As a busy person who wants to eat homecooked meals but doesn’t always have time to spend hours in the kitchen, you may be wondering if there is a cookbook that features quick, easy recipes you can make any day of the week. The answer is yes! Anyday cookbooks provide simple recipes using pantry staples and fresh ingredients that can be prepped and cooked in 30 minutes or less. Keep reading to learn more about Anyday cookbooks and how they can help even the busiest home cooks put dinner on the table.
What is an Anyday Cookbook?
An Anyday cookbook is a collection of recipes that are designed to be quick, simple, and flexible enough to work for any day of the week. These cookbooks focus on recipes that use easy-to-find ingredients, require minimal prep work, and can be made in 30 minutes or less. The recipes are meant to be things that you can easily whip up on a busy weeknight without a lot of fuss or hassle.
Anyday cookbooks steer clear of overly complex recipes that have lots of hard-to-find ingredients or require hours of simmering or marinating. Instead, they focus on streamlined techniques and flavor-boosting shortcuts that cut down on prep time without sacrificing taste. For example, sautéing garlic and aromatics before adding other ingredients builds a foundation of flavor in minutes. Using pantry staples like canned beans or frozen vegetables makes assembly even faster. Anyday cookbooks are all about uncomplicated recipes that get dinner on the table fast.
What Kinds of Recipes are in an Anyday Cookbook?
You’ll find all kinds of quick, simple recipes in an Anyday cookbook. Here are some of the staple recipes you can expect:
- 30-minute main dishes like sheet pan chicken fajitas, broiled salmon with lemon and herbs, or vegetable fried rice
- Quick skillet meals like stir fries, frittatas, and skillet pasta bakes
- Speedy soups and stews that take advantage of shortcut ingredients
- Fast salads and bowls that can be prepped ahead of time
- Simple sandwiches, wraps, and tacos
- Flavor-packed sauces and dressings
- Easy baked goods like muffins, scones, and quick breads
- Desserts you can whip up fast like puddings, crisps, and no-bake cookies
An Anyday cookbook aims to cover all kinds of meals and recipes you’re likely to want on a daily basis. The focus is always on keeping things as simple and fast as possible while still being delicious.
Benefits of Using an Anyday Cookbook
Using an Anyday cookbook offers a few advantages for busy home cooks:
- Saves time. With most recipes clocking in at 30 minutes or less, it’s easy to cut down on time spent in the kitchen without sacrificing homecooked food.
- Less stress. Straightforward recipes with few ingredients mean there’s less to buy, prep, and assemble. You won’t waste time poring over complex recipes after a long day.
- No special trips. Since these recipes rely on pantry and freezer staples, you can likely make them without running to the store.
- Kid-friendly. Quick recipes tend to also be simple, pleasing dishes that kids will enjoy.
- Flexible. With timing and ingredients that aren’t too strict, Anyday recipes can adjust to what you have on hand.
Using an Anyday cookbook allows you to cut back on takeout, save money, and still put homecooked meals on the table despite your busy schedule. You’ll gain a repertoire of easy, go-to recipes for days when time is short.
Examples of Popular Anyday Cookbooks
Here are a few top-rated Anyday cookbooks to consider trying out:
The 30-Minute Cookbook by Camilla Saulsbury
With over 200 recipes covering everything from scrambled egg tacos to Moroccan chicken stew, this extensive cookbook is full of quick dinner solutions. Recipes take advantage of time-saving techniques like using rotisserie chicken.
Cook Once a Week by Theresa Albert-Ratchford
This unique cookbook provides a strategy for cooking batches of recipes once that can be repurposed throughout the week. So you might make a pot of chilli on Sunday that can also be used for nachos or baked potatoes later on.
The “I Don’t Know How to Cook” Book by Mary-Lane Kamberg
This is an accessible option for total cooking novices with recipes that use only 5 to 8 ingredients. The focus is on making cooking unintimidating with recipes like salmon and broccoli foil packs.
The Super Easy Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury
With recipes ranging from 5 to 25 minutes, this cookbook is perfect if you’re really pressed for time. It offers fast breakfasts, one-pot meals, salads, and more.
Tips for Getting Started with Anyday Cooking
Ready to start cooking fast Anyday meals? Here are some tips to help you get going:
- Read through recipes ahead of time so you know what ingredients you need.
- Stock up on Anyday cooking pantry essentials like eggs, frozen vegetables, pasta, rice, beans, etc.
- Pre-prep ingredients when possible – chop vegetables or measure things out.
- Use shortcuts like bagged lettuce, frozen chopped veggies, and rotisserie chicken.
- Master speedy cooking methods like sautéing, broiling, and one-pot meals.
- Get efficient tools like sharp knives, large cutting boards, and big pots and pans.
- Time your steps so everything finishes cooking at once.
- Enlist help – having someone else chop or clean up can buy you time.
The more you practice these Anyday cooking strategies, the more efficient you’ll get. Soon you’ll have a rotation of go-to 30-minute meals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most essential ingredients to keep on hand for Anyday cooking?
Having these ingredients will ensure you’re ready to make a quick Anyday meal:
- Eggs
- Frozen vegetables like peas, broccoli, edamame
- Onions and garlic
- Oil for cooking like olive or vegetable oil
- Rice, pasta, quinoa or other grains
- Canned beans like chickpeas or black beans
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Herbs and spices like chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano
- Canned tomatoes
- Condiments like soy sauce, vinegar, mustard
What are some strategies for shopping and prepping efficiently for Anyday cooking?
Here are some tips for making Anyday cooking prep faster:
- Shop once a week and stock up on staples
- Look for pre-prepped ingredients like bagged salad greens and chopped frozen vegetables
- Prep produce soon after buying – wash, chop, portion into bags
- Cook a high-protein base at the start of the week to use in multiple meals like chicken, lentils, or beans
- Make double batches of rice or other grain sides to use throughout the week
- Clean as you go and/or use a dishwasher to minimize cleanup time between meals
What are good Anyday recipes for using up leftovers?
Leftovers are perfect for quick Anyday meals. Some ideas:
- Extra chicken, beef or pork can be used in tacos, sandwiches, salads or stir-fries
- Roasted vegetables make great pizza or pasta toppings
- Grains like rice or quinoa can be made into bowls or formed into veggie patties
- Roasted potatoes can become a quick hash with eggs for breakfast
- Wilted greens can be puréed into soups
- Leftover baked goods can be sliced and used to make trifles or parfaits
Sample Anyday Dinner Menu
Here is an example of what a week of Anyday dinners might look like using quick recipes:
| Monday | Black bean quesadillas with salsa and guacamole |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Sheet pan sausage and peppers with rice |
| Wednesday | Pesto pasta with chicken and broccoli |
| Thursday | Shrimp fajitas with peppers and onion |
| Friday | Baked tilapia with lemon, rice pilaf and salad |
| Saturday | Veggie fried rice with egg |
| Sunday | Slow cooker chicken taco bowls |
Having an Anyday cookbook on hand makes putting together quick but tasty weekday meals like these a breeze. You’ll start building a reliable cooking routine in no time.
The Anyday Cookbook Solution
An Anyday cookbook provides the solution busy home cooks need to enjoy fast, homemade meals even on overloaded weeknights. These cookbooks deliver recipes with short ingredient lists, streamlined cooking techniques, and 30 minutes or less total time commitment. Anyday cooking relies on pantry staples, freezer items, and fresh ingredients used in simple ways. With an Anyday cookbook, you can take back dinner without losing precious time.
