30-Minute Meals 2

Rating:
Summary: I still don't get why Rachel hates indexes and/or pictures?
Review: In every quality cook book I've ever seen, there has been an extensive table of contents of all of the recipes in alphabetical order. There are also pictures of the finished product so that you can see what the dish should look like. Rachels book has neither.

She seems to try to use a few more exotic ingredients with this cook book, but the recipes are very simple and straight forward which is good. The only thing is, her kitchen is equipped with every tiny piece of kitchen equipment, and her kitchen is large and extremely organized. I'm sure she also practices each dish so saying these are 30-minute meals are a little misleading. Many people I've talked to said it usally takes them 45-75 minutes per dish.

In ending, this is much like her previous book. She needs to add pictures, and an organized index like almost all other cook books. Without it, it's unorganized. I like her show, and she is such a likeable person; but sometimes this masks the fact that her cook books seem somewhat shallow and unorganized. Her cook books have been disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Recipes for the Cooking Challenged
Review: What I love about this cookbook is that the recipes are organized as meals. So there is a main dish, then a dessert, drink, appetizer, or side dish to go with it. I usually end up making two of the three things and it is more than enough food. The hardest thing for me has been figuring out what to cook with what and she takes the guesswork out of it.

Her recipes have helped me eat way more vegetables and cook with more olive oil and less butter. I highly recommend this cookbook to someone who is not an expert chef and who wants meals that are tasty and easy to make.

I read an article about this plan in a woman's magazine. I purchased the book because the plan sounded good [...]

Rating:
Summary: Seeing is Better Than Reading
Review: As a non-cook, I began watching Rachael's TV show a few months back and found it to be exceptionally good. I was 100% convinced that I could make anything she did, and in 30 minutes. So, when Xmas rolled around, I asked my husband to buy me her books. He did...and I didn't...immediately dash out and start cooking. The first issue I had was that most of the receipes I had seen on TV were not in the book. I found a few, but not many. This made it somewhat hard to do a 1-to-1 match with what I saw on TV and what I was finding in the book. So I'm going to have to check out her web site and figure out what book contains what recipes. While I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, I'm more frustrated that I was not able to simply pick up the book, find the recipe I had seen on the show, and begin cooking.

Rating:
Summary: MORE FROM TV'S SPUNKIEST COOK
Review: How can you not like Rachael ray? She's fun, enthusiastic, personable. Other than Lagasse she's my favorite person to watch on the Food Channel.

She's back with her second edition of her famous 30 minutes meals, which details many of the recipes seen on her TV shows. Ray's biggest appeal is making meals out of common ingredients that you won't have to go on a scavenger hunt to find at specialty food stores...not to mention they are budget conscious.

Honestly, many of the recipes do take over 30 minutes to prepare since you don't have a staff doing prep work. But even that's no big deal. Bottom line is she features meals that are quick, easy, delicious, and fun to prepare.

Rating:
Summary: 30 minute meals book review
Review: rachael ray's book's offer easy to make recipies,that take very
little time to make. i especially enjoy her easy salad recipies
made with fresh fruits, vegtables which is a big thing in my family' racheal keep up the good work inventing new meals to make
your book is a major success in our house'

Rating:
Summary: Delicious recipes that are quick to make
Review: I got this book for my birthday, and love it. Though there is only a small section of pictures, that's okay with me--I can picture what the dish will be in my mind by reading the recipe.

There have been some complaints here about the recipes taking more than 30 minutes, but I think that depends largely upon the skill of the cook. I can make these in 30 minutes, including washing and chopping, but I don't measure things and I chop fast.

There have also been complaints that the ingredients used aren't staples. Some of that depends on where you live. I love the variety of ingredients and can find everything at the grocery store, but I've lived in parts of the country where many ingredients are harder to find. (Basically, if you live on a coast or in the city, everything will be available without having to look at specialty shops).

On the downside, I've found my grocery bills to be about 30% higher than when I cook more basic food. To me, it's worth the extra money because I get the flavor of eating out, but the convenience and wholesomeness of making my own food. If you are looking for more inexpensive, quick to make foods this book isn't it. (Though, if you substitute cheaper cuts of meat or mushrooms for the more expensive ones listed that would help. It would also help to grow your own herbs. I spent about $8 on fresh chives, thyme, mint, cilantro, parsley and sage today--all things I could have grown myself.)

Rating:
Summary: This book Rocks!!
Review: While I hesitate to review this and rate it at only 4 stars..it's a great book! I have actually made most of the things in it and found that the lemon-thyme pilaf is far better than the boxed stuff. It's easy to comprehend and does take 30 min or less to throw a meal together. And unlike the first book she put out...there's an index!! Very good, tasty even!

Rating:
Summary: Another Hit for Guru Ray
Review: Rachael is my cooking guru. My family loves to eat dinner at home ever since I began watching Rachael Ray and following her recipes. I do find that I can make the meals in 30 minutes. Also, Rachael uses ingredients that I can find in any grocery store. She doesn't use strange tools or ingredients.
This cookbook is much better organized that the first one, however I do wish that the books would be spiral bound in the future.

Rating:
Summary: This is a GREAT book!
Review: I love this book. It's the first one I turn to when I'm trying to think what to make for dinner. Everything is arranged into meals, usually a main dish, salad or vegetable, and dessert, so it's all right there. Perfect if you're like me and can never decide what to serve with what. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: REAL Recipes for REAL Kitchens
Review: Rachel Ray has done another great job of compiling some of her favorite recipes from her widely popular cooking show on the Food Network. This second volume from our vivacious author contains a wide selection of entrees that contain ingredients that you will actually have in your kitchen (or that you can buy with a trip to a typical supermarket). She offers readers tips on preparation and serving with just about every recipe. Even if you've never picked up a cookbook, Rachel's "can-do" attitude will coach you through your first steps of becoming an impressive cook.