5 Ingredient Weeknight Meals Cookbook Review and Tostada Recipe

cindy — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 10:00:54 +0000

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”I love reviewing cookbooks because I enjoy finding new recipes my family will enjoy. I was excited to receive Southern Living What’s for Supper: 5-Ingedient Weeknight Meals: Delicious Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less to review because from the title, I felt it was a cookbook created for busy moms like myself.

About What’s for Supper: 5 Ingredient Weeknight Meals

WHAT’S FOR SUPPER: 5-Ingredient Weeknight Meals is much more than a compilation of easy recipes – it’s an indispensible tool for seasoned cooks and novices alike. It teaches you how to stock your pantry with basics, such as a variety of oils, vinegars, and condiments for flavorful, fast cooking. The tips for timesaving and equipping your kitchen will give you huge advantages when that six o’ clock crunch time rolls around. In less time than it takes to order-in delivery or drive to the closest fast food joint, these made-from-scratch meals will be on the table. The recipes are Southern Living Test Kitchen-approved, and they’re guaranteed to be as easy as a quick stop to the grocery store, grabbing 5 simple ingredients and within 30-minutes enjoying a gourmet supper with your family.

WHAT’S FOR SUPPER: 5-Ingredient Weeknight Meals includes a wide variety of simple, crowd-pleasing dishes for any occasion. In the “Hot off the Grill!” chapter, you’ll master recipes for mouth-watering grilled dishes like Korean Flank Steak and Grilled Chicken Caprese. In the “No Cook Suppers” chapter even your most hectic days are made easier. Without using a grill, oven, or even your stovetop you can prepare dishes like Curried Mango Chicken Salad, Heirloom Tomato Panzanella, and Cornbread-Vegetable Salad.

As a mom with a 12-year old son, author Vanessa McNeil Rocchio understands you can’t sacrifice nutrition for convenience. In “So Easy Sides” she offers scrumptious recipes for healthy vegetable sides that round out any meal like her Smoky Sweet Potato Mash, Summer Fresh Ratatouille, or Rosemary-Garlic White Bean Mash. And be sure to save room for something sweet because Vanessa’s 3-ingredient desserts are the perfect and easy ending to any weeknight meal. The Mint Chocolate Truffles and Brownie Buttons will become instant hits with the kids.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

Not every cookbook is a great fit for every family and this one wasn’t a good fit for us. There are a few reasons for this.

We are kind of picky eaters. No one in my house is going to eat Grilled Pork Tenderloins with Plums or Grilled Mahi Mahi with Olive Oil and Lemon.
Cost. I wanted to make the Korean Flank Steak but when the ingredients cost over $40 for an entree for 4 people, I removed them from the shopping cart.
To get these recipes to 5 ingredients, the author assumes you have a well stocked pantry. I thought I did…I guess I don’t. These pantry staples don’t count in the 5 ingredients because it is assumed you have them on hand.

I made the Shrimp, Corn and Tomato Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette for our family Labor Day picnic. It was easy to make but it didn’t look at all like the photos in the cookbook. There was way too much pesto, everything looked green and yes, I did double check the recipe and my measurements. I was still going to share that recipe with you but my husband accidentally deleted the pictures from the camera before I downloaded them. Oops! Since that didn’t work out so well, I thought I’d share this recipe from the cookbook- Chicken and Black Bean Tostada.

Chicken and Black Bean Tostada Recipe

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings 6 servings

Author Cindy Schultz

Ingredients

1 15-oz. can refried black beans
6 to stada shells
2 cups shredded mojo-flavored deli-roasted chicken
½ cup refrigerated creamy chipotle ranch dressing
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Spread beans over tostada shells
Top with chicken.
Drizzle with dressing
Sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Dress up these tostadas with additional toppings such as crumbled queso fresco, shredded lettuce, sliced radishes, and pico de gallo.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and all of the easy recipes I share here on The Mom Maven. I hope you share them on your social networks. I just ask that you not copy and share the entire recipe with photos. Please use the sharing buttons below and share the link to this post. Thanks!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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