Product Description

Tana Ramsay, glamorous, down-to-earth wife of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and hands-on mother of four, has written a cookbook every family will swear by - but not in the traditional Gordon way. Widely renowned for being the bedrock of the Ramsay household, Tana shows time-pressed parents how easy it is to cook for the most demanding of families. Tana Ramsay is much admired for her strong family values and for her hands-on approach with her and celebrity chef Gordon's young family. Tana shows time-pressed parents how easy it is to cook healthy meals that all the family will enjoy - no matter what age or how demanding they may be. As well as over 100 recipes, this beautiful and practical cookbook includes hints and tips on: how to simply adapt dishes to suit different ages and tastes; how to encourage children to experiment with food; how to cut corners with a vast array of handy cooking and shopping hints.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #82981 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-04
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 261 pages

Review
'Hothead TV chef Gordon Ramsay may be the undisputed boss in his kitchen from hell, but at home it's the missus who's clearly in control.' Woman 'Take a seat, Jools [Oliver]. Because you've got nothing on the Ramsays.' Grazia 'If society is crumbling under the weight of gender wars, the Ramsay household seems solid as a service station rock cake.' Sunday Times 'After he whipped up such a controversy with his claim that women "can't cook to save their lives", Gordon Ramsay is to be forced to eat his words. The Michelin-starred chef's wife, Tana, 30, is about to sign a lucrative deal with HarperCollins ! "My book is about how you should not cook 'kids' food as such, but simpler, smaller portions of adult food." TELEGRAPH, 11/05 'Take a seat, Jools [Oliver]. Because you've got nothing on the Ramsays ! "Tana's stuff's taking off. She's doing a kids' recipe book. I'm staying well out of it, or I'll get a kick in the nuts."' GRAZIA, November 2005 'Tana's former job as a primary school teacher is very useful ! "The one inflexible food rule for the children is: 'Don't say no until you've tried it.'" THE OBSERVER, February 2004 'Eating at the table with the children three or four times a week is absolutely crucial' --THE AGE, July 2004

From the Author
Extracted from the Introduction: I must admit that I hardly cooked until I had children. Gordon was always working until at least midnight and I was working all day and stuyding for my teaching course in the evening - I quickly became a Montessori nursery teacher. I more or less lived on quick and easy food and really started cooking when we had children and our first, Megan, began solids. Suddenly I was responsible for everything that went into her tiny tummy. Gordon was working and it was up to me to cook for her. That was when I started to really care about what was in the fridge. I learnt how to cook as Megan's diet became more interesting than vegetable purees. The fact that she was a good eater and showed excitement in what she ate, as subsequently did the other three, meant I actually enjoyed experimenting, too. So that is how I started cooking - never seasoning or over complicating, just simple, family food. I belive home cooking never needs to be any more sophisticated than this. I've tried to keep the recipes in this book as real and as accessible as possible. I've included all of my favourites that I use to feed the family, which also means that they have been given the thumbs up by the children. Some of the recipes are more child-orientated - like fish fingers, for example - but most of them are for the whole family to enjoy.

Tana Ramsay

About the Author
Tana Ramsay, the glamorous, down-to-earth and extremely personable wife of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, is the bulwark of the Ramsay family and widely admired for her hands-on approach with their four young children Megan (8), twins Jack and Holly (6) and Matilda (4). As well as cooking for and looking after Gordon and their children, Tana is also the food editor of Grazia magazine and a former Montessori teacher.

Customer Reviews

`Tana Ramsay knows the challenge of cooking for a demanding family.'
This book's charming and sincere opening and closing dedications are indicative that this is not just another `trendy' cookbook from a celebrity wife, cashing in on a husband's talent or fame.

`For my mum and Dad.
I hope my children grow up with the same sense of love and comfort that you gave me.
Thank you.'

From a mother of four young children and with experience in the excellent `Montessori' method of teaching, comes this new book for `family cooking`, illustrated throughout with family shots.
Largely speaking the recipes are aimed at children, but `there are tips on how to adapt dishes to suit different ages and tastes and encourage children to experiment with food.........I've also tried to include tips on how to adapt some of the recipes to make them more adult. A splash of wine or a bit of extra seasoning is often all it takes.......'

261 high quality, matt pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Breakfast
Lunch Bites
Tea-Time Treats
Trying New Tastes
Cooking from the Cupboard
After-School Suppers
Cooking in Advance
Weekend Lunches
Puddings
Party Food

sandwiched between a 4-page introduction, handy information about `vitamins and minerals`, a guide to `essential' and `luxury' kitchen equipment and a concise index.

`The recipes are organised with most people's weekly routines in mind.'

An interesting introduction heads each chapter, and useful notes appear at the head of most of the recipes.

The book is interspersed with useful tips and variations, e.g.:-

Teatime Treats
`I think it would be terribly unrealistic to say that children should never have snacks - I love them and certainly, as a child, it was one of the comforts I needed..........not all the recipes in this section are the healthiest option, but in moderation and given as a snack at the right time they certainly will not hurt. They give the right kind of energy pick-up and help to wean children of crisps and sticky sweets.'

A clear ingredient's list and method accompanies every recipe, although there are not that many photos of the dishes themselves, which may be slightly negative for some readers who like to see what they are aiming for on a plate!

Old favourites such as:-
Poached Eggs on Wholemeal Toast
Homemade Jammy Dodgers
Classic Prawn Cocktail
Orange Sponge Fingers with Lemon Icing
Chilli Con Carne
Ratatouille
Fish Pie
Osso Bucco
Moussaka
Steak & Guinness Pie
Bolognaise
Stew & Dumplings
Trifle with Real Custard and Mandarins

mingle with the more unusual, e.g:-

Baked Pumpkin & Fish Pie Risotto
Danish Pastry Pizzas
Slow-Cooked Lamb with Apricots, Ginger & Cinnamon
Steak Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
New York Sandwich
Pasta Twist Salad
King Prawn & Monkfish Curry
Boy's Birthday Cake
Girls' Birthday Cake
Raspberry Meringue Bomb - `This is the easiest pudding I know and yet everybody assumes it must be very complicated and time consuming.'

Minestrone:-
This is a recipe Gordon wrote out for me after cooking it one evening for the children. It was so delicious that I often make it for tea on a Saturday night, especially in winter when the kids have been out cycling and come in freezing cold - they can have it in a mug and warm their hands on it while spooning out the chunky bits.'

Crispy Pancetta with Mushroom & Spring Onion:-
This is just a tasty salad............My children love pancetta but were always a little hesitant about mushrooms - mixing them with the pancetta has encouraged them to like mushrooms and taken away the classic snap decision, `I don't like it'. Sometimes it takes using things in unusual ways to break a habit.

Coleslaw Crunch:-
This is great served in a little 'Tupperware' tub to accompany a simple sandwich or muffin - and a good way to approach Brussel sprouts - Love them or hate them.

And, last but not least.... the book winds up with the recipe for the most unusual, and........ inedible item:-

`Play dough`!

`I know that this isn't edible - but I have learned from experience that being able to whip up a load of `play dough' on a rainy afternoon can be a real life-saver!'

The book ends with an acknowledgement to her husband:-
`To Gordon, thank you for not interfering.'

Tana is food editor of `Grazia' Magazine.

I'm an inspired "Mum-Cook" again!
I was totally stuck in a lunch and supper "downward spiral" for ideas, and I am totally inspired again. So it's a massive thank you to Tana Ramsay for putting together this book. My husband has been begging his Mum to write down all her recipes for years and make a book like this, so good on Tana Ramsay for actually doing it herself, and hopefully taking full advantage of having a famous husband to get it published and therefore available to all of us.

This is written "by a Mum for Mums", the food is tasty, doesn't take hours to prepare, and is good enough to eat with the children as a family. Although, when I proudly presented my first meal from the book (chicken with red lentils) my exhausted 3½ year old son put his head down and cried "I just want my normal supper" .... ermm that will be spaghetti bolognese again then! Needless to say it was absolutely delicious and he ate the lot with my daughter who is one of the fussiest little eaters on the planet. They have since continued to munch their way through most of the recipes I have tried out so far from the book - and they especially loved her pumkin risotto - you just put all the ingredients into your oven proof dish and put it in the oven for 20 minutes - no stirring required - how easy is that!?!

The snack ideas are great, as are the party ideas, but I personally like the make in advance and suitable for freezing recipes. She writes nicely and her tips and comments are useful, although be warned the style of book is very "Jamie Oliver"!

Tana Ramsay does however proove herself to be a complete and utter wonderwoman with her breakfasts ... I really do take my hat off to anyone who seriously has the time with school runs to create such wonders ... anyone else find themself supplying breakfast in the car on the way to school!?!

We are currently abroad on an international posting and I am still able to find most of her recipe ingredients, it just takes a bit more planning.

I would definitely recommend getting this book if you want to enjoy cooking for your family/children again.

Enjoy!

If you buy only one book this year make it this one !!!!
After seeing and trying a few receipes from the T.V I just had to have the book. I'm a busy mum and cooking time is low on my list normally stick it in the microwave and put it on a plate. This has changed our lives as a family, the children now eat healthy home cooked food. Most cook books Ive tried in the past end up in the back of the cupboard but this is so simple to use with ingrediants that can be found in the supermarket not in some far distant shop in Chelsea. Tana is refreshingly honest throughout the book with great tips. Most cook books you end up with somthing that barely resembles the picture with this you get exactly what it looks like. It is fantastic I can't rave about it enough. My sister in law has just bought it and is now making her way through it looking forward to the next receipe. My son has an eating disorder and even he will eat his meals now looking forward to somthing different on his plate.
Well done Tana for thinking about the busy mum's giving our kids somthing more than just Chicken nuggets, smiley faces and beans.
IF YOU ONLY BUY ONE BOOK THIS YEAR MAKE IT THIS ONE IT WILL CHANGE MEAL TIMES AS YOU KNOW IT. definatly recommend the ham and cheese muffins and the chilli cheese and prawn (to die for!!!!)