Review: "Simple Weeknight Favorites: More Than 200 No-Fuss Foolproof Meals"

Making food fast at home has been the theme of many cookbooks the last several years. Such is the idea here from the Editors at “America’s Test Kitchen” which is the home of “Cook’s Illustrated” and “Cook’s Country” Magazines. There is more information on both and the purpose behind the book in the introduction but the short version is they are trying to answer the age old question “What’s for Dinner?” as simply as possible.

The book is broken up into 11 sections (not counting the multipage index) based on a food choice. So there are sections on “Soups and Stews” (pages 2-26), “Poultry” (pages 52-91), “Vegetarian Entries” (pages 186-245), and “Stir-Fries, Curries & Asian Noodle” (pages 298-326), among other chapters. Each section features approximately a dozen or more recipes of varying complexity.

The recipes are detailed and often come with a recipe for a side if appropriate, an ingredient buying tip, or other useful information. Some recipes come with a color photograph of the finished dish but most do not. Also, unfortunately, the recipes do not come with any nutritional information at all regarding salt, fats, suggestions for ingredient changes, etc.  A seventeen page index brings this good cookbook to a close. While the meals are not always that simple there is something here for nearly every picky eater.

Simple Weeknight Favorites: More Than 200 No-Fuss Foolproof Meals

Editors at America’s Test Kitchen

March 2012

ISBN#978-1-936493-06-7

Paperback

352 Pages

$26.96

Material supplied by the Amazon Vine Program.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2012