Family Circle Cookboo

This generous volume, while making no forays into new territory, is a solid, expansive survey of standard American cookery, with small ventures into thoroughly assimilated dishes from other cuisines. Over 300 recipes traverse the conventional courses and, along with the 80-plus menus, are always mindful of the pressures of time. Strongly emphasized are strategies for planning ahead for every kind of occasion from easily prepared dinners for two, four, six or eight to elaborate parties and festive extravaganzas. Among the expected but useful extra features are microwave instructions, cooking time and temperature charts, lists of food equivalents and emergency substitutes. Photos. October