Notes from the Shari Bayer’s Test Kitchen for Lovethiscookbook:

Easy Gourmet by Stephanie Le’s cover claims “AWESOME RECIPES anyone CAN COOK”.  This paperback is full of easy recipes that will add big flavors to your dinner and won’t take up much space on your bookshelf (a big plus for me!) I am a huge fan of latkes so I had to try Stephanie’s Potato Waffles which are made with left over mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese and bacon.  With that ingredient list – YES!, they are everything you hope they will be.  I served them as a side dish for a steak for dinner which was both fun and delicious.

For easy weeknight meals that can be prepped ahead, I would recommend the Grilled Flank Steak, Roasted Vegetables and the Chicken Pot Pie Bun.  The Flank Steak recipe includes sesame oil and honey to make a sweet and savory marinade that goes perfectly with the roasted vegetables also featured in this book.  I thought the Pot Pie recipe was brilliant because the toughest part of chicken pot pie is getting the crust right. Stephanie’s idea to serve the pot pie filling on a crunchy roll is a huge time saver and can easily be made ahead for a busy weeknight meal.

I’ve had a love affair with béchamel sauce for 12-or-so years now after I ate my first Croque Monsieur, a French ham and Swiss sandwich that is smothered with this rich sauce. I would say you have not fully lived until you have eaten this dish.  You can make it at home or if you want to go out, my favorites are at Amical (Traverse City) (order the egg on top!), Hotel Martine (Grand Rapids), and Anna’s House (Grand Rapids) which is an often reoccurring item on their special’s menu. Thank me after you’ve tried it!     

Finally, is the Roasted Jalapeño Chili which had just the right amount of spice yet was not your average chili. This is a great recipe to make on Sunday for lunches and busy dinners during the week.  My notes added on this page of the book said simply “delicious!”

I whole-heartedly recommend Easy Gourmet by Stephanie Le. All-in-all this is a great little book for $18 and is full of recipes your family will love.

Must Make List:

Grilled Flank Steak

Roasted Vegetables

Potato Waffles

Roasted Jalapeno Chili

Chicken Pot Pie Bun

Lasagna with Bechamel and Bolognese