I absolutely love this cook book - I have several in the series & this one is my favorite. It has tons of useful and practical recipes, as well as the usual handful of recipes that no one would ever make ;)This book has recipes for dips, salads and sides and includes recipes like:* fattoush* creamy dill cucumber salad* baked macaroni & cheese* pasta saladAs well as assorted cream cheese dips and salad dressings. This book is a just have for every kitchen! It doesn't have many pictures, and the pages are non glossy sturdy paper - but the recipes are so well written you don't need a picture, it's easy to produce a quality looking dish simply by following the instructions.I also think most cooks would (or should) have the ingredients available in the kitchen already & anything missing is commonly found at a normal grocery store.This was my second purchase of this cookbook - the first was for me and this was a gift, so I obviously like it. I mostly stick to the vegetable sides and they are very good, although a little oily at times. I love how they explain and illustrate all the different cooking terms that I didn't really know. Also the articles on WHY to prepare a vegetable a certain way are very helpful. My only desire to "improve" this would be to star the ones that are small prep time. It is difficult for a cook like me to be doing the excellent green beans (with maple pecans) that require standing and stirring while I am getting the rest of the meal ready.The recipes are generally very good, but they're also recycled a lot in their publications. Meaning if you pay for website access, this isn't a good deal. Or if you have other books from them, it also might not be a good deal. So - buyer beware on this one. That said, I've cooked plenty of tasty items from this book and they've become standby portions of my culinary repertoire. I'd probably just get a website subscription now, though.This is the rare cookbook that has the recipe that you are looking for and then goes the extra step and inspires further creativity. Honestly, I've only made four of the recipes. Those four, however, have been easy to follow and perfectly delicious. This is a well thought out text.Even though I won't necessarily go through all the steps the recipe testers use to get their final results, I really appreciate their efforts, and in many cases, they find out the one thing that makes the difference between a vegetable you'll eat and one you'll pass on. Thanks guys!Again, nice cookbook by America's Test kitchen. Lack of colored photographs does detract.The Best American Side Dishes cookbook is now one of my favorites. Included in the book are unique ways to prepare ordinaryside dishes which brings new life to the everyday or special occasion meal. A book well worth investing in to add to your cookbook collection.I like how they test proof and illustrate their recipes in well displayed photos. I love country food and old time recipes. AMT staff bring back the wholesome cooking and the taste of the past.