Customer Reviews

Simply Mexican

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased my book last week and I am so happy I did. I have made three dishes so far. The roasted corn soup, mexican chorizo and stacked chicken tostadas. I used the Achiote Marinade for a steamed fish recipe. The taste of it was so good. It was yummy I couldnt even believe it. It did not take a long time to prepare. Ms. Castro gives instructions on preparation and shortcuts. There are pictures of the dishes and also cooking notes. She also includes a glossary for information on the different ingredients used in the book. Some ingredients maybe hard to find depending on your location. For the most part the recipes are easy to follow. Its very simple cooking for anyone who would like to learn Mexican cooking. Its basic cooking but not too over the top.

Trying a new cookbook is always a bit risky. More times than I can count, recipes that looked good on paper turned out to be disasters for me. Indeed, in my long history of trying new recipes for my family, I have about a 50% success rate. In this book, I tried the Shrimp & Lime Salad, the Chili-Smothered Shrimp Skewers, the chicken tostadas, mushroom quesadillas, the fish tacos and the flan. Everything turned out delicious except for the flan, but I may have over baked that. My kids were actually fighting over the last bit of fish from the fish tacos. Novice cooks will appreciate the clear directions and experienced cooks will like the way the recipes are structured for the most efficient use of time. I also appreciated that some of the grill recipes offered an alternative way of preparing the dishes for people who don't have a grill. Other cookbook authors might want to follow Lourdes Castro's example and realize that not everyone lives in suburbia and owns a grill, or even wants one. There are still several recipes I want to try in this book and I would recommend it to anyone who was interested in either Mexican food or preparing simple dishes.

I bought this book after hearing the author on NPR. Great book, we have tried about 7 of the recipes and they all have been great. We used to get store-made rotisserie chicken, but the recipes here teach you to make your own and what you make is a lot easier and cheaper. The Chili, Chorizo and Cheese is excellent, so is the Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo sauce. If you want to get some easy recipes for Mexican Food, this is it!!!

The recipes are very easy to follow because she breaks it down in steps. She is a teacher so she "speaks" to the reader as a teacher would, which is very helpful when you need to know exactly what you're doing. I am familiar with Mexican cooking, although my family cooks more of the Arizona/sonoran Mexican cuisine. After creating one recipe, I am steadily plowing through her other recipes with much enthusiasm and excitement about what the next creation will bring. The pork chops are amazing and the cilantro rice is brilliant to look at and eat. I love that she uses mostly fresh ingredients, although using some of these recipes in the winter might be hard (New York area) so I am doing them all this summer! This cookbook is perfect!

The recipes are very easy to follow with beautiful pictures to compliment the dishes. The recipes are trully authentic Mexican . It is a joy to
cook from this book. Good job Lourdes !!!

I was looking for a good cookbook to make restaurant-style Mexican food at home. I've tried 5 recipes so far and loved every one of them. The instructions were easy to follow and worked perfectly. Taste quality is excellent. Favorite recipe in the book so far: corn soup with roasted corn guacamole.

With Lourdes, it really is Simply Mexican!!! As busy as I am, this easy to follow step-by-step book has helped me stir up not only quick and delicious healthy meals for my kids but has helped me to impress my friends and family with elegant and classy dishes that make you say OLE!. Thanks Chef Castro...you're a savior! Can't wait for the next book! Highly recommended for those who are beginners or even pros in the kitchen! Its a must have! Best Ribs north of the border!

I love Mexican food but I never had any idea where to start when it came to making it at home. Simply Mexican is so easy to follow. I break out the book whenever I have friends over. The dishes are perfect for a margarita party by the pool! Thank you Lourdes!

This book is a great book for people who want to learn more about cooking Mexican food. the pictures are not only pretty but extremely helpful. The directions and descriptions are also helpful telling you the difference between certain items and how they are made.

I love Mexican food as do my friends. Two major parties at our home are centered around Mexican holidays and I marked 11 recipes in this cookbook that I intend to serve. If you are intersted in trying this cuisine, I would say this is a great Mexican cookbook to start with.