Paula Deen's Cookbook for the Lunch-Box Set - Softcover

Paula Deen is the bestselling author of thirteen books and an Emmy Award–winning Food Network television star. She was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she started The Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. She also co-owns Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House with her brother. Paula publishes a bimonthly magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen, and is a regular guest on QVC, where she sells her books and food products.

Martha Nesbit is a cookbook writer and food columnist for Savannah Magazine. She has been featured on HGTV's "Thanksgiving Across America" special and on Food Network's Food Nation with Bobby Flay. She lives on the beautiful Isle of Hope in Savannah, Georgia, with her husband, Gary, her sons Zack and Emory, and her dachshund, Lucy.

Susan Mitchell is originally from Scotland, where she studied drawing and painting at the Edinburgh College of Art. In 1993, she moved to Montreal, where now lives with her husband and son while working as a freelance commercial illustrator. (Susan has designedmore Christmas cards than Santa has whiskers.) She also illustrated Paula Deen's My First Cookbook.

Grade 3–6—This colorful and slick offering is divided into nine chapters, most focusing on dishes for specific events like bake sales, family picnics, and sleepovers. Brief general cooking tips are also included, along with advice on manners relating to various foods (as Deen notes in a foreword, "In the South, manners have always been important...."). This old-fashioned tone prevails, and Deen's many fans will eat it up. Recipes range from easy (German Chocolate Pies involve no more than assembling ingredients in a prepared pie shell) to difficult (Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing involves carefully rolling a thin baked cake). Many of the savory dishes are hearty and rich, like the Bacon-Cheddar Meatloaf. This book excels at having wonderfully complete safety precautions. Each recipe is accompanied by a pictured list of ingredients and utensils needed, but nutritional information is not provided. The illustrations show a multicultural cast of characters, yet Deen suggests wearing Santa hats for a "holiday bake sale," with nary a mention of Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. So while this won't be for everyone, it will go over well in many communities, especially where the author's TV show is popular.—Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
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