Ellie Krieger, weekly host of the Food Network’s Healthy Appetite, has followed up her wonderful, award-winning cookbook, The Food You Crave, with a terrific new cookbook filled with healthy dishes that are easy enough for the busiest people to prepare. Krieger is a mom with a full-time job, so these recipes are not just quick, but delicious and family friendly as well. With dishes like Cheddar-Apple Quesadillas, Pork Piccata with Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Chocolate-Cream-Cheese Panini Bites, the whole family will be in the clean plate club! —S.B.

From the legendary cookbook editor Judith Jones (think Julia Child and James Beard), comes this passionate and practical volume about the pleasures and possibilities of cooking alone. Jones (successfully) makes the case that when we cook for one we are able to truly open the door to innovation and experimentation in the kitchen. Free from the constraints to impress (or even to succeed), we can cook whatever things appeal to us, try out new and unfamiliar ingredients, or use leftovers to innovate. An indispensable manual for cooks looking to move beyond the bounds of recipes. —R.M.

I often say that you can’t go wrong with a cookbook by Lidia Bastianich, and her newest book proves that adage true, yet again. She is simply a wonderful cook, writer, and teacher. In her inspiring new book, Lidia celebrates and honors the cuisines of lesser-known parts of Italy—making luscious Italian regional food accessible in home kitchens. Publishers Weekly raves, “Readers will enjoy this volume not only as a cookbook but as a vicarious travel guide, flipping the pages to take in the culture as well as the cuisine. Bastianich’s fans will delight in this superb volume, which no kitchen should be without.” —S.B.

I have waited so long for a new cake book from Rose Beranbaum—the baking goddess who wrote her
master’s thesis on yellow cakes!!—that when I heard this was due out, I clutched my face in my hands with nearly 20 years of pent-up expectation and joy. Simply put, Rose is the master of butter, sugar, and flour, and her recipes are perfect and special and passionate. I thoroughly plan on baking and eating every one of these recipes, and cherishing yet another impeccable cookbook from the lady who set the standard. —Jen Toner

Watch out! It’s a cookie invasion! From the baking geniuses who brought you Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World comes a brand new cookbook devoted exclusively to vegan cookies. From basic cookies (like chocolate chip) to one of kind creations, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar is an excellent addition to any collection of baking books, and its recipes prove once again that vegan is in fact synonymous with delicious. —josie

As a vegan, I recognize the value of healthy and conscious choices as a foundation for sustainable eating, and author Tal Ronnen, former vegan French chef, does, too. After giving up the meat-free lifestyle, Chef Ronnen is back to show you how to integrate delicious, healthy, and above all, sustainable and conscientious choices for every meal. This is a great gift for
indulgent meat and butter fans. —Adrienne Mages

I love, love, love Gourmet magazine and am always inspired to cook after reading it—with delicious results, I might add! But I can’t top Publishers Weekly’s (starred) review of Gourmet’s new cookbook, “If you could dream up the perfect cookbook, it might look something like this: easy recipes for days when you’re spent and just want something quick and filling; pull-out-all-the-stops recipes for when you want to spend an entire week working on a Saturday night’s meal...a sensational doorstopper of a cookbook, a sort of sophisticated cousin to the hallowed Joy of Cooking, cosmopolitan aunt to Mark Bittman’s essential How to Cook Everything.” —S.B.

Italians love everything about food. We love to cook it; we love to eat it; and we certainly love to talk about it. Kostioukovitch—who has lived in Italy for 20 years—delves into the rich history of Italian food and the culture surrounding it in this impressive new volume. Organized by region and beautifully designed with colorful maps, menus, and illustrations, Why Italians Love to Talk About Food is a terrific book for anyone interested in learning a whole lot more about the amazing world of Italian food and the people who invented it.
—Georgine Balassone