This is the iconic "Big Red" Betty Crocker cookbook that defined American home cooking for generations.
First published in 1969 and updated in this 1978 edition, it contains over 1,500 recipes and 299 full-color food photographs.
Plus the microwave section that perfectly captures the era's optimistic take on modern kitchen technology. It's equal parts working reference and nostalgic snapshot of mid-century American food culture.
Quick Specs
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Genre: Cookbook / Home Economics
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Author: General Mills / Golden Press
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Publisher: Golden Press / Western Publishing Company, Inc.
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Year: 1978 (originally 1969)
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Edition: New and Revised Edition
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Format: Hardcover
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Pages: 400
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Dimensions: 11 × 8 × 1 inch
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Cover: Vibrant orange-red cloth boards with white lettering and full-color food photography grid
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Special Features: 1,500+ recipes, 299 full-color photographs, microwave cooking section, meats, salads, desserts, breads, appetizers, kitchen helps, meal planning, shopping tips
Condition Grade: Good
Notes:
Cover retains vibrant orange-red color with minor shelf wear at corners and spine ends. Minor creasing visible. Interior pages show light yellowing consistent with age, especially at top edges—a natural characteristic of 1970s book stock. Scattered light stains noted on page edges (see photos). Interior pages are generally clean with no writing, underlining, or major staining in the recipe sections. Binding is intact and solid. No missing pages. A well-loved kitchen companion showing honest, natural age wear.
See all photos for detail — sold as pictured.
Condition Grade Key:
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Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
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Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
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Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
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Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable and collectible but clearly used.
Collector's Notes
This is the cookbook that taught America how to cook—and then how to use the microwave. The 1978 New and Revised Edition is the sweet spot: classic enough to have the tried-and-true recipes that generations relied on, modern enough to include the "new" conveniences of the 1970s. The food photography is gorgeously styled in that unmistakable mid-century way.
Harvest golds, avocado greens, and perfectly molded salads. Perfect for the vintage cookbook collector, the retro kitchen enthusiast, or anyone building a library of classic American cooking references.
Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)
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Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece—please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.
Care and Handling:
Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40–50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings.
