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Preppy Kitchen Super Easy: 100 Simple and Versatile Recipes
The New York Times bestselling author and beloved social media star @PreppyKitchen delivers simple, everyday recipes that anyone can cook regardless of cooking level or busy schedule that is sure to delight the whole family.
John Kanell is beloved for his aspirational lifestyle and food recipes that feed the eye first. As his kids get older and life gets busier, John recognizes the need that all busy families have for food that is at once practical to prepare and delicious.
Preppy Kitchen Super Easy was born of that need. He’s created a cookbook of simple dishes that feel special. With particular attention to variations for nearly every recipe, John makes it easy to prepare any dish at any time. Ran out of mayo? Use sour cream in the Ranch and Feta Dip. Need to use up those tomatoes and peppers before they go to waste? Swap ‘em for the cukes in the Wild Rice Salad. In each recipe, John breaks down instructions with simple steps, streamlines ingredient lists, and gives dozens of ideas for riffs and make-aheads. John explains how easy it is to vary vessels with a single a quick bread or cake can bake in a muffin tin, a baking dish, or a cake pan; pancake batter is good for a waffle maker or a griddle. He leans into a small cache of hands-off appliances such as the Instant Pot™ and air fryer. And, best of all, he’s developed recipes you can make once and eat all week, along with dressings and spreads that morph from snack-time dip to salad accompaniment to just-add-a-protein main dish.
Recipes
- Breakfast in a Cup, Breakfast Burritos, “Ice Cream” Overnight Oats
-Main dishes with hands-off cook Skillet Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter, Cream Cheese and Caraway-Stuffed Salmon, and Crispy Orange-Glazed Chicken Strips
-Easy sides to elevate the simplest of main Browned Butter and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-Favorite snacks and small bites for grazing throughout the Bruschetta Dip, Grape and Tarragon Chicken Salad, Mango and Radish Shrimp Ceviche
-Quick and easy delicious Brian’s Favorite Chocolate Cake, Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies, and Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie Bars
Regardless of your skill level or busy schedule, you will find these recipes quick and easy to make any time of day.
John Kanell is beloved for his aspirational lifestyle and food recipes that feed the eye first. As his kids get older and life gets busier, John recognizes the need that all busy families have for food that is at once practical to prepare and delicious.
Preppy Kitchen Super Easy was born of that need. He’s created a cookbook of simple dishes that feel special. With particular attention to variations for nearly every recipe, John makes it easy to prepare any dish at any time. Ran out of mayo? Use sour cream in the Ranch and Feta Dip. Need to use up those tomatoes and peppers before they go to waste? Swap ‘em for the cukes in the Wild Rice Salad. In each recipe, John breaks down instructions with simple steps, streamlines ingredient lists, and gives dozens of ideas for riffs and make-aheads. John explains how easy it is to vary vessels with a single a quick bread or cake can bake in a muffin tin, a baking dish, or a cake pan; pancake batter is good for a waffle maker or a griddle. He leans into a small cache of hands-off appliances such as the Instant Pot™ and air fryer. And, best of all, he’s developed recipes you can make once and eat all week, along with dressings and spreads that morph from snack-time dip to salad accompaniment to just-add-a-protein main dish.
Recipes
- Breakfast in a Cup, Breakfast Burritos, “Ice Cream” Overnight Oats
-Main dishes with hands-off cook Skillet Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter, Cream Cheese and Caraway-Stuffed Salmon, and Crispy Orange-Glazed Chicken Strips
-Easy sides to elevate the simplest of main Browned Butter and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-Favorite snacks and small bites for grazing throughout the Bruschetta Dip, Grape and Tarragon Chicken Salad, Mango and Radish Shrimp Ceviche
-Quick and easy delicious Brian’s Favorite Chocolate Cake, Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies, and Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie Bars
Regardless of your skill level or busy schedule, you will find these recipes quick and easy to make any time of day.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published August 20, 2024
130 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 6, 2024
I bought this book in Kindle format. I have followed the author for quite some time, and I own his first cookbook. His YouTube channel is great. The photos in this book are beautifully done. The food styling is gorgeous. I’m not so sure that the recipes are simple, though. I appreciate that there aren’t any canned soups or frozen dairy topping.
For a beginner cook, these recipes might be a bit intimidating. There’s great info for the first chapters about equipment and ingredients.
I’m a pretty advanced cook/baker, so I’m particular about which cookbooks I’ll buy and use. After looking at all of the recipes, nothing jumped out and made me want to race into my kitchen. I’m not saying there aren’t good recipes. For some reason, this cookbook didn’t grab my interest enough for me to refer to.
If you’re an experienced cook, I’m sure you’d like it. If you’re a meat and potatoes and a picky eater, I don’t know if this one will be for you.
Unfortunately, I returned this kindle book. It just wasn’t for me.
For a beginner cook, these recipes might be a bit intimidating. There’s great info for the first chapters about equipment and ingredients.
I’m a pretty advanced cook/baker, so I’m particular about which cookbooks I’ll buy and use. After looking at all of the recipes, nothing jumped out and made me want to race into my kitchen. I’m not saying there aren’t good recipes. For some reason, this cookbook didn’t grab my interest enough for me to refer to.
If you’re an experienced cook, I’m sure you’d like it. If you’re a meat and potatoes and a picky eater, I don’t know if this one will be for you.
Unfortunately, I returned this kindle book. It just wasn’t for me.
February 8, 2025
New pleasures
I've never been much if a cook. Thank goodness my children had their dad to cook for them.
Now I found just the right cookbook with recipes that I can work with. At 81 I'm getting a chance to have fun learning and making so many different foods. Thank you John.
I've never been much if a cook. Thank goodness my children had their dad to cook for them.
Now I found just the right cookbook with recipes that I can work with. At 81 I'm getting a chance to have fun learning and making so many different foods. Thank you John.
Read
November 27, 2024I made the biscuit loaf and it was fantastic. There are many more recipes I’d try like the chocolate sour cream cookies, perfect birthday cake, and the naughty and nice chocolate mousse.
January 21, 2025
John Kanell’s recipes got me started in the kitchen when my wife, who had been the meal making champ, got sick. I needed to step up, and I needed clear, understandable directions for making the good food that would help keep both of our spirits up. It started with soup, then marinara, then frittatas . . . and then I was baking, cooking, trying different things with a growing confidence I never expected to have in the kitchen. Kanell is a teacher in the full sense, not only giving the know how, but encouraging experimentation and helping others understand the caring that can go into making a meal for loved ones.
I was excited to preorder this book, and when it arrived, my wife (who’s doing great now) and I sat and poured over the beautiful pictures, making a list of all the things we wanted to try. And we’ve been trying them with wonderful results. I’ve made the cheesy popovers, which are now a weekly treat to go along with our roasted red pepper tomato soup. We make the fresh salsa every couple of weeks for a weekend treat. The leak and Gouda frittata is amazing, and I keep taking pictures of it for no intelligent reason. The fresh tomato one pot pasta has become my go-to quick weekday dinner. And then we get into the baking.
My friend invited us to a fundraiser and asked if I could bring some cookies for the bake sale. I had already made the Orange Cloud cookies a few times and the guys I work with sincerely doubted I was the one who made them. So I brought a couple dozen to the fundraiser along with some other cookies I learned on Kanell’s website. Now I’m stuck being the cookie guy every time anyone I know gets involved with a bake sale. Poor me.
Whether it’s the strawberry lemonade bars, the Mexican brownies or the lemon layer cake, I’ve been able to not only make something I want to share, but also go back and experiment. Almost every recipe in this book has variations. Kanell is constantly encouraging readers to try new things and make recipes their own. And before I forget, the first couple of chapters are a very accessible covering of the basics. He goes over equipment, simple techniques, and answers most of those “there are no stupid questions” questions. As I said before, he’s a teacher, and this book is well designed to take anyone who’s willing from waffles all the way to chocolate mousse.
Along with everything else, it’s a very sweet book about a guy who learned cooking from his mom and has turned around to use those lessons to express love to his family. There are a lot of pictures of his sons, and even more mentions of them peppered throughout the book. Everyone in the family, including his husband, gets a recipe with their name featured on it (and that chocolate cake is goooood). I’m pretty sure this is the element of John Kanell as a food instructor that resonates with me the most. He makes good food for the people he loves. That’s just what I want to do.
I know I’ve been gushing, but the honest fact is that I’ve been making recipes from Super Easy at least twice a week since I got it. Kanell has been a big part of my going from a guy slicing frozen cookie dough logs to a guy making cheesecakes. The least I can do, if I can, is turn other people on to this book and this author. Give it a shot, and maybe find out there’s a satisfaction when you make something for someone and they say, “I want more of this.”
I was excited to preorder this book, and when it arrived, my wife (who’s doing great now) and I sat and poured over the beautiful pictures, making a list of all the things we wanted to try. And we’ve been trying them with wonderful results. I’ve made the cheesy popovers, which are now a weekly treat to go along with our roasted red pepper tomato soup. We make the fresh salsa every couple of weeks for a weekend treat. The leak and Gouda frittata is amazing, and I keep taking pictures of it for no intelligent reason. The fresh tomato one pot pasta has become my go-to quick weekday dinner. And then we get into the baking.
My friend invited us to a fundraiser and asked if I could bring some cookies for the bake sale. I had already made the Orange Cloud cookies a few times and the guys I work with sincerely doubted I was the one who made them. So I brought a couple dozen to the fundraiser along with some other cookies I learned on Kanell’s website. Now I’m stuck being the cookie guy every time anyone I know gets involved with a bake sale. Poor me.
Whether it’s the strawberry lemonade bars, the Mexican brownies or the lemon layer cake, I’ve been able to not only make something I want to share, but also go back and experiment. Almost every recipe in this book has variations. Kanell is constantly encouraging readers to try new things and make recipes their own. And before I forget, the first couple of chapters are a very accessible covering of the basics. He goes over equipment, simple techniques, and answers most of those “there are no stupid questions” questions. As I said before, he’s a teacher, and this book is well designed to take anyone who’s willing from waffles all the way to chocolate mousse.
Along with everything else, it’s a very sweet book about a guy who learned cooking from his mom and has turned around to use those lessons to express love to his family. There are a lot of pictures of his sons, and even more mentions of them peppered throughout the book. Everyone in the family, including his husband, gets a recipe with their name featured on it (and that chocolate cake is goooood). I’m pretty sure this is the element of John Kanell as a food instructor that resonates with me the most. He makes good food for the people he loves. That’s just what I want to do.
I know I’ve been gushing, but the honest fact is that I’ve been making recipes from Super Easy at least twice a week since I got it. Kanell has been a big part of my going from a guy slicing frozen cookie dough logs to a guy making cheesecakes. The least I can do, if I can, is turn other people on to this book and this author. Give it a shot, and maybe find out there’s a satisfaction when you make something for someone and they say, “I want more of this.”
May 29, 2025
John Kanell is a retired math and science teacher with an MFA who wants to use his smarts to help simplify your kitchen experience. I learned so much in this book- how to store fresh herbs so they’ll last, how to quickly bring ingredients to room temp, and not to buy “chocolate morsels” because they have extra chemicals that prevent melting! I was impressed with all the ideas for ingredient substitutions so you can use what you have instead of constantly buying new stuff that builds up in your pantry (not that I know anything about that 😅). Definitely an inspiring book full of things I want to try! Thank you for the gifted copy, Simon Element!
🤓
Here’s what I made:
🥜 Peanut Butter Cookies- these were really just your basic flourless pb cookie. The recipe had some extra ideas like subbing honey roasted pb or adding toffee which could be fun to try.
🧇 George’s Waffles- this was the best plain waffle I’ve ever had. Great texture and flavor- they didn’t even need syrup. Whoa.
🥣 “Ice Cream” Overnight Oats- my son has been on an oatmeal kick and asked me to make this. He tried it and then asked if he could have the whole recipe to himself! All you do is stir a few things together- many kids would be able to make it on their own!
🐟 Sticky Miso Salmon- The honey-miso glaze was pretty good on the salmon and even better on the shrimp dumplings I bought at Costco!
🦃 Cheesy Turkey Meatballs with Pasta- this is super rich and heavy. It was good but I felt something was off… tried it on mashed potatoes and it was so much better! You’re welcome!
🤓
Here’s what I made:
🥜 Peanut Butter Cookies- these were really just your basic flourless pb cookie. The recipe had some extra ideas like subbing honey roasted pb or adding toffee which could be fun to try.
🧇 George’s Waffles- this was the best plain waffle I’ve ever had. Great texture and flavor- they didn’t even need syrup. Whoa.
🥣 “Ice Cream” Overnight Oats- my son has been on an oatmeal kick and asked me to make this. He tried it and then asked if he could have the whole recipe to himself! All you do is stir a few things together- many kids would be able to make it on their own!
🐟 Sticky Miso Salmon- The honey-miso glaze was pretty good on the salmon and even better on the shrimp dumplings I bought at Costco!
🦃 Cheesy Turkey Meatballs with Pasta- this is super rich and heavy. It was good but I felt something was off… tried it on mashed potatoes and it was so much better! You’re welcome!
November 2, 2024
John Kanell’s preppy kitchen super easy (sic) 100 Simple and Versatile Recipes is an easy cookbook to follow. One fantastic item the author included is Skillet Apple Dutch Baby. In case Dutch Baby is a new term to you, it is a deep dish pancake. I recognized this particular thin pancake as one similar to German pancakes that I had when I was young. I have been looking for a recipe that would produce the German pancakes I loved as a child. I am going to make this recipe hoping that when I taste the final pancake, it will be the ‘one’ I remember. I know that it will be good regardless. The apple mixture is served with the Dutch Baby, but one can top these delightful pancakes with so many possibilities such as a myriad of fruits, Nutella, or yummy maple syrup. Also included are Flourless Nutella Cake, Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes, Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies, Anytime Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Cinnamon Cardamom Coffee Cake. Many recipes are written with the thought of children taking part as John bakes with his two sons. The author has sections for ‘recipes for everyday’, ‘special (and speedy) treats’ and information on ingredients, equipment, and ‘tips, tricks, and substitutions’. 4 stars.
November 4, 2024
I love the tone of this cookbook, and the recipes are family friendly and creative. There is a photo for almost everything. I could have lived without the chapters in the beginning, regarding ingredients. Also, while the instructions here are clear and easy to follow, and the recipes generally call for ingredients you probably have in your cabinet, they are active cooking and generally take a little longer than I would like on a weeknight. This is not a 30 minute meal kind of cookbook, which is what I am looking for when I see 'simple and versatile.' However, the title is true - these recipes are easy to follow and you will probably revisit them often.
For me, the highlights were the sauces and dressings. They are very lively and great to keep on hand. Also, his baking chapters are great - and the chocolate cake is amazing. I don't typically associate him with baking and I was very impressed by those chapters.
There is just the right amount of backstory with each of these. I didn't give this 5 stars because it doesn't contain nutritional information and because I see myself using it mainly on weekends and holidays - this isn't a weeknight cookbook for me.
For me, the highlights were the sauces and dressings. They are very lively and great to keep on hand. Also, his baking chapters are great - and the chocolate cake is amazing. I don't typically associate him with baking and I was very impressed by those chapters.
There is just the right amount of backstory with each of these. I didn't give this 5 stars because it doesn't contain nutritional information and because I see myself using it mainly on weekends and holidays - this isn't a weeknight cookbook for me.
July 14, 2025
I have made many recipes from John Kanell's website, Preppy Kitchen. I also got my husband into using his recipes. Preppy Kitchen recipes are very easy to understand, I love that he gives you a step-by-step, and that have always come out really good. I have borrowed both of his cookbooks from the library, and I had to buy this one. My husband already made the Smoked Gouda and Thyme Drop Buscuits a few times, which were tasty. I have been eyeing the Coconut Tres Leche Cake, along with several other delicious-looking recipes! I'm excited to try them out!
February 25, 2025
This was okay. The pictures for each recipe were fabulous and the book itself is well organized. There are many recipes I'd try from here, starting with Tarragon Chicken Salad.
Overall, though, I found that there are a lot of ingredients in each recipe and some (a lot?) of the recipes seem quite time-consuming. When "easy" is in the title of the cookbook I usually assume it's also quick to make the entries. This book, not so much.
Overall, though, I found that there are a lot of ingredients in each recipe and some (a lot?) of the recipes seem quite time-consuming. When "easy" is in the title of the cookbook I usually assume it's also quick to make the entries. This book, not so much.
November 1, 2024
This cookbook contains a variety of family friendly recipes that will appeal to both children and adults. The recipes are accompanied by mouth-watering photos, detailed directions and ingredients that most home cooks will have on hand. This title would be a great addition to any cookbook collection.
January 28, 2025
2.75 stars. Maybe a bit too easy for me. I didn't find much that was new that inspired me to try it. For the intended audience, however, which seemed to be parents with young children who absolutely would appreciate fast hacks for basic foods (a lot of baked goods), this book is for you.
October 4, 2024
I love John’s website but love this book even more. It has colorful pictures and detailed recipes. Best of all it has dishes you can’t wait to make.
October 20, 2024
Better than the average food blogger cookbook.
November 24, 2024
The recipes are okay and most are worth making. Nothing new or exciting. Pictures of the recipes. Why buy the book when you can get the recipes free from the blog?
February 15, 2025
3.5 stars
March 21, 2025
Love this guy and love his recipes. I mostly use his baking recipes, as I'm a pastry chef, but his savory recipes are great as well. Highly recommend.
June 29, 2025
Good book! Lots of delicious recipes. I will be purchasing this to add to my shelves.
July 27, 2025
So many delicious looking recipes throughout this book. And the pictures are gorgeous. I look forward to trying many of these recipes. ❤️
September 1, 2025
It's a very nice cookbook with tips, instructions and photos.
Sorry! Nothing I wanted to try.
Sorry! Nothing I wanted to try.
December 10, 2025
I liked this better than his first book - these recipes are more standard for a down home cook.
August 29, 2024
I’m not one to purchase cookbooks anymore, however Preppy Kitchen has hit this one out of the park! Loving all the recipes along with the amazing pictures.
January 11, 2025
I like this cookbook! I mainly tried the dessert recipes like the chocolate chip cookie and focaccia recipes, and both turned out delicious.
The instructions are clear, specific, and easy to follow, making it a joy to bake. I love how the author also has YouTube vides for some recipes.
The make-ahead tips are perfect for planning, and I really appreciate the thoughtful adjustments provided for different baking pans or equipment. It’s a versatile resource.
My only pain point was the peanut butter cookie recipe. I followed the recipe to a tee but it spread too much. I think there’s something wrong with the recipe…
The instructions are clear, specific, and easy to follow, making it a joy to bake. I love how the author also has YouTube vides for some recipes.
The make-ahead tips are perfect for planning, and I really appreciate the thoughtful adjustments provided for different baking pans or equipment. It’s a versatile resource.
My only pain point was the peanut butter cookie recipe. I followed the recipe to a tee but it spread too much. I think there’s something wrong with the recipe…
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews