Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes
By: Dina Cheney
Rating: 5 of 5
“Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes” by Dina Cheney is a beautifully illustrated cookbook based on recipes which can be cooked in a 12 ounce mug (though the author points out that using a 16 ounce mug works as well – and maybe helps with keeping the microwave clean.)
I became interested in this book because it involves more work than throwing four ingredients into a mug and heating it up. While there are a few simpler items included, this is not a book of simple flavor recipes – it is a book of interesting and somewhat complex ingredient meals/desserts that are simple to make. You will need a decently stocked pantry to make all of the recipes. Good news for beginners is that you can buy the items as you go along and you will end up with a well-stocked pantry by the time you have worked your way through the book.
The Introduction explains the premise of the book, gives some background, pantry tips, and even cooking suggestions for some items.
After the introduction, the book is divided into three categories: Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner, and Desserts.
The recipes in the book are fairly evenly divided, which is very good news for those (like myself) who like to make scrumptious breakfasts. So many cookbooks give only a few pages to making omelets, scrambles, and casseroles (albeit with a number of variations listed in fine print.) It was a real pleasure to see recipe after recipe that varied so much in content and flavor. I’m also an individual who likes breakfast for lunch and dinner, so having unusual breakfast meals adds to my use of the cookbook throughout the day.
The Lunch/Dinner section does rely fairly heavily on having certain pre-cooked items ready (e.g., ground meats, quinoa, and rice.) This is true to a lesser extent for breakfasts. The author suggests that you make these ahead of time and keep time in the refrigerator for a number of days. You can also freeze them in the amounts you need for your meals (use a zip-lock bag for easy cleanup) and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. I really liked that the author explained how to cook each of these needed precooked items (though I generally use a one-to-one ratio for my quinoa.) It makes the recipes easier for someone with beginning cooking skills. A number of the recipes require cheese and unless you wish to shred your own (which I do), buying shredded cheese may work best for you.
The Dessert section is simply gorgeous. So much choice and flavors and best of all, in sizes that won’t encourage you to eat seconds of that wonderful sweet thing you made. It’s even possible to make one dessert and then share it (which I just might consider doing with my husband.) Just looking at the pictures and reading the ingredients makes me want to cook every single one of them as each looks more delicious than the last.
The cookbook is a keeper for the kitchen shelf. This is one to keep on hand to use all the time. It is so versatile for various cooks who want to make a portion appropriate meal: it is great for the single cook (beginner or advanced) who wants to make a great tasting recipe; for a family who wants to have recipes available for quick meals for an individual who needs their meal sooner rather than later (heading for class, practice, or what have you); and finally, for the cook, who like me, has cooked for a larger family and wants to make dishes for two that still capture the taste and feel of the “old days” while saving time and clean-up.
I received a temporary digital copy of this book from the publisher, Taunton Press, via Netgalley. I will be purchasing the printed version for my kitchen shelf as soon as it is available.
“Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes” by Dina Cheney is a beautifully illustrated cookbook based on recipes which can be cooked in a 12 ounce mug (though the author points out that using a 16 ounce mug works as well – and maybe helps with keeping the microwave clean.)