Instant Family Meals

Starred review from September 7, 2020
In this winning cookbook, Copeland (Every Day Is Saturday) collects inviting recipes for appliance cooking, a method she admits she embraced reluctantly, but soon became an enthusiastic convert. Copeland writes that using a pressure cooker made her a better cook, not in terms of typical stove-top skills, but rather because it allows her to share meals with her family on a more regular basis, no matter what the day throws their way. She doles out sage advice for novices including accessing online tutorials and learning how each device’s functions work, as well as crucial tips (“mind the maximum fill line”) for successful one-pot cooking. Recipes for diverse palates include hearty breakfast favorites, such as all-purpose crustless quiche, and steel-cut oat porridge. Appetizing mains range from cacio e pepe risotto to coconut salmon, as well as quick Bolognese for a crowd. There are a variety of options for soups, vegetables, and desserts, and Copeland’s notes on which are vegetarian and gluten-free will be helpful for readers with different dietary requirements. Whether home cooks are just opening the box for their new device or masters at appliance cooking looking to expand their repertoire, Copeland provides a tantalizing guide to making great meals on automatic.

November 13, 2020

The latest by Copeland (Every Day Is Saturday) aims to help home cooks create faster and easier family meals that don't sacrifice flavor. She guides readers in getting to know their electric pressure cooker or slow cooker, including the varied settings and essential parts. The introduction, as well as the content prior to the recipes, is instructive, with information on what to look for when purchasing an electric cooker or figuring out all that it can do. A chapter on staples and meal-time helpers includes some features, such as a yogurt setting, that are found only on specific models of cookers, but the vast majority of recipes are adaptable to whatever cooker the reader has on hand. Quite helpful is the section on cooking times after the recipes. Chapters are divided by type of meal and include delights such as creamy carrot soup and double-the-vegetables pot roast. VERDICT Readers with an electric pressure cooker will find this book useful. Like Copeland's previous book, this one offers easy-to-follow recipes that are attainable by new and experienced cooks alike.--Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen, Oregon Inst. of Technology, Portland

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