We Use What We Have Recipes: 101 Easy Weeknight Meals

Alex MacLaren

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Book cover for We Use What We Have Recipes: 101 Easy Weeknight Meals
Image for variant 9781324111856
Book cover for We Use What We Have Recipes: 101 Easy Weeknight Meals
Image for variant 9781324111856

We Use What We Have Recipes: 101 Easy Weeknight Meals

We Use What We Have Recipes: 101 Easy Weeknight Meals

Alex MacLaren

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Description

With her playful spirit and lovingly chaotic home life, Alex MacLaren has captured the hearts of parents everywhere. From elevating inexpensive cuts of meat to employing her secret weapon--cheese--she's mastered the art of balancing her budget and schedule with the joy of family mealtime. Packed with more than 100 flexible, flavor-packed recipes, this book is a lifeline for busy households, picky eaters, and anyone staring into the fridge wondering, "What's for dinner?" MacLaren helps readers turn what they have on hand into something everyone will love. With smart grocery tips, substitution charts, and no-nonsense advice, this is more than a cookbook--it's a kitchen survival manual.

Highlights include budget-friendly meals with mix and match protein choices (for whatever was on sale that week), fridge clean-out dinners, snacky suppers, and pantry-staple recipes that actually taste good. No fancy ingredients. No food snobbery. Just real food, made with what you've got.

Critical Reviews

Here is the cookbook for anyone who's ever opened the fridge, stared inside, and hoped that dinner would magically appear. With humor, heart, and zero judgment, Alex MacLaren shows you to turn 'not much' into something seriously good.--Sam Zien, aka Sam the Cooking Guy, author and YouTube creator

Alex MacLaren's We Use What We Have method has changed the way I look at my kitchen pantry. This book is a great guide to Alex's dinner management philosophy . . . to use what we have and work within our budgets.--Autumn Lucy, @autumnhitthejackpot

We Use What We Have Recipes perfectly embodies the idea of using what you have on hand to make a delicious meal for your family. Alex MacLaren offers thoughtful kitchen tips, tricks, and ingredient swap ideas throughout this book, making this an invaluable resource for any home cook!--Jessica Secrest, New York Times bestselling author, Of Course It's Good!

I'm always looking for smarter recipes that use what I already have in my pantry (aren't we all?), and Alex MacLaren nails it. I've long admired her no-fuss approach to feeding a family, but this book takes it to the next level. It's practical, clever, and a total lifesaver.--Joanne Gallagher, co-creator of Inspired Taste

In a sea of posed polished perfectionism, Alex MacLaren is a beacon of relatability. No muss, no fuss, just a focus on feeding her family good food, using what she has. I credit her with making wholesome, low-waste living cool again.--Kate Jenkinson, @katejenko

Publishing Information

Publisher: Countryman Press
Pub date: 2026-08-18
Length: 248 pages

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