Dinner: Changing the Game: A Cookbook

by Melissa Clark, Eric Wolfinger (Photographer)

200+ inventive yet straightforward recipes that will make anyone a better and more confident cook, from a James Beard Award–winning chef
 
“Everything I want for my dinner—dishes which are familiar but fresh, approachable but exciting.”—Yotam Ottolenghi
 
Dinner  has the range and authority—and Melissa Clark’s trademark warmth—of an instant classic. With more than 200 all-new recipes,  Dinner  is about options: inherently simple recipes that you can make any night of the week. 
 
Each recipe in this book is meant to be dinner—one fantastic dish that is so satisfying and flavor-forward it can stand alone—maybe with a little salad or some bread on the side. This is what Melissa Clark means by changing the game. Organized by main ingredient—chicken, meat, fish and seafood, eggs, pasta and noodles, tofu, vegetable dinners, grains, pizza, soups, and salads that mean it— Dinner  covers an astonishing breadth of ideas about just what dinner can be. There is something for every mood, season, and the amount of time you have: sheet pan chicken laced with spicy harissa, burgers amped with chorizo, curried lentils with poached eggs, to name just a few dishes in this indispensable collection. Here, too, are easy flourishes that make dinner exceptional: stir charred lemon into pasta, toss creamy Caesar-like dressing on a grain bowl. 
 
Melissa Clark’s mission is to help anyone, whether a novice or an experienced home cook, figure out what to have for dinner without ever settling on fallbacks.

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

400 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2017

About the author

Melissa Clark is an American food writer and cookbook author. Since 2007, she has been a food columnist for The New York Times. She has written more than 40 cookbooks and in 2018 won a James Beard Award.

Reviews

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at:  http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/


Confession:  I have a bit of an addiction to cookbooks.  Unfortunately, due to their hefty price tags I (i) have to refrain from purchasing nearly any of them and (ii) am often disappointed when I do shell out $20 or $30 bucks only to find them filled with stuff no one in my house would ever eat.  You see, much like Jim Gaffigan's brood, my clan is comprised of "eaties" rather than foodies.  They like meat.  They like bread.  Sometimes they like potatoes and every once in awhile you can blow dart a green bean down their throat. 

When I saw Dinner was actually about dinners, I was all in . . . but still bracing myself for disappointment.  While we try to eat dinner together every night we can, Springtime brings crazy baseball schedules and a lot of our meals are on the fly.  Until that kicks in, I've been focusing on some seriously QUALITY Sunday dinners.  Ones where everyone in the house will say . . . .




I was amazed by how much Dinner had to offer.  Almost every page contained something I might want to try.  I was also impressed that while the names sometimes sounded fancy, the ingredients were those most people who enjoy to (or are forced to) cook have in their pantries/spice racks. 

But the proof is in the pudding, right?  Here's last night's dinner:

Jalepeno-Honey Steak, Spiced Crab and Corn Cakes, Scalloped Potato Skillet Gratin and Roasted Cauliflower . . . . .




(Why yes, I did totally burn the first batch of crabcakes.  I was busy trying to keep my dog from eating cat vomit.  Yum.  Who wants to come over for dinner????)





I also made a "Dirt Cake" which is most definitely not an item contained in this cookbook, proving that the subliminal messaging contained within my friends'/relatives' Facebook posts are verrrrrrrry powerful . . . .




If you enjoy cookbooks or are maybe looking for a good one to present as a gift to someone starting out on their own - Dinner is definitely a winner.

ARC provided by Crown Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t give 5 stars to a cookbook that doesn’t have a picture of every recipe but otherwise

[Kenneth Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't put an end date to this as Dinner is a work in progress if you will, a go-to book for when you're looking for inspiration. I've look admired & followed New York Times staff writer Melissa Clark's work & this book brings all her column & video work to a culmination. Dinner is just that, each recipe meant to be one fantastically satisfying stand alone meal. I think I'll be using this to cook some game changing meals for a long time.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The recipes and photos are inspiring and interesting, but I think they could have done some more recipe testing. I've cooked about 10 of the recipes, and as followed, the seasoning is usually pretty blah, so I have to up the quantities of acid, salt, etc. Also, cooking timing is off in many recipes, as well. Actually, I'm really disappointed because I love her Beans and Grains recipe from NYT, and her grain bowl is great, too. I don't know what went wrong here.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each recipe is designed to make dinner a wonderful celebration of food and is intended to become a family classic. Each recipe is for dinner and can be a stand alone dish with perhaps a salad or some bread added. The author wanted to change the game and make meals easy and fun again. More than 200 recipes fill this large cookbook. Full page photographs add appeal as well.

The recipes are well laid out and easy to read. All of the ingredients are easily obtainable. The average recipe contains 4-5 steps of instructions. The author also included some of her thoughts on the recipe at the beginning of each one. This adds an authentic and personal feel that I enjoyed. The book is very large, but lays flat on my counter for easy use. This is a cookbook that I will be keeping and adding to my shelf. But it would also make an excellent gift for the cook in your family.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books. All thoughts expressed are my own.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reviewing cookbooks because I have to get one as a gift for somebody next month. I photo copied a bunch of recipes out of it to try but it still didn't feel like a winner because the portion size was bigger than I wanted for this gift (newlyweds) and the recipes were all sort of advanced and somewhat complicated. super interesting and exciting and really good sounding flavors though. I look forward to trying the harissa chicken especially.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of these recipes were too refined and sophisticated for me (although never too complicated) but there were a few winners. They layout was okay and a nice variety of chapters; not enough pictures.

[Ann Mah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook so much I feel like it's my soulmate. It has both unique recipes, and recipes that offer a unique twist on old favorites. It's totally lifted me out of my dinner rut and makes meal-planning enjoyable again. Best of all, even my five-year-old loves the food from this book!

[Andrew Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinner is filled with creative meal ideas that will have your mouth watering from the first recipe.

If you've ever tried to find new creative food ideas, but felt like you were stuck with chef's block, you could use this book. First and foremost, this is a book for everyday, weeknight meals. Looking at the pictures you will think, "Surely that is not true." But as you begin to read you will realize that each recipe is designed for just that purpose. Now you may not make Thai Chicken Breasts in 20 minutes the first time you attempt it, but the recipe is laid out, and explained, to help you do it in that amount of time.

Need more proof that these recipes are for the everyday meal? Every recipe comes with a little write-up of how it was created, what can be changed, and often why it will not only be pleasing to adults, but children as well. Because kids are finicky eaters, and parents want to make a meal that will be nutritious and eaten. This aspect was the most useful to me. I will soon be a parent, and the last thing I want is for my child to have to eat the same boring meals I had many weeknights (sorry Mom).

In addition to being able to feed children, this book also helps you feed the vegetarian in your life. Many of us have one, and it can be quite difficult to mix up the ideas for them. Not only are there vegetable recipes throughout the book, but a whole section for Tofu!

If you are single, part of a young couple, new family, or seasoned one looking to mix things up, this is a book you need to have. Beautiful pictures will guide you throughout, and you will learn easy, quick, and creative recipes that you will use over and over again.

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

[Maryalene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book with gorgeous pictures and an inspiring introduction that makes me want to drop everything and cook. I also appreciate that Melissa Clark includes a list of about two dozen staples to keep on hand to make her recipes. Most are already in my pantry, but I know from previous experience that some -- such as pomegranate molasses and sumac -- can't be easily found in even in the largest of Midwest supermarkets.

However, that's not the reason for the three stars. There were two issues that kept Dinner from being amazing:

1. In the introduction, Clark insists that everything in the book can be a dinner unto itself. I agree with her that dinner shouldn't be regulated to a meat and two sides anymore, but it seems a stretch to say that meatballs alone or fish alone would make a meal. While the pasta/salad/soup recipes might be fine served by themselves, many of the meat/fish recipes here are begging to be rounded out with something else.

2. Based on the ingredients, I was expecting very flavorful dishes, but they ended up being just so-so. Ok, but not fantastic. I made the Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (served with rice), and it felt a bit bland. I also made the Marmalade Meatballs with Cider Vinegar Glaze (served with mashed potatoes) which had a more robust taste, but again, didn't really wow us.

[elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to make every veg recipe in this book, basically.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't yet tried any of these recipes, but I have several bookmarked.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just realized I never tracked this on goodreads:

It quickly becomes apparent in this cookbook that the author LOVES tomatoes. Sure, I like tomatoes too and I did check this book out last summer when they were in season but I don't need them in 9 out of 10 dinners. Anyway, I made two recipes out of this - put our cast iron to work with a delicious shaksuka (with heirloom tomatoes) and corn cakes (with roma tomato topping). The corn cakes were so great that Ryan is still requesting them although I'm skeptical of November corn....and tomatoes.

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite cookbook of the year! As a vegetarian married to a carnivore, I am always looking for recipes that are interesting and appealing to both of us. Dinner: Changing the Game fits the bill. Most of the recipes are simple enough to put together in an hour. The instructions are clear the photos are beautiful and the food is delicious. I am almost ready to invest in a new copy... well used, the pages are beginning to stick together.

[RH Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirations for all kinds of eaters, even lazy ones who can adapt parts of recipes to make smaller dishes (i.e. made wonderful caramelized broccoli even though I didn't have ingredients to make the whole soup). I like Clark's commitment to fun and the photo of her family eating together.

[Lex]

this cookbook looks great. lots of recipes I want to try-- first one tomorrow: za'atar chicken

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the first 150 pages, which have nothing in them for me, this book gave me a lot of decent ideas. Nice pictures, and decent sections on beans, pizza, and dips that I might revisit someday.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous and currently full of tabbed pages for recipes to try!

[Cate · Rating 1 out of 5]

There were no recipes in this book I felt inspired to make.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really thorough and inviting cookbook, I am excited to try so many of the recipes, giving my family great dinners with new flavor combinations.

[Caitlin Hawksley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sections: Chicken; Meat: Pork, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Duck, & Turkey; The Grind; Fish & Seafood; Eggs; Pasta & Noodles; Tofu; Beans, Legumes & Vegetable Dinners; Rice, Farro, Quinoa & Other Grains; Pizzas & Pies; Soups; Salads That Mean It; Dips, Spreads & Go-withs

Pros: This is a cookbook made by a professional cook with all the thoughtful touches of someone who's owned and used many cookbooks. One of the most satisfying features is the lay-flat binding and weighty pages that keep the book open on the counter to the page you've selected.

Cons: Many of the photos, while lovely, aren't in focus.

No, thank you: Everything we made we would make again.

More, please: Summer vegetable salad with tapenade and new potatoes (A fun smattering of summer garden favorites.); roasted cauliflower salad with chickpeas, tahini, and avocado (Orange rind, tahini, avocado, watercress — a brilliant, imaginative flavor profile.); green tahini dip (This intensely green dip with so much herby glory was a welcome substitute for traditional hummus.); fresh corn cakes with tomatoes and fried sage (Playful and unforgettably delicious.)

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of delicious-sounding and inspirational dishes. Unfortunately, of the five or six I've cooked so far, they pretty much all had something off about them in the ingredient ratios or the instructions. The farro/smoked mozzarella/tomato salad had a ridiculously large amount of farro and a ridiculously small amount of mint - it in no way resembled the picture. The lime and herb clams had you steam the clams with a bunch of sauteed aromatics but no liquid - hello, scorched pan! The roast chicken with kale and chickpeas was delicious, but there's no way it serves four unless you double the chickpeas. Etc. etc.

This is a great one for sparking ideas, but I expect more consistency and better testing. Also, the author writes that this is a new way of eating where all you need is bread or maybe a green salad to go alongside each dish to make it a full meal...and then proceeds to suggest additional sides for at least 50% of the recipes in the book.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here are some of the recipes I tried:
Olive-oil Braised Chickpeas - surprisingly liked it (it looks more like a side dish than a main meal)
Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles With Bok Choy - absolutely loved
Pg 48 Spicy Tamarind Chicken - didn’t coat like pictured, but tasted good
Pg 179 Cacio e Pepe with Asparagus and Peas - good, but next time I would cut the amount of veggies in half
Pg 295 Thai fried rice with sausage and greens - yuck

Here are some recipes I wanted to try:
Pg 218 Crispy Tofu
Pg 236 red lentil dhal with spiced brown butter and yogurt
Pg 290 Butternut Squash Polenta with Ricotta and Fried Sage
Pg 296 sausage polenta with red cabbage and caraway
Pg 324 Crispy Chicken-skin Pho

I liked Melissa's philosophy that expanding your dinner ideas can be about less work and more flavor. Her book was beautifully formatted with gorgeous pictures.

[Sylvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're like me, an average home cook, this is an interesting cookbook with some beautiful pictures, but most of the recipes are not something I would make or my family would eat. Granted, the name of the cookbook implies "something" different, however as soon as I read what ingredients were considered pantry staples, I knew this cookbook wasn't for me: 7 different types of vinegar, pomegranate molasses, sumac, Turkish Chile flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, preserved lemons, Indian pickles, and za'atar to name a few. Maybe in New York these are easy to find ingredients, but they are nonexistent in my suburban grocery store. I'm not adverse to trying something a little different, but for me most of these recipes are a no go.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't claim to have thoroughly read this book, but I have browsed all the way through, bookmarked many recipes, and tried two of them (butternut squash and red lentil soup with spinach, and cucumber salad). Both were excellent. She includes a number of sheet-pan recipes, which intrigue me. I like her down to earth, well-tested approach to food and cooking, and intend to try more recipes soon.

9/12/17 I have now made many of these recipes, and I can't recommend this book highly enough! Well tested, well written, and delicious, deep flavors.

[False · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another physically heavy cookbook (why?) with a lot of recipes I have zero interest in testing to make part of my day to day. Seitan Enchiladas with Cheese and Pickled Jalapenos? Scallop Pie? Sccallion Frittata Crostini? Nope, nope and nope.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: Now that we’ve had this for a while, I can easily say that this is our favorite cookbook. There’s a wonderful variety of dishes, and everything is delicious.


This is a great book full of fun, delicious things for dinner. Everything we’ve made so far we’ve enjoyed.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Melissa Clark, food writer for the New York Times. Her “Stupendous Hummus” has been my go-to hummus recipe - well received by Americans and Israelis alike. I thought it was the ultimate hummus, but now Clark's latest book “Dinner: Changing the Game” includes a “Killer Hummus” recipe. Here I was settling for stupendous hummus all these years. I am looking forward to trying the Killer Hummus. The additions of cooking the chickpeas with a pinch of baking soda and preparing the hummus while the chickpeas are still warm seem authentically Israeli.

In her latest cookbook, “Dinner: Changing the Game,” Clark sets out to offer recipes that can stand alone as dinner. I love the idea of a one-pot meal. Some of the recipes meet this criteria, such as the Roasted Chicken with harissa, leeks, and potatoes; but not all the recipes are balanced enough to make a complete meal (such as Za’taar chicken). Still, one-pot or not, the book includes lots of dinner recipes featuring poultry, meats, eggs, legumes, grains, salads, etc. that sound very tasty and are temptingly photographed. I especially loved the beet labneh dip (though not a stand-alone meal and it was a challenge to find labneh) and Vietnamese Caramel Salmon. I would make these dishes again and will look forward to trying out many more. Clark uses lots of fresh herbs and loves yogurt sauces. Not all of the ingredients are easy to find, but the preparations are accessible. I found recipes such as Roasted Carrots with Feta, Walnuts and Herbs; and Butternut Squash Lentil Soup that I could prepare with ingredients I already had in the house. The prep times seem to be underestimated, especially for the first time preparing a particular dish.

If you are looking for new, fresh and tasty weeknight dinner ideas this book will offer lots of inspiration. The selection of recipes can accommodate special diets such as vegetarian and gluten-free. I would highly recommend it.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting dishes with complex flavors—but needs more veggies

I wanted more vegetables out of this book: not necessarily vegetarian recipes but more of a focus on vegetables rather than meats/proteins. Tasty vegetable sides or veggie-heavy one-pot meals are something I'm always searching for, so your mileage may vary on this quibble.

So I'll just figure out some other veggie recipes to go with these dishes and enjoy Clark's take on weeknight-friendly meals, such as:

- pomegranate chicken breasts with walnut butter (43)
- sticky tamarind chicken with crisp lettuce (48)
- harissa chicken with leeks, potatoes, and yogurt (51)
- za'atar chicken with lemon yogurt (57)
- Turkish lamb chops with sumac, tahini, and dill (72)
- spicy stir-fried cumin lamb (78)
- spicy pork noodles with ginger and baby bok choy (197)
- maple-roasted tofu with winter squash (215)
- pomegranate-roasted tofu with eggplant and toasted cumin (216)
- sweet potato dhal with coconut (235)
- spiced lamb pie with dill, mint, and olives (307)

All of the recipes look approachable for an experienced home cook with the luxury of having some time (this aren't "dinner in 15 minutes" kind of recipes), and I'm looking forward to trying these out.

h/t: Anne Helen Petersen's Twitter

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this cookbook for its simplicity, organization and most of all for its great flavor combinations. Each recipe takes up a page, many accompanied by a second full page photo. Each recipe has a personal introduction by Melissa Clark, the New York Times food columnist, a relatively short list of ingredients as well as short and easy to follow instructions. This cookbook is meant to convince us - yes, dinner from scratch at home is a delicious possibility. And yes, I agree - not that I really needed any great motivation as I prepare most meals st home. Nevertheless, I am always looking for new inspiration for good food. Most dishes in DInner are one-pan/pot/sheet pan meals so are by default pretty straightforward. What turns them from ordinary to great are some new (to me) combinations such as halloumi and brussels sprouts, za'atar chicken with pomegranate, butternut squash and polenta, just to name a few examples. I am looking forward to try out more of her ideas for upcoming dinners.