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Summary: Enduring wisdom and recipes
Review: I plan to buy a second copy of this cookbook because my copy of the original edition is stained with 24 years of use. This is where I go for ideas when I have to fix a meal and don't have anything special around to use. This food isn't gourmet, but there are plenty of plain, good recipes. This book has my favorite recipes for cornbread and tortillas, and many, many main dish recipes for basic home cooking. The spiral binding is a big plus, allowing the book to be laid open flat while I cook. More cookbooks should be bound this way!
Of course the greatest treasure of this book is the wisdom and insight of Doris Longacre, the late author. For the reader who never plans to cook a thing, the insights she shares about life, hospitality, the world's resources and respect for other cultures all make the More-With-Less Cookbook worth buying and reading multiple times.
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Summary: Best Cookbook I Ever Lost and Now I Found It Again!
Review: I purchased the first edition years ago. During many moves across country it was lost and I couldn't remember the name even though I had used it all the time. Now once again I can enjoy the wonderful recipes. If you like a great tomato soup this is the place to find it!
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Summary: The cookbook I keep going back to.
Review: I purchased this book 15 years ago in Kalona, an Amish community in Iowa. I have used it so much it is spotted and dog earred, and I am pleased to see it is still in print so I can purchase a new copy. When I purchased it we were struggling with reduced hours at our place of employment and we had a young family. We just recently retired (7 years early for me!) and it is still the cookbook I turn to. Besides having the recipes that are really usable and practical, I frequently reread the philosopy in each chapter that helps us guide our lifestyle decisions. We would not be financially independent now if we had not found this book. It was my first exposure to the simple living lifestyle except for our Depression era parents and grandparents.
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Summary: Waste not, want not.
Review: I purchased this book a couple of years ago at an Amish general store in northern Michigan, and have never been so thrilled with any other cookbook. It is most definately worth every penny. The author explains why Mennonites are concerned with how wasteful we can be in this country. I'm not a Mennonite, but I believe that spiritual people of all faiths should be concerned with waste. The world cannot sustain 5 billion people as wealthy as Americans are, but the world can keep 5 billion bellies full, if we are careful. Having said all this, the recipes in this book are excellent. Every one I have tried has been a winner. So indeed, I can help out others without suffering. Talk about a win-win situation!
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Summary: Use it everyday!
Review: I use this cookbook literally everyday. I am not a gourmet chef, but I have always wanted to cook healthy foods for my family. This books gives easy instructions on recipes made from scratch and I have peace of mind since my family eats fresh foods now. I use this cookbook from breakfast (granola, pancakes, muffins) to lunch (homemade breads, soups, salads) to dinner (homemade Hamburger Helper, casseroles, stir-fries, curries) to dessert (quick chocolate pudding, cookies, sweet breads)! And I love the inspirational quotes stories scattered throughout. I only wish I got my hands on this sooner!
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Summary: Every kitchen should have this cookbook!
Review: I'm ordering a new copy of this cookbook from Amazon because the copy I was given as a wedding present 13 years ago has completely fallen apart. This is a cookbook with a difference - it's not just a compilation of recipes, but can change the ways you think about food and cooking. It's been one of the biggest influences on the way I cook - second only, perhaps, to my Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother. Many recipes are written with optional ingredients and/or procedures, and cooks are encouraged to substitute and use what is on hand and most economical for their own situations. Besides the recipes, the book is packed with ideas: ways to use up left-overs; gardening, canning, and freezing suggestions - you name it! This is a cookbook for EVERYONE - vegetarians and meat eaters, city and country folks, singles, couples and families.
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Summary: One of the Classics!
Review: I'm replacing my 25 year-old copy, which is dog-eared and falling apart. The author shares not only recipes but also important lessons in nutrition and frugality. I learned how food works from "Diet for a Small planet," "The Joy of Cooking," and the "More-With-Less Cookbook." I would like to see more cookbooks in its practical spiral notebook design.
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Summary: Still gets regular use
Review: I've had this book all my adult life. If you want to eat less meat, fat, or sugar -- whether your motivation is health, money, or environmentalism -- this book will help. The Kusherie is among the most delicious meals I've ever made -- and I make it a lot. The tone of the recipes, the philosophical notes, and the asides across the top all feel like you're learning how to cook at the elbow of a beloved aunt. None of these recipes is about depriving yourself, but instead about finding joy in unexpected ways. Everyone who cooks should have this book.
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Summary: My favorite cookbook
Review: I've had this cookbook for 20 years, and am ecstatic that they have issued a new one. My old copy is finally falling apart! I used this all the time as a college student, when every penny really counted, and I still turn to it at least weekly now, just because the recipes are great. I used it today to make orange-vanilla yogurt popsicles for my family, and will use it again tonight to make Italian pasta and beans for dinner. It's easy to save money on groceries when the recipes taste as good as these do! The recipes were collected from Mennonites all over the world, so when you see a recipe like Oyako Domburi (described as Japanese Parent-Child Dish), you also see that it was sent in directly from Obihiro, Japan. Since Pennsylvania and Ohio are also hubs of Mennonite culture, many of the recipes reflect that heritage also. As an added benefit, author Longacre also makes a convincing case for using less as a way to help ease world hunger.
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Summary: Timeless collection, my 3rd copy, world traveler recommended
Review: If you can afford only one cookbook, make it this one. It covers so many aspects of culture and the recipes are usually very easy and quick to prepare. I have come back to this cookbook time and again and take it with me when I travel. This is my third copy since college (Goshen '84) where I gained a true appreciation of people from other cultures and a life-long love of exploring culture through native foods. The additional information is very useful to the novice cook as well as the seasoned pro who is trying to simplify their life. A great graduation, wedding, new baby, or retirement gift. Happy "traveling" with the More with Less Cookbook.
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