Customer Reviews

Super Suppers Cookbook

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First off, this cookbook's presentation is simply beautiful. There are many wonderful photographs of the finished product (something most freezer cookbooks lack). The one issue I have with this cookbook is that the directions are only given for 1 meal. Dream Dinners gives directions for one and three meals and Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer gives one meal, three meals and nine meals. Having the ingredients already ratioed for larger bulk cooking meals (which is really a basis of freezer cooking for me) is a nice addition and sorely missed in this book. There is a nice selection of meals to choose from in this cookbook. There are not repetitive of the books already out there. Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer is still my fave but this is a welcome addition to my kitchen even though I will have to write double and triple calculations in the margins

I was a disappointed. This is not a book of the recipes Super Suppers offers in their kitchens. Almost NONE of these recipes are the ones you'd find in their storefronts. And it's not really even an assemble-and-freeze cookbook. MANY of the recipes in this books are not appropriate for assembling ahead. There's a whole chapter on SALADS, for heaven's sake, none of which can be frozen ahead, of course. Why do we even need a chapter on salads? It felt like filler to me. And the same with the chapter on vegetables -- ONE recipe can be assembled and frozen ahead.

And even the sections on entrees don't give nearly the number of recipes you'd expect. Of 28 recipes for beef, for instance, only 14 are what I would call assemble-and-freeze. The others either are not for doing ahead at all, or they're meals that are cooked completely to be frozen and then reheated.

And as I was paging through it just now counting how many recipes really fall into the category I was expecting, the book is starting to fall apart at the binding.

That said, there are some recipes that are good. There just aren't anywhere near enough of them to fulfill the book's promise.

All the recipes use campbells soup, stove top stuffing or some other processed food as a main ingredient. Some recipes call for crushed fritos and chips. Why go to the hassle of making dinners like these when you can just stop at a fast food resturant!? I've gone to Super Suppers and actually created meals and i found them to be less proccessed (at least i assumed so). I was hoping to find recipes that i actually made there. Only a few are in the book. Recipes are very simple - campbells soup, white rice and chicken. Or pork chops, rosemary and salt. Very simplistic and unoriginal.

I was very excited to see that Super Suppers was sharing some simple-but-good recipes in this book. I will definitely be making many of these meals.
Pros: ideas for side dishes and dessert are included for each recipe; the photographs of the food are beautiful and appetizing; the recipes do look very simple but also very flavorful.
Con: no nutritional information. That's the only reason I gave this book 4 stars.

I have made about 10 recipes so far from this cookbook and they have all been just super! The first was the Santa Fe Chicken. It was chicken breasts with fresh bell peppers, red onion, fresh lemon juice (though you could substitute bottled), then a can of green chile peppers. It was very simple to make, would have frozen easily for future cooking but we ate it that night. We then tried the Crunchy baked asian tilapia fillets. It called for all fresh ingredients and panko bread crumbs. It took me some looking at the grocery to find that particular type they were in the asian food aisle (not the regular bread crumb aisle). Our next dinner was the Asian beef and veggie wrap. It called for fresh bean sprouts, green onions, plum sauce, grated fresh ginger and egg roll wrappers (which I found in the produce section at the grocery). So for the person who said it was all canned soup and stove top stuffing I'm not sure what recipe they were referring too. There might be one in this cookbook, there are almost 200 recipes but I didn't find it and certainly would never describe this cookbook as unhealthy...that's a complete misrepresentation. So I'm not sure what that other lady was referring to.
It's a great cookbook, with fresh ingredients. Well worth the money.

I would also suggest getting her new cookbook, Super Suppers 2. It's just as good.

I bought this book & Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer. The presentation in the Super Suppers book is amazing. The pictures are beautiful and I like the book layout. The freezer tips are very helpful too. Unfortunately, I haven't found a recipe that my family has enjoyed. I've tried several recipes including Orange Beef Broccoli Stir-Fry, Parmesan Chicken, Crab & Artichoke Pasta and 5 cup Fruit Salad. Tomorrow I am planning on trying the Mediterranean Chicken. If that doesn't meet my family's approval, I am afraid this beautiful book is going to sit on the shelf.

The only reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 is the small number of recipes. There aren't a lot, but the ones there are are quality. They give step by step instructions on ways to make the recipes and freeze for busy times. There are suggestions of other menu items to accompany the recipes.

I bought this cookbook, along with "Don't Panic..." and "Holly Cleggs Trim & Terrific Freezer-Friendly Meals". There were some good recipes here and the format is decent, but Holly Cleggs book suited me much better. Many recipes here are very similar to things I already make, so it didn't give me many new ideas. (Although the Roasted Vegetables recipe has become a new favorite side dish.) The serving suggestions included with each recipe was a nice idea, however, I had to laugh at some. For example, "Dessert: purchased ice cream sandwiches". Say what?! Glad I have a cookbook to suggest we buy ice cream sandwiches!

Good things to say about it? The pictures are nice. The food is child-friendly. Ingredients are normal, readily available. It's not an indispensible cookbook, but if you aren't too tight on money, it wouldn't hurt to have this one, too.

One last warning: this isn't much of a make-ahead cookbook. It's more of "quick and easy meals". There are few things in here that you could completely make and put in your freezer and later either take out and bake or take out and reheat. I'm not big on freezer meals, but if that is your goal or you do OAMC, this is not your cookbook.

I collect cook books and this one is the one I reach for time and again. We have 7 children and I do bulk cooking. This book helps me in meal preparation that I can freeze. Not full of casseroles, this book has lots of unique dishes that don't call for ridiculous ingredients. And, it is chock full of beautiful color pictures with a quality feel to the page weight. You'll love it.

I have many cookbooks but this, so far, is my favorite. I have aspirations of being a good cook but so little time. I have only made two recipes so far and I am thrilled (and so is my family). Both were excellent and easy - Beef & Broccoli and Sweet & Sour Pork. I also like that there are suggested sides and desserts - whew, I don't even need to think. I shared both with my neighbors and she also loved them. Hence, I'm back online ordering her a book. Tonight I"m trying Kielbasa & Sauerkraut - couldn't be easier.