The goal of Rachel Ray's book "365: No Repeats" is to give the reader a recipe for every day of the year, without overlapping
similar
recipes. Not only does she achieve this, but also succeeds in creating a list of user-friendly recipes for even the novice cook. The book is easy to read and provides the reader with an index with labels such as MYOTO: Make your own take out and Romantic Dinners in case one does not want to flip through all 365 recipes. She is especially talented at soup recipes; her Halibut Soup, Chichen Tortilla Soup and Mushroom Bisque were all tested in the reviewer's
kitchen and passed the inspection of others who were served the soups as well. On the side of each recipe, the author invites the reader to chech one of two boxes marked either "Try the later" or "It's a keeper". This enables the cook to flip through and see what recipes have been tried or not, even when one does not have time to read at leisure. Certain recipes have variations which enable the home cook to simply switch two or three ingredients to create a whole new recipe. For instance, the Ricotta Pasta with Grape Tomatoes, Peas and Basil easily turns into Ricotta Pasta with Sausage or Zucchini and Garlic. These dishes are labeled "Master Recipes" and are easily located throughout the book. Rachel Ray's sparky television personality shines through in this cook book. Her recipes are unique and the list is comprehensive of her ability to dazzle in the kitchen.
Reviewed on 6/3/2006