Cooking in Real Life: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day (A Cookbook)

by Lidey Heuck, Ina Garten (Foreword by)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The title says it all, this cookbook is made for people with the very real problem of not having time to cook. With flexible recipes that walk the middle ground between new and experienced home chefs, it's an approachable culinary compilation sure to inspire your kitchen.

USA TODAY Bestseller
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF SPRING 2024: Eater, Epicurious • ONE OF THE TOP 10 COOKBOOKS OF SPRING 2024: Food & Wine

“Lidey subscribes to the same theory of home cooking that I do. We all want recipes that have ingredients you can buy in almost any grocery store, recipes that are easy enough to make without breaking a sweat that will be delicious and satisfying for either an ordinary weekday dinner or for a special occasion.” —Ina Garten, from the Foreword

From the rising star who learned to cook when she worked for Ina Garten, 100 recipes that are cook-pleasing and crowd-pleasing and written with the shopper, chopper, and dish-doer in mind.

Lidey Heuck landed the most plum after-college job—working for Ina Garten in her East Hampton kitchen. There, she learned how to develop recipes that work every time and how to put together dishes that are at once special and unfussy.

Cooking in Real Life represents the golden middle ground that new and experienced home cooks crave: recipes that are inventive but not overly complicated, that use familiar ingredients but encourage us to do things a little bit differently. They are designed to be low-effort, practical, and high-reward. Lidey combines straight-forward delicious cooking with innovative, vegetable-forward recipes, inspired by bold flavors from near and far. Chapters and recipes include the following:

Busy, fuss-free weeknights: Salmon with Honey and Chili Crunch, Cider-Glazed Sausages with Apples and Fennel, Saucy Shrimp alla Vodka. Plus, dozens of ideas for turning single recipes into one complete meal (Think: adding some sauteed shrimp to Shaved Carrot Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing).

Flexible, seasonally-inspired recipes with easy-to-find ingredients: Maple-Roasted Squash with Grapes and Shallots, Escarole with Cara Cara Oranges, Spicy Paloma Punch.

Celebratory dishes for occasions that call for something extra special: Short Ribs with Port, Shallots, and Cranberries; Champagne Chicken; and Rainbow Sprinkle Ice Cream Cake.

Throughout, Lidey includes swaps, make-ahead hacks, and tips for making leftovers into something new. Cooking in Real Life meets you where you are—whether you’re here for the practical tips or the endless possibilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668002155
Publisher:	S&S/Simon Element
Publication date:	03/12/2024
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	11,012
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lidey Heuck contributes to The New York Times Cooking. Days after graduating from college, she went to work for Ina Garten, where she managed the Barefoot Contessa’s social media and tested recipes. Lidey has appeared in episodes of Barefoot Contessa and on Magnolia Network’s The Lost Kitchen with Erin French, for whom she interned in Maine. Lidey has been featured in Food & Wine, Food Network Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Food52, Delish, and The Kitchn. She recently moved from Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley, where she lives with her husband.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/18/2024

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.)

Publishers Weekly

Lidey's cookbook is an absolute treasure! She gives us fantastic spins on classic dishes and also whips up deliciously unexpected recipes (I'm looking at you, spaghetti with sweet corn pesto). Her knack for anticipating questions and providing answers before they even arise makes the book especially practical for everyday cooks. I can't wait to dog-ear and cook from this book!

Jennifer Segal

Lidey spent her childhood similar to me: Sunday dinners with her entire family, carefully observing her grandparents create delicious feasts with ease, and with plenty of love and laughter. I think this sets up one for a lifetime of joyful learning, cooking, and entertaining in the kitchen and beyond. Lucky for us, Lidey shares everything she knows in her gorgeous cookbook. This book is so comfortable, so lived in, and so confidently laid back that it can ONLY be described as Cooking In Real Life.

Dan Pelosi

Lidey is straight-up spoiling us with this book. Smart and unfussy, Cooking In Real Life is loaded with everyday recipes that are deliciously repeat-worthy, filled with clever, heartfelt twists, and everything I want to eat at all the time.

Erin French

The recipes in Cooking in Real Life are innovative and imaginative, but they still manage to be straightforward and low-effort—always keeping the cook in mind.

Parade

"[Lidey Heuck's] straightforward instructions, suggested menus, and easy add-ons make elevating a weeknight meal seem not only doable but also appealing.” -- Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“This will be a new favorite for busy home cooks looking to enhance their weeknight repertoire.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Every once in a while, a cookbook comes along that does it all, from simple to sophisticated, weeknight to showstopper, and, with tons of kitchen inspiration too, this is that cookbook.” – Booklist, Starred review

From the Publisher

The kind of recipes that will instantly become classics in your kitchen — they're delicious yet approachable, familiar but with a twist, comforting but celebration-worthy.

Food & Wine

"As a longtime super fan of Lidey’s recipes I am so excited to add Cooking In Real Life to my cookbook collection. These dishes strike the ideal balance between maximum flavor and approachability, or as Lidey puts it, they are 'deliciously doable.' I know this book is going to be covered with the kinds of stains and splatters that are the signs of a well-loved cookbook."

Molly Yeh

The recipes in Cooking in Real Life were intended to be 'low-effort, practical, and high-reward,' and that’s exactly what they are... her straightforward writing makes even unfamiliar techniques seem doable.

Eater

If anyone knows how to teach and inspire the home cook, it’s Lidey. She has learned from the best, understands the demands on our time, so can get us in and out of the kitchen, smiling and victorious every time.

Odette Williams

12/01/2023

Heuck, New York Times cooking contributor and former social media assistant to Ina Garten (who provides a foreword), offers her first cookbook. Seeking full flavor from a few familiar components, her approach is uncomplicated, yet results are rewarding. Concise introductory material includes just six ingredients in the "Pantry Primer" and a tight "10 Tools for Better Cooking," making this an unintimidating work for even beginning cooks. However, don't mistake this for uninspired fare. For instance, spaghetti with sweet-corn pesto is a fun riff in which corn is sautéed with garlic, then pureed with olive oil and parmesan to make the pesto. Helpful notes throughout inform with tips, substitutions, how to use leftovers, and how to prep in advance or cook for a crowd. Chapters begin with snacks and drinks and proceed through desserts. In the breakfast and brunch chapter, don't miss the decadent Hummingbird Pancakes with caramelized pineapple and pecans. Dressings, sauces, and "extras" round out the beautifully photographed recipes. For planning assistance, use the handy menu suggestions in the back, ranging from "Cozy Winter Dinner" to "Summer Grilling." VERDICT Heuck's excellent debut cookbook is recommended for all public libraries.—P.J. Gardiner

Library Journal