Preppy Kitchen Super Easy: 100 Simple and Versatile Recipes (The Preppy Kitchen Series)

After the success of the first Preppy Kitchen cookbook I bought for my wife, this one—Preppy Kitchen Super Easy: 100 Simple and Versatile Recipes by John Kanell—was an easy choice, and it absolutely lives up to its name. My wife originally discovered John Kanell online and loves his recipes, so getting this book felt like a natural follow-up. Just like the other book, it’s beautifully designed, with clean layouts, great photography, and recipes that are easy to read and follow. Nothing feels cluttered or overly complicated, which makes it inviting to actually cook from instead of just admire. What really stands out about this book is how approachable and flexible the recipes are. Everything feels realistic for busy households—simple ingredients, clear steps, and dishes that don’t require hours in the kitchen. My wife has already marked several recipes and has made a few since Christmas, which says a lot. If a cookbook gets used right away, it’s doing its job. The “super easy” focus is spot on. These are the kinds of recipes that work for weeknights but still feel thoughtful and well put together. It’s perfect for someone who enjoys cooking but doesn’t want every meal to feel like a project. The tips throughout the book are helpful without being overwhelming, especially for home cooks who want reliable results. Overall, this was another great gift and a perfect complement to the earlier Preppy Kitchen book. If you enjoy John Kanell’s style or want a cookbook full of dependable, flavorful, and genuinely easy recipes, this one is well worth adding to your kitchen. It’s already earning its spot on our counter instead of sitting on a shelf.

This cookbook is fantastic! The 100 recipes are easy to follow and don’t require complicated ingredients or techniques, making them perfect for beginners and busy home cooks. The instructions are clear, and the photos are beautiful and inspiring. I’ve tried several recipes already, and everything turned out delicious. The variety is excellent — from breakfast to desserts, there’s something for every occasion. It’s also great for meal prepping and experimenting with new flavors. Overall, a must-have cookbook if you want tasty, approachable, and versatile recipes without stress.

As a collector of cookbooks, this is one of the best purchases of recent publications. John Kanell provides well-tested recipes that are easy to follow and create high level results. Stunning! You will be inspired to gather family and friends for dinner, celebrations, and feasts. No more wondering what to prepare. This cookbook is a treasury of recipes to make daily and for special occasions. Brilliant layout and stunning photographs make the book an absolute joy to use. You will immediately delve into cooking!

John Kanell’s recipes got me started in the kitchen when my wife, who had been the meal making champ, got sick. I needed to step up, and I needed clear, understandable directions for making the good food that would help keep both of our spirits up. It started with soup, then marinara, then frittatas . . . and then I was baking, cooking, trying different things with a growing confidence I never expected to have in the kitchen. Kanell is a teacher in the full sense, not only giving the know how, but encouraging experimentation and helping others understand the caring that can go into making a meal for loved ones. I was excited to preorder this book, and when it arrived, my wife (who’s doing great now) and I sat and poured over the beautiful pictures, making a list of all the things we wanted to try. And we’ve been trying them with wonderful results. I’ve made the cheesy popovers, which are now a weekly treat to go along with our roasted red pepper tomato soup. We make the fresh salsa every couple of weeks for a weekend treat. The leak and Gouda frittata is amazing, and I keep taking pictures of it for no intelligent reason. The fresh tomato one pot pasta has become my go-to quick weekday dinner. And then we get into the baking. My friend invited us to a fundraiser and asked if I could bring some cookies for the bake sale. I had already made the Orange Cloud cookies a few times and the guys I work with sincerely doubted I was the one who made them. So I brought a couple dozen to the fundraiser along with some other cookies I learned on Kanell’s website. Now I’m stuck being the cookie guy every time anyone I know gets involved with a bake sale. Poor me. Whether it’s the strawberry lemonade bars, the Mexican brownies or the lemon layer cake, I’ve been able to not only make something I want to share, but also go back and experiment. Almost every recipe in this book has variations. Kanell is constantly encouraging readers to try new things and make recipes their own. And before I forget, the first couple of chapters are a very accessible covering of the basics. He goes over equipment, simple techniques, and answers most of those “there are no stupid questions” questions. As I said before, he’s a teacher, and this book is well designed to take anyone who’s willing from waffles all the way to chocolate mousse. Along with everything else, it’s a very sweet book about a guy who learned cooking from his mom and has turned around to use those lessons to express love to his family. There are a lot of pictures of his sons, and even more mentions of them peppered throughout the book. Everyone in the family, including his husband, gets a recipe with their name featured on it (and that chocolate cake is goooood). I’m pretty sure this is the element of John Kanell as a food instructor that resonates with me the most. He makes good food for the people he loves. That’s just what I want to do. I know I’ve been gushing, but the honest fact is that I’ve been making recipes from Super Easy at least twice a week since I got it. Kanell has been a big part of my going from a guy slicing frozen cookie dough logs to a guy making cheesecakes. The least I can do, if I can, is turn other people on to this book and this author. Give it a shot, and maybe find out there’s a satisfaction when you make something for someone and they say, “I want more of this.”

I just started watching John Kanell's YouTube video channel. And his recipes looked so yummy that I wanted to purchase both his cookbooks. However, when I received this one, I was a little bit surprised. Most of the recipes that he has on his channel seem to be made with up to 5, maybe 6 ingredients. However, in the cookbook there's an average of 10 to 15 ingredients; with many having a little more, and a couple of them have little less. I haven't found any that had less than 8 ingredients. I guess this would be okay, but I expected to see the simplicity of his recipes on his Youtube channel transfer over to his cookbooks. The cookbook is gorgeous. Just like his YouTube channel says... He does give variations on how to cook each recipe. The photos are pretty. They make the food look yummy. However, the one main thing that I was disappointed in was that literally half (50%) of his cookbook includes sugary foods; like breads and sweets. Even his little breakfast section also has a lot of sweet recipes. I would have rathered seen more savory foods than this many sweet recipes in a cookbook. Most cookbooks that I've seen in the past, they kind of divide food types into like 3 to 5 sections, such as salads, soups, main dishes, and maybe a section on veggies. Usually the sweet section doesn't take up more than about 25% to 30% of the cookbook. To me he would have been better off making a dessert cookbook, versus adding this many sweet recipes in this cookbook. I am trying to cut back on sweets. I'm not sure I would have ordered this cookbook if I had known literally half of the cookbook was filled with breads and sweets. So if you're looking to cut down on sugar this would not be the cookbook for you. I've tried a couple of his recipes and their close to coming out the same as on his YouTube channel; with the exception of his egg rolls. The filling is delicious. I just can't get the egg roll wrappers to look as crisp as what his YouTube channel shows. I'm not convinced they've been air fried on his Youtube channel. They look more like they've been deep-fried in oil. At least 20% to 25% of the beginning of this cookbook, he tells his story on foods, and which tools you need to have to make your cooking experience more successful. Within each recipe he shares a brief personal story that connects his readers with the recipes. This is a brand new cookbook. But there was a little bit of damage at the corner of the cookbook which happened preshipping. It won't take away from the cookbook being used; but I was hoping I could have gotten a very clean, next to perfect cookbook, when I first order a cookbook, especially if I buy it brand new.

I’ve always admired beautifully presented dishes but often felt intimidated by the complexity of gourmet cooking. Enter Preppy Kitchen: Super Easy, and my entire perspective has changed! John Kannell has truly outdone himself with this cookbook. It’s not just about the over 100 recipes – it’s about how approachable and delightful he makes each one. The recipes are a perfect balance between creativity and simplicity. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen newbie, you’ll find yourself inspired to try out new dishes without feeling overwhelmed. The step-by-step instructions are incredibly clear, and the ingredients are easily accessible, which means you can whip up something that looks like it belongs on a restaurant menu in no time at all. The photography is stunning, too – each page is like a mini work of art, motivating you to get into the kitchen and start cooking. One of my favorite aspects is how Kannell emphasizes that you don’t need to be a culinary expert to create a dish that’s as delicious as it is visually appealing. This book makes gourmet cooking feel achievable, which is no small feat! If you’re looking for a cookbook that will not only expand your culinary horizons but also boost your confidence in the kitchen, Preppy Kitchen: Super Easy is the perfect addition to your collection. Highly recommend!

John is the best cooking instructor I've experienced. 100% of what I have made from this cookbook has turned out great. One of my favorite aspects of this cookbook is the photography. I find it extremely useful when making dishes to see plating ideas. His 1st cookbook is just as amazing as this one.

I love John Kanell! This is his second cookbook, filled with wonderful recipes and lovely photography. John's recipes are easy, delicious, and down-to-earth. He explains everything clearly, from ingredients to mixing and assembling to serving. I am an experienced cook and baker, and I constantly learn new things from John Kanell, whether from his lovely cookbooks or his wonderful YouTube videos. I had pre-ordered this book, and it arrived early, in perfect condition. It's a good, hard-cover volume that contains some of the most delicious-looking recipes. I will be making many of these simple dishes for my friends and family in the coming holiday season. Fall is the perfect time for warm, comforting gatherings, and John will be with us in all his culinary glory! Thank you, Chef Kanell, for another rich volume of scrumptious foods!