Clueless in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Teens

Christy Conte is a member of the Parents Advisory Committee at the
YMCA’s Parent and Child Enrichment Centre, and a journalist.

This is a wonderful, witty kitchen reference and recipe book for
absolute beginners. From the opening chapter (“Starting from
Scratch”) to the last (“The Back of the Book”), Raab gently guides
the novice through the mysteries of setting up a kitchen, appliance
troubleshooting, shopping, cooking, baking, and entertaining. Appliances
will self-destruct and bacteria will multiply, she warns, but don’t
worry: you’ll deal with it. Despite a virtually encyclopedic approach
to the art of feeding oneself, Raab treats the whole process as an
adventure, daunting but manageable.

After telling you what to buy, what not to waste your money on, where
to buy stuff cheap, and how to store it, Raab moves on to actual food
preparation. Without ever patronizing her readers, she covers a lot of
ground, from boiling an egg or making a basic vinaigrette to preparing
more sophisticated dishes such as Shrimp Scampi and Crиme Caramel.
Recipes are categorized in traditional chapters (Eggs, Meats, Desserts,
etc.) and then subclassified with accompanying icons such as Cheap,
Couch Potato Food, and Cooking to Impress.

Although the subtitle suggests a teen audience, this book has the power
to redeem Kraft Dinner diners of all ages. Highly recommended.