NONFICTION -- Home Ec. Grows Up

How to Cook Everything – The Basics
by Mark Bittman
This is a great cookbook for beginners or for those who want to expand their knowledge of simple, quick recipes. The author includes a section on “must have” kitchen tools (with explanations of what they are and what they are used for) as well as a list of basic pantry items to have on hand. The book is well organized and the recipes are simple and easy to follow without being dull or plain. Perfect for those most kindly described as “kitchen challenged.” ISBN: 076456756X
–Macaire Hill


Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great
by Pam Anderson
Perfect for either getting through the holidays with a clear conscience and trim waistline, or for getting back to healthy eating in the New Year. The author provides basic recipes with a number of variations on each, and includes approximate calorie counts. There is a nice variety, including appetizers and desserts. If you want healthy, simple food that isn’t dull, this is a good resource. ISBN: 0618835962
–Macaire Hill


Divine Kosher Cuisine: Catering to Family and Friends
by Risé Routenberg and Barbara Wasser
I love this book and use it all the time. I have given it to friends, who have in turn given it to their friends. The recipes are easy and straightforward and combine the traditional with the contemporary. A joint effort of the authors and Congregation Agudat Achim in Niskayuna, New York, it includes signature recipes of the synagogue’s award-winning catering service. Recipes cover all holidays and all occasions for creative home cooking and gracious entertaining. Even more helpful is a section itemizing the quantities you need to feed groups of 10, 20, 50 or more. Kosher cooking separates dairy dishes from meat dishes as well as those which are both dairy and meat free, so those who are lactose intolerant or have an allergy to gluten will also find it useful. ISBN: 0977017206
–Gail Sacco


Hand Mending Made Easy: Save Time and Money Repairing Your Own Clothes
By Nan L. Ides
This little book is perfect for a new sewer, a college student, or the person who has never sewn a stitch! An unassuming (and not at all intimidating) paperback, it starts with the basics: supplies and knots. Then it reviews tasks like sewing on a button or doing a hem. Easy to understand and follow and a life saver in a pinch. Recommended for someone who is at the basic level or someone who has not sewn anything for a long time. ISBN: 0935278745
–Gail Sacco


Dream Landscapes: Artful Quilts with Fast-Piece Appliqué
by Rose Hughes
This book is due to be published in October 2008 so I haven’t seen a copy but looking at Rose Hughes website (http://www.rosehughes.com/) definitely makes me want to read the book. Her designs are beautiful and look relatively easy so it should be fun to learn her technique. ISBN: 1564778592
–Julie Stump