Emeril's There's a Chef in My Family!
Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking
By Emeril Lagasse (Author), Charles Yuen (Illustrator)

     Bam! It's a cookbook for the whole family, and who better than Chef Emeril Lagasse to put it together? Lagasse is approachable and expressive. Have you ever seen his toothpaste commercial? He looks like a guy who enjoys a good laugh. His cookbook is fun and imaginative. Illustrator Charles Yuen must be applauded for the colorful drawings combined with the pictures. They bring out the smiles, too.

     His humor goes into the recipe titles as well: Waffable Waffles, Never-Enough Dinner Rolls, Talk About a Taco Salad, Totally Sloppy Joes, Blow-You-Away Bagel Chips, Rainy-Day BBQ Chicken, Best Baked Tomatoes, Just-Chillin' Chocolate Fridge Pie, My First Watermelon Granita.

     Before the recipes start Lagasse warns parents that the recipes are "a bit more complex and kids may need more help with some of them." And reminds them that cooking teaches kids about food and reinforces math, reading, team work and more. It's definitely a scrumptious way to bring the family together because you can pig out when you're done!

     Next Emeril goes through the safety of a kitchen. He lists the things that can be found in a kitchen. And explains such things as washing veggies, coring apples, trimming meat, zesting, how to know when enough is enough, mixing, beating, basting, blanching, dried vs. fresh herbs and much, much more.

     This is one of the better cookbooks I've come across. Readers get a large book with kids’ favorite recipes as well as recipes for grown-ups. All you have to do is give your breakfast, lunch or dinner menu a little "Emeril mix" and everyone leaves the table happy. Highly recommended. Librarians, it wouldn’t hurt to see this one in the children’s section of the library for those who can’t afford to buy it.