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A wise woman once said, "Dinner is more than food." That woman was Sandi Richard, author of Dinner Survival, Cooking for the Rushed, along with four other cookbooks and the host of Fixing Dinner on Food Network Canada. Not only is dinner more than food, Dinner Survival is more than a cookbook. In fact, it seems more like a self-help book than a cookbook.Richard uses the first 17 pages to tell us why we don't have time to cook dinner. From our own jobs, to carting the kids around to little league and piano lessons, along with our own chores, time is too limited. So we choose fast food to heed the need to feed. The book is clearly aimed at families of four or more with hectic schedules. After reading those first 17 pages, I was exhausted myself. If your life is as busy as the ones she describes, you'll have to lock yourself in the bathroom just to have time to read this book. And Richard says that's not even a safe place to hide.
Once you get past the first 17 pages, this is a very helpful self-help book, but you must have discipline. The recipes even tell you, if you have time, to change into comfy clothes after work before starting to cook. In fact, with the exception of those recipes that you start the night before, all others tell you not to change in fear that you will become too relaxed to cook. Not a bad strategy. Richard lays out an organized plan that to some would include a change of lifestyle. From how to write a grocery list to what utensils you need, she covers all bases. I have never read a cookbook before that is so complete.
When it came time to test the recipes, it was more about testing her time management than it was the food itself. As I am single and the recipes serve 4 to 6, I experimented on a very good friend, Christian contemporary musics' songwriter, musician, singer and recording artist WendySue Fluegge (Wendysue.com) along with her husband Craig, children Miranda 10, Collin 8 and Craig' sister from Minnesota, Michelle. The first recipe tested was Steak with Red Wine Gravy, Crinkle Fries and Roasted Asparagus. The food was fantastic but the kids disliked the wine flavor in the gravy. However, the timing was a problem. Ms. Richard says this meal can be ready in 30 minutes. It took me 65 minutes from set-up to serving, and I'm good at multi-tasking. In fact, I had trouble meeting her time table with all three meals I tried, and I'm a professional chef. I see homemakers having the same problems if not more so. Maybe if I worked more during the commercials...
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