I don’t buy a lot of cookbooks; I get them given to me as gifts, and I have a few stand-by Best of Bridge books that I like to rotate through on a regular basis. I’m also a fan of the Looneyspoon sisters and all their iterations. I also get some for review (like these two). But when I do buy a book, I look for a few things; is it Canadian, is it easy and fast, and is it healthy? If the book ticks off all three of these requirements, I’m more likely to enjoy it and use it regularly. Both Oven to Table by Jan Scott and The Domestic Geek’s Meals Made Easy by Sara Lynn Cauchon fit this bill, so I’m excited to introduce both to you, dear reader.
I received Oven to Table from Penguin for review a few months ago and have attempted more than a few recipes from it. The one I’m most proud of is the “Overnight Faux Sourdough” which I made in my Staub dutch oven. Although you have to prepare it overnight (which may put off some people because it’s a two-day process) it’s simple and easy to make your own homemade bread with this recipe, and my family loved it. This is probably the best ‘food picture’ I’ve ever taken in my life too, so I’m extra chuffed at how this one turned out.
Oven to Table has a simple premise-each recipe only takes one main dish to cook in; a dutch oven, a sheet pan, a casserole dish, a skillet, an enamel baking dish or a baking pan. These are all fairly common kitchen items so you don’t need to run out and buy new stuff to execute the recipes, plus the food is straightforward and family-friendly, which is paramount in my house these days. Sheet pan suppers is actually a category of meal that can be found in many new cookbooks; all you need is a pan that you roast some protein and potatoes on, and then add some veggies on towards the end; most recipes are a basic variation of this concept. I followed Scott’s recipe “Brown Sugar and Chili-Rubbed Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner” and I was quite pleased with the results (pictured below). It included asparagus and potatoes, and I recommend pairing it with a green salad to get a decent amount of veg in at the same time. One of the most unique (and easy!) recipes that I made was the “Spinach and Ricotta Wonton Mini Lasagnas” which my whole family loved-basically just cheese, tomato sauce and chopped spinach spooned into wonton wrappers that were folded into the cups of a muffin tin. That recipe alone is worth buying the entire book for, it’s simple to do but looks beautiful and tastes great.
The Domestic Geek began as a youtube channel which is still running live and well today, so if one doesn’t get enough ideas from this book there’s a whole series of videos to complement it. So far I’ve been impressed by the ease of these recipes; they’re all very healthy, full of fresh vegetables and simple to make. These dishes are a little more straightforward than Oven to Table’s so they won’t get that same ‘wow’ factor if you’re cooking for guests, but my family’s found a few favourites already, including the “Tangy Thai Quinoa Salad” pictured at the top of this post (I swapped out the quinoa for a wild rice blend I’d had hanging around my pantry for ages). Somewhat shockingly, my 4 year-old absolutely loved this salad, which used tahini as the base for the dressing. This book also has the perfect weeknight skillet meal called “Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet” which went over extremely well with my 1 year old, plus it was also prepared in one dish alone and ready in half an hour. Can’t get much more convenient than that!
When comparing the two books, the Domestic Geek would definitely be the better pick for those who are still getting comfortable in the kitchen; the techniques are simple, and it includes loads of weekend meal prep tips to cut down the time you’ll spend in the kitchen during your work week. Oven to Table isn’t complicated, but it does require a bit more time and finesse; it’s assuming the reader is beginning with some experience in the kitchen already, but the results are worth it. Both books are going to become a constant in my roster of recipes, and since I’ve only skimmed the surface of what each has to offer I hope I’ll have new favourites to share with you in the future.
This is VERY MUCH what I need. Cookbook reviews for parents who don’t have time to eff around 🙂 I want to try the wonton thing!!
We made the kids eff around in the kitchen *with* us from the time they were old enough to stir. Definitely came in handy later, as they were able to prepare entire meals by the time they were 10, but admittedly it required a huge adjustment earlier on, on our part as adults, in terms of what “fun family time” entailed. *snorty laugh*
Yes I try to get my oldest in the kitchen with me, but god it tries my patience! We tend to bake together more than anything because unlike dinner, it doesn’t need to be ready at a certain time, and my youngest isn’t depending on it for sustenance haha
The Wonton thing was super easy and quick, and everyone in my family loved it. The Domestic Geek recipes are faster and healthier in general, but not as much variety. Oven to Table requires a bit more time (at least, some of the recipes, but many are quite fast as well) but has a much wider scope.
I know what you mean about being surprised by what flavours kids will eat/enjoy. We often, I think, write our own comfort levels on top of what we expect from kids, and frequently they are less judgey than we/adults because, after all, so much is actually just plain new for them to try, neither good nor bad (unless someone pronounces it such in their hearing). Kudos for finding a fun and fresh inspiration in the kitchen!
Thanks! Yes I really try to focus on feeding my kids a wide variety of foods, but i have the luxury of doing that because I don’t work full time! I could see my meal planning becoming overwhelming when/if I go back to an office job with set hours
That is hard for sure: there were times when we felt like we were in the kitchen for entire weekends and, ohyesyesyes, to your comment above, it surely did demand boatloads of patience. But there were payoffs too: once they’d worked hard to make something they always wanted to eat it when finished, so we made tonnes of salad dressings (which also require lots of stirring – sometimes we would make the stirring go on and on and on just to keep the younger one busy) because it cut out the arguments about eating little salads. But I also never knew WHAT to say when my co-workers asked what I did on the weekend!
Oohhh that’s a great idea!!! Salad dressings! I’m going to try that for sure, we’re trying to encourage eating lettuce which has been a challenge
I love cooking with quinoa and am looking for more ways to incorporate beans and quinoa into each meal. I’m moving away from dairy due much of it being quite fatty, which doesn’t mix well with my sensitive stomach. I’d eat popcorn for every meal if I were allowed, though, lol.
lots of popcorn options-I like sprinkling nutritional yeast on mine! It’s a nice little touch
I did not know nutritional yeast was a thing.
Oh yes! You can get it at bulk stores really easy. It’s delicious…and nutritious? I can only assume? Not really sure actually haha
I love reading cookbook reviews! The wontons sound DELICIOUS. And your salmon looks awesome. I’m not much of a cook but i love cookbooks, go figure. I keep hope alive! 😉
Good for you! Yes cookbooks are fun to look through, but not when you’re hungry, then it’s just torture hahah
This is great! I’ve been eyeing the Jan Scott in the bookstore and you may have convinced me. I’m curious about your “is it Canadian” requirement. Do you find the recipes easier to use or is that more about supporting Canadian books?
I’d like to say it’s about supporting canadian (which is always important!) but it’s more so just easier to follow the recipes, the amounts are similar to what we have in our grocery stores, ingredients are much easier to find, etc.
I love cookbooks! And now you have tempted me to add to my way-too-many-cookbooks already. But after 20 years of cooking supper every night, I need all the inspiration I can get!
I like that you tried out some recipes and took pictures for us. 🙂
I figured it was good to provide real-world examples that the recipes actually work haha
I just brought home both of these cookbooks home from the library. I can tell already it’s going to take a lot of restraint not to buy them!
I hope you find some recipes you enjoy! I know you will 🙂
Update: Just put both cookbooks on hold at the library!
Noice!