Review by Booklist Review
Texas-based cookbook author Snodgrass (The Comfortable Kitchen, 2022) tackles American weeknight fare, delivering robust and brightly hued meals that are jazzed-up versions of old favorites. There's something for everyone, from lighter dishes like salads, soups, and stir-fries, to bakes, casseroles, and meatier mains. Salads pop with color and protein, inviting diners to get their greens in with the likes of seared tuna atop a white bean and arugula salad, or to pick up a few pieces of Cajun-spiced ranch-tossed romaine while reaching for the blackened shrimp in a Cajun Cobb salad. Entrées range from the comforting slow cooker creamy chicken enchilada, hot honey Dijon chicken, and herby Mediterranean-baked meatballs to the eclectic jalapeño tuna cake melts, za'atar-crusted lamb chops, gochujang shredded beef bowls, and chili oil pork and cabbage stir-fry. Most recipes are doable even for a hurried weeknight dinner, with prep times often falling in the 20-minute to one-hour range. This attractive offering will reinvigorate readers into putting nutritious and satisfying dinners on the table.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
While Defined Dish blogger Snodgrass (The Comfortable Kitchen) builds off the idea of "simplified, delicious recipes" achieved through store-bought ingredients and shortcuts to make cooking and cleanup easier, this collection is more inventive than its premise might suggest. Flavor profiles range from Cajun (creamy Cajun fish) to Thai (tom yum--inspired shrimp stir fry), plus plenty of fusion fare including curried chili, chicken pot pie chowder, and herby harissa lamb pasta, a "Middle Eastern twist to a classic pasta." One-pot cooking features prominently, as in the sheet pan hot honey dijon chicken and "one-skillet lasagna," which exemplifies Snodgrass's approach at its quickest and most family-friendly, calling for store-bought sauce and no-boil noodles. Salads range from a 20-minute Italian chopped salad with deli meats to an elaborate sheet pan salmon niçoise. With a focus on flexibility for those following specific eating plans, each recipe is tagged as gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, or paleo or Whole30 compliant (with or without modifications). A short, entirely gluten-free dessert chapter offers a paleo-friendly chocolate chunk cookie skillet that is sure to be a hit. The variety, simplicity, and flexibility of these recipes make this a handy guide for home cooks tackling the challenges of weeknight family dinners. Agent: Nicole Tourtelot, Gernert Co. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Snodgrass's third cookbook, after The Comfortable Kitchen, focuses on recipes and methods that simplify mealtimes, especially for busy family weeknights. She acknowledges that part of what can complicate a meal is the cleanup, so the collection includes lots of one-pan/one-pot dinners, as well as a suggestion to enhance homemade recipes with store-bought condiments. The recipes run the gamut--from salads, soups, and pastas to meats, vegetarian mains, and desserts--and meet a variety of dietary profiles, such as gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30. Recipes that correspond to these diets are labeled, but readers should note that they do not include nutritional information. Each recipe includes a clear list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions with tips, tricks, and modifications, as well as a beautifully styled photo of the completed dish. No special equipment is required for the recipes, though cooks will want to have a pantry well stocked with a variety of spices, vinegars, and oils. While it's true that the recipes are mostly quick and straightforward, they are best suited to cooks with some experience. VERDICT An excellent choice for home cooks looking for deliciously uncomplicated weeknight meals that can also be impressive enough for company.--Erin Dagenais
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