How to Cook Without a Book: Recipes and Techniques Every Cook Should Know by Heart


Pam Anderson - 2000
    Times have changed. Today we have an overwhelming array of ingredients and a fraction of the cooking time, but Anderson believes the secret to getting dinner on the table lies in the past. After a long day, who has the energy to look up a recipe and search for the right ingredients before ever starting to cook? To make dinner night after night, Anderson believes the first two steps--looking for a recipe, then scrambling for the exact ingredients--must be eliminated.  Understanding that most recipes are simply "variations on a theme," she innovatively teaches technique, ultimately eliminating the need for recipes.Once the technique or formula is mastered, Anderson encourages inexperienced as well as veteran cooks to spread their culinary wings.  For example, after learning to sear a steak, it's understood that the same method works for scallops, tuna, hamburger, swordfish, salmon, pork tenderloin, and more. You never need to look at a recipe again. Vary the look and flavor of these dishes with interchangeable pan sauces, salsas, relishes, and butters.Best of all, these recipes rise above the mundane Monday-through-Friday fare.  Imagine homemade ravioli and lasagna for weeknight supper, or from-scratch tomato sauce before the pasta water has even boiled.  Last-minute guests? Dress up simple tomato sauce with capers and olives or shrimp and red pepper flakes. Drizzle sautéed chicken breasts with a balsamic vinegar pan sauce. Anderson teaches you how to do it--without a recipe. Don't buy exotic ingredients and follow tedious instructions for making hors d'oeuvres. Forage through the pantry and refrigerator for quick appetizers. The ingredients are all there; the method is in your head. Master four simple potato dishes--a bake, a cake, a mash, and a roast--compatible with many meals. Learn how to make the five-minute dinner salad, easily changing its look and flavor depending on the season and occasion. Tuck a few dessert techniques in your back pocket and effortlessly turn any meal into a special occasion.There's real rhyme and reason to Pam's method at the beginning of every chapter: To dress greens, "Drizzle salad with oil, salt, and pepper, then toss until just slick. Sprinkle in some vinegar to give it a little kick." To make a frittata, "Cook eggs without stirring until set around the edges. Bake until puffy, then cut it into wedges." Each chapter also contains a helpful at-a-glance chart that highlights the key points of every technique, and a master recipe with enough variations to keep you going until you've learned how to cook without a book.

The Millennium Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine


Eric Tucker - 1998
    Very low-fat, this sophisticated and inviting food draws from a world of culinary influences. With full-color photographs, an ingredient glossary, and an introduction to the techniques of dairy- and egg-free cooking.

Kaukasis: A Culinary Journey through Georgia, Azerbaijan Beyond


Olia Hercules - 2017
    Kaukasis charts Olia’s exploration of this unfamiliar area and introduces its wonderful cuisine that combines European and Middle Eastern ingredients in ways that are fresh and new. Recipes Mint Adjika Tsago’s Blackberry & Grape Sauce Savory Peach & Tarragon Salad Plov with Pumpkin, Chestnut & Walnut Zahir’s Stoned Chicken Vine Leaf Dolma Armenian Cognac Profiteroles Red Basil Sherbet

Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters: More Than 100 Years of Recipes Discovered from Family Cookbooks, Original Journals, Scraps of Paper, and Grandmother's Kitchen


Marilynn Brass - 2006
    It's these dishes that give us comfort in times of stress, help us celebrate special occasions, and remind us of the person who used to bake for us those many years ago. In Heirloom Baking, Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass preserve and update 150 of these beloved desserts. The recipes are taken from their vast collection of antique manuscript cookbooks, handwritten recipes passed down through the generations that they?ve amassed over twenty years. The recipes range from the late 1800s to today, and come from a variety of ethnicities and regions. The book features such down-home and delicious recipes as Brandied Raisin Teacakes, Cuban Flan, Cranberry-Orange Cream Scones, Chattanooga Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, and many more. Accompanying the recipes are stories from the lives of the families from which they came. The Brass Sisters have taken care to update every recipe for today's modern kitchens. More than 150 photographs showcase the scrumptious food in full-color detail. Finally, the Brass sisters encourage each reader to begin collecting his or her own family recipes in the lined pages and envelope at the back of the book.

Instant Pot Cookbook: 500 Most Delicious Recipe Collection Anyone Can Cook


Roy Fisher - 2017
    Your level of experience with instant pot doesn't matter - our book applies to any level! Get your copy now!

Cook's Illustrated Meat Cookbook


Cook's Illustrated - 2014
    Whether you have burgers, steak, ribs, or roast chicken on the menu shopping for and cooking meat can be confusing, and mistakes can be costly. After 20-plus years of purchasing and cooking beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, and turkey, the editors of Cook’s Illustrated understand that preparing meat doesn’t start at the stove it starts at the store.The Cook’s Illustrated Meat Book begins with a 27-page master class in meat cookery, which covers shopping (what’s the difference between natural and organic labels?), storing (just how long should you really refrigerate meat and does the duration vary if the meat is cooked or raw?), and seasoning meat (marinating, salting, and brining). Matching cut to cooking method is another key to success, so our guide includes fully illustrated pages devoted to all of the major cooking methods: sautéing, pan-searing, pan-roasting, roasting, grilling, barbecuing, and more. We identify the best cuts for these methods and explain point by point how and why you should follow our steps and what may happen if you don’t. 425 Bulletproof and rigorously tested recipes for beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry provide plenty of options for everyday meals and special occasion dinners and you’ll learn new and better ways to cook favorites such as Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Steak, Juicy Pub-Style Burgers, Weeknight Roast Chicken, Barbecued Pulled Pork, and more. The Cook’s Illustrated Meat Book also includes equipment recommendations (what should you look for in a good roasting pan and is it worth spending extra bucks on a pricey nonstick skillet?). In addition, hundreds of step-by-step illustrations guide you through our core techniques so whether you’re slicing a chicken breast into cutlets or getting ready to carve prime rib the Cook’s Illustrated Meat Book covers all the bases

Together: Our Community Cookbook


Hubb Community Kitchen - 2018
    In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, a group of local women gathered together to cook fresh food for their families and neighbours. Over the chatter and aromas of the kitchen they discovered the power of cooking and eating together to create connections, restore hope and normality, and provide a sense of home. This was the start of the Hubb Community Kitchen. Together is a storybook of this West London community, showcasing over 50 delicious recipes from the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen and including a foreword by HRH The Duchess of Sussex.The women invite you to make their favourite simple dishes - many handed down over generations - from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Eastern Mediterranean for you and your loved ones. Every dish tells a story of history, culture and family, and each has been developed to use few ingredients and easy methods so that anyone can cook these personal recipes.Together features mouthwatering recipes including Green Chilli and Avocado Dip, Coconut Chicken Curry, Aubergine Masala, Persian Chicken with Barberry Rice, Caramelised Plum Upside-Down Cake, Spiced Mint Tea and lots more.This stunning charity cookbook is a homage to life, friendship and togetherness.

Home Comforts


James Martin - 2014
    The very British love of spicy foods is properly indulged with recipes from all over the world, including Indian deep-fried soft-shell crab with a delicious home-made lime pickle. There is also the true comfort food — such as Chicken and wild mushroom frying pan pie — and old favourites such as chicken Kiev.

The Art of Eating Well


Jasmine Hemsley - 2014
    Their food philosophy—which has already received acclaim in such publications as British Vogue, The Sunday Telegraph, Glamour, The Sunday Times, and Stylist—is simple: changing the way you eat doesn't have to involve deprivation, but can be enjoyed every day, at home, at work, with family and friends, or eating out.  The Art of Eating Well  is chock full of the Hemsleys' recipes, knowledge, and advice on making the switch to a delicious, healthy, and satisfying diet.  The Art of Eating Well  is a cookbook with exciting and inventive recipes that are so delicious you forget that the premise is health and nourishment. These recipes will not only reboot your approach to food in the most enjoyable ways, with whole, organic, nutrient-filled, delicious homemade foods, free of grain, gluten, high-starch and refined sugar, but will help you realize how satisfied and great you can look and feel. They will empower you to take control of the way you eat.The 150 recipes in  The Art of Eating Well  are easy enough for midweek meals, yet possess enough flair to share with friends; you'll learn why eating the right fat feels good for your body, why a plate of meat and two veggies fills you up better than any low-fat pasta dish, and how you can put an end to your sugar crashes and cravings.  The Art of Eating Well  is a unique approach to a healthy cookbook; there are no calorie counters. This book is about eating simple, homemade, family-style food that will reawaken your taste buds and tune you on to the taste of real food, so you can take control over what goes into your body and look and feel better as a result! The book is divided into Kitchen and Pantry Basics; Cooking in Advance; Breakfast; Soups made from nourishing bone broth (quality animal foods are at the heart of what they do); Salads; Sides and Snacks; Main Meals, including Meat, Poultry, Fish; Vegetable Mains; Baking and Desserts; Dips, Dressings and Sauces; Super Powered Juices and Smoothies; Basics. There are also tips on Cooking with Children; Getting a head start on the week with the `Sunday Cook Off`; Frugal Feasts and easy One-Pot Dishes.Self-taught cooks, the British Hemsley sisters have created, through personal experience, research, and much trial and error, an ethos and style of eating that is disarmingly simple. "Diets" are often not sustainable, and  The Art of Eating Well  takes readers on a journey, gently educating and framing a perspective from which the reader can reclaim the word "diet" as a noun (as in the kind of foods a person habitually eats) rather than a verb (to restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight). Jasmine and Melissa show you how and why cooking and eating organic, nutrient-dense, grain- and refined sugar-free, whole and unprocessed foods will nourish both body and mind. They promote an all-encompassing, nurturing alternative to fad diets and processed meals, focusing instead on taste, quality foods and ingredients, traditional wisdom, and modern science.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone


Deborah Madison - 1997
    After her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is in every way Deborah Madison’s magnum opus, featuring 1,400 recipes suitable for committed vegetarians, vegans (in most cases), and everyone else who loves good food. For nonvegetarians, the recipes can be served alongside meat, fish, or fowl and incorporated into a truly contemporary style of eating that emphasizes vegetables and fruits for health and well-being.Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published. The recipes, which range from appetizers to desserts, are colorful and imaginative as well as familiar and comforting. Madison introduces readers to innovative main course salads; warm and cold soups; vegetable braises and cobblers; golden-crusted gratins; Italian favorites like pasta, polenta, pizza, and risotto; savory tarts and galettes; grilled sandwiches and quesadillas; and creative dishes using grains and heirloom beans. At the heart of the book is the A-to-Z vegetable chapter, which describes the unique personalities of readily available vegetables, the sauces and seasonings that best complement them, and the simplest ways to prepare them. “Becoming a Cook” teaches cooking basics, from holding a knife to planning a menu, and “Foundations of Flavor” discusses how to use sauces, herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars to add flavor and character to meatless dishes. In each chapter, the recipes range from those suitable for everyday dining to dishes for special occasions. And through it all, Madison presents a philosophy of cooking that is both practical and inspiring.Despite its focus on meatless cooking, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not just for vegetarians—it's for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately. The recipes are remarkably straightforward, using easy-to-find ingredients in inspiring combinations. Some are simple, others more complex, but all are written with an eye toward the seasonality of produce. Madison's joyful and free-spirited approach to cooking will send you into the kitchen with confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, this wonderful cookbook has something for everyone.

Desserts in Jars


Bonnie Scott - 2014
    No matter what the occasion, a dessert is a welcome gift, and jars are the latest trend in home décor and food. Combine the two, and you’ve made a sure-fire dessert that will be a welcome addition to any gathering or event. Cakes, puddings, parfaits and more yummy desserts are all made and served in cute, retro-style Mason jars. These stylish serving dishes make perfect containers for any casual get together. Plus, they’re sturdy and inexpensive, so you can make up a few or enough to serve the whole clan. Add the colorful, personalized labels that you can print online, and they’re perfect for sending home with your guests at the end of the evening for a late night snack, compliments of you! Over 600 labels are available online for printing.

Instant Loss Cookbook: Cook Your Way to a Healthy Weight with 125 Recipes for Your Instant Pot®, Pressure Cooker, and More


Brittany Williams - 2018
    Brittany Williams had struggled with her weight all her life. She grew up eating the standard American staples--fast, frozen, fried, and processed--and hit a peak weight of 260 pounds. When her 4-year-old daughter's autoimmune disease was alleviated by a low-sugar, dairy-free, grain-free, whole-food-based diet, Brittany realized she owed her own body the same kind of healing. So on January 1, 2017, she vowed to make every meal for a year from scratch, aided by her Instant Pot. She discovered that the versatility, speed, and ease of the electric pressure cooker made creating wholesome, tasty, family-satisfying meals a breeze, usually taking under 30 minutes. Not only did the family thrive over the course of the year, Brittany lost an astonishing 125 pounds. Illustrated with gorgeous photography, Instant Loss Cookbook shares 125 recipes and the meal plan that Brittany used for her own weight loss, 75% of which are recipes for the Instant Pot or other multicooker. These recipes are whole food-based with a spotlight on veggies, and mostly dairy and grain-free--and she uses ingredients that you can find at any grocery store. Her ingredient lists are refreshingly approachable, and her recipes are the clearest guides to navigating your Instant Pot or other multicooker that you'll find. Here's how to make healthy eating convenient--the key to sustainable weight loss.

Pinch of Nom Quick & Easy: 100 Delicious, Slimming Recipes


Kate Allinson - 2020
    Maximum flavour. More than 100 quick, simple and slimming recipes from Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone, authors of Pinch of Nom, the bestselling cookbook of 2019.From all-in-one family favourites to batch-cook basics and speedy sweet treats, Pinch of Nom Quick & Easy is packed with dishes so delicious you won’t even notice they’re slimming. With tasty, satisfying meals such as Veggie Satay Noodles, Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta and Apple and Apricot Oaty Crumble, you definitely won't feel like you're missing out. Featuring Pinch of Nom’s trademark big flavours, these recipes use easy-to-find ingredients to create meals that everyone will love – whether they’re watching their waistline or not.'These fast, healthy recipes are so easy and made with simple-to-find ingredients. We’re so proud of this food that the whole family can enjoy together.' – Kate & Kay

Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family


Priya Krishna - 2019
    Think Roti Pizza, Tomato Rice with Crispy Cheddar, Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Green Pea Chutney, and Malaysian Ramen. Priya’s mom, Ritu, taught herself to cook after moving to the U.S. while also working as a software programmer—her unique creations merging the Indian flavors of her childhood with her global travels and inspiration from cooking shows as well as her kids’ requests for American favorites like spaghetti and PB&Js. The results are approachable and unfailingly delightful, like spiced, yogurt-filled sandwiches crusted with curry leaves, or “Indian Gatorade” (a thirst-quenching salty-sweet limeade)—including plenty of simple dinners you can whip up in minutes at the end of a long work day. Throughout, Priya’s funny and relatable stories—punctuated with candid portraits and original illustrations by acclaimed Desi pop artist Maria Qamar (also known as Hatecopy)—will bring you up close and personal with the Krishna family and its many quirks.

Tiny Food Party!: Bite-Size Recipes for Miniature Meals


Teri Lyn Fisher - 2012
    (When's the last time you ate an amuse-bouche at home?) It's about time for an appetizer cookbook that has fun with the concept of tasting an entire meal in one bite!With Tiny Food Party!, Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park share super quick and easy recipes for little bite-size munchies—delightfully miniature versions of all your favorite foods! Thinly slice shallots, batter and fry 'em, add with a creamy buttermilk ranch sauce, and you've got dainty Bite-Size Onion Rings. Use mini cupcake tins to bake up sweet Little Cheesecakes! Or fill small rectangles of pie dough with Nutella and marshmallow, bake until crispy, decorate with icing—and sprinkles, of course—and you've got irresistibly charming Mini Homemade Pop Tarts. Tiny Food Party! includes Adorable Appetizers, Itty Bitty Entrees, Pint-Size Desserts, and Teeny-Tiny Cocktails that you can serve in shot glasses or tea cups. With full-color photographs of every single recipe plus tips and tricks for seriously downsizing your favorite recipes scattered throughout, this lighthearted little cookbook is lots of fun!