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The Oprah Magazine Cookbook
Hyperion
ISBN 978-1-4013-2260-1
Published April 2008 - Hardcover - 304 pages - $29.95

"One hundred and seventy-five of the best recipes from O, The Oprah Magazine.  Featuring recipes from over 60 great chefs and contributors..." it says on the dust jacket.  Not known for her culinary skills (we can't do it all!), Oprah Winfrey opens the book with her introduction, Have a Seat at My Table.  Some of the contributors in this book include Colin Cowie, Art Smith, Govind Armstrong, Ina Garten, and Michel Nischan, and the contents include: Appetizers & Salads; Cocktails & Beverages; Soups & Sandwiches; Meat; Poultry; Fish & Seafood; Vegetable Side Dishes; Potatoes, Pasta, & Grains; Sauces, Dressings, & Condiments; Biscuits, Breads, & Muffins, and Desserts.  The book is full of a variety of recipes, as it should be with all the different people having had a hand in it.  I fancied these recipes: Sausage Rolls with Worcestershire Sauce (takes me home in an instant); Chickpea & Rosemary Soup; Grilled Redfish with Red Rice & Lemon Butter Sauce; Roasted Carrots, Pearl Onions, & Wild Mushrooms with Tarragon; Caramelized Onion & Bacon Tart, and Fig Galette.  A little "out there" recipes for me, were: Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Maple Pumpernickel Croutons; Pecan-Coated Fried Chicken, and Bittersweet Chocolate Basil Tart with Honey Grapefruit Sauce.  I can't stand so many ingredients in one dish - a complete clash of flavors.  I liked the Wine Pairings pages which are always helpful when planning dinner parties.
Illustrated.  No nutritional guides.
Conclusion - Not as inspirational as I'd hoped.  A little too "restauranty" for me.