This book is a combination of two earlier cookbooks: Le Cordon Bleu Quick Classics and Le Cordon Bleu Classic Light.

I love great food, and I like cooking, but I don't have the time (or desire) to spend too much time in the kitchen every day. This book offers the solution: easy recipes with run-of-the-mill ingredients, that taste absolutely great (so much better than takeout food and with not much more effort).

The book covers a lot of classics in easy and tasty recipes: Beef carpaccio, Chilli, Paella, Creole Jambalaya, Coq au Vin, and a personal favorite, Chicken Jalfrezi, just to name a few. Besides these, lots of recipes of less well-known, but equally tasty dishes!

Most of the recipes are accompanied by a picture of the dish on the opposite side, always a plus for any cookbook, and the index has entries for all ingredients.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves great food, but is not quite confident in the kitchen, or anyone who wants easy great recipes for everyday.

Le Cordon Bleu is the most famous culinary arts institute in the world, offering courses in schools around the world: it's also famous for classic French dishes which typically require in-depth cooking skills and lots of time. Cooks who want the flavor without the prep hours will thus welcome Le Cordon Bleu Quick & Easy: a set of recipes which minimize shopping and prep times while retaining the classic French-flair cuisine features. From Pan-Fried Scallops with Mango and Salsa to Thai Chicken with Peppers, both French and international flavors blend in delicate sauces and spices. Blend in lovely color photos and you have a real winner.

I have tried many of the recipes in this book and the results have been amazingly good despite my limitations as a cook.

Once or twice a month I like to serve something other than the "same ol' same ol'", but I don't want to work too hard to get good results.

So far, no leftovers at all!