From Publishers Weekly
Fans of Karen "Duff" Duffy's straightforward voice and offbeat sense of humor will be delighted by this book, which mixes recipes and entertaining tips with a bit of celebrity name-dropping and plenty of cooking tips and terminology. The former model, MTV VJ and Revlon spokeswoman shares recipes ranging from incredibly easy (the bulk of the book's offerings) to fairly tricky. Duffy isn't concerned with fat, calorie or carb content—butter, eggs, sugar and salt figure prominently in most recipes, and she begins the "Breadwinners" section by proclaiming, "Forget the Atkins diet." Among the simple, hearty dishes are Chicken Lime Soup with Tortillas, and Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes. A mother herself, Duffy also features clever kid-friendly recipes, such as Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi. Her cooking advice is sound, and the glossary, equipment list and produce notes at book's end are useful. Although Duffy's humor does get a bit wearying, readers will surely warm to many of her suggestions (e.g., cooking eggs "Karaoke Style"), and find themselves fascinated by Duffy's recipe for "Gravy-Scented Candles," which aid nicely in Duffy's mission: looking like you "tried" by exerting only minimal effort in the kitchen. You may not need to be a perfectionist to be a superstar homemaker, but Duffy wants
others to think you sure tried hard.
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From the Inside Flap
Are you looking for a cookbook that will challenge your kitchen skills and food knowledge, spurring you on to ever greater feats of culinary leger-demain with creations that will leave your guests gasping in astonishment and weeping with gratitude? A Slob in the Kitchen, then, is not the book for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a cookbook that acknowledges that the best recipes are those that get you in and out of the kitchen unscathed and produce something that tastes exactly like foodyouve found your new bible.
A Slob in the Kitchen is a book "for the host who isnt afraid to crack a few eggs, crack a few jokes, throw a few curves, cut a few corners, and have a few laughs," says self-proclaimed slob Karen Duffy. Her wisenheimer cooking primer provides nearly two hundred simple and completely approachable recipes that are so foolproof even a monkey could make them, yet are good enough to serve anytime, anywhere.
Need some easy eats for a cocktail get-together? Try Buffalo-Style Shrimp or Fiesta Like There Is No Manaña Guacamole. Have hungry kids to appease? Throw them some Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi or let them burn off some energy with Kick-the-Can Ice Cream. In a retro mood? Check out the selection of Kitsch-en Classics for Spinach Quiche, just like Mom used to serve her bridge club. These recipes may not win you a spot on Iron Chef, but they will put a smile on the face of everyone you serve them toand isnt that why you cook in the first place? With Duffy as your guide youll be turning out soups, salads, entrées, desserts, and moreall without breaking a sweat or setting foot in a fancy-pants gourmet grocery. Youll even pick up some cooking shortcuts and fun food trivia that make the whole process of getting food on the table that much more enjoyable.
So if youre finally ready to put down that takeout menu, toss the frozen entrées, and pick up a wooden spoon, take heart: A Slob in the Kitchen is the culinary Rosetta stone youve been waiting for, an empowering and entertaining introduction to the pleasures of presenting homemade fare without the angst.