[.ca] 365 Easy One-Dish Meals (ISBN 0060578882)

The ultimate comfort food . . .:
I was raised on casseroles: tuna noodle casserole; a ground beef, tomato and elbow macaroni concoction my mother called "goolash" (not to be confused with the Hungarian dish of similar name); stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage; ham and green beans with new potatoes. Casseroles were a good way to stretch the food budget. In addition, they were regular staples at the monthly church pot luck dinners (for our denomination, the monthly pot luck was nearly a sacrament!). Natalie Haughton has compiled a very creative collection of one-dish recipes. She shows a lot of flexibility with the term "one-dish," including the wok, pressure cooker, and salad bowl in the definition. The result is a nice mix of easy, plain, fancy, and more complex recipes, a number of which are good company fare. Among my favorites are a version of Irish Lamb Stew very similar to one I was served at Bunratty Folk Park near Shannon Airport in Ireland (a dish that I'd enjoyed immensely, and had been searching for the recipe for several years!); a very nice Over Beef Stew; a good-enough-for-company Meat and Spinach Torte, made in a springform pan with puff pastry crust; a stick-to-your-ribs Cheddar Noodle Casserole, made with spinach fettuncine, smoked turkey breast, and cheddar cheese. All in all, a surprisingly good book, full of creative virtually fool-proof recipes. This is another of my "desert island" cookbooks!

Quck and easy BUT...:
Yes this book has recipes that are quick and easy, I will give it that. It also has basic ingredients that can be found in everyone's kitchens. My major problem with this book is that it doesn't list the nutritional information for each recipe. So if you are trying to watch your waistline or sodium intake this book is not for you. It is definitely a book full of comfort food that your Grandmother uses to make!

I Couldn't Live Without My Copy!:
If the burden of cooking ever falls on you as it has fallen upon me (for a grouchy "bear" of an Uncle) you'll love this book as much as I do! It is full of quick and easy dinner recipes that are made from common ingredients found in most kitchens. And the taste is superb, good enough to satisfy the pickiest of eaters. This book is invaluable!