Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Cookbook Review

About the book
What if you could save valuable time, money and effort all while enjoying better meals with the whole family? Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms shows you how with a whopping 140 delicious feasts that are so easy, you’ll never opt for take-out again! The secret lies in Jane Doiron’s recipes optimized for make-ahead preparation. You’ll get special menus perfect for freezing, pre-assembling or quick reheating – so that you can plan your family’s dinners when you’re ready not when you feel pressured and stressed out.

I’m sure if my family is reading this they’re laughing hysterically at the idea of me reviewing a cook book. I’ve never been particularly gifted in the kitchen, but my perspective on cooking definitely changed when I got married and had kids. As much as I try to make healthy, homemade meals I am often in a rut. Not to mention the fact that late afternoon and early evening are often the most stressful for me – Baby Girl is fussy, Toddler Boy is working my nerves. The last thing I feel like doing is cooking. That’s where this cook book comes in. I can prepare things ahead of time during nap time (or any other time convenient for me) because all the recipes are specifically written to make the last minute preparation as easy and quick as possible.

The first thing I prepared was the Sausage Calzones. The day ahead directions (which I actually did during nap time of the day we had this for dinner) include cooking the sausage, peppers and onions and slicing the mozzarella. Because I’m not a natural in the kitchen, I like my recipes easy to follow with simple, straightforward steps and I could have used a little more direction on the instructions. For example, the recipe says “cook the peppers and onions… until tender.” I’m sure for most of you that’s enough but for the likes of me I’d love if the directions included an approximate time it takes to make veggies tender. (Seriously, Jane, the author, probably had no idea how bad a cook I am when she asked me to review this book! Poor thing.)

Not surprisingly, even with a recipe and ingredients in front of me, I made a total bonehead mistake. I forgot to add the cheese – even though it was sitting on the counter next to me – until after I folded my calzones. So they were not attractive, but I am pleased to report dinner still tasted great and calzones were DELISH. My husband loved this dinner and even Toddler Boy took a few bites (which is saying a lot because he is picky as all get out.) We had plenty for leftovers the next day and they were just as yummy the second day.

My next challenge was Granola Bars. The recipe was very easy and simple to follow. The end result was perfection – or at least as perfect as anything can be in my kitchen. I love that I can pack a homemade Bar in my son’s lunch or send some to work with my husband. It’s a great, easy to make and healthy alternative to store bought.
Make-Ahead Busy Meals includes over 140 recipes divided into Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert, Main Dishes, Side Dishes and Soup. I can’t wait to try some of the Soup recipes when (if!) the weather cools down here.

To Buy… I think the highest compliment to both the recipes I tried is that I will definitely be making both again. They were really, really good. There is truly a wide range of recipes so I think you’ll be able to find something to please every palate.

Or Not to Buy… The one improvement I’d like is the format of the instructions. For me, it’s easier to read and follow recipes that are written in numbered outline form rather than in paragraphs.

Shop! Purchase Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms at Amazon.com for $16.15.

Thank you Jane Doiron for providing a sample book for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and uninfluenced. Others may have a different experienced.