4 Ingredients Cookbook review

When I was invited to review the 4 Ingredients cookbook by Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham, I knew I would love it from the title alone. When I received my review copy, my confidence was bolstered when I read the Introduction and saw this: Have you ever experienced any of the following: 1) You look at your watch and think, "Gosh, it's 6:30! What am I going to cook for dinner?" 2) You collect your children from school and immediately hear a resounding "I'm hungry" from the backseat. ... ... ... 7) You find yourself cooking spaghetti and meatballs for the kids AGAIN!!! These were just 3 of the questions I found myself answering YES to, so I knew without a doubt this was the cookbook for me! The Basics Imagine succulent Chicken, Butternut, and Chickpea Curry with brown rice, a light, palette-cleansing Orange, and Almond Salad, and a decadent serving of warm Flourless Chocolate Cake. If this sounds like the menu for an elaborate dinner party that requires hard-to-find ingredients and endless hours in the kitchen, think again!

Internationally bestselling authors Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham have created more than 400 quick, easy, and delicious recipes that only require four ingredients. Included are fantastic dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and entertaining, as well as meals specially designed for children, including lunchbox menus.

With 4 Ingredients, home chefs will learn how to:

* Make weeknight family dinners simple and special.

* Provide delicious, home-cooked meals and spend less money.

* Cook with fewer utensils—1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon, and 1 measuring cup!

* Spend less time at the sink. Four ingredients for each dish means less cleanup!

Find out what home chefs all over the world have already discovered. 4 Ingredients is perfect for the busy, budget-conscious cook!

The Bongga 4 Ingredients is exactly my kind of cookbook! I usually hate cooking from a cookbook, but with just 4 ingredients, every dish is so simple, so I don't really feel like I'm following a complicated recipe. All the recipes I've tried are absolutely delicious. My family has loved everything I've made from this cookbook, from Fried Camembert to Beef Koftas to Boston Baked Beans to Apricot Chicken. You can bet I'll be cooking more recipes from here! My favorite dish from this cookbook? Believe it or not, it's one of the simplest: Dirty Rice. Simply put, it's rice cooked with a bit of butter, onion soup and beef broth (see, 4 ingredients) to give it flavor -- but what blew my mind is the fact that the recipe calls for the rice to bake in the oven! Like all Asians, I love rice, but I hate having to wash the rice cooker afterwards. Baking rice in the oven or microwave is the most fantastic idea ever because you cook the rice in a glass baking dish, which also serves as the storage case for the leftover rice! Why didn't I ever think of that sooner!? The Blah * I would have loved more vegetable and vegetarian recipes! Their vegetarian section is lamentably skimpy. * There is no nutrition information for any of the recipes. * Yes, these are not the healthiest dishes in the world, but I think they're better -- and almost as easy to prepare -- as processed food from a jar/can/box/freezer pack. The Bottom Line 4 Ingredients is a great cookbook for busy people who don't have time to plan, prepare and cook!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Book synopsis is provided by the publisher and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.