• barbgang on December 03, 2016

  I'm very happy with this book so far. We are a household of two with a variety of commitments in the evening. Having most meals ready means that even if one of us arrives home late or has to leave home early we can still have a delicious meal. I have tried several recipes more than once with success. We particularly like the roasted applesauce and pan-roasted chicken. My husband, the clean-up man, appreciates the lack of dirty dishes once the weekly cooking is done. My one reservation is the amount of oil used.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Merguez sandwich with pea shoots, goat cheese, and green olives

  • TippyCanoe on June 19, 2018

    I riffed off of this recipe using what I had: butcher-bought merguez (I live in Spain where it is readily available and delicious), pickled red onions (from this book), sriracha mayonaise (squirt of sriracha in the mayo), arugula, and goat cheese. Yum!

• Crispy crunchy oatmeal cookies

  • Frogcake on September 23, 2017

    A great, simple cookie recipe! I made a triple batch for an event at work. Everyone loved them! You can fancy them up with all kinds of stuff -flax seeds, nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit -but when you are trying to reach a compromise to please everyone, less is more.

  • averythingcooks on August 26, 2020

    These are delicious! Mine always seem much thinner than those pictured but they are beautifully crisp. I did add a 1/4 cup of skor bits (to a 1/2 recipe) this time and they added a lovely hit of extra flavour.

• Oven roasted char with herbed mayonnaise

  • brandi_elvop8 on January 12, 2026

    I make this dish literally at least twice a month. Once we were on vacation and I subbed pesto for the fresh herbs and it’s the only way my kids will let me make it now. Everyone I make it for loves it.

• Chicken fingers

  • averythingcooks on November 06, 2024

    The cook method here (450 on a preheated pan with hot oil and "just starting to brown" butter) resulted in the beautifully crisp chicken strips I was after. Good thing I checked them early as 15 minutes was perfect for cooked but still moist breast meat. I whisked the fresh oregano into the eggs (adding some Dijon as well). We ate these with harissa roasted cherry tomatoes and I would make these again.

• Lemony pasta with asparagus

  • Frogcake on June 13, 2017

    I've tried similar recipes for lemony pasta but I really like this one using the rind of two lemons -and I scraped the rind of two GIANT lemons! I used chopped baby bok Choy in place of asparagus (prefer asparagus but had none) and my son doesn't eat Parmesan cheese (smells too much like sweaty socks) so I made crispy garlicky panko breadcrumbs. No complaints from anyone.

  • vezzettj on July 23, 2020

    I've made this several times using various vegetables (CSA box) and various pasta shapes, usually halving the recipe. Some seasonal veggie variations are listed with this entry.

• Tad's roasted potatoes

  • averythingcooks on May 11, 2026

    These are classic, crispy potatoes rst'd with chopped onions, smashed garlic cloves & fresh thyme. Standing in for "old white potatoes" were 2 aging russets & I seasoned with a rosemary infused salt. Next time I will cut larger cubes (or wedges?) & either chop my onions larger OR add them later in the roast. A very nice part of a lovely steak dinner.

• Blistered cherry tomatoes

  • averythingcooks on April 10, 2024

    This is a simple & easily scaled method to produce the amount of blistered tomatoes you want. This time I made just enough to make the pasta dish from the same chapter and they also give lots of other ideas on how to use them. I am positive this will be made often (destined for the freezer in sensible/useful portions) when the cherry & grape tomatoes start pouring out of the garden.

  • brandi_elvop8 on January 12, 2026

    I love this recipe. Every summer when I’m sick of the glut of cherry tomatoes, I make this on repeat and freeze it in knock off souper cubes for the winter.

• Thai steak salad

  • brandi_elvop8 on January 12, 2026

    I make this ahead and take it on vacation every year. It’s perfect for a quick dinner after a day in the sand.

• Low-maintenance fish tacos

  • SpatulaCity on July 25, 2023

    Delicious! Used cod and added an impromptu cabbage in crema slaw. Loved this healthy-ish take on what I’d only believed to be a fried fish dish. Husband loved it.

• Low-maintenance steak tacos

  • westminstr on December 13, 2025

    I used these spices on a sirloin tip. For a 1.5 pound steak I used 1tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp ground chipotle. Also plenty of salt on the steak & a little olive oil rubbed in. It was really easy and my kids liked the flavor.

• Pickled onions

  • TippyCanoe on June 19, 2018

    A very good quick pickle--I have continuously kept this in rotation since I bought the book: have used for a variety of reasons, but particularly delicious in shrimp tacos and merguez sausage sandwiches. I used brown sugar when I ran out of white. Still good, but I prefer white.

• Penne with blistered cherry tomatoes and corn

  • averythingcooks on April 10, 2024

    This was very good pasta dish that came together fairly quickly as I had made the blistered tomatoes 1st thing in the morning. It is good as written but I did add the meat from an Italian sausage and a small splash of cream + some basil pesto (perpetual fridge clean out) and we really enjoyed it.

• Smoked paprika mayonnaise on grilled bread

  • brandi_elvop8 on January 12, 2026

    My family loves this smoked paprika mayo to dip fried green tomatoes in.

• Smoked paprika mayonnaise

  • Mrsbskid on December 08, 2021

    This is amazing on Fried Green Tomatoes

• Couscous salad with zucchini, pistachios, and feta

  • sosayi on August 16, 2022

    Loved this make ahead salad. I was out of preserved lemon (added extra lemon juice and zest), and it was still delicious. Went well with the tuna, as suggest, but not necessary. Great way to use up zucchini, adds a nice textural crunch when added raw.

  • Jviney on August 20, 2022

    We really enjoyed this salad, and I love that it keeps for a few days. I served it with Ina Garten’s Garlic and Herb Roast Shrimp, and chopped up the leftover shrimp and added it for leftovers. I didn’t have preserved lemon and it would have probably contributed a stronger flavor, but it was great as is.

  • SpatulaCity on March 06, 2024

    Great salad and very flexible. Will serve with chicken, olives and tomatoes one day, and tuna, extra lemon and pistachio another.

• Tuna salad with peppers and smoked paprika mayonnaise

  • SpatulaCity on October 27, 2023

    While I didn’t care for this, my husband loved this as a change up from traditional tuna salad. Warm and smoky paprika balanced with the sweet and rich peppers. I added some finely diced shallots and chopped cilantro as well. Served on arugula.

• Strawberry rosé spritzer

  • DKennedy on September 26, 2019

    This is delicious!

• Strawberry shakes with honey and yogurt

  • TrishaCP on April 10, 2018

    Really simple and really delicious. I reduced the amount of honey because my strawberries were already pretty sweet.

• Farro salad with roasted mushrooms and Parmesan

  • DKennedy on September 26, 2019

    Makes way too much farro but the flavors are very nice. Added truffle salt.

  • ginger2212 on July 24, 2022

    This is pretty good but lacks a punch. Maybe some red pepper flakes? Love the other commenter mentioning truffle salt. I also think the flavors from the garlic scape pesto enhanced this as well.

• Radish and hummus tartine

  • ginger2212 on July 24, 2022

    Not really a recipe but such a lovely reminder of a simple, summery lunch. Used really good sourdough and spicy hummus from TJ's.

• Grilled shrimp with arugula and garlic scape pesto

  • ginger2212 on July 24, 2022

    Very good and refreshing. Lovely marinade for shrimp.

• Yes, you can cook bacon in the oven

  • averythingcooks on June 02, 2026

    The point here is that you can cook bacon in the oven at a much lower temp than usually suggested....eg 325 vs 425...and my thick cut bacon came out cooked but chewy rather than crispy/burnt which is exactly what I wanted :)

• Overnight roast pork

  • meggan on October 28, 2016

    Made this as part of the weeklong strategic menu. This was amazing and so easy as cooked overnight! Served with spicy cauliflower and salad, it was a great fall dinner with enough left over for sandwiches.

  • Jviney on September 26, 2021

    This was a fun recipe. The house smelled incredible when I woke up in the morning and I shredded the pork for tacos/nachos that night. It did fall apart and our guests just kept going back for more. The morning after the party my husband said, “please make that pork again; it was SO GOOD.”

• Braised chickpeas with celery

  • meggan on November 21, 2016

    I made this as part of the week-long meal plan and I would have to say it was pretty boring tasting. We just ended up with a lot of leftovers we had to throw away. Even in its other recipe permutations, it needs a serious flavor boost.

• Spicy roasted cauliflower

  • meggan on November 21, 2016

    We liked this but, then again, we like spicy roasted anything. As part of the week long dinner strategy, we found this was not enough to stretch out into other recipes and the rest of the week and we are only two adults and one toddler.

  • DFarnham on February 21, 2021

    Made this recipe a number of times. Really tasty and easy.

• Green sauce

  • meggan on November 21, 2016

    I thought this was pretty good but my husband didn't like to due to the anchovies. It makes a ton even after using it for the week so I am going to have freeze it in cubes and then sneak it into things when my husband isn't looking.

• Creamed kale

  • meggan on November 21, 2016

    This creamed kale was more like chopped kale. I had to triple the amount of cream to get the moisture described in the recipe. Even though I removed the stems and veins, I think fall kale is not ideal for this recipe - too tough. Maybe use in the spring or with spinach instead.

  • Mrsbskid on December 08, 2021

    We love this creamed kale. It's great for a quick breakfast over good toast.

• Stuck-pot rice

  • meggan on November 21, 2016

    I love this technique - will definitely use again.

• Turbo jook with baby mustard greens

  • meggan on December 01, 2016

    Made this as part of week-long menu number 3 from this book. It was good the first night with all the toppings but we found the rice didn't taste great after reheating for other combos.

• Oxtail stew

  • meggan on December 01, 2016

    Made this as part of the week-long menu. I had to use short ribs instead of oxtails which are not readily available here. I didn't skim the fat and that was a mistake making for a greasy meal that we didn't really want to eat again after the first night.

• Barley salad with persimmon, onion confit, and sheep's milk cheese

  • barbgang on December 03, 2016

    I had problems with this recipe. I could find only hachiya persimmons which had a bitter after-taste even when almost mushy. I substituted red-skinned pears. Also, barley like oatmeal, looks unappatizingly gray when cooked. The fruit and greens did not camouflage this. Even so, many of the guests at Thanksgiving had seconds. I think It's worth trying again with a different grain

• Cream of roasted tomato soup

  • barbgang on December 03, 2016

    Because I made this in November, I substituted Food Lab's 15-minute Pantry Tomato Soup, easy and excellent.

  • Frogcake on August 21, 2017

    I adore making this soup around this time of year when there is an abundance of tomatoes. I always add a pinch of sugar, which seems to intensify the tomato taste. Lovely with the herb oil and freshly baked bread.

• Butternut squash puree

  • barbgang on December 03, 2016

    Delicious and easy. It uses a great deal of olive oil and a small amount of cream. The oil adds to the taste but makes it too high-calorie to eat often.

• Chicken salad with fennel and smoked almonds

  • barbgang on December 03, 2016

    A delicious and easy way to use leftovers. I used the vinaigrette all week.

• Creamy butternut squash soup with sherry

  • meggan on December 13, 2016

    Delicious - we used butternut and acorn. We also used greek yogurt instead of cream and added a little vadouvan.

• Roasted zucchini with chile and mint

  • Frogcake on August 21, 2017

    A simple, delicious way to roast zucchini. While the chile mint dressing is wonderful, you can use any vinegrette-style dressing you have in your fridge. Especially yummy with Dijon-based dressings.

• Baked pasta with sausage ragù

  • averythingcooks on January 21, 2018

    I had a container of meat sauce in the freezer with the perfect amount to make 1/2 of this recipe. Mixing everything together (rather than sprinkling a thick layer of mozzarella on top ) was a nice change. I did add lots fresh basil to my thawed sauce to use some up. However I lost my nerve twice. I could not bring myself to cook my dried pasta (penne) for only 3 minutes (so I went for around 2 or 3 shy of done) AND my oven is not a great performer (but it is a great smoker!) at 500 degrees (so I went with 425 until hot and bubbly). A shower of Parmesan on top and dinner was delicious!

  • Rachaelsb on May 23, 2020

    Delicious dinner! Pure comfort food-nothing complex here at all-just great full flavor; the kind of food that is hard to stop eating!!

  • ChelseaP on May 21, 2021

    Total comfort food.

  • skvalentine on August 06, 2024

    One of my favorite dishes to take to a new parent.

• Red wine beef stew with parsnips and carrots

  • Rachaelsb on March 13, 2018

    Perfect, perfect beef stew especially on a cold winter night. The flavor is a perfect explosion of comfort and richness.

  • averythingcooks on May 20, 2021

    This is a really good stew. I cut it back to 1/3 (for 1 lb of beef), made it in the morning & reheated on the stove for dinner. There was no need to thicken the broth as instructed - it was rich & flavourful without that step. As I like to up the veg whenever I can, I also added frozen butternut squash cubes and then frozen peas & roasted peppers just as I was reheating it. Also, as I needed only 1/3 cup of canned tomatoes, I chopped up a handful of grape tomatoes and added a shot of tomato paste. Served over a bed of smashed potatoes, this was a real winner.

• Applesauce cake with caramel icing

  • Jviney on February 11, 2019

    This is good! A nice mild spice cake, and the frosting is excellent. It was nice to keep it on the counter to enjoy with the menu through the week.

  • rachelino on October 12, 2020

    Fantastic fall apple cake with a perfect balance of spices (cinnamon, allspice and ginger). I've made it several times and it is always well-received, in both full-sized and mini bundt pans. One thing is that the glaze always seems a bit thin and I end up needing to add more powdered sugar to get the thick drips I am going for. Merrill says this is the recipe she is proudest of, and I can see why!

• Rosy chicken

  • Jviney on February 12, 2019

    This was a nice, easy dish for a weeknight meal. Served with the Chile mint zucchini and fried polenta, it was really good. Chicken was moist and flavorful with crispy skin.

• Rotelle all'arrabbiata

  • vezzettj on July 23, 2020

    Blended this with the Summer Evening Pasta in that I added summer squash (only had one, in 1/4 moons) and bell pepper (~2, large diced) with a ~jalapeno (similar pepper, small diced). Sauteed the veggies in the bacon grease. Forgot the olive oil at the end but did add a splash of cream. So very good!

• Pan-roasted chicken

  • rachelino on October 12, 2020

    Great method for cooking chicken that ends up juicy, flavorful and with crisp skin to boot -- all with very little hands-on cooking time. You need to plan ahead a bit by putting the chicken pieces in the fridge to dry out for a while, but you are rewarded with a nice sear on the skin. My only nitpick is the amount of oil in the recipe. I tend to veer toward pressure cooking or baking for this reason.

• Sour cream mashed potatoes and parsnips

  • Rachaelsb on October 31, 2020

    These were delicious!!!! Parsnips were yum. I used an immersion blender so made for very smooth and creamy mash.

• Garlicky greens

  • Rachaelsb on October 31, 2020

    Great technique for making spinach. Never got to mushy and great flavor:-)

• Gnocchi with brown butter, sage, shaved Brussels sprouts, and pine nuts

  • Rachaelsb on November 06, 2020

    Unexpectedly delicious!! Gnocchi (and I’m not a big fan) were light and satisfying and great addition with Shaved Brussels sprouts. Will definitely make again.

• Quick tomato sauce

  • Mrsbskid on December 08, 2021

    This is a family favorite. A riff on Marcella Hazan's tomato and onion sauce

  • averythingcooks on October 04, 2025

    As already commented, a riff on MH's famous sauce. Some of my tomatoes seemed pretty seedy so I cooked the full 3 lbs for a bit to soften & then food milled about 1/2 before carrying on with the onion & butter etc. A full recipe gave me 4 x 1 cup portions to freeze & as expected, it is good :) And oh yes...I'm on team Merrill re: peeling being a worthwhile step at the beginning.

• Ricotta gnocchi

  • Mrsbskid on December 08, 2021

    This is a highly requested recipe in my family. It's easy and quick once you have it in the freezer. I triple the recipe.

• Broccoli, lemon, and Parmesan soup

  • averythingcooks on August 21, 2022

    A companion note to where I started...I set out to make a Michael Smith (Chef at Home) pure broccoli soup…and it did deliver on its promise of simple broccoli flavour BUT we both agreed that we would be more likely to reach for it if it had more ….something. I remembered this recipe and so came here to add lemon juice and grated parm and we really do like this version better.

• Crisped potatoes

  • Jviney on January 21, 2023

    These are nice, remind me of the crispy fried potatoes with herbs in Six Seasons. I had really baby potatoes, and to the original recipe suggestions I sprinkled chopped rosemary and dried garlic. Really yummy.

  • averythingcooks on January 27, 2023

    I like this method where the potatoes are cooked entirely on the stovetop compared to so many that use the oven (which was "busy" with last night's main). They were lovely & soft inside and super crisp on the outside. Fresh parsley also made for a nice finishing touch.

• Creamy mustard vinaigrette

  • averythingcooks on October 21, 2023

    I really like this dressing. You get two hits of mustard without being too sharp & two hits of dairy without being too thick. If the mustard is too much for you, a shot of honey solves that beautifully.

• Lemon mustard dressing

  • averythingcooks on October 28, 2023

    This was the perfect dressing for crispy greens served next to a cheesey, creamy main. A 1/2 recipe = great for 2 people ( ie a fridge life of 5 days & enough to serve salad for at least 2 dinners). With honey & shallots in addition to the lemon & mustard, this hit all my preferred flavour notes & is a definite repeat.

• Lamb sandwich with kale and green sauce

  • meggan on November 29, 2023

    Love the green sauce - I halved it and it is still a lot but I can see uses for it on chicken or roast potatoes.

• Coconut dream bars

  • skvalentine on January 17, 2026

    Didn't care for these.

• Soft chocolate almond cherry cookies

  • cadfael on February 09, 2026

    I really enjoyed these cookies. I made them with Lindt bittersweet coveture and good quality dried sour cherries and did not over bake. The kids like the sweeter cookies I make but this was a repeat for me.

• Simply Recipes

  I like that the authors walk you through the grocery list for each week’s meals, and also include instructions for how you can prep the components of the meals ahead of time.

  Full review

• Food52

  Okay, yes, our bosses wrote this book, but all of us who've cooked from it are better cooks because of it. The recipes are straightforward...

  Full review

• Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum

  The subtitle says it all: "A playbook of recipes and strategies for the week ahead."

  Full review

• Food52

  The biggest, most fabulous treat of the book is having seven whole days planned, grocery list included, for you.

  Full review

• Food52

  The plans are heavily loaded to batch cooking at the start of the week, with some small tasks later on.

  Full review

• Food52

  ...immediately grabbed me with a whole collection of weekly menus that combined Things I Want to Eat with Things I Want to Try...

  Full review

• Food52

  Perhaps the best and most useful way this book influenced my kitchen life is in the way Amanda and Merrill helped me see leftovers in a new light.

  Full review