Customer Reviews

Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics: Learning to Cook with Confidence

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a single guy who got tired of fast food. I tried this book, because it seemed like what I wanted; information on how to get started cooking. I have no basic cooking skills, so traditional cookbooks leave me dusted before I get past the introduction. Also, what I now have learned is a hallmark of Betty Crocker cookbooks, you will notice that the production values are very high (lots of color, lots of illustrative content). Content-wise, nothing is assumed. My advice: If you want to learn how to cook, get this book.

this should be your first cookbook, or if you already have others, well, don't let the title fool you. It has great recipes, with pictures for each of them and detailed instructions. I have over 50 cookbooks and if I had to choose just one, well it would be this one.
Simple recipes, "the basics" including a a chapter where it teaches you how to make a traditional thanksgiving dinner. Let me tell you that I did it this november 28th and guess what? It turned out to be great! My family couldn't belive I've done everything by myself. And it wasn't such a big effort 'cause it teaches you how to organize every single thing.
I love this book!!

Finally a true beginner's cookbook which deserves a permanent place in your kitchen. Betty Crocker's answer to customer requests for a beginner's cookbook is "Cooking Basics, Learning to Cook With Confidence".

This book features a nice variety of recipes including Italian Pasta Salad, Creamy Chicken and Dumplings, and Orange-Glazed Pork Chops. For entertaining there's Quick Guacamole, Tiramisu, and Strawberry Smoothies. It even shows you how to prepare an American Thanksgiving dinner from start to finish including appetizers and dessert.

Each recipe includes a full color photograph, nutritional information, and helpful tips pertaining to the dish's ingredients. Substitutions are discussed and there are suggestions to help keep the dish low fat.

What I found most impressive were the informational chapters on everything from kitchen utensils to classy centerpieces. So in addition to the fabulous recipes, the book contains handy information covering all areas of cooking and the kitchen.

This cookbook can take a college coed living on their own for the first time up and through the marriage years for it demonstrates cooking basics such as the proper way to cut an onion or how to cook an omelet, yet teaches the art of preparing Shrimp Scampi or Pesto Sauce. For all these reasons, I highly recommend this cookbook.

I have this cookbook and I love it. I recently moved in on my own and this tells me how to do everthing. I didn't even know how to cook a baked potato and this book told me how. It is the perfect gift for a college student or someone on their own for the first time. The recipes are simply and very easy to follow. I highly recommend it to anyone.

I originally purchased this cookbook for my daughter-in-law at a homeshow and after bringing it home, I decided to keep it myself. So I purchased another through Amazon.com. This book is great because it lays completely flat on the kitchen counter. It has great basics like mashed potatoes and pot roast to understanding menu terms and how to pronounce them when ordering at a restaurant. Also how to make substitutions when you don't have all the ingredients the recipe calls for and how to convert some of the recipes to a lower fat version. Thanksgiving Dinner is even in there. I currently have probably over 30 something cookbooks but I think this one is the most complete and informative ! Don't miss the Beyond the Basics section. I Love This Cookbook. Can you tell?

As a college student I was tired of microwave meals- then I got this cookbook and it has been great! For someone who has never cooked before, cooks for one and refuses to make recipes that require too many ingredients, this book has been great! For those just wanting some good, basic recipes, I highly recommend it.

I used to own over a hundred cookbooks. most I never used. I also have cooked professionally in restaurants. I ignored this book on the shelf because I thought I was above such things as "cooking for those who are clueless". so one day I gave in to looking at it in the store and was pleasantly surprised. even though I am capable of making elaborate food...with two kids...if it doesnt go together in under half an hour it isnt happening. I have made almost every recipe in this book. with the exception of a couple of the stir frys(and maybe thats just us..my husband hates stir fry), everything has been not only delicious, but unbelievably fast. I use this book a few times a week. I have a few other cookbooks that get heavy use, most of them Betty Crocker, but this one is at the top of the list.

While internet has greatly influenced the way we obtain any kind of information, recipes and cookbooks are most useful in an old-fashioned, paper format. This cookbook is one that you will return to over and over again. Every recipe in this book is presented with step-by-step color photos (no hand-drawn, monochromatic pictures here), as well as photos of finished products make this book a keeper.

A few recipes from the book: twice-baked potatoes, stuffed pasta shells, pot roast, pork chops and apples, fudgy brownie cake with raspberry sauce, pumpkin pie.

Along with easy, modern and old-fashioned, tried-and-true recipes, Cooking Basics features a glossary of cooking techniques, types of herbs (along with to which dishes to use each kind of herb), greens, basic and advanced cooking equipment (i.e. oudoor grills, grilling fuel), formal and informal buffet table setting, food safety, proper storage of meats and produce... all very thorough and valuable. Careful explanations in this book assume that the target reader is completely new to cooking; yet descriptions are precise, seldom exhaustive. For instance, 'stir' is defined as "[To] combine ingredients with circular or figure-eight motion until uniform consistency. Stir once in a while for 'stirring occasionally,' stir often for 'stirring frequently' and stir continuously for 'stir constantly.'"

I also love the hard cover and the spiral binding that make the book durable and easy to keep open. Those are especially handy traits because this book WILL get a lot of use in your kitchen.

I have never wanted or known how to cook but I received this book for Christmas and not only can I actually make the recipes, but they turn out really well! I would highly recommend this as a starting cookbook if you are afraid of your kitchen. You can't go wrong.

The previous reviewer was right on...my roommate has this book and it has been a godsend in helping me to become a better cook. I bought it for my boyfriend (who is newly on his own) and he is really starting to dig the kitchen and dig cooking! This would make the perfect gift for a high school graduate just striking out on his/her own, your favorite bachelor, etc...