Spicy. Sweet. Tasty. Tart. No . . . we’re not talking about the lovely ladies of Wisteria Lane, but their cooking. Bree, Susan, Lynette, and Gabrielle may not be traditional housewives, but they do have their special talents in the kitchen. In The Desperate Housewives Cookbook, they share those recipes . . . and so much more!

Tune in to ABC’s monster hit Desperate Housewives on any given Sunday night, and you’ll salivate over everything from Bree’s über-gourmet repasts to Susan’s what’s-a-spatula simple suppers. They may have wildly different personalities and story lines, but if there’s one thing the four heroines have in common, it’s food. In The Desperate Housewives Cookbook, the show’s millions of fans will find recipes for all the foods made famous by the show, as well as many others inspired by each housewife. For example:

-Bree’s elegant, impressive dinners feature dishes like Basil Purée Soup, Braised Duck, and Chicken Cutlets Saltimbocca.

-Lynette’s time-challenged lifestyle leads to quick, healthy, everyday fare like French Toast for Breakfast (or Dinner) with Blueberry Syrup; Warm Turkey, Muenster, and Coleslaw Wraps; and Potato Casserole.

-Susan’s lack of kitchen skills means that her dishes are of the couldn’t-be-simpler (but still mouthwatering) variety, like a Salad of Roasted Peppers, Fresh Mozzarella, and Arugula; Foolproof Macaroni and Cheese; Chocolate Butterscotch Bars; and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

-Gabrielle enjoys the finest things in life -- and food is no exception. Her meals are gourmet, and most definitely prepared by a personal chef. Her faves include Shrimp with Chorizo and Red Pepper, Guacamole with Warm Chips, and Pineapple-Peach Smoothies.

-Edie uses food for seduction as much as for sustenance. Her sensual favorites include Oysters Poached in Champagne and Cream, Sausage Puttanesca, and Ambrosia.

Tons of recipes including main dishes, sides, desserts and more, fun picture inserts from the show and other funny little things about each wife. The recipes are great although not too many for beginners. Great cookbook even if you don't watch the show.

I bought 3 books as give aways in my Curves Clubs. The ladies love the books and we have Desperate Housewives tasting days. It is easy to use and has many different tastes and styles from which to choose.

I received a copy of this cookbook for Christmas (Thank you, Santa.) The book was all that I was expecting it to be and then some. Cookbook fans and Desperate Housewives fans alike will enjoy this book, and if you are both, even better! It is an honest-to-goodness cookbook, with a twist. It's also like a Desperate Housewives "scrapbook", with photos, snippets from the show and some cooking history for each of the "Housewives."

Obviously, the five "Housewives" of Wisteria Lane did not write these recipes, although they are presented as though they did. Christopher Styler is the creator of these wonderful recipes, capturing the style of each "Housewife". From Bree's perfectly fancy treats to Susan's fool-proof, simple dishes, there are a variety of cooking styles presented and a number of dishes available for each style. The photos of the dishes are great and reflect the appropriate housewife style even in presentation. (Check out photos of Lynette's dishes and you'll see a pacifier and plastic dinosaurs in the background.)

I like the fact that the cookbook is arranged in six different "Housewife" sections, one section for each of the five principal "Housewives" of the show and one section for the "neighbors" of Wisteria Lane. As a result, this cookbook is effectively grouped by style, rather than by course or food category. You want something fancy and intricate? Go to Bree's section. You want basic family fare? Check out Lynnette's. You're looking for a seductive, romantic meal? Go straight to Edie's section. (By the way, if you do want to see a list of all the salads in the cookbook, just go to the index in the back and look under Salad.)

Included in the collection are also recipes for dishes that have been either featured or implicated on the show, such as Susan's famous Macaroni and Cheese, Bree's muffins, Felicia's Macaroons and even Mrs. Huber's Smoothie (remember the blender?).

I do have to tell you that the first time I used the cookbook; I decided to do a three-course DH meal, with each course from a different section. I used Bree's Boston Lettuce & Chili-Toasted Walnut Salad (everyone loved the walnuts!), Susan's Shopping Bag Chicken (which I doubled) and Felicia's Wisteria Lane Icebox Napoleon dessert (with which I took a "Lynnette shortcut" and used a pudding mix). My family and guests loved it all!

The highlight was when I was cooking Susan's Shopping Bag Chicken. As I went to stir the chicken and veggies in the roasting pan after the first 15 minutes, my roasting pan (which is still very new) started to slide off the oven rack as I pulled out the rack. The whole thing started coming at me...and it was hot! I quickly said a couple of unprintable things, dropped my spoon, grabbed the other hot pad and managed to stop the roasting pan before it hit the floor. I pushed the pan back onto the rack, picked up two pieces of chicken off the floor, rinsed them, tossed them into the pan and with as much dignity as I could muster, closed the oven door. I then turned to my startled guests and said "Well, that wasn't in the recipe." And then without missing a beat, "but then, it WAS Susan's recipe!"

While I can't "guarantee" the same exciting results I had, I can say the food was great and I would love to make it again (with less drama, I hope). Whether you actually make any of the dishes from this cookbook or not, you'll enjoy looking at it.

I bought this for the pictures of the stars of Desparate Housewives. But it has some awfully good recipes in it. I recommend this cookbook.

Fantastic!!! This is one of the most useful cookbooks I own, and believe me I have several! I used it the day I recieved it in the mail to make a dish for a party and it was a hit. I am a huge fan of the show, and now the cooks!