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Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the Beans!
Review: I am a cookbook junkie and since adding Not Just Beans to my collection, I find myself turning to it before all the others. All the recipes that I've tried have been wonderful. I've easily been able to adapt many of them to lower fat recipes using 2% milk, light cheese, fat free sour cream, etc... The Jar Mixes section came in especially handy over the holidays and I received rave reviews for all the "Gifts in Jars" that I gave out. My daughter and I have had tons of fun in the Kids section making Slime, Play Dough, Finger Paints and Christmas Ornaments. Best of all are all the time and money saving tips spread through out the book. I'm even making my own household cleaners thanks to this book. Bottom Line: Not Just Beans is a MUST HAVE for Frugalites everywhere!
Rating: 
Summary: Cheap cookin', but not very nutritious.
Review: I liked this author's down to earth style and spirit. However, the recipes in this book provide a very unhealthy proportion of carbohydrates, many highly processed, without balanced proportions of protein and fat, which can lead to health problems such as diabetes and candida overgrowth. She mentions in the book that 3 members of her family suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I would speculate that a poorly balanced diet may have been a likely contributor. I think this book is great as a supplement to other cookbooks, for a couple of ultra-cheap meals per week. I grew up very poor and recognized some recipes to similar to what my mother made, so I have great respect for the author's resourcefulness in putting together these recipes. Just keep in mind that nutritional balance is very important for long term health.
Rating:
Summary: Much better than just beans!!
Review: I love this cookbook! Just plain, good food for people who want to keep things simple. You won't need high-priced extras to fix these recipes. Forget gourmet! And lots of frugal tips I haven't seen before. Glad I got this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have for Frugal Cooks!
Review: Not Just Beans - 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites, by Tawra Kellam, is an excellent cookbook and frugal living resource! I've been an avid cookbook collector for most of my life, and I can tell you, without a doubt, this is absolutely one of the best cookbooks on the market for frugal cooks! I've just finished reviewing the entire book myself and feel it should be on the kitchen counter of every household! Not only does this delightful cookbook contain 542 recipes, there is a large tip section in the front and back of the book that are filled with great tips for frugal cooking, meal planning, grocery shopping, saving time in the kitchen, freezing foods, snack ideas for kids, jar mixes and other gift ideas, homemade seasonings, household cleaners, fun stuff to make with kids, menu ideas, and more! In addition, Tawra has included an extra tip page at the beginning of each section of recipes (Breakfast, Breads, Soups, etc...), and more tips are spread throughout the entire cookbook, many of which are great money-saving tips! Not Just Beans is truly a must have for frugal cooks, but I would also recommend this cookbook for anyone just starting out on their own. Leaving home (and mom's great cooking) is not always easy, but with this cookbook in hand at least it will be a lot easier for new cooks to put delicious meals on the table; the recipes are easy to prepare and easy on the budget! I get letters all the time from people wanting to know what they can cook for their families on a tight budget, other than just beans! I remember thinking the same thing when our family first encountered difficult financial times many years ago. In fact, I said to my husband "What in the world am I going to cook (on a food budget of $30 a week) besides macaroni and cheese... and our children hate beans!" Boy how I wish I had been able to have a copy of Not Just Beans back then! Some of the recipes I was most delighted to find included in this cookbook are Baking Mix, Flour Tortillas, Onion Soup Mix, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Cheeseburger Rolls, Hawaiian Chicken Wings, Fried Apples (I'm always forgetting how much butter and sugar to add!), Granola Bars, Vanilla Wafers, Peanut Butter and Ranch Dressing - both completely homemade, and hundreds of more recipes my family is sure to enjoy! I believe Tawra and I must be kindred spirits - along with millions of other frugal parents! We simply want to feed our families good food, limit the macaroni and cheese dinners to once a week or less, and still have some money left over after leaving the grocery store! Tawra is originally from Kansas and her recipes make this Southern girl proud! Most of the recipes are for traditional comfort foods, which can also be altered as needed with the healthy substitutions included in the cookbook. And the money-saving tips alone make this a great investment for every frugal home! Michelle Jones, Editor of BetterBudgeting.com
Rating: 
Summary: So So
Review: Over the past 20 years of married life, I have collected many cookbooks. This is by far the most useful book in my library! I am so pleased with this book, I have purchased one for each of my daughters and my sister-in-law. Most 'frugal' recipe books have recipes that my family would never eat - not so with this book. This book includes recipes for how to make our family favorites, plus so many basic items. I am teaching my youngest daughter how to cook with this book. I would recommend this book for any family.
Rating:
Summary: Fun way to raise a family on a few bucks
Review: Tawra has taken a lot of time to put down in her book frugal ways to cook, make silly putty and fruit leathers, etc. A must have book for a family on a budget but the recipes are great - so you don't need to be poor to enjoy this book. ----------
Reviewed by Sheila Farrell Murray, author of ANOTHER DAMN COOKBOOK and WHAT'S SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE.
Rating:
Summary: Fun way to raise a family on a few bucks
Review: Tawra has taken a lot of time to put down in her book frugal ways to cook, make silly putty and fruit leathers, etc. A must have book for a family on a budget but the recipes are great - so you don't need to be poor to enjoy this book. ----------
Reviewed by Sheila Farrell Murray, author of ANOTHER DAMN COOKBOOK and WHAT'S SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE.
Rating:
Summary: A wealth of budget-friendly and highly recommended recipes
Review: Tawra Kellam has lived a genuinely frugal lifestyle for the past 30 years. Out of her experience she has compiled Not Just Beans, a outstanding cookbook offering a wealth of budget-friendly and highly recommended recipes that are as inexpensive as they are nutritious and delicious. From Chicken Barley Soup; Mexican Hamburger Casserole; Tuna Chowder; and Navajo Tacos; to Maple-Glazed Chicken; Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles; Onion Rings; and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Not Just Beans offers a cornucopia of frugal but scrumptious eating that will be as easy on the pocketbook as they are welcome at the dinner table!
Rating:
Summary: Not just a cookbook, but a way of life!
Review: This frugal living book is filled with great tasting,
easy to make recipes using inexpensive ingredients, most of which we
usually have on hand. Yes, there are a couple beans and rice recipes,
but they are there to prove that even beans and rice can taste good!
You'll find recipes for just about everything such as Breakfast, Breads,
Beans and Vegetables, Pickles, Dressings and Salads, Pasta, Rice, Side
Dishes, Meats and Main Dishes, all kinds of Desserts, Beverages, Jar
Mixes, Kids and many more. But wait....this is not just a cookbook! Dispersed throughout this book
are tips galore! Timesaving Tips and Shortcuts, Household Tips,
Dessert Tips, Bean and Vegetable Tips, Kid Tips, and Freezer Tips
along with a Freezer Guide that includes the average time span for
certain frozen foods and a list of the recipes in the book that will
freeze well. This is helpful for those who do once a month cooking. The chapter on The Basics of Frugal Cooking will help to get you
started and will have you on your way towards drastically cutting your
food bill. The author, Tawra Kellam, paid off over $20,000 in debt in
just five years on an average income of $22,000 a year. That sounds
like a lot of beans, but according to Tawra, "You can eat frugally
without living on beans alone." After trying her recipes and tips you
too will find the proof in the pudding!
Rating:
Summary: Not just a cookbook, but a way of life!
Review: This frugal living book is filled with great tasting,
easy to make recipes using inexpensive ingredients, most of which we
usually have on hand. Yes, there are a couple beans and rice recipes,
but they are there to prove that even beans and rice can taste good!
You'll find recipes for just about everything such as Breakfast, Breads,
Beans and Vegetables, Pickles, Dressings and Salads, Pasta, Rice, Side
Dishes, Meats and Main Dishes, all kinds of Desserts, Beverages, Jar
Mixes, Kids and many more. But wait....this is not just a cookbook! Dispersed throughout this book
are tips galore! Timesaving Tips and Shortcuts, Household Tips,
Dessert Tips, Bean and Vegetable Tips, Kid Tips, and Freezer Tips
along with a Freezer Guide that includes the average time span for
certain frozen foods and a list of the recipes in the book that will
freeze well. This is helpful for those who do once a month cooking. The chapter on The Basics of Frugal Cooking will help to get you
started and will have you on your way towards drastically cutting your
food bill. The author, Tawra Kellam, paid off over $20,000 in debt in
just five years on an average income of $22,000 a year. That sounds
like a lot of beans, but according to Tawra, "You can eat frugally
without living on beans alone." After trying her recipes and tips you
too will find the proof in the pudding!
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