Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking


Michael Ruhlman - 2009
    Why spend time sorting through the millions of cookie recipes available in books, magazines, and on the Internet? Isn’t it easier just to remember 1-2-3? That’s the ratio of ingredients that always make a basic, delicious cookie dough: 1 part sugar, 2 parts fat, and 3 parts flour. From there, add anything you want—chocolate, lemon and orange zest, nuts, poppy seeds, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, almond extract, or peanut butter, to name a few favorite additions. Replace white sugar with brown for a darker, chewier cookie. Add baking powder and/or eggs for a lighter, airier texture. Ratios are the starting point from which a thousand variations begin. Ratios are the simple proportions of one ingredient to another. Biscuit dough is 3:1:2—or 3 parts flour, 1 part fat, and 2 parts liquid. This ratio is the beginning of many variations, and because the biscuit takes sweet and savory flavors with equal grace, you can top it with whipped cream and strawberries or sausage gravy. Vinaigrette is 3:1, or 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, and is one of the most useful sauces imaginable, giving everything from grilled meats and fish to steamed vegetables or lettuces intense flavor. Cooking with ratios will unchain you from recipes and set you free. With thirty-three ratios and suggestions for enticing variations, Ratio is the truth of cooking: basic preparations that teach us how the fundamental ingredients of the kitchen—water, flour, butter and oils, milk and cream, and eggs—work. Change the ratio and bread dough becomes pasta dough, cakes become muffins become popovers become crepes. As the culinary world fills up with overly complicated recipes and never-ending ingredient lists, Michael Ruhlman blasts through the surplus of information and delivers this innovative, straightforward book that cuts to the core of cooking. Ratio provides one of the greatest kitchen lessons there is—and it makes the cooking easier and more satisfying than ever.

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks


Amy Stewart - 2013
    Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when a Dutch physician added oil of juniper to a clear spirit, believing that juniper berries would cure kidney disorders. "The Drunken Botanist" uncovers the enlightening botanical history and the fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even one fungus).Some of the most extraordinary and obscure plants have been fermented and distilled, and they each represent a unique cultural contribution to our global drinking traditions and our history. Molasses was an essential ingredient in American independence: when the British forced the colonies to buy British (not French) molasses for their New World rum-making, the settlers outrage kindled the American Revolution. Rye, which turns up in countless spirits, is vulnerable to ergot, which contains a precursor to LSD, and some historians have speculated that the Salem witch trials occurred because girls poisoned by ergot had seizures that made townspeople think they d been bewitched. Then there's the tale of the thirty-year court battle that took place over the trademarking of Angostura bitters, which may or may not actually contain bark from the Angostura tree.With a delightful two-color vintage-style interior, over fifty drink recipes, growing tips for gardeners, and advice that carries Stewart's trademark wit, this is the perfect gift for gardeners and cocktail aficionados alike.

A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines


Anthony Bourdain - 2001
    Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?," Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection" inside out. From California to Cambodia, A Cooks' Tour chronicles the unpredictable adventures of America's boldest and bravest chef.Fans of Bourdain will find much to love in revisting this classic culinary and travel memoir.

The Keto Crock Pot Cookbook: Quick And Easy Ketogenic Crock Pot Recipes For Smart People


Loretta Wagner - 2017
     Inside, you’ll find a range of mouth-watering dishes that are quick and easy to prepare, but offer amazing taste at the same time, including: Pork and chive meat balls Spiced macadamia and chicken noodles Chicken and cabbage dumplings Cheesy green omelet Mozzarella shrimp parcels Vanilla and strawberry cheesecake And many more… Also inside the book, you’ll find all the information you’ll need on your Crock Pot, including how to use and get the most out of it, as well as how to approach the ketogenic diet to ensure success. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard work and with The Keto Crock Pot Cookbook you can make it even easier, while cutting down the chances of failure into the bargain! Get your copy NOW!

Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot®, Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven, and More


Gina Homolka - 2018
    #1 New York Times bestselling author Gina Homolka incorporates her healthy, flavor-forward recipes with everyone's favorite way to cook--in one vessel, whether a sheet pan or multi-cooker, and everything in-between. No matter if you'd like to lose weight or just eat a little healthier, this book will make your weeknight dinner routine even simpler with satisfying, all-in-one recipes. Cooking in a single vessel means streamlined dinners with minimal fuss and cleanup--a huge plus after a long day.      Skinnytaste One and Done is organized by vessels that include everyday cooking equipment such as an Instant Pot®, a sheet pan, a Dutch oven, a skillet, a slow cooker, and an air fryer. As always, the recipes are big on flavor and light on calories, and now more convenient than ever. With 140 healthy, family-friendly recipes, 120 full-color photos, nutritional information for every recipe, and Gina's signature cooking tips, Skinnytaste One and Done will be a weeknight game changer.(Please note that nutritional information is provided with every recipe, but the most up-to-date Weight Watchers points can be found online at skinnytaste.com.)

The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: The 28-Day Kickstart Plan for Lasting Weight Loss


Julene Stassou - 2017
    No one knows this better than author and dietician Julene Stassou, who recommends the Mediterranean diet to anyone looking to leave fad diets behind for lasting results. Serving up mouthwatering recipes and weekly meal plans alongside realistic routines for losing weight, The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution is your go-to reference for a long-term lifestyle change. Not just another diet book to help you lose weight—The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution is a plan to keep it off.The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution includes: A 28-day meal plan to jump-start your weight loss with tips for food prep Over 90 guilt-free recipes with guidelines for portion control and nutritional information Exercise routines with training day schedules Illustrated charts to help you set your personal goals and track progress As Mark Sapienza, MD, says, The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution is a “simple yet actionable plan that so many of us, swept up in the chaos of everyday life, can on our own put to good use to lose weight and improve health.”Set yourself up to stay on track when you eat right and lose weight with The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution kick-start guide.

The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook: Healthy Meals with Only 5 Ingredients in Under 30 Minutes


Pamela Ellgen - 2017
    With The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook, you can cook simple, delicious meals on the tightest of budgets and in the smallest of spaces. College food has developed quite the culinary “reputation.” Most students don’t have the time, money, or space to make meals like mom used to, so words like fast, cheap, and microwavable have become synonymous with college eating. But there IS a better way!Healthy cooking expert and cookbook author Pamela Ellgen brings you the latest in college cooking with The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook—the simplest college cookbook yet. By sticking to 5 easy-to-find main ingredients per recipe, The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook makes it easier than ever for students to cook tasty, high quality, healthy food for themselves. NO MONEY? Each recipe in this college cookbook calls for no more than 5 main, affordable, tasty ingredients NO TIME? Tried and true, these college cookbook recipes take 30 minutes or less from beginning to “yum!” NO EXPERIENCE? Helpful illustrations demonstrate how to prep common produce and even how to properly use a knife NO PROBLEM! 100+ of the most popular, student-approved recipes in this college cookbook include 3 variations to keep each one interesting time and time again Don’t head to the cafeteria for overpriced soggy waffles or “controversial” mystery meat. With just 5 ingredients and 30 minutes you can enjoy any one of the delicious, college student favorites in this college cookbook, such as: Classic French Toast, No-bake Energy Balls, Mozzarella Sticks, Greek Pita Sandwiches, Thai Chicken Ramen, Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine, and more

The Fast 800: How to Combine Rapid Weight Loss and Intermittent Fasting for Long-Term Health


Michael Mosley - 2018
    In this book he brings together all the latest science - including  a new approach: Time Restricted Eating - to create an easy-to-follow programme.Recent studies have shown that 800 calories is the magic number when it comes to successful dieting - it’s an amount high enough to be manageable but low enough to speed weight loss and trigger a range of desirable metabolic changes.The secret of this new programme is that it is highly flexible - depending on your goals, you can choose how intensively you want to do it.Along with delicious, low-carb, Mediterranean-style recipes and menu plans by Dr Clare Bailey, The Fast 800 offers an effective way to help you lose weight, improve mood and reduce blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugars. Take your future health into your own hands.

The Complete Low-Carb Cookbook


George Stella - 2014
    All 130 recipes are made without any wheat or added sugar, making them gluten-free, and great for diabetics as well.

Milk! A 10,000-Year Food Fracas


Mark Kurlansky - 2018
    According to the Greek creation myth, we are so much spilt milk; a splatter of the goddess Hera's breast milk became our galaxy, the Milky Way. But while mother's milk may be the essence of nourishment, it is the milk of other mammals that humans have cultivated ever since the domestication of animals more than 10,000 years ago, originally as a source of cheese, yogurt, kefir, and all manner of edible innovations that rendered lactose digestible, and then, when genetic mutation made some of us lactose-tolerant, milk itself.Before the industrial revolution, it was common for families to keep dairy cows and produce their own milk. But during the nineteenth century mass production and urbanization made milk safety a leading issue of the day, with milk-borne illnesses a common cause of death. Pasteurization slowly became a legislative matter. And today milk is a test case in the most pressing issues in food politics, from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement, and advocates for raw milk, who controversially reject pasteurization.Profoundly intertwined with human civilization, milk has a compelling and a surprisingly global story to tell, and historian Mark Kurlansky is the perfect person to tell it. Tracing the liquid's diverse history from antiquity to the present, he details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics, and economics.

Best Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Holiday Cookies 2014


Katie Cotton - 2014
    Anybody, young or old, will love these thoughtful gifts, and you're guaranteed to bring a smile to their faces, and make their day! With recipes like gingersnaps, shortbread and chocolate chip you can please the traditionalists, and with the vegan-friendly friendly recipes you can please the most health conscious of your friends - there is something in this book for everybody! There is even a chapter on Christmas recipes from around the world, so why not have a Christmas Evening and show of these unusual treats to your family and friends? With the "Best Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Holiday Cookies 2014" book, you don't have to be an expert baker, the recipes are quick and easy, and most importantly, they don't cost a fortune to make. So go ahead and give them a try - but watch out it may become a new Christmas tradition and you'll be making them for years to come!

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch -- Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods


Jennifer Reese - 2011
    She had never before considered making her own peanut butter and pita bread, let alone curing her own prosciutto or raising turkeys. And though it sounded logical that "doing it yourself" would cost less, she had her doubts. So Reese began a series of kitchen-related experiments, taking into account the competing demands of everyday contemporary American family life as she answers some timely questions: When is homemade better? Cheaper? Are backyard eggs a more ethical choice than store-bought? Will grinding and stuffing your own sausage ruin your week? Is it possible to make an edible maraschino cherry? Some of Reese's discoveries will surprise you: Although you should make your hot dog buns, guacamole, and yogurt, you should probably buy your hamburger buns, potato chips, and rice pudding. Tired? Buy your mayonnaise. Inspired? Make it. With its fresh voice and delightful humor, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter gives 120 recipes with eminently practical yet deliciously fun "Make or buy" recommendations. Reese is relentlessly entertaining as she relates her food and animal husbandry adventures, which amuse and perplex as well as nourish and sustain her family. Her tales include living with a backyard full of cheerful chickens, muttering ducks, and adorable baby goats; countertops laden with lacto-fermenting pickles; and closets full of mellowing cheeses. Here's the full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life -- with the good news that you shouldn't try to make everything yourself -- and how to get the most out of your time in the kitchen.

Dinner Chez Moi: 50 French Secrets to Joyful Eating and Entertaining


Elizabeth Bard - 2017
    When Elizabeth Bard, a New Yorker raised on Twizzlers and instant mac and cheese, fell for a handsome Frenchman and moved to Paris, she discovered a whole new world of culinary delights. First in Paris, then in a tiny village in Provence, Elizabeth explored the markets, incorporating new ingredients and rituals into her everyday meals and routines. After 15 years of cooking in her own French kitchen, making French friends -- and observing her slim and elegant French mother-in-law -- Elizabeth has gathered a treasure trove of information that has radically changed her own eating habits for the better. She realized that what most Americans call "dieting" -- smaller portions, no snacking, a preference for seasonal fruits and vegetables, and limited sugar -- the French simply call "eating." And they do it with pleasure, gusto, and flair. With wit, sound advice, and easy-to-follow recipes, Bard lets her readers in on a range of delightful -- and useful -- French secrets to eating and living well, including hunger as the new foreplay, the top five essential French cooking tools and 15 minute meals popular throughout France, and the concept of benevolent dictatorship: why French kids eat veggies, and how to get yours to eat them, too. Whether you're ready for a complete kitchen transformation or simply looking for dinner party inspiration, Dinner Chez Moi is a fun, practical, and charming how-to guide that will add a dash of joie de vivre to your kitchen -- and your life!

Cookie And Cookie Bar Recipes (Cookie, Cookie Bar And Frosting Recipes)


Sara Winlet - 2013
    In My Cookie And Cookie Bar Recipe Book, you will not only find traditional cookie recipes, but also everyday Cookies and Cookie Bars you can make all year. Whether you like the traditional Wedding Cookies or something even more special like Apricot Bars this book is for you.

Fix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving, More Than 125 Recipes


Kati Neville - 2007
    This is the winning system of "Fix, Freeze, Feast," a cookbook that has already attracted an enthusiastic following among busy families. Millions of shoppers save money by buying groceries in bulk - trays of boneless chicken breasts, pairs of flank steaks, flats of ripe tomatoes. But savings can quickly turn to losses if those bulk quantities spoil in the refrigerator or lie forgotten - unlabeled and unrecognizable under lays of ice crystals - in the back of the freezer. In the new paperback edition of "Fix, Freeze, Feast," authors Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik offer a complete system for taking full advantage of bulk purchasing and advance preparation to ensure no food is ever wasted. They show how easy it is to get organized, prepare ahead, and be ready to put healthful, satisfying meals on the dinner table (or breakfast table, or even brunch table!) at a moment's notice. Theirs is a cookbook price-conscious shoppers will love and warehouse club members shouldn't be without. Cooks will find 125 delicious, healthful recipes to choose from Each one includes directions for dividing, preparing, and storing raw ingredients; a second set of simple direction is included for thawing, cooking, and enjoying the food. Designed for the way people cook today, "Fix, Freeze, Feast" meals are lighter and fresher than traditional bulk-cooking recipes, with a focus on simple stews and stir-fries, quick grilled or broiled main courses, and popular ethnic meals such as Beef Fajitas and Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry. "Fix, Freeze, Feast," also includes ready-to-bake cookie doughs, soups, side dishes, smoothies, and snacks. With these innovative techniques and recipes, dinner is always in the freezer!