Who's Cooking Tonight?

Non-Fiction Finalist

Who's Cooking Tonight?
Claire Gourley & Glenda Gourley
Penguin Group (NZ)
ISBN 978-0-14320-542-5 pb RRP $36.00
Target age 12+

Who's Cooking Tonight? is all about making cooking fun. Claire will be there to help every step of the way, so join her in the kitchen and give cooking a go.

Claire Gourley is a seventeen year-old who hopes to inspire other young people to cook for their families with her recipes and cooking tips, on the website she has co-written with her mother Glenda. Claire has appeared on the popular TV2 after-school shows The Erin Simpson Show and Studio 2 as well as national radio programmes such as Newstalk ZB.

Glenda Gourley is a food writer and editor.  With a background in teaching Home Economics, she established a national nutrition education for the school food programme for the Heart Foundation. Glenda is passionate about teaching children cooking skills that will last them a lifetime, and has a website dedicated to doing just that. Glenda has written about 15 cookbooks and manuals, including Quick Food for the Heart and Family Food for the Heart for the National Heart Foundation.

George reviews Who's Cooking Tonight

Booksellers NZ teamed up with What Now? to give New Zealand kids the chance to review the New Zealand Post Children's Book Award finalists. George was our reviewer of Who's Cooking Tonight.

My name is George Gay, I am 11 years old. I play Softball, Rugby and I like Maths

I am reviewing the book: Who’s Cooking Tonight by Claire Gourley with her awesome tasting recipes.

“If you want to be a better cook than your Mum you really need to get this book”.

There are 34 recipes in this book that are easy to cook with tips for every recipe and if you need more help Claire has how to cook videos on her YouTube - from mashing potatoes to caramelising onions - and with all her cooking tips and nutritional information you will become a great cook like Claire (and me).

My favourite recipe is “Meat–Lovers Wedges with Bacon” it is sooo nice I cooked it again when we had friends over for tea along with “Meatloaf” and “Stuffed Potatoes”

The Taste Test:

• The Snack is a nice and tasty twist to wedges.
• Cottage Pie this was nicer than my Mum’s recipe and my little brother wanted to lick the pot.
• Spaghetti and Meatballs is so easy and tasty
• Chocolate Brownie my whole class and the teachers enjoyed ‘The Brownie’. This recipe is now on the wanted list.
• Chicken and Tomato Wedges is my Mums favourite (she is now a recipe stealer)
• Rapid Ratatouille with Lamb Chops will satisfy all hungry Dads topped off with Apple Crumble
• Butter Chicken with all the trimmings makes my tummy grumble just thinking about it.
• Chocolate Cake & Berries Claire needs to rename this cake!! I would choose Chocolate Volcano cake it is so huge, I baked it for a teacher’s farewell cake and 41 people devoured it....even the crumbs, lip smacking and finger licken good!  

Mmmmm Creamy Pumpkin Soup, Chilli Chicken, Omelette, Honey Roasted Veges & Beef Salad, Burritos.......so much to choose from.

Most of the recipes are cooked with one dish so washing dishes is quick and easy.

I am 11 so it did take a little longer for me to cook, but it was worth waiting for.

Claire can peel an apple skin 75cm long........my first attempt was 54cm then I smashed her record with a whopping 80cm (My Mum only got 72cm “shame”).

Ugly Truths
I cry when I cut Onions “Mum jokes asking if I am sad do I need a hug to feel better”

This book should come with a warning “beware Mum’s will try and pinch these recipes”

Happy Cooking!
George