Express Lane Cookbook: Real Food for Really Busy People

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Summary: Think you can't have it all? Think again.
Review: Cheap, fast and good: the cliche says that you can have any two, but never all three. Sarah Fritschner proves the conventional wisdom wrong with recipes that are all of those things, and good for you too. The recipes are delicious and simple to make with a few easily-available ingredients (the book's gimmick is that each recipe has fewer than ten ingredients, so that you can buy them in the express lane at the end of the day). They show a subtle flair too, like Italian Chicken Salad or Rice and Greens, just to name two of my favorites. All but the most finicky gourmets will find something to like here. Some of Fritschner's combinations (black-eyed peas and pickles?!) sound quirky, but they always work. As an added bonus, the book is well-organized and features simple but pleasing little illustrations. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say this cookbook, along with the author's other, vegetarian book, has changed my life.

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Summary: Nutritious cooking made fast and simple
Review: I came across this book in a college bookstore and wondered if it would be yet another "quick 'n' easy" cookbook that requires lots of overnight preparation or unusual ingredients. Living in a small, rural town, it's awfully difficult to find fresh okra or tahini sauce at the local corner grocery. Yet as I flipped through the pages of this book, I found short lists of common ingredients. The preparation times are quick and do not require outstanding culinary ability. I have found many of the recipes to be as easy as throwing a TV dinner into the toaster oven, yet they are homemade, nutritious, and delicious. I have a large cookbook collection, yet none of them receive more use than _Express Lane Cookbook_. It's just what I need at the end of a busy day or when trying to concoct something QUICK for hungry kids! It's also made entertaining easier. I can have friends over for an impressively tasty meal, yet it took less than an hour to prepare. If you have no other cookbook in your kitchen, you must have this one! For experienced chefs and non-cooks alike, it's a lifesaver for today's busy world.

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Summary: Fabulous find for busy families
Review: This cookbook is essential in my life. As a working mother with two young children, Fritschner's recipes allow me to produce a variety of easy, healthy meals with little preparation or cooking time involved. Most all of the meals can be produced in a half hour or less. My children love the Cauliflower Spaghetti and the Black Eyed Peas and Noodles. Really! My husband loves the Tomato Thyme Chicken, and I don't have the heart to tell him how easy it is (5 ingredients that you probably have already). One of the best features is Fritschner's inclusion of accompaniments to the main dishes. Some of the recommendations are for side dish recipes in this book, others are general ideas such as spinach or buttered noodles. This cookbook helps you to realize that "fast food" should not be limited to drive-in windows. I do not consider myself a cook, but with this book I have no trouble producing tasty, balanced meals that my family truly enjoys.