Reviews (10)

A Quirky Treasure
Recipes, hostess tips, and landmine humor. Now, you can invite your fiends over for a party, and for entertainment you can pass around this book. From the colorful, comical pages, and the recipe photo collection, there is something for everyone, if you're slightly twisted.

Finally!A book about entertaining I can relate to!
I don't think a book about entertaining has ever made me laugh to the point of tears before!Seeing peanuts!Gift ideas for nuns! Dad come home cake!Change your medicine chest from herbal remedies to something that works! The section on guest etiquette is priceless and hits the nail on the head. Todd Oldham's photography with its lurid lighting/hues is amazing. And the children's games section alone is worth twice the price of the book.
Well rope me up and call me Doggie!
First of all, I want to be adopted into the Sedaris family.Really, I do.I have been waiting for this book to come out for the longest time with a borderline unhealthy anticipation.I marched right into the bookstore this morning and saw it waiting there just for me!I read it in the car while driving to work, and I didn't even care that the other driver's minded.It is SO FUNNY!...and practical.Let me tell you, there is a party on every page!!When I got home, I ordered four more to give to friends who might invite me to their house's or something. Now, I'm going to go make an eye burrito to help relax my eyeballs so I can sleep because I'm so excited!I am going to have visions of heavyset cheeseballs dancing in my head all night long!! Well done Amy Sedaris!You can be my BFF any day!!
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Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining    6. Entertaining - General    7. Home Management    8. Hospitality    9. Recipes    10. Cooking / Entertaining   

Editorial Review

Fans of Food Network star Paula Deen enjoy her unpretentious Southern-gal persona as much as her easy, what's-not-to-like recipes. As a writer of four other cookbooks, including Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellently Appropriate Selection of Events and Recipes. Buy It.
`Paula Deen Celebrates', by Food Network star and home cooking matron, with assistance from "Savannah Magazine" columnist, Martha Nesbit expands Ms. Deen's franchisee in a most logical and expected manner, by being a collection of recipes appropriate to twenty-one (21) favorite occasions to celebrate with food.
Start entertaining

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Subjects:  1. American Regional Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Holiday - General    6. Holiday cookery    7. Menus    8. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    9. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    10. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (3)

Eat healthy on those special occasions too!
The South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook is an excellent addition to your cookbook collection whether you are following the program or not.
yummy in the tummy
While being in the healthy foods business for many years, I have had a deaf ear to fad diets.When my husband's physician suggested he try the South Beach Diet to lose weight, I ran to the library to find out what was going on with this popular diet.
Fantastic Cookbook -- Even if you are NOT on the Diet
Try the recipes even if they look odd compared to what you're used to eating. The food is LOADED WITH flavor that somehow satisfies your hunger with far less food than ordinary. Not only that, but after you eat these foods you feel GOOD and HEALTHY instead of just STUFFED and TIRED (like normal food.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Entertaining - General    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Holiday - General    6. Holiday cookery    7. Recipes    8. Reducing diets    9. Weight loss    10. Cooking / Entertaining   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. General    6. Home Management    7. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (5)

great advice for what wines to keep on hand...and a great read
I bought this book for help in selecting ten wines to keep on hand for all occasions. And it worked! Now, whether I'm roasting a chicken or ordering in Thai food, there's always a good bottle to go with dinner. The bonus is the all the fascinating info (why Ph matters) and anecdotes (chef Patrick O'Connell on how easily he turned his whole staff into wine enthusiasts). Beautiful photographs, beautifully written. A great gift for the holidays or for engaged couples.

What a beautiful book!
WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT is a beautiful book filled with great ideas of what to wines and other beverages (from iced tea to lemonade) to serve with different dishes.The photography is absolutely mouth-watering!It's fun to flip through and read about what to serve with everything from chicken to chocolate brownies.This book is definitely worth the price.

The book I've been looking for ever since I learned how to cook.
After learning to cook, I looked forward to serving new dishes to guests -- but found I was hesitant about entertaining because I never knew what wines to serve.I was tired of being dependent on my local wine store for recommendations that often seemed to be more about what they wanted to sell than what went with what I was cooking. WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT provides such thorough recommendations that it's easy to come up with the perfect match.I'm looking forward to entertaining again, now that I can serve wine and other drinks with equal grace to the food I prepare.And my non-drinking guests benefit, too, given all of the innovative recommendations for non-alcoholic beverages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages    2. Beverages - General    3. Beverages - Non-Alcoholic    4. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    5. Cookery    6. Cooking    7. Cooking / Wine    8. Courses & Dishes - General    9. Entertaining - General    10. Wine and wine making    11. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

Reviews (3)

Guaranteed to Please
I enjoy the PBS series "America's Test Kitchen," so when I received this book as a Christmas gift last year I was very excited.Now, almost a year later, I have cooked my way through scores of the recipes in this cookbook and there is not a dud in the bunch.This book takes basic, American fare and boil it down to it's most essential (and flavorful parts), allowing you to cook tasty favorites.My only caveat is that is you are looking for quick meals, this may not be the best choice--many of the recipes are quite time consuming.However, if you only want one cookbook in your kitchen, this is the one!

Best Cookbook Ever!
I've purchased a ton of cookbooks over the years I've been cooking at home.However, once I purchased this cookbook all of the other cookbooks have become covered in dust.The only exceptions would be a handful of other Cook's Illustrated recipes not covered here in the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.If you are a cooking enthusiast or a new beginner this is the cookbook for you.

Much better than your mother's Betty Crocker cookbook
So you think you know the best way to make meatloaf, chili, and chicken soup?
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Courses & Dishes - General    6. Entertaining - General    7. General    8. Methods - General   

Reviews (22)

Fast, easy and delicious!
"Get Togethers" contain some wonderfully delicious recipes!
Rachel multi-tasks!
More fine, quick recipes from one of my favorite cooks.Rachel knows how to reduce a recipe to its basics without compromising the taste.On the day it arrived, we found a recipe that had to be shared -- the Chili Casserole.I look forward to trying most of the others.I go back to Rachel Ray's cookbooks time and again -- many of her recipes have become standards in my cooking.But she can sure multi-task!I rarely do one up in thirty minutes until I have done it several times.

ALL of her books share the same major fault....
Don't get me wrong, I love her shows, it is great to see how she pulls it all together in the 30 minutes without seeming rushed. The recipes, for the most part, are pretty healthy and have good variety. The lack of pictures doesn't bother me, as she's not really into foo-foo presentation with raspberry sauce swirled half-a-mile away on the edge of the dessert plate, imho totally wasting perfectly good raspberry sauce....
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining    5. Entertaining - General    6. Menus    7. Methods - Quick & Easy    8. Quick and easy cookery    9. Cooking / Entertaining    10. Etiquette & entertaining    11. Main courses   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Cooking / General   

Reviews (1)

Outstanding, Easy, and Delicious
Have tried four recipes and all have been very quick and easy to make and have been delicious.Have given the book as gifts and plan to give more.An outstanding book in a wonderful series of books.Never a disappointment with Cook's Illustrated books.Highly recommend to beginner or experienced cooks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Holiday - General    6. Methods - Quick & Easy   

Reviews (47)

Hilarious........
This book kept me laughing for hours on end. I am from the south and had an occasion to spend 6 months in Greenville, Miss. recently, so having been there, met lots of natives, etc. made it even more comical. While reading the book you can almost hear the accent of the "Southern Ladies" in conversation. Gayden really has a way of turning mundane everyday life in the Delta, into one hilarious situation after another. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and great recipes as well.

A taste of the deep south
I found this such a humorous and, for me, sentimental read. For each incident and character, I have enough life experiences in the deep south to be able relate the tale to characters and events in my past, including seeing ladies examine invitations from an angle to be sure they are engraved ("that beauty-graving is so tacky"). I am going to buy a couple copies for family members who I am sure will love this book as much as I do.

Sorry, but I didn't like it that much
The book was recommended to me by an elderly Southern lady with a great sense of humor, so I had high hopes.
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Subjects:  1. American Regional Cookery    2. American Satire And Humor    3. Cookery, American    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - General    6. Etiquette    7. Form - Essays    8. Funeral rites and ceremonies    9. General    10. Humor    11. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    12. Southern States    13. Southern style    14. Cooking / General   

Editorial Review

Lauren Bacall gets cranky when Barefoot Contessa, an East Hampton specialty food store/institution for more than 20 years, is sold out of Indonesian Ginger Chicken. She can now thank her lucky stars that exuberant owner Ina Garten has written Read more

Reviews (192)

Great Book
This book has some great recipes, very easy and yet the food tastes very sophisticated.The BBQ chicken and potato salad are the best I've ever had.The only negative is that there aren't many beef or pork options and seems a bit more female oriented but overall a good buy.

A classic!
This book has it all--so beautiful, great recipes and Ina's friendly voice. I love cookbooks with photos and this is one of the best! All the recipes that I have tried are wonderful. This is one of my favorite books to give as a gift.

Beautiful cookbook/Easy to use
This book is beautiful to look at; the full-size photos of the dish, the thick, glossy pages, and the additional notes next to the recipes make this a useful addition to any cook's collection.(It would make a perfect gift, too!)Yes, the recipes do call for extra-large eggs but, so what?! Buy a dozen!!I also especially liked the source lists at the end of the book.The recipes I've made all came out really well; there is something for everyone here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Barefoot Contessa (Store)    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - Party Planning    6. General    7. Cooking / Entertaining    8. General cookery   

Reviews (6)

A winner.
CHRISTMAS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING 2006 (0848731158, $29.95) isn't strictly a cookbook, though recipes are its core: it combines menus and time-saving holiday plans as well as party ideas with dishes which lend to entertainment and family gatherings. Many are fast, easy editor's picks, with chapters handily divided by type of entertainment: brunch buffet, office party, dinner party, and the like. A winner.
Not Up To Snuff
Like many of you, I collect these books year after year.This year was very disappointing.The book really is mainly recipes.I don't buy them for that, although the few I try are good. I buy this book mainly for the decorating and gift ideas.This year the book is really lacking in them.In years past they've shown how to decorate the outside of your house, the mantle, the table, and just about anywhere in a house that you could put a decoration.This year you basically have one mantle.That's it.Sorry, this book had me saying to myself, "I paid full price for this!!"
Christmas with Southern Living 2006
I love this book! I give to my 3 girls as well. I have gotten this book almost every year since it was first published. It has decorating suggestions, crafts, recipes and just all kinds of information to make your Christmas the best ever. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Regional Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Entertaining - General    5. Holiday - Christmas/Hanukkah    6. Holiday - General    7. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    8. Seasonal   

Reviews (7)

A Must-Have for People Who Like to Have Company
This is the book I turn to for help in what to fix for what occasion.At the end of every recipe is a chart answering When to Fix It, How Far Ahead Can I Make This?
Excellent Source for Easy Entertaining for Experienced Cooks
`Perfect Recipes for Having People Over' by notable culinary writer, Pam Anderson is a sequel to her earlier `Perfect Recipes' and continues her somewhat revisionist approach to recipe writing I saw in `How to Cook Without a Recipe'.
A highly recommended pick for any regular hostess
When entertaining, it's important to have a cache of tried-and-tested dishes which are simple yet foolproof: Pam Anderson shares nearly 200 convenient dishes in Perfect Recipes For Having People Over, filled with dishes which lend to both make-ahead preparation and crowd-pleasers. From Easy Savory Strata to Perfect Roast Chicken with Several Sauces and Quesadillas for a Crowd, this is a highly recommended pick for any regular hostess.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining    5. Entertaining - General    6. Cooking / Entertaining   

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Decorating - General    3. Entertaining - General    4. House & Home   

Reviews (3)

An excellent first choice
I fail to understand the complaints of two previous reviewers. This beautiful glossy volume is an excellent compendium of previosly publisned Cook's Illustratedrecipes. In style and format it would make an excellent first choice for anyone wishing to be introduced to a selection of the best of the best recipes from America's Teet Kitchen (i. e. Cook's Illustrated) without the tediousness of having to wade through lengthy descriptions of how the recipes were arrived at.
Good, but consists entirely of previously published recipes
This book is a compilation of recipes from other America's Test Kitchen publications that have been released within the last 1-2 years, including their magazines (Cook's Country and Cook's Illustrated) and books (The Best Light Recipe, The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, Best American Side Dishes, and The Best 30-Minute Recipe). Above each recipe there is even a thumbnail image of the publication in which the recipe originally appeared.Scattered throughout the book are tutorials (such as "Rice and Grains 101" and "Pie Pastry 101"), equipment reviews, and taste tests (similar to what appears in Cooks Illustrated Magazine).
Recipes are a dime a dozen ...
I subscribe to Cooks Illustrated, owned season 4 and 5 DVDs and have bought all their previous 6 books under the America's Test Kitchen title. This is my 7th. I used to subscribe to Cooks Country but found that to be amateurish and have since discontinued.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - General    5. Entertaining - General    6. General    7. Methods - General    8. Regional & Ethnic - American - General   

Reviews (45)

the best food i ever tasted
hi its me again my mom purches this book when it first came out. she knows how to cook and cooks diner every nite. she love to wach paula deen on the food channel one day on a saturday she saw this realy good thing that she saw there the next day she made it for us and it tasted soooooooooo good and another time she made a choclate chip pie it was so good too I recomed this toy for every parent who likes too cook and there kids like there food.

Best cookbook I've purchased in a long time
My new thing is to check out books from the library first, then buy.This technique has saved me hundreds of dollars.I'd take out a book I really wanted to buy, and after browsing, only liked a handful.Well, this cookbook was so incredible from start to finish, that I quickly returned it to the library and bought my own copy.
Good but not her best
This is Paula Deen's first cookbook that gets the "star treatment" - nice hardcover, beautiful color photos of some of the mouth-watering menus, and a nice format. She has arrived! However, I don't think it is necessarily her best content-wise. Her previous books, the little paperback editions with the plastic ring binders, have far more recipes and feel more "intimate," if there is such a thing with a cookbook! This book features sample party menus and have titles like "A Bridge Club Supper" and "A Georgia Bulldawg Parking Lot Tailgate." Most of these feature a main entree, a few side dishes, an appetizer or two and a dessert. The chocolate sandwich cookies (on page 94) and the pimento cheese spread (page 40) are two recipes that are delicious and very easy to make. Some of the recipes, including the chocolate sandwich cookies, didn't originate with Paula and she says so in the introductions to the menus. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American cooking    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - General    6. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    7. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    8. Southern style    9. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (11)

Very Inspiring
This book is certainly not a how to book. It is most definately a coffee table book showing off the talents of Mr. Bailey & his design team.
preston
the book is quite illustrative, however there is a lot of overlap with his other book on Fantasy Weddings, which has better theme pictures.

Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams
Gread ideas book - wonderful, stimulating pictures.Interesting reading - provides what I would term an overview of how to achieve a good design for an event.It is NOT a how to book however and there realy are no specifics on creating a specific look. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Decorating    4. Decorating - General    5. Entertaining    6. Entertaining - General    7. Entertaining - Party Planning    8. Interior decoration    9. Parties    10. Planning    11. Table setting and decoration    12. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (101)

Cooking down to its' essence.
As a recent college grad, and a male at that, I have been told numerous times that I am a wonderful cook. And truthfully, almost every recipie I've been complemented for or asked to make for events has come from this book. Ina Garten's instructions are detailed and easy to follow, her recipies divine, and her presentation is both beautiful and essentially hospitable. The ingredients are also things that people generally already have around, which is perfect for the average person or family. I am finding that this is the first cookbook I turn to when hosting a dinner party for friends or family, even just for eating by myself. For someone who has managed to botch box mixes over these few years, I will hold on to this book and all it contains for years to come.

Every recipe is a success
I got this cookbook as a gift and what a gift it has turned out to be!Every recipe turns out so well.I often have people ask for the recipe when I use this cookbook.Some of the recipes are a little salty for me, but I don't like a lot of salt in my food and no one else has ever had a problem with it.

Simple Elegance
If you love Ina on the Food Network, then you will definitely love this cookbook. Ina's amazing ability to pair simplicity with elegance translates so well into her cookbooks, and she gives you the vehicle to do the same in your own kitchen and home. Ina entertains with love and sincerity, and almost all of her recipes are thoughtfully designed so that the cook can enjoy her time with family and friends instead of slaving away in the kitchen. The recipes themselves are culinary masterpieces...feel good food with a hint of elegance. Her provencal tomatoes, parmesan roasted asparagus, and roasted winter vegetables are as simple as they are delicious and they fill your soul as much as they fill your stomach. While this book may lack an overabundance of recipes (at first glance it feels skimpy for the price), it certainly compensates for it in quality. What you end up with is a collection of Ina's finest that will undoubtedly become favorites in your own home. And your loved ones will forever thank you for it!
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Cooking / Entertaining    6. General cookery   

Reviews (7)

Loaded with help for your parties!
This book is loaded with help and ideas, and will save even the most clueless host/hostess. You get tips for setting up your bar, decorations, and invitations. You get information about wines and beers. But the best part are the individual party ideas. There are cocktail parties and dinner parties. Holiday parties and unique theme parties. Each party comes with a schedule for planning ahead, so you don't have to do any mad scrambling around the day of the party. Each party comes with a unique "signature drink", so you can cut costs by just offering a signature drink, wine, and beer. There are recipies for each party and shortcut ideas if you don't have time or don't want to cook. There are also music ideas and decor ideas, in good detail, to really help you. No other entertaining book I've ever seen includes help with so many aspects of your party so well. And unlike most entertaining books, there's a resource section so you know where you can actually find the items featured in the parties (food, decor, etc.), so you don't see something you love but can't copy. (There is one problem, however, I've found some of their resources only sell wholesale and won't sell to you unless you have a reseller ID, which is really disappointing. They should have only included retail resources anyone can use.) Everyone who either entertains or likes to daydream about it should have this book - the ideas are unique and fabulous. I bought this book because I needed an idea for our wedding rehearsal dinner. Within 20 minutes of looking through the book I had a brilliant idea (there is no "rehearsal dinner", but I found a perfect theme party to use). I have many party and entertaining books, and this one is definitely my favorite. I love it.

A must have
Perfect. Everything I was looking for and plenty moore. Very helpful and easy to follow. Thanks InStyle

Great book with many helpful hints
Leave it to an entertaining powerhouse like In Style to deliver time and time again. This book gives great hints that come from celebrity party planners. Tips on invitations, menu, decor, music and much more. The book even goes on and tells you what to do two months before the party, one month, two weeks, one week, day before, etc. Definately a great gift book. Many delicious beautiful quick recipes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - General    6. Entertaining - Party Planning    7. General    8. Art / General    9. Parties   

Subjects:  1. Calendar    2. Calendars - Cooking    3. Entertaining - General    4. Non-Classifiable