Review ~ Everyday Cooking

I knew it was important to my daughter to do home economics this year and that she really wanted to expand her cooking skills and repertoire of recipes. I looked at lots of cookbooks and didn't see just what I was looking for. Then I was asked to review  Everyday Cooking from Everyday Homemaking, and this was exactly what I was looking for.  I received a digital copy of Everyday Cooking by Vicki Bentley. This is a fantastic teaching cookbook that could be used as a family with young children or independently with an older student with some cooking skills. My daughter has cooked at my side since she was a toddler, but she wanted to learn more meals and be able to do it completely alone in preparation for adulthood. This cookbook is divided into sixteen sections listed below.

• Timesaving Tips
• Breakfast Ideas
• Appetizers and Dressings
• Bread and Grains
• Main Dishes & Soups & Sides
• Desserts & Snacks
• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Low-Carb & Gluten-Free Pantry Helpers
• Basic Measurements & Helps
• Meal Planning & Shopping Hints
• Sample Menus & Menu Planning Masters
• Basic Cooking Skills Checklist
• Basic Kitchen Accessories
• Kitchen Equipment
• The Tortoise & The Hare
• Pressure Cooker Tips and Favorites

Sausage Cheese Balls

My daughter (13) has made about 10 recipes so far. She finds them all easy and the directions are clear. She likes that she is learning a variety of skills. The recipes are nice because the student gets to learn to make something delicious, like deviled eggs, and is taught every single step, including how to make a hard-boiled egg first. She is learning how to make chicken, beef and fish dishes. I love that she is getting such a well-rounded education in cooking. In the end, she will be able to make a full repertoire of dishes that will be for everyday or holidays. She will also be able to plan, budget, shop for deals and create the meals all on her own. Her favorite dish that she has made so far is fruit smoothies. The book has many suggested add-ins. The family loved it when she made wonderful sausage-cheese balls. So far, all of the recipes have been very good. A huge bonus is that I get the evening off from cooking two times a week. 

Toward the back of the book are lots of tips on how to do menu planning, getting your meals organized, sample menus and a conversion chart for measurements. There is even a useful food and nutrition mini-unit study. This is a very versatile cookbook that would enhance learning at any level. There are great tips scattered throughout the book. I love how the book teaches techniques on how to throw a party. There is advice on how to set up a buffet line, which is a very useful skill. I can't wait until she makes it to the desserts and makes the "Neiman Marcus $250 Cookies".

This book gets a thumbs up from us. I look forward to eating many more lovely recipes made entirely by my daughter. I am sure she will be much more confident about her cooking skills by the end of the year.

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Blessings, Dawn