Delicious, healthful, organized

I thought I had my act together when it came to making dinner...I love to cook, and have tried to make dinnertime a priority with my family. However, we were getting stuck in a rut. I'd go through my repertoire of about 10 meals, occasionally trying something new. Then, I saw this book recommended on the Flylady website, and that sparked my interest. However, I thought I didn't really need such a cookbook...I had plenty already, and I loved making my favorite recipes.

Well, as I researched a bit, I found out that this wasn't just a convenience cookbook (although it is VERY convenient...shopping lists are included, and we are given a new perspective on side dishes). Leanne Ely is a nutritionist, and these meals are healthy and balanced. Plus, they provide an ENORMOUS amount of variety! I have been using the menus quite faithfully (with occasional substitutions or modifications) for two months now, and my husband, three-year-old son, and I all love them! Some meals are better than others, but all have been at least as good as what I was making! We have been introduced to delicious new spices and herbs, are eating more healthfully (more veggies as side dishes), and can invite guests over at the drop of a hat!

One caveat: each 6-menu "week" (the cook needs a day off, too!) includes a crockpot meal. You might want to consider this if you don't own a crockpot. I am not a slow-cooker fan, but I have modified several "crockpot" recipes and just made them in a regular pot, maybe using some extra liquid and a very low heat. Otherwise, this book is a true find! I can't believe mine is the only review here! Whether you are trying to bring dinner back to your table or are just looking for TONS of family-friendly recipes, this book is worth its weight in gold. It's a true gem.

Do your family a favor: buy Saving Dinner

The last thing I need is more clutter - and cook books can be clutter. But I made an exception and bought Leanne Ely's book as soon as I saw it. Like thousands of people, I was first introduced to Leanne by "flylady," and I often found myself scribbling down recipes Leanne sent in her on-line "Food For Thought" column. It always seemed like my family liked whatever creative, healthy recipe she devised.

Leanne doesn't disappoint with this collection of fast, easy, family-pleasing recipes. My children, who normally groan at the idea of "boring old" soup for dinner, raved over her corn chowder and cornmeal muffins the very first night I brought the cook book home.

I like the way she organized the book by seasons, since I never fix chicken and dumplings in July or BLTs and lemonaid in January. I enjoy her breezy writing style, which makes her sound like she's a friend sitting in the kitchen with me. Her mini-article, "A Case for Oil" is recommended reading in itself, and a good example of her writing style. In it, she defends a bottle of olive oil in Food Court, and in the process, explains "good" and "bad" fats in a way anyone could grasp.

I also like Leanne's whole premise that the family dinner, with everyone sharing their day around the dinner table, should not be obsolete. With help from Leanne, there's no reason to run through a fast food window three times a week.

End the meal planning nightmare

This book is very helpful. It has quick, easy-to-cook recipes laid out into menus with shopping lists. The meals may not be stellar, but they are all good. The cooking directions aren't great, either, but they are good enough. The things that I really do love about the book are the menus and shopping lists (with optional items marked as such)--they make dinner planning a snap. Plus, the meals are all well-balanced and healthy. And, unlike many other pre-made menus, the meals fit together so that you don't have a surplus of wasted food at the end of the week. I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks menu planning is a chore. (Leanne also has a website where you can get weekly menus emailed to you if the book doesn't suit you: savingdinner.com.)