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Rating: 
Summary: Actually worth reading- Certainly worth the price!
Review: As a rule, I don't concern myself with compilation cook books. I simply don't like the "K-Tel" feel of the disjointed conglomerations of food from cooks that may or may not have even heard of one another. This book is surprizingly cohesive. The recipes are not really ones that I would have sought out individually, but of the ones my wife and I have tried, we've been pleased with the results.This is certainly not the end-all be-all of the cooking world in a book, but there are some surprizes for those willing to experiment. Not the least of which really is the fact that these recipes are inexpensive. I was kind of shocked. Okay, I was really shocked. The ingredients aren't that tough to find, either. I've actually bought books that I still have yet to find some of the ingredients listed, but they offer "substitute" ingredients. . . It really makes me wonder what the real ingredient would have done for the flavor. Why not 5 stars? Regardless of the recipes that I liked, it is still a compilation cookbook, and there are some pretty far to one side or the other recipes. I like knowing what I'm buying in advance. I still recommend this book to anyone willing to try something new!
Rating:
Summary: Actually worth reading- Certainly worth the price!
Review: As a rule, I don't concern myself with compilation cook books. I simply don't like the "K-Tel" feel of the disjointed conglomerations of food from cooks that may or may not have even heard of one another. This book is surprizingly cohesive. The recipes are not really ones that I would have sought out individually, but of the ones my wife and I have tried, we've been pleased with the results. This is certainly not the end-all be-all of the cooking world in a book, but there are some surprizes for those willing to experiment. Not the least of which really is the fact that these recipes are inexpensive. I was kind of shocked. Okay, I was really shocked. The ingredients aren't that tough to find, either. I've actually bought books that I still have yet to find some of the ingredients listed, but they offer "substitute" ingredients. . . It really makes me wonder what the real ingredient would have done for the flavor. Why not 5 stars? Regardless of the recipes that I liked, it is still a compilation cookbook, and there are some pretty far to one side or the other recipes. I like knowing what I'm buying in advance. I still recommend this book to anyone willing to try something new!
Rating: 
Summary: Good recipes, but not really on a shoestring
Review: I took this book out of the library before I committed to purchasing it, and I'm glad I did so. While I like the premise, this book wasn't compelling enough to make me feel as though it had to be in my collection. There are, indeed, some very good recipes in here, as the other reviewers mentioned. Nothing that I couldn't live without, but I could certainly put together a few Sunday dinners from this list. However, I'm dubious about the claim that each of these chefs put together a dinner for four on $20. If they managed it, they certainly don't shop where I do. To be fair, one of the tenets of cooking frugally is to buy in season -- a point the compilers and the chefs do make. One additional suggestion, which they didn't highlight but should, is to buy locally. There's no way that, in Arizona, I'm going to buy *any* amount of lobster (for an appetizer, even) and keep the dinner budget under $20. Back when I lived on an island off the coast of Maine, where the dinner decision is "Do you want lobster, honey, or would you prefer a hamburger?" it would have been another story. (You don't want to know what we Arizonans have to play for blueberries, either.) As it turns out, most of the contributors to this cookbook are on one coast or another, so many of the most delicious-sounding recipes will exceed the arbitrary dollar amount. That doesn't mean that this isn't a good cookbook. It really is quite nice. But if your eye moved to this listing because you're trying to cook well on a budget, you'll be disappointed. (As just one alternative... back when I had to watch every penny, I found Molly Katzen's original Moosewood Cookbook to be a good way to eat well and still have money left at the end of the week.)
Rating: 
Summary: For Those Who Have/HaveNot Watched the TV Series
Review: Not being much of a TV watcher, never knew this was there. Now, I'll watch every now and then. The concept is terrific, shop with only $20 and then create some gorgeous food. To date have completed these dishes and found them to be innovative, complex, yet the price is just outstanding and time and techniques involved are achievable for wide grouping of cooks: loved this one: Peter Kelly's Roasted Onions with Bacon and Apple Stuffing; Walter Staib's Curried French Lentil Salad and Sausage; David Walrog's Asparagus and Cremini Mushroom Barley Risotto; and these are out of this world -- "Rick Moonen's Salmon Burgers with Green Tartar Sauce." Bonus is with this purchase that CBS donates the royalties to Share the Strength. As the cookbook in memory of Patrick Clark, cooks everywhere will want this for themselves as well as gift-giving not only for the excellent dishes but also for the cause of charity.
Rating:
Summary: For Those Who Have/HaveNot Watched the TV Series
Review: Not being much of a TV watcher, never knew this was there. Now, I'll watch every now and then. The concept is terrific, shop with only $20 and then create some gorgeous food. To date have completed these dishes and found them to be innovative, complex, yet the price is just outstanding and time and techniques involved are achievable for wide grouping of cooks: loved this one: Peter Kelly's Roasted Onions with Bacon and Apple Stuffing; Walter Staib's Curried French Lentil Salad and Sausage; David Walrog's Asparagus and Cremini Mushroom Barley Risotto; and these are out of this world -- "Rick Moonen's Salmon Burgers with Green Tartar Sauce." Bonus is with this purchase that CBS donates the royalties to Share the Strength. As the cookbook in memory of Patrick Clark, cooks everywhere will want this for themselves as well as gift-giving not only for the excellent dishes but also for the cause of charity.
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