BOOK REVIEW

BISQUICK IMPOSSIBLY EASY PIES:
PIES THAT MAGICALLY BAKE THEIR OWN CRUST

by Betty Crocker

(Wiley Publishing - 2004)

There probably aren't too many American households that don't have a box of Betty Crocker's Bisquick baking mix on their pantry shelves.  Since its creation in the early 1930s it's been a hit with consumers and it's one of those special products that's withstood the test of time.

One of the most popular uses for Bisquick is as an ingredient in their Impossible Pies.  General Mills and Betty Crocker coined this term in 1978 when they came out with a crustless coconut pie recipe simply named Impossible Pie--a one dish pie creation  that "magically" formed it's own crust in the bottom of the dish.

Shortly thereafter, recipes began to appear for more sweet, and then savory, Impossible Pies, making dessert as easy as the entree.  Impossible Pies were popular because the recipes usually called for ingredients already on hand in most households, they were easy to make and practically foolproof.

Over the years, legions of faithful home cooks dutifully clipped Impossible Pie recipes from Bisquick boxes, magazine advertisements and from Bisquick newsletters and recipe cards.

With the publication of this cookbook, Bisquick Impossibly Easy Pies, Betty Crocker compiled all of the recipes into one handy, never-before-published volume and made it even easier to get out of the kitchen a bit quicker.

There are a total of 126 recipes, most of them published at one time or another in the past.  The recipes cover all the bases:  you'll find Impossibly Easy Pies made with beef, chicken, turkey, ham, sausage, bacon, fish and seafood, or even meatless if that's your inclination.

Impossiblly Easy Pies suitable for dessert are divided into two sections-- pies with fruit and pies without fruit.

It's strictly one recipe per page in this cookbook, a format that makes it easy to refer to when cooking as your eyes don't have to search around the page as you check the ingredients or directions.  The book is hardcover with a spiral binding inside that helps it easily lie flat so you won't lose your place.

Some of the recipes are illustrated with full color photographs and all of them have the nutritional information shown at the bottom of each page.  While Weight Watcher points aren't given, they're easily calculated with the information available with each recipe.

High altitude heights and cooking times are also included with each recipe.

The beginning of the book has a short history of the Impossible Pie (whose name was changed to Impossibly Easy Pie in 1997) and its introduction in 1978.

Basic questions are also answered: can you double the recipes? (yes), can you substitute Reduced Fat Bisquick for the Original Bisquick (no, but about half the recipes in the book include reduced-fat versions), can they be made ahead of time? (in some cases, yes, but with slightly different results), how to store? (in the refrigerator), how to reheat? (in the microwave).

Although many seasoned cooks include Impossibly Easy Pies in their menus, this cookbook is also perfect for people who are limited in their cooking skills, or who want to cook at home but not spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  College students, newlyweds, busy moms, working couples and seniors are just a few that come to mind.

Get your own copy of Bisquick Impossibly Easy Pies, and why not some for gifts too?

You'll  find more reviews of both new books and out-of-print books on the Brand Name Cooking website.