In her new cookbook, Dini Klein of Prep + Rally teaches us how to cook once at the beginning of the week, then mix and match what you’ve prepared to serve fresh and delicious dinners all week long.
The book includes 10 weekly dinner plans with themes like “Brekkie for Din,” “Winter Cozies,” “Do That Hokey Poke,” and “No Way It’s Veg.” Each plan includes a shopping list and seven Prep recipes that you cook through in about an hour. Then, for the next four evenings, Rally together your people and serve satisfying homemade meals everyone will enjoy.
The recipes are an inspired mix of simple, delicious, and fresh, mostly familiar classics with scant twists in preparation or flavor. Dini’s shopping, storage, and cooking directions are meticulous and clear, and every recipe includes swap suggestions for gluten free and vegetarian diets as well as picky-kid pleasers. The book also includes a section of standalone recipes for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, a list of the best ingredients to always keep stocked in your kitchen, a section on the best ways to reuse leftovers, mix-and-match suggestions, and a DIY Prep + Rally tutorial that makes it simple for you to create your own efficient meal plans. It is fully indexed, easy on the eyes, and the Prep + Rally flow is easy to follow. Each Rally recipe is photographed in full color.
Dini understands what a weeknight looks like in a busy household. She holds your hand while walking you through the process of meal prep to show you that, yes, you can do this.
We are excited to highlight this concept for you with a sample recipe. Here’s how it works: On prep day, you’ll prep BBQ-Rubbed Chicken, Roasted Zucchini, and Roasted Broccoli:
BBQ-Rubbed Chicken
Serves 4 people for 2 meals
Ingredients
2 whole chickens, each cut into 8 pieces, bone-in and skin-on
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons light olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an extra-large baking sheet or two standard baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared pan(s).
2. In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin, then sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the tops and bottoms of the chicken pieces. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and massage to coat, making sure to get under the skin too.
3. Roast, uncovered, on the top rack for about 50 minutes, until golden. Right when it comes out of the oven, transfer the chicken to a large storage container and pour the juices from the pan over the top. Let cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge.
TIPS
• Triple or quadruple the BBQ rub spices, combine in a jar, and store for a quick rub anytime. It’s great on fish, meat, chicken, and even veggies.
• To make this vegetarian, slice 3 (16-ounce) blocks of extra-firm tofu into cubes and dry them well with a clean kitchen towel. Coat the tofu liberally in the spice mixture and drizzle with the oil. Roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and golden.
• If you’re short on oven space and/or want an easier prep day, simply prep the chicken according to recipe directions and store to cook fresh prior to serving. You can do the same for any of the vegetables too!
• Switch this up by using thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grill on a grill pan.
Roasted Zucchini
Ingredients:
9 medium zucchini, cut into rounds
2 to 3 tablespoons light olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
Directions:
Serves 8
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line one extra-large baking sheet or two standard baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Arrange the zucchini rounds on the prepared pan(s), drizzle with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
3. Spread the rounds out into a single layer. Roast, ideally on the top rack of the oven to encourage more browning, for about 30 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then store, covered, in the fridge.
TIP
• If you don’t have extra-large baking sheets (I highly recommend them, as they maximize space in the oven) or you don’t have a second oven to fit everything at once, simply swap the baking sheets in and out of the oven as items are cooked. Alternatively, you can prep and cut the vegetables and store them to cook fresh later in the week.
Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients:
10 cups broccoli florets (about 30 ounces)
2 to 3 tablespoons light olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
Directions:
Serves 8
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an extra-large baking sheet or two standard baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Put the broccoli on the prepared pan(s), drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Let cool, then store, covered, in the fridge.
The chicken can be served with the vegetables as side dishes one night of the week, and then remixed into Chicken-Broccoli Egg Rolls (below) on another night.
Chicken-Broccoli Egg Rolls
Ingredients:
4 cups chopped BBQ-Rubbed Chicken
6 cups chopped Roasted Broccoli
1/2 recipe Roasted Zucchini
store-bought parve ranch dressing
1/2 cup store-bought BBQ sauce
12 egg roll wrappers
cooking oil spray or light olive oil
Directions:
Serves 4 (yields 12 egg rolls)
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the parchment with cooking oil spray.
2. Make the egg rolls: In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken, broccoli, and BBQ sauce. Place one egg roll wrapper on a work surface and set a small cup or bowl of water nearby. Fill the egg roll wrapper with roughly ¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Fold the bottom up, then fold in the left and right sides and roll up the wrapper to enclose the filling. Dab some water on the edge to seal and place the egg roll seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 egg rolls total.
3. Spray the egg rolls with cooking oil spray (or use a pastry brush to brush them with olive oil) and bake for 30 minutes or so, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, spread the zucchini onto another parchment-lined baking sheet and warm in the oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, in the oven with the egg rolls.
5. Serve the egg rolls with the ranch dip and zucchini on the side.
TIPS
• Get the kids involved in the egg roll rolling process. It’s fun!
• If you’re making these egg rolls vegetarian, stuff them with store-bought prepared tofu and/or your favorite sautéed vegetables.
• Lighten it up by stuffing the egg roll filling into tortillas, or make it gluten-free by serving the filling in lettuce cups.
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