Customer Reviews

Glorious One-Pot Meals

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I received this cookbook as a gift from a family member who lives in Denver, where the author lives. I guess that is where this method is most popular, but I wouldn't be surprised if it starts spreading like wildfire. As the mother of a very active toddler, I know first-hand how tough it is to get a healthy, tasty, and not-the-same-as-always meal on the table. I've had this cookbook for several months now and have tried many different recipes. I always add my own flair depending on what I have in the fridge and pantry, and that is the beauty of this method... you can make up your own meals without having to do special shopping but once (I highly recommend getting olive oil spray (Trader Joe's has a good one)to liberally coat your pot -- I do that and do not experience any of the burning that a few others have mentioned in their reviews).

I've hopped back onto amazon to buy a few more copies because I can't find them out here in LA yet (hopefully the specialty cooking stores will start to catch on) and I have a birthday and a wedding to attend next month for other busy busy friends who like good food but don't have time to cook often. I just finished reading some of the reviews and thought that I would respond to a few of the negative comments. First, I think it is very important to use a good pot. I use a 2-quart enamel coated cast iron pot -- just like the book suggests. I think if you use just cast iron that isn't enamel coated or if you use stainless steel, you may end up having problems. Also, not all ovens are the same!!! I have a semi-brand-new oven that I've been cooking these meals in, but I then brought my pot and cookbook over to a friend's to show her how it works and the meal (the same meal I've made several times at home) was dried out! She pulled out her oven thermometer and tested her oven, and lo and behold it was hotter than it should have been. I checked the book's website and the author states: "If your oven runs too hot you may find that your veggies are too soft and your meat is dried out."

There are outside factors to consider when using these recipes.. the pot and the oven... once you get those all squared away, it should be smooth sailing... as it was for me!

This book is genius!! It has changed my life. I received this book as a wedding gift but really starting using it when I had a baby and found myself without any time to cook. It is amazing!! You can put together the most delicious meals (penne puttanesca with shrimp, bahamas chicken...), in about 20 minutes and then you're done. All you have to do is stick it in the oven - you can enjoy your pre-dinner time without having to spend it in the kitchen. And the food is so good. Not only do you get to choose from a wide variety of recipes and you can spice it to your taste but it's amazing that you can throw raw pasta in with a bunch of other ingredients and even though you cook it all together, everything turns out perfectly. This is a MUST buy for anyone who enjoys and appreciates good food but has a busy life and not a lot of time to cook. Plus, it's really healthy!!!

I love the fact that this book introduces a method of cooking so that along with specific recipes you learn how to use your dutch oven in a way that can produce countless variations on the recipes as well as your own creations. This makes it easier to use seasonal produce and whatever you have on hand to make healthy, tasty meals. The author is also very responsive to feedback on her web site www.gloriousonepotmeals.com I have a non-traditional dutch oven and she provided tips for adjusting the recipes to make them work well.

I've had this cookbook for a few weeks now, and my husband and I have loved each of the recipes I have made! Each one has turned out to be delicious, and all of them are very easy to prepare.

In fact, one of the best parts of this cookbook is that there is no need to pre-cook any of the ingredients, making clean-up a breeze. After making several recipes from this book, I usually end up only having to wash a cutting board, a knife, and maybe a bowl that I used to mix up the ingredients, besides, of course, the Dutch oven itself.

I ended up ordering an inexpensive Lodge 6-quart Dutch oven from Amazon for just under $50 so I could double the recipes, and it has also worked great and is very easy to clean.

I also want to add that I'm a vegetarian, and this book has a lot of recipes in it for us veggies. All of the recipes are also very healthy and nutritious. The only downside of the cookbook is that the author doesn't list nutritional information for each recipe. I'm hoping that she'll provide that information in any other cookbooks that she puts out -- and I'm definitely hoping that she writes more!

All in all, this is a great book with delicious, healthy, clean-eating recipes!

This cooking method is magic to me, since reason tells me it shouldn't work. Raw rice or pasta, fresh meat and vegetable, all baked together with a little liquid and seasoning, at too high a temp for too long. Not only does it work, the end result is amazingly good. Vegetables were my biggest surprise. They lightly share flavors but maintain their own texture and taste. The method somehow amps up the natural flavor of vegetables. It produced the sweetest acorn squash I've ever eaten. I began trying vegetables I don't usually care for, like turnips, with great results.

I also use plain, un-enameled cast iron. Ran across the book on Amazon and it sounded interesting. The only problem was the purchase of a small, enameled cast iron pan. If I bought the pan, I couldn't afford anything to go in it. I emailed Yarnell and asked if plain cast iron would work. She said it would, so I gave it a try. I ordered a Lodge Logic Serving Pot with Iron Cover, along with the book, and it's worked fine. This is a little 2-qt pre-seasoned dutch oven. I do have to reduce cooking times slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, probably because the pot is thicker and heavier than an enameled version.

Lodge sells this pot as pre-seasoned, but it did require a little initial work. I followed a foodie friend's advice and boiled a pot of water in it to remove any residue. Then I sprayed it with cooking spray and gave it one round of seasoning in the oven, using the company's seasoning method. This gave me the kind of cast iron finish that usually requires 3 or 4 rounds in the oven. I also give it a light coat of cooking spray after each use.

An oven thermometer was crucial for testing. I had no idea what my oven did at those high temps. Turned out to be about 5 degrees off, so I make the adjustment when I set the oven. About those blast furnace temps... I live in a hot, humid climate with a gas oven that heats the house like crazy, so I use this method from October to May. Seasonal, but a long season. Can't wait for cooler weather to play with the technique again. It's been a big hit at my table.

Finally, an author got it right - a deceptively simple way to make nutritious, delicious dinners all in one step!
I was blown away by the scallops and sweet potato recipes. The potatoes added an unexpected flavor that was just yummy. I served one of them for a dinner party of eight, and it was enormously successful. And so easy! I added French bread and dessert, and there you have it. This style of cooking has encouraged me to take up the art again after many years of takeout. I also love the spiral notebook design, which makes it so easy to use. I've already lined up 6 more recipes to try out on my husband and friends!
Susan Rutherford, Denver,CO

I received my book last week, and I've made 2 meals from it so far. The first meal I attempted was little overcooked, so I submitted a question on the website. To my surprise, I received a response from the author herself. She gave me great tips to make my next attempt more sucessful.

Both meals were bursting with flavor, and you don't feel deprived, thinking that you're eating something light. Most of these meals are low in points on the Weight Watchers system. I also like the fact that global flavors are included. You get a chance to experiment, and really become an intuitive cook.

Buy the book - you won't be disappointed!

Glorious has a different organization than several other cookbooks -- makes it easier to use, and helps out with being practical and flexible with using what I've got in the fridge rather than making some special shopping list for a meal or two. It's clear that all these recipes were tested by the author, but truthfully, I've never followed one to the letter and they turn out great all the same!

The first time I was introduced to Glorious One-Pot Meals was last Fall when the Rocky Mountain News ran an article about Elizabeth Yarnell. I liked the featured recipes and loved the idea of cooking a complete meal in only ONE pot. So, I requested a dutch oven for Christmas and put it on our "wish list". I was thrilled when we received a Le Creuset dutch oven as a gift from family members. I quickly went out and purchased the cookbook at Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver and read it cover to cover. I followed the shopping list suggestions in the book and started cooking right away. We received the larger 3.5 size which works out perfectly as I can double the recipes and have leftovers for another evening's meal. My partner and I love all the meals we have prepared so far. I just have to remember to divide the meal into 4 servings and put 2 servings in the refrigerator or else we will devour the whole meal!! The only exception so far is to eat the entire meal right away if it contains fresh fish. Otherwise, leftover fish becomes too strong for my liking. Bravo to Elizabeth for introducing this wonderful and healthy new way of cooking!!

This is an amazing cookbook and a very inventive new method of cooking. However, my first question is, how did she come up with this. I've cooked for years using crock-pots and found myself tiring of the "stewed" consistancy of the finished meal. And then having to prepare, in addition to the main course, my veggies and starch. But as my sweet old country grandmother would say, "This ain't no crock pot baby. What an amazing thing to see. A complete meal, where the potato's were firm, the green beans were crunchy and the white fish was dripping with flavorful juice, emerging from one pot so quickly that I barely had time to get out of my work clothes and check my email. And the wonderful aromas that filled the house shortly before it was ready, beckoned me more urgently than the oven timer. I've cooked six of the recipes as of this date, and have only had one self-inflicted problem. My 2 qt. Dutch was dirty so I used my 3.5 qt. and didn't adjust. This caused the meat to come out a little dry because the "re-drip" from the lid apparently ran down the sides. If you like quick healthy meals that are also delicious, I highly recommend this book.