molko

I have a few by Nigel Slater, always found his books honest and down to earth

Chip

Check out the Hamlyn range of cookbooks.All recipes are relatively easy to cook using everyday ingredients.

Why not try experimenting in the kitchen as well. Instead of buying those fat, sugar and salt ridden ready meals just tnink about what goes into them then make it yourself. You'll find it better tasting, cheaper and much more healthier.

BBC food website is very good as well.

Chip

Bug Eyed Peas

Traditional-British-Cooking-Hilaire-Walden
I have a copy of this. Caters for all tastes, from soup to scones
Very good book, idiot proof recipes.
My particular fave is the tangy lemon cake

Anthony

P.S Also at least if you cook it yourself, you know whats gone into it. Not any of these nasty e numbers etc. And you`ll get satisfaction too. I personally love cooking, and I`m a bloke!!!!

STi-Frenchie

From your very own Photography Forum: https://www.scoobynet.com/photograph...rs-chille.html

Chilli con carne, curries and more

Daryl

Agree with molko, Nigel Slater - something like Real Food.

There's something 'not quite right' about him , but the recipes are simple and down to earth.

KiwiGTI

Have a look out for the publications from "Australian Womens Weekly", heaps of really good choices and simple receipes. Some of the best cooking books for the average person at home I have found.

Can't vouch for the shop because it was from google but this is a tiny amount of the range available.

Australian Women's Weekly Cookery Books from Cookware Online - Cookbooks - Cocktails - Recipes

ChrisB

Now we are heading into winter, get yourself a slow cooker. £20 to £30 depending on the size, then a book like this for under a tenner for some good recipes.

Prep the ingredients at night, warm up the cooker when you get up and pop on to cook as you leave for work in the morning. Come home up to 10 or 12 hours later, to a great smell and a meal waiting for you.

Also look at BBC Good Food magazine, almost every month they have a section of quick and easy meals. They often give away a freebie book which usually has some very tasty recipes in which take about 10 to 20 minutes to prep and then similar time to cook.

Brendan Hughes

BBC - Food - TV and radio Ready Steady Cook, and they have a big database of recipes on there. Wife uses them a lot for the reasons you describe. Tasty food in under 30 mins (ish).

Also I was given Delia Smith's "One is Fun" when living on my tod, which is simple but does operate on the principle that some recipes simply cannot be divided by four.

Gymbal

Food from the Garden (reader's digest). Out of print but can be bought second hand. How to grow then cook all the vegetables/ fruit . With a minimum 2-3 recipes for each type of plant. Still best all round growing/ cookbook I have read or bought.

Not sure if that is exactly waht you want but still a great cookbook.

David Lock

Bit spicey

Rude Food

unclebuck

Chris - any idea what kind of electricity consumption a Slow Cooker has? If it's on for 10 hours + per day it could be a really expensive way to cook if it uses a lot. Just curious as I like the idea as long it it won't cost a fortune to use. If it only consumes a few watts I would be tempted.

TopBanana

8 hours is about the same as a mobile phone charger uses in a week..
npower At home - Energy efficiency - Your energy guide - energy efficiency from npower.

unclebuck

That's a useful list, cheers.

Home computer 1½ hours use - 1 unit Cripes I didn't realise they used that much power.

TopBanana

There are problems with slow cookers though, you have to cook pulses before they go in and you often have to bring everything to the boil in a different pan. Pressure cookers are worth checking out

ChrisB

Although it's American, this suggests that running costs aren't much different from a cooker (longer cooking at lower temp vs quicker cook at higher temp).

The results are excellent though (IMHO). Coming home after a day at work and getting a good waft of tea being ready is lovely. Also, because you're cooking slowly, you don't have to buy the most expensive cuts of meat. Not to say you buy the cheap stuff from Tesco but cuts that would normally be a bit tough if cooked normally. The long, slow cooking means very tender meat. A word with your butcher or farm shop is a good place to start.

I'm flippin' hungry now

David Lock

The good Mrs L who has more cookbooks than you shake a rolling pin at suggests Delia Smith's "Complete Illustrated Cookery Course" ISBN 0-563-21454-6 BBC Books. dl

KiwiGTI

Get yourself a cook, plenty of them to choose from. Eastern Europeans or Filipinos, depending on whether you want ghoulash or fried rice.

She'll only need to be there a couple of hours a day £15 a day or so and you get a delicious cooked meal.

Graz

Got a couple of the Ainsley Harriot Meals in Minutes books. I've always found the recipes I've used from them to be pretty good

paulr

I can recommend them too. They may not have a celebrity endorsement but for basic,good advice and practical recipies they are excellent. I have about 6 and they come in categories like

Chicken recipies
Easy meals
Casseroles
Potatoe based recipies
Pasta meals in minutes

etc,etc.

They start with the basics and then move on. £5.99 each from WH Smith.

David Lock

Fosters with chicken
Fosters with beef
Fosters with lamb
Fosters with fish
Fosters with pork

etc

Apparition

Who needs books ?

Recipes4Us: Soup Recipes Vegetarian, Chicken, Seafood & More

Yve

ScoobyDoo555

tbh, I've made some of teh stuff in the Jamie Oliver books.... yes yes yes, I know everybody's feelings on him, but the food is actually really nice.

Dan

KiwiGTI

I think the main concern is eating food cooked by him - the dribble.

Squarepusher

If you like Italian then buy

'The Silver Spoon'

Superb book