What to cook when you don't feel like cooking

As its fun title suggests, the second cookbook from recipe developer Chambers (Just Married, 2018) is here for home cooks who may, like the author, have several mouths to feed and not a lot of time to do it. Each of the 100-plus recipes is a complete meal, and the book progresses through dishes that require 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour, or longer to make, with lots of both meaty and vegetarian options: burgers made on a sheet pan, creamy creamless tomato soup, pasta sauces made from blended kale or cooked squash. A detailed index, list of recipes organized by protein, and another list dividing recipes into categories (e.g., healthy stuff, meals to bring a friend, slow-cooker adaptable) make it especially useful. Several recipes include speed-friendly, pre-made items like rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto, hummus, salsa, and pizza dough. Like Ali Slagle's I Dream of Dinner (So You Don't Have To) (2023), this is sure to help tired people reinvigorate routines and get dinner on the table.

Many cookbooks conceived during the pandemic addressed the need to cook from home while keeping meals interesting. Chambers (Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds) continues this trend with the full force of her background as a professional recipe tester. She organizes her delicious and simple recipes by the time each requires, beginning at 15-ish minutes, with subsequent chapters describing more intensive periods. Every recipe offers options for swapping ingredients to match what cooks have on hand or prefer, and many recipes also offer multiple versions of basics, such as frittatas and noodles. This flexible approach does not just minimize time spent in the kitchen but also offers time-saving ideas for collecting essential staples and equipment. As readers try their hand at the book's dishes that require more time, the volume's simplicity remains and helps build confidence within cooks to be more adventurous in their meal choices. VERDICT Highly approachable and friendly to all skill levels, this book fits the bill for anyone who hesitates to prepare meals; a must-have for time-constrained cooks. Essential for every collection.--Ron Block