Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go [Paperback]

Sandra Bark (Author), Alexis Kanfer (Author), Vin Ganapathy (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2004

A gourmet-inspired cookbook for making meals on the cheap and easy

Girl, meet spatula.

With simple recipes for quick-fix meals and practical tips for stocking your freezer and pantry so that you always have what you need on hand, Cheap & Easy is an inspiration for those who are stymied by their tight kitchens and even tighter budgets.

Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer created the dishes in Cheap & Easy as an escape from too much takeout. Their recipes deliver maximum flavor with minimal work and include:

• The Independent Pancake: bakes in the oven so you can hang out with your guests

• Fred and Ginger Pumpkin Soup: perfect for a weeknight

• Lazy Girl's Lasagna: a time-saving version of the classic

• Blenderella: the margarita grows up and goes to the ball

• Smart Cookie: one recipe, many flavors

From comfort food to elegant entrées, from wholesome salads to that first sweet bite, Bark and Kanfer cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner; brunch; cocktails; and brown-bag specials perfect for work and the beach. They include plenty of choices for vegetarians and carnivores alike, with "playing the field" sections so you can vary the recipes.

So delete the Chinese place from speed dial because whether you are preparing for a spur-of-the-moment dinner party, an evening with your sweetie, or a movie night for you and the dog, Cheap & Easy is the only cookbook you will ever need.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For women who'd rather speed-dial the restaurant around the corner than open up the fridge, or for those sick of eating leftover moo shu pork for lunch, 20-something Brooklynites Bark and Kanfer offer this snazzy yet simple cookbook. Starting with basics like "freezer feng shui" and a "pantry raid," the authors demystify the kitchen for neophytes and divulge secrets to abbreviating popular dishes like lasagna and meat loaf, while highlighting the essentials that make those dishes so enjoyable. From beverages to salad dressings and soups to sweets, the recipes map out the necessary tools and ingredients with a hip flair. For example, Chiquita Granola mixes old-fashioned oats and cinnamon with coconut and dried pineapple, and Come Hither Couscous doctors up the Mediterranean standard with fresh lemon zest. Abridged versions of heavenly desserts like 30-Minute Apple Crisp and Peanut Butter Ice-Cream Sandwiches are easy enough for even the most novice chefs. The book's best section, "Snacks and the City," offers sample menus like Hangover Helper and Slumber Party. While some dishes may leave readers pondering the sheer necessity of a recipe (e.g., Girl Meets Soy is a four-step process for what's essentially popping marinated tofu in the oven), others share advice on subjects as diverse as poaching chicken and flavoring whipped cream. And though Kanfer and Bark undoubtedly direct their quips and jests toward a female crowd, their book might serve as a counselor to not-so-savvy guys, too.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Susan Jane Gilman author of Kiss My Tiara Behold. Funny, smart, no-brainer recipes for girls who want to bake their cake and eat it, too.

Michele Scicolone coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Sopranos Family Cookbook Even girls who just wanna have fun have to eat sometimes! This is the book for them, and for the rest of us who need fresh ideas for quick, wholesome, and tasty food. Packed with clever tricks, practical shortcuts, and multiple variations, Cheap & Easy is a guide to fun in the kitchen.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743250540
• ISBN-13: 978-0743250542
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Boys on the Go, Too!, November 18, 2005

By 

Dan Garlington (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go (Paperback)

I'm a bit of a cookbook-aholic, and have several shelves devoted just to them. But you can tell which I actually use by the warped and stained pages, and the way they lay open to favorite recipes. This is one of those books -- perhaps the most used in my collection. It includes everything from breakfast favorites to exotic cocktails, quick side dishes to easy desserts. Some cookbooks make new recipes seem daunting with long lists of hard to find ingredients. This book uses short lists of easy to find ingredients to take the intimidation out of trying your hand at quiche (which I'm baking right now), homemade granola (which turns out delicious), or fresh flavored whipped cream (which is so simple it's embarrassing). And many of the recipes include ways to 'play the field' and mix up ingredients to make the recipe your own -- including lots of tasty vegetarian suggestions. My favorite of the book has got to be the Peachy Ginger loaf w/ Spice Icing. It's always a crowd pleaser at brunches, and takes no time at all to throw together with ingredients I usually have in the pantry. I highly recommend this book to any girls or boys on the go.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally lives up to its name!, June 3, 2004

By 

Beth (Bedford, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go (Paperback)

This book is great! It really is cheap and yet the recipes have lots of flavor. One of the best things about it, that you don't see in other cookbooks, is how the recipes use a lot of the same stapel ingredients. If you buy something for one recipe, it won't be sitting in your fridge forever, because it's in other recipes in the book. What a great idea! (that apparently doesn't occur to other cookbook writers). I also loved the lunchbox section for suggestions on portable meal ideas for office lunches. I would have liked some more entree recipes, there are only 7 including a couple of things that don't really seem like an entree to me, but other recipes in the book can of course be eaten for dinner.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Sex & The City-ish!, January 19, 2006

By 

Phoenix Rising "Global Citizen" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go (Paperback)

This book is perfect for single women on the go. The recipes are easy and don't require a lot of time. Also, the list of ingredients is not long at all which means you won't be stuck with items you won't use again for months or may have to throw away because they are rotting in the refrigerator.

Its nice that menus are put together for you based on the event i.e. romantic dinner, the morning after, picnics, etc.

I've made the lasagna, meatloaf, and pasta puttanesca and they were all delicious. My roommate has sampled them all and was equally impressed. You won't go wrong buying this book. If you are looking for another good cookbook for beginners, then check out Now Your Cooking by Elaine Corn. I've tried 90% of those recipes and they are both easy and tasty.