Review of 'Meals Made Easy'

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Review of

Meals Made Easy

by Real Simple

In Good Taste Cooking School: review of "Meals made Easy" by Real Simple

I guess there is no avoiding the fact that fall and back to school are upon us. With life in high gear and after school activities taking up our meager spare time, it’s time to find a cookbook that answers life’s eternal question- “Ma,What’s for dinner?”

Meals Made Easy- Quick and Delicious Recipes for Every Night of the Week by Real Simple could possibly be the answer. Real Simple is a magazine that was launched in 2000 to provide readers with practical ways to make life easier and better. This is their third book written to demystify the food in your fridge and pantry.

I was immediately drawn into the book by its chapter headings. Instead of the usual meat varieties and vegetable substitutions, it focused on types of meals. The first chapter is One-Pot Meals which reminds us that a complete meal can be made in one skillet, pan, or baking dish. The reward? Clean-up is a snap! The recipes range from Roast Chicken and Vegetables to Lamb Tagine with Cous Cous. These are not necessarily quick meals - the Baked Beans take 15 minutes of hands-on time and a soaking and cooking time of 17 hours; so it is prudent to read the recipes first. Remember, in this chapter it’s all about using one cooking vessel.

No-Shop Meals is a great reminder that the pantry and freezer are our friends in the war against nightly hunger. “Dinner is in there, if you know where to look.” I was reminded that eggs can be a dinner item as well in the recipes: Fluffy Corn and Goat Cheese Omelet and Saucy Eggs, a simple and satisfying dish of eggs poached in pasta sauce and served with either cooked pasta or thickly sliced bread. French toast turns a savory cheek soaked in eggs, milk, fresh thyme, and sharp Cheddar cheese. Real Simple suggests serving it with sliced tomatoes that are briefly sautéed. A standby in my pantry is tuna and a satisfying dish of Tuna and White Bean Salad is given as a non-mayonnaise entrée. This chapter is well worth skimming and buying the ingredients to keep on hand for those days when the cupboard seems bare.

The next few chapters address speed; 30-Minute Meals, No-Cook Meals, Freezer Meals, and Shortcut Meals. Asia is represented with a delicious Soy-Glazed Salmon with Noodles and Soy-Marinated London Broil in the 30-Minute chapter. What could be easier or tastier than a no-cook meal of Chicken Salad with Peaches and Blue Cheese that uses store bought rotisserie chicken? Freezer meals aren’t my forte. I find these pre-made delights tend to get freezer burn and loose their appeal. But for those of you who have a better grip on the other side of the refrigerator, Real Simple has some tasty soups, pastas, and stews. They also give you the shelf life of the dish and proper reheating directions. Maybe I should try their suggestions and stock my freezer. Whether or not you use these recipes to freeze they are solid dishes for a weekend meal.

Shortcut Meals is another chapter reminding us that convenience foods are our friends in the race for dinner. “The resulting dishes taste just like homemade, so there’s no penalty if you get caught”. Chicken Potpie is turned into a reasonably produced meal with rotisserie chicken, frozen peas, store-bought piecrust, and sliced button mushrooms. None of us need to be reminded of the joys of pasta and pasta sauce, but keeping frozen shrimp on hand gives the dish an elegant twist. I don’t think I will be making French Fry Pie anytime soon but I will forward the recipe to my college age nephew. Nothing like ground beef, pasta sauce, and a package of frozen shoestring French fries to fill a young man’s stomach and not break his budget. I will strongly suggest he flesh out the meal with a salad (something green) and fruit. Some night I will make a quick meal of Mediterranean Chicken with my favorite ingredients spinach, capers, and feta cheese.

The last chapter addresses what else to serve and gives us Reliable Sides as an answer. Standbys such as Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Minted Peas jostle with Fennel Salad, Broccoli Rabe with Olives and Lemon Asparagus with Soy Dressing to be served at dinner.

Each chapter delivers its topic with a variety of healthy, tasty dishes that will turn the nightly question filled with dread into a question of anticipation. Each dish has been photographed to inspire you to create a delicious evening meal. There are many tips and ways a recipe can be changed the next time it is made. I’m inspired to dash the dinner doldrums away and I can’t wait to get started!

Read! Eat! Enjoy!

Judith Bishop