The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights: A Year of Fast and Delicious Meals book cover

The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights: A Year of Fast and Delicious Meals

Author(s): Suzannah Sloan (Author)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 3 Dec. 2002
Language: English
Print length: 672 pages
ISBN-10: 0684867702
ISBN-13: 9780684867700

Book Description

DO YOU DREAD FIXING DINNER EACH NIGHT, BUT ARE LOOKING FOR BETTER THAN TAKEOUT? THE AUTHORS OF THE BESTSELLING A DINNER A DAY SHOW YOU HOW TO PREPARE DELICIOUS, FAMILY-PERFECTED MEALS EVERY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.
If you're the cook in your household and crave comfort food that will bring your family back to the table, you need The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights. Written by a gourmet and an I-hate-to-cook, this must-have volume translates Grandmother's cooking into today's lifestyle and gives new meaning to the term "fast food," as it brings variety, great taste, and fun back to home-cooked meals. In a unique approach to taking control of the kitchen, Sally Sondheim and Suzannah Sloan have created 260 brand-new menus -- including entrées, side dishes, and desserts -- that will allow time-pressed cooks to put together readily available ingredients with style and speed.
There's no guesswork involved: Each menu is presented to you complete on two facing pages. The recipes are accompanied by organized shopping lists that make once-a-week marketing a snap, a rundown of necessary cooking equipment, and an indispensable preparation schedule that gets everything to the table on time. Each menu feeds an average family of four, but can easily be expanded or reduced to fit your needs, and the dishes highlight the freshest foods of the season, judiciously augmented by timesaving convenience foods. Now your family can enjoy such mouthwatering combinations as hearty chicken soup with carrots, beans, potatoes, and spinach, served with maple syrup muffins and strawberry-topped sherbet over melon; or a sausage, egg, and vegetable bake, served with spiced peaches, rosemary buns, and angel food cake with blueberry sauce. How about pork chops simmered with lemon, brown sugar, and honey, served with egg noodles tossed with butter and poppy seeds, sautéed snow peas and asparagus, and a butterscotch pudding layered with shortbread cookies? All the thinking, all the planning, all the organization, has been done for you. All that's left for you to do is to take the credit!
Whether you're a single parent, the cooking half of a two-career family, or an overscheduled stay-at-home mom, The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights is the one book you'll want to use every day.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sally Sondheim and Suzannah Sloan are the authors of A Dinner a Day. They live in the Pacific Northwest. Visit their website at http://www.theaccidentalgourmet.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights

Name: The Accidental Gourmet: Weeknights: A Year of Fast and Delicious Meals
Author: Suzannah Sloan (Author)
ISBN: 9780684867700

A Year of Fast and Delicious MealsBy Sally Sondheim

Simon & Schuster

From WINTER: WEEK ONE

WEEK AT A GLANCE

Monday

The Shell Game

Roll the Rice

Sleight of Salad

Jackpot Cake

Tuesday

Quiche Me Once

Two-Timers

Three's Company

Wednesday

Rhode Island Red

Providential Potatoes

Bristol Broccoli

Snug Harbors

Thursday

Unsurpasta

Beyond Beleaf

French Folly

Pearagon of Virtue

Friday

Upon My Sole

Norman Vincent Pilaf

Bishop Sheen's Beans

Billy Grahams

STAPLES

Butter
- Flour
  - Cornstarch
    
    Granulated sugar
    
    Dark brown sugar
    
    Olive oil
    
    Vegetable oil
    
    Red wine vinegar
    
    Rice vinegar
    
    White wine vinegar
    
    Lemon juice
    
    Lime juice
    
    Chili sauce
    
    Honey
    
    Ketchup
    
    Prepared horseradish
    
    Worcestershire sauce
    
    Grated Parmesan cheese
    
    Celery seeds
    
    Dried basil
    
    Dried marjoram
    
    Dried oregano
    
    Dried thyme
    
    Ground allspice
    
    Ground cardamom
    
    Cayenne pepper
    
    Ground cinnamon
    
    Ground cloves
    
    Curry powder
    
    Dry mustard
    
    Ground nutmeg
    
    Paprika
    
    Black pepper
    
    Red pepper flakes
    
    White pepper
    
    Salt
    
    Turmeric
    
    Vanilla extract
    
    SHOPPING LIST
    
    MEAT & POULTRY
    
    4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds) (W)
    
    FISH
    
    1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined (M)
    
    1 pound sea scallops (M)
    
    4 sole fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds) (F)
    
    FRESH PRODUCE
    
    VEGETABLES
    
    1 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes (W)
    
    1 medium bunch broccoli (W)
    
    3/4 pound sugar-snap peas (Th)
    
    4 medium carrots (T)
    
    2 stalks celery (W)
    
    2 stalks celery (F)
    
    1/4 pound mushrooms (T)
    
    1 small head lettuce (M)
    
    1 small head lettuce (Th)
    
    1 large ripe avocado (M)
    
    1 medium cucumber (F)
    
    1 small red bell pepper (Th)
    
    1 small yellow bell pepper (Th)
    
    1 large onion (T)
    
    1 small onion (Th)
    
    1 small red onion (M)
    
    1 small red onion (W)
    
    1 medium shallot (M)
    
    3 scallions (green onions) (F)
    
    4 cloves garlic (M)
    
    1 clove garlic (T)
    
    3 cloves garlic (Th)
    
    HERBS
    
    3 tablespoons chives (when chopped) (F)
    
    1/4 cup parsley (when chopped) (M)
    
    1/4 cup parsley (when chopped) (Th)
    
    2 tablespoons parsley (when chopped) (F)
    
    FRUIT
    
    1 small grapefruit (M)
    
    1 large lemon (F)
    
    1 small ripe cantaloupe melon (T)
    
    1 small ripe honeydew melon (T)
    
    1 large red apple (W)
    
    1/4 pound seedless red grapes (T)
    
    CANS, JARS & BOTTLES
    
    SOUPS
    
    1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth (W)
    
    1 can (14 ounces) vegetable broth (F)
    
    INTERNATIONAL FOODS
    
    1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts (T)
    
    SAUCES
    
    1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce (Th)
    
    CONDIMENTS
    
    1 jar (61/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts (Th)
    
    1 jar (4 ounces) sliced pimientos (Th)
    
    1 can (31/2 ounces) sliced black olives (Th)
    
    FRUIT
    
    1 can (15 ounces) pear halves (Th)
    
    SPREADS
    
    1 jar (10 ounces) mango chutney (W)
    
    PACKAGED GOODS
    
    PASTA, RICE & GRAINS
    
    1 pound linguini (Th)
    
    1 cup long-grain white rice (M)
    
    1 cup long-grain white rice (F)
    
    BAKED GOODS
    
    1 loaf French bread (Th, F)
    
    1 box (9 ounces) gingersnaps (Th)
    
    1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (F)
    
    DRIED FRUIT & NUTS
    
    1/2 cup golden raisins (W)
    
    DESSERT & BAKING NEEDS
    
    1 package (3 ounces) lemon gelatin (W)
    
    1 package (3.4 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix (F)
    
    1/2 cup chocolate chips (W)
    
    1 cup mini-marshmallows (W)
    
    1/2 cup flaked coconut (M)
    
    WINE & SPIRITS
    
    1/2 cup dry white wine (Th)
    
    2 tablespoons dry sherry (M)
    
    REFRIGERATED PRODUCTS
    
    DAIRY
    
    1/2 cup milk (T)
    
    2 cups chocolate milk (F)
    
    1 cup half-and-half (T)
    
    1/2 cup plain yogurt (T)
    
    1/4 cup plain yogurt (F)
    
    Whipped cream for garnish (Th)
    
    Whipped cream for garnish (F)
    
    4 eggs (T)
    
    CHEESE
    
    2 cups shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese (T)
    
    1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (Th)
    
    JUICES
    
    1 cup orange juice (W)
    
    DELI
    
    4 slices bacon (Th)
    
    FROZEN GOODS
    
    VEGETABLES
    
    1 package (10 ounces) chopped spinach (T)
    
    1 package (10 ounces) cut green beans (F)
    
    BAKED GOODS
    
    1 cinnamon swirl pound cake (M)
    
    PASTRY
    
    1 unbaked pie shell (T)
    
    MONDAY
    
    MENU
    
    The Shell Game
    
    1 medium shallot
    
    4 cloves garlic
    
    1/4 cup fresh parsley (when chopped)
    
    1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
    
    1 pound sea scallops
    
    2 tablespoons ketchup
    
    1 tablespoon chili sauce
    
    2 tablespoons dry sherry
    
    1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
    
    1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
    
    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    
    1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    
    Seasoning to taste
    
    Roll the Rice
    
    1 cup long-grain white rice
    
    21/4 cups water
    
    2 teaspoons turmeric
    
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    
    Sleight of Salad
    
    1 small head lettuce
    
    1 small red onion
    
    1 small grapefruit
    
    1 large ripe avocado
    
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    
    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    
    1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    
    Seasoning to taste
    
    Jackpot Cake
    
    1 frozen cinnamon swirl pound cake
    
    3 tablespoons butter
    
    3 tablespoons honey
    
    1/2 cup flaked coconut
    
    EQUIPMENT
    
    Double boiler
    
    Large skillet
    
    Baking sheet
    
    Medium mixing bowl
    
    2 small mixing bowls
    
    Whisk
    
    Kitchen knives
    
    Measuring cups and spoons
    
    Cooking utensils
    
    COUNTDOWN
    
    1. Assemble the ingredients and the equipment.
    
    2. Do Steps 1-2 of Roll the Rice.
    
    3. Do Step 1 of Jackpot Cake.
    
    4. Do Steps 1-3 of Sleight of Salad.
    
    5. Do Steps 1-3 of The Shell Game.
    
    6. Do Steps 2-4 of Jackpot Cake.
    
    7. Do Steps 4-5 of The Shell Game.
    
    8. Do Step 3 of Roll the Rice.
    
    9. Do Step 6 of The Shell Game.
    
    10. Do Step 4 of Sleight of Salad.
    
    11. Do Step 5 of Jackpot Cake.
    
    RECIPES
    
    The Shell Game
    
    Peel and chop the shallot. Peel and mince the garlic. Rinse, stem, and chop the parsley.
    
    Rinse and pat dry the shrimp and the scallops.
    
    In a small bowl, combine the shallot, the ketchup, the chili sauce, the sherry, the mustard, and the horseradish. Set aside.
    
    Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and the scallops and cook until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
    
    Add the parsley and the sauce mixture, season to taste, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.
    
    Serve over the rice.
    
    Roll the Rice
    
    Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler.
    
    Combine the rice, the 2 1/4 cups of water, the turmeric, and the nutmeg in the top of the double boiler. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
    
    Fluff the rice with a fork.
    
    Sleight of Salad
    
    Wash and dry the lettuce and...

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