Just don't expect it to be the only cookbook you'll need. If you cook most nights, you'll absolutely have to pull out Fannie Farmer.