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(More customer reviews)Perhaps Rachael Ray is becoming a bit overexposed as she now has many cookbooks flooding the market, a televison show and a magazine. While I applaud her moxy and industrious nature, I am beginning to think that she is spread too thin. This latest offering, "2,4,6,8 - Great Meals For Couples or Crowds" is not up to par with some of her earlier offerings. The idea is great - menus sized for the number of guests that you are planning on cooking for - and all of this is supposed to be accomplished in 30 minutes as well.
For starters, the recipe lists are long - so that tells me right away that only an accomplished cook will be able to achieve these menus in under 30 minutes. A newbie in the kitchen will struggle to put these dinners on the table in under an hour. Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic - personally, I like that as I cook like that all the time. But again, for a newbie or perhaps a mom with fussy eaters, this could be a problem. The other issue is the portion sizes. I made the "Crab Cakes With A Creamy Grainy Mustard Sauce" with the "Wilted Spinach With Tomatoes" (page 69 listed as Appetizer-as-entrée). This was supposed to be a menu for two - but the crab cakes amounted to a half pound per person. This was WAY too much for myself and my husband! (I ended up taking half of this mixture and transforming it into a crab bisque the next day - it was wonderful!) If I ate like the portions suggested, I would be as big as a house! 1/2 pound meat portions seem to be the standard here. That was very disappointing to me, but I shouldn't be surprised, Ray always states that she is not skimpy on portions.
The menus are clever enough and most will be satisfied with the offerings here. There is plenty of variety: Indian food, Italian, Tex-Mex, Moroccan and more. You will certainly get ideas for your family or guests. I think the book is good overall, but not my favorite. I think her "Express Lane Meals" and "Classic Rachael Ray" are far better offerings.
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Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or CrowdsIf you're like Rachael Ray, mealtime is a time to hang out and reconnect with family and friends. That means you could be making a late dinner for you and your sweetie one night and making brunch for your entire family the next day. No matter how many people join the party, Rachael firmly believes that cooking should be fun, easy–and done in 30 minutes or less.Transforming recipes for four into recipes for two or eight can be a tricky guessing game. If you use twice the amount of chicken will you have to cook it twice as long? Is it possible to make a satisfying pot of soup for two without having to eat leftovers for a week? What's the best–and most economical–way to feed a crowd of eight?With Rachael Ray: 2, 4, 6, 8there's no need to guess, because Rachael has designed right-sized menus for every occasion, with perfect meals for two, four, six, or eight. For date night you don't want tons of food, so Rachael's Croque Madame sandwich with a Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette salad and a killer vodka cocktail strike just the right note.For family dinners, double dates, or those who love leftovers, Rachael whips up classic meals for four like Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza or Grilled Shrimp with Chorizo Skewers. For poker night with your buddies, Rachael knows exactly which ingredients stretch into a 30-minute meal for six, like Uptown Sweet and Spicy Sausage Hoagies. Throwing adinner party is a pleasure when you're armed with stress-free meals for eight like Italian Chicken Pot Pie and Boozy Berries and Biscuits. With complete menus for family dinners as well as easy and impressive meals for entertaining plus lots of super simple desserts that taste like a million, no matter what the occasion, the perfect meal for your crowd is never more 30 minutes away.
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