cover image Y’All Eat Yet?: Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen

Y’All Eat Yet?: Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen

Miranda Lambert. Dey Street, $35 (288p) ISBN 978-0-06-308778-1

Country music superstar Lambert takes fans into the kitchen in her down-home debut recipe collection. Lambert admits she “love(s) eating way more than cooking,” and it shows as she pulls recipes from her mother and grandmother, friends, and fellow singer Trisha Yearwood, and looks to her father for guidance on seasoning a cast iron skillet. Most dishes are simple and probably not all that different from what many home cooks already make, among them chicken salad and “old timer’s green bean casserole.” But recipes aren’t really the point here. Instead, Lambert uses stories of food to celebrate friendship, good times, and the importance of kinship. The dishes themselves may be secondary, but those looking for tasty variations on deviled eggs or clever Ziploc omelets for camping need look no further. Gumbo, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, and “Bev’s Famous Meatloaf” are just some of the country goodness offered up. Desserts are a Lambert favorite, and in this area she does not disappoint: rum balls, whiskey cupcakes, and peanut butter pie are sure to keep folks at the dinner table. Whether served around the campfire or for a holiday meal, these dishes charm in their tasty simplicity. (Apr.)