Dinner 411: How to Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes or Less (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure: Please note that this post contains an affiliate link, and, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. 

I was absolutely thrilled when Christina Hitchcock, author of Dinner 411: How to Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes or Less, sent me a free copy of her book to read and review.

I can be a serious procrastinator when it comes to making dinner. W will wake up from his afternoon nap, I’ll take him and the dog outside to play, then the next thing I know Good Papa is already pulling up the driveway.

Oops! I guess I’d better scramble to get dinner together as fast as I can.

Once W realizes that it’s dinnertime I have to pretend that I’m a contestant on Chopped just to finish the meal without completely falling apart.

I need help.

Well, thank God for Christina and her new ebook Dinner 411: How to Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes or Less. Christina shares some amazing recipes on her blog, It’s a Keeper. I couldn’t wait to check out the recipes in her book.

Here’s my little taste-tester trying out one of the recipes!

What you’ll find in Dinner 411

Prior to receiving Dinner 411, I assumed it was going to be a cookbook filled with easy recipes you could put on the table in 30 minutes or less (Like Rachel Ray, without all of her annoying quirks).

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Dinner 411 was not just a cookbook. In addition to some easy, delicious-looking recipes, you’ll find tips and strategies to save you time in the kitchen.

Honestly, anyone can throw together a meal in 30 minutes- that is, if you have all the ingredients, utensils and cookware ready to go. 

It’s not the actual cooking that takes up time for me; it’s the preparation that goes into it.

From kitchen layout to grocery shopping, there are so many time-savers to be found in this book. I am so excited I have a brand new kitchen (Read about our recent move in 5 Ways to Make Moving Easier with Baby) to be able to organize with some of the strategies in Dinner 411. 

What about the food?

The most important part of any cookbook is the recipes, right? Well, there are a number of tasty recipes in Dinner 411, including main courses and side dishes.

I do have to add, however, that some of the dishes are not the healthiest for young babies and toddlers. Though it is not difficult to make healthier substitutions or cut back on the salt. Since W eats whatever we do (see How the Baby Demanded Baby Led Weaning), I try to limit our salt intake.

I wanted to see if the recipes tasted as good as they looked in the cookbook, so I tried one of the recipes out for my family.

 Shrimp with Orzo and Peas

I really like orzo, but I tend to stay away from it because I had always imagined it would take a long time to make. I’m not sure where this idea came from since I make pasta and rice no problem; orzo is just pasta in rice-shape form.

I’m so glad I made this dish. It was really easy to make, light and very tasty. It only took me 20 minutes from start to finish! I skipped the salt and sugar since W would be eating with us, adding a little to my plate at the end.

W loved this meal. He even tried using a spoon. Though, he liked it so much that he quickly abandoned the spoon and started using his hands.

I’ll admit I was tempted to do the same. 

This recipe is definitely one that I will try again. Like Christina says, “It’s a keeper!”

Dinner 411: How to Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes or Less is the perfect cookbook for anyone struggling to prepare homemade meals in a timely fashion.

All of the tips were very helpful and I cannot wait to work my way through the rest of the recipes.

I most certainly recommend this cookbook!

Purchase a copy of Dinner 411: How to Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes or Less by clicking on the link below.

What about you readers? Are you organized when it comes to planning meals? Do you have any of your own tips for getting dinner on the table in a hurry? Let me know in the comments below.

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