So far this week I've made three dishes from Keepers by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion.
Paper-thin beef with snow peas -- This was great. I made it Monday night after a long work day. It took about 20 minutes of prep and cooking, including cooking the rice. Super easy; perfect for a weeknight. The beef was tender. Snow peas were crisp. Sauce was tasty. My husband Eric had seconds, and our cat, Damn Cat, loved the beef too! Bottom line: I'll definitely cook it again.
Chicken with root vegetable dinner in a pot -- This was average to mediocre. Just rather blah. It took longer to brown the chicken than the recipe suggested, although I'm sure that was user error on my part. I didn't realize the pot wasn't on the middle rack until half-way through cooking. I'm sure it would have browned faster had it been closer to the heating element. The chicken was moist and good, but didn't have a roasted flavor since the lid was on the pot for most of the cooking time. The leeks were good, but some of the veggies needed to cook a bit longer. I did substitute sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold. I also thought it was a bit too much thyme. Bottom line: I won't be fixing this one again.
Parmesan broccoli -- This side dish was very full of flavor with garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon. I don't think it even needed the Parmesan and will probably skip the cheese next time. Broccoli is my husband's favorite vegetable, so he loved it. I'm okay with broccoli, but it's not my fav. I'll choose spinach or green beans or brussel sprouts any day over broccoli. Nonetheless, this recipe was easy and full of pop. Bottom line: I'll make it again.
Overall, I like the cookbook Keepers. It's especially good for a young cook or parents cooking for kids. I enjoyed the approachable, friendly tone that Brennan and Campion applied. They offer lots of great tips for shopping, stocking the pantry and organizing the kitchen. They also offer reassurance -- like a tip with the Chicken with root vegetables recipe, "If you've never eaten leeks...". While some of this is very basic for an experienced cook, you can't beat the easy and flavorful dishes that are perfect for weeknight cooking. It's a very practical book.
Other recipes I want to try include: Fish fingers with lime-ginger dipping sauce, Miso-glazed salmon and Shrimp wonton soup.
Check out the full review from Susie Chang on her app, Cookbook Finder.
You can purchase Keepers on Amazon.
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