
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”. I chose the “Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Wings” because there can never be enough chicken wings and these look delish.

Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings tips removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce favourite store–bought
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot sauce
- chives sliced, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the wings on the baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the wings are cooked through.
- Remove from the oven, add the barbecue sauce, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Toss to combine on the baking sheet and return to the oven to bake until sauce is slightly caramelized another five minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool slightly, then serve. Garnish with chives.
Notes
Chris Sadler is WebAdmin and Writer for RecipesNow.com
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