A small Betty Crocker book with LOTS of good recipes

Betty Crocker : Quick Fixes

Why you should get it?

Variety

In this book lies tons of different recipes for lots of different occasions. It has salad bar recipes, great grains and pasta, easy chicken and meat, from the sea, Mexican night and make it meatless. I think that for recipes books and even for this small of one it has more variety then some. 

Simplicity

Almost every recipe is meant to be simple and quick; hence the title, of course. But all the recipes don't have complicated ingredients or even that many ingredients either. So each recipe is only about 30 bucks to spend if you don't have any of the ingredients to start with. I particularly haven't tried most of the recipes, but they do look delicious. 

Ideas

My Favorite Recipe

But my absolute favorite recipe of the book is called mini meat loves. Personally I love this recipe is because it only takes about 40 minutes total to be ready to eat you don't need a ton of ingredients and is juicy, tangy and delicious.

1/2 c. ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 c Original Bisquick mix
1/2 t. pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. In small bowl, stir ketchup and brown sugar until mixed; reserve 1/4 c for topping. In large bowl, stir remaining ingredients and remaining ketchup mixture until well mixed.

2. Spray 13 x 9 inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat in pan; pat into 12 x 4 inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down the center and then crosswise into sixths to form 12 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with reserved 1/4 c ketchup mixture.

3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160 F.

Similar Books you should check out

Betty Crocker Comfort Food

Betty Crocker Small Bites

Betty Crocker Party Food

Betty Crocker Chicken Tonight

Price Range

$4-10

Potatoes Potatoes and more Potatoes!

Cook's Library Potatoes

How is it useful?

I find this book especially useful because if your like me you love potatoes and everything about them. And you wish you could have more! It helps you come up with ideas on how to get rid of your rotting potatoes. Not only does it do that, but it lists delicious recipes for them too.

How I got it?

I got this for Christmas 2003 and the only reason why I know that is because my mom wrote a note on the front page saying, Alyssa, I hope you love to cook potatoes as much as you love to eat them. Love, Mom XO. I remember the whole year before that Christmas I always told my parents that all I wanted to was recipe book, any recipe book at all. And this was because I knew that I could use them in the future. But ever since I got this book I really have come to love potatoes THAT much more!

What kind of recipes are in it? (Pictures not from actual book)

Soups,salads, and appetizers

Fava bean and Mint soup

Sweet Potato and Onion Soup               

Light meals and side dishes

 Fritters with Garlic Sauce

Mixed mushroom cakes

Vegetarian and vegan suppers

Potato and Vegetable Curry 

Sweet Potato Cakes

Vegetables savories

Twice- Baked Pesto Potatoes, Potato and Eggplant Gratin 

Fish dishes

Broiled Red Mullet, Poached Rainbow Trout

Poultry and meat 

Potato and Turkey Pie, Potato Ravioli

Bread and cakes

Sweet Potato Bread, Fruity Potato Cake

Other Books Like it

The Potato Book

The Great Potato Cookbook

Potato Cookbook

Price Range

$4-10

(4 on amazon)

How to Eat like a College Student

Eat Well on $4 a day: Good and Cheap 

By: Leanne Brown

The idea behind the book

The layout

It begins with tips on how to keep a well stocked pantry and tips for eating well and shopping well. Then she goes on to list recipes for each meal; breakfast, lunch, dinner and extras like snack recipes. 

Why she created it?

"It bothered me that so many ideas for fixing the food system leave out the poor: it seemed like they didn't have a voice in the food movement. I wanted to create a resource that would promote the joy of cooking and show just how delicious and inspiring a cheap meal can be if you cook it yourself." - Leanne Brown, Good and Cheap

Why read/buy this book?

Budget friendly 

This book is especially helpful for me because I go to school and work at the same time so I don't exactly have a ton of money leftover (most of the time) to spend on groceries every week. I mean I live with my mom so I don't have as many expenses as other college students have, but I do still have to pay rent. It really makes me feel grateful for people who have the same problem to create this.

Amazing looking recipes

Every single picture in this book drags me further and further into it. I mean I look at one picture and it makes me super hungry. And looking at the ingredients and instructions I'm like, "I can make that!!" But seriously I have to give props to her food photography, it really ties the books together.

Creativity 

Even I have to admit that she definitely took the time to create and review these recipes to put in this book. Or maybe I'm just saying that because I could never create such an amazing cookbook like this one. But that's besides the point. I really appreciate that she thought of this idea in a new way, I mean yes you can find other books like this, but I never really thought those other books really were "budget friendly."

 

Price

FREE!!!!!!!!!!

Other Books by the Author

From Scratch 

Recipes the internet gave us for a reason

You have got to see these!

My Top 5 Internet recipes for your Sweet Tooth

1.Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcake

Fresh, juicy strawberries on a crispy crunchy shortcake all topped with luscious whip cream!

 

2. Blueberry-Lemon Crumb Bars

Yummy blueberries nestled in a crumbly top.

3. Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Melt in your mouth chocolate peanut butter cups molded with crunchy cookie.

4. Coconut Macaroon Brownies

Regular brownies with a delicious coconut macaroon mixture in between. 

5. Pretzel Turtles

Easy milky chocolate pecan desserts, commonly called Turtles for their resemblance to the animal.

Another 5 recipes just for Summer!

1. Fruit Salad

Perfect for a hot summer evening or just when your craving fresh fruit!

2. Just for Summer Salsa

A sweet salsa with spice and a surprising tang!

2. Summer Squash Puffs

A corn bread like deep fried squash fritter.

3. Garlic Potatoes Gratin  

This rich and cheesy dish is sure to entice and amaze!

4. Barbecue Pork

Melt in your mouth pork shoulder slow cooked with lots of spices

5. Fruit and Feta Summer Salad

A perfect salad for cheese and fruit lovers alike.

My first recommendation

Take 5 Ingredients

By: James Tanner

Why I like it? and YOU should too!

Simplicity 

Everything in his book is very easy to make and easy directions to follow. And the fact that he has 95 recipes in this book makes it EVEN BETTER! And in most of his recipes they are very common ingredients that you can buy at any grocery store.

Price for recipe's ingredients

Not only are there 5 to 10 ingredients to each recipe, the ingredients are generally inexpensive (depending on what recipe you choose) For example: there is a crab linguine recipe (that you can view on Epicurious.com) and we ALL know how expensive crab is these days. 

Great pictures and directions

His book has amazing detailed pictures that make your mouth water and help increase the chance that you WILL make it. Also his instructions for his recipes are extremely easy to follow.

My favorite Recipes

Green Curry

I love this curry recipe especially because it's so delicious and simple! I made it a couple times and every time it turns out perfect. It makes it so that you don't have to make curry paste from scratch and it only has 6 ingredients.

Gnocchi with Bacon & Peas 

I have not made this recipe yet, but I have made gnocchi before and it is very easy. And it only has six ingredients (including salt and pepper). I mean who can resist a recipe with BACON in it?

Other Books by the Author

• For Chocolate Lovers - Published 5 October 2006, co-written by Chris Tanner
• Ice Cream - Published 25 March 2008, co-written by Chris Tanner
• James Tanner Takes 5: Delicious Dishes Using Just 5 Ingredients - Published 30 September 2010
• Old Favourites, New Twists: 100 classic recipes with a difference - Published 11 July 2013

Price Range for the Book

$5-10 (Depending on where you look)