The Take-out Menu Cookbook: How to Cook in the Foods You Love to Order Out [Hardcover]

Carla Snyder (Author), Meredith Deeds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2007

You’ve got a serious hankerin’ for Kung Pao Chicken, but Wang’s House of Noodles is 35 minutes away, it’s overpriced, and well, it just plain stinks. Come to think of it, you haven’t found great, let alone decent, ethnic take-out for a while. What to do? How about cook it yourself? All you need is to open up The Take-Out Menu Cookbook and step confidently into the kitchen. . . .This first-of-its-kind cookbook features the top 200 take-out and carry-away dishes from the 12 most popular ethnic cuisines: French, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern/Moroccan, Indian, Eastern European/Jewish, Greek, and Japanese. Why buy a Chinese cookbook when all you want is authentic-tasting but healthier-than-take-out Kung Pao Shrimp, Spicy Potstickers, and Mu Shu Pork? By focusing on the most popular dishes from each cuisine, Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder provide starving chefs with the tools at their disposal to create authentic, healthy, and delicious meals that will make staying home worthwhile! Even highly experienced cooks can be rattled by sushi or derailed by dim sum. But with the help of the authors, who have more than 20 years of experience as cooking instructors between them, there’s no need to worry! With their guidance, the unfamiliar territory of ethnic cuisine is easily maneuvered.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Inspired by cravings for ethnic foods—and frustration with being unable to find decent versions (or any version at all) in nonurban parts of the country—Deeds and Snyder (The Big Book of Appetizers) deliver 200 recipes for popular take-out dishes, from Mu Shu Pork to Chicken Tikka Masala and Fish Tacos. They organize the recipes by cuisine: Chinese, Eastern European, Greek, Middle Eastern, Thai and so on. And they cover the dishes most often ordered, such as Vegetable Biryani, Pizza Margherita, Spicy Tuna Rolls, Paella and Pad Thai. Fun head notes often describe the derivation of dishes—General Tso's Chicken, for example, was born back in the seventies in a Chinese restaurant in New York and named after a successful Chinese statesman back in the mid-1800s. Recipes are approachable, if not strictly authentic, and include indications of total time and hands-on time, which is generally less than an hour. Home cooks without viable take-out options now have a reasonable alternative—though city-dwellers probably won't be getting rid of their take-out menus anytime soon. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Meredith Deeds attended restaurant school and has lived, cooked, and taught all over the country. She teaches a range of classes from general cooking technique to ethnic cuisines including Mexican, Thai, and Italian. She is also a writer whose articles have appeared in Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Chile Pepper Magazine, and Prevention. Meredith lives in Plano, Texas. Carla Snyder, chef de cuisine of the highly regarded Western Reserve School of Cooking, has taught culinary programs for the past 13 years. She is a former artisan baker and caterer who loves sharing her unique cooking approach and wisdom with students. Carla lives in Hudson, Ohio. Meredith and Carla have authored two previous cookbooks together: The Mixer Bible and The Big Book of Appetizers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Running Press; First Edition edition (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762431555
• ISBN-13: 978-0762431557
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #799,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly good and varied recipes, January 8, 2008

By 

Patrick P. Davis (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Take-out Menu Cookbook: How to Cook in the Foods You Love to Order Out (Hardcover)

I am an experienced home cook with over 100 cookbooks. This book has been a very positive surprise for me. There are a variety of different recipe organized categories by ethnic cuisines. The recipes that I've cooked have turned out well and I keep returning this book to try out different recipes. There are some more unusual tasty recipes that I didn't' expect such as chicken with preserved lemons and green olives. There is even the simple recipe to create the preserved lemons. In general, the recipes are relatively quick to prepare and don't require someone who is very experienced. However, the experienced cook will still find a lot of worthwhile recipes.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Recipe a Winner!, February 23, 2008

By 

javajunkie - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Take-out Menu Cookbook: How to Cook in the Foods You Love to Order Out (Hardcover)

I wanted to really try this cookbook out before writing a review. I have to say that after trying many recipes, ALL of them turned out absolutely fantastic. I am very comfortable giving this a 5 STAR review.

Just last weekend, I had my mom's 91st Birthday, and although I had tried none of the recipes, based on my previous successes with this book, I made an entire German meal from this cookbook: Sauerbraten, Spaetzel, Red Cabbage with Apples, and the Apple Cake. I got RAVE reviews for every single item! (Incidentally, I made her Multi Grain Bread from her Mixer Bible, and likewise, was phenomenal, and a bread I will make often.)

From her Italian section, I've made the Minestrone, Alfredo Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Bolognese and Basic Pizza Crust. On these, except for the longer cooking Bolognese, all I have to say is that the premise of this book is that you can "eat in" for less money AND less TIME than going out - was absolutely true.

In the French Section, the Sole Meuniere was so quick and so delicious I could barely stand it, and after dinner immediately typed it out and sent it to my married daughters and sisters. I made the Champagne Viniagrette, and it has now become a staple in my refrigerator. I've made the French Onion Soup, the Quiche Lorraine, Beef a la Bourguignonne, and Chocolate Mousse.

I could go on and on with many other recipes and nationalities, but all I can say is that you can't go wrong with this cookbook. Some I love because they are quick and easy, and for others that may take more time when you have the time, they are equally delicious.

This cookbook has become such a reliable source for me, that I would not hesitate to make another entire company menu (naturally a family meal) from this cookbook! Some International type cookbooks are so complex, so fat and thick, and so many obscure recipes, and so hard to "get through" and "make decisions." Carla and Meredith make international cooking a safe and exciting prospect all at the same time!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic New Book!, November 5, 2007

By 

Bonnie V. (Maywood, Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Take-out Menu Cookbook: How to Cook in the Foods You Love to Order Out (Hardcover)

I have The Big Book of Appetizers from these 2 authors,which I use frequently, so when I saw that they had a new book out, I ordered it immediately. I am so pleased with the books that these authors prepare for us. I haven't had a chance to try all of the cuisines represented yet, but I have tried the Mexican section, in particular. The recipe for corn tortillas is so simple to follow and delicious with only butter and salt. It really gets over the top when you add Carnitas to it, along with the Guacamole and salsa. All of these recipes are in the book and have very easy and clear directions.. You can certainly tell that this was written by someone who knows their stuff! The other recipe that I have tried is the Baklava. Who knew it was this easy to make such a delicious and elegant dessert? I do most of my cooking on the weekends, like so many of us, and I will definitely be wearing this book out! My compliments to these authors. Keep 'em coming!!!