Rating:  Summary: Awesome Book! Review: I was absolutely shocked to read any negative comments in the reviews about the recipes. It made me wonder if those with negative comments actually spent enough time looking at the book. Regardless, I just had a New Year's Eve dinner party and made the Santa Fe Dreams menu that included BBQ Pork Loin Marinated in Tequila and Corriander, Black Bean Cakes, and Corn Salsa... but changed the dessert from Flan to the Grand Hotel Pecan Balls with Chocolate Sauce from another menu in the book. It was all absolutely fabulous and my guests loved it! Several people want the recipes. I have to agree that the decorating ideas are a bit odd and unrealistic but definitely original. However, the food recipes are out of this world. The food I made tasted like it does when you go to a fabulous restaurant. Buy this book if you're out to impress or if you just want some delicious new recipes!
Rating:  Summary: Girl Next Door Review: I watched Katie Brown's show every day and even taped her show and begin a library of my own to share with my family. She shows you how to take the simplest things around your house and create the most unusual decorations. Everything I have ever made was complimented on and I always told every one about Katie. So many women wish that Lifetime would re-run her shows, especially with the holidays coming.....I think she's great..and you don't need to be rich to afford warmth, elegance and spirit into your home..SHE'S THE BEST Marge DeSimone. Tobyhanna, PA
Rating:  Summary: Girl Next Door Review: I watched Katie Brown's show every day and even taped her show and begin a library of my own to share with my family. She shows you how to take the simplest things around your house and create the most unusual decorations. Everything I have ever made was complimented on and I always told every one about Katie. So many women wish that Lifetime would re-run her shows, especially with the holidays coming.....I think she's great..and you don't need to be rich to afford warmth, elegance and spirit into your home..SHE'S THE BEST Marge DeSimone. Tobyhanna, PA
Rating:  Summary: Cookie Cutter Designs Review: If you want to recreate one of the party themes featured in her book, then this is the book for you. However, if you want to learn more about creating your own themes and ideas, get another book. I saw Katie Brown on Oprah today, and she came across as very professional and creative. I was hoping her book would have the same creativeness and would be full of ideas as well, but I was mistaken. Her book lays out 16 plans for specific parties, and gives no real information on what she was thinking as she planned them, ideas for future parties, and the like. I was lucky enough to browse the book before I bought it, and it seemed like the majority of the book was recipes, and instructions, as well as anecdotes about herself. I would not recommend this book to buy, it is not worth the $25-$35 you would put into purchasing it, unless you plan to use every design in the book, or you already know how to entertain and want a few new ideas. The book doesn't teach you about entertaining, it only give you a few entertainment ideas.
Rating:  Summary: Now, This Is A Woman You Can Admire! Review: Katie Brown is a girl that I can really get behind. I have been a longtime of hers (due to her TV show on Lifetime and following her career as a Native UP. Michigan gal like myself) but her work in the new book "Katie Brown Entertains" really brings her into a new category. She's such a down to earth, sweet, fun and wonderfully talented woman who can take everyday crafts and turn them into something truly special. I love her easy approach to life and entertaining. I found myself caught up in her excitement and I really believe that anyone could take her ideas and turn them into practical formulas for success. Her book breaks down every dinner party theme you can think of, and shows you every element of it. From the food, the design concept, and the table setting decorations. She's so talented and makes it easy for all of us to bring something special to our entertaining. It's a wonderful new book and a great new resource to have in your corner. I really loved it!
Rating:  Summary: Katie Brown Entertains Review: Some of the things I look for in an entertaining or cook book are ideas that are practical and relatively easy. The recipes contained in the book are delicious, but the themes... Using a piece of sod as a placemat, or chicken wire on a table, or cups glued on the tops of hot wheels?!? A little over the top for me.
Rating:  Summary: Save your money Review: The design is very slick and looks like a hip website, but this book is anything but hip. The recipes look like they could be from a children's cookbook, until you realize how much effort they require. My least favorite "project" was a napkin ring made from bolts on a notebook paper ring... just plain ugly. Other projects, such as the artichoke picture holder, I remember seeing on her old show. The pages and pages of her personal anecdotes might be interesting to her family and friends, but come off as self-absorption, and the two FULL pages of acknowledgements speaks volumes. I suppose we consumers can handle all this work ourselves, but it seems Ms. Brown needs a giant staff to help her set a table.
Rating:  Summary: Katie Brown Entertains Review: This book is filled with very unatttractive projects and recipes that call for packaged this and bottled that. Many of the recipes don't make sense-cooking mustard greens for one minute, for example, would make them inedible and using dried parsley in a culinary no no. Don't waste your money on this one.
Rating:  Summary: Total Inspiration Review: This book is such an inspiration. All of those other decorating books just seem so stuffy. But this one is really fun. I think I read somewhere that she has a new TV show coming out. I can't wait to see what she thinks of for that.
Rating:  Summary: What a waste of money! Review: This was a total waste of money. The projects are dumb; I don't think there is one I would even consider doing, and they're more appropriate for pre-schoolers -- e.g., for a favor, pour maple syrup into little bottles and top each with a pinecone. IMHO, that would be great if you had your own maple trees and were sharing your own syrup, but repouring a little from a jar you bought is just stupid. And that was one of the better ideas in this stupid book. I can't believe they went to press with this dumb thing; what a waste of money.
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