Product Description

The Ultimate Kitchen Companion
Every recipe triple-tested in Pillsbury's famous kitchens
Easy-to-use, lie-flat ring-binder format lets cooks customize their cookbooks
Nearly 1,000 recipes that celebrate the way Americans are eating today
More than 300 full-color photographs, including step-by-step photos illustrating various cooking techniques and ingredients
Common ingredients and easy-to-follow directions ensure excellent results
Cooking Basics section, featuring nutrition information, cooking charts, ingredient information, emergency substitutions storage hints, menu planning and suggestions, up-to-date food safety information and the most complete glossary in a ring-bound cookbook
Low in Fat and 20 Minutes or Less recipes are listed on chapter dividers for easy reference
Cook's Notes, ingredient and cooking charts and clearly illustrated step-by-step technique instructions included throughout
High altitude directions provided

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #129276 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-18
• Released on: 2000-04-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 544 pages

Amazon.com Review
How many times have you found yourself searching through five different cookbooks for a few simple things--those terrific stuffed mushrooms, Mom's mashed potatoes, something new to do with asparagus, and which cut of pork to use for the best chops? Pillsbury's Complete Cookbook may be the answer to all your rummaging. Capturing down-home cooking at its finest, the chefs at Pillsbury have not only compiled a list of America's favorite recipes, they've created a handy reference guide to boot. The table of contents runs the gamut of American cuisine, featuring traditional fare such as Pot Roast and Gravy and Grown-up Macaroni and Cheese, as well as recipes with a modern twist like Tofu Piccata and Grilled Walleye with Pecan Butter. With menu ideas, step-by-step instructional photographs, nutritional information, dietary exchange recommendations, cook's notes, and buying guides, the Complete Cookbook proves true to its name. And, the five-ring-binder format stays open while you're cooking and allows you to include your celebrated family secrets throughout. --Melissa Asher

From the Inside Flap
The Ultimate Kitchen Companion
Every recipe triple-tested in Pillsbury's famous kitchens
Easy-to-use, lie-flat ring-binder format lets cooks customize their cookbooks
Nearly 1,000 recipes that celebrate the way Americans are eating today
More than 300 full-color photographs, including step-by-step photos illustrating various cooking techniques and ingredients
Common ingredients and easy-to-follow directions ensure excellent results
Cooking Basics section, featuring nutrition information, cooking charts, ingredient information, emergency substitutions storage hints, menu planning and suggestions, up-to-date food safety information and the most complete glossary in a ring-bound cookbook
Low in Fat and 20 Minutes or Less recipes are listed on chapter dividers for easy reference
Cook's Notes, ingredient and cooking charts and clearly illustrated step-by-step technique instructions included throughout
High altitude directions provided

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Giant Confetti Oatmeal Cookies
Prep time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen large cookies

34 cup sugar
34 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 23 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 cup raisins

1. Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well.
2. Add flower, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate pieces and raisins; mix well. Drop dough by 14 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake at 325°F. for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes, remove from cookie sheets.

High Altitude (above 3500 feet): Increase flour to 2 cups. Bake as directed above.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Serving Size: 1 large Cookie * Calories 290 * Calories from Fat: 110 * % Daily Value: Total Fat: 12 g. 18% * Saturated Fat: 4 g 20% * Cholesterol: 20 mg 7% * Sodium: 210 mg 9% * Total Carbohydrate: 41 g 14% * Dietary Fiber: 2 g 8% * Sugars: 28 g * Protein: 4 g * Vitamin A: 8% * Vitamin C: 0% * Calcium: 4% * Iron: 6% * Dietary Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 12 Fruit, 2 12 Fat or 2 12 Carbohydrate, 2 12 Fat.


-- Cook's Note --
A bit about shortenings
Shortenings (solid vegetable shortening, butter and margarine) give cookies tenderness and moistness. Butter offers more flavor and usually gives a crisper cookie, but the cookie and bar recipes in this chapter will yield excellent results when made with regular butter or regular margarine.
For best results, do not use whipped margarines or butters and low-fat spreads Their behavior in baking is unpredictable because they contain a higher proportion of water and air to make them more spreadable.

Vegetable oil does not allow the dough to incorporate air during beating. Do not use it as a substitution when cookie recipes call for shortening.



Mexican-Style Chicken Wraps
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 6 Servings

1 tablespoon oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin bite-sized strips
1 (15.25-oz) can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 cup chunky-style salsa
6 (8 to 10-inch) flour tortillas
3 oz. (35 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink.
2. Stir in corn and salsa. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
3. Meanwhile, warm tortillas as directed on package. Spoon chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; sprinkle each with cheese. Roll up. Serve with sour cream and, if desired, additional salsa.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Serving size: 16 of Recipe * Calories: 410 * Calories from Fat: 140 * % Daily Value: Total Fat: 16 g 25% * Saturated Fat: 7 g 35% * Cholesterol: 60 mg 20% * Sodium: 800 mg 33% * Total Carbohydrate: 43 g 14% * Dietary Fiber: 3 g 12% * Sugars: 4 g * Protein: 23 g * Vitamin A: 10% * Vitamin C: 4% * Calcium: 20% * Iron 15% * Dietary Exchanges: 3 Starch, 2 Very Lean Meat, 2 12 Fat OR 3 Carbohydrates, 2 Very Lean Meat, 2 12 Fat.

--Cook's Note--
Nonstick Tricks
With a non-stick skillet and nonstick cooking spray, you can get the appealing color and flavor of pan-fried chicken without all the oil. For best results, spay the skillet before heating.

Nonstick cooking spray is real cooking oil, mixed with small amounts of propellants in an aerosol can. The spray disperses oil in a far thinner layer than would be possible with regular oil or butter. A one second spray contains about .6 grams of fat. You can make your own nonstick cooking spray at home with a refillable canister sold at kitchen and household stores.

An inexpensive nonstick pan can give years of service if it is carefully maintained.

*Use only plastic or wooden utensils -- not metal, which can mar the finish.
*Wash gently with hot soapy water and a sponge or plastic scrubber
*Do not store other pans or dishes directly on the nonstick surface. If you must stack pans, protect the nonstick surface with a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Customer Reviews

If I could have only one cookbook, this would be the one!
I eagerly awaited the release of this cookbook because I have the yellow ring-bound Pillsbury Cookbook that was published back in 1979. The yellow Pillsbury cookbook has been my all-time favorite cookbook of all time. I've made MANY recipes from there over the years.

Pillsbury makes incredible cookbooks (as well as those monthly cookbook magazines you can get by mail or at the grocery store check-out!) and this new one is no exception.

It has all the basics that a beginning cook needs to know - how long to cook a beef roast, emergency substitutions, a chapter on freezing and canning, a cooking glossary, a guide to utensils, and much more!

I love the ring-bound format because the book lays flat (I'd recommend a page-protector or some plastic over the recipe as you're working though, to prevent spills on your new cookbook! ).

This cookbook's recipes are for just plain good cooking! Not a lot of exotic ingredients are included, but you will find some of the more recent additions into cookbooks such as a chapter on Vegetarian Cooking.

The cookbook is divided into 12 sections, each separated by a very lightweight cardboard stock with a tab of the same paper extending past the edges of the recipe pages, indicating the topic of that section. The reason I mention this is that I really feel that Pillsbury could've spent a little more on this cookbook and made the dividers from a stiffer cardboard and made the divider tabs especially in such a way where they would stand up to heavy use (since this cookbook is one you might use constantly!).

Perhaps I'm spoiled by having the other one, but in the 1979 model, the dividing pages have much stiffer cardboard and I just recently lost the first tab from that cookbook - after 21 years!!

The 1979 yellow edition was ahead of it's time by providing full nutrition facts, including fat grams! My other criticism of the new book is that the Nutrition Information is printed in such teeny-tiny print that it's quite hard to read! The Nutrition info text in the old cookbook is quite a bit larger!

Perhaps Pillsbury was saving space by using a small font, but personally I'd rather pay a few extra dollars and get a cookbook which will stand stand the test of time in both readability and durability.

Please note that these are the ONLY criticisms I have of this fine cookbook! It is a wonderful basic cookbook to have on hand! And it would make an excellent gift for any cook, from the newly married and just starting out, to the experienced cook.

Best Pillsbury Cookbook
This cookbook is filled with recipes, pictures, and helpful advice for a person to follow directions while cooking/baking. It's easy to read and allows you to choose from a variety of choices.

Also, the good hints a person needs while baking is exceptionally worthwhile. I would recommend this book to a beginner, as well as someone who's baked for a number of years.

Pillsbury Scores BIG With This One!!
This is one of those cookbooks that rates a 'Must Have' tag. It is comprehensive, extremely well indexed, and will meet the needs of the most or least experienced cook. The recipes are easy to follow and the ingredient list is readily available, if not already on the shelf or in the pantry.
I needed a quick recipe to take to a meeting where I was one of those responsible for refreshments. I chose the Fresh Apple Coffee Cake. You have to prepare the Refrigerated Coffee Cake Dough beforehand for this recipe. Well, it turned out beautifully. The dough rose as specified and the texture was moist and cake-like. Suffice it to say, there was nothing left in the pan. I have also made several of the soups, including Cheddar Cheese and Vegetable Beef with Barley. These recipes are 'keepers' and will work well as a lunch serving for those of you who, like me, don't like to take sandwiches to work.
In addition to the recipes, the book contains nutritional information and dietary exchanges. There are many illustrations although you won't find a picture of every recipe. Of particular help are the many 'Cook's Notes', replete with suggestions and techniques, that appear throughout the book.
I think you will use this book repeatedly. It makes a great addition to your library and would be well received as a gift.