Customer Reviews

Five Star Recipes: The Best of 10 Years

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This cookbook offers wonderful ways to eat well and reduce fat in your diet. I've already tried a variety of dishes, and I'm hopelessly addicted to their cucumber-dill salad dressing. What I love about Cooking Light is that they take familiar dishes and substitute lower fat ingredients while retaining the flavor of the full-fat dish. It's really hard to go wrong with anything in this book. If you are a dessert aficionado, you can take comfort in the fact that a large percentage of the book is devoted to cakes, pies, muffins and breads. The recipes are generally easy to follow, (excepting one ambigious request for four "cups" of spaghetti), vary from quick and easy to company-worthy and use ingredients I have no trouble finding in my local supermarket. If you are looking for the ultimate light cookbook, you have found it.

There isn't one recipe out of this great cookbook that hasn't been successful. Easy to prepare and very, very tasty! If you eat at our house you can guarantee that the recipe is straight out of the book. The Apricot Scones and Mocha Fudge Pie are my favorites. My friends think I'm working for Cooking Light undercover because I'm such an advocate of the recipes. Believe me, buying this book is money well spent and your friends and family will love you even more!

Cooking Light Five Star Recipes is truly a nicely-packaged edition for the more "gourmet" cooks out there. Those recipes photographed are quite attractive, and the instructions and ingredient lists are quite clear.

While this title includes some good makeovers of traditional (high-fat) family favorites, I've found that many of the recipes require somewhat unusual ingredients. Yes, I can find most of the ingredients in my local supermarket, but I must make a shopping trip.

Additionally, many of the dishes require some extensive and dificult procedures not advisable for the inexperienced. I am an experienced cook, and I also am adventurous, so I am willing to try most recipes. While I've had no real problems, I don't recommend this for the beginning cook or those who wish to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen.

Gourmands will appreciate the creative rewrites and menu suggestions. Those who wish for more healthy concoctions and who are not afraid to try new things will enjoy this book. For those who wish only for simplicity with reduced fat and calorie counts may want to consider a different title.

As someone who is trying to lose weight and get healthy, I have been buying a lot of "light" cookbooks. Most of them either have recipes that really TASTE low-fat, or they offer serving sizes that are ridiculously small (half a cup, 3 oz, etc.). This book does a great job to avoid those 2 problems...the recipes I have tried have all been wonderful, and I even get human sized portions! This book is a wonderful light cookbook!

Absolutely my favorite cookbook. The recipes are delicious and quite easy to make using ingredients that are easy to find in your local supermarket. I have never had a failure.

Absolutely, the best of the Cooking Light category. I use many of the recipes frequently. Clear instructions, well illustrated. Easy recipes to serve on a daily basis; good enough for company, too.

Recipes are clearly coded so you can find quick and easy recipes. If you want to spend more time, there are more complex recipes as well. I haven't had a single failure from this book and I use it almost every week. Instructions and pictures are extremely helpful. It doesn't get any better than this book.

We've cooked many recipes out of this book over the last year and served many to guests who never knew they were eating light! Friends are now addicted to the Fettucine Alfredo..and I honestly prefer it to the "real" one. The day after a wedding where the only "light" came from the lamps, we hosted a casual cookout for out of town guests. All of the side dishes and desserts were from the cookbook and everyone loved everything...try the Potato Salad and see if anyone can tell!

I, too, am a big fan of the Fettucine Alfredo in this book, but I also enjoy the Chicken Parmesan, which rivals or surpasses any I've had in a restaurant. I only make it in the summer, when fresh plum tomatoes are at their peak, and I use chopped fresh herbs from my garden instead of the dried herbs called for in the recipe (I double the quantity when using fresh herbs). I also throw in some chopped fresh parsley when I happen to have some. This is an outstanding company dish. Any leftovers keep well for several days and are almost better reheated, after the sauce has had time to mellow. I can't believe low-fat can taste this good!

I love to buy new cookbooks- after buying this cookbook last year, not only have I given it as a gift, but rarely do I use anything else. the recipes are easy and all delicious. As a full time professional who has very limited time (and energy) to cook, I appreciate this cookbook immensely. I especially love the editors' picks- most of them have become my picks as well!