Customer Reviews

Rachael Ray's Open House Cookbook: Over 200 Recipes for Easy Entertaining

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I'm on a tasty journey licking my finger on hundreds of Rachael Ray's recipes in her many cookbooks. In the course of reading, using, and reviewing these cookbooks, I've been struck that the early Rachael Ray is different from the more recent work. Both have a lot to be said for them. The newest works are more sophisticated, appeal to a wider palate, use more ingredients, and are often daring in the way they simplify what most of us think of as very time-consuming dishes. Early Rachael Ray by comparison is full of family stories, traditional Italian cooking, and happy memories of days gone by when great meals united families and friends.

Rachael Ray's Open House Cookbook is as desirable an example of early Rachael Ray as you can hope for. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of being invited for an Italian feast will recognize these dishes and the generations of love that create them for each new generation. Thanks to Rachael Ray's work in this book, you can now expect that these wonderful dishes will survive for yet another generation as she brilliantly takes the pain and agony out of such extensive preparations.

The book's first cooking section is called "Company's Company: Parties You Can Prepare and Attend." Around our house, having a party means my wife and I are either always in the kitchen or are carting things back and forth from the kitchen . . . unless we hire someone to help with the party . . . which gives the party a whole different feel that isn't necessarily a better one. The recipes are set to feed 20 or more, and to spread out the preparation and serving work so that it's not so overwhelming. Here's an example: An antipasto party begins two days before when you do the shopping; a day before, you do the heavy lifting of cubing, slicing, and chopping of ingredients . . . and getting the glasses and disposables ready to go; the day of the party, you make a topping and do a little work on two of the appetizers; two hours before the party, you make things that need to be fresh and platter your meats and cheeses; one hour before the guests arrive, you make one more dish and arrange platters and countertops. At the last minute, you make one other dish and cook your bacon-wrapped stuffed dates. Obviously, if you drop a dish or two, you can make the last minute even easier. Nice! Your party dish choices also include: pizza; tapas; and mix and match varieties of dips, spreads, pick-ups and entrees you can serve at room temperature (like beef tenderloin and two sauces). Invite me anytime you want to serve from this great cookbook!

At Home Sundays is the next action and looks at all three meals for Sunday. The breakfast choices are mostly what you would expect except for some tasty alternatives to French toast. Lunches are a zestier version of what you probably usually have. Suppers are where this section shines with recipes for dishes like I-Waited-All-Week Spaghetti Dinner, cioppino, and paella.

Home for the Holidays features comfort foods. These are basically the classics (stuffed artichokes, onion risotto, stuffed mushrooms, onion soup, figs and prosciutto, roast turkey with apple and onion stuffing, baked ham, prime rib, popovers, roast pork loin, brisket, leg of lamb, mashed potatoes (with flavorings), stuffed tomatoes, baked beans, standard vegetables with an extra zesty taste.

Dinner at Eight repeats some of the most popular 30-minute meals from The 30-Minute Meal with an emphasis on classic dishes.

Cooking Rookies is 21 pages of recipes for those who are over 12 with an adult helper. Recipes include pizza dough; four pizzas; egg sandwiches; baked chicken drumsticks; two kinds of tacos; simple take-out food and snacks; three dips; three desserts (including peanut butter kiss cookies); and some mocktails.

Just Desserts to me is the most charming section. Ms. Ray admits that baking isn't her thing; it's too much science and not enough art. So she always sticks to desserts that don't need baking. With that modest preamble, she shares 12 simple dishes that won't blow anyone away . . . but will satisfy those who want to indulge their sweet tooth at the end of a lovely meal.

Although the format isn't exactly in 30-minute style, everything here can be done pretty quickly. If you want a cookbook to make you look like a great party-giver without spending a lot of time, this is a great choice.

Enjoy her wonderful family stories as you savor the food!

I first came to be aware of this author on her cooking show on the food network and all her recipes have been delicious and easy.... underlined EASY! not all her cooking show recipes are in the book, which is good and bad... but the book adds more, which is good :) Alot of her recipes focas on italian-style but than that is a crowd pleaser in my home... I have found that the ingredients in her recipes to b e easy to find also which i feel is very imprtant!!!! one thing i wish is that the cook-book was a bit more *chatty*...ms. ray has a fabulous personality and i wish it came thru a bit more in her books...but as for as the book goes...its wonderful!

I never knew great meals could be so easy to prepare ... and so quickly. I love to cook for friends and family and no one ever suspects how little time and effort I utilize to make meals that look and taste like something out of a gourmet restaurant.

I love all of her books. And if you need to tweak a recipe that is already so simple hers are easy to do it to. She speaks in plain english and measurments are easy.

I have only had this cookbook for about a week and a half and I have already made two of the chicken recipes and they were absolutely delicious!!! I HIGHLY recommend this book to all the cooks out there!

This is a delightful book. I was able to use it over the holidays for many tempting treats for my guests and I look forward to using it over and over.

I am a big fan of Rachael Ray, and this book didn't disappoint me! Rachael's recipes are easy to follow. A good recipe book for entertaining. This book contains a nice variety of recipes for various different types of parties, from cocktail parties to dinner parties. Most recipes are easy to prepare, and don't take an excessive amount of time to make, which is nice. Good book for the beginning cook, as well as the experienced chef.

LOVE this cookbook!
I have made many of the dips,for my Bunco group--and I ALWAYS get a rave review. The pasta dishes have gotten equally good reviews from my family too! It is so terrific, that I ordered several copies to give as Christmas gifts this year.

This is a good book for casual get togethers, especially pizza parties. I cannot say I have made anything from this book yet, but I do plan on using the pizza dough recipe in the near future. Rachael Ray has wonderful recipes in all of her books. I am looking forward to using some of the recipes out of this book in the near future, maybe for the up coming holiday.

This is one of my favorite Rachel Ray cookbooks written in 1999 when I suspect she was not as popular, and as well known, as she is today. This cookbook contains numerous recipes that use commonly found kitchen ingredients.

The other thing I really like about this cookbook is there is a chapter called Cooking Rookies Kids Cook Too which offers simple to prepare recipes that include specific directions for young cooks on how to prepare the recipe. In fact, Ray gives specific directions in a step-by step format in some portions of the recipe.

Some of the recipes you can find in this cook book include:

Tuscan Chicken
Chicken Chausser with Herbed Egg Fettuccine
Smoked Pork Chops with Apple and Onion
Veal Piccata
Ginger Soy Salmon and Sesame Snap Peas
Shrimp Scampi
Peasant Pasta
Curried Turkey Pockets
The American All-Star Berger
Sirloin Steak with Horseradish Cream and Warm German Potato Salad
Momma's Stuffed Mushrooms
Pot Sticker Pork Pick-Ups
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Morning Monte Cristos
Country Flapjacks
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Belgian Waffles
Rosemary Hash Browns
Red Eye Ham
Homemade Pork Sausage Patties

Recommend.