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The Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book has been around for a while, more than 75 years actually. My mother learned how to cook with this book, and I still remember its distinctive red plaid binder cover. Like the Joy of Cooking (older editions), it is considered a standard for those learning to cook. The publishers have recently released a new version of the Cook Book - New Cook Book - Limited Edition "Pink Plaid", pink for breast cancer awareness. A portion of the profits go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I recently purchased this book at our local grocery store and paid full price ($29), but you can get it at Amazon for $19. A great gift, Xmas or otherwise, for the new cook.

The Cook Book is filled with recipes (over 1,200) and photographs and includes additional health-friendly recipes containing superfoods that are known to be cancer fighting. Unlike the version I recall growing up, this one is designed for our modern, multi-ethnic cooking and eating tastes. It even has a chile identification guide, so one can tell the difference between an anaheim and a poblano. It is filled with tips and hints and has explanations of the various functions of cookware and cutlery.

The book is divided into tabbed sections, making it easy to quickly find recipes. The five-ring binder format makes it easy to lay out the recipe page flat, so you can reference it while cooking.

The recipes themselves are straightforward, using whole ingredients, the steps laid out in a 1-2-3 format, with plenty of explanations. An excellent, all-round cook book.