cover image Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book

Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book

Rosemary Brown, Kenneth T. Brown. Andrews McMeel Publishing, $19.95 (448pp) ISBN 978-0-8362-6755-6

Brown, a professional organizer and space-planning consultant specializing in kitchens, knows most people are too tired to think about cooking after a busy day, much less prepare an eclectic meal in a kitchen that may be too small or cluttered. It's no secret that few enjoy the time they spend there, so to put the joy back in the kitchen (and to help home cooks recover the kitchen wisdom of their mothers and grandmothers), Brown shows how to organize space and explains which ingredients to stock in order to create an efficient home kitchen. She also provides an extensive directory of kitchen resources, charts, checklists and tips to make life in the kitchen easier. Most of her 600 recipes are for simple, quick meals and snacks, such as Hamburgers, Old-Fashioned Pot Roast and Chicken Salad, and simple desserts (Oatmeal Cookies and Ice Cream Pie, for example); she does include, however, more elaborate fare, such as Stuffed Pasta Shells and an assortment of souffles. While Brown offers no surprises, she supplies a wonderful guide for those starting out on their own and for harried home cooks who have to answer the question, ""What am I going to make for dinner tonight?"" (Dec.)