Cooking in Real Life: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day

In this winning debut, chef Heuck presents exciting yet accessible recipes that promise to “come together without much fuss” and “deliver big flavor in a small amount of time.” Simple ingredient modifications, such as canned beans in lieu of dried beans for the sausage and white bean soup with swiss chard and skillet croutons, and chicken thighs instead of pork for the spicy barbecue pulled chicken sandwiches, drastically cut prep and cook time. She also provides plenty of helpful substitutions, noting, for example, that in a pinch, a mixture of cabernet sauvignon and sugar can replace the tawny port needed for the braised short ribs with port, shallots, and cranberries. Vegetarian dishes—including kale salad with gouda, honeycrisp apples, and walnuts; escarole salad with cara cara oranges, Marcona almonds, and goat cheese; and spaghetti with sweet corn pesto—are equally enticing. Heuck offers several feasible suggestions to make lighter dishes heartier, such as adding sautéed shrimp or seared salmon filets to the shaved carrot salad with creamy sesame-ginger dressing. Readers craving something sweet will be tempted by the plentiful desserts and breakfast options, such as roasted pears with brandy and brown sugar, flourless chocolate cherry cookies, and plum, cardamom, and cornmeal muffins. This will be a new favorite for busy home cooks looking to enhance their weeknight repertoire. (Mar.)