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Rating: 
Summary: New approach but worth getting the hang of!
Review: I have looked at a lot of cook-ahead cookbooks and chose this one because the recipes looked like something my family would actually eat. I was right - they are "normal" enough for my taco and hamburger loving children and tasty enough for my braised lamb shanks and grilled duck breast loving husband. I would agree with other reviewers, that if you are looking for budget do-ahead cooking, this is probably not the book for you. However, if you want to save time and have a realaxed dinner hour then I think this is a good choice. I have always balked at the once-a-month cookbooks because I can't imagine spending the 12 to 14 hours in the kitchen that kind of cooking would take, not to mention the kind of freezer space it would require. This seems like a great compromise and I have been pleased with the outcome.
Rating: 
Summary: the food is good & not cooking every night is heaven
Review: I have looked at a lot of cook-ahead cookbooks and chose this one because the recipes looked like something my family would actually eat. I was right - they are "normal" enough for my taco and hamburger loving children and tasty enough for my braised lamb shanks and grilled duck breast loving husband. I would agree with other reviewers, that if you are looking for budget do-ahead cooking, this is probably not the book for you. However, if you want to save time and have a realaxed dinner hour then I think this is a good choice. I have always balked at the once-a-month cookbooks because I can't imagine spending the 12 to 14 hours in the kitchen that kind of cooking would take, not to mention the kind of freezer space it would require. This seems like a great compromise and I have been pleased with the outcome.
Rating:
Summary: Well...
Review: I liked the poop pudding but the fingernail salad left me a bit surprised -- I followed the recipe exactly but despite the instructions the toejam was far too strong, and didn't keep well throughout the week. Despite all of that, if you want a book that will allow you to cook for all of your little gremlins all through the week but never miss a ritual or seance because you are cooking, this one is it!
Rating:
Summary: New approach but worth getting the hang of!
Review: Love this book! Tried the ground beef mix and all the recipes for Week One so far, and they're all winners. My husband is still raving about the Peaches and Cream Stuffed Pork Chops! It took about 5-6 hours to cook one week's worth the first time, but I think I'll get faster after I get the hang of marathon cooking. Since I still do "regular" cooking some nights, one week's worth of Joni's recipes will probably stretch over 2-3 weeks for our two-person household. What a luxury to have delicious, restaurant-quality meals ready in your freezer when you are short of time. Joni includes directions for reheating whether you remembered to thaw in advance or not - that's really handy when your plans change at the last minute. Joni, if you're reading this - hope you'll come out with another cookbook soon - I'll be looking for it!
Rating:
Summary: Restaurant meals await you at home!
Review: Loved this book and have given it as a gift. My friends, a couple who are both engineers with their own firm, found it to be the answer. Too many times after a long day they would dine out because it was just too much trouble to go home and cook a good meal and they wanted to relax over dinner. They cook on the weekends now and they say the recipes are delicious and not a bite was wasted. They will freeze smaller portions now because recipes are large. This book fills the bill for people who love to cook but have busy lives and would like to eat delicious meals at home more often. It doesn't pretend to be a way to save money although the items are generally easy to find and grouping the menus as the author has does make efficient use of time and ingredients considering the terrific meals produced. Not for everyone but an outstanding book.
Rating: 
Summary: limited use
Review: So far, I have been pleased with the poultry mix and seafood mix ideas. (The book also features a ground beef mix.) It is worth spending time on the weekend to set up 4 dinners/mix when time is scarce, and there is a nice variety of recipes for each mix.However, although we liked the seafood quiche, the directions produced much more volume than my pie pan could hold, and I stayed up late that night preparing macaroni to use the remaining mix. Oddly, my desperation macaroni with crab and tomato tasted better than the crab and tomato quiche. At least I had 3 meals from that experience. The poultry mix resembled chicken salad, but my husband was very impressed with the casserole he threw in the oven on a night with a tight schedule. The weekly menus in the rest of the book seemed less useful. I can't imagine planning a week of chicken every night.
Rating:
Summary: Great recipes with good methods. You add the variation.
Review: The recipes are very good. As noted in other reviews, the full fix-ahead method gives you a repetitive week of dining. However, if it's already in the freezer, leave it there for a week or two and leapfrog on to another section. You'll have a nice stock of quick meals with minimal prep when you need them and can break things up with your own repetoire when you have time. The recipes are still easy to follow if you skip the bulk prep and use it as you would a standard cookbook. You won't get frustrated trying to work back through multiple steps on different pages to assemble a "one off" item.
Rating:
Summary: The concept works if you have time..
Review: You could break up the sessions in several parts to make it more manageable. I think the selection of meals is overpriced, too, like the steaks. There are better books on this subject, like Frozen Assets by Deborah Taylor-Hough, and the 30 Day Gourmet.
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