Real Simple: Meals Made Easy (Real Simple S.) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a "been there, done that" cook. So I use very few cookbooks. If I am baking a cake, sure, I pull down "Joy of Cooking" or better yet, I am likely to make a genoise from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I have about 10 cookbooks, but those two plus "The New York Times Cookbook" are the only ones I refer to. Otherwise, I am making my standard fare most nights. For parties, I pull down my three or four tried-and-true recipes from my card box.
BUT...."Meals Made Easy" is a cookbook I think I will be adding to my slim pile of regulars. Wow! I found page after page of easy but elegant meals, from corn-scallop chowder (a variant on my standard crowd-pleasing corn-potato chowder), and a number of composed salads of great merit like tuna and white bean, Greek Salad. The Greek salad is not the usual romaine-and-feta-and-olive, either. This one has cherry tomatoes, pear tomatoes, cheese, pepperoncini and cucumber cubes. And there were sauces and variants on chops and steak that go from boring to glorified. And there are variations on meatballs, chops, steak strips, stir fry that are a twist on the usual but are absolutely easy. The pictures are appetizing and inspiring, which helps you decide, yes THAT'S what's for dinner.
The book is divided into the following sections:
1. One Pot Meals
2. No Shop Meals
3. 30 Minute Meals
4. No Cook Meals
5. Freezer Meals
6. Shortcut Meals
7. Reliable Sides
There are a few basics like lasagna and roast chicken. There are money saving ideas (from boning chicken breast to those no-shop meals that save a budget-busting takeout night or restaurant night.) There are no desserts. There is a section on suggested kitchen equipment, including the mandoline for fast slicing (I use a version attached to a bowl and I do agree, it speeds up salad and side dish cooking tremendously.)
I think this is a must-give for weddings and graduation-just-starting out. Anyone can enjoy this book (except the passionately vegan) and it's full of easy but beautiful ideas for fine meals whether you alone, you and yours, or with friends for entertaining. I highly recommend this book as a standard for any cookbook shelf.
Joanna Daneman

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When it comes to the challenges you face every day, getting dinner on the table is always at the top of the list. Not only do you want the meal to be healthy and taste good, but you want it to be fast and simple to prepare. As straightforward as that sounds, somehow-in the midst of a busy life- the task seems nearly impossible. In "Meals Made Easy", the first of a series of "Real Simple" cookbooks, you will find smart and doable dinnertime solutions for every night of the week, no matter how little time (or few ingredients) you have. Even better, these are dishes the whole family will love, yes, including your children. Featuring more than 75 foolproof recipes, all illustrated with large, lush photos, "Meals Made Easy", is custom-made for your life, with chapters dedicated to: dishes that can be prepared and ready in 30 minutes or less; freezer-friendly dinners to make ahead of time and eat whenever; cuisine that calls only for a cutting board, no cooking necessary; meals you can cobble together using the items in your cupboard; and recipes that require just one pot (and blessedly very little cleanup time).

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