Good Food, Good Life: 130 Simple Recipes You'll Love to Make and Eat

by Curtis Stone

Popular food and television personality Curtis Stone brings ease to the kitchen by elevating everyday meals to an experience that can be enjoyed as much for the process as for the beautiful end result.

Curtis Stone shares 120 recipes for quick, modern versions of classic dishes that will appeal to the whole family. Effortlessly, he delivers solutions to people who want to eat healthy, interesting meals that don't take all day to cook. This book shows that fast recipes don't have to feel hurried or rushed, and encourages people to take pleasure in the process of cooking at home. Recipes include Butternut Squash with Sage Brown Butter, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Alabama BBQ Sauce and Asparagus, Potato-Zucchini Enchiladas with Habanero Salsa. Curtis Stone's natural style in the kitchen inspires readers to connect with the textures, sounds, smells, and tastes that make up the culinary journey.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2015

Reviews

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Stuff

Absolutely stunning looking cookbook (Even though I prefer less artsy more pictures of yummy food)
Easy to follow recipes with many ingredients that are easy to find in most local grocery stores
Most of the recipes don't have too many ingredients or too many steps - perfect for this mommy
Best Roast Chicken and Potato recipe ever and so bloody simple
The Rum Pound cake is so amazing I want to make it every day - seriously
Excellent index
Like all of the introductions
Ok, he's not too bad to look at either (They are one beautiful family too)
This will be a keeper - simple yummy food that will impress friends when they come over for dinner

The Not So Good Stuff

Why oh why do they always give recipes using sticks of butter as a measurement (Sorry Canadian and I buy the cheaper butter that is just a block)
My kids won't eat half the recipes - not the books fault, but damn why does his kid eat this stuff and mine won't

Favorite Recipes

Chicken with Ranchera Salsa
Maple-Glazed Planked Salmon
Spaghettini with Lemon and Ricotta (Remember to thin out the sauce - I forgot this step and it was a little too thick for my taste)
Simple Roast Chicken and Potatoes
Porcini-Braised Beef with Horseradish Mascarpone
Rum Pound Cake with Lime Glaze
Walnut Date Muffins
Chocolate Salted Caramel Kisses (A lot of steps but worth it)

4 Dewey's

I received this from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review (Damn I am going to need to exercise more after all the damn good food in these recipe books)

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review: http://nikkitheknack.blogspot.ca/2015...

Curtis Stone's passion for food is very clear in this book.

The recipes are pretty simple, yet delicious. I've made a few recipes so far, and I've loved all of them. I'm pleasantly surprised by how good these recipes are because in most cookbooks, I find that there are some good and some not-so good recipes, but all of the ones I've made so far have been great. I'm going to keep making things from this book for a long while, because there are so many tasty-sounding recipes!

*Penguin Random House Canada sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lecy Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Curtis’s take on food and his sixth cookbook is a winner. There are over 120 delicious recipes for everything from snacks to dinners, with lots of ideas for how to serve the dishes, and I was pleased to see a nice collection of plant-based meals featured in this book. The selection of recipes are unique, with complete and easy-to-follow instructions, and food photos that will make you drool. I loved the personal touches Stone adds to this book, filled with lots of stories about how these recipes came to be and pictures of his family. This really is a lovely book to add to your cookbook shelf.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very attractive book. It's standby recipes with a bright, Australian twist. I found the fish and desert chapters to be especially good; he includes cooking and prep times, but your prep times might be a little longer depending upon your skill. I'd say at least half of these meals could be weeknight staples, though not the first time you made them.

A lot of bright, light flavors - worth checking out to get some new ideas for your weeknight rotation.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with his other two cookbooks that I recently read, I enjoyed his format and comments. However, there were only a handful of recipes that I'd be inclined to try in this book. What's for Dinner is a much better fit for our culinary likes. I've had WfD about a week and tried two of the recipes so far. Both were great and easy to make.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully designed book. The photos are fantastic and I really enjoyed the little intro from Curtis before each section. I’m excited to try out several of the recipes!

Also, bacon popcorn?? Be still my arteries.

[Michael Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still using, I will scan looking for a meal and when something catches my eye I will try it.
My wife and I have had many evening very good meals.

Well worth adding to your kitchen library.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of unsettling large-scale photos of gorgeously staged tables with absolutely no food anywhere in sight. Also, photos of dishes with mismatched utensils/silverware for the dish/cooking method (forks with soup, soup spoons with cocktails) 🤣🦘😂 I tried a few recipes and will prob try more.

[LMTZ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much that interested me.

[Vulco1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curtis Stone is adorable and his recipes also very good. I saw his show while I was on vacation and was so impressed, I came home to find his cookbook. Most recipes are simple, quick and healthy.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found nothing in here that I would make. I forgot that I have looked at his books before. So I will have to keep it in mind that his style of cooking is just not for me.

[Julie Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I’m not alone when I say Curtis Stone can cook for me anytime. With his rugged good looks, broad Aussie accent, natural charm and mad kitchen skills, the accomplished chef, restaurateur and family man has got it all going on. So what a joy it is to receive a copy of his latest (and sixth!) cookbook, Good Food, Good Life: 130 Simple Recipes You’ll Love to Make and Eat. With easy-to-follow instructions and stunning photography, the book is a compelling celebration of food, family and the joy to be had when both are brought together.

Stone covers all the bases: light meals, dinners, sides, sweets, breakfasts, snacks and drinks. Each chapter opens with a family anecdote or two, told in an inviting, casual style that gives readers a glimpse into the chef’s childhood and life at home. Light meals are best enjoyed “barefoot and almost horizontal on the sofa”; sides prepared with help from family and friends so “when we sit down to our delicious little spread, everyone is proud of the food in front of us” and breakfasts with his favourite sous-chef, his three-year-old son, Hudson. “When he dips his little fingers in the muffin batter and says, with a nod of approval, ‘Yep, it’s good, Dada,” or asks me for the ‘honey honey’ to spread over a crumpet, there’s no better start to my day.”

Photographer Ray Kachatorian has done an outstanding job with the imagery, making the book as pleasurable to read as it is to cook from. The bright and airy treatment gives each dish a fresh and nutritious feel — even the most decadent desserts (Awesome Brownies, Cherry-Amaretto Lattice Pie) look good for you (if “good” is measured by the sheer pleasure from eating them).

Stone’s son features prominently throughout, cooking and tasting at his father’s side. We’re also treated to a few photos of his then-pregnant wife, Lindsay (loved her in Lipstick Jungle!). Below we see father and son making carrot cupcakes adapted from the recipe Stone used to make his wedding cake. “Lindsay’s favourite cake is carrot cake, so I baked her a big, beautiful one for our wedding … Not only did it make her swoon, but it tasted bloody delicious too.”

Awww, doesn’t that make you want to pick him up and stick him in your pocket? (You can, too! Download your own pocket Curtis to go! http://www.randomhousebooks.com/campa...)

I tried three recipes from the book: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole (p. 51), Spaghettini with Lemon and Ricotta (p. 104-105) and Ricotta Fritters with Quick Mixed Berry Jam (p. 164-165). I followed each one to the letter and was delighted not only with how well they turned out, but how easy they were to do. I took a little bit longer than the estimated prep time, but not overly so as sometimes happens with other supposedly simple recipes.

Thumbs up for the Spaghettini with Lemon and Riccotta. And the Ricotta Fritters! Easily one of my favourite recipes evs. I’ve made them a couple of times for my kids and their friends and they often ask me to make them again. (“They’re like giant Timbits,” says my son’s little buddy. Only maybe about 3,000 times better.) As luck with have it, it’s the one recipe in the book with permission to share. Make them and you’ll want your own copy of Good Food, Good Life. I know it.

(See my blog post for the Ricotta Fritter recipe, http://trysmallthings.com/2015/03/20/...)

[Matthew Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Curtis Stone; Good Food Good Life! It is a beautifully written book and it is very enjoyable to read.


The Spaghetti with Lemon and Ricotta was an interesting, vibrant and flavourful recipe, it was easy to make it took about 10 minutes (I used store bought ricotta; the recipe said you could make your own as well. The ingredients were mostly those already in an average kitchen, for the quick time this dish took to cook it was really favourable and delicious! This book is worth buying for this one recipe alone. It is a fresh twist on pasta and doesn’t have the heaviness of the tomato sauce. Almost everyone loves pasta and this is an interesting version for spaghetti without tomato sauce. My entire family loved this dish and was asking for more!





The Grilled Eggplant with Mint Vinaigrette; this recipe was amazing! The eggplant came out very light, fluffy and great (I think it is because the recipe told me to soak the eggplant), usually when I make eggplant it comes out not nearly as fluffy. The combination of mint and eggplant was something I had never heard of/ tried before and it was amazing! In today’s busy lifestyle, tasty fast-prepare recipes provide variety and choices.



The Risotto with Shrimp, Arugula and Lemon Cream, The recipe was fun to make, really easyand really quick. It was also delicious; it was amazing how quick this recipe was and how flavourful it was. The steps were fairly simple, it required in one of the steps to add the stock to the risotto and stir the risotto, it was all together really simple!



The Butternut Squash with Sage and Brown Butter was also delicious; it was a nice almost interchangeable option to sweet potato. I loved the flavours; it was really good. It was another easy to make dish with plenty of flavour.



This is a quick and easy cookbook! It is a great cookbook for people just starting out cooking and who don’t have a lot of training preparing food. It is an brilliant cookbook!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Good Food, Good Life" which I won through Goodreads First/Reads is a tantalizing cookbook full of recipes for healthy meals to entice the taste buds with their flavours, colour, textures and smell. Curtis Stone shares personal insights not only in the Introduction but at the first of each chapter that not only inspire the delicious recipes he shares but celebrates the love and joy of family.

The list of "Contents" is divided into Light Meals, Dinners, Sides, Sweets, scrumptious Breakfasts, Snacks and Desserts. I loved my family's smiles after eating the Maple Glazed Plank Salmon, licked my lips when I finished a bowl of the Navy Bean and Ham Soup, and thoroughly enjoyed the Fresh Mint Tea. Each recipe comes with a list of ingredients, easy-to-follow instructions and an anecdote about the food being prepared.

As I received an advanced copy of this cookbook I can't comment on the cover or the colour photography as food presentation was in black and white, but I'm impressed with the quality and taste of recipes that would tempt any palate.

[Adrienne B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads! I give it a 4 out of 5 stars because I felt some of the recipes had ingredients I have never heard of nor would likely be easily obtainable where I live. I thought it was a well thought through cookbook and that the majority of recipes would be easy to make and functional in everyday life. The personal stories Curtis Stone included in the book were relevant and I believe mealtime is a great way to bring a family together. This cookbook not only has the meal recipes, it includes quite a few extras from sauces and spice blends to pizza dough. There is nothing worse than having a great recipe that tells you to go to the grocery store and find some silly paste or dough when it could just as easily be made from pantry ingredients so I appreciated those recipes as well. Good Food, Good Life: 130 Simple Recipes You'll Love to Make and Eat is the perfect title for this book as it contains all sorts of recipes from breakfasts and snacks to dinners and desserts and I would highly recommend it as a great gift to anyone.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Curtis Stone's cookbook more than I thought I would. Sometimes I find cookbooks intimidating or they use items that I would never have nor know where to buy them. Curtis Stone makes you feel like a friend dropped by for dinner.

The entire feel throughout the book is laid back and casual. The stories he tells and the photos with his family make it something to read even if you weren't interest in the recipes. I particulary like the brief intro and suggestions that he gives at the start of each recipe.

I have only tried a few recipes to date but I really liked his "Simple Roast Chicken with Potatoes". I do find it a little difficult like others have said that he uses the 1/2 stick of butter measurement but I find that with all American cookbooks.

I was lucky enough to have received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Shilpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curtis Stone needs no introduction. The Australian chef, nicknamed “The Quiet Terminator” has one of the most recognizable faces on the food scene. And, why shouldn’t he. Look at him. But he’s more that just brains and brawn, he’s mastered the art of perfecting good wholesome simple food. After the success of his last book, What’s For Dinner, Curtis Stone returns with another cookbook, Good Food, Good Life. Why? Because he believes in just that: through tasty, well-cooked food prepared with fresh, quality, and seasonal produce you can have an incredible life.

Full review: http://www.sukasastyle.com/2015/03/cu...

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

These recipes ... are not simple. He had a recipe for a salad where he said it would take 20 minutes to make - it took me an hour. And he has you make a lot of your own sauces - which seems to be overkill. I read his interview in Parade and he kept talking about how kitchen = family, and how he loves cooking with his young son Hudson. So I thought this book may have tips on cooking with kids. It does not contain any such tips. I think I will only make a few recipes out of this thing. Also - I love grilling, and this book does not have enough grilling recipes :(

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. This whole book has such a nice and lovely vibe to it that it just makes you want to cook for your family and friends. The recipes look delicious and easy to make at home with many sharing similar ingredients. Recipes from dinner meals to snacks and drinks, there's really an array of choices to fit the mood. The carrot cake cupcakes are phenomenal, i can't stop eating them and can't wait to try more of the recipes.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beautifully photographed and styled cook-book but describing the recipes as "simple" is ridiculous. There were many recipes I was interested in trying however many of the ingredients could be hard to find if you don't reside in LA and these are not weeknight meals you want to get on the table quickly.
Recommended only for browsing the stunning food styling and for the author's heartwarming love for his family.

[Natashya KitchenPuppies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you want to play in the dirt, plant something and watch it grown. Select the freshest seasonal produce and make one or all of his inventive yet fairly simple recipes.

See my full review here - http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies....

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always liked Curtis Stone ever since I saw him on the Take Home Chef TV show. In this book he focuses more on recipes he uses for his own family. I liked how he emphasized growing your own vegetables and herbs to use in cooking. There were also lots of great pictures of Curtis and his family at home cooking. There are definitely a few recipes I'd like to try as well.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this cookbook in the goodreads giveaway and cannot wait to start cooking. The recipes are simple and easy to follow with common ingredients but still make high quality healthy meals that would work for every night meals or for dinner parties.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely photographs accompany the recipes in this cookbook. The recipes are well-written and should be simple to follow. When difficult to find ingredients are listed, there are often substitutes listed next to them which is helpful.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cookbooks that have stories. I have already tried a couple of Curtis Stone's recipes and I highly recommend this cookbook to any foodie! I hope he does a vegan/vegetarian one!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It seems to be an excellent cookbook for those with an interest in preparing good food with common ingredients. I look forward to trying the recipes.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truthfully nothing really grabbed me in this book. Pretty unusual to flick through a cookbook and not use any stickynotes, but whilst it was nicely styled, the recipes just seemed a bit meh.

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous pictures and fairly make-able food, but none of the recipes stood out to me.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit too fancy for me...