Book Review: the Chopped Cookbook

The Chopped Cookbook: Use What You've Got to Cook Something Great

by Food Network Kitchens

Let me start by saying I am not a fan of the show Chopped.  My housemate and husband enjoy it so I thought I would give  the book a try.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It is not about creating dishes from weird ingredients like I was afraid it would be. In fact it begins with a pantry list of everyday ingredients people would have on hand. The emphasis is on using what you enjoy and have on hand in a creative way.

There are chapters dedicated to different main ingredients such as pasta, chicken, veggies and deserts.  Many of the recipes have beautiful photos of the dish.  But the best part are the tips.  There are so many of them.  If you don't have this ingredient try one of these. If you prefer spicy or mild or crunchy add or substitute this.  It is the perfect cookbook if you are bored or have a picky eater at home.  As I looked through the pages I found a lot of recipes I want to try and found ideas to change up some of our family favorites.

In addition to the recipes there are guides for making and using different dressings, sauces and grains.  The instructions are clear and easy to follow which I appreciate.  I am sure this cookbook is going to become a family favorite.

I received this book for free from the publisher’s Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.