Customer Reviews

Guy Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This title and three others like it by Rachael Ray in the 'Top 30 30 minute meals' series are, for the content, relatively expensive and inconveniently sized volumes of recipes reprinted from Rachael's previous books. Looking through two of the titles I recognize every recipe I see from earlier books. While Rachael is the nominal author of these books, I fully believe they were assembled by her publisher and a copy editor with maybe a day's input from Miss Rachael for all four books together.

This is becoming a common practice among major cookbook authors, with Mark Bittman's re-releasing his 'How to Cook Everything' in three volumes, cumulatively more expensive than the original book.

One may for a moment equate these books with the music world's 'Best of' releases, but the experience is simply not the same. A 'Best of' album's tracks are based on a genuine audience vote with their purchases and air play. These recipes are simply Rachael's opinion and that of a few of her colleagues. The parallel also breaks down in the sense that listening to, for example, 'The Who's top twelve hits introduces you to a whole new experience of listening to 'My Generation', 'I'm Free', and 'I Can See for Miles' on the same album.

My 3 star rating is not based on the quality of the recipes. It is a warning that these volumes are, in fact, reprints and not new recipes. So, if you already own many or most of Rachael's books already, you may be disappointed if you buy these books.

One other consideration if you do NOT own any of Rachael's books is that for not too much more money, you can get 10 times as many recipes in her 'No Repeats' book of almost all new recipes.

In every way, this is a better purchase than one or all of these minibook samplers.

These recipes are just knock-offs of the other 30 minute meal books. It's a very small cookbook, maybe a stocking stuffer? But if you own any of her other 30 minute books you've already got every recipe listed. There were very few pictures so you don't know how the recipes are suppose to actually look. Not worth the price. Each book only has 25 recipes or so...expensive per recipe.

This title and three others like it by Rachael Ray in the 'Top 30 30 minute meals' series are, for the content, relatively expensive and inconveniently sized volumes of recipes reprinted from Rachael's previous books. Looking through two of the titles I recognize every recipe I see from earlier books. While Rachael is the nominal author of these books, I fully believe they were assembled by her publisher and a copy editor with maybe a day's input from Miss Rachael for all four books together.

This is becoming a common practice among major cookbook authors, with Mark Bittman's re-releasing his 'How to Cook Everything' in three volumes, cumulatively more expensive than the original book.

One may for a moment equate these books with the music world's 'Best of' releases, but the experience is simply not the same. A 'Best of' album's tracks are based on a genuine audience vote with their purchases and air play. These recipes are simply Rachael's opinion and that of a few of her colleagues. The parallel also breaks down in the sense that listening to, for example, 'The Who's top twelve hits introduces you to a whole new experience of listening to 'My Generation', 'I'm Free', and 'I Can See for Miles' on the same album.

My 3 star rating is not based on the quality of the recipes. It is a warning that these volumes are, in fact, reprints and not new recipes. So, if you already own many or most of Rachael's books already, you may be disappointed if you buy these books.

One other consideration if you do NOT own any of Rachael's books is that for not too much more money, you can get 10 times as many recipes in her 'No Repeats' book of almost all new recipes.

In every way, this is a better purchase than one or all of these minibook samplers.

This book is small but the recipes were outstanding. I was a skeptic because I thought everyone bought her books because of the show. The first recipe I made was worth the money I spent on the book. It doesn't take up much space either so don't let its size fool you. There aren't many recipes I wouldn't make.

COMFORT FOOD uses Ray's signature 'Top 30 30-minute meals' format for comfort food: it provides a range of dishes from an Italian-style Mac n Cheese with sweet sausage and mushrooms to Lemon-Scented Broccoli and Creamy Corn, stuffed Monte Cristo sandwiches with bacon, cranberry sauce, ham, turkey and cheese, and focuses on dishes which are quick to produce with ingredients common found in the kitchen.

Many young men mainly subsist on cold cereal, take-out pizza, and macaroni and cheese meals they make from a box. How will they ever develop past using the microwave for heating frozen foods? Rachael Ray's small book, 30 30-Minute Meals "Guy Food" can help.

If you already own Rachael Ray's 30-minute meals cookbooks, realize that these meals are reprints from those volumes.

If you are concerned about keeping down your weight, these meals aren't the best. You'll need to substitute lower-calorie versions of some of the ingredients.

But true to Rachael Ray's roots, the choices of spices and the ease of preparation are both very good.

Rachael seems to be assuming that the male chef hasn't spent much time in the kitchen before. The recommendations are unusually simple to prepare. But when I was 20, this small book would have been just about perfect for my skill and confidence level in the kitchen.

Here are some of my favorites in the book:

Outside-in bacon cheeseburgers (I hate the mess that cheese makes when it's on top!)
Manly Manny's chili
Blackened chicken pizza
Asparagus with orange and sesame
Spinach pasta with asparagus, artichoke, and arugula
Veal scaloppini with wine, mushrooms, and green olives
Tenderloin steaks with gorgonzola
Sirloin Bourguignonne burgers
John's haddock with bacon, onions, and tomatoes
Steak au poivre
Cubano burgers with mango-black bean salsa
Grilled halibut tacos with guacamole sauce
Tuna steak au poivre on white beans with peppers
Marinated grilled flank steak
Sweet 'n spicy chicken curry in a hurry
Delmonico steaks with balsamic onions and steak sauce
Chorizo and shrimp quesadillas with smoky guacamole
Balsamic pork tenderloins
Roasted ratatouille vegetables

As you can see, most young men will probably want to pick one or two items a week to prepare . . . perhaps for an eat-in date or for having the guys over to watch a game. The food is heartier than most would want to eat every day.

If this book is a success for you, I suggest that you graduate next to Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8. That cookbook will allow you to have more variety and learn how to entertain small groups.

Rachael Ray's sparkling personality is reflected in this wonderful little book. The recipes are simple and quick, just as you would expect. The book itself is a nice size; the colors, graphics and print are clean and easy to read through. Not only does this book make a nice addition to my collection of cookbooks, but is one that I actually use as more than just decoration.

My husband got this book from his sister for Christmas and he loves it. He has cooked several of the dishes and they have all been great! If it means he will cook and I don't have to, I love it. My brother-in-law loved the blackened chicken pizza so much I am getting him the book for his birthday. The pecan crusted chicken was delicious and so were the rosemary potatoes. I'll admit when I first read it, it didn't fit my idea of guy food but like I said, my guy loves it. Go Rachael!

This is a very simple cookbook, with clear instructions and it yields good results.

I really like this great little book. I have already tried out four of the recipes and they are simple and quite delicious. Rachael truly does deliver a 30 minute meal. The Shepherd's pie took a little longer, but was really worth it. I have since bought several other cookbooks by Rachael Ray and am very happy with all of them. Many of the recipes use common ingredients that I already have on hand in my kitchen. I recommend this book.