Bittman offers a lot to love in cookbook with 1,000-plus pages

Do you ever begin cooking dinner thinking you and your family will be able to eat in 30 minutes easy only to find yourself 90 minutes later just sitting down to eat with a kitchen that looks as if it has been through a tornado?

You probably are wondering what you did wrong and why such a seemingly simple recipe could take the time of a gourmet meal.

New York Times writer and cookbook author Mark Bittman wants to help home cooks get good meals on the table - fast. Hence, his new cookbook 'How to Cook Everything Fast,” which is the fourth book in his 'How to Cook Everything” series.

This is Bittman's first cookbook that truly is geared for the home cook, breaking down the steps of prepping and cooking and dispelling the myth of prepping each ingredient ahead (i.e. Mise en Place) as the key to quick cooking.

Every recipe is meticulously parsed so that you know what to work on when and what you can do while part of your recipe is cooking. The resulting recipes are timed to finish in 15, 30 or 45 minutes so you can choose based on your available time, giving you a fail-safe timeline.

Each recipe also includes a few variations in case you don't have all the ingredients on hand or want to give it a different flavor. This option is another fail-safe way for home cooks to get food on the table quickly while learning how easy it is to improvise a recipe.

The cookbook truly is all about the recipes, containing no glossy food pictures. There are a few illustrations to show the best way to cut and prep certain ingredients, but otherwise this is an unadorned cookbook, ready to teach.

You are sure to find many recipes to love in this 1,000-plus page tome of a cookbook. From comfort food like Fastest Chicken Parm to flavorful Malaysian-Style BBQ Fish with Cool Cucumbers, Bittman appeals to a wide range of palates. Bittman's years in the kitchen have produced a cookbook almost guaranteeing you'll never find yourself in the dinner weeds ever again.

l Number of recipes: About 2,000 (Yes, you read that correctly.)

l 14 Recipe Categories: Salads, Sandwiches, Soups & Stews, Pasta and Noodles, Rice and Grains, Vegetables, Beans and Tofu, Seafood, Chicken, Meat, Breakfast, Appetizers, Sides, Dessert

l Special equipment needed: Food processor, blender, electric mixer, immersion blender

l Recipe lows: I'm not sure there are many lows. Not all dishes are gourmet (I'm talking to you, Broiled Cheese recipe) or warrant a spot in the tome. Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich with Honey & Raisins is a perfect example.

Given, though, the theme of this cookbook and how busy we all are, it is kind of nice to have a well-known cookbook author sanctioning quick meals from your lunch box or dorm days.

l Recipe highs:

Roasted Salmon with Potato Crust: A super simple dish lands in the 30-minute prep and cook category. It holds true to this and produces a fancy-looking salmon that is topped with perfectly crusted shredded potatoes. There are no spices other than salt and pepper, and it truly doesn't need anything more than that. I made this midafternoon and had to stop myself from ruining my dinner. It was truly amazing and a dish you would be happy to serve to guests.

Charred Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts & Gorgonzola: If you like the crispy, charred edges of roasted brussels sprouts this salad is for you.

Bittman designed this recipe to increase those charred bits by coarsely chopping the sprouts in a food processor before broiling. A crispy, chewy warm salad is the result with bursts of creamy Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts.

Because it does take about 45 minutes to make (due to trimming the brussels sprouts) it may be more of a dish for the weekend unless you have a helper in the house to act as your sous chef.

Roasted Salmon with Potato Crust

Serves 4

2 or 3 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (8 ounces)

4 thick salmon fillets (1 1/2 pounds)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 bunch fresh chives

Heat oven to 475 degrees.

Scrub potatoes. If you're using a food processor for grating, cut them into chunks that will fit through the feed tube. Line a colander with paper towels.

Shred the potatoes in a food processor with a grating disk or by hand with a box grater. Put the potatoes in the colander and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.

Put the salmon in a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Spread the potatoes over the top of the fish, pressing them down and covering the fish in a thin, even layer. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast until the salmon is cooked through and the potatoes are crisp, about 10 minutes. Chop a few tablespoons of chives.

If the salmon cooks through before the potatoes are as crisp as you want, put the pan under the broiler until the potatoes are done to your liking.

Garnish with the chives and serve.

Charred Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts & Gorgonzola

Serves 4

2 pounds brussels sprouts

1 garlic clove

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 cup walnuts

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (1 cup crumbled)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 6 inches from the heat. Trim the brussels sprouts. Peel 1 garlic clove.

Put the brussels sprouts, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a food processor.

Pulse until the brussels sprouts are roughly chopped.

They will be a bit uneven, but that's OK.

Put the brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet and broil, stirring and checking occasionally until they're browned and just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Put 1 cup walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook, shaking the pan occasionally until the nuts darken and are fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl. When the brussels sprouts are browned and just tender, add them to the bowl.

Crumble 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, add to the bowl, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.

Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.