Could there be a better—or more delicious—way to prove the case that math is a basic fact of our everyday lives than with a cookbook?

The success–or failure–of our efforts in the kitchen often comes down to the alchemy of not just the selection of ingredients but how much of any one ingredient. Judging by the dishes in The Mathematics Education Trust cookbook, Recipes You Can Count On, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics members know their way around the kitchen as well as the classroom.

Throughout, there are tips for getting the best results for each recipe and Measure for Measure info bits on just how to “measure up” in the kitchen. How many avocados will you need to serve eight guests? Check out the Measure for Measure box on page 18 and then do the math. Do you know the formula for substituting fresh herbs for dried? Page 38 will ¬fill you in. Have a pan without the measurement stamped on it? According to the box on page 113, you measure the inside edges of the pan to get an accurate reading.

Recipes include crowd-pleasers like Fennells’ Famous Hot Crab Dip and Five-Cheese Mac ’n’ Cheese to elegant entrées such as Quick Coq au Vin and Simply Delicious Baked Salmon. Have your cake (and pies and cookies, too) and indulge in Carrot Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, White House Fudge Pie, and Grandma’s Moon Cookies, where you’ll find out just how many eggs are in a pound. There are recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as tips and hints to make every recipe a winner.

“Perhaps the food ideas here will lead you on mental journeys.… You may ¬find along the way that not only is measurement important but, as in any good mathematics classroom, explorations and creativity are encouraged.”—Johnny W. Lott

“Measurement, I thought, was my forte until I began writing down my recipes and realized that I used many nonstandard units—a dump of our, add milk until soupy, and some fresh ginger.… Just remember, one cup of milk and one cup of flour will rarely make two cups of anything! There are, however, ways to use these recipes—make them count in your classroom or in your kitchen!”—Mary Lindquist

“Good food and good friends always go together. In Recipes You Can Count On, mathematics colleagues share their favorite recipes, opening the door to new experiences and new friendships.”—Jeane Joyner