Laura Arnold

Given that there are only two people in my family, Best Simple Suppers For Two by Laura Arnold is a good book for me. Cooking for two is what I want to be able to do when I’m not looking for more leftovers.

The small 128-page cookbook begins with the introduction. Here the author claims that these recipes are just as effortless as ordering takeout or going to a restaurant. While I agree they aren’t overly complicated, neither is eating out. We will agree to disagree on that. Leftovers can sometimes be more hassle than they’re worth for sure though.

After the brief introduction is a short page for “Ingredients And Equipment”. This details the essential equipment for this book, nothing surprising here. All of these pans, skillets, baking dishes, etc. would be in pretty much every kitchen.

Without further ado, the author gets right to the recipes. The first chapter of recipes is “Salads”. Each comes with beautiful full-colour pictures. The longest recipe in this chapter takes about 20 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes of cook time. Most of that is not active cooking. Many of the other recipes require much less time to make.

Simple and Straightforward

“Chicken, Beef, And Pork” comprises Chapter 2. Many of the recipes admittedly have a number of different ingredients, most of those ingredients are seasonings and so doesn’t really increase the difficulty level of the recipe. Each of the recipes seems to be easy and straightforward.

With Chapter 3 “Seafood” there are a number of recipes for tilapia, shrimp, salmon, crab, etc. The “Vegetarian” Chapter 4 offers vegetarian main dishes. I found the “Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash” recipe a little confusing. The description depicts it as a perfect salad for bringing to a party or entertaining guests. As this is a recipe for two, I’m assuming one would have to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe in order to entertain with it. Also, the name “Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash” is a bit of a misnomer given that you have 2 cups of Butternut Squash with only 1/2 a cup of Couscous. It would be better named as “Roasted Butternut Squash With Couscous”.

The final chapter “One Pot Meals” features Chili, Chowder, Curry and others Stew-like pot meals. The recipes throughout the book are appetizing and have clear, easy-to-follow instructions. The longest recipe in the book is in a stew recipe with a cook time of 1 hour 45 minutes. Given that it is a stew in the oven and you could be doing other important things (like pet the cat), it is still well within the range of EASY.

The “Zucchini And Mushroom Frittata” looks delicious as “a gourmet take on breakfast for dinner”. I will also definitely be trying the “Portobello Burgers” and the “Skillet Chicken Pot Pie”.

See the full review with the “Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Wings” recipe at RecipesNow! The Reviews And Recipes Magazine.

The review was completed using a complimentary hard copy of the book sent to me by the publishers in hopes of an honest review.… (meer)