Dinner then dessert Satisfying meals using only 3, 5, or 7 ingredients

Review by Booklist Review

Professional chef and business owner Snyder offers approachable advice for getting started in the kitchen in this cookbook divided into two sections, the first focusing on building a pantry and how to properly store pantry items and the second focusing on recipes. Section one is a treasure trove of information, instructing readers on how to be a smart shopper and including tips like keeping a journal to track what's in your pantry. Snyder covers everything on how to prep and store staples like meat, fruits, vegetables, and even puff pastry. For each staple, Snyder dives even deeper by describing subsets of the item. For instance, for beef she provides information on rib eye, flank steak, and ground beef so readers can know the differences in how to prepare them. The second section features recipes for meals that only include three, five, or seven ingredients, such as garlicky broccoli and cauliflower, creamy tomato salmon, and Jamaican jerk veggie burgers. Each recipe includes a mini introduction, numbered instructions, notes on making the dish, and a list of substitutions for its ingredients. Readers who feel intimidated by cooking and don't know where to start will find a cheerleader in Snyder.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this resourceful guide, Snyder, founder of the food website Dinner Then Dessert, suggests the secret to creating satisfying home-cooked meals is "layering in new and interesting flavor combinations." She begins by taking an in-depth look at stocking a pantry, with helpful tips for less-experienced cooks ("red bell peppers are sweeter and more kid-friendly... green bell peppers have a bit of bitterness when raw," she explains). The recipes that follow are prepared using three, five, or seven ingredients (excluding salt, pepper, butter, and oil). Some highlights include sausage and fennel pasta, Greek lemon chicken, and Caribbean chile shrimp. In addition to the mains, Snyder includes recipes for side dishes, such as garlic-cheddar mashed potatoes, honey-ginger carrots, and asparagus with lemon and ricotta. Throughout, she lists potential ingredient substitutions--for instance, she suggests using cinnamon or dried sage in place of the thyme for her apple cider pork recipe--and ends with a chapter of indulgent desserts that require the same small range of ingredients, with palatable choices like chocolate truffles and strawberry shortbread bars. This is a volume that home cooks of all levels will rely on time and again. Agent: Sharon Bowers, Miller Bowers Griffin Literary Management. (Sept.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

How does a private chef juggle busy family life with a demanding work schedule? Snyder's solution was to start a recipe blog that became her full-time job. The blog led to the creation of this laid-back cookbook, which seeks to make cooking enjoyable and effortless. Inspired by America's Test Kitchen and the Serious Eats Food Lab, Snyder approaches recipes with a practical eye. Starting with stocking a meat and vegetable-based pantry, the book includes creative uses for fresh and shelf-stable ingredients. The recipes are orderly, unfussy, and just what one needs on a busy weeknight--particularly those recipes that use only three, five, or seven ingredients. For Snyder, recipes are guides and not set in stone--home cooks should feel comfortable modifying as they need. At the end of each recipe, she even includes substitutions that offer extra flexibility. VERDICT The easy-going style and kid-friendly meals will make this cookbook attractive to busy households looking to go beyond an uninspired dinner routine.--Ginny Wolter, Toledo Lucas Cty. P.L., OH

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