The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook: America's Bestselling Step-by-Step Cookbook, with More Than 1,400 Recipes

by Good Housekeeping (Editor), Hearst Books (Manufactured by)

More than 650,000 copies later, this big, visually appetizing cookbook remains a home chef's favorite. More than 5,000 exciting photographs and 1,400 recipes cover every meal, from lunchtime sandwiches to lavish dinners. And, all the dishes--appetizers, soups, omelettes, pastas, meat and poultry entrees, breads, sauces, desserts--have been triple-tested by Good Housekeeping for infallibility, ease, good taste and value. Includes loads of techniques, time-saving tips, and complete menus for entertaining.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

The Good Housekeeping Institute was created to provide readers of Good Housekeeping magazine with expert consumer advice and delicious, classic and contemporary east-to-follow recipes. These ideals still hold true today. The institute team are all experienced cooks, home economists and consumer researchers. They test the lastest products in purpose-built, modern kitchens, where every recipe published in the magazine and its range of bestselling cookery books is rigorously tested so that you can cook any Good Housekeeping dish with confidence.

Reviews

[etherealfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a bad, bad girl. I "borrowed" this book from my little sister and never managed to give it back because just like my BH&G Cookbook (my mom-in-law legacy), my classic Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook (my mom legacy), this book is an essential for really good, really simple, home cooking. But all is forgiven, because my sister has lived with us for almost as long as the book and is part of a happily shared resource book for the whole family. The thing I love the most about this book (and why I wanted to keep it as a very basic cook at the time) is the detailed how to illustrations that go along with each recipe. Awesome for the beginner cook!

[Danae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the answer to life. Who needs to go online or try to keep their iPhone clean while cooking when you have this book. And it tells you everything you need to know about every vegetable, fruit, and kind of meat imaginable. Even ducklings. Although I'll never be able to convince my boyfriend to let me try cooking ducklings. But if I did, I would at least know how to do it.

[Rebecca Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooking is a skill which some naturally have and then there are those who need some help. This is where this cookbook comes in. Whether you are a beginner or an expert this book can help you learn how to cook many exotic and everyday recipes, or can it? This book is about classic, advanced, and even everyday recipes. It starts in the order of the meal such as appetizers, the meal, salads, breads, and desserts. Will it turn out the way it looks in the picture? Will the food taste as good as it looks? Does your local store even sell all the ingredients you will need? I recommend this book to everyone and anyone who either needs help learning how to cook, or somebody who just really enjoys cooking. This book taught me there are plenty of different types of food out there in the world. It also taught me how to cook and to prep for cooking. It teaches you a step by step process of how to cook and prepare food. It also helps show you different ways to present it.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite cookbooks. I love love love how every recipe in the book is categorized and pictured in the front of the book. I've found recipes in here that I thought I'd never find anyway. Excellent book.


And buy the way, I don't date any of these cookbooks in my collection as I never Finish a cookbook!

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is *so* twentieth-century Standard American Diet - a ton of meat/poultry/fish dishes, scant ideas for vegetables - so not unexpectedly there was little useful for my me personally, but for its purpose, I found it well-selected and well-illustrated. I'll likely keep it around on my reference shelf and for anthropological reasons.

[Nabhan Haque]

As a novice in the culinary arts, this book serves as a good introduction. It outlines basic skills, tools and knowledge for cooking different categories of food. The majority of the book consists of simple, American style dishes which steal a bit of European influence. Really helpful reference for those who are in a hurry. I would definitely supplement the knowledge with some internet research. Allrecipes or random food blogs which have become oh so popular with people who consider food/cooking hobbies as well as social capital. The one thing that sticks out about this book are the illustrations and diagrams - never seen anything like it. Really simple and easy to understand quickly. It gives introduction to the base form of foods, which after a while you can modify if you feel like it. Super cool book and helpful book. To part ways, as the French say - Bon Appétit!

[Kathy Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Pleasantly surprised. I bought this book while at the covered bridge this past weekend, and scanned it on our drive home - I saw this avocado dish - I had everything - I was curious. After inhaling that vinegar - I was like "uh oh, this will not be good" But....you let it simmer down and get thicker - you want it to go for 15 minutes and you don't want to lean over the pan and get that vinegar steam in your eyes.

I immediately poured the sauce in to a measuring cup, because I wanted it to cool down for instant serving.

For the chili sauce - I used a combo of sriracha sauce and chili paste to equal the amount specified and it worked - I only used 2 pieces of bacon and that was enough for us.

Jim and I truly enjoyed this new idea with avocados. We will have this again
Only takes 15 minutes with just a few ingredients

Today I made the Cream of Mushroom Soup on page 131. We are never going back to canned - I didn't make enough! The recipe will be doubled the next time. We are enjoying the recipes I'm creating from this book

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favourite cookbook!!!

[Elizabeth Macyshyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dated, (as another reviewer said, recipes are very 20th century, but I love it so much) The technical information is still very helpful.

[Christy Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top three go-to general cookbooks for everything. I grew up reading Good Housekeeping magazine and trust their expertise completely. This is the basic reference resource (perhaps alongside the Betty Crocker Cookbook and Better Homes New Cookbook that are my other go-to sources) that goes from beginner to advanced with clear directions and explanations throughout from beverages to main courses to meal composition and equipment. The picture guide alongside most of the directions is incredibly helpful for unfamiliar techniques and addenda from buffet setup to napkin folding to safe storage guidelines for foods in the refrigerator, cupboard or freezer cover safety. I appreciate the large illustrated photo section, use of herbs and spices. When I need a loaf of basic wheat bread or a great french onion soup, this is where I turn. Hollandaise and bernaise sauces or a souffle? This is my source. From potatoes anna to mushroom quiche, I depend on Good Housekeeping for the recipes I know will work.

[Jessica Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

My addition of this book was printed in 1980. The book itself is hefty and well put together. The weird thing about this cookbook is the Index. The Index is all in pictures and rather confusing. Points for being creative but there is a reason that didn't catch on.
I didn't really see many recipes that I would actually use today. On page 469 in Sodas and Shakes is a recipe called "Black Cow." It calls for 1/2 12-ounce can Root Beer, chilled and a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. This made me giggle. Was it not called a Root Beer Float in 1980?
I enjoyed the "Useful Information," section at the end it was informative.

[Lori Ruscigno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my family's go-to cookbook for everything. Want to know how to prepare and roast a whole chicken? It's there. Want a classic vanilla birthday cake? Yep, it's there too. This is the cookbook that is always given to everyone at some point in their life because it's a great starter for all cooks.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to follow menus with a picture of every finished recipe. This is a must buy for any cook just starting out.

[Bear Paw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked it up at rummage sale... great illustrations on how to...

[Chanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This my most used cookbook.

[Stormy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purchased this book when we lived in Berkeley. It was an addition to my basic kitchen library which went beyond Betty Crocker.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When people learn I cook, I'm often asked what is the one cookbook you'd recommend for the beginning cook - this is it. It has a wide spectrum of recipes covering everything from appetizers to desserts, the instructions are simple and clear, every single recipe I've tried from this book has turned out, and, most importantly for new cooks, every single recipe has a color picture of the final dish.

When I was just learning to cook, my problem with trying new recipes was that I had no idea what the proper completed dish was supposed to look like. This book solves that with the color spread in the front of the book (all properly cross-referenced to the page the full recipe appears on). It was absolutely invaluable as I built my cooking skills.

The recipes are not groundbreaking or cutting edge, but they are solid and tasty. The potato pancake recipe is still my favorite, and I have indeed made the cream puff ring with strawberries featured on the cover (and it came out just like that).

There are also reference sections on measurements, meat cuts, and help with selection and storage of each vegetable. It's my favorite basic cookbook, and one I turn to time and time again when I am looking for ideas. It also makes a great holiday gift for anyone who wants to expand their cooking repertoire!

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grandmother gave me this book the year I left home - 1980. I have used it many, many times to make yummy dinners, desserts and veggie dishes. And I have spent many more hours sitting down and scanning through the illustrated pages at the front of the book that show photos of every dish in the book. Seeing the photo gives me a good idea if I can make the dish, and how I will serve it. Each chapter and most recipes show prep techniques so you can see how to do some steps. Which is incredibly helpful. I would recommend this book to any novice cook or anyone who wants to try those tried-and-true recipes. Variety and great taste. Wonderful desserts!! I have to say that the binding is now loose, and once, I left it on the stove and the back cover is badly scorched! But, it still gets well used.

[Chaosru · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father ordered this book for me one Christmas. I learned to cook as a teen with this book and the Joy of Cooking. This one, however, offered handy pictures of the finished product and several tips that a teen needs, like how to set a table or plan a complete meal.

This book actually taught me how to make fine pastries, chocolate mousse and good rustic breads, with the ingredients I was likely to find in the average grocery store. My Thanksgiving stuffing and several recipes that I have been known for, like my beef stew or barbecue sauce also started with this book (lightly modified, of course).

[Jessi Waugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such an oldie but goodie that it deserves a read by every cook, from beginner to pro. The best part for beginners is the breakdown of basic skills at the beginning of each section, like how to hard boil perfect eggs, work with yeast in dough, cut fish filets without bones, roast turkey, and bake cookies that won't burn. These are nicely illustrated and followed by both common recipes, variations, and some unique twists. Unfortunately, I found many of the "unique" recipes to be horrifying, like cucumbers in sour cream and a fair smattering of molds and jellies (still going strong in the 80s). Overall, it's a good read and reference to keep.

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the over a couple of dozen cookbooks in our shelves, this general cookbook is the one we've used the most over the years--you can tell from how it's falling apart, battered and stained. Yes, it's pretty old--from before I was born, and Joy of Cooking, which we bought last year, has come to replace this as our go-to book--maybe more because we don't have to deal with pages falling out everywhere. But as a basic cookbook, this was hard to beat.

[Anne Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It taught me how to cook at 23 and just married (now age 55!) - I am no longer married but still have this wonderful book and the memories of it's exploration...

The book is held together with mailing tape and it's pages are covered with food stains on the many recipes that I made. The pictures were the best part for a young cook; just learning.

It makes me smile now - and remember - kind of like the memory of a "first love" (not the former husband-the book!). :-)

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was loaned to me by my best friend Jan (before she was my bff I should add), I never gave it back. It can teach you how to make ANYTHING. It's original purpose for me was to make a wedding cake (with my daughter and her friend Erin) for Jan's sister, complete with fondant icing and piping. Thanks Jan! -We did get you another one, didn't we? -

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our first copy of this book began to fall apart from use, so when I found this one in a thrift shop I snapped it up. This contains my favorite "scratch" pancake recipe as well as basic recipes and instructions for almost anything that you might want to make and a good basic muffin recipe with variations. Lots of basic recipes and intructions on many different dishes. A favorite.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I call this cookbook my Old Reliable. It's older than me and has never failed me once. (Well, once, but I'm pretty sure that was user error)

I'm also convinced this book is magic, because every time I flip through it, I find a recipe that I don't remember seeing before.

If someone came and tried to take away all my cookbooks, this is the one I'd fight for.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have an earlier edition of this book. I still remember when my mother started using it when I was in elementary school. It revolutionized dinner at my house. Also, the recipe for spahgetti with four cheeses is great for carbo-loading the night before a race.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a teenager (much older edition). It's a great introductory book to cooking. Mine is spattered and stained, and I still pull it out for references to items I don't cook very often (turnips).

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite all-around cookbook. This book has simple, easy to use recipes for everyday use. Many of my cookbooks have specialized recipes with strange ingredients that I will rarely use. This one helps me with the recipes I make more frequently, like pancakes, muffins, or meatloaf.

[Shelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best all-around cookbook. Got it as a shower present almost 30 years ago and it is still the first cookbook I reach for. Pictures of every recipe in the front of the book make it easy to flip through for ideas.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really like this cookbook. it has a color picture for every dish offered; my only quibble is that all the pictures are close to the beginning of the book, instead of on the page each recipe is on. but on the whole, a really nice book