Prep-Ahead Meals From Scratch

December 7, 2015
Premeditated Leftovers blog creator Milham introduces her “batch cooking” principle for home cooks on a budget. This collection of over 100 comforting and classic dishes for frugal cooks offers make-ahead techniques for meals that come together quickly. Redefining “convenience food,” Milham shows how to plan, prepare, and properly store batches of fresh ingredients in “usable portions.” Organizing the recipes by focal proteins (chicken, beef, pork, rice and beans), she explains six key preparation techniques for stocking up. Recipes contain easy-to-find ingredients and there are gluten-free options. The offerings include a hearty Tuscan white bean and squash soup, sloppy joes with a southwestern flair, quick skillet stroganoff, and a sweet potato stuffed with barbecued pulled pork. Basic broths, seasoning mixes, and sauces help cooks gain control of mealtime prep. Pantry lists, shortcuts, and a look at time-saving kitchen tools are included. While Milham’s approach is original, the dishes are not unique, and there are no desserts. These kid-friendly, penny-wise, and time-saving mains help rescue the busy home cook and prove that “Dinner doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming to be nutritious.”

February 15, 2016

Food blogger Milham (premeditatedleftovers.com) introduces readers to a budget-friendly style of convenience cooking that calls for precooking and freezing key ingredients. Each chapter begins with methods for using an oven, broiler, stovetop, slow cooker, or pressure cooker to prepare large batches of staples such as shredded pork, chicken breast strips, ground beef, meatballs, and beans. Properly portioned and stored in the freezer, these can quickly be incorporated into easy recipes for buffalo ranch chicken squash boats, Southwestern sloppy joes, fajita frittata, garlic-ginger green beans, and more. Milham offers smart tips on how to stretch a food budget (e.g., buy inexpensive cuts, add beans to traditionally meat-only taco fillings), and her recipes for homemade spice mixes and salad dressings add to further cost savings. VERDICT This cookbook contains fairly standard fare (e.g., tacos, pizzas, pastas, casseroles) and perpetuates some cooking myths ("the meat cooks quickly, sealing in juices"), but its underlying method is extremely practical and easy to adopt. Recommended for busy families looking to save time and money.

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