Book

On sale now…Melissa’s New York Time best-selling debut cookbook:
TEN DOLLAR DINNERS
140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week

Watch Melissa’s video introduction of the book…

About the Book

Delivering on her unwavering $10 promise of dinner for four, Melissa’s debut cookbook empowers home cooks with 140 satisfying recipes and 100+ tried-and-true tips – all part of a bigger story about eating well, being a responsible consumer and spending with purpose. Rooted in her personal money-saving strategies, ingredient-managing techniques and family-tested meals, Melissa proves that cooking on a budget doesn’t mean compromising on quality, flavor or nutrition. Her ideal pantry snapshot provides a roadmap to creating affordable meals without worry, while her useful cost coding system offers the flexibility to mix-and-match countless $10 menus for every craving and all occasions – whether a Tuesday night family dinner or a Saturday night entertaining spread. With 11 robust chapters (Appetizers & Snacks, Soups, Salads, Pasta, Chicken, Fish & Seafood, Pork & Beef, Vegetables, Starchy Sides, Desserts, and even Breakfast), this cookbook – chock-full of mouthwatering color photographs – will undoubtedly be every home cook’s go-to resource. Read the press release here.

Get a Sneak Peek and Order Now

Click here for a sneak peek inside the book including three tasty recipes – flavorful Mustard Chicken, crave-worthy Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, and Melissa’s impressive Classic Apple Tart – plus the book’s introduction complete with cost coding system details, table of contents, and details how to order.

Notable Reviews

  • “Melissa’s real life experience as a wife and mom make her the perfect person to help all of us get dinner to the table.”— Bobby Flay
  • “Melissa really gets it. She is a mom who knows firsthand that cooking on a budget can be delicious, inspiring, and healthy. She brings it all here with flair and the comforting presence of a good friend.”— Ellie Krieger
  • “Who knew that something as tasty and fun as steak with caramelized onions could be so cheap and easy to make? Melissa’s Ten Dollar Dinners broadens the horizon of dinnertime possibilities and deliciousness. This is a great resource for new, affordable cooking ideas.”— Alex Guarnaschelli
  • “I am a father and husband before I am a chef, so when it comes to mealtime I want to use simple recipes that utilize the freshest foods possible. That’s what Ten Dollar Dinners is all about. I also like to cook with my family, which means that Melissa’s recipes are perfect for us to create together.”— Andrew Zimmern
  • “Here’s a mom, raising and feeding four cute daughters, while giving a nod to her French husband’s palate, as well as conquering the corporate world. Plus her pie crust rivals a pastry chef’s! I knew Melissa was a winner from the start. Her recipes save you money and her tips make sense—saving you time so you can go out and enjoy life as she has.”— Sunny Anderson
  • “These recipes are quick, easy, inexpensive, and most important: outstandingly delicious. If you want to put incredibly great-tasting food on the table without spending a fortune, this is the book for you!”— Robert Irvine
  • “Melissa proves that delicious food doesn’t have to cost big bucks. I love her blend of California freshness, French flair, and frugality.”— Rosemary Ellis (editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping)

Reader Reviews

  • “I got more than a cookbook. I got a treasure trove of cooking help and ideas. Now I never have to buy a frozen meal from the grocery store. It’s fresh food, d’Arabian style.”
  • “Top cookbook, hands down! Melissa’s book is beautiful, easy to use and most importantly, practical for families on a budget. As a busy mom of five children, I truly appreciate Melissa’s time saving tips as well as how to save money on your overall grocery budget.”
  • “Cooking has become fun instead of a stressful last minute scavenger hunt to put something great together before the guests show up!”
  • “Loved it so much, I gave it to my sister in law for Christmas. Giving lots of new ideas to answer that frustrating question, ‘Mom what’s for dinner?”
  • “Unbelievable! This book is a revelation. The recipes are easy, wonderful, flavorful and economical. It is so refreshing to see a TV personality that is the real thing.”
  • “SHE IS FABULOUS!! Because of her help on television and with her book (at 67 years of age) I have learned to cook.”
  • “My 2 year old is finally eating broccoli that I learned to roast Melissa’s way. Since I started cooking with this book, my food bill actually got reduced by at least a third and I hardly ever toss things out of the fridge.”
  • “Melissa understands the financial pressure a lot of moms are under these days, and has truly taken the time to address the issues.”
  • “The flavors are deep, the recipes are fantastic and they are always my kids’ favorites.”

Book Details

  • Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
  • Written by Melissa d’Arabian with Raquel Pelzel
  • Edited by Emily Takoudes
  • Photographs by Ben Fink
  • Book and Cover Design by Ashley Tucker
  • Melissa’s Hair and Makeup by Dahlia Warner
  • 368 pages published in paperback
  • Retail price $24.99