Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend Review

Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend: A Cookbook

Time to dive into another home cooking cookbook, this time the Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend.

Jennifer Segal, author of the blog and bestselling cookbook Once Upon a Chef, is known for her foolproof, updated spins on everyday classics. Meticulously tested and crafted with an eye toward both flavor and practicality, Jenn’s recipes hone in on exactly what you feel like making.

Here she devotes whole chapters to fan favorites, from Marvelous Meatballs to Chicken Winners, and Breakfast for Dinner to Family Feasts. Whether you decide on sticky-sweet Barbecued Soy and Ginger Chicken Thighs; an enlightened and healthy-ish take on Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs; Chorizo-Style Burgers; or Brownie Pudding that comes together in under thirty minutes, Jenn has you covered.

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Family Recipes

Accordingly to Jenn, "My hope is that the recipes in this book bring the people you care about around the table, and that they help you find joy in cooking, too. At the end of the day, sometimes we cook because we have to and sometimes because we love to, but either way, the reward is the same."

Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend is filled with recipes that make up Jenn's family memories. It's the food they make on weeknights and weekends, birthdays and holidays, crazy days, and lazy days. It's old family favorites that fill the house with familiar aromas and warmth - and new recipes, too, because kids grow up, palates change, and we all get tired of the same ol' same.

As you go through this book, you'll realize that most recipes are very personal. You'll have the Strawberries & Cream Layer Cake that Jenn makes every year for her husband's birthday, the Baked Ziti with Sausage she makes on Friday nights when her parents visit her, and the "Lucky" Sausage & Cheddar Drop Biscuits she bakes on the mornings when her kids have to fuel up for a big test or game.

Finally, there are more "cheffy" recipes, like Dijon & Panko–Crusted Rack of Lamb or Arugula, Crispy Feta & Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, because sometimes there are good things to celebrate in life.

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Failproof

We all know how frustrating it is when we spend time cooking and throwing everything away. To make sure that you have a lot of fun cooking, Jenn has thoroughly tested every recipe in this book. Thanks to her fans and family, she had hundreds of volunteers testing every recipe, ensuring they were foolproof and family-approved.

This approach aims to make you feel more condensed in the kitchen. As Jenn says in Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend "I hope that with each recipe completed, you feel more confident in the kitchen. And remember, I'm just an email or DM (if you're an Instagram or Facebook person!) away if you ever have any questions. Drop me a line through my website - I'd love to hear from you!".

We have been cooking with this book for a few months, and we are really enjoying it. The recipes are delicious, the instructions easy to follow, and the photographs make you want to try every recipe. Thanks to its 100 recipes raging from Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Cream, Ginger Pork Sliders to Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake you'll have plenty of options to choose from.

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Final Thoughts

Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend is a Wonderfull cookbook about home cooking that proves how delicious food can be when you know what you are doing. Thanks to its failproof recipes, this book is perfect for those who want to feel more confident in the kitchen.