Customer Reviews

Mennonite Country-Style Recipes & Kitchen Secrets

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

 

 

As a New York City working woman with a house, two kids and a husband, this book is my lifeline to kitchen survival. A friend was convinced she needed the book when I found a recipe for syrup (I realized we were out after making the third pancake). It has easy to follow instructions, easy to substitute ingredients and I live on the quick fix section. Other recipe books have come and gone, but this one is my bible for the kitchen.

I was given this cookbook as a gift while living in the Shenandoah Valley. Little did I know that it would become not only my most favorite cookbook, but really the kitchen bible. I am a cookbook collector but this one is hardly ever put away. It has helpful information for beginner cooks as well as the more experienced ones. The recipes use basic foods but make wonderful meals. I love her recipe "Clothes Stain Remover". Anyone with children need that one! She covers gardening, canning, butchering, substitutes, entertaining, etc. It is a wonderful gift idea that your friends will thank you for years to come.

I made a casserole that looked pretty tasty before it went in the oven. When it came out, it didn't turn out so well. It was also very high in calories.

I thought all the recipes in this book were going to be from scratch. Dutch country cooking is like that. This books uses cans of soup and other means to complete the recipes. Also, you can't eat this food every night. It will give you a heart attack.

I'm willing to give this book another try, but I think I'll stick to some of my other books. Don't buy this book if you are expecting traditional Mennonite cooking, that's not what this book is!!

This is a fantastic cookbook. I use mine all the time. It is extremely helpful for new cooks as it gives alot of information on how-to do various things. It uses simple ingredients most people have on hand or are readily available. It is not full of gourmet recipes that have you lighting things on fire. It is a simple, country living, meat and potatoes kind of book. It also includes recipes for entertaining and guidelines for amounts of foods needed. There are many charts that are helpful resources for every cook- roasting guides, canning times, and a casserole chart. Something I have never used, but have enjoyed reading is the instructions for how to kill a chicken. Mrs. Shank's sense of humor really comes through on that one. This is my favorite cookbook and a gift I give to all new brides.

When I bought this cookbook, I was hoping for old-fashioned traditional Mennonite recipies. I wanted recipies that called for natural ingredents, not cans of cream of muchroom soup.

This is more along the lines of something your grandmother's church group would have put together for a fundraiser back in the 60's. For what it is, it's very thorough; it just is not what I wanted.

I purchased the 1987 edition. Loved it so much, I purchased copies for each of my children, even though they were still in school at the time. It is full of good home cooking recipes with complete directions. Even a beginning cook can make great, well-seasoned dishes. The "Delightful Green Beans" on page 312 has become a family favorite.

The book is full of such things as the The Create your Own Casserole chart with colums for Protein, Sauce, Cooked Vegetables, Cooked Starch and Topping categories. Pick one item from each colum and you have your casserole. Cooking directions included.

I found this book at a time when I was thinking of gathering my recipes and putting together something for my children. This book was so well-written I never even started. This is the cookbook I would have loved to have written. It is the good day-to-day food of much of the country (I grew up in Kansas with similar cooking) that is suitable for every occasion. Reasonable preparation times, no weird ingredients, great tasting food.

The reason I am writing this review is that I was searching for another copy to purchase. One of my daughters was complaining that she has used her hard-cover copy so much that it is falling apart.

This is a very helpful and resourceful book, that must be in every kictchen. I received this book as a gift from my mother-in-law, and have used it constantly over the years.
There are excellent recipes, hints and tips. I would highly recommend this book to all those who are in the kitchen. Everyone can learn something from this book, young or old, new cook or experienced. You will not be sorry you've purchased it. I would not be without mine.

This is a very, very nice cookbook with tons of yummy recipes. Mennonite cooking can be best described in two words.... comfort food.

Great cook book. Many super recipes. My mom and sis-n-law have this cookbook. I was always borrowing it, and I decided it was time I got my own. My aunt had me order her two, one as a gift and one for herself.

I love this cookbook! It was given to me by my grandmother for my 16th birthday. My mom loved it so much that she bought one and also bought one for my younger sister for when she turned 16. We all use our books constantly. It's the first cookbook we grab when we are looking for something. It is great for beginners since it gives step by step instructions with the ingredients but is also great for more experienced cooks. I love it for all the "down home:, basic instructions.It even tells how to mash potatoes! I have given this gift many times as bridal gifts and will continue to do so. I really like the spiral binding, it makes it so handy to lay open that way. My only dislike is that there are no pictures in it, but for someone that is somewhat used to cooking, you can pretty well picture what it will be like by just reading the ingredients.