Fan favorite and the first and only woman to win on TV's Top Chef, she's also the chef and owner of the acclaimed Girl & the Goat restaurant in Chicago. The Girl in the Kitchen collects more than 100 of Izard's best recipes, from innovative appetizers like Asian-Spiced English Peas to luscious desserts like Quince and Fig Cobbler with Vanilla Mascarpone. Beautifully photographed and bursting with flavor, personality, and insights into the top chef's process including where she finds her cooking muses, how she shops for food, and which beers and wines she chooses to accompany her meals this book represents the culmination of a craft and provides inspiration that reaches far beyond the kitchen walls.

    Simple or elaborate, they’re colorful and tasty desserts that are just the right size to take in hand for casual entertaining. Whether you decorate them with a quick layer of frosting or adorn each with custom flowers and artistic touches, your cupcake desserts will be the hit of your next get together. Create a garden of blossoms or sculpt frosting animals and cartoon characters. You’re only limited by your imagination. If you’re new to cake decorating, cupcakes give you ample opportunities to practice, and, best of all, you can eat your mistakes and leave no evidence. If cupcakes are a bit rich for your taste, fill your dessert craving with a muffin. You'll find loads of tasty muffin recipes from healthful bran and whole grain to delicious fruit and berry versions. And, of course there are specialty recipes like peanut butter and coffeecake, and of course, chocolate. When it comes to frosting, you’ll find flavors that will please everyone. Chocolate, buttercream and mocha are just a few of the recipes. There's also specialty frostings like pineapple and peanut butter to give your cupcakes a special flair. So, choose a recipe from 101 Quick & Easy Cupcake and Muffin Recipes, get out your baking supplies and start creating little bites of decadent dessert deliciousness. Make sure to double the recipe, as they’re sure to disappear almost as quickly as you finish them.

    The restaurant’s thought-provoking dishes and unconventional pairings draw on techniques both traditional and modern that combine with the heart of the Manresa experience: fruits and vegetables. Through a pioneering collaboration between farm and restaurant, nearby Love Apple Farms supplies nearly all of the restaurant’s exquisite produce. Manresa is an ode to the mountains, fields, and sea; it shares the philosophies and passions of a brilliant chef whose restaurant draws its inspiration globally, while always keeping a profound connection to the people, producers, and bounty of the land that surrounds it.

    Lorna Sass introduces us to an eclectic array of dishes that can be prepared on a whim, including classic osso buco (18 minutes), chicken gumbo (9 minutes), and risotto (4 minutes, without stirring!). Even chocolate cheesecake and Grand Marnier bread pudding are done to perfection in short order. Plus, the dramatically shortened cooking times make it possible to prepare cholesterol-free, high-fiber ingredients such as grains and beans at the last minute. The pressure cooker is the cook's best friend!