Quick Meal Prep: 8 Strategies for Tonight's Dinner

From the Publisher, the book "Make it ahead—and relax" offers 150 reliable recipes that cater to different types of cooks. Whether you enjoy cooking all weekend to stock your freezer, prepping Tuesday night's dinner on Monday night, following a precise shopping and prep plan for weeknight dinners, or doing a little morning prep and letting your slow cooker handle the rest, this book provides a range of creative make-ahead cooking options to suit your needs.

Unlike most make-ahead cookbooks that focus solely on stocking the freezer, this book takes a new approach. It includes a chapter on dinners from the freezer, but also seven other chapters that showcase how a little advance work can pay off in a big way. You can choose the make-ahead style that best fits your temperament, schedule, and family's preferences.

The book is divided into several chapters, each with a different make-ahead strategy:

Prep Ahead: Ready-to-Cook Meals This chapter offers oven-ready entrées that require minimal work the night before, allowing you to enjoy a great meal with little effort the next day. You can prep for tomorrow's meal while tonight's supper is cooking or spend 20 minutes getting dinner ready in the morning, then simply pop it in the oven after work.

Reheat and Eat: Make-Ahead Stews and Braises Stews and braises are notoriously time-consuming, but making these dishes ahead of time allows you to take advantage of the time the dish spends cooling and resting until you're ready to reheat and serve.

Bake and Serve: Oven-Ready Casseroles To create make-ahead versions of classic casseroles, the recipes in this chapter use techniques like parcooking pasta and vegetables, and making loose sauces that won't overthicken in the oven, ensuring the final dishes taste just as good as traditional versions.

From Fridge to Table: Ready-to-Serve Entrées Whether you're in the mood for a healthy dinner, need something easy to bring to a potluck or picnic, or want to avoid heating up the oven on a hot summer night, this chapter offers a wide variety of dishes that taste great served cold, from fried chicken and poached salmon to chilled Asian noodle salads.

The book's approach allows you to choose the make-ahead style that works best for your lifestyle and preferences, with the planning and prep work already done for you.

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