Rating: 
Summary: Simple cooking, simply great
Review: The two bad reviews of this cookbook that I've seen focus on it being too simple and "reducing" the subtlety of recipes. After growing up as a missionary kid in West Africa with a mom who relied on this cookbook and after learning how to cook out of it, I disagree. The recipes are simple so that you can modify them to suit your own tastes and what's locally available. If you're looking for a gourmet cookbook, this isn't it...but if you're looking for a superb basic cookbook that will teach you not only how to cook but also how to be more aware of the world around you, this is it. I have other cookbooks that I use frequently, but if I could only have two, I've have Joy of Cooking and this. The Oatmeal Bread, Spaghetti Sauce, Scrambled Eggs & Noodles and Chow Mein recipes are amongst my all-time favorites.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: This book does indeed have some very good tips for cooking frugally and healthfully. However, some of the nutritional information is outdated. Some of the ethnic recipes are a little bland. Furthermore, I question the author's thesis that our overabundance of food somehow causes a lack of food in other countries. However, the bible references are great and the general idea of spending less on junk food so we can spend more on God's work is, well, Christian!
Rating:
Summary: Not just recipes -- stories of life all over the globe.
Review: This book has been very meaningful to me. Not only does it have interesting recipes and cooking techniques from around the world -- it also has little glimpses into the lives of people all over the globe. A book that will help your global conscience as well as augment your dinner choices
Rating:
Summary: A truly useful classic cookbook
Review: This book is *amazing*. It includes foods from all over the world, as well as a healthy dose of solid American fare, without the reliance on heavily processed, super-marked-up convenience foods. And no bones about it: this book WILL save you money. How many other cookbooks do you know that tell you how to make your own breakfast cereal? This one does; in fact, it has several recipes, and the ones I've tried have all been wonderful. The book has some incisive comments about the need to conserve the world's resources which, though they date from another era, still stand true today. The "More-With-Less Cookbook" belongs on the bookshelf of anybody who thinks a better world sounds good enough to eat.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Cookbook
Review: This book was recommended to me by a friend of mine, and after living with it for a couple of months, I can say that it has become my favorite cookbook. The recipies are well laid out and the introductions are helpful and informative. I like that the directions are specific and that she doesn't take for granted that you know certain things, like how to incubate the yogurt culture when making yogurt or how to cook dried beans. I also like all of the recipies that make use of healthy and inexpensive whole grains. It's a great book!
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring reading and excellent recipes
Review: This is a book to read as much as to cook with. The stories and comments make the recipes come alive with real people. The Mennonite philosophy is evident throughout the book. The ingredients are common items which are readily available. This purchase was the tenth book I've bought. Mine is dog-earred and pages are spotted with ingredients. The others have been gifts to thoughtful cooks who want a more back to basics approach. (You need to be able to cook to appreciate the mastery of the simple receipes shared here.)
Rating:
Summary: One of the best cookbooks I ever used
Review: This is a great cookbook, particularly for its meatless recipes which don't require you to spend the whole day in the kitchen.Some of its information is a little out-of-date, such as saying it is necessary to combine plant proteins (i.e. beans and rice) at each meal, but overall it is a highly responsible wonderful cookbook.
Rating:
Summary: I love this cookbook!
Review: This is one of the best cookbooks ever. Not only does it help you cook frugally, but it actually teaches you to cook without a cookbook. Cookbooks published by traditional cookbook companies won't do that because they want you to keep buying new ones. This one shows you basic techniques and demonstrates ways that you can alter the recipes. The possibilities are endless. I never really thought about Christianity and cooking until I read this book. I knew that I could be a good steward with my money in lots of ways, but I didn't apply it to the kitchen much. This book has helped me to realize that I can actually serve God through my household management, which is a huge relief to know that I'm not "wasting" that part of the day.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this cookbook. Don't argue with me.
Review: We use this cookbook all the time and I buy it for wedding presents whenever I have the chance. It is a good all-around cookbook for beginners and experienced cooks alike. It uses few, if any, prepared ingredients, and gives you methods to replace the prepared ingredients you may already use (canned cream soups, for example). We never buy pancake mix or pancake syrup anymore, because we use the recipes in this book instead and make our own mix. Buy this cookbook. Don't argue with me! :)
Rating:
Summary: The best cookbook, bar none, you will ever own
Review: What's a nice Neopagan elder like me doing giving a five-star review to a Christian cookbook? I have my reasons: Reason #1...this is, simply put, one of the best, most practical cookbooks you can own. It has a good collection of basic recipes, some fancy ethnic dishes, and a lot of useful information about what substitutions can appropriately be made if you suddenly discover you are out of something. The bread section alone is worth the price of the cookbook. Reason #2...the author was very obviously concerned with wise and appropriate use of the land and of natural resources, which is a VERY important part of my own religious path. This book gives me the materials and the encouragement to "practice what I preach," which is important to me. Reason #3...though I personally am not, many Neopagans are vegetarian, and there are plenty of good vegetarian (or easily adaptable) recipes in here. Reason #4...trying to do the right thing for Mother Nature can be time consuming, and this cookbook specifically marks "Time Saver" recipes for those of us who do not have the time to spend. Reason #5...it is important, especially in light of the events of 9/11/01, to show understanding and sensitivity to other people's cultures, and the stories in this cookbook certainly do that. We could use more such stories in these times. Buy this book, and use it well. Regardless of your spiritual path, this is a practical and spiritual book that everyone should be familiar with.
| 
