Author Aviva Goldfarb nailed her book title, “The Six O’Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families.” That title practically describes our evenings. I wish I could say I planned out all of our meals and always had dinner waiting on the table at 6 o’clock (ha!). But, inevitably, I find myself standing in front of the refrigerator or the pantry around that time, wondering, “what should we make for dinner?”
I need something fast, easy, simple – recipes I can make with an infant in a sling or a toddler “helping.” Goldfarb’s book is organized by season (fall, winter, spring, summer) and features a year’s worth of “delicious dishes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.” The recipes are divided by week, which makes for simple meal planning and grocery shopping. Most of the recipes have less than ten ingredients and all of the recipes have a little commentary at the top that describes the dish and offers ideas for corresponding sides.
I haven’t tried the recipes yet, but I’m anxious to test the cobb salad, fusilli with fresh tomato sauce, orange salmon, and tortellini tossed with fresh mozzarella. At the back of the book, there are a few very helpful sections that I bet I’ll refer to often – “Simple Side Dishes,” “Beyond Cheerios: ideas for feeding babies and toddlers,” and “School and Day-Care Snacks and Lunches.”
I actually think I might use this cookbook a lot. The recipes look doable and I like the emphasis on healthful ingredients. The one downside of this cookbook is that it has no photographs (so sad). I would have liked it better if it had bold, delectable photos on glossy paper, but – still – it’s a great resource that I think busy parents will appreciate.
If you prefer to receive your menus by e-mail, you can sign up for a six-month ($29.50) or one-year ($54.50) subscription to receive menus right in your inbox every week.
WIN IT! There will be two winners. One winner will receive “The Six O’Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families” by Aviva Goldfarb. Another winner will receive a six-month subscription to the Scramble. To enter, simply leave a comment stating whether you prefer the book or the e-mail service on this post prior to Monday, May 5 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). The winner will be announced and contacted on Tuesday, May 6. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.
*UPDATE* The winner is of the cookbook is #50 Cindi and the winner of the six-month subscription is #88 Dawn Rogers. Congratulations!
Hmmm….the dilemma…I think hubby would like the book. Because of course he is my own personal Jamie Oliver (chef). All of this talk of food is making me hungry! Did you decide about BlogHer? : )
I’d prefer the book
the book for me
I think I prefer the book.
I’d prefer the book.
I would prefer the book too.
I’ll have to go with book — I can’t resist a cookbook.
Go with the book ;-) Thanks. I would love to give this to my older brother for his upcoming birthday if I win.
I would really love to have the book.
I’d rather have the book.
Either sound good! Though a book might be nicer so I can plan my week out better. But I have a feeling the online service might be addicting after awhile!
Im echoing Patti.
Id like either.
thankfully we dont do family dinners yet (my 2 yo is already in bed when her dad comes home) but were gonna switch that when she turns 3 and I shall require a LOT OF HELP :)
The book, please. Thanks!!
I would love this book, it sounds great! Thank you!
I’ve been doing a lot of my meal planning on the computer lately. In fact, I’m in the process of converting my favorite recipes to an e-recipe book. So I’d prefer to win the subscription. I love cooking for my family, and I’m always on the lookout for new ideas. This looks like it would be a great help!
That really is such a fitting title! And I would have to go for the book also – I love the sound of the helpful sections in the back.
The email service sounds like fun – and easy to check at work
Either one sounds great, but I usually prefer books. It sounds simple to use with less than ten ingredients for the recipes. I always get turned off when a recipe doesn’t seem “doable.” It’s great that it has a baby/toddler section too!
The book please!
I’m always on the lookout for cookbooks!!! Thanx!
This entry describes my daily life! Dinner is always that last thing I forgot to do or plan. (poor family :?…). The book looks very helpful for busy moms.
I’d prefer the book. That way I can make the recipes as I please and refer back to them.
A book would be great! 30 mins or less sounds great! Woah…I can use all the help I can get!
Abook is what I can handle and use while i am cooking.
I’d really like the book! I’m that wife that has the dinner at 6 :( so I’m running out of ideas! Would love to try new dishes that are easy to make
I’d love to have this book for those busy nights when life gets sooooo hectic.
I would love this book! I can manage ideas for a main dish (usually) but I lack creativity and side dishes!! This book sounds great (emails would probably get lost in my inbox…)
I’d love to try the service. I just reviewed the book on my blog and I loooooove it. We have made five recipes from the book now and every single one has been fantastic. Also, the recipes really do take less than 30 minutes. I think you’ll really like it.
Oh I’d love to read that book! As I’ve said before, I’m always looking for new (and importantly: EASY) recipes to try! While the e-mail service sounds neat, I would definitely prefer the book!
Thanks!
I like the book. Nothing beats real ink and paper for laying down,relaxing and absorbing information,but I can see the benefits of the email system too.
The book sounds good
Anything that makes my dinner planning and cooking easier is welcome in my house. I think I would do better with the book!
I would pefer the book. That way I would be able to share it with friends and family.
the cookbook would be great, I know I will be trying to figure out dinner later today, I should do it now but I doubt I will :)
The book would be my choice.
I would love the book! We definately need it with both of us working!
i’d love the book.
I’m all about recipes with 10 or less ingredients. I like that this has it organized by season too, that’s a nice feature. I’d love the book then I could mix and match and I’d love to see that section on beyond cheerios.
the book. Anything that can get dinner on the table quicker has got to be good.
BTW. You’ve been tagged over at my place.
the book please
The email would be great! I don’t even have time to look at cookbooks and end up throwing together salads at the last minute.
I’m old fashioned. I love books.
The book.
I need this something awful
love to win the book
I love cookbooks. I would prefer the book.
Thank You
I would prefer the email service.
I’d like the book
I’d love to have the book.
Hi, The cookbook sounds like what most family could use! Life can be so harried and crazy! Almost every weekday, each member of our family gets home at a different time. As much as possible, we like to site down together for our evening meal. Ten ingredients or less sounds doable. Please enter me in your drawing for the cookbook. My husband enjoys,uses and collects them. Thank you very much…..Cindi
Just what I need! I always seem to go for the same dishes when I’m in a hurry, and it’s getting pretty boring. Thanks for the offer!
I’d prefer the book. Thanks for the contest.
The book please-thanks!
Thanks!
I agree with you, I love looking at the pictures in cookbooks. But the recipes you described sound great. Please enter me.
book
The book sounds great.
I think the email service would be a great time saver. I would love to try it out.
I would prefer the book because I love cookbooks. I am trying to cook healthier, so this sounds like a perfect cookbook for me.
Book Me!
book
I prefer the book :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
The book would be a great addition to my cookbook collection. Thanks!
Email!
I would love The Six O’Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families by Aviva Goldfarb it sounds great
I would like either one…but since I have to choose, I guess I would have to say the book. It would be a great tool for our CRAZY schedules.
I’d love to have that book, I think it would be more handy than the email service.
I’d like the book.
The book sounds great!
I would like the cookbook
I’d love to have this book!
I would like the book.
the book
I would like the book.
Book Please
I’D LIKE THE BOOK! THANKS FOR A GREAT OFFER!
I would prefer the book!
I would love the book!
I’d prefer the email, actually! It could be useful in setting up family-style shopping and meal planning, which I haven’t mastered yet…
We would love the book! Thanks!
I would love to win the cookbook as we both like to cook! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love the cookbook. I am always looking for new healthy recipes to make for my family. Thanks. I hope I win!
i hope i win
Howdy
the book, please
It’s the book for me, thank you
I prefer to receive the book.
That’s a hard choice! I think the emails would help me more because they will keep appearing and remind me. Otherwise, I tend to forget these good ideas by misplacing the book!
:)
Dawn
pascha]at[optonline[dot]net
The book
The only thing that would make a book like this better is if the book came with a person to actually cook dinner for me!
Pick me! We eat way too much take-out!
Pick me!
I already have the book so please enter me for the web subscription. I would love to try it!
The book – I love trying new recipes, especially fast and easy ones.
I am a lucky mom in the fact that my hubby does the cooking and I know he would prefer the book. When I first started to read your blog entry I thought, yea there are other moms that do the evening scramble to clean the house and get things ready for the next day. That is my job in the house while hubby cooks dinner.
I would prefer the book please.
I’d like the book!
The book would be better for me.
I would love the book.
I love trying new recipes although now I have alot less time. Thanks for the giveaway
I’d like the subscription. I’m wanting to add some new recipes to my rotation and that would be helpful.
I would rather the book.
I’d prefer the book.
the book too
I would love this book! I am always looking for ways to prepare healthy foods for my family, and it seems like so many of our favorite recipes take too much time when I am trying to also be with my kiddos. Thanks!
book please
I think hubby would like the book.
I’d Like the web subscription
I’ve lost 4 sizes over the last year. Still have 50 lbs to lose. Would love to win some healthy recipes. Please enter me, thank you
I am in a huge cooking rut.. mostly pizza and stir fry is what you find around this house.. so we’d like the book to expand that menu.
I blogged your contest on prizeatron!
http://www.prizeatron.com
i’d love the book, thanks, great giveaway!
This is neat!
enter me
I’d like the email service, please. Thank you.
I hate to stay with the crowd, but I have to go with the book too. I like to read cook books in bed, and that would be hard to do with a compter
I would prefer the book, thanks!
The book had me sold just by the title alone!
love the cookbook
I like the book. I will give it to my husband because his hobby is cooking.
Mmmm….I think that i need the book.
Thanks.
me thinkst the book!
I prefer a book.
I’d like the book. I take my cookbooks in front of the tv at night and plan my weekly menu so book form would work great. Any cookbook that makes it easier to come up with tasty dinner options is alright by me.
This book would be wonderful. I have been trying to cook most of our meals on Sundays and freeze them for the week. It worked out really well, the one week that I actually accomplished it. I could really use some recipes that are good, but quick to make. By the way, your enchilada recipe was a big hit with my family, even the baby ate almost a whole enchilada. Tahnks!
I would prefer the book!
I believe I would prefer the book -
Oh… do I have to choice???
Gah.. Ok.. um… The book!
This way, if something happens to me,then my ex, or my oldest girls could step up and having something at their disposal to make meals.
Also, I’d love to pass this on to them when they grow up and need to make meals!
I’m off to rub a troll belly for good luck!
I would prefer the book!
A book
The book please!
I would love to have the book. Thanks!
I would go with the book. I drown in emails as it is.
I would love the book.
I would love the book!
I’d love the book!
The book looks good. That’s what I’d like to win.
Although the e-mail service looks great, I would prefer to win the book.
i want to win
I would prefer the book.
Book…PLEASE!!
The email service sounds wonderful
I would love to have a copy of the book!
I would love the book about quick and healthy dinners for busy families!
The email service would be great!
The book!
thanks
I prefer the book definitely!
Definitely the cookbook!
the cookbook
I would prefer the book.
The book, please~ :)
Thank you!
I’d prefer the book. Thank you!
The book would be awesome.
I would love the book!
I’d prefer the book ~ thanks!
Looks like I am in the minority as I would love the e-mail service! This would make meal time so much easier!
I’d prefer the book. Thanks!
What a great title for a book. Suppertime is like the witching hour at my house: I’m trying to cook something relatively healthy for us all to eat, but the kids are tired, hungry, and want entertainment. Any help would be wonderful. E-mail service sounds interesting, but I love collecting cookbooks, so I’d have to go with that. Thanks!
would love the book :)
Please enter me thanks
I think I would prefer the email service. Thanks!
Like most of the others, I would really love to have the book. Good Luck to all! Thanks for such a useful giveaway!
I would prefer the book!
books!
Definitely prefer the book…to many things can get lost in my email inbox…it seems that each year spammers find more ways to get past email filters.
I would prefer the book I love to read
I am old fashion like the book
Book Too many e-mails already
I would prefer the book. I spend way too much time on the computer as it is.
By all means lets hear it for the book this time. Happy Mother’s Day to ALL and Best of luck to those who enter!!! Thanks SW
the book definitely – a break from the computer
I think I would prefer the email service.
I would really love this book. I absolutely love new cookbooks, and this one sounds PERFECT for me and my family of 5 little girls!
I would LOVE the book! With 3 children – ages 4, 7, and (on May 19th) 9, I am ALWAYS in a rush! I think this would be a great help! Thank you!
I would love the book.
I think the email subscription would help me the most. Thanks.
I would love the book.It would help me
in the afternoon scuffle of trying to
balance so many things.Thanks for the
giveaway
Iwould love the book
Please enter me into the contest for the book. Thanks!