Customer Reviews

The Gourmet Toaster Oven: Simple and Sophisticated Meals for the Busy Cook

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

 

 

"Gourmet" and "Toaster Oven" in the same title? You bet! I usually don't review cookbooks unless I feel they are special enough to encourage others to purchase them, and this one I recommend highly.

My family has downsized but my cooking enthusiasm has not and I am entertaining more often but with smaller guest lists. Heating up a gas oven for a small quiche to feed four seems a waste of energy (the planet's and my own) and time (my large toaster oven takes four minutes to reach 400 degrees: my oven, almost 15.) Also, with most recipes in the book serving 2-4, there is not the problem of reducing larger recipes and the resulting dreaded calculations. Quality ingredients well combined and engagingly presented replace long grocery lists and too many leftovers for a small family, singles, empty-nesters and the diet conscious (I mean, who of us really wants that chocolate cheesecake that serves 8 sitting temptingly in the 'frige after a dinner for 2-4?!)

The book itself is a quality paperback, large enough for lovely photos, a brief description of the recipe and suggestions, as well as print that is easy to read.

Well organized, with a good index, the book is divided into five sections, (as well as an informative description of toaster ovens and their features) which makes finding a recipe quick and easy. And, sit down for this, there are even wine suggestions for many of recipes...from toaster-oven cooking! Too cool.

The recipe chapters are: Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers and Sides, Dinner and Tea and Goodies. Short lists of commonly available ingredients make it easy to take a basic recipe and imagine many substitutions for variety and what is available in your larder.

The Herbed Oven-Fried Chicken, Quiche Lorraine, Artisan Whole Wheat-Walnut Loaf, Banana-Walnut Muffins, Savory Cheesecakes (yup, that's what I said), Turkey, Tarragon, and Apple Meatloaf, Chocolate Lava Cakes...if I have to pick "favorites" these are just super. Yes, you can probably find similar recipes in your cookbook collection, but again, you don't have to do the arithmetic. I guarantee that no one will associate that toaster oven sitting innocently on your kitchen counter as the source of these lovely dishes. And you don't have to tell them, you know.

Of course, you will have to re-think baking pans, casserole dishes, etc. for these smaller amounts, but I have found some lovely and very useful such items on sale in most all places that carry cookware. Besides, if you are a true "foodie" imagine how happy your friends and relatives will be to have something new to give you for birthdays and holidays! And, think of all the room you can free up in your kitchen (large baking pans and huge casseroles can be stored under the bed with those "extra cookbooks"...well, it works for me!)

As an empty nester and avid cook, this book is perfect. Very tasty recipes without making huge quantities. The author has done her research and deserves credit for filling a rare niche
in this cookbook category. Shhh, don't tell my away-at-college children, but they will be receiving a copy of this book along with a nice toaster oven for Christmas. This is a cookbook everyone could use for fresh ideas, from Anzacs to Yogurt Baked Chicken with wine pairings suggested for many dishes. I wish I had thought of it first.

Excellent set of sophisticated recipes downsized for small servings & simple execution. If you take the next year to practice each recipe you'll be well on your way to gourmet-hood! For example: Authentic English "High tea" scones.

This book is on heavy paper so it will stand up to constant use. The recipe's are for mainly 2 portions. The ingredients are all available at any grocery store.
The recipis are really easy to follow and don't use tons of ingredients yet still the results are delicious and seem gourmet yet still easy to execute. The personal pizza's are wonderful, including the home-made crusts, and are as (excuse the pun), easy as pie to make.

Having made many recipe's from this book, I would give it 10 stars if that were posible.

By the way, if anyone is interested, this book has many pictures and your results will look just like the pictures, in the book. I have made the banana nut muffins twice now, that's what's on the cover, and they look just like pictured.

This book is a jem and knowing what I know now, I'd be willing to pay double for it!

I hope the author comes out with an additional toaster oven cookbook!

This has lots of recipes for one or two people. There are also very tasty. Simple to make not much mess. Has meals from breakfast to dinner and between.

Who writes a book about recipes for a toaster oven and then throws in a bunch of requirements for a food processor? I don't own a food processor, and if I did, I probably wouldn't be looking at recipes for a toaster oven. Had I known beforehand the recipes were going to be this way, I never would have bought the book. I will say it's beautifully illustrated. But I've owned it about a year, and have never used it to make a single thing.

I received the book yesterday and must say I am disappointed. Many of the recipes are not very specific regarding amounts, weights, etc., something that should be basic information available in every cookbook. For instance, the author writes about baking a chicken, to cut a chicken in half (or quarters), to bake it, but as everyone knows chickens can range from 3 to 5 or 6 pounds or more. So which it is? This might not be critical information for a conventional oven but is crucial for the small size of a toaster oven. There are too many dessert recipes, in my opinion. Overall, I find this book to be very amateurish and a very disappointing purchase for me, as an avid cookbook collector and experienced cook.

I just received this book, the pictures are beautiful and the recipes look very good. I'll try one of the recipes after Christmas and update my review then.

I love using my toaster oven to make things, and was extremely excited about this book. But I'm a visual person and it's hard to be motivated to try out these recipes because most of them do not have photos. So if you like to see what you're about to make, I don't recommend this cookbook.