New Cookbooks from Your Favorite Chefs

Paula Deen Cuts the Fat: 250 Recipes Lightened Up, by Paula Deen
Learning she had type 2 diabetes was a wakeup call for Paula Deen. Long known as the Southern-fried queen of comfort food, Deen would have to reevaluate her relationship with former allies salt, fat, and sugar. Can down-home Southern cooking exist in a balanced diet? According to Deen, “Always keep in mind that you can enjoy good cookin’ and eatin’ and still be healthy—and I’m living proof of that!” With fifty of her classic Southern recipes reimagined, including New Savannah Gumbo and All-New Peach Cobbler, and two hundred lower-impact soon-to-be classics (hello, The Lady’s New Cheesy Mac!), Paula Deen Cuts the Fat shows that light can be luscious.

My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes that Saved My Life, by Ruth Reichl
In 2009, the world lost Gourmet magazine, and its editor-in-chief, Ruth Reichl, felt lost as a result. In My Kitchen Year, Reichl recounts her self-healing through the medium she knows best: “I did what I always do when I’m confused, lonely, or frightened. I disappeared into the kitchen.” Reichl chronicles her journey as she rediscovers the pleasures of cooking—from a simple grilled cheese sandwich to a decadent rhubarb sundae—and shares her delicious steps along the way.

Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 for Every Season: 165 Quick Dinners, Sides, Holiday Dishes, and More, by Michael Symon
Michael Symon is a busy guy! Between owning and running award-winning restaurants in multiple states, appearing on television, co-hosting a wildly popular daily talk show, and writing several cookbooks, it’s only logical he came up with the brilliantly simple concept for this time-saving book. Each recipe involves a maximum of five fresh ingredients, takes five minutes to cook, and results in good, home-cooked meals even a regular busy person can pull off. From refreshing summer fruit desserts, to holiday dishes, to warming winter drinks, Symon has busy cooks covered.

Are We Having Any Fun Yet?: The Cooking & Partying Handbook, by Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar: superstar rocker, booze baron, restaurateur… No matter what hat he’s wearing, Hagar knows how to party. Complete with recipes and stories from a lifetime of entertaining, this cookbook brings you right into the center of the party. Hagar shares his passion for great food and fun drinks, and several celebrity chefs come along for the ride, too. Featuring crazy stories from the road, over fifty food and drink recipes, and Sammy’s tips for entertaining like a rock star, Are We Having Any Fun Yet? belongs on the bookshelf of any self-respecting rocker (or rocker wannabe).

Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel, by Heidi Swanson
New York Times bestselling author Heidi Swanson had a binder bursting at the seams and two giant bulletin boards overflowing with ideas that became this cookbook, rooted in her home of San Francisco, and flavored by the places where she has traveled. Swanson’s gorgeous photos and intimate writing style waft off the page, making each recipe in this vegetarian journey—from Carrot & Sake Salad, to Brown Butter Tortelli—deliciously real.

Brunch at Bobby’s: 140 Recipes for the Best Part of the Weekend, by Bobby Flay, Stephanie Banyas, and Sally Jackson
Wouldn’t it be nice to be invited to Bobby Flay’s place for brunch—where, in his words, “The drinks won’t be watered down, the food will be amazing…and you can keep the party going as long as you like”? For most of us, this book is the closest we can get, but that’s just fine. With Brunch at Bobby’s at your side you can enjoy a plethora of pancakes, waffles, French toasts, syrups, spreads, salads, sandwiches, egg dishes, and other brunch staples stamped with Flay’s signature (Wild Mushroom-Yukon Gold Hash, anyone?). Oh, and drinks, drinks, drinks! Start with a Sangria Sunrise and move on to a blood orange Campari Mimosa. By the time you’re finishing your blackberry-bourbon iced tea, it may even be dinnertime.

Martha Stewart’s Appetizers: 200 Recipes for Dips, Spreads, Snacks, Small Plates, and Other Delicious Hors d’Oeuvres, Plus 30 Cocktails, Martha Stewart
Divided into Snacks, Starters, Small Plates, Stylish Bites, and Sips, Martha Stewart’s Appetizers is a compendium of modern entertaining know-how. If you’re in the mood for a small, tasty (and tasteful) snack, this book will tell you how to make it. With more than 200 options for delicious hors d’oeuvres, delightful cocktails, and Martha’s “Golden Rules” for hosting a party, you’ll have no excuse not to throw one immediately.