Ten Dollar Dinners: 140 Recipes & Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week [Paperback]

Melissa d'Arabian (Author), Raquel Pelzel (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 14, 2012

Melissa d’Arabian, host of Food Network’s Ten Dollar Dinners and season 5 winner of The Next Food Network Star, makes good on the $10 promise of dinner for four in her eagerly awaited debut cookbook. For home cooks who care about what they feed their families and want to stretch their dollars, Melissa is the best guide for putting delicious meals on the table.
With four young girls ages six and under, and a hit show on Food Network, Melissa d’Arabian focuses on savvy budgeting, efficient shopping, and full-flavored cooking. Ten Dollar Dinners has 140 recipes and more than 100 creative, practical tips on great money-savers (“Clear-Your-Pantry Week”); inventive takes on old standby dinners (try her Moroccan Meatloaf); and how to get ingredients to last longer (keep your green onions in a glass of water and they will regrow several times over!). And with a coding system to help you create your own $10 menu, Ten Dollar Dinners celebrates spending with purpose, cooking with love, minimizing time spent in front of the stove, and savoring your homemade meal.
Melissa is a pro at creating satisfying meals that adults and kids alike will enjoy, using everyday ingredients and transforming them into delicious dinners. Her Potato-Bacon Torte (which, at 50 cents a serving, was one of her winning recipes on The Next Food Network Star) shows how basic and inexpensive supermarket ingredients can be turned into an amazingly satisfying dish. Her Roasted Vegetable Tian is a great way to take advantage of deals in the produce aisle. The Four-Step Chicken Piccata offers a plan for getting food on the table in just minutes, using almost anything in the pantry.
Anyone can use this book—especially those who want to save money—and feel great about cooking sensibly for elevated, simple meals that are healthy family-pleasers.
 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Featured Recipe from Ten Dollar Dinners: Salmon Cakes

Serves 4; Preparation time: 25 minutes; Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large russet potato
• 2 bacon strips
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 14-ounce can wild salmon
• 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the potato and cook until a paring knife easily slips into the center of the potato, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and, once the potato is cool enough to handle, peel it and place it in a bowl. Use a fork to break up and fluff the potato. Set aside.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon on both sides until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate (save the fat in a small bowl), cool, and then crumble. Place the bacon in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat in a small skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the onion cool, then add to the bacon along with the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest, stirring to combine. Add the salmon and then the potato, mixing gently after each addition. Then form into 12 small patties.

4. In a small, shallow baking dish, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and pepper. Press both sides of the salmon patties firmly into the bread-crumb mixture to evenly coat both sides.

5. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the salmon cakes in 2 batches until they’re golden on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total, adding more oil when necessary. Serve warm.

Amazon Asks Melissa d'Arabian

What's your elevator pitch for Ten Dollar Dinners?

It's about so much more than cooking with inexpensive ingredients! It's a full philosophy of spending with purpose and managing our resources wisely while nourishing our bodies.

Which new cookbooks or chef memoirs are you most excited about?

I can't wait to read Marcus Samuelsson's Yes, Chef and Michael Symon's Carnivore.

What’s the best place you’ve eaten recently?

I had an incredibly special dinner at Uchi in Houston... truly one of the best dinners I've ever had.

What's been your most memorable author moment?

Opening the envelope that had the very first copy of my cookbook in it. I opened it with my husband, very delicately, as if it were fragile.

What other talent would you most like to have (not including flight or invisibility)?

I'd love to be a genius at organization. (To do that, I think you have to be able to really think in 3-D, and I'm very linear.)

What are you obsessed with now?

Doing splits. I'm almost there!

What's your most treasured possession?

My grandma's confirmation bracelet. She gave it to me as my "something old" at my wedding, and I wear it all the time--unless I'm filming Ten Dollar Dinners. She passed away last month, so it's extra special now.

What's on your nightstand?

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, and Alephonsian Deng.  

What's next for you?

After book tour, I'm settling into the new school year with my four daughters--and then get straight back to work on Book # 2!

Review

“Melissa’s real life experience as a wife and mom make her the perfect person to help all of us get dinner to the table.”
—BOBBY FLAY
 
“Melissa really gets it. She is a mom who knows firsthand that cooking on a budget can be delicious, inspiring, and healthy. She brings it all here with flair and the comforting presence of a good friend.”
—ELLIE KRIEGER
 
“Who knew that something as tasty and fun as steak with caramelized onions could be so cheap and easy to make? Melissa’s Ten Dollar Dinners broadens the horizon of dinnertime possibilities and deliciousness. This is a great resource for new, affordable cooking ideas.”
—ALEX GUARNASCHELLI
 
“I am a father and husband before I am a chef, so when it comes to mealtime I want to use simple recipes that utilize the freshest foods possible. That’s what Ten Dollar Dinners is all about. I also like to cook with my family, which means that Melissa’s recipes are perfect for us to create together.”
—ANDREW ZIMMERN
 
“Here’s a mom, raising and feeding four cute daughters, while giving a nod to her French husband’s palate, as well as conquering the corporate world. Plus her pie crust rivals a pastry chef’s! I knew Melissa was a winner from the start. Her recipes save you money and her tips make sense—saving you time so you can go out and enjoy life as she has.”
—SUNNY ANDERSON
 
“Melissa proves that delicious food doesn’t have to cost big bucks. I love her blend of California freshness, French flair, and frugality.”
—ROSEMARY ELLIS [editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping]

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Clarkson Potter (August 14, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0307985148 ISBN-13: 978-0307985149 Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews) Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars

(83)

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“ Most of the recipes in this book are simple and easy to make. ” F. Murrell  |  30 reviewers made a similar statement

“ Every recipe that I have made has been easy and delicious. ” Donna D  |  22 reviewers made a similar statement

“ Melissa has peppered the book with technique tips and plenty of significant time/money saving suggestions that make actually reading this cookbook worthwhile! ” MostlyAmused  |  17 reviewers made a similar statement

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of these I've tried before and know they are delicious and inexpensive August 14, 2012

By K. Corn TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ten Dollar Dinners is one of my favorite shows and I can vouch for the fact that many of the recipes are both cost-conscious and tasty. There are 140 recipes in this book, all accompanied by full color photos - but there is also so much more. Also included are strategies for saving money and stocking a "ten dollar dinner pantry." This info helps flesh out the book, even though it would be a very worthwhile purchase without the extras.

If you're a fan of the show, you'll recognize some of the recipes: Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese, French Cut Steak with Carmelized Onions, Crispy Potato Cakes. I've tried every one of those and loved them. Of course, you may want to tweak some of the recipes to suit your taste but I've found I can use most just as written. I might add a bit more seasoning here or there but that is pretty typical...a cook tends to add a personal touch to a recipe.

I loved the section where author Melissa d'Arabian wrote about her life. She is someone who is so charismatic and enthusiastic on television that I was interested in learning more about her. She wrote so vividly about living in France for four years, meeting her husband, moving back to the United States, becoming parents to four girls, and learning to survive on one income.

Learning to live on a strict budget was quite a challenge but something she notes she was "hardwired to do." And her readers are the lucky beneficiaries of her efforts. Not incidentally, she beat out the competition to become The Next Food Network Star - and with a Potato- Bacon Torte that cost only fifty cents a serving!

Each recipe in Ten Dollar Dinners is listed on a scale from "downright cheap" to "pricey" (although the definition of pricey used here is still very inexpensive).... Depending on budgets, readers can opt for only the cheapest recipes for a meal or mix and match various choices if there are extra funds.

Melissa also has many suggestions to cut costs on a regular basis: eat beans once a week as part of a main dish, use loss leaders, create a quick weekly menu plan in only five minutes, etc. We are huge fans of soup in our family so that section was particularly appealing. Somehow we also seem to have excess carrots around so the Orange Carrot Soup is one recipe I'm going to test immediately (today), especially since it takes very little time. The only soup recipe that doesn't look particularly attractive in the photo is the Creamy Any Veggie Soup but maybe it makes up for a lack of visual appeal with great taste.

If you have gourmet tastes, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find some unique flavor combinations (Preserved Lemon and Olive Chicken Tangine) along with such basics as simple biscuits. When it comes to desserts, choices such as Classic Apple Tart or Strawberry Pavlovas with Apricot Sauce add a luxurious - but still budget-friendly- finish to meals. Vegetarians aren't left out either, with a chapter on using vegetables as main and side dishes.

Another bonus? Most of these recipes can be prepared in a snap. Even the ones that depend on slow cooking can be prepared for cooking in a matter of minutes and then just left to simmer while you go about the rest of your day. I'm so excited to make my old favorites from the show and try out the new recipes as well! Read more ›

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent First Effort August 14, 2012

By AnonymousRM

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been watching Melissa's show ever since she first won "Food Network Star", so I was very happy to hear that she finally came out with a cookbook of recipes from the series. I recognize and have made many of them, but some either escaped me the first time or are new. I like seeing new recipes, although I do wish that more of my own familiar favorites were included in the book, like her garlic chicken, or her individual tiramisus with the mock mascarpone. Not that I don't appreciate the recipes that she has included, though. I was very happy to see my favorite tuna panzanella salad and her orange scented carrot soup, both of which I've made many times.

I was expecting to like this cookbook, and I do. Melissa has a way with easy simplicity yielding a result that is more than the sum of its parts. Whenever I make her recipes I always find them even better than expected given that they are made from relatively few and cheap ingredients, and are so easy and quick to prepare. She has a way of pairing simple flavors, like ginger and orange, that go a long way in terms of bang for one's effort and buck. Her recipes do not offend the refined palate despite seeming almost pedestrian at first glance. I often say her recipes are a three way win: Cheap, easy, and taste great!

The cookbook itself is also a pleasant surprise. The pages are thick and glossy, with a typeface that is easy to see even without my reading glasses. The book is laid out in a simple and straightforward fashion, and is packed with beautiful color photos of the food, plus some of both Melissa and her family, whom she often talks about on her show. Now we finally have faces to match with those stories. It's almost hard to believe that we've never had a glimpse of them until now....

Scattered throughout the book are tips and tricks to keeping one's costs down. Some of these seem new to me but she has mentioned most of them on her show. I appreciate the tips, although some of them are just mildly interesting and fall short of helpful, at least for me. I am not a fan of dried beans and sometimes Melissa is like a broken record with recommending them. When I can go to my local discount store and find beans for 65 cents a can, I don't think I need to go through all the extra effort of using the dried beans, despite how much cheaper they may be.

I can see that Melissa made an effort to include a variety of types of recipes in this book. I almost think the book tries too hard to achieve that balance, because I feel like there should have been more main course meat recipes in it. Not that I don't appreciate all the salads, pastas and side dishes, though.

In all, for a first effort with help writing the book, this is an excellent start. After years of buying Rachael Ray cookbooks with no photos and cheap paper, this is like a breath of fresh air. Melissa continues to impress me. She comes off as understated and easy to approach, but she also manages not to dumb down her recipes too much. Considering the budgetary constraints she is under with the Ten Dollar theme, that is no small feat. I have a feeling that should she continue to have success and there should be a second cookbook, it will be even better than this one. Way to go, Melissa! Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars learn about spending less for your meals August 19, 2012

By michele lehr

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have enjoyed Melissa D'Arbian's television show, "Ten Dollar Dinners." I am finally in a position to cook full-time so I use her recipes constantly. I have a bulging notebook of her work. I so wanted her first cookbook to published. I immediately pre-ordered her cookbook. I got more than a cookbook. I got a treasure trove of cooking help and ideas for my $16.40.

Melissa gives you so much more than recipes in this book. She shows how any cook can save money and still serve fantastic food. You will get numerous tips and hints to help anyone who cooks: a family, a family of just two, and even a single person household. Everyone wants better homemade dishes and less take out or frozen meals.

After cooking her recipes from her shows and I excited about the new dishes and even a section on breakfast meals.

Now I never have to buy a frozen meal from the grocery store. For me and my husband it's fresh food, D'Arbian style.

This book is worth the price!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the show, Love the book August 15, 2012

By ItsGretchen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely love Ten Dollar Dinners and Melissa. She has taught me soo much. I love her concept, outstanding food recipes and menus at an inexpensive cost. (I dont like to use the word "cheap" only when referring to shoddy quality.) She came from humble backgrounds, like mine, and yet she has done all the homework for us of researching just how to feed a family of four, realistically with real size portions, make it with great flavor, nurishing, cost effective, and easy to do. its all here!

One thing I was hoping for was a little more help than she offers from the show in the book. For instance, she always tells of the bargain of buying dry beans, then cooking and freezing them when needed. I was hoping for instructions of how to do just that. Or how she frequently says on her show how you can use the tops of green onions by growing them again (somehow), I was hoping for that in the book as well.

I was glad to see more versatility with recipes than on the show here in this book. For example, the Shortbread recipe on the show is with rosemary and chocolate chips (it's lovely, BTW) and in the book she explains how to make it what you want by adding what you have and makes suggestions. There are many more recipes like that, how to make it with how you like it and what you have.... (green smoothie and more)

with that said, do try some of our faves from her show in the book:

Cafe Salad withg Dijon Vinaigrette (this dressing makes it)
Thyme and Lemon Fish en Papillote (super easy, great for company, super healthy too)
Four Step Chicken Piccata (I learned how to make a simple sauce to tie it all together with that one)
Mustard Chicken (a must try for everyone, tarragon makes it -dont skip it, it really does)
Quick Sour Cream Biscuits (They puff when you cook 'em, easy and great!)
Buttery Shortbread (lovely and not a huge batch, just right)
and many others. (I wasnt kidding I'm a fan)

There are recipes I'm dying to try:
Crispy Chicken a l'Orange
Easy Coq au Vin
Herb-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes (this is the one she mentioned it took a while to get it just right)
Provencal Tomatoes
Roasted Radishes and Carrots
Classic Apple Tart (on the show, she said it only takes like 20 mins to do, and thats with homemade crust!)
Much, much more

Beautiful pictures and feel to the pages make this book a super good value. I will be buying another for an upcoming bridal shower.

Keep them coming Melissa. You really have made a difference in my home cooking. Read more ›

› See all 83 customer reviews (newest first)

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Serving size 4? Why?

Well, dissapointed that most all of the recipes in this cookbook only serve 4 people! The only recipes that have more servings are her Potato-Bacon Torte,Cookies and scones. Read more

Published 5 days ago by Denise M.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good eating.

I like the recipes, but it is difficult to read on my Kindle Fire. Wish I'd bought the book instead.

Published 10 days ago by Laura Carlton

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to our collection of cookbooks

We received "Ten Dollar Dinners" as a gift. Unlike many of the reviewers we had never watched Melissa d'Arabian's show. However, this cookbook is great. Read more

Published 11 days ago by Douglas K. Erlandson

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Inexpensive & Easy-To-Follow

Loved her in Season 5 of Food Network Star and her book is an extension of her friendly TV persona. The selection of recipes are extensive and simple to make. Read more

Published 24 days ago by M. Bruner

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant

I've made a number of recipes from this book and I love it. Everything I've made has turned out perfectly. And It didn't cost alot to do either. Read more

Published 28 days ago by Furby74

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensible and easy recipes

Food Network has made some mistakes on some of their picks for shows, but this woman had star wrtten all over her. I really like Melissa, she seems very genuine. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Sandra Thornberry

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite cookbook

This book is my go to recipe book. I am a working mom of 2 boys. I LOVE to cook but I don't have a ton of time during the week to prepare a meal. Read more

Published 1 month ago by J. Cor

3.0 out of 5 stars I watch Melissa on tv and have appreciated her recipes. I have never...

I would have preferred less of her personal information and those pages could have been utilized with more cooking tips and recipes. Read more

Published 1 month ago by rose lane

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book

I have not made any recipes from this cook book but I seem to do this with every cook book I own. I end up using them more for inspiration on dishes. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Jenny Giorno

2.0 out of 5 stars missing nutritional values

No nutritional values in it. This makes the book incomplete. I am looking for books so I can watch my carbs for diabetes.

Published 1 month ago by Patricia Swope

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (August 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307985148
• ISBN-13: 978-0307985149
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of these I've tried before and know they are delicious and inexpensive August 14, 2012

By K. Corn TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ten Dollar Dinners is one of my favorite shows and I can vouch for the fact that many of the recipes are both cost-conscious and tasty. There are 140 recipes in this book, all accompanied by full color photos - but there is also so much more. Also included are strategies for saving money and stocking a "ten dollar dinner pantry." This info helps flesh out the book, even though it would be a very worthwhile purchase without the extras.

If you're a fan of the show, you'll recognize some of the recipes: Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese, French Cut Steak with Carmelized Onions, Crispy Potato Cakes. I've tried every one of those and loved them. Of course, you may want to tweak some of the recipes to suit your taste but I've found I can use most just as written. I might add a bit more seasoning here or there but that is pretty typical...a cook tends to add a personal touch to a recipe.

I loved the section where author Melissa d'Arabian wrote about her life. She is someone who is so charismatic and enthusiastic on television that I was interested in learning more about her. She wrote so vividly about living in France for four years, meeting her husband, moving back to the United States, becoming parents to four girls, and learning to survive on one income.

Learning to live on a strict budget was quite a challenge but something she notes she was "hardwired to do." And her readers are the lucky beneficiaries of her efforts. Not incidentally, she beat out the competition to become The Next Food Network Star - and with a Potato- Bacon Torte that cost only fifty cents a serving!

Each recipe in Ten Dollar Dinners is listed on a scale from "downright cheap" to "pricey" (although the definition of pricey used here is still very inexpensive).... Depending on budgets, readers can opt for only the cheapest recipes for a meal or mix and match various choices if there are extra funds.

Melissa also has many suggestions to cut costs on a regular basis: eat beans once a week as part of a main dish, use loss leaders, create a quick weekly menu plan in only five minutes, etc. We are huge fans of soup in our family so that section was particularly appealing. Somehow we also seem to have excess carrots around so the Orange Carrot Soup is one recipe I'm going to test immediately (today), especially since it takes very little time. The only soup recipe that doesn't look particularly attractive in the photo is the Creamy Any Veggie Soup but maybe it makes up for a lack of visual appeal with great taste.

If you have gourmet tastes, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find some unique flavor combinations (Preserved Lemon and Olive Chicken Tangine) along with such basics as simple biscuits. When it comes to desserts, choices such as Classic Apple Tart or Strawberry Pavlovas with Apricot Sauce add a luxurious - but still budget-friendly- finish to meals. Vegetarians aren't left out either, with a chapter on using vegetables as main and side dishes.

Another bonus? Most of these recipes can be prepared in a snap. Even the ones that depend on slow cooking can be prepared for cooking in a matter of minutes and then just left to simmer while you go about the rest of your day. I'm so excited to make my old favorites from the show and try out the new recipes as well! Read more ›

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent First Effort August 14, 2012

By AnonymousRM

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been watching Melissa's show ever since she first won "Food Network Star", so I was very happy to hear that she finally came out with a cookbook of recipes from the series. I recognize and have made many of them, but some either escaped me the first time or are new. I like seeing new recipes, although I do wish that more of my own familiar favorites were included in the book, like her garlic chicken, or her individual tiramisus with the mock mascarpone. Not that I don't appreciate the recipes that she has included, though. I was very happy to see my favorite tuna panzanella salad and her orange scented carrot soup, both of which I've made many times.

I was expecting to like this cookbook, and I do. Melissa has a way with easy simplicity yielding a result that is more than the sum of its parts. Whenever I make her recipes I always find them even better than expected given that they are made from relatively few and cheap ingredients, and are so easy and quick to prepare. She has a way of pairing simple flavors, like ginger and orange, that go a long way in terms of bang for one's effort and buck. Her recipes do not offend the refined palate despite seeming almost pedestrian at first glance. I often say her recipes are a three way win: Cheap, easy, and taste great!

The cookbook itself is also a pleasant surprise. The pages are thick and glossy, with a typeface that is easy to see even without my reading glasses. The book is laid out in a simple and straightforward fashion, and is packed with beautiful color photos of the food, plus some of both Melissa and her family, whom she often talks about on her show. Now we finally have faces to match with those stories. It's almost hard to believe that we've never had a glimpse of them until now....

Scattered throughout the book are tips and tricks to keeping one's costs down. Some of these seem new to me but she has mentioned most of them on her show. I appreciate the tips, although some of them are just mildly interesting and fall short of helpful, at least for me. I am not a fan of dried beans and sometimes Melissa is like a broken record with recommending them. When I can go to my local discount store and find beans for 65 cents a can, I don't think I need to go through all the extra effort of using the dried beans, despite how much cheaper they may be.

I can see that Melissa made an effort to include a variety of types of recipes in this book. I almost think the book tries too hard to achieve that balance, because I feel like there should have been more main course meat recipes in it. Not that I don't appreciate all the salads, pastas and side dishes, though.

In all, for a first effort with help writing the book, this is an excellent start. After years of buying Rachael Ray cookbooks with no photos and cheap paper, this is like a breath of fresh air. Melissa continues to impress me. She comes off as understated and easy to approach, but she also manages not to dumb down her recipes too much. Considering the budgetary constraints she is under with the Ten Dollar theme, that is no small feat. I have a feeling that should she continue to have success and there should be a second cookbook, it will be even better than this one. Way to go, Melissa! Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars learn about spending less for your meals August 19, 2012

By michele lehr

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have enjoyed Melissa D'Arbian's television show, "Ten Dollar Dinners." I am finally in a position to cook full-time so I use her recipes constantly. I have a bulging notebook of her work. I so wanted her first cookbook to published. I immediately pre-ordered her cookbook. I got more than a cookbook. I got a treasure trove of cooking help and ideas for my $16.40.

Melissa gives you so much more than recipes in this book. She shows how any cook can save money and still serve fantastic food. You will get numerous tips and hints to help anyone who cooks: a family, a family of just two, and even a single person household. Everyone wants better homemade dishes and less take out or frozen meals.

After cooking her recipes from her shows and I excited about the new dishes and even a section on breakfast meals.

Now I never have to buy a frozen meal from the grocery store. For me and my husband it's fresh food, D'Arbian style.

This book is worth the price!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the show, Love the book August 15, 2012

By ItsGretchen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely love Ten Dollar Dinners and Melissa. She has taught me soo much. I love her concept, outstanding food recipes and menus at an inexpensive cost. (I dont like to use the word "cheap" only when referring to shoddy quality.) She came from humble backgrounds, like mine, and yet she has done all the homework for us of researching just how to feed a family of four, realistically with real size portions, make it with great flavor, nurishing, cost effective, and easy to do. its all here!

One thing I was hoping for was a little more help than she offers from the show in the book. For instance, she always tells of the bargain of buying dry beans, then cooking and freezing them when needed. I was hoping for instructions of how to do just that. Or how she frequently says on her show how you can use the tops of green onions by growing them again (somehow), I was hoping for that in the book as well.

I was glad to see more versatility with recipes than on the show here in this book. For example, the Shortbread recipe on the show is with rosemary and chocolate chips (it's lovely, BTW) and in the book she explains how to make it what you want by adding what you have and makes suggestions. There are many more recipes like that, how to make it with how you like it and what you have.... (green smoothie and more)

with that said, do try some of our faves from her show in the book:

Cafe Salad withg Dijon Vinaigrette (this dressing makes it)
Thyme and Lemon Fish en Papillote (super easy, great for company, super healthy too)
Four Step Chicken Piccata (I learned how to make a simple sauce to tie it all together with that one)
Mustard Chicken (a must try for everyone, tarragon makes it -dont skip it, it really does)
Quick Sour Cream Biscuits (They puff when you cook 'em, easy and great!)
Buttery Shortbread (lovely and not a huge batch, just right)
and many others. (I wasnt kidding I'm a fan)

There are recipes I'm dying to try:
Crispy Chicken a l'Orange
Easy Coq au Vin
Herb-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes (this is the one she mentioned it took a while to get it just right)
Provencal Tomatoes
Roasted Radishes and Carrots
Classic Apple Tart (on the show, she said it only takes like 20 mins to do, and thats with homemade crust!)
Much, much more

Beautiful pictures and feel to the pages make this book a super good value. I will be buying another for an upcoming bridal shower.

Keep them coming Melissa. You really have made a difference in my home cooking. Read more ›