Oven to Table

Author: Jan Scott
Genre: Cookbook, Canadian
Type: Trade Paperback
Pages: 280
Source: Publisher

Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada

First Published: February 5, 2019

Opening Lines: "This book couldn't come at a better time. With an increase in obligations and digital distractions that tempt us away from the kitchen, a healthy, home-cooked meal is one of the sacrifices many are making. Fortunately, there's a satisfying solution to help home cooks make stress-free, mess-free, and tasty meals a reality: one-pot or one-pan cooking."

Book Description from GoodReads: Take the guesswork out of mealtime with over 100 essential, simple, and tasty one-pot and one-pan creations.

Sometimes it feels impossible to get a home-cooked meal on the table. Between preparing the ingredients, following elaborate directions, and cleaning up the mess of pots and pans, feeding your family or hosting friends can feel like more effort than it's worth. Fortunately, there's a satisfying solution to help make stress-free, mess-free, and tasty meals a reality: one-pot cooking. Using one of six cooking vessels--skillet, sheet pan, Dutch oven, baking pan, roasting pan, and casserole dish--with Jan Scott's effortless recipes, you can bring a complete dish to the table using easy-to-find ingredients and a variety of foolproof techniques. Preparing food in one pot not only saves time, both in the prep and post-meal clean up, but these recipes are flexible and endlessly adaptable too.

This collection of practical recipes, including Overnight French Toast Casserole, Barbecue Chicken Chili with Cornbread Dumplings, and Cherry Tomato and White Bean Skillet Bruschetta, brings ease, comfort, and bold flavour to everyday cooking. Whether you're braising Perfect Saucy Pulled Pork in a Dutch oven or whipping up Salted Chocolate Tahini Skillet Blondies, Oven to Table will reveal the wide-ranging versatility of just a few pieces of cookware. With dishes leaping from stove to centerpiece, Jan's wholesome recipes will streamline your kitchen routine and nourish your family and friends.

My Rating: 5 stars

My Review: I do so love a good cookbook. But it needs to be loaded with recipes I can make for my family that fit our tastes, are doable with ingredients I can find in my food store and don't leave me elbow deep in sudsy water all evening.  With Oven to Table, Jan Scott gives readers 100 easy to make, tasty recipes, complete with beautiful and enticing colour photos, that use only one pot.

Scott's writing is easy to read and approachable as she describes different pans, required utensils, foods to keep stocked in your kitchen and her tenets for ensure successful one-pot cooking. She clearly identifies vegetarian, gluten-free, kid-friendly and make-ahead dishes as well as those that are better suited when you have more time and don't have to quickly feed the small humans before shuttling them to evening activities.

Over the past week or so, I tried a few of the recipes in the book and was pleased with all of them. 

Smoky Corn and Cheddar Chowder with a side of tasty Honey, Thyme and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread

A delicous soup with a light smoky taste and a cornbread 

that is soooo good (bet you can't eat just one slice).

Goat Cheese and Dill Hash Brown Quiche

A tasty, perfectly set quiche! 

FYI - I used thyme instead of dill in this recipe. 

Note to self: buy fresh dill.

Roasted Red Onion Party Dip

My daughter already called dibs on this dip for 

tonight's snacks. 'Nuff said.

In the next week or so, I also plan to make her One-Pot Baked Beefaroni, Salted Chocolate Tahini Skillet Blondies and Fudgy Raspberry Swirl Brownies, just to name a few. While not all of these tasty treats will be conducive to impending bathing suit weather, my stomach is ignoring those concerns and is THRILLED about the upcoming gastronomical delights! 

Overall, this is an impressive cookbook that look forward to using often. One pot/pan recipes speak to the mom in me who doesn't want to spend a lot of time cleaning up after a meal. I love cooking but washing dishes? Not so much. With enticing colour pictures and clear instructions for 100 recipes, this cookbook will entice and inspire home cooks to whip up these delicious one-pot dishes for the important, yet sadly often forgotten, family meals.


Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of this cookbook in exchange for my honest review.