Sam the Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers

by Sam Zien

20 master recipes, more than 100 dishes—weeknight cooking has never been so exciting or so easy!

Say goodbye to fourth-night-in-a-row meat loaf and identical containers of tragically “meal-prepped” chicken thighs. YouTube cooking sensation and restauranteur Sam the Cooking Guy is here to save us from mediocre leftovers. With 20 bulk-cooking master dishes, each featuring a main protein, with corresponding follow-up meals that all benefit from the work you’ve already done, Sam ensures that you’ll never be bored in the kitchen again! Sam’s recipes are simple and quick, but never tired. Your Mexican Meat Loaf from Sunday can shapeshift into Tuesday night’s Tacos or Thursday’s Sloppy Joes. Monday’s Roast Chicken becomes Wednesday’s Thai Chicken Curry or Friday’s Baked Taquitos. “Aw man, Beer-Braised Short Ribs again?” “ Short Rib Egg Rolls!” Sam’s genuine and engaging personality, along with vibrant color photography, makes this book a lifesaver for busy folks who are looking for dinners that they can finally be excited about.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2020

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Sam on you-tube. If you can handle his cursing you'll learn some great cooking tips and recipes. This book is pure gold. It let's you cook one large batch and use the leftovers to create delicious meals for the next few days. Sam is a restaurant owner in San Diego- my old hometown.

We listen to three cooking guys: Bill Brewa on the Great Courses series, Cowboy Kent Rollins and Sam the cooking guy. We call then the "Three C's": The chef, the cowboy and the curser. If you can't whip up some good tasting vittles from these three you're a cooking idiot.

PS: I'm watching my nemesis- the squirrel hop along the front porch. We were hearing noises coming from the roof. First thing my wife thought was: MICE. Turns out it was the squirrel and- believe it or not- a roadrunner. We caught him on camera at the peak of our roof... 30 feet off the ground. And you all thought roadrunners could only run but couldn't fly (well at least I didn't think they could).

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Zien has a YouTube cooking series with lots of easy to make delicious dishes, and then a cookbook series to back it up. You can't make it any easier than that. His banter and complaining just adds to the entertainment value.

[Abby Stopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book. He gave you a master recipe and what to do with The Leftovers. There is a lot of recipes that I will definitely be trying in this book and highly recommend thighly recommend that others take a look at this book as well. He has a YouTube series that is quite fun to watch.

[Bret Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dare you to read it and NOT hear Sam's voice. Go ahead! Try!

Fantastic book with delicious recipes. And the photos! They're all amazing. Why isn't this book a scratch n' sniff???

I love Sam's videos and reproducing his recipes kept me sane and fat through the pandemic.

Leftovers are hard to come by with my family. I'm definitely going to have to get more intentional about having some.

Thank you, Hannah, for a wonderful Christmas present!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this cookbook from the library with the intention, like I always have with cookbooks, to copy the recipes that sound good to me. This one is a problem though because I'd have to copy the entire thing! Alas, I think I have to just buy my own copy! Which is fine by me because these recipes look amazing. I've been a fan of Sam Zien for a long time and would love to be able to support his work. His YouTube channel is great and if I ever make it out to the west coast I want to take a break from In-N-Out and go to his restaurant.

I think the concept of this cookbook is so unique. My problem with trying to cook is that you end up with a bunch of leftovers and this cookbook uses the leftovers to create more meals. Each chapter is divided into a master recipe with several supporting recipes. The first chapter's master recipe is meatballs and then each supporting recipe uses the master recipe as an ingredient. The supporting recipes are super unique - I know I've never heard of a meatball banh mi or a stuffing omelette. I'm really excited to try several of the recipes.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam the Man...again! Sam the Cooking Guy does it again! Man, Sam Zien has a talent for creativity and communication when it comes to discussing food and recipes. I am in awe.
In the cookbook "Sam the Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers" cook and restaurateur Sam Zien aka Sam the Cooking Guy breaks down creative ways to use and utilize leftovers. With lots of high quality pictures he easily and quickly breaks down what you are doing, why you'd do it and gives you easy to make, great tasting food with, not only leftovers, but easy to find ingredients and does so with humor and panache .
I mean come on, what else does a person want in a cookbook. If you are looking to shake up the usual cookbook routine, RUN don't walk to get this book! Another great one by Sam the Man! I don't give out five stars, but if I did, or if Goodreads would let me give out 4.5 stars I sure would. Highly recommended.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful, though the section on reusing pizza could have been replaced with something more likely to be used as an ingredient. I’m also not sure “boiled eggs” really counts as a leftover. To me, a leftover is really a finished meal you’re sick of looking at and eating, like, say, chicken casserole, not an ingredient like beer bread that is obviously flexible. The Thanksgiving chapter was probably the best to me for that reason.

The recipes are also pretty light on health-consciousness unless you’re on a high-fat, high-calorie, high-carb diet, and most people only do some combo of one or two of those.

Well worth the read, but unless you collect cookbooks, I’d get it from the library. The real worth of this book is probably in the concepts, not the recipes per se. Just try and consider each leftover as an *ingredient* and see what comes to you.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read many “real” books since COVID, but I sure have been reading cookbooks! This book is a great inspiration for being creative with leftovers (and preventing your family from burning out on the same food over and over again). The recipes are practical, and the photography is incredible. And Sam’s sense of humor fills every page!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd seen some of his videos on YouTube, so I thought I'd give this a look. The photos make the food look delicious & the recipes appear very possible, although I have to admit I haven't made one yet (hence 4 rather than 5 stars). However, after the holiday craziness I think I will have to try the short ribs & the salmon & the meatballs & & &...

[Bilal Aslam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out as a cool concept, then became very repetitive in the recipes

[Deen Tuggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam is great! His videos are fun and easy to follow. They helped me get back into cooking and I've not looked back. Great recipes ahead!

[Virginia Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately wanted to cook half of this book.

[Gladimore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not like many of these. Ew.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book; multiple meals from one master recipe. Genius!

[Coffee_Booze_and_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sam's recipes and his YT show!