This 2006 cookbook by Rachael Ray contains 30-minute recipes organized around pantry staples and fresh ingredients. Three recipes from the book are indexed on Cookbooker, with an average rating of 3 out of 5 stars; the most-reviewed recipes include Drunken Tuscan Pasta, Italian Tuna Casserole, and Turkey Burgers with Horseradish and Cheddar Cheese. The book itself received a 2.5 out of 5 rating from 2
We like Rachael Ray's recipes and have tried many we've saw on her show. This is the first cookbook of hers that I added to my collection. I got it by sending in Nabisco points and paying for shipping.
It's had handy shopping lists in the back of the book. This one is supposed to be for busy cooks to zip in the grocery store, pick up a few items and hit the express lane and get home and cooking.
I love Rachael and she helped me learn how to cook. However, I thought this book was to gimmicky. To be fair, she always talks on her shows about having things "on hand" but it just doesn't work for me. Certainly I have many pantry staples and seasonings on hand, but I don't advocate keeping certain ubiquitous types of produce on hand because I think it's a waste.
I don't think someone who wants to learn how to cook (which is a segment of her target audience) should go out and buy everything on her on hand list. As with all Rachael books, the portions are HUGE. Cutting recipes in half to feed 2 will likely feed 3 or more.
Out of this entire book, there is only one recipe that I'll consider making again. Please note that my opinion on this book does not factor in any recipes that heavily feature tomatoes. My husband doesn't eat tomatoes so I can't try those recipes.