The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking--for Guys [Paperback]

Tod Dimmick (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: October 5, 2004

No more burnt offerings!

Whether it’s nachos or crock-pot kielbasa, a party, something quick for the kids’ lunch, a romantic date night, or dinner-for-one, this guy- friendly cookbook features over 230 real-food recipes for everything from vegetables, pasta, and desserts, to leftovers, appetizers, and grilling. Instead of relying on shortcuts, canned food, or unhealthy processed ingredients, it pares down complex cooking instructions; explains basic cooking terms; figures in prep time and cook time; and allots larger portion sizes.

• Notes high salt or high cholesterol recipes
• Includes more than 230 recipes
• Provides special tips, advice, and recipe construction for beginners, plus bigger portion sizes for hungry men

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tod Dimmick has written for Cape Cod Life, Cape & Islands Home, Townonline.com, and the MetroWest Daily News. His “Gourmet Cooking on a Budget” weekly e-mail newsletter for wz.com is read by over 75,000 subscribers. He is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 20-Minute Meals and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 5-Minute Appetizers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592572693
• ISBN-13: 978-1592572694
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Food and wine writer Tod Dimmick is the author of four cookbooks. His work has been mentioned in the New York Times and the Boston Globe, and can be found on bookstore shelves from Boston to Sydney. Since a book project in 2005 oriented around healthy eating, Tod has increasingly focused his food writing on topics related to a healthy diet, and the evolution of produce purchase decisions from those based on price to those based on quality and provenance. For 1000radishes, the Will Work For Food Project, and for the Powisset Farm CSA, he supplies recipes and suggestions for local, in-season produce. On the more indulgent side, he also creates recipes for the Phantom Gourmet television show. The Phantom crew films these recipes in Tod's kitchen outside of Boston.

In 1991, he founded Tasting Times, the food and wine publication for busy people on a budget. The Tasting Times Wine Hotlist and Wine Minute blog have an international following. In 2000, he agreed to design and write The Busy Person's Guide to Gourmet Cooking on a Budget web page for WZ.com, the well-known online guide site. In less than a year, subscribership to his email newsletter of the same name grew from 0 to over 75,000.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good collection for those who aren't exactly cooking challenged, February 1, 2006

By 

George N. Mills Jr. (Hoonah, AK United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking--for Guys (Paperback)

I'm far from unexperienced in the kitchen, but the majority of my specality was limited to either breakfast type foods or what I could mix together in a crock pot.

The recipies are laid out very easy to follow directions, usually with a story or anecdote to go with each.

What really has me turning to this book again and again is the part of cooking that I hate, the clean up. The majority of the recipies can be cooked up with a very minimum of clean up after the meal is done.

A definte buy for the guy who hates washing dishes, is tired of eating off paper plates, is sick of tv dinners and can't find the can opener.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars it's exactly what it looks like., February 1, 2010

By 

Laura G. Bierly "book addict" (Enid, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking--for Guys (Paperback)

I bought this book for my husband for his continuing interest in learning to cook with me in the kitchen. It's a nice collection that are what we call "manly man" recipe's; full of meat, high in fat, and hearty portions. In that aspect it's exactly what i wanted.
Now, the reason it only got a three star. I hoped this book would help teach my husband how to cook without me in the kitchen for the nights that i had to work late. And while the recipe's are simple, they don't help teach an idiot how to cook. I assumed they would spell things out, help explain and understand the terms and techniques used in the kitchen; unfortunately i end up cooking most of the recipe because it lacks information to help my husband do it himself.
Overall, it's a nice cookbook for men who know how to cook, but it's no learners' guide and not the starter book i was looking for.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kitchen Secrets for Guys, August 29, 2005

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking--for Guys (Paperback)

I have two recipes for making waffles, my own and Tod Dimmick's recipe. Guess which my husband prefers? Yes, he says he likes the texture of the waffles in this cookbook. I like my waffles very crispy and I found that you can make the waffles that way by cooking them a bit longer or by putting them in the toaster.

Tod Dimmick used to avoid the kitchen, but he is currently turning out cookbooks so fast I can hardly keep up with trying all his delicious recipes. He went on the road and collected recipes from carpenters, fireman and men who are passionate about cooking.

I fondly remember the first time my husband helped me make a pumpkin pie. He makes chili and pizza, but I have dreams of his talents expanding to Romantic Food 101. There is an entire chapter on aphrodisiac foods for date night. The Chicken with Cream Sauce only has 5 ingredients and Pears in Wine Sauce is a spicy recipe any lady could love. Strawberries and Chocolate Sauce is an easy way to add some romance to a movie night.

This book will be appreciated by any man who is tired of TV dinners or who wants to expand his cooking repertoire. Dads will enjoy the ideas for making easy meals for the kids. There are recipes for Monster Meat Loaf and Mac & Cheese with a Secret.

Tod Dimmick enhances the chocolate brownies with chocolate chips and also suggests adding crumbled toffee.

The "Least You Need to Know," "End Run," and "Menu Manual" sections are entertaining, informative and helpful.

I'm not the first woman on the planet to get a little overheated thinking about a man cooking for me and this book gives tons of ideas on how to take over the kitchen and become the master chef of your woman's dreams. If you are cooking for the guys, there are recipes to make for game days and nights.

Additional Recipes to Dream About Include:

Hawaiian Steak Strips
Fast Pass Fiesta Dip
Ultimate Steak Fries
Chocolate Cheesecake
Beer Can Chicken
Beerbecue Sauce
Steak with Red Wine Sauce

~The Rebecca Review