The Pillsbury Party Cookbook

This is certainly a sound idea--27 party plans for birthdays, holidays and other celebrations. The party themes themselves are dated but acceptable: Pitter-Patter Baby Shower, Dinosaur Birthday Party, Hearts and Flowers Wedding Reception. The recipes, however, depend on packaged foods too often for even a corporate-inspired volume. This flaw yields recipes lacking in imagination (``7th Inning Hot Dogs,'' aka wieners wrapped in crescent rolls) or appeal (``Peanut Butter Nog,'' made with peanut butter and instant vanilla pudding mix; ``Glittery Gift Cake,'' made with ready-to-spread frosting, vanilla chips and edible glitter). To Pillsbury's credit, recipes are accessible, and microwave instructions and nutrition information are included. A brand-name cookbook can stand on its own and not be just a corporate showpiece, but only if it offers a wide selection. That breadth isn't here, and the book might be better marketed as a premium or as part of a sold-in-supermarket series. (May)