Rachael Ray - Just in Time Review

Cookbook Review of a Quick, Easy Meals Resource

Read our Rachael Ray - Just in Time cookbook review. See what we liked and what we didn't about this quick meals cookbook.

Rachael Ray has a LOT of cookbooks. I could probably make a whole website just about her cookbooks!

But most of them are organized around the same basic theme... fast easy meals, and this one is no different, though it does branch out a bit from 30-minute meals to also include even quicker 15-minute meals and then lengthier prep times up to an hour.

I'm a sucker for Rachael Ray cookbooks, so I used an Amazon gift card I got for my birthday last year to buy the Just in Time cookbook.

Cookbook Description

Rachael called this cookbook, Just in Time as a nod to the fact that it doesn't JUST include her signature 30-minute meals. She recognizes that with today's busy lifestyles, sometimes we need to get a meal on the table even quicker than in a half hour. Hence, some of the recipes in this cookbook can supposedly be made in only 15 minutes. I say "supposedly" because honestly, very few of her 30-minute meals have I been able to make that fast. But maybe I'm just a slow worker...

Then other recipes in this cookbook may take more like an hour (in Rachael Ray time) to cook up. She says those meals are for lazy-day Sundays (or any time you have more time to cook).

Rachael writes in the intro in her book that she has an endless supply of recipe ideas and I believe it. There are 242 brand new recipes in this cookbook! That's 77 15-minute recipes, 109 30-minute recipes and 56 60-minute recipes, assuming I counted right, about which I make no guarantees. At any rate, with more than 300 pages of recipes, it's a good buy for a cookbook you can get on Amazon for under $15 (last time I checked).

The recipes are pretty evenly split among sandwiches, soups, pasta, salads and meat and fish entrees, and a fair amount have some sort of ethnic influences, which always makes me happy. So I'd say there's something here for just about everyone.

Pros About Just in Time

If you've read my site, you know I love Rachael Ray's recipes. Heck, she's the one who taught me how to throw together meals in the first place! Generally, though, you can count on her cookbooks being creative and flavorful and the food is always hearty. Clearly, Rachael Ray not only enjoys cooking... she also loves to eat.

And this cookbook is no exception... there are some truly GENIUS recipes here. Do you like a good paella, but hate how long it takes to come together? Try one made with couscous... if you cut fast, you really CAN put this one on the table in 15 to 20 minutes. Or how about a Chicken Parm soup? Yummo... delish!

One thing I noticed about this cookbook... Rachael has made a greater effort to cook in a healthier manner. Lots of whole grain choices, and substitution suggestions. I really like that, as I've been working harder to cook healthier too.

Cons About COOKBOOK

Whenever you have someone like Rachael Ray that so many people (like me) love like crazy, you're also going to have a fair amount of people who want to hate on her too. So, if you look on Amazon.com, you'll see a fair amount of negative or less than enthusiastic reviews for this book. But 38 out of 47 reviewers did give her 4 or 5 out of 5 stars.

However, some of the criticisms were well-placed and I agree with them. First off, Rachael and/or her publishers continue to insist on printing her cookbooks with crazy-colored text that is hard to read. This book has turquoise text with orange headlines. Just weird.

Also, there are hardly any pictures of the recipes in this cookbook. You'll find only 8 photos in the very front of the book and that's it. I think most cooks enjoy seeing a picture of the dish they are making, as a visual aid. And pictures also make the recipes so much more appealing and easier to decide whether to make or not.

Some reviewers also complained that the recipes in the Just in Time cookbook are too spicy. I like heat and lots of flavor, though, so I didn't consider that to be a real con. Still, I'm reporting it here, as fair warning.

Other people felt the recipes were repetitive of past cookbooks. I don't really agree with that, though. Sure, she uses some tried and true categories, like Make Your Own Takeout (MYOTO) meals, "sammies" (sandwiches), "stoup" (hearty stew-like soups) and Fancy Fakeouts, but the recipes within those categories are different.

Rating: 8 stars (out of 10)

In Summary

I'm not sure this Rachael Ray Just in Time cookbook is her finest ever, but it IS a solid effort and a welcome addition to my cookbook library. If you're looking for a dinner recipe cookbook that offers a wide variety of meal ideas, I'd recommend you try it out.