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You are here: Home / All Posts / This Is The Cookbook That Will Save My Family

This Is The Cookbook That Will Save My Family

Published August 18, 2015. Last updated April 15, 2020 by Liz. This post may contain affiliate links.

pasta

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Guys! I need to share something with you. This is NOT a sponsored post, it is just a game-changer in my life as a wannabe functional adult woman and I want to tell you about it. It is hands down one of the best cookbooks for families that I’ve come across.

Not to speak in hyperbole, but THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY. 

Dinner Solved Cookbook

Ok that was clearly speaking in hyperbole.

But I really really love this cookbook and I want to relay that to you, so typing in all caps (which, yes, is basically yelling at you) seemed like the best approach.

IMG_6494

Brian is taking a more casual approach to his endorsement with a “thumbs-up” here.

The book is called Dinner Solved! and I can’t state enough how much I love this. It speaks my language. I mean, there is a recipe called “Stupid Easy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta.” That is the kind of recipe I feel confident in making.

These recipes do NOT confuse me which is saying a lot. All cookbooks confuse me. That relates to the fact that I have basically no working knowledge of the function of any item in my kitchen, and zero command of terms relating to food prep. Brian loves this about me! He especially loves it when I call him during the workday asking what a Dutch Oven is and what ‘sauté’ means. I’m going to put some words in his mouth right now and say that he finds this charming.

It boils down to this: I am traditionally an incompetent (but cheerful!) chef and hostess. Mostly incompetent. I usually forget I’m supposed to have food at my parties until the last minute, and then end up tearing open a bag of Doritos and throwing chips at my guests as they are pulling into the driveway.

Not anymore!

Now I can invite people over for dinner and I don’t need to go into a total panic. I mean, you guys I made Chicken in Orange Sauce the other day, for goodness’ sake.

IMG_5981So so good. And if you really feel like you’re missing out by not having a fortune cookie I’m pretty sure you can buy them in bulk and keep them in your pantry.

Also I made Asian Rice Bowl Many Ways a few weeks back and I CRUSHED it if I do say so myself. Which I will because it’s my blog and I can say whatever I feel like!

IMG_6054

You can’t tell (because I’m a poor food photographer) but there is rice in that giant bowl. This is the most delicious recipe. You basically cut up lots of tasty things and put them in bowls around the rice, and then have everyone create their own rice dish! Brilliant. And if someone’s food doesn’t taste good it’s kind of on them because they decided what to put in their bowl. Personally I like to throw an egg and some Sriracha on top of mine.

 

What I like about Dinner Solved! is that it’s geared toward busy parents who often have several people to please.

(Katie Workman’s other excellent cookbook for busy parents – The Mom 100 Cookbook – is another favorite in our house!)

Back to Dinner Solved!

It’s not an Asian cookbook but it does have some really good Asian recipes. It shows you how to adapt a basic meal for different food preferences (i.e. vegetarian) without making you a short order cook. And it’s VERY easy to follow. Also, it’s funny! It made me laugh out loud more than once and it’s a cookbook. Cookbooks never make me laugh out loud. (They do make me cry sometimes because it’s like most of them are just out to get me).

FullSizeRender

Photograph by Todd Coleman

In conclusion

Do yourself a favor and get this book, unless you’re super advanced and can, like, just make fancy dinners from off the top of your head. And if that describes you, want to come to my house and cook for me? I’ll provide a $4 bottle of wine for your trouble. 

For the rest of us: this is one of the best cookbooks for families that I’ve seen. 

Do yourself a favor and grab a copy.

*Maybe a $7 bottle of wine if you make an appetizer along with the main dish.

Filed Under: All Posts, Parenting, Recommendations

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kate

    August 18, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    I am going on Amazon right now (well after I post this comment, I can’t multi-task because Im too excited that there is help for us “non-cookers”) Looks like Im going to be hosting some fancy dinners at the new house!!

    Reply
    • Liz

      August 18, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      Nice Kate! I am going to invite myself over sometime for a feast, once you’re really good at the recipes 🙂

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 18, 2015 at 4:32 pm

        Sounds good–thanks to Amazon prime, I am guaranteed deliver by August 20th! My little boyfriend is also invited, now that he has mastered ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ (while doing his business), unless of course he has other arrangements with my competition. haha 🙂

        Reply
  2. alan herbert

    August 18, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    If the book is half as good as the review its excellent

    I’m going to Amazon now to order it.

    Reply
    • Liz

      August 18, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      It’s twice as good as the review 🙂 Unless you ate this review for dinner, in which case they’re even.

      Reply
  3. Chrissy

    August 18, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    This is awesome as I am always struggling to find easy things to make that everyone will eat. One question – both my kids have a milk allergy. Do you think most of these recipes can be modfied with safe alternatives to cow’s milk? The only thing that for us is hard to find is a good cheese substitute.

    Reply
    • Liz

      August 18, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      Oh man, I wish I knew the answer to this! But I would just be guessing unfortunately. I didn’t try to make any substitutions and I don’t know much about food allergies. Or about cooking in general, actually 🙂 Sorry to not be more helpful with this one!

      Reply
  4. Lauren

    August 19, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    Is that my wooden bowl?!?

    Reply
    • Liz

      August 19, 2015 at 8:58 pm

      Haha I don’t think so! Wait do you mean like a bowl you gave me? That bowl was a wedding gift….although I wouldn’t put it past me to have one (or many!) of your bowls. We routinely have bowls and dishes here after hosting and I never know who they belong to…

      Reply
      • Liz

        August 19, 2015 at 9:08 pm

        Hold the phone… this is a developing story. Brian just showed me another HUGE wooden bowl that he says isn’t ours. I bet it’s yours!!!

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Friday Five - A Mothership Down says:
    November 8, 2019 at 10:54 am

    […] I have found a few cookbooks that have helped us out a lot. One of them, Dinner Solved, I’ve already written about here. I highly recommend […]

    Reply
  2. The Importance of Family Meals - A Mothership Down says:
    January 7, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    […] some easy to follow, family friendly cookbooks that you like and don’t make it too complicated for […]

    Reply
  3. 20 Easy Kid-Friendly Pantry Meals - A Mothership Down says:
    April 8, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    […] before I jump into the recipes, I also wanted to mention a few of my absolute favorite cookbooks for busy parents. If you get in a rut and want simple, easy to follow meal ideas, I would HIGHLY recommend Dinner: […]

    Reply

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Welcome to the Mothership!

Hi! I'm Liz, mom to 3 young kids. Like all of you, I have tons of free time on my hands to ponder the complexities of motherhood. Ok I have almost no time, these kids are taking me down. I write this blog to find camaraderie with the rest of you in the trenches. Welcome! Read More…

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