Mad Hungry Cravings


Lucinda Scala Quinn - 2013
    So you decide to eat out at a local ethnic or roadside restaurant, or do take-out. It's expedient, but is the food really that good? Really really good? Because Lucinda Scala Quinn's versions of all those dishes families crave will knock your socks off and prove beyond a doubt that the foods you love can be made better, faster, tastier, cheaper, and more healthfully at home.Lucinda Scala Quinn is all about smart strategies that simplify and make for great taste, so why outsource feeding our families when it takes less time, money, and effort to cook these favorite comfort foods ourselves? And why miss out on the untold gifts of sitting at home with your family around the dining room table? So next time there's a request for pulled pork or deep-dish pizza or chicken fettuccine Alfredo, or cold soba noodles or fried rice, forget about soggy takeout and overpriced restaurants--just crack open this book and you'll find simple recipes for all those dishes your family wants to eat, right now.

Fiesta at Rick's: Fabulous Food for Great Times with Friends


Rick Bayless - 2010
    With 150 recipes, Bayless offers you the key to unforgettable parties that will have guests clamoring for repeat invitations. There are recipes for small-dish snacking (Mushroom Ceviche, Devilish Shrimp), dynamic cocktails to get the party started (Champagne Margarita, Sizzling Mojito), and Bayless’s signature takes on Mexican street food (Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor, Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas). Live-fire grilled fish and meat dishes like the “Brava” Steak with “Lazy” Salsa will draw friends and family to the glow of open flames. And if you’re going to throw a truly epic celebration, you’ll need a killer finale like Frontera Grill’s Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars or Dark Chocolate–Chile Ice Cream.Fiesta at Rick’s offers 150 diverse preparations organized into easy-to-follow chapters. But it’s far more than a collection of recipes. With four complete, can’t-miss menus for parties ranging from a Luxury Guacamole Bar Cocktail Party for 12 to a Classic Mexican Mole Fiesta for 24, Bayless has all your friends covered. Each of these parties has a complete game plan, from a thought-out time line with advance shopping and preparation to a fiesta playlist. Whether a first-time entertainer or a seasoned veteran, anyone can learn from the helpful sidebars, which cover topics such as how to shuck oysters, the perfect avocado for guacamole, and the best way to pick out fresh fish for ceviche preparations. Bayless breaks down the timeless building blocks that make up authentic Mexican food, explaining the value of fresh tortillas and providing surprisingly simple instructions for making your own Mexican Fresh Cheese.Bayless’s entertaining blueprint eliminates the guesswork, so you can let your inspiration run free. Companion to seasons six and seven of Rick’s Public Television series Mexico—One Plate at a Time, Fiesta at Rick’s is required reading for everyone who loves opening their home to friends and good times.

The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread


Peter Reinhart - 2001
    Never one to be content with yesterday’s baking triumph, however, Peter continues to refine his recipes and techniques in his never-ending quest for extraordinary bread.In The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter shares his latest bread breakthroughs, arising from his study in several of France’s famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary academy kitchen with his students. Peer over Peter’s shoulder as he learns from Paris’s most esteemed bakers, like Lionel Poilâne and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain à l’ancienne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Then stand alongside his students in the kitchen as Peter teaches the classic twelve stages of building bread, his clear instructions accompanied by over 100 step-by-step photographs.You’ll put newfound knowledge into practice with 50 new master formulas for such classic breads as rustic ciabatta, hearty pain de campagne, old-school New York bagels, and the book’s Holy Grail–Peter’s version of the famed pain à l’ancienne. En route, Peter distills hard science, advanced techniques, and food history into a remarkably accessible and engaging resource that is as rich and multitextured as the loaves you’ll turn out. This is original food writing at its most captivating, teaching at its most inspired and inspiring–and the rewards are some of the best breads under the sun.

Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table


Lily Diamond - 2017
    “Lily’s deep connection to nature is beautifully woven throughout this personal collection of recipes,” says award-winning vegetarian chef Amy Chaplin. Each chapter celebrates an aromatic herb or flower, including basil, cilantro, fennel, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender, jasmine, rose, and orange blossom. Mollie Katzen, author of the beloved Moosewood Cookbook, calls the book “a gift, articulated through a poetic voice, original and bold.” The recipes tell a coming-of-age story through Lily’s kinship with plants, from a sun-drenched Maui childhood to healing from heartbreak and her mother’s death. With bright flavors, gorgeous scents, evocative stories, and more than one hundred photographs, Kale & Caramel creates a lush garden of experience open to harvest year round.

Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook: Recipes and Recollections from Her Savannah Table


Sema Wilkes - 2001
    Her goal was modest: to make a living by offering comfortable lodging and southern home cooking served family style in the downstairs dining room. Mrs. Wilkes' reputation was strong and business was brisk from the beginning, but it was the coverage in Esquire and the New York Times, and even a profile on David Brinkley's evening news that brought southern food lovers from all over the world to her doorstep. Sema is now 94 years old, and four generations of Wilkes help her keep the tables laden with platters of her legendary fried chicken, pork ribs, and biscuits, while friends and strangers pass bowls brimming with her sublime butterbeans, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes, and banana pudding. The line snakes out the front door and down the street, where along with the locals and visitors, it's not uncommon to find Jimmy Carter or Roy Junior Blount, among other familiar faces, waiting for their turn at Mrs. Wilkes' table. With over 300 recipes and culinary historian John T. Edge's colorful telling of Mrs. Wilkes' contribution to Savannah and southern cuisine, the rich volume is a tribute to a way of cooking-and eating-that must not be forgotten.

The Pleasures of Cooking for One


Judith Jones - 2009
    It’s a fulfilling and immensely economical process, one perfectly suited for our times—although, as Jones points out, cooking for one also means we can occasionally indulge ourselves in a favorite treat.Throughout, Jones is both our instructor and our mentor, suggesting basic recipes—such as tomato sauce, preserved lemons, pesto, and homemade stock—that all cooks should have on hand; teaching us how to improvise using an ingenious strategy of building meals through the week; and supplying us with a lifetime’s worth of tips and shortcuts. From Child’s advice for buying fresh meat to Beard’s challenge to beginning crêpe-makers and Lidia Bastianich’s tips for cooking perfectly sauced pasta, Jones’s book presents a wealth of acquired knowledge from our finest cooks.The Pleasures of Cooking for One is a vibrant, wise celebration of food and enjoying our own company from one of our most treasured cooking experts.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking


Julia Child - 1961
    Featuring 524 delicious recipes, in its pages home cooks will find something for everyone, from seasoned experts to beginners who love good food and long to reproduce the savory delights of French cuisine, from historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring-green peas. Here Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle break down the classic foods of France into a logical sequence of themes and variations rather than presenting an endless and diffuse catalogue of dishes. Throughout, the focus is on key recipes that form the backbone of French cookery and lend themselves to an infinite number of elaborations--bound to increase anyone's culinary repertoire. With over 100 instructive illustrations to guide readers every step of the way, Mastering the Art of French Cooking deserves a place of honor in every kitchen in America.

Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World


Lynn Alley - 2010
    It’s simply a matter of using imaginative recipes that bring together fresh, flavor-packed ingredients—and then setting the timer.  In The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker, author Lynn Alley offers up more than fifty dishes, each one vegetarian, some of them vegan, and all of them delicious. The recipes are drawn from the world’s great cuisines and include breakfasts, soups, main courses, sides, and desserts. Dishes, such as Spiced Basmati Rice Breakfast Cereal, Smoky Potage Saint-Germain, Polenta Lasagna with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce, Soy-Braised Potatoes, and Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake, are each paired with a beverage that is meant to complement the meal.  Whether you are a vegetarian hard-pressed to find enticing recipes for your slow cooker, an omnivore looking to expand your repertoire, or a follower of a vegetable-focused diet, The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker will help you put many delightful meat-free dinners on the table with convenience and ease.

Bread Matters: The state of modern bread and a definitive guide to baking your own


Andrew Whitley - 2006
    Andrew Whitley, organic baker and founder of 'The Village Bakery', reveals the deplorable state into which modern supermarket bread has fallen, and the secrets behind making good, nutritious bread at home.

Vegan Mexico: Soul-Satisfying Regional Recipes from Tamales to Tostadas


Jason Wyrick - 2016
    Enjoy the exotic flavors of these diverse cuisines without leaving your kitchen. Jason's delicious recipes capture the essence of the moles of Oaxaca, the Mayan legacy of the Yucatan, the smoky chile flavors of Zacatecas,the fruit-centric Southern regions, the Spanish influence of Veracruz, and the street food of Mexico City. Recipes include:Oaxacan Black BeansBlue Corn Mushrooms BocolesFour Chile Noodle SoupClassic Sweet Corn TamalesOld-Style Street EnchiladasSonoran Machaca BurritosSweet Potato PastelitosTres Leches CakeA leading authority in vegan Mexican cooking, Jason shares the core concepts for making authentic Mexican cuisine and tie the recipes to their place in the story of Mexico. Readers will come away with a new understanding and admiration for the diversity and flavors of Mexico and be inspired to make delectable main dishes, soups, spreads, sandwiches, breads, desserts, snacks, and much more.

Trophy Cupcakes and Parties!: Deliciously Fun Party Ideas and Recipes from Seattle's Prize-Winning Cupcake Bakery


Jennifer Shea - 2013
    It’s also the go-to place for anyone looking to throw a phenomenal celebration, and now their recipes and party secrets are yours in this essential guide for every occasion--from luxe soirées like a sparkling engagement celebration, or an exotic Moroccan-themed bash, to crafty kids' parties, such as a bike parade and picnic, or a forest fairy tea party. Inside are recipes for Trophy's most prized flavor--red velvet!--as well as their popular everyday flavors like salted caramel and triple chocolate, and unique ones such as piña colada, and a gluten-free orange almond rose. You’ll also get the basics on how to dream up party themes, create DIY crafts, as well as decorating and entertaining ideas, and insider baking and frosting tips, all from Trophy founder Jennifer Shea.

America—Farm to Table: Simple, Delicious Recipes Celebrating Local Farmers


Mario Batali - 2014
    Mario Batali, who knows the importance of ingredients to any amazing dish, sees farmers as the rock stars of the food world. In this new book he celebrates American farmers: their high quality products and their culture defined by hard work, integrity, and pride. Batali asked his chef friends from Nashville, Tennessee, to San Francisco, to tell him who their favorite farmers were, and those farmers graciously shared their personal stories along with their top-of-the-line produce and products. In Seattle, Chef Matt Dillon introduces readers to Farmer Pierre Monnat, who produces fava beans and lamb. Batali then features those ingredients in such mouth-watering recipes as: Lamb Shank Sloppy Joes and Fava Bean Guacamole. In Washington, DC, Chef Jose Andres from Jaleo introduces us to Farmer Jim Crawford, who grows corn, broccoli, and strawberries Batali's accompanying dishes include: Chilled Sweet Corn Soup and Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa. Other stops along the way include: Tampa; Austin; Nashville; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; New York, San Francisco; Portland, Maine; Chicago; Cleveland; Suttons Bay, Michigan; and Vail, Colorado. With over 100 superb recipes, this is the book that every home cook will want upon returning from the farmer's market or grocers.

Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California (California Cooking, Restaurant Cookbooks, Cal-Med Cookbook)


Travis Lett - 2015
    It is beloved by stars, locals, and out-of-towners alike for its seductive simplicity and seasonal New American menu created by talented chef Travis Lett.• With 125 rustic and utterly delicious salads, toasts, pizzas, vegetable and grain dishes, pastas, fish and meat mains, and desserts that have had fans clamoring for a table at Gjelina since the restaurant burst onto the scene in 2008.• More than 150 color photographs from acclaimed photographer Michael Graydon and stylist Nikole Herriott. The tactile and artisanal packaging of this recipe book evoke the vibe of Venice Beach and the Gjelina (the G's silent) aesthetic, and showcase the beautiful plated food of chef Travis Lett's ingredient-based, vegetable-centric cooking.Much like cookbook best sellers from Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem, Plenty, and Ottolenghi, Gjelina is the cookbook for the way we want to eat now.• Gorgeous cookbook will be a go-to for inspiring recipes as well as for simply admiring the photographed plated dishes.• Mouthwatering recipes include broccoli rabe pesto, grilled kale with shallot-yogurt dressing and toasted hazelnuts, mushroom toast, baby radishes with black olive and anchovy aioli, ricotta gnocchi with cherry tomato Pomodoro, farro with beet and mint yogurt, cioppino, steaks with smoky tomato butter and cipollini, strawberry-rhubarb polenta crisp, and more.

Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood


Patricia Green - 2010
    Gluten-free, wheat-free, and nutrient-packed, quinoa is ideal for those who are health-conscious, vegetarian, and/or physically active, as well as for those with gluten intolerance, wheat allergies, and other digestive disorders. But that's not all: You can eat quinoa guiltlessly knowing it's free of cholesterol and trans fats. In Quinoa 365 sisters Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming show you how to use this miraculous superfood in all your favourite dishes.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking


Samin Nosrat - 2017
    Chef and writer Samin Nosrat has taught everyone from professional chefs to middle school kids to author Michael Pollan to cook using her revolutionary, yet simple, philosophy. Master the use of just four elements—Salt, which enhances flavor; Fat, which delivers flavor and generates texture; Acid, which balances flavor; and Heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food—and anything you cook will be delicious. By explaining the hows and whys of good cooking, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will teach and inspire a new generation of cooks how to confidently make better decisions in the kitchen and cook delicious meals with any ingredients, anywhere, at any time. Echoing Samin’s own journey from culinary novice to award-winning chef, Salt, Fat Acid, Heat immediately bridges the gap between home and professional kitchens. With charming narrative, illustrated walkthroughs, and a lighthearted approach to kitchen science, Samin demystifies the four elements of good cooking for everyone. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes—and dozens of variations—to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs. Featuring 150 illustrations and infographics that reveal an atlas to the world of flavor by renowned illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will be your compass in the kitchen. Destined to be a classic, it just might be the last cookbook you’ll ever need. With a foreword by Michael Pollan.