1. 

   Traveler
   December 20th, 2009 - 15:58

   This seems like a good book to be used by a novice cook. The recipes appear to be easy and good. I think that it will get good use.
   Rating: 4 / 5
2. 

   S. Demopoulos
   December 20th, 2009 - 18:45

   Bought this for a brother going into college. Instructions look simple and easy to follow, and even has instructions on how to use certain appliances that a kid might not have paid much attention to up until this point. Works great with hotplates and microwaves.
   Rating: 4 / 5
3. 

   Jessica A. Sobkowiak
   December 20th, 2009 - 19:10

   easy recipes and ingredients and very detailed information for new cookers living on their own!
   Rating: 5 / 5
4. 

   YoMama
   December 20th, 2009 - 20:44

   While the recipes are fairly basic and the ingredient list not too exotic, I think the book is more suitable for graduate students than your basic college student, especially those living in dorms. Hotplates are not for making meals with more than two ingredients – like a ramen pack and water – and not many college kids are going to slice ‘n dice on their desks to prepare a stir fry in their dorm room. Even the kids who have moved out of the dorm and into off-campus housing are not overly adventurous in the kitchen. Yes, there are some who fancy themselves cooks and enjoy making muffins and quiche, but they are certainly the minority. Scrambled eggs, yes. Chicken curry, probably not. They get the complicated stuff at restaurants or relatives’ homes, or from a frozen dinner that they pop in the microwave. Popcorn, Ramen Noodles, a bagged salad mix here or there,and of course pizza (delivered), spaghetti with bottled sauce, cereal for dinner, to name a few, are the standard fare for this group.
   
   So, while the book is excellent for a second tier cook – for first tier cooks see the previous sentence – labeling it a college cookbook is off base and a little bit of wishful thinking by the moms who buy it for their college freshmen offspring. 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother
   Rating: 2 / 5
5. 

   C. L. Colburn
   December 20th, 2009 - 22:34

   With the hotplate and microwave on the cover, you might think that this is a book of recipes that are prepared using those two items. This is not the case. Yes, there is a hotplate chapter and a microwave chapter, but a large number of recipes in the other 11 chapters require an oven. And even the microwave and hotplate recipes tend to require counter space, extensive preparation, and a large number and variety of ingredients.

   If you really do live in a dorm where you will have very little room, and only a mini-fridge and microwave, I suggest either finding another book, or just making it up as you go.

   Or if, like me, you live in a tiny studio with no counter space and only a fridge, microwave, and hotplate, it offers a few more options, but not much. Most of the recipes require too much preparation. And, if you are concerned about energy use and safety, many of the recipes also have fairly long cooking times.

   Overall, I’d say this would be a good book aimed at the beginning cook. Perhaps for someone who just moved into their first real apartment with a full kitchen. This is not a good book for anyone with limited space and resources.
   Rating: 2 / 5

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