Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours

Chef Wells (Southern Modified: Southern Inspired Dishes, Modified for Today’s Healthier Lifestyle) celebrates Southern cooking in this heartfelt collection. His philosophy—“take what you know combined with what you admire to create unique flavors”—is evident from the first recipe, a four-cheese lasagna with barbecue sauce. Kitchen lessons from his parents and his grandmother inform the likes of blackened catfish with smoked gouda grits, as well as a meatloaf that uses coconut milk, vegetables, and a chipotle brown sugar glaze. Other cross-cultural standouts are a Texas toast crab cake burger with Cajun sauce, and arroz con pollo with Louisiana hot sauce. Fare fit for a party gets its own chapter, with such dishes as a saucy Creole shrimp and pineapple appetizer, and lollipop drumsticks with whiskey chipotle sauce. Vegetable-centric options include chunky buffalo cauliflower bites, fried green tomatillos, and arugula berry salad. Desserts and drinks round out the offerings, notably, Wells writes, his mother’s not to be missed strawberry lemon Bundt cake. For those looking for new spins on old favorites, this is a sure thing. Agent: Alan Morell, Creative Management. (Nov.)