I have three experience with CI. One is a "Fix it and forget it" cookbook my mom got me--basically casserole meals for the stovetop, oven, and slow cooker. Mostly fattening meat eater fare, so I don't use it much. The recipes I've tried have been OK, not out of this world and their version has never been my definitive one, despite what they claim. I guess mom got it for me so maybe I would make some of those dishes when the 'rents visit, it's really more their style of eating. I watch their show on PBS and enjoy it, but again, mostly meat stuff so not for me. I recently tracked down their blueberry scones recipe because I like fresh fruit in scones but don't like how they get all mushed up. The America's Test Kitchen show I watched on the scones had a folding technique for incorporating the berries. The recipe had all kinds of other fru fru stuff, like grating the frozen butter, freezing the dough for 5 minutes halfway through, etc. The scones turned out OK, kinda doughy, and not any better than any other recipe I have tried, except the folding part about the fruit. The third experience I had was having pumpkin cheesecake at a friend's house, and it was absolutely out of this world, by far the best I have ever had. I normally don't even like it!! She gave me a copy of the article she got the recipe from. Their fussy technique of pressing the pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove some of the liquid really did make a difference it that case. When they review brands, they only review a smattering of the options available. On the plus side, at least they try to be innovative and helpful, and the recipes are not over shadowed by personalities.

Daisy, Daisy, Daisy...get thee to an online subscription source! :) Amazon does have great deals, especially around holidays. Keep checking as they cycle specials frequently. I also like Best Deal magazines. Have linked below to the site; it's an online vendor. They run discounts on their discounts(!) constantly. Here is a link that might be useful: Cheap Magazine Subscriptions

One word of warning from someone who was burned twice by these companies who offer magazine subscriptions at deal prices. Only order one year. I paid for two subscriptions for two years, the companies I ordered them from paid the magazine for only one year. After fighting for months to get the two different companies to either pay the rest of the subscription or give me back my money, I've given up.

I took advantage and get about 8 different ones but I'm not renewing any of them. Even All YOu which started out with lots of cents off coupons has been a big disappointment. I take my address off them and take to the laundramat. I get a lot of offers from Amazon