One Pan, Two Plates: More Than 70 Complete Weeknight Meals for Two

by Carla Snyder, Jody Horton (Photographer)

One pan + fresh ingredients = dinner for two! With an emphasis on reducing prep time and the usual sinkful of dishes, cooking instructor Carla Snyder serves up the ideal couple's guide to simple, complete, and truly delicious meals--imagine Balsamic Braised Chicken Thighs with Figs and Creamy Polenta or Thyme-Rubbed Salmon with Shallots and Caramelized Cauliflower "Risotto"--that can be made in one skillet, in less than 60 minutes. With recipes for home-cooked pasta, grains, sandwiches, beef, pork, chicken, and seafood, plus wine or beer pairings for each dish, One Pan, Two Plates will nourish couples, from newlyweds to empty nesters, every night of the week.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink, Ebooks

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2013

Reviews

[Susan Atherly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains an excellent collection of quick to prepare but elevated dinner entrees for two. Featuring an international collection of vegan, vegetarian, and meat dishes (seafood, chicken, lamb, pork, veal, and beef), the emphasis is on having dinner in less than an hour. Did I mention how delicious they are?

The skill level needed ranges from basic to intermediate, which the authors talk you through, and the tools usually involve a good pan and a sharp knife.

The book itself is full of gorgeous photographs and plenty of space for notes if you make changes to a recipe. They also include wine and beer suggestion.

[Picky Virgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I prepared four recipes from this book. One was spectacular, two were very good, and one was good.

Spectacular: Herbed Chicken Paillards with Zucchini Pancakes and Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce
Very Good: Thyme-Dusted Pork Medallions with Pear-Rutabaga Mash
Lo Mein Noodles with Chicken, Snow Peas, and Peanut Sauce
Good: Hungarian Beef Goulash with Paprika and Dumplings

As others have pointed out, labeling these meals as “One Pan” is inaccurate. Of the four dinners I made, only two, the lo mein and the the goulash, met that qualification. The other two recipes required cooking one item in the pan, removing it, cooking something else, returning the first item to the pan...not what I expected. All four dinners required a great deal of preparation and each created a mountain of dirty dishes. But the results were very tasty, and I’ll continue to make good use of this cookbook.

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that I don't have to think about what sides to serve with the main course, because everything is right there in the one pan recipe. Although the "one pan" does get a bit ridiculous at times since she has you cook something, remove it to a plate to "keep warm" somehow and cook something else and remove that to a plate to also "keep warm" and so on...but if you read through the recipe first, it's easy enough to adjust and just use two pans if it'll save some hassle. Great that there's also wine recommendations with each recipe, though I don't know if it's wise for two people to try to polish off a bottle of wine each evening with dinner lol.

[Sheri S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding cookbook by Mrs. Snyder! After buying, using, and loving “One Pan, Whole Family”, I decided to buy, and use (and now love) this cookbook that offers the perfect meals for me to make for my boyfriend on the (unfortunate) nights when our children are at their other respective parents’ houses and it’s just the two of us. Although, I can easily just halve the recipes in “Whole Family”, it was really just an excuse to buy her other book so that I could embark on another of Ms. Snyder’s culinary journey! (And conversely, I can now double any recipes from “Two Plates” for our whole family!). The meals that I’ve created from “Two Pan” are once again amazing combinations of flavors that easily come together ((although, I still have trouble preparing the meals in under an hour, but, that’s my own fault for being slow in the kitchen, and also easily distracted by the kids, animals, or other household chores!).

[Michele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm reviewing cookbooks because I have to get one as a gift for somebody next month. I didn't copy any recipes out of this one to try. they were all pretty basic and not very exciting, I thought.

[beentsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good resource. Borrowed a copy from the library but will definitely be adding this to my library.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook was a real winner for me - lovely to look at and chalk full of tasty recipes that I've already thrown into the rotation. Checking out the vegetarian follow-up next.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't make anything out of this one although there were a couple of recipes that sounded good.

[Lily Archer · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Kindle)

Creative recipes scaled for 2.
A nice balance between creative flavors and not too complicated for weeknight meal prep.

Recommend.

[Christopher Cagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks mother-in-law! The recipes look good. I read the front and back material tonight, and skimmed all the recipes. Time to go back and try each recipe one at a time. These will probably be ‘occasionals’ mixed into the week—I like to cook meals with 4-6 servings, as this allows for lunches for wife’s work and leftovers throughout the week (which means I don’t have to cook every night). That said, having ‘quick options’ to put dinner on the table ASAP after errands or binge writing all day…that’s golden.

[Poiema · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to make every single recipe in this book! A beautiful collection of healthy, doable, one-pan dinners. I love that the author suggests a 12 inch cast iron skillet for these meals. Start-to-finish times are listed and most take 35-45 minutes. Some of that time will be invested in chopping onions, garlic, carrots, and celery--- a job that I love! The author has created entire meals with "extra hungry?" tips for making them more robust as needed. There are beautiful color pictures, and a great index. This cookbook is well thought out.

Chapters include:
* Pastas, Grains, & Hot Sandwiches
*Meat Dinners
*Egg, Turkey, & Chicken Dinners
*Fish Dinners

I am mostly plant based in my eating habits, whereas my husband is a meat lover. I feel there is enough to satisfy both of our tastes in these recipes. Will try to update this review after I try some of the recipes.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I feel that I have made a steal in the purchasing of an item or found a rockin'. That is what I had when I reviewed the recipes for this cookbook. I grabbed this book for $1.99 for my kindle and loved almost every single recipe. Being a newly cooking for one, but long-term empty nester and cooking for two, the full recipes that I have made in the past are no longer practical. These recipes, which were scaled down, allow me not to have tons of leftovers and, cooking for one, eat out or tons of processed food which I can't stand.

The bonuses are the "extra hungry" and wine pairing tips. Lastly, the author not only offers an index of the recipes, but also a "find it fast" index with headings for vegetarian dishes, seasonal dishes and 30 minutes or less options.

Meals include:

Flat Iron Steak with Green Beans, Chili-Hoisin Sauce and Sesame Seeds
Lo Mein Noodles with Chicken, Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce
Lemony Risotto with Asparagus, Carrots and Chives
Sautéed pork chops with Sweet Potato, Apple and Mustard Sauce


I think the only thing I wish at this time is that I would have purchased the print copy of this book, as I don't like to bring my tablet or phone into the kitchen, especially when I am cooking. After I try a couple of the recipes, I may purchase the print copy as I have seen a couple of people comment on their disappointment with the actual recipes.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Easy tasty recipes in human sized portions! Win!
The recipes I made out of here were definitely time savers and were tasty, just not mind blowing. The wine pairing with each dish was a nice bonus, although frequently the wine cost way more than what it cost to make the dish.
I made:
Tortellini with mushrooms and leek cream sauce - good put not worth eating 6 tablespoons of butter and a cup of cream good.
Chicken with Spinach and Feta - quick, easy, tasty, minimal dishes. A good weeknight through together.
Veal cutlets with Brussel sprout hash - simple, filling, yummy winter dish.

So all in all a great book if you just want to throw together a quick meal for two on a weeknight after work that does not come out of a can.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed cooking from this - simple recipes that use minimal equipment and have a depth of flavor - they are scaled for 2 people but can be scaled up and vegetarian-ized, too (there are meatless recipes, but also a lot of meat).

We made:
Lemony Risotto with Asparagus, Carrots and Chives
Golden Corn Cakes with Crispy Prosciutto and Arugula Salad
Spicy Pork Stir Fry with Lime, Cashews and Noodles
Skirt Steak Fajitas with Pico de Gallo and Avocado

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the concept and that each recipe has an estimated active cooking/cooking time. I wish that more photos were included and am excited to check out the vegetarian version next.

[Eperdu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book and I also love parts of this book. But where this book fails is that while you CAN make these things in one pan, it's really cumbersome to do so. As an example, I made the herb chicken with zucchini fritters and you make the fritters first in your pan, then place them in the oven to keep warm (in an oven-safe plate/tray). Then you make the chicken and set it aside to rest and keep warm and then you make the tomatoes. This meal takes a lot longer than it should. It would have been far easier to just use two pans and get it done in half the time and NOT turn on my oven just to keep something warm.

I like the wine pairing suggestions for each meal and I like that each meal had sides or side pairings, which I often find lacking in other books.

[Stephanie Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book of recipes for two people or for one who wants a serving of leftovers. A variety of meats are represented as well as vegetarian recipes. I disagree with those who feel they ended up with too many dirty dishes. I definitely have a less- than- typical amount of dishes after these recipes. I'm used to lots of chopping and prep as I cook with fresh vegetables often, so I also didn't feel that the prep work was too much. I find the meals to come together quickly and they're easy to edit to your own taste if you want.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a wedding gift 6 years ago, and me and my husband adore it. We use it more than any other cookbook! It's so nice to have good cooked meals that don't need as much clean up and aren't too huge for two people. My husband especially loves the pork chops, he makes them all the time! Perfect cookbook for a small household.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first cookbook I’ve ever cooked all the way through. The majority of the recipes were delicious, with a few questionable entries. Loved the side dish suggestions and wine pairings. A good cookbook for a family of two, although some of the ingredients can be hard to find if you live in a more rural city.

[Dray · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are two main things going for this cookbook - it is vegetarian, and the recipes are for 2 people but can be scaled if needed.
i found the recipes themselves a little lackluster (admittedly - they are made in one pan). There is a definate current emphasis on sheet pan dinners, which is a great thing, but that idea does not take center stage in this cookbook.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good collection of recipes that are great for a couple. I bookmarked quite a few but I would have liked to have seen more chicken options. There was a lot of fish, which I skipped since I don’t like it, but not a lot of chicken options.

[Moriyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish they had some more vegan recipes, but this is a fantastic cookbook overall!!

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was much more impressed by the veggie version of this title.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Barely 2 stars for this one...just like there are barely any photos. Meh. I'll pass.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some interesting recipes in here, very few pictures for the price of $25, but a good approach to eating less meat.

[Heather McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best week night dinner cookbook.
I received it as a gift from my boyfriend and we have made almost every recipe!
Awesome cookbook. We get it for all of our friends as a wedding gift!

[Elliot · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aubergine is fucking disgusting and I'm tired of pretending it's not.

[Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good eats for two

[Joi Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't excite me

I purchased the electronic version. Very few photos. More visuals of the finished product would have been useful. Not all necessarily one pan.

[Zhuo Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good and simple recipe. Wish there were more pictures...