Southern Plate: Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family


Christy Jordan - 2010
    “The recipes in Southern Plate made my mouth water!...This wonderful cookbook made me feel like I was reading something of my own.”—Paula Deen, author of Paula Deen’s Savannah Style “I’ve been testing these recipes in my own kitchen and every single one turns out to be better than anything my grandmother ever made.”—Dorothea Benton Frank, author of Return to Sullivans Island and Lowcountry Summer Christy Jordan, the creator of SouthernPlate.com, serves up a collection of delicious recipes for “classic comfort foods that makes everyone feel like family.” Featuring scrumptious dishes passed down for generations through Jordan’s family, Southern Plate highlights the very best in southern cooking—for fans of Paula Deen and Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday with America's Thanksgiving Expert


Rick Rodgers - 1998
    From shopping through chopping, from making flawless gravy to fearlessly carving the bird, he offers tips, insight, and inspiration every steop of the way. Whether it a tradition holiday feast with turkey and all the traditional trimming, chutneys, and chowders; a vegetarian dinner with just the trimmings; or new ideas for regional classics, including Cajun- or Italian-inspired tastes, Thanksgiving 101 serves up a delicious education for novice and experienced cooks alike.

Rachael Ray's Look + Cook


Rachael Ray - 2010
    But now Ray fills that role.”  — Time magazine From her cookbooks to her magazine to her daily talk show, Rachael Ray’s message remains the same today as the day she wrote her very first 30-minute meal—making delicious, knock-your-socks-off dishes should be fun, fast, fulfilling, and foolproof.Rachael now presents her best idea yet: Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook—100 brand-new recipes, each featuring beautiful and helpful step-by-step full-color photographs that illustrate how to create each meal, along with photographs of the gorgeous finished dishes. You literally look along while you cook!But that’s not all . . . at the back of Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook, you’ll find 125 bonus, never-before-published recipes, including 30-Minute Meals; Yes! the Kids Will Eat It; Sides & Starters; Simple Sauces & Bottom-of-the-Jar Tips; and Desserts. As if that weren’t cool enough, Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook also features accompanying real-time video available online for select recipes at www.rachaelray.com.Rachael makes it easier than ever to prepare delicious home-cooked meals as you follow along with the step-by-step photographs or even the video! Having a last-minute dinner? No worries . . . you’ll wow the crowd with Gazpacho Pasta, Fancy Pants Salmon, or Almost Tandoori Chicken. Looking for some fun twists on classic dishes that will have your kids clamoring for more? The Open-Face Turkey Burgers with Potpie Gravy and the Coconut Fish Fry are sure to be family faves! Wondering what to do with those last spoonfuls in the jars lining your refrigerator door? Check out Rachael’s Bottom-of-the-Jar Sauces and add pizzazz to any meal with Salsa Dressing, Orange Bourbon Glaze, or Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce. Packed with the value that her fans love and have come to expect, Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook has a simple-to-follow recipe to fit every occasion.

The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food


Ian Knauer - 2012
    In The Farm, Knauer brings his creations to your kitchen. From Cold-Spring-Night Asparagus Soup to Brick Chicken with Corn and Basil Salad, the 150 recipes in this book will help you make the most of your market, garden, or CSA. They are fresh, modern spins on American classics, with ingredients anyone can obtain. Each one is simple, distinctive, and satisfying, getting the best food to the table in the least amount of time. They are both homey and sophisticated. You’ll find recipes that incorporate all parts of the vegetable, like Pasta with Radishes and Blue Cheese, which incorporates the radish leaves as well as the root, and spritely Swiss Chard Salad. You’ll learn how to make great food from simple ingredients you have on hand, like Potato Nachos. You’ll discover recipes for less-familiar produce from your market or your backyard, such as Chicken with Garlic Scape Pesto and Dandelion Green Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing. Many of these recipes have been in Knauer’s family for generations, like Pennsylvania Dutch-Style Green Beans or Cloud Biscuits. You won’t want to miss his expertly tweaked renditions of his mother and grandmother’s desserts: Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, Blueberry Belle Crunch, and Mary’s Lemon Sponge Pie. Whether you want to learn how to roast a pig, make your own hot sauce, or brew hard cider, The Farm brings artisanal cooking home, even as Knauer’s vivid stories trace a year in the seasons of the farm.

Fresh Mexico: 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor


Marcela Valladolid - 2009
    Going to school across the border in San Diego, and later to cooking school in Paris, she found plenty to love in the markets, quickly folding new ingredients into her repertoire. She also encountered some curious foods masquerading as authentic Mexican: cheddar cheese—stuffed quesadillas, tortilla chips drowning in still more cheese, and the ubiquitous everything-but-the-kitchen-sink overstuffed burritos. Where were the authentic, easy-to-prepare Mexican recipes she grew up with? The brightly flavored seafood ceviches bursting with freshness? The simple, slender burritos filled with nothing more than intensely flavorful braised meat and blistered chiles? The healthy salsas that come together in minutes but can transform a meal? In her vivacious, fresh voice, Marcela aims to invigorate America’s taste for real Mexican food–dishes that can be accomplished on any busy weeknight but that still express the authentic flavors of her native cuisine. Her food is much like her, Mexican but influenced by other cultures. You’ ll find recipes for Tilapia Ceviche; Butternut Squash—Chipotle Bisque; Roasted Pork Loin with Pineapple Glaze; Ancho-Chocolate Braised Short Ribs; and Fresh Guava Layer Cake. Inspired ideas, helpful cooking techniques, and ingredient substitutions make this the most accessible, appealing, and contemporary Mexican cookbook you’ll find today. In addition, fast recipes and dishes that are low in fat are called out with easy-to-find symbols. With more than a hundred delicious recipes and beautiful color photography throughout, Fresh Mexico introduces a new generation of Americans to the vibrant flavors of modern Mexico.

The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style


Rebecca Rather - 2007
    As party invitations pile up in the mailbox, Rebecca Rather is up to her elbows in sticky meringue, creamy chocolate, and a sleigh full of savory treats to meet the entertaining needs of her neighbors.In The Pastry Queen Christmas, Rebecca shares nearly 100 traditional recipes reflecting her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and the tastes of small-town Texas. Show-off desserts such as Chocolate Cookie Crusted Eggnog Cheesecake, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Brandy Butterscotch Sauce, and Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream are the perfect toppers to a family-style feast of Texas Spice-Rubbed Roast Pork, Baked Apple Pear Chutney, Brown Sugar Bacon, and No-Peeking Popovers. Still hungry the next morning? No problem-this country girl does an impressive breakfast, too: Bite-Sized Sticky Buns, Sweet Potato Scones, Cast-Iron Skillet Potatoes, and Mexican Ranch Chilaquiles ought to fill you up.And if you're still looking for excuses to entertain this season, you'll find ooey-gooey baked goods wrapped up as gifts, homemade craft and décor ideas to make your home sparkle, and holiday-worthy menus guaranteed to make your gathering a Texas-sized success. Tree-trimming, cookie decorating, and Santas running down Main Street . . . Christmastime is here.

Cookie Craft: From Baking to Luster Dust, Designs and Techniques for Creative Cookie Occasions


Valerie Peterson - 2007
    From rolling and cutting to flooding and piping, you’ll find dozens of techniques to turn plain cookies into fun treats for your next special occasion. With instructions for making stand-up cookies, tips on creating icing color palettes, and advice on freezing and shipping, the cookie fun never stops!

Fire in My Belly: Real Cooking


Kevin Gillespie - 2012
    This is truly a book to be cooked from again and again. "Cooking is figuring out the great qualities of any food and making those qualities shine." That's the inspiring message of Fire in My Belly by Top Chef fan favorite Kevin Gillespie. Fire In My Belly celebrates good ingredients with more than 120 hip, accessible recipes presented in a cutting-edge design. This book taps into our national obsession with knowing where our food comes from. Kevin's southern charm, passion, and funny stories guide readers through one-of-a-kind chapters, like "Foods You Thought You Hated," "When I Want to Eat Healthy," "My Version of Southern Food," "World Classics Revisited," and "Junk Food." Fire in My Belly shows cooks what to do with fresh farmers' market foods while providing a backstage pass to the life of a rising culinary star.

Susan Feniger's Street Food: Irresistibly Crispy, Creamy, Crunchy, Spicy, Sticky, Sweet Recipes


Susan Feniger - 2012
    In Susan Feniger’s Street Food, she shares 83 of her favorite recipes with home cooks, giving them a taste of these unexpected, tantalizing dishes.On her globe-trotting adventures, with cooking and eating as the only shared language, Susan has forged friendships with rice farmers in Vietnam, women baking flatbread in Turkey, and nomadic cheesemakers in Mongolia. She’s become an expert on combining spices and ingredients to re-create authentic mind-blowing flavors back home. One bite of Artichokes with Lemon Za’atar Dipping Sauce confirms that they should never be eaten another way, and dinner should always be as enticing as crunchy and refreshing Saigon Chicken Salad, delicious Thai Drunken Shrimp with Rice Noodles, or sweet-savory Korean Glazed Short Ribs with Sesame and Asian Pear. Drinks, condiments, and sweets—such as indulgent and alluring Turkish Doughnuts with Rose Hip Jam—round out the recipe collection. Susan’s personal travel stories and vacation snapshots inspire at every turn. Her expert tips on ingredients and easy substitutions, along with more than 100 color photographs, make Susan Feniger’s Street Food the perfect guide for home cooks looking to shake up their cooking repertoires with exciting new flavors.

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More


Maria Speck - 2011
    In this inspired and highly personal book, Maria Speck draws on food traditions from across the Mediterranean and northern Europe to reveal how versatile, satisfying, flavorful, and sophisticated whole grains can be.    Rustic but elegant dishes--Creamy Farro with Honey-Roasted Grapes, Barley Salad with Figs and Tarragon-Lemon Dressing, Lamb Stew with Wheat Berries in Red Wine Sauce, and Purple Rice Pudding with Rose Water Dates--are sure to please discerning palates and become favorites in any whole grain repertoire.  Food lovers and health-conscious home chefs alike learn how to integrate whole grains into their busy lives, from quick-cooking quinoa and buckwheat to the slower varieties such as spelt and Kamut. The stunning flavors and lively textures of whole grains are enhanced with natural ingredients such as butter, cream, and prosciutto--in moderation--to create lush Mediterranean-inspired recipes. Maria’s approachable style and generous spirit make this collection of time-honored, updated classics a treasury for today’s cooks.

Alice's Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York's Most Whimsical Tea Spot


Haley Fox - 2010
    Haley and Lauren Fox learned at an early age that tea was more than just a beverage—it was an event to be shared and protected—and they divulge their tea-making philosophy and dozens of delectable recipes in this beautiful cookbook.Embodying the mantra "tea turned on its ear," Alice's Tea Cup serves up unique twists to traditional Victorian tea fare, including:Savories—Lapsang Souchong Smoked Chicken Salad and Cucumber Watercress Sandwiches with Lemon Chive ButterBaked goods—Banana Nutella Cake and Mint Black Bottom CupcakesSweet treats—Alice'S'mores and Queen of TartsTea selections—from African Dew to Rooibos BourbonSpecialty drinks—Alice's Tea-jito and Ginger Mar-tea-niAnd of course Alice's world-famous tender, moist scones—including nineteen versions, from pumpkin to peanut butter and jelly to ham and cheeseHaley and Lauren also show you how to throw a personalized "Curiouser and Curiouser" tea party with household props and offer lots of other ways to celebrate with tea and festive food. From salads to scones, pancakes to cupcakes, afternoon tea to evening mar-tea-nis, this fabulous cookbook lets you enjoy Alice's mouthwatering recipes without leaving home.

Mr. Sunday's Soups


Lorraine Wallace - 2010
    After a long day on air, Chris would often arrive home hungry and delight at the sight of a big pot of his wife Lorraine's soup on the burner. Lorraine may not be a professional cook, but you wouldn't know it from her soups!In fact, her soups were so good that Chris couldn't help but rave about them on-air. Before long, the show's fans were begging him to share his wife's wonderful recipes. Now, in Mr. Sunday's Soups, Lorraine Wallace shares a wide variety of soups that are sure to please the whole family.Includes 78 recipes and 40 beautiful full-color photosWith recipes such as Tortellini Meatball, Cuban Black Bean, Chicken Garlic Straciatella, and many moreThe perfect cookbook for fans of Fox News Sunday and great soups in generalFeatures a Foreword by Chris WallacePerfect as comfort food at the end of a long day at the office or the studio, these satisfying soups offer simple, wholesome solutions to the dinner doldrums.

At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery


Allysa Torey - 2006
    But at her country home in upstate New York, Allysa cooks a lot more than desserts. Now, in this full-color cookbook, she shares more than 90 of her favorite recipes for everyday meals—and invites you to experience the delights of country living, Allysa Torey–style.

Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook


Bobby Flay - 2010
    The Food Network celebrity and renowned chef-restaurateur created his Bar Americain restaurants as our country’s answer to French bistros—to celebrate America’s regional flavors and dishes, interpreted as only Bobby Flay can.Now you can rediscover American cuisine at home with the recipes in Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain Cookbook. Start with a Kentucky 95—a riff on a classic French cocktail but made with bourbon—and Barbecued Oysters with Black Pepper–Tarragon Butter. Choose from sumptuous soups and salads, including a creamy clam chowder built on a sweet potato base, and Kentucky ham and ripe figs over a bed of arugula dressed with molasses-mustard dressing. Entrees will fill your family family-style, from red snapper with a crisp skin of plantains accompanied by avocado, mango, and black beans to a host of beef steaks, spice-rubbed and accompanied by side dishes such as Brooklyn hash browns and cauliflower and goat cheese gratin. Bar Americain’s famed brunch dishes and irresistible desserts round out this collection of America’s favorite flavors.Bobby also shares his tips for stocking your pantry with key ingredients for everyday cooking, as well as expert advice on essential kitchen equipment and indispensable techniques. With more than 110 recipes and 110 full-color photographs, Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain Cookbook shares Bobby’s passion for fantastic American food and will change the way any cook looks at our country’s bounty.

All Cakes Considered: A Year's Worth of Weekly Recipes Tested, Tasted, and Approved by the Staff of NPR's All Things Considered


Melissa Gray - 2009
    Every Monday she brings a cake to the office for her colleagues at NPR to enjoy. Hundreds of Mondays (and cakes) later, Melissa has lots of cake-making tips to share. With more than 50 recipes for the cakes that have been dreamed of and drooled over for a lifetimeincluding Brown Sugar Pound Cake, Peppermint and Chocolate Rum Marble Cake, Lord and Lady Baltimore Cakes, Dark-Chocolate Red Velvet Cake, and Honey Buttercream and Apricot Jam CakeAll Cakes Considered is an essential addition to every baker's library.