It's what's inside that counts! Surprise your friends and family with these stunningly inventive cakes, including easy-to-follow instructions that even a beginner can master.For Amanda Rettke, founder of iambaker.net, every cake is a gift to be shared, a special treat that should be lovingly prepared and intriguingly designed—from the inside out. Whether it's a striking all-white cake with a secret rainbow heart baked inside, a birthday cake complete with a surprise balloon in the middle, or the gorgeous rose cake that took the blogging world by storm, Amanda's creations are downright revolutionary—and tons of fun! In Surprise-Inside Cakes, she gives us fresh new ways to enjoy life's greatest occasions, with themes and cakes including: Celebrating Family—Stripe Birthday Cake, Paw Print Cake, Rainbow Cake Celebrating You—Leopard Cake, Herringbone Cake, Cowboy Boot Cake Celebrating Love—Kiss Cake, Ring Cake, Sunset Cake Celebrating Holidays—Jack-o'-lantern Cake, Rudolph Cake, Holiday Candle Cake Celebrating Life—Football Cake, Cherry Cake, Smiley Face CakeFeaturing a few classic favorite cakes from her blog and more than forty brand-new cakes—along with her easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photo tutorials—Surprise-Inside Cakes shows you how to replicate these incredible designs in your own kitchen.To make these dazzling cakes, you can start with one of Amanda's delicious, foolproof recipes for cakes and frostings, or use a boxed cake mix or favorite family recipe. With tips on how to bake a level cake, tricks using household items such as rulers, biscuit cutters, and cookie cutters to carve and shape cakes, and Amanda's simple yet stunning frosting and decorating ideas, you'll not only be re-creating these amazing cakes for occasions large and small, you'll soon be using her techniques to create your own surprises!And your friends and family will be thrilled and delighted when a beautiful cake opens to reveal a special gift inside.

Information on the basic cuts of meats and varieties of potatoes and buying and storing them accompanies recipes for thirty-five winning dishes ranging from basic burgers and baked potatoes to heaven-and-earth pork pie.

If you know Emeril, you know that he always takes cooking to the next level. And when it comes to grilling, that means that instead of hamburgers he's making Pork and Chorizo Burgers with Green Chile Mayo. Instead of corn on the cob, he's got Grilled Corn with Cheese and Chile. Anyone can grill a chicken, but only Emeril would come up with Northern Italian–Style Chicken Under a Brick (yes—a brick!). And while we all love peach pie, how about Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone and Honey?You've never grilled like this before. The 158 recipes in this book are easy, fast, and make every meal a party. And why should grilling happen only in the summerEmeril at the Grill is full of techniques for both indoor and outdoor cooking, so you can keep the party going all year round. From drinks (Watermelon Margaritas) to meats (Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, anyone?), from salads (Watercress, Avocado, and Mango Salad) to desserts (ever grill a banana split?), this is a grilling book like no other.

What better way to welcome friends and family than with a steaming cup of coffee and some delectable cake?In Coffee and Cake, acclaimed cookbook author Rick Rodgers presents dozens of recipe pairings for these classic and inseparable components. Rodgers starts with coffee, teaching the basics, from choosing the perfect beans to brewing a fabulous cup or pot. And he offers a selection of delicious international treats, both hot and iced, that can be whipped up at home—from Spiced Mocha and Thai Iced Coffee to a Coffee Frappe and even an Espresso Martini. Rodgers then provides an array of recipes for delicious cakes designed to be savored with coffee, whether it's for a special after-dinner dessert or a get-together with family, neighbors, or friends. Whip up a simple and rustic treat like Apple-Cranberry Ginger Loaf for a coffee klatsch. Indulge the young and the young at heart with Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache. Here, too, are American-style cakes sure to bring back wonderful childhood memories, including Angel Food Cake with Coffee Cream, as well as Chocolate-Strawberry Sachertorte and more elaborate creations worthy of a European café.So make that next cup special—serve up a wonderful helping from Coffee and Cake.

How do you cook nutritious and delicious meals when life is busy and time is shortHow can you make fresh, organic food a part of your and your family's way of life—simply and affordablyThese are the questions that Mariel Hemingway answers by sharing tried-and-tested recipes, straight from her kitchen to yours.Filled with exciting, beautiful photographs and easy-to-follow instructions, Mariel's Kitchen includes seventy-five sensational recipes that can be mastered by anyone, regardless of cooking experience. Arranged according to the seasons, these recipes show how simple it can be to put locally grown, seasonal produce on your table in place of packaged and processed foods. From sublime summer breakfasts to delectable desserts and heartwarming winter dinners, these tasty dishes, snacks, salad dressings, marinades, and drink recipes put homemade eating back into easy reach.Mariel also shares her secrets that make it possible to eat well all week long, even with a full schedule. She reveals what staples are necessary for any pantry and how to prepare core recipes that become the foundation for multiple dishes. She offers shopping tips for navigating the world of organic and sustainable foods. And as she reveals what makes her kitchen “the heart of her home,” she peppers recipes with stories about her own lifelong love affair with food.Combining Mariel's no-nonsense attitude with wholesome recipes for every occasion, Mariel's Kitchen is a new kind of American cookbook designed to help you—and all those you cook for—eat better, fresher, and more delicious foods, day in and day out.

Here's the book chicken lovers everywhere have been waiting for: the companion volume to the bestselling 365 Ways to Cook Chicken. You can't have too many ways to prepare America's favorite bird, especially when the recipes are all brand-new -- with less fat, the latest ingredients and the most sensational flavors. Best of all, the recipes are quicker and easier than ever.In 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken, you'll find a dish for every occasion and every taste. There are American classics, such as Finger-Lickin' Barbecued Chicken and Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie and international specialties, such as Chicken Cacciatore and Basque Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives. There are chicken snacks, sandwiches, stews, roasts, barbecues and, of course, separate chapters for those perennial chicken favorites: salads (Grilled Chicken Taco Salad, and Caribbean Chicken Salad) and soups (Thai Chicken and Lemongrass Soup, and Sicilian Chicken Soup with Escarole and Pastina). Steamed Moroccan Chicken and Grilled Chicken Fra Diavolo are samples from the "Light and Lean" chapter, which, along with sections on one-pot chicken dishes and especially fast and easy recipes, make this collection invaluable.

Choice is what it's all about: Choosing your favorite flavor, favorite topping or swirl-in, favorite frozen dessert. For no matter what kind of ice cream maker you own -- an inexpensive canister or a top-of-the-line electric freezer -- there's an extra special treat here for you.Exciting flavors include an assortment of vanillas of varying degrees of richness, several great chocolates, Butter Pecan, Sensational Strawberry, Peaches 'n' Cream, Utterly Peanut Butter and Double Ginger to mention only a sampling. For an extra flourish, there's a collection of ice creams with add-ons -- swirls and twirls, sauces and toppings. There is even an entire chapter of great reduced-fat light ice creams and nonfat frozen yogurts with names like Creamy Banana, Cappuccino, Date Rum and Maple Crunch.Many completely fat-free frozen delights are covered in the chapter called "Sorbets, Granitas and Other Ices." Enticing and refreshing, they come in flavors such as Kiwi-Lime, Mango Margarita, Spiced Rasberry and Strawberry Daquiri. And for showstopping, truly fabulous desserts, made completely in advance, turn to the last chapter, which contains ice cream cakes, pies and other frozen desserts.

Thanks to the ever-increasing number of kosher products available to home cooks, it's never been easier or more satisfying to prepare delicious, wholesome, and healthful kosher meals. In this new collection of exciting recipes, acclaimed journalist, cooking teacher, and cookbook author Faye Levy presents a progressive, upbeat approach to nutritious kosher cuisine that highlights the pleasure of preparing and eating mouthwatering dishes that promote well-being. Kosher foods are being used in more and more American homes, and their abundance and diversity is increasing at an impressive rate. From the traditional to the exotic, from extra-virgin olive oil to tasty cheeses, from spicy condiments to Asian-style sauces, from Latin flavors to Indian, Levy introduces both novice and seasoned cooks to a grand array of international ingredients. By showcasing them in such dishes as Poached Turkey with Mushrooms, Wheat Berries, and Dill; Diced Vegetable Salad with Pepitas and Papaya; Marseilles-Style Fish with Saffron and Fennel; and Turkish Autumn Vegetable Casserole with Chicken, she shows how they will add zest to any menu while maintaining solid nutritional value. With a focus on foods with substantial health benefits, such as nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, Levy revamps old favorites, turning them into updated wholesome creations, including Springtime Chicken Soup with Asparagus, Fava Beans, and Whole Wheat Matzo Balls; Passover Haroset with Pistachios and Pomegranate Juice; Rosh Hashanah Chicken with Dates and Almonds; and Apple Apricot Whole Wheat Noodle Kugel. She introduces new classics to the festive Jewish kitchen, such as Cucumber, Jicama, and Orange Salad with Black Olives; Buckwheat Blintzes with Goat Cheese and Ratatouille; Spicy White Bean Soup with Kale; Purim Baked Turkey Schnitzel with Sweet-Sour Onion Compote; and Macadamia Orange Cake with Red Berry Sauce. Whether you're cooking for yourself and your family any day of the week or preparing a holiday feast for friends and relatives, Healthy Cooking for the Jewish Home is bound to satisfy all your culinary needs. Variety is not only the spice of life; it's also the spice of nourishing menus. The two hundred healthful, tasty, innovative kosher recipes in this book are sure to add inspiration to your menus and variety to your daily eating, as well as zest to the lives of those who share your table.

Can't tell a Gin Fizz from a GimletThink a Sidecar is something you'd see at the racetrackIf your idea of a wild night is a few Lemondrop shots washed back with a Cosmo, you're in need of some cocktail therapy! And there's no one better to tell you everything you need to know about a Brandy Crusta, a French 75, a Cacha?a Swing, and much, much more than Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, who will take you on a rip-roaring trip. . . .In the Land of CocktailsProprietors of the legendary New Orleans restaurant Commander's Palace, Ti and Lally are cocktail divas, spread-ing the gospel about how to make drinks properly, from why a true Sazerac can only be made with Peychaud's bitters to why hand-chipped ice is best for cocktails. In this marvelously entertaining book—both a guide to making some of the world's best cocktails and a memoir of the authors' lives surrounded by family, friends, and delicious food—there are recipes for familiar classics like the Corpse Reviver and the Old-Fashioned; New Orleans favorites like Brandy Milk Punch and the Sazerac; and new inventions created by Ti and Lally, such as their now-famous Whoa, Nellie!In the Land of Cocktails includes information on pairing food with cocktails, introductions to the beloved, boisterous Brennan family and their friends, and explanations of some of the unique, perhaps strange to some, words and ways of life in New Orleans. Filled with wit, sass, warmth, and lots of good times, In the Land of Cocktails is the ideal gift for cocktail lovers everywhere, whether you're a novice or an old drinking pro.

My name is Christy Jordan and I like to feed people.I come from a long line of Southern cooks who taught me home cooking is best, life is good, and there is always something to be grateful for. I created Southern Plate so that I could share the recipes and stories that have been passed down through my family for more than nine generations. You won't find fancy food or new-fangled recipes in this cookbook—just easy, no-fuss Southern favorites such as Chicken and Dumplings, Homemade Banana Pudding, Aunt Looney's Macaroni Salad, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Daddy's Rise-and-Shine Biscuits. (I want to make one thing as clear as possible: How your mama made it is the right way! I'm going to bring it to you how my mama made it, which is the only right way for me.) These stories and recipes come from my heart. They are a gift from my ancestors, but the ability to have them heard is a gift from you. Take a seat at the Southern Plate table; you're with family now.

Who hasn't fantasized about leaving behind the chaos of everyday life and moving someplace where life is simplerWell, that's just what chef and food writer Paula Disbrowe did when she left New York City and moved to Texas. She traded her subway MetroCard for a pickup truck and her stiletto heels for a pair of down-home cowboy boots.In Cowgirl Cuisine, Paula tells her story through food. She weaves together romance, adventure, and more than a few laughs as she celebrates the beauty of flavorful food, fresh air, and her own wholesome recipes, all while taking home cooks on a journey well off the beaten path.Like Texas itself, the recipes in Cowgirl Cuisine are big-hearted and bold—whole-grain muffins bursting with berries, salads loaded with leafy herbs and avocado, and fiery bowls of chili. Paula's food is healthful and full of nutrients, but this is not a diet cookbook—cowgirls don't have time to count calories (besides, they burn it all off hoisting newborn calves, hiking the hills, and galloping off on long trail rides). Instead, this is food that is satisfying and easy to prepare, which leaves plenty of time for living life to the fullest.From hearty ranch breakfasts to fresh salads, spicy nibbles, seductive desserts, and killer watermelon margaritas, Paula's recipes are full of her signature zest, spunk, and spice. Start your day off right with Canyon Granola or Cowgirl Migas. For lunch, have a nourishing bowl of silky Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Red Chile Cream or Chicken and Citrus Slaw Tostadas. For dinner, try Gazpacho Risotto with Garlic Shrimp or Cowboy Pot Roast with Coffee and Whiskey. And be sure to save room for one of Paula's decadent desserts, such as Chocolate Pecan Squares or Dulce de Leche Flan with Pepita Brittle.In addition to her recipes, Paula includes humorous and heartfelt vignettes about wild animals on the loose, scorpions in the sheets, and Casanova cowboys. And the pages are filled with lush photographs of food and life on the range. Cowgirl Cuisine isn't just spurs and salsa—it's about following your dream. So saddle up and follow yours.

Join New York Times bestselling culinary-mystery author Diane Mott Davidson in this long-awaited cookbook featuring more than 160 mouthwatering recipes and charming anecdotes about her writing and cooking life. Written in the style of a memoir, Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook will give readers an inside look at the events that shaped the making of this beloved series.Award-winning author Diane Mott Davidson has written seventeen bestselling mysteries featuring caterer/sleuth Goldy Schulz, a dauntless woman who "took the lemon that life had given her and made not just lemonade but Lemon Chicken, Lemon Bars, Lemon Cookies, and Lemon Meringue Pie." In each Goldy novel, Davidson includes recipes for scrumptious dishes from her adored character's kitchen. Now, these treasured recipes and some brand-new dishes are collected together in one volume for the first time.Inside Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook you'll find recipes for Appetizers and Soups; Eggs and Cheese; Spuds, Salads, Etc.; Meat, Poultry, and Fish; Breads; and Desserts. Davidson also includes Low-Carb Recipes (for those on low-carbohydrate diets). Most of these luscious treats came from "playing around with dishes [she'd] tasted in restaurants." Others are family favorites. Some came from friends, and a few are "happy accidents."Feed your guests the way Goldy does, with such delicious appetizers, such as Bacon-Wrapped Artichokes with Dijon Cream Sauce, Diamond Lovers' Hot Crab Dip, and Models' Mushroom Soup. Get ready for the big game with Nachos Schulz and Tom's Layered Mexican Dip. Dijon Pasta Salad, Anniversary Burgers, and Goalies' Grilled Tuna are sure to liven up every picnic and barbecue. In winter, enjoy the indoors with Snowboarders' Pork Tenderloin and Quiche Me Quick, and entertain your nearest and dearest with delights like Sweethearts' Swedish Meatballs in Burgundy Sauce, André's Coq au Vin, and Dad's Bread. And don't forget to leave room for Ice-Capped Gingersnaps, Damson-in-Distress Plum Tart, Fudge Soufflé, and other delectable desserts.Part memoir, part writing manual, part cookbook, Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook combines Davidson's gift for storytelling with her skills in the kitchen. She introduces the recipes with stories about how she came to create them, anecdotes from her experiences as a writer, and how she learned to become a competent home cook. She also talks about her joy at receiving a fan letter from the legendary French Chef herself, Julia Child.Full of irresistible food and wonderful insights, Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook is a delight for Davidson fans, food lovers, and cooks everywhere.

Love Asian food but too intimidated to make it at homeDo you find yourself flipping through an Asian cookbook, and then going out for Thai noodles or Korean Barbecue, rather than going into your kitchenWhen Marnie Henricksson gave up her noodle shop in Greenwich Village, and settled down to raise her kids in the 'burbs, she had difficulty finding her favorite Asian ingredients at the local supermarket. So, Marnie tweaked her recipes to work with readily available ingredients, allowing her and her family to enjoy Asian food everyday. In Everyday Asian, Marnie shares seventy-five of her favorite dishes with home cooks.As the recipes draw on the traditional cuisines of Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and India, Marnie begins the book with a chapter detailing how to find, make, and store necessary ingredients, as well as giving advice on invaluable kitchen equipment for Asian cooking.Here's your opportunity to master classicdishes such as Pad Thai, Chinese Pork Roasts, Spring Rolls, and Vietnamese Pho, and expand your imagination with Marnie's innovative recipes for Asian Pesto (replace pine nuts with peanuts and Italian basil with Thai basil, cilantro, and mint) and Spicy Chicken Wings (an American classic with a good dose of Asian spices).It's clear from the abundance of Japanese, Korean, Indian, and Vietnamese restaurants that Americans are crazy about Asian food; however, cooking the real thing at home has always been a problem if you don't live near an Asian market. Now, with Marnie's easy-to-follow recipes, enjoying Asian food as often as you like is just a supermarket aisle away.

When Lora Brody, cookbook author, chocolate maven, and mother, sent her sons off into the world, she (and they) realized that they didn't have a clue as to how to feed themselves or their guests, if, heaven forbid, they should have any. The Kitchen Survival Guide is for anyone -- newly graduated, newly married, newly single -- who is venturing into the kitchen for the first time. With her on-target brand of humor, Lora Brody builds kitchen confidence with more than 130 basic recipes necessary to get through life, as well as hundreds of helpful hints Mom forgot to share:On cleaning an oven -- "Manual cleaning oven, unfortunately, does not mean that a guy named Manuel will come and clean your oven."What's the difference between dicing and chopping, zest and pith, or au gratin and au lait?Survival recipes include tuna fish salad, homemade chicken soup, brownies, and many more.Setting up a kitchen and keeping it clean and safe, how to buy and store food, a glossary of basic cooking terms, and what to do in the event of a culinary disaster are all covered in this handy, easy-to-use cookbook and kitchen compendium.

An utterly charming collection of regional heirloom American pies, from long-lost recipes to classic favorites, sweetly illustrated and chock-full of time-tested baking tips and secrets for perfect piesBefore cooking shows and celebrity chefs there were church dinners, community bake sales, and county fairs—events for which regular women made and served their prized family recipes, especially for that homiest and most American of desserts, pie. In the United States of Pie, Adrienne Kane invites readers on a journey back in time as she scours the country for—and shares—those recipes: the pies that have come to define culinary traditions from the West Coast to the East Coast, from the Midwest to the South. Sourced from old newspaper clippings, out-of-print cookbooks, housekeeping guides, and the spiral-bound, mimeographed booklets of church groups and community associations, the recipes in the United States of Pie showcase the innovative spirit of American home cooks in the era before processed foods and flavorless, imported produce took over grocery shelves. Here, tested and updated for contemporary palates and with an emphasis on local, seasonal fruit and dairy products, are both re-imagined classics and newly invented creations that celebrate sharing lovingly homemade desserts with friends and family. And whether you're serving up slices of Meyer Lemon Cream Pie, Concord Grape Pie, or Burnt Sugar Meringue Pie, your lucky guests will definitely ask for seconds.With helpful sidebars on baking tips and techniques ranging from the best thickeners for fruit pies to why home bakers should embrace corn syrup, a chapter dedicated to how to make the perfect pie crust, and charming, insightful essays on pie-making traditions around the country, the United States of Pie is more than just a cookbook; it's a must-have baking resource for novice and expert pie makers alike.

How would you like to eat rich, flavorful, healthy food at home and not worry about calories?Today show nutritionist Joy Bauer has helped millions of people improve their health, and now she wants to improve their home-cooked meals as well. Tired of the misconception that you have to dine out to eat delicious food, Joy proves in Slim and Scrumptious that not only can you eat fresh, rich, and filling food, but that it is quick, affordable, and easy, too! Slim and Scrumptious features more than seventy-five recipes for every meal and every taste. Whether you want Double Chocolate Pancakes or Eggs Benedict for breakfast, Sesame Chicken Tenders or Spicy Pork Tacos with Sassy Slaw for lunch, or Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri and Creamy Spinach for dinner, Joy shows you that classic, rich food can still be made to taste great with just a fraction of the fat and calories. She also includes fun snacks, desserts, and appetizers that will keep you satisfied all day long, such as Cinnamon Cheesecake Fondue, Frozen Hot Chocolate, and Banana Pecan Bread. With every recipe, Joy helps you stretch your food and cooking dollars for everything from a fast and easy family meal to a relaxing and romantic dinner for two. These meals are so amazingly delicious, no one (but the chef!) will ever know that they're healthy, too.

Award-winning food critic Steven A. Shaw (a.k.a. "The Fat Guy") can get a last-minute dinner reservation at the most popular hot spot in town. He knows how that flawless piece of fish reached your plate. He can read between the lines of a restaurant review, and he knows the secrets of why some restaurants succeed and others fail. Now he shares his insider's expertise with food lovers everywhere.But Turning the Tables is much more than an invaluable how-to guide to eating out. Written with style and humor, it's an in-depth exploration of the restaurant world -- a celebration of the incredibly intricate workings of professional kitchens and dining rooms. It is a delectable feast from a uniquely down-to-earth gourmet who has crisscrossed North America in search of culinary knowledge at every level of the food chain -- from five-star temples of haute cuisine to barbecue joints and hot dog stands -- and who has never been afraid to get his hands greasy on the other side of the swinging kitchen door.

It's salty, smoky, and sweet. It's experiencing a culinary renaissance. It can make almost any dish better. It's bacon, and it's the best meat ever. And now, here's the book that celebrates that deliciously sinful strip of cured pork belly. In Bacon: A Love Story, popular bacon blogger Heather Lauer serves up a piping hot dish of fun and facts with this definitive love letter to what she calls meat candy. Heather explores the ins and outs of how bacon finds its way to your skillet and what to do with it when it gets there.Bacon: A Love Story features:Makin' Bacon: a tour of country-style bacon outfits and their time-honored methods and traditions. Hankering for some pepper, cinnamon, honey, jalape?o, or vanilla bourbon-flavored baconThey've got it! There are also tips for making your own signature cure."Bacon Nation": profiles of bacon-loving chefs across the country who incorporate the meat into their menus in increasingly innovative ways.There's Bacon in This?: Heather dishes out more than twenty delicious recipes for tons of bacon goodies like Bacon-Wrapped Tator Tots, BLT with caramelized bacon, Jalape?o-Bacon Pizza, and a few surprises like Bacon Bloody Marys and Bacon Brownies.Bacon 411: an extensive resource section on all things bacon.Written in a witty, engaging style and brimming with Lauer's infectious passion for the Best Meat Ever, Bacon: A Love Story is a must-read for anyone who loves bacon or is passionate about food.

The bestselling author of Italian Grill and Molto Italiano delivers a gorgeous collection of mouthwatering recipes to bring some Italian favorites home.Chef Mario Batali's zest for life infuses the casual Italian fare that has made his restaurant Otto Enoteca Pizzeria a perennially popular New York City destination. Now you can have the flavors of Otto at home, with Molto Gusto, a collection of recipes for everyone's favorites, from pizza, pasta, and antipasti to gelati and sorbetti. Mario has written the definitive book on great pizza making for the amateur, the novice, the foodie, and the gourmet cook, teaching how to make really great pizza at home without any fancy equipment. Here too are recipes for classic pizza, Otto's special pizzas, and even kids' pizzas.Looking for something a little lighterTry the antipasti. Based on seasonal vegetables, with a few recipes showcasing seafood and meat, these dishes can make up an entire, healthy meal. Also included are many of Mario's favorite simple pasta dishes, and to finish it all off, fantastic recipes for gelati, sorbetti, and copette.Filled with Mario's infectious personality and love of robust flavors, and illustrated with luscious full-color photos, Molto Gusto makes it easy to spend a night on the town without leaving home.

From one of Los Angeles's premier caterers and event planners, here is a beautifully photographed cookbook filled with more than 100 delectable recipes and brilliant party-planning tipsLulu Powers, vivacious chef to the stars, has catered parties for a cache of A-list celebrities. What her clients love most is her irrepressible spirit and ability to create elegant yet unpretentious gatherings that feature fabulous food and festive cocktails. In Lulu Powers: Food to Flowers, she dishes out her secrets to enjoyable and stress-free entertaining. From a holiday brunch to a retro party, from a classic Fourth of July celebration to a casual winter picnic, here are dozens of inspiring ways to gather with friends and loved ones.For these creative events, Lulu provides the perfect menu and lays out everything you'll need to host an unforgettable gathering—from sublime cocktails to making a memorable atmosphere with flowers, music, and budget-friendly décor. Of course, the centerpiece of any Lulu Powers party is her delicious, expertly presented food, and the book reveals her best, most crowd-pleasing recipes, including:Mini Wild Mushroom Risotto CakesBurger Bites with Lulu's Special SauceHerb-Marinated Lamb ChopsMini Double-Stuffed New Potatoes Caramel-Fudge BrowniesButterscotch Pudding with Rum SauceThe recipes can be mixed and matched, and almost every dish can be prepared ahead of time, making party planning even easier.Lulu believes that everyone's capable of throwing a great party, and breaks down her inimitable style into simple elements, with hundreds of shortcuts and money-saving tips to ease the mind of even the novice host. She guides you through the party planning process, with loads of information about entertaining and hosting in a fun, relaxed manner. Armed with Lulu's recipes, tips, and party-giving secrets, you'll soon be throwing the best bashes on the block.

They come fresh or dry, in yellow or purple, from California and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. They are in restaurants, supermarkets, fruit stands, backyards, and inside some very famous cookies. What are theyThey're figs -- one of America's favorite fruits.From Mission and Kadota figs to Adriatic and Calimyrna varieties, award-winning cookbook author Marie Simmons leaves no fig or fig leaf unturned in this extraordinary book about this most extraordinary fruit: Fig Heaven.Figs are harvested in late summer and early fall, but, fortunately for us, they are easily dried and packaged, so they're available all year long. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, plump, fragrant figs are guilt-free indulgences that can be enjoyed in countless ways.Fig Heaven is an inviting, comprehensive cookbook offering 70 recipes for both fresh and dried figs. They range from appetizers, salads, and sandwiches to entrées and desserts.On the savory side, you'll find Open-Faced Dried Fig and Melted Blue Cheese Sandwiches; Fettuccine with Fresh Figs, Lemon, and Rosemary; and Lamb Pilaf with Artichokes and Dried Figs. If your sweet tooth needs some real satisfaction, there's a Fresh Fig and Peach Crumble, Dried Fig and Walnut Biscotti, and Molten Chocolate Roasted Figs with Vanilla Custard Sauce.