Product Description

Here?s great news for cooks who love creating fabulous meals with fewer calories and far less fat. Now, from the world?s largest epicurean magazine comes its biggest collection of gourmet-inspired, easy-to-prepare, and health-conscious recipes ever. Spanning 17 years, The Best of Cooking Light features more than 500 of the editors? hand-picked favorites.

About the Author

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps more than any other person, Marcella Hazan is responsible for bringing Italian cuisine into the homes of American cooks. We’re not talking spaghetti and meatballs here–Hazan’s cuisine consists of polenta, risotto, squid braised with tomatoes and white wine, sautéed swiss chard with olive oil and garlic…. Twenty years ago, when Hazan first exploded into the American consciousness with The Classic Italian Cook Book and More Classic Italian Cooking, such recipes were revolutionary. With time, however, these classic dishes have become much-beloved family favorites.

Now a new generation is ready to be introduced to Marcella Hazan’s way with food, and in Essentials of Italian Cooking Hazan combines her two earlier works into one update and expanded volume. In addition to the delicious collection of recipes, this book serves as a basic manual for cooks of every skill level. Recipes have been revised to reduce fat content, and a whole new chapter full of fundamental information about herbs, spices, and cheeses used in Italian kitchens–as well as details on how to select specific ingredients–has been added. New chapters, new recipes–who could ask for more than Essentials of Italian Cooking?

From Publishers Weekly

In the language of cookbooks, the word “classic” is bandied about nearly as frequently as the terms “low-fat” and “no-cholesterol.” In this case, however, the estimable Hazan ( More Classic Italian Cooking ) does indeed contribute a classic to the ever-increasing literature of Italian cuisine. A revision and update of her two previous “classic” Italian cookbooks (with more than 35 completely new recipes), this one includes recipes not “in pursuit of novelty, but of taste.” As Hazan puts it, the book “is meant to be used as a kitchen handbook . . . for cooks of every level . . . who want an accessible and comprehensive guide to the products, the techniques, and the dishes that constitute imperishable Italian cooking.” From marinated carrot sticks to sweet-and-sour tuna steaks, Trapani style, to tortellini with fish stuffing and polenta shortcake with raisins, dried figs and pine nuts, the outstanding recipes–many of them poetically simple–are too numerous to do justice to in few words. Included is a spirited discussion of squid and the essentials of preparing fresh pasta, gnocchi (potato dumplings), authentic risotto, frittate and polenta dishes. While writing from Venice, her home for much of the year, Hazan never fails to consider the availability of ingredients in the U.S., and never assumes that all readers understand complex methods or exotic terminology. This volume is the perfect gift for a new homemaker, a seasoned chef and all lovers of good food. Illustrated. 40,000 first printing; Home Style Book Club main selection, BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Description

About the Author

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Product Description

Banish 5 o’clock guilt forever with the new, wonderful-to-read, wonderful-to-cook Essential Recipe Collection–Weeknight. It features more than 50 Cooking Light kitchen-tested recipes for family-pleasing, health-conscious meals that don’t take a lot of advance planning. Easy entrées, one-dish dinners, soup and salad, and make-ahead meals–they’re all here, and they’re all incredibly tasty. Just what you’d expect from Cooking Light!

Product Description

With 101 easy recipes to choose from-from breakfast to dessert, including breads and rolls-the Dutch oven might just become the most popular cooking method in your house. Recipes include the Mountain Man Breakfast, Sausage Spinach Wreath, Dutch Oven Stew with spicy Jalapeno Cheese Bread, Caramel Apple Cobbler, Stuffed Pork Roast, Cinnamon Rolls, Dutch Oven Pizza, Apricot Raspberry Glazed Cornish Hens, and White Chili.


About the Author

Vernon Winterton has been cooking with Dutch ovens for thirty years. He is one of the founding members Oven Society and served two years as its assistant director. Vernon has competed in Dutch oven cook-offs times to compete in the World Championship of Dutch Oven Cooking. He lives in Lehi City, Utah.

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Review

“Fans of Trader Joe’s have been waiting a long time for a book like this.” –Sacramento Bee

“Cooking With All Things Trader Joe’s provides fast and easy dinner solutions for neophytes and kitchen veterans alike” -San Diego Union-Tribune

“The ‘fusion cooking’ in this collection makes it much easier to create sophisticated, fun, eclectic yet accessible meals. This is a delightful cookbook…The bottom line is that this collection is perfect for cooks who are short on time but want healthful meals that are long on taste” -Tucson Citizen

“Authors Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati deliver the goods — in this case, all from Trader Joe’s…The recipes are modern and sensible and include lots of substitution ideas, in case an item is no longer in stock or you simply feel like experimenting. I’ve already made three dishes, and they were all winners.” -The Pioneer Press

“This cookbook is genius!” Sam Zien, TV host and author of Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes (Back Cover)

Product Description

Love Trader Joe’s? This new independent cookbook features recipes that use ingredients all from Trader Joe’s. By combining Trader Joe’s unique products with fresh ingredients, Deana and Wona create clever shortcuts to quick and easy gourmet meals that are delicious and exciting. The recipes in this book treat Trader Joe’s like a “prep kitchen”–using the great selection of unique sauces, mixtures, and prepped items to make flavorful, natural, homemade food in a snap.

Many of the recipes are vegetarian or can easily be made vegetarian. Ethnic dishes like Saag Paneer Lasagna are scattered throughout, as well as classic comfort foods like Comfy Chicken Pot Pie. Crowd-pleasing recipes include Peanutty Sesame Noodles, Black Bean Soup, Macho Nacho, Seafood Paella, Curried Chicken Pitas, Wilted Spinach with Attitude, Honey I Ate the Chocolate Bread Pudding, and All Mixed Up Margaritas.

People who don’t know how to cook or don’t want to cook will appreciate the Bachelor Quickies section, featuring frozen and ready-to-heat selections that are matched to create complete and impressive menus.

With full-color photographs for every recipe, wine suggestions, humorous personal stories, and cooking tips sprinkled throughout, this collection is a must for any Trader Joe’s fan.

Amazon.com Review

Since its first private printing in 1931, The Joy of Cooking has been teaching Americans how to cook. Craig Claiborne calls it “a masterpiece of clarity” and Julia Child says it’s the one book she’d keep if she could only have one English title on the shelf. The nearly 5,000 recipes are handily organized by meal and ingredient, and no cooking instruction goes unexplained, so you can finally understand the difference between poaching and braising. The book includes nutritional information as well as an extremely helpful list of measures and equivalents. You’ll find a version of every recipe your mother ever cooked, along with straightforward instructions for cooking more exotic specialties such as turtles and muskrats.

Review

James Beard

The classic work, which covers the entire gamut of kitchen procedures and is easy to use.

Cecily Brownstone

Important as is the information in this encyclopedic cookbook, it’s the imprint of Irma Rombauer’s and Marion Rombauer Becker’s personalities that makes Joy of Cooking the best loved cookbook to come out of these United States.

Julia Child

…it is definitely number one on my list…the one book of all cookbooks in English that I would have on my shelf — if I could have but one.

Craig Claiborne

The finest basic cookbook available. It is a masterpiece of clarity.

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From Publishers Weekly

Anderson, author of more than 20 cookbooks, dedicated almost four years to creating her latest collection of 300 uniquely Southern recipes—and her hard work, dedication and passion are evident throughout this extensive book. Along with classic dishes, Anderson shares stories about the South’s culinary history (such as the creation of Coca-Cola syrup in Atlanta, and the legend behind Tabasco sauce) and important food figures like Maryland native Frank Perdue and Krispy Kreme Doughnut founder Vernon Rudolph. Appetizer, soup, main course and dessert sections include popular favorites like Shrimp Gumbo, Smothered Pork Chops and Baked Virginia Ham. But the insider recipes like Shirt Tail Pies (fried apple turnovers), Tidewater Peanut Soup, Charcoal-Grilled Shad Roe and East Tennessee Stack Cake made with bourbon are what truly make this book special. Anderson’s instructions are easy to follow and The Language of Southern Cooking section is helpful, giving definitions of commonly used ingredients. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Readers, whether from the South or not, will love the warmly written and carefully researched A Love Affair with Southern Cooking. . . . The 434-page book includes 200 classic and contempoarary recipes, plus anecdotes and personal reminiscences, all smartly told.” (4 stars — Outstanding) — Baton Rouge Advocate

A New York Times Best Book of 2007 — “This treasurable book is plentifully studded with capsule essays (on the likes of Duke?s mayonnaise or RC Cola) and mini-profiles (Mary Randolph, George Washington Carver) as well as a running timeline of historical tidbits.” — New York Times

A fascinating journey through the rich, complex history of southern foodways. Southern Cooking is a classic. — William Ferris

A tome that will win over workaday cooks and budding food scholars alike. — John T. Edge, author of Southern Belly: the Ultimate Food Lover’s Companion to the South

Jean Anderson’s splendid, entertaining and most useful new book is her truly essential volume to all who enjoy southern cooking. — William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina

Jean Anderson?s splendid, entertaining and most useful new book is her truly essential volume to all who enjoy southern cooking. — William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina

Recipe after delicious recipe will have y?all gathering round the table to celebrate the South?s rich culinary heritage. — Ben and Karen Barker, authors of Not Afraid of Flavor: Recipes from Magnolia Grill

Superb…comes as close as I can imagine toward providing a detailed guide for the recreation of an ancient cuisine. — Reynolds Price, author of Kate Vaiden

[A] charmingly intimate, authoritative, and deeply soul-moving tribute to the peerless cookery of our beloved South. — James Villas, author of The Glory of Southern Cooking

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Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month November 2007: Inspired by the Strunk and White classic, Michael Ruhlman’s The Elements of Cooking will quickly prove to be an essential culinary reference for both seasoned cooks and novices who might not know gravlax from gremolata. After a thorough “Notes on Cooking,” Ruhlman, a prolific cookbook author and popular blogger, settles in for an opinionated and informative A-Z roundup (from Acid to Zester) of cooking terms, lessons, and techniques reduced to their essential essence. Even with only one recipe (for veal stock), it’s a must-have for every kitchen library–a book that will help you re-think your approach to food. –Brad Thomas Parsons

From Publishers Weekly

Ruhlman’s slim 12th book, inspired by Strunk and White’s classic The Elements of Style, would more accurately have been titled Selected Elements of French Cooking. Organized in dictionary format, the book offers short definitions of culinary terms most likely to be encountered in a Continental restaurant kitchen: à la ficelle, jus lie, lardo, mise en place, oblique cut, oignon pique, rondeau, roulade. Entries for ladle, rolling pin and other common implements seem almost superfluous, while international items such as wok, tandoor, udon and cardamom are nowhere to be found (though to be fair, nam pla, kimchi and umami are included). An opening eight-page section announces, with finger wagging, that veal stock is the essential and discourses on eggs, salt and kitchen tools. Ruhlman (The Soul of a Chef) is an elegant writer and the entries he does include can be useful and sometimes entertaining. The real problem is the idiosyncratic, highly personal approach: you just don’t know what you’ll find in this book and what you won’t. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Amazon.com Review
Book Description
“For me, there are few things that are more relaxing than lingering at the table with good friends… But I know that for a lot of people, putting together a meal, especially for guests, is the opposite of relaxing… I’m here to tell you: It doesn’t have to be that way.”–from the Introduction

Aussie Curtis Stone, host of TLC’s Take Home Chef, is best known for his laid-back approach to cooking. Though he’s worked as head chef in several Michelin-starred London restaurants, some of his most memorable meals are the ones he’s shared with friends at home. Now, Curtis shows you how to have as much fun in the kitchen as your guests are sure to have over a comfortable, unforgettable meal.

In Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone, you’ll find everything from “First Thing in the Morning” bites and “Brunches to Blow Their Minds” to “Weekend Lunches” and “Something to Eat on the Sofa.” With the home cook in mind, Curtis avoids off-putting culinary lingo and hard-to-find ingredients. Instead, he picks what’s in season and just around the corner. This down-to-earth approach results in wonderfully interesting and flavorful taste combinations that are perfect for parties or just hanging out with a close friend or loved ones.

Recipes include:

• Caramelized Nectarines with Yogurt and Honey
• Crispy Tortilla with Ham, Chile, Spinach, and Fried Eggs
• Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad with Pepper-Crusted New York Steak
• Pan-Fried Calamari with Roasted Asparagus Salad
• Homemade Salted Caramel Popcorn
• Baby Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives
• Sticky Chicken Drumsticks
• Red Curry with Lobster and Pineapple
• Veal Cutlet Coated in an Aged Jack Cheese Crust
• Slowly Cooked Brisket with a BBQ Bourbon Sauce
• Creamy Mascarpone and Parsley Polenta
• Brownie Cupcakes

These delicious recipes and Curtis’s infectiously easygoing attitude are all it takes to end your entertaining stress and get you and your guests into a relaxing mood.

From Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone: Fresh Linguine with Garlic Shrimp and Homemade Pesto

This satisfying dish just takes minutes to put together. Despite the speedy preparation, it seems really indulgent and tastes fresh and healthy at the same time. When making pesto, you can vary the consistency to match the purpose: Make it nice and thick to spread over bruschetta, or thin it with extra olive oil so it’s easy to toss through pasta, as in this version.

Ingredients

For Pesto:

• 1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Linguine:

• 12 cherry tomatoes on the vine

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 9 ounces fresh linguine (from the dairy case)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• Parmesan shavings, for garnish

(Serves 4)

Directions

To make the pesto: Grind the basil, pine nuts, and grated Parmesan cheese with a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste forms. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor instead.) Slowly add the olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste. Then cover and set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the vine of tomatoes in an ovenproof skillet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the tomatoes, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 8 minutes, or until heated through.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking, for about 2 minutes, or until al dente.

While the linguine cooks, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shrimp and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through and the garlic is tender. Stir the pesto into the shrimp mixture.

Drain the linguine, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the linguine in a large bowl with the shrimp-pesto mixture, adding enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the sauce so that it coats the pasta evenly.

Using a two-pronged carving fork, swirl some pasta around the fork. Slide it off the fork, letting it mound in the center of a plate. Repeat. Arrange the shrimp and the roasted tomatoes around the pasta. Garnish with the cheese and serve.

From Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone: Lazy Asparagus Omelet

One of my favorite parts of going on holiday is heading down each morning to the hotel’s breakfast buffet. I always make a beeline for the omelet station–even a chef loves having someone else man the omelet pan sometimes! Back at home, I make this much easier version and find it has all the flavor of those yummy holiday omelets. Taleggio is a creamy cheese similar to Brie, with a slightly stronger flavor; it pairs really well with asparagus. Serve this with some hot, grainy toast.

Ingredients

• 15 thin asparagus spears (about 6 ounces total), tough ends trimmed

• 12 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 2 ounces Taleggio cheese, shaved into thin slices

(Serves 4 to 6)

Directions

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Cut the tips of the asparagus spears into 3-inch lengths; then cut the remainder of the spears into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 30 seconds, or just until it becomes bright green. Drain the asparagus and submerge it in a large bowl of ice water until cool; drain again.

Preheat the broiler. Using a fork, whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend well. Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat, swirling the pan to coat it with the butter. Add the eggs and asparagus, and gently stir with a silicone spatula to lift the cooked egg off the bottom of the skillet and stir it into the uncooked portion (be careful not to overstir the omelet). As the omelet begins to set, give it one last gentle stir. Then scatter the cheese slices over the top. Place the pan under the broiler and cook for about 1 minute, or until the omelet is set on top and the cheese has melted. Using the silicone spatula, loosen the omelet from the pan, slide it onto a platter, and serve.

Review

“Curtis shows that making beautiful, delicious, satisfying food can also be fun. With recipes like these, you’ll be inviting people over a lot more often.”
—Todd English

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