If you're not familiar with The America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks, I highly recommend this one. The Test Kitchen is a real 2,500 square foot kitchen. They start out with blind taste testings from other cookbooks, then they develop their own approach and test and taste until they find the best version. Before they're finished they use the wrong equipment, ingredients, and any other substitute that may occur in your kitchen in case they need to warn their readers of any possible red flags.

My friend, Ami Foster, introduced this cookbook to me, and I have made numerous meals from it. So far, every recipe that I have tried has turned out great. My favorites are the Bourbon Apricot Pork (pg. 424), the Big and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (pg. 593), the Chicken Piccata (pg. 342), and the Pan Seared Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna Steaks with Avocado Orange Salsa (pg. 310). All of the vegetables that I have made have turned out great too. (This is also due to the fact that we get organic farm fresh veggies). Try out the butternut squash baked risotto...it's unbelievably yummy.

I love this cookbook because you can make things simple or more gourmet depending on your time and/or experience. Most recipes have variations to expand upon and tips to prepare and cook the food properly. If you are not a cook they break it down to the basics. For example there are inserts on: understanding different cuts of meat and why it matters, how to shape a dinner roll and how to simply prepare every vegetable imaginable. Plus, the pictures are great. Almost every recipe has a photo of either how to prepare the food or what it should look like when completed.

Happy Cooking!