Hands-Off Cooking: Low-Supervision, High-Flavor Meals for Busy People [Paperback]

Ann Martin Rolke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2007

Perfect for today's hectic lifestyles, this quick-and-easy cookbook will help home cooks free up extra time without sacrificing great homemade meals. Distinctively different, this cookbook features dishes that can be prepared fast and left unattended while the cook answers an e-mail, spends time with the kids (or the guests), or simply relaxes. More than 100 delicious recipes include everything from main dishes and sides to breads and desserts. There are recipes for the crock-pot, stovetop, and oven. Unlike typical "quick" dishes, these emphasize freshness and flavor and avoid highly processed foods. With Hands-Off Techniques, Stress Savers, Eye Appeal ideas, useful tips on ingredients and equipment, plus timesaving recipes, Hands-Off Cooking is the cookbook busy people can't wait to get their hands on.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get out of the kitchen, kick back, and relax—dinner will be ready and it will be great.

Hands-Off Cooking gives you more than 100 delicious recipes you can prepare in minutes and leave unattended. You can read the paper, catch up on e-mail, play with the kids, or entertain your guests while dinner cooks itself with no stirring, turning, or supervision. This will be your go-to cookbook for hectic weeknights or any time you want delicious, healthy food without the hassle. The recipes rely on fresh or high-quality prepared ingredients so you don't sacrifice nutrition. Full of recipes and tips for fuss-free, stress-free meals, this cookbook shows you how to put joy back into cooking. You get:

• More than 100 recipes, including salads and sides, soups and stews, savory pies and tarts, casseroles and roasts, stovetop cuisine, and sweets and breads
• Recommendations for ingredients to keep on hand and equipment and techniques that will save you time meal after meal
• Family favorites like Fridge Cleaning Frittata and Grandma Martin's Swiss Steak and special, impressive dishes like Seared Salmon with Lemonade Sauce, Ceviche with Lime, and Kir Royello
• Hands-off techniques and stress savers—tricks of the trade you'll use in all your cooking

With Hands-Off Cooking, you'll have time to enjoy yourself, your family, and your guests, and you're sure to enjoy a delicious dinner.

About the Author

Ann Martin Rolke is a culinary consultant in Sacramento, California, writing about food, developing recipes, teaching cooking classes, and editing cookbooks. She has cooked at several famous upscale restaurants, including Red Sage in Washington, D.C., and Mecca in San Francisco. Visit her Web site at www.handsoffcooking.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (March 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471756814
• ISBN-13: 978-0471756811
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 7.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #989,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a culinary consultant, which means that if it's about food, I'm interested. I write for magazines and two Web sites, test and develop recipes, copyedit cookbooks, read cookbooks and food history constantly, subscribe to 3 or 4 food magazines, and always have something good to eat in my kitchen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What they don't tell you....., March 12, 2007

By 

Margaret Martin "Time Conscious Cook" (Lewes, Delaware) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hands-Off Cooking: Low-Supervision, High-Flavor Meals for Busy People (Paperback)

I've had the opportunity to try out a number of these recipes. I've made Charleston Chicken Pecan Salad, Nutty Pumpkin Lasagna, Texas Chile Meatloaf, Broiled Margharita Chicken, Pork Roast with Apple Chutney, Jambalaya, Fruit Crisp, and others, and not one of them took more than fifteen minutes to put together! It's great that you can sit back and let a delicious dinner take care of itself, but the best part is that it goes together so quickly, thanks to the use of pre-cut, pre-skinned, pre-chopped and otherwise prepared recipe items. The hands-on part is as easy as the hands-off part!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hands Off Cooking, May 12, 2007

By 

Susan C. Isaacs - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hands-Off Cooking: Low-Supervision, High-Flavor Meals for Busy People (Paperback)

I admit, and all my friends KNOW that I am not a cook, but this book looked like something that may help me make some simple dishes. To my suprise, the recipes are EXTREMELY tasty and simple !! I actually am begining to look forwaed to getting in the kitchen, and not only serve my family excellent food, but also to company !! Thanks so much Sue

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars yummy!, April 27, 2007

By 

Kristine Smith (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hands-Off Cooking: Low-Supervision, High-Flavor Meals for Busy People (Paperback)

We have a new baby and my husband has been cooking for us. He has made many recipes from this cookbook, and they all have been amazing. Just to name a couple, the pan-seared salmon with lemonade sauce and the chicken with raisins and almonds were great. Each recipe has been very easy for him. I am looking forward to the next meal he makes from this cookbook!