Food Network

I’d never heard of the Food Channel’s Chopped program. (OK, so I live in a cave! I’m too busy reading books to have time for TV. Don’t be a hater!) But you don’t have to be familiar with the show to love The Chopped Cookbook: Use What You’ve Got to Cook Something Great , which completely lives up to its name.

The Chopped Cookbook has accomplished something I thought impossible: Every recipe is a winner. Every single one! Food Network staff have created lovely, offbeat recipes, show more many of which can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes — everything from super-speedy Orecchiette with Garlic, Capers and Bread Crumbs to aromatic Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Herbed Nuts to offbeat Philly-Style Garlicky Greens and Egg Sandwich to novel Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Parmesan Sour Cream and Toasted Bread to scrumptious Mini Chocolate-Strawberry Cheesecakes. The authors frequently advise how to substitute ingredients so that salad recipes can be turned into soup, one vegetable can be substituted for another, vinegar can be substituted for wine, toasted sesame oil can be substituted for Parmesan cheese. That enables a cook to either make do with what’s on hand or flip the flavors for variety. And the bargain-basement price of $2.99 is just one more thing to love. show less

There are some really cute food serving ideas and recipes for kids in this Food Network short cookbook. A nice idea to get kids into the kitchen and interested in the food they're eating.

When I picked up this book, I was expecting a cookbook with stylish, entertaining recipes. Then I kept reading, mainly because I was more interested in knowing if there were practical meals offered. I really enjoyed how it all came together. I was not disappointed to find tasty Rigatoni and Linguine with Bell Pepper Marinara for the family. Many of the recipes take about 20-30 minutes to prepare. I had to try the yummy Marinated Tilapia Tacos and the delicious Greek-Spiced Wings and Potatoes show more with Yogurt Dipping Sauce. Vegetarians will devour the Moroccan Carrot Salad, along with the Green Bean and Coconut Stir-Fry. All in all, the ingredients and cooking time are proportioned nicely. The book is well worth the money. Looking forward to trying the Thin Lemon Pancakes next. Enjoy! show less

"Food Network Favorites: Recipes from Our All-Star Chefs" was my first cookbook purchase connected to the "Food Network", and it was a great way to start my collection! The format is friendly, the food is flavorful and fixable. The book is overflowing with relaxed and revealing interviews and insights from some of TV's favorite celebrity chefs. The food photos are gorgeous, and the recipes are well laid out and easy to follow. I also greatly enjoyed the "insider" pages from the Food Network show more kitchens. A cookbook to be often used and read. show less