Rating: 
Summary: Not Really 30 Minutes
Review: I've watched Rachel's show and really liked it. I wanted her book because I get home from work around 6:30 and prefer to eat dinner before 7. "30 Minute Meals" right? Not really. A closer look at the recipes shows the ingredients call for "2 cups of chopped whatever" and "1/4 cup washed thisandsuch" or "1 cup cooked macaroni." Chopping, washing, and cooking pasta all add on time to the meal preparation. Rachel says you're supposed to do this on your "big shopping day." Fat chance. I have 30 minutes to cook dinner every night. When am I supposed to find a full day to go to the market, bring everything home, chop, peel, wash everything and stick it into individual, well-marked baggies?
Also, there is no nutritional information provided for any of the recipes. From the amount of salt, butter, cream and cheese she uses in her recipes, there's probably a good reason why she doesn't want you to know what the fat, sodium, and cholesterol content of her dishes.
I'll use one or two recipes out of this book but overall, it's a disappointment to me.
Rating: 
Summary: No list of recipes in table of contents and No pictures
Review: I am really disappointed with this book. My wife and I bought this book since we watch Rachael Ray's show on TV.However, this book does not even list all the recipes in the table of contents. Instead it just lists the 4 or 5 parts that are in the book (example: dinner specials etc). So, there is no way to find a particular recipe that you are interested in. Furthermore, there are no pictures to go with the recipes. So, you have little idea what the final product is going to look like (or more importantly, should look like). I don't recommend this book to anyone, till Rachael Ray learns to write (or rather finds a writer who knows how to compile a cook book for her).
Rating: 
Summary: A Stay-At Home Dad says "Now I'm Cooking!"
Review: A few weeks ago we bought this book and finally I feel like I can get meals on the table and not lose my mind. I am a stay at home dad who has taken over all of the cooking and needed all the help a guy could get. In fact, since this scenerio is new to us, we bought this book along with a parenting book that was matched up with it, Mommy-CEO, by Jodie Lynn. These two books are a must in any and every home whether you are a parent or a cook, especially if you have kids. Now I'm "cooking" in parenting and in the kitchen with Rachael and Jodie. I bought Mrs. Lynn's book because she says it's not just for moms and two professional men reviewed it. I had never heard about many cook books until these two books were hooked up together on Amazon.com. Good idea in the marketing department for Amazon and welcomed by everyone in my family. Like I said, now I'm cooking and my family life just got better!
Rating: 
Summary: Food 911 Rachel Style!
Review: Being a devoted fan of Rachel's show, I was sure to be biased about her book. However, after watching her show regularly to learn time-saving tricks and buying the book, I can honestly say her recipes have made my life easier. They are budget conscious, the ingredients are easy to find, and they are always very tasty. At first it was taking me longer than thirty minutes to prepare her recipes, but after some practice and perseverance, I've got it down. Just a tip - she does point out in the book that the recipes are placed in the order they should be cooked in, so if you follow that it's much easier to bring everything together at once in thirty minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: The first meal I cooked took over an hour. I'm a bit discouraged but I'm hoping her other meals won't take as long. (It was the noodle soup with crab spring rolls meal - FYI, one out of 2 liked the meal.) The delay probably had to do with the fact that I didn't "wash the produce after my big grocery trip." It has been my experience that many recipes (excluding Rachael Ray's) that claim to take under 45 minutes, usually do and they take into account preparations including washing veggies, defrosting, etc. It turns out that I'm not a fan of this book anyway. What I expected was more of a step-by-step guide on how to juggle several dishes on the stove at once. Something like, while the appetizer veggies are sauteeing for 10 minutes, begin browning the chicken from the other recipe. The only reason why I bought her book was to learn how to juggle a couple of recipes at a time and have it cooked and on the table in about 30 minutes.
Rating:
Summary: Two is better than one...
Review: I wouldn't say that Rachel's #2 is better than the first, but having both is better than only having one! First, the disclaimer, my husband and I both enjoy Rachel's show. She likes to have fun cooking and that's nice to see. This book isn't gourmet; it is about cooking good food without fuss. That's Rachel's goal -- getting more people cooking, making it accessible, not strict. This means if you are casual about your cooking and want some good fun recipes, then this will work for you. If you are a gourmet wanting some quick recipes, then it probably isn't a good fit. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: This is an excellent book. The receipes are easy to follow and are certainly simple to make. She gives some very original ideas so this is not your typical cook book.
Rating:
Summary: Real food, real good
Review: I have watched Rachel on TV since she started and have loved every show. Her personality is contagious, and that personality comes through in her books. I have been cooking for about 20 years and was needing some fresh ideas. Rachel supplies you with those ideas with the kind of food everyday people eat. So many cookbooks these days include recipes that one might find in high-end restaurants. Rachel gives you real food that you can find at your local grocery store, not a speciality store. I read a lot of reviews that stated that the person could not complete their meal in the 30 minute time frame. Once you become familiar with the recipe and ingredients, finishing in 30 minutes is no problem at all.(Tip: Have all the ingredients that will be used in your recipes out and ready. In the middle of cooking is not the time to find out you are out of something or don't have enough.)
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Fancy but Good Eating
Review: We've enjoyed this book and it's recipes. Most recipes produce solid, reasonably good tasting recipes in short period. Menus can be done in 30 minutes -- although, time is not allocated for hunting through the pantry for a missing item. But the food is good; not terribly spicy -- you are encouraged to season according to your tastes.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for a novice!
Review: I love Rachael Ray! I watch her show (2x each day) and her cookbooks are wonderful!
One person wrote, that teaspoons and tablespoons are gadgets and that her recipes call for more of these "gadgets" thus being a negative point in these books. I have to disagree. Everyone should have these types of spoons in their cupboard. Aren't these staples of a traditional kitchen?? These books are great and easy to follow. They are worth your money and time.
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