Monday-to-Friday Cookbook [Paperback]

Michele Urvater (Author), Simms Taback (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

Winner of a James Beard award, The Monday-To-Friday Cookbook is the cookbook for working people. A professional chef and "excellent teacher" (New York Times) who faces the same problem we all face in coming home to feed her family, Michele Urvater has developed an inspired system of weeknight cuisine that really works. It provides a complete blueprint: pantry, equipment, techniques, dining strategies-and over 300 superb recipes. And special skills are definitely not required.

First, no more Mother Hubbard syndrome. A manageable list of basic ingredients-pastas, grains, canned fish, vegetables, and more-creates the foundation, and emergency pantry-only recipes mean you'll always have dinner in the house. Learn how to build meals around a focus, from the season's first asparagus to family members home at different times. And recycle-the roast you prepare on Sunday will help dress pasta on Tuesday.

Then there are the recipes themselves: delicious, undemanding, nutritious, and economical dishes that allow for the utmost adaptability. Salmon Chowder. Pasta with Tuna and Black Olives. Twelve versions of sauteed chicken breasts. Gingered Lamb Stew. Seafood Risotto with Greens. Instant Chocolate and Whipped Cream Cake.

With menu planner, glossary of techniques, professional tips throughout, clean-up hints, and Monday to Friday appendices-including the best recipes for children, entertaining, singles, and for cooking in 30 minutes or less, The Monday-To-Friday Cookbook is indispensable. Michele Urvater is also the host of her own TV series on The Television Food Network.

Main Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club's Good Cook Book Club and the Better Homes & Gardens Family Book Service. 198,000 copies in print.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Maybe it's a maddeningly-busy Monday. Or a terribly-tired Tuesday. Or a witheringly-packed Wednesday. Whatever the case may be, you're swamped by work as usual, and making dinner is the last thing on your mind. You want a meal, you want it fast-but you don't want to betray your taste buds. Here to help is the definitive quick-recipe series, the Monday-To-Friday cookbooks. Written by professional chef Michele Urvater, these award-winning books will turn any quick meal into a feast. The three titles in this overwhelmingly popular series are designed for maximum efficiency and maximum taste, with a minimum of fuss. Also in the series: Monday-To-Friday Pasta, a comprehensive guide to making over 175 pasta dishes in the time it takes to boil water, and Monday-To-Friday Chicken, with over 180 recipes for America's favorite bird.

From the Back Cover

The consummate book for the harried cook. (Chicago Tribune)

You know the problem. It's getting late. Papers are piling up, the phone won't stop ringing. You need to keep working and you need to quit working, and the last thing you're thinking about is dinner. There's no time to plan, no time to shop, no time to think. Now here's the solution. Developed by a chef who also has a family to feed, the award-winning MONDAY-TO-FRIDAY COOKBOOK shows you how to create delicious, nutritious, no-fuss meals every night of the week. No matter how busy you are.

Over 300 recipes with variations that will make your workday life easier

How to organize your kitchen, stock the pantry, and take advantage of proven shortcuts

More than 20 one-pot meals, 28 main course salads, a dozen quick and tasty ways to cook chicken breasts, plus weeknight desserts with weekend taste

Winner of the James Beard Award

"The consummate book for the harried cook." (Chicago Tribune)

A SAMPLING:

30 MINUTES OR LESS: Fiery Tubetti with Tuna and Black Olives-Pork Chops Baked in a Pear Sauerkraut-Unbelievable Chocolate-Chesnut Puree

WHEN YOU CAN'T EAT TOGETHER: Herbed Lamb Chops-Smoked Mussel, Pea, and Couscous Salad-Garlic- and Mustard-Crumbed Chicken-Pasta Fagioli with Vegetables

WHEN COMPANY'S COMING: Woodsy Mushroom and Scallop Soup-Glazed Veal Chops-Fresh Tuna Steaks Over Piquant Kale

OMNIUM GATHERUM, OR GUILT-FREE DINNERS: Stuffed Rolled Tortillas-Baked-for-Dinner Potatoes-Red and Yellow Pancakes

"This is a great book! Ms. Urvater's timing is perfect. As busy as you are, you'll ask yourself "How can I get into the kitchen?" rather than "How can I get out?" (Sheila Lukins, author of All Around the World Cookbook and co-author of The Silver Palette Cookbooks and The New Basics Cookbook

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563057484
• ISBN-13: 978-1563057489
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #452,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cornerstone of my cookbook collection., April 7, 2000

By 

J. Gillespie (Hampton Roads, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monday-to-Friday Cookbook (Paperback)

We received this book as a wedding gift and mistakenly ignored it for several years. Two years ago, we rediscovered it and have been using it almost exclusively ever since. An incredible range of recipes, from 30 minute start-to-table meals to more elaborate menus for when you are entertaining.

It's a great cookbook for the person just learning to cook as well as the more experienced chef. Michelle includes several chapters on how stock your pantry and kitchen equipment (I never learned that in Home Economics!) as well as well-organized recipes that make menu planning easy. I have given this book as a gift to most of my family - my four siblings and parents, too!

I do have one complaint - we've exhausted the recipes in this book! So, am going to buy the M2F Chicken and/or M2F Pasta book to supplement. Hopefully that will keep us for another 2 years!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Michele Urvater is a terrific mentor for a novice like me!, March 12, 1999

By 

RWM "RWM" (Rural New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monday-to-Friday Cookbook (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book by a professional cook who explains how she makes meals at home for her family.

When the main cooking responsibilities at home fell to me -- basically a noncook for most of my life -- I needed help. Michele Urvater is now my mentor in the kitchen.

I stocked the pantry of our new home based on her recommendations and threw out several kitchen gadgets bought on impulse. Michele U. is a minimalist in many ways.

Her book has lots of insights from a professional's point of view -- such as, basically, don't try to broil stuff at home. I didn't need to be persuaded, having murdered a salmon steak and a piece of swordfish in recent memory. Her preferences -- for Newman's Pasta Sauce for example -- seem well-founded when we've checked them out. She loves corn in all its forms and loves cumin as do we -- I discovered it only recently by reverse engineering the ingredients of Curry powder

Some things she learned at home -- such as cooking with ketchup (her little girl loved the stuff) and thinking ahead to what you are going to make out of the leftovers. Her recipes often have a leftovers plan attached.

Her book is great for those of us watching our fat intake and loaded with easy and delightful recipes using all kinds of beans, rice, and pasta.

Her simple Ricotta and fresh fruit salad and a bean, cucumber, and navel orange salad have become lunchtime staples.

We have happily tried a number of her one-dish meals, including a root-vegetable ragout, a kasha casserole, and a several others. More than one rated a coveted "Great!" from my friend Joan when we tasted them. We even dared to have company over for one of our creations -- we are definitely feeling competent in the kitchen these days, thanks to Michele Urvater.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No One Else Compares!!!, September 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Monday-to-Friday Cookbook (Paperback)

This book changed my life. It literally taught me how to cook. Michelle's common sense, philosophy of simplicity, and encouragement turned this intimidated, poorly fed college student into a real honest to god cook-something I never expected to happen in my lifetime : )...It will make you rethink your eating and cooking style- and priorities. A truly inspired and inspiring cook book that taught me how to enjoy eating again.

PS. Especially great for those of us whose kitchens don't come equipped with microwaves, fancy food processors and trendy breadmakers. Thanks Michelle!