75 Years of All-Time Favorites: An Anniversary Recipe Collection from America's No. 1 Home and Family Magazine (Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen) [Hardcover]

Better Homes and Gardens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1997 | Series: Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen

Celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, a collection of more than two hundred recipes features both traditional favorites and innovative new dishes, accompanied by nutritional analyses, historical anecdotes, and helpful menu suggestions.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"The regularity of three meals a day, year in and year out, is sufficiently appalling to give one a case of good old-fashioned nerves." Sound familiar? Some 70 years ago, under its original moniker of Fruit, Garden and Home, editors at Better Homes and Gardens were already proving that they mirrored American tastes--and they would continue to do so for three-quarters of a century. This definitive collection of 230 nostalgic, nutritional, and just plain reader-favorite recipes will be a hit in any library. The book reveals culinary history for Generation Xers (as well as some baby boomers) who have not experienced the birth of frozen packaged foods, the joys of canning, and the intricacies of fondues. "Vintage Views" snippets recall some of the magazine's best stories (e.g., Walt Disney's guest recipe in 1934 was macaroni Mickey Mousse). Stars signal reader favorites, and hearts, the more health-conscious recipes. All recipes amount to tried-and-true, no-fail, well-loved dishes. Menus, metric cooking hints, useful equivalents, baking-pan sizes, and oven temperature equivalents appended. Barbara Jacobs

Review

Better Homes tests and retests all its recipes for this collection, gathered from the magazine's pages: the result is a diverse gathering of contest winners and favorites sent in by readers and tested by kitchen experts. From main dishes to desserts, these have been updated to reflect modern health concerns and interests in low-fat fare. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Meredith Books; First Edition edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0696206331
• ISBN-13: 978-0696206337
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,429,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific tour of 75 years of favorite recipes, June 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 75 Years of All-Time Favorites: An Anniversary Recipe Collection from America's No. 1 Home and Family Magazine (Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen) (Hardcover)

I love this book! It's visually very appealing, and while it has receipes from years gone by, they are all updated and very tempting. Everything I've tried from this book turned out successful and all have become my family favorites. It's a beautiful book and would make a nice gift to a cookbook collector as well as a valued resource in your own collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!, March 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 75 Years of All-Time Favorites: An Anniversary Recipe Collection from America's No. 1 Home and Family Magazine (Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen) (Hardcover)

Drawn from the pages of Better Homes And Gardens magazine, this compendium of main dishes, side dishes, breads and desserts is gorgeously illustrated with full-color photographs and each recipe is carefully laid out with an ingredients list and step-by-step instructions that can easily be followed by even the most novice kitchen cook. From Appetizer Cheesecake, Mexican Chef's Salad, and Tropical Fiesta Steak, to Meatballs Stroganoff, Sizzling Vegetable Sandwiches, and English Toffee Ice Cream, 75 Years Of All-Time Favorites is a classic cookbook and a welcome addition to any kitchen shelf.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Over 40 vintage illustrations are included!, June 24, 2001

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 75 Years of All-Time Favorites: An Anniversary Recipe Collection from America's No. 1 Home and Family Magazine (Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen) (Hardcover)

In 1922, Better Homes and Gardens magazine arrived in readers' homes for the first time as "Fruit, Garden and Home." The name was changed in 1924. The back issues of Better Homes and Gardens chronicles the rich historical perspective of America's love of cooking. This is actually a collection of the best recipes in the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. There are more than 230 recipes. Some are classic, some are new. They were chosen to celebrate the magazine's 75th birthday.

There are also winning recipes from reader contests, favorite recipes chosen by readers and carefully selected and tested recipes that reflect food favorites from each decade. Nutritional facts are included with every recipe. Low-fat symbols are found on healthful recipes and original artwork from past issues of the magazine is a nice touch.

A unique "Menu" section helps you plan a special-occasion meals. The recipe suggestions are from chapters throughout the book. You will also find recipes for breakfasts, snacks, salads, appetizers, breads, cakes, cookies, main dishes, side dishes, sauces and desserts.

Some of my favorite recipes include: Almond Twirl Bread which you could really dress up for the holidays with candied fruit or edible flowers, Holiday Shrimp rounds and Winter Fruit Bowl. I am working up the courage to make the Italian Crème Cake, which really is not that hard to make, but has a few layers. The Coffee Éclairs are also to die for and are filled with coffee ice cream. You will also find the recipe for French Silk Pie on pg. 279. I made the Pumpkin Cake roll and loved it. You could make it for a party in October. If you want to impress your guests to no end, do take a look at the Almond Raspberry Torte. It is called a "showstopper" for a good reason. It will also serve 16 people.

I won this cookbook but would have bought it if I had seen it in a store. The cover is red, white and blue with that delicious picture of a shortcake with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries playing in whip cream. Who could resist?

Better Homes and Gardens has a recipe contest all the time and you can enter your recipes, well one day I decided to enter a contest and actually won something! If you have a good recipe, subscribe to their magazine and enter the contests and you never know what might happen. One of your recipes might be in an anniversary edition one day. My recipe isn't in this cookbook, but maybe it will appear in some form or another one day and will be a fun surprise.

"I wish you happy memories and happy moments in your kitchen! And remember, what you cook today will be tomorrow's fond memories when your children look back and pick their all-time favorites." -Jean LemMon, Editor in Chief

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

~The Rebecca Review