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Everyday Food: Great Food Fast: 250 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals All Year Long

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No matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you want fresh, flavorful meals that are easy to prepare. And you want lots of choices and variations—recipes that call for your favorite foods and take advantage of excellent (and readily available) ingredients. In the first book from the award-winning magazine Everyday Food, you’ll find all of that: 250 simple recipes for delicious meals that are quick enough to make any day of the week.

Because a change in weather affects how we cook as much as what we cook, the recipes in Everyday Food are arranged by season. For spring, you’ll find speedy preparations for main-course salads, chicken, and poached salmon that minimize time spent at the stove; summer features quick techniques for grilling the very best burgers and kabobs as well as no-cook pasta sauces; for fall, there are braised meats and hearty main-course soups; and winter provides new takes on rich one-dish meals, roasts and stews, and hearty baked pastas. Finally, a chapter on basics explains how to make year-round staples such as foolproof roast chicken, risotto, couscous, and chocolate sauce.

Designed in a contemporary and easy-to-read format, Everyday Food boasts lush, full-color photography and plenty of suggestions for substitutions and variations. With Everyday Food, even the busiest on-the-go cook can look forward to meals that bring freshness, nutrition, and a range of flavors to dinner all week long.

384 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2007

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Martha Stewart Living Magazine

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5 stars
5,898 (40%)
4 stars
4,331 (29%)
3 stars
3,011 (20%)
2 stars
891 (6%)
1 star
468 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
Profile Image for Sean.
12 reviews1 follower
January 21, 2008
To my great chagrin, this book has turned out some simple and very helpful recipes.......and yet I still despise Martha Stewart.
Profile Image for Holly Celeste.
35 reviews2 followers
March 28, 2008
When I want to make something really good without spending all evening in the kitchen, this is pretty good. They're all relatively simple recipes. Big color photos on every page, which is a must for me.

So far I've liked the Curried Carrot Soup and loved the Orecchiette with Sausage and Roasted Peppers. I did NOT like the Hot and Sour Soup. Yech.
Profile Image for Kasia.
399 reviews306 followers
April 15, 2010
I know most women will think, do I really need another cookbook? Well, with this charming edition I would have to say that it's really a pleasure and a worthy investment.

I subscripted to the little fabulous food magazine "Everyday Food" so I felt that I knew most of the recipes, but I was pleasantly surprised with a wonderful melange of useful new dishes I haven't seen before but which were still pretty simple. The real beauty of this book is the easy font, nice photos of each dish - makes picking out what's for dinner that much easier - and the ease of preparation not to mention the simple list of ingredients and finally recipes that work. Everything that I tried from this book was almost picked on a whim, and it turned out beautifully, I felt like a culinary genius as my friends and family thoroughly enjoyed the dishes I made with this book's help. I have collected cookbooks since I was a little girl and some I have because they are fancy and beautiful and I might cook form them one day, but this one is in constant use as I borrow this and that from each page and mix my own meal. Cooking at home is never daunting when books such as this one give so many simple ideas to turn into a hot supper any day of the week. Separated by season the recipes are easy to find, if I'm in the mood for hearty and spicy I pick winter or fall, refreshing and bubbly recipes are from the spring and summer menu.

I have been a proud owner of this book for a few months now and I only review cookbooks that I have actually made food from. Pretty pictures and pleasant sounding ingredients are charming but if I can't make anything form a book and it's not helpful I will certainly make that clear in my review, I also would never recommend or bash a book I have never used - so I can proudly say that this book is nice to look at, everything in it looks tasty and it actually makes me want to get into the kitchen and cook, and after testing large amounts of it I know that it will not fail me during any meal.

There is a recipe for macaroni and cheese in here that made my head spin, I was used to making it one way from my first Nigella Lawson cook book "How to Eat" and I never thought I could improve on it, but improve I did! There is a secret ingredient that sounds out of place but which made my macaroni spectacular, cheesy and yum - simply stuff that comfort food dreams are made of. I also often buy chicken for dinner, raw of course and then wonder of ways to improvise on it on my way home, well the recipe for the Buttermilk chicken was so easy I forgot I was cooking at all, and once it was baked and I was relaxed in from of the TV with a glass of wine with the boyfriend, the dinner was ready. Sometimes I would pick a protein form one recipe and combine with leftovers I had from the night before, missing chicken with warmed up kasha and sautéed string beans were all hot and spiced to perfection, yet I made then by choosing random sides and entrees from the book. I also loved the beef bulgogi - which looks good enough to eat from the picture, cheesy and herbal asparagus and gruyere tart was a show off meal but really not a big sweat to make, flank steak with lime marinade was ridiculously easy but satisfied my craving for something charred and rustic but with a sour kick at the same time, the roasted salmon with lentils is now a staple on my repertoire - I can't believe I didn't cook lentils before, they are easy and taste heavenly, grilled chocolate sandwiches are now a heartbeat away for dessert when I have my panini press out, the gooey dark richness melts with the buttered toasted bread and other things I loved were seasonal soups and pastas. I cant even remember all the things I made from it but they were tasty and certainly I will make them again.

At the end of the book there are some fabulous pages with tips and tricks that make life easier - it's a section called Basics. It discusses vinaigrettes, eggs, chicken, rubs, herb sauces, easy chunky tomato sauce, how to cook pasta, perfect white rice, best couscous, soft polenta, how to cook risotto, chocolate sauce, whipped cream - basically giving a standard recipe and helpful little bits of info that I sometimes would have to look up online before I used other books.

This book is not expensive and not at all pretentious, anyone can make new favorite weeknight and weekend suppers with its help and the ease of preparation makes it worry proof when hungry family member demand them again. It's really good ingredients and books such as this one that remind me about cooking being a hobby and not a chore.
Profile Image for MRWee.
15 reviews
October 8, 2021
Good cookbook for a novice cook. Recipes are straightforward and simple to follow. They are bland, and a seasoned cook will want to venture out-
Profile Image for Gina.
1,867 reviews46 followers
December 1, 2023
Everyday Food has a few things going for it: Full color photography of every recipe, nutritional information for every recipe per serving, reasonably portioned recipes - most make 4 servings, and it is divided by seasons to take advantage of fresh produce. Most of the recipes skew healthy. Yet, I didn't make any recipe I'd make again. None of the the recipes were that bad, just on the spectrum between woefully bland or had 1 ingredient (usually onion/shallot/green onion) that overwhelmed the flavor of all other ingredients. For example, the orange broccoli was OK if you like steamed, unseasoned broccoli with a sauce that had a hint of orange flavor but was dominated by the shallot. The chicken enchiladas with pumpkin sauce were watery (probably because of the 2 and 1/2 cups of water added to the sauce for just 4 servings) which not only affected the taste but also the texture of the final dish. To be fair, I've only made about 10 recipes about of the 250, but all 10 were duds. This one is going to get re-donated to the library book sale.
Profile Image for Rachel.
228 reviews64 followers
October 10, 2008
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The summer after my sophomore year in college I got shingles, which is a disease that usually only old people get. Shingles is a recurrence of the chicken pox virus (so anyone who got it as a kid can get it) and happens to you when you are stressed out and your immune system is compromised. I firmly believe that I got shingles from sleeping for several months on a bare mattress and eating only Cheerios and Pepperoni Hot Pockets.

Now you can understand why this cookbook has revolutionized my life.
30 reviews
July 21, 2023
"Everyday Food: Great Food Fast" is a must-have addition to any kitchen. Martha Stewart Living's expertise in crafting flavorful, approachable recipes shines through, making this cookbook an indispensable companion for year-round culinary delights.
Profile Image for Kimberly Ann.
1,658 reviews
November 14, 2018
#125

4.5 Stars

Well, this book made me both happy & hungry... So many simple & great ideas for meals.

The font is easy to read, the header gives a brief explanation of the dish, the title is in bold, beneath is the serving size/prep & total time, the ingredients in a smaller font (I need new glasses) are on the left & the preparation steps on the right; the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow; the pictures are appetizing (not that ugly yellow-red-orange-brownish of most cookbook photos); the instruction steps are numbered; there are notes at the end; supplemental recipes for sauces etc.; and the pages are not cluttered.

The book is broken down into: Contents; Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter w/ the recipe names by courses( Soups/Salads, Mains, Pastas, & Desserts); Introduction (blessedly short); Recipes; Basics; & Reference

Recipes included but not limited to:

Spring: Hot & sour soup; Potato-Leek soup; Crisp goat cheese salad; Buttermilk baked chicken; Thai-style steak salad; lamb chops w/ mint-pepper sauce; Pan fried shrimp w/ Thai green curry sauce; Linguine w/ sausage & peppers; Farfalle w/ salmon, mint & peas; carrot cumin slaw; Parmesan steak fries; Strawberry shortcakes; & Lemon custard cakes

Summer: Creamy corn soup; Shrimp gazpacho; Favorite turkey burger; Vietnamese steak sandwiches; Pork quesadillas; Lentil-walnut burgers; Rum glazed shrimp & mango; past w/ pesto, prosciutto& peas; Rigatoni w/ goat cheese; Corn fritters; Grilled sweet potatoes w/ scallions; Summer snowballs; & Blueberry crumb cake

Fall: Coconut shrimp soup; Shredded beet & carrot salad; Roasted Cornish hens w/ grapes (?); Parmesan stuffed chicken breasts; Rye crusted pork medallions; Lamb chops w/ yogurt sauce; & Roast salmon w/ lentils; Tomato & olive penne; Red cabbage w/ apples; Orzo & snap pea salad; Buttermilk mashed potatoes; Grilled chocolate sandwiches; & Cappuccino parfaits

Winter: Lentil soup; Mango/Hearts of Palm salad w/ Lime vinaigrette; Garlic roasted chicken breasts; Chili rubbed skirt steak; Crispy apricot pork chops; Mushroom tart; Sole w/ butter sauce; baked ravioli; Lemon-thyme green beans; Baby broccoli w/ orange sauce; & Cranberry upside-down cake

Basics: Vinaigrettes, Rubs; Herbs sauces; Eggs & chicken basics; Grains/pastas

Reference: Nutritional values; Acknowledgements; Credits; & Index

Although I certainly do not need nor want another cookbook: This one is a keeper!
Profile Image for Jamie.
1 review
January 25, 2020
Great for beginners. I use the chapter on basics religiously and found it immensely useful. It's a much needed addition for those of us just starting out or, like me, aren't cooking often enough to commit these rules (which are usually left out of cookbooks) to memory. One more example of Martha's reliably thorough and precise approach to life.
10 reviews
May 27, 2020
This is the first cookbook I bought myself when I moved out on my own, and is still one of my favourite books to refer to. The book is organized by season making it easy to find something to suit the weather. I recommend this book to anyone who is new to cooking and wants straight forward, easy-to-follow recipes with affordable, accessible ingredients.
Profile Image for Kristen Chew.
27 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2020
Everything I've ever tried to make from this series of books has worked out exactly as described. It's very handy.
Profile Image for Virginia.
189 reviews
July 17, 2008
Okay, I'm not usually a fan of Martha's recipes because they tend to be very unneccesarily labor-intensive (e.g. for chocolate chip cookies: "make your own vanilla extract by boiling madagascar vanilla beans..." - I'm paraphrasing, but not kidding. That recipe actually was in her regular magazine). However, this Everyday Food cookbook has a lot of recipes I intend to use repeatedly. They seem reasonable in preparation and I LOVE that it is organized by the season so you can flip to (for example) summer recipes that employ fresh, seasonal ingredients. Winter recipes employ more root vegetables and "hearty" fare. I also love that each recipe is accompanied by a photo. "Best Beef Burgers" (pg. 127)totally lived up to the hype, and the "Garlic Marinated Chicken with Grilled New Potatoes" was also delicious!
Profile Image for Jennifer Didik.
221 reviews78 followers
December 31, 2011
obviously i haven't cooked everything in here.

the theme is "great food fast" and yeah, for the most part the recipes had flavor and were fairly quick to whip up. so in that regard, i guess the cookbook delivers.

this is me nit-picking, because i realize i can use these recipes as a jumping off point and replace ingredients i'm not so keen on, but fennel pops up in a lot of recipes. i'm not a fan of fennel. and further to this point, it also seemed like there were too many redundancies. almond-apricot chicken and crispy apricot pork chop? chicken in mustard cream sauce and pork tenderloin with mustard sauce? it seems strange the way these recipes were compiled.

i also think "easy" is slightly misleading. i like to think i can hold my own in the kitchen, but i've still managed to botch a few recipes.
494 reviews58 followers
June 8, 2007
I subscribe to the magazine, and mainly checked this out from the library because when I gave my issues away I forgot to copy down some of the recipes.

I've made a lot of these recipes, about 90% of them have been really excellent -- and also easy, quick, and reasonably low in fat if you avoid the cheese-based dishes. The authors have a mysterious attachment to fresh mint, which I find a bizarre addition to most foods, but other than that, I usually applaud their choices.

Another nice touch: instead of being organized by course or by ingredient, the book is organized by season.

(In case it's not obvious from the cover, everything in the book has already been published in the magazine, so readers won't be getting anything they haven't already seen.)
Profile Image for Cat.
381 reviews39 followers
February 28, 2015
Another great cookbook from Martha. We don’t use this one as much these days for entrees, just because most of the entrees are meat heavy, but the side dishes are top notch and veggie friendly. The title would indicate that these are super quick recipes, which actually isn’t the case. It’s a bit of a misnomer. Some only take 10 minutes or so, while others are upward of 2 hours. That said - they’re all super tasty (at least the ones I’ve tried). I also love that there’s a section devoted to breakfast. You don’t always get that, unless you buy a breakfast specific cookbook, and it was a happy surprise. I was also happy to see the sandwich section. In addition to the recipes, there are helpful tips throughout, guides, and nutritional information compiled at the end.
Profile Image for Amy.
939 reviews
April 12, 2008
I love watching this show every week on KBYU/KUED. However, this first cookbook did not match the style of the show at all - in fact, it had Martha Stewart written all over it. I do like Martha, but she has taken a seemingly quiet role as the shows Executive Producer, which made the book a surprise. The new season did just start (it's third), and she is taking a more prominent role by narrating and adding short video clips of herself. You can visit the website to download recipes, but it has also been incorproated under the Martha Stewart umbrella, so you'll have to know what you're looking for as you wade through all the other Martha Stewart offerings.
Profile Image for Jami.
5 reviews
April 16, 2008
I love this cookbook! It really deserves 5 stars just for the grilled chocolate sandwiches on page 255, which are so completely divine that my mouth is watering now at the very thought of them. I'm giving the book a rating of 4 stars here only because the prep times listed for each recipe haven't matched up with my experience--the pumpkin enchiladas, for example, took me a good hour longer than I'd expected (granted, I lost the can opener and had two kids to tend to during the process). Overall, though, I'm thrilled to have this in my kitchen. Even if it's not always "Great Food Fast," as the cover promises, this cookbook will definitely give you Great Food.
Profile Image for Ashley.
235 reviews7 followers
November 28, 2008
This is another of my favorite cookbooks. There is a picture of every single recipe, which I love! Also, it's arranged by season, so you can plan for what's fresh and cheap. Favorites include Cashew Chicken, Carrot Cupcakes, Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan, Lemon-Garlic Lamb Kebabs (I use chicken), Fish Tacos, Baked Ravioli, and Foolproof Hard-Cooked Eggs. It's got a great section of basics in the back (sauces, rubs, dressings, rice, and pasta). Some of the recipes are a little odd, but most are pretty good and have ingredients that are easy to find or substitute. Also, most recipes take about 30 minutes.
Profile Image for Kristine.
2 reviews
November 12, 2009
I have been cooking a lot more lately and have come to trust this cookbook as my standby for quick and tasty meals. The recipes are broken down by season, which makes it easy to find something to make with the ingredients I have on hand. They are usually simple to make (under and hour), but very flavorful. Lately I've made chicken enchiladas with pumpkin sauce - a great recipe to use up leftover chicken, and easy spaghetti carbonara. I've never had to spend too much money to make a meal from this book either - definitely a bonus for me right now. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cooking, but doesn't want to spend all day to make a delicious dinner.
Profile Image for Sarah.
667 reviews43 followers
July 24, 2010
I don't usually list informational nonfiction on Goodreads, but last night's Rum-Glazed Mango Shrimp finally induced me to mention this one:) This is my favorite cookbook, in fact, right after my trusty, beloved Betty Crocker with the red-and-white gingham cover that my mom gave me after I graduted college. The book is divided by season, each containing recipes with a seasonal feel and ingredients, with a color photo of every dish--and it's all delicious, impressive but totally do-able, and simple but creative. Right now I am especially loving the Tomato and Grilled Bread Salad, and the Mini Greek Lamb Burgers. Yum.
Profile Image for Victoria H..
57 reviews2 followers
November 17, 2012
Alright, Martha. I followed your recipe for chicken tortilla soup, and it came out way watery. Like pieces of chicken in hot water with some cilantro and avo on top. Gross. My better half, who would say tortilla soup is his #1 favorite dish barely ate his bowl. We threw the leftovers away.

(EDIT
PS, hate her or love her, we made chicken tortilla soup from the Pioneer Woman website and it was glorious. Like, eating-it-and-never-wanting-the-bowl-to-end glorious. Yum! And unlike this cookbook, it was absolutely free (not including price of Internet and the printing of one page of ingredients.)
Profile Image for Sarah.
27 reviews
June 4, 2012
This book has exactly what you'd expect: One page recipes that are (most, about 90%) accompanied by a colour picture, information about how long to make the recipe, using ingredients that are easy to find in your local supermarket.
I liked how the book was split up by season, an emphasis on chicken and fish dishes, and that there is an offering of salads, soups & side dishes per season. Bonuses in the back include picture guides on how to cook rice, risotto, etc. Also includes nutritional information.
This doesn't feel like a "Martha Stewart" cookbook - it's no nonsense, unpretentious, and perfect for weeknight meals.
Profile Image for Missy.
317 reviews16 followers
November 11, 2008
I might have to break down and actually buy this one; I keep borrowing it from the library and renewing it until they make me take it back. I'm having great success with the recipes, almost all of them fitting into actual weeknight plans, and the book itself is clean and well laid-out. I go back and forth about dividing the recipes by seasons: sometimes it's a nice organizational structure, but other times it feels like nothing more than a cheap marketing gimmick. (oy, when did I turn into a cranky editor?)

But mostly, yes! good book, good food.
Profile Image for Dayna.
209 reviews
September 12, 2009
Beautiful photos, appetizing recipes, thoughtfully organized by season and then by course ... I really, really like this cookbook! And it has a little bit of everything! I liked that it included the anticipated prep and total cooking time with each recipe. I also like that there are a couple of pages of side dishes - within each seasonal section - that can be served in any combination with almost any of the main dishes. There isn't a plain recipe in there, but the recipes are easy with simple, mostly common, ingredients. It really is great food fast.
Profile Image for Amber.
177 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2011
This is one of my ALL time favorite cookbooks. I started using it after my daughter was born --we needed quick, easy and healthy meals. We've loved everything out of this book and have probably cooked 80% of the items in the 9 months since my daughter's birth! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Every recipe has a picture which is my driving force behind making a home cooked meal.
We cook 6-7 nights at a week at home and rarely have the same meal twice.

I should also mention that I rarely follow a recipe to the 'T'.
15 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2013
This is another great cookbook. The recipes are really fast and easy, and all of them are composed with regular grocery store ingredients. For everything I've tried, the timing is correct as are the serving sizes. This works well when meal planning! All in all, a solid cookbook.

Also, it's arranged by season. So it's easy to turn to Winter and find lots of warm, comforting food or to Summer for crisp, light flavors. Most of the recipes are made with the corresponding seasonal ingredients too, which helps with flavor, freshness, and your grocery budget.
Profile Image for Amanda.
153 reviews
August 10, 2015
Great easy recipes for me ( intermediate cook) who sees more than 5 steps and gets put off by recipes (at least during the work week)
I like how the book is divided into seasons - some experts say you should with the seasons for better health and the environment
Has ingredients that are easily found or sometimes have on hand
The only weird thing is the book has some pics of food however no recipe to go with it - still trying to figure out that one
I got it from the library but might purchase to add to my collection
Profile Image for Brooke.
13 reviews2 followers
February 29, 2008
I know I know. I hate Martha Stewart, but seriously these are great recipes that really onl take the amount of time listed, even if you don't kno what you're doing and they taste so good. I couldn't help myself. Great pictures and great instructions and great food. Besides you're really supporting all the poor people who work for her and not her so that should help you feel a little better about buying it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews

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