Everyday to Entertaining: 200 Sensational Recipes that Transform from Casual to Elegant

Takes everyday recipes from simply delicious to simply extraordinary. For most home cooks, a simple but still delicious meal with a minimum of fuss and ingredients is an everyday necessity. However, there are also times when a special occasion calls for something out of the ordinary. Yet few home cooks have the time to source and try new recipes, and that's why Everyday to Entertaining is sorely needed. These recipes have been created and organized to go from weekday to weekend by simply using different or additional ingredients, techniques and cooking methods. For example, sumptuous white wine braised chicken can be prepared in a few steps and with minimal pantry ingredients -- perfect for a quick weekday dinner. On the adjacent page is a tantalizing recipe for coq au vin, which uses many of the preceding recipe's main ingredients but requires more preparation time and additional ingredients -- perfect for that elegant dinner party or other special event. Another great example is mustard and garlic roasted pork loin, which becomes balsamic glazed pork loin with apricots and figs with just a few modifications and additions. The authors feature handy, easy-to-follow tips and techniques throughout the book, along with menu-planning ideas and cooking shortcuts. These two accomplished chefs and cooking instructors provide tasty dishes for any occasion that will help the home chef satisfy the shifting needs of a busy family.

Best for: Each of the recipes in the book is perfect for either a family meal or, with a tweak or two, jazzed-up for a company dinner.--Loretto J Hulse "Tri-City Herald" (5/4/2011 12:00:00 AM), Deeds and Snyder (The Mixer Bible) create a user-friendly guide with something for everyone-and every occasion. Arranged by meal category (from appetizers to desserts), chapters begin with indexes showing the everyday version of a recipe, which is generally simpler, with fewer ingredients and a shorter prep time, followed by the entertaining spin. Almost all ingredients will be easy to find, with pancetta and fennel about as exotic as it gets. Readers will appreciate the lavishly-illustrated design as they whip up appetizers like Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallop Skewers (or its entertaining counterpart, which includes a South Seas Salsa). A little more hands-on time and a few ingredient changes transform Italian White Bean Soup with Pesto into Tuscan Bean and Barley Soup with Crispy Pancetta; whereas Pizza Bianca dresses up for entertaining with chard and chorizo. Meats, poultry, and seafood are well-represented here, with Braised Short Ribs getting an optional stout braising and horseradish cream, and an everyday Arroz con Pollo becoming Chicken, Sausage, and Seafood Paella for a special occasion. Vegetables are not the stars here; readers seeking creative uses for broccoli or kale should look elsewhere. But simple ingredients, clear instructions, and loads of photos make this a useful addition to the cook's shelf.--Heather Pearson "Publishers Weekly" (5/16/2011 12:00:00 AM), Everyday to Entertaining is a fabulous concept: develop a core set of weeknight dishes that you can make with little time and fuss, and add some extra steps and ingredients to make those same meals into guest-worthy delights for the weekend!--Natashya Hamilton "Living in the Kitchen Blogspot" (4/14/2011 12:00:00 AM), For most home cooks, a simple but still delicious meal with a minimum of fuss and ingredients is an everyday necessity. However, there are also times when a special occasion calls for something out of the ordinary. Yet few home cooks have the time to source and try new recipes. The recipes in Everyday to Entertaining have been created and organized to go from weekday to weekend by simply using different or additional ingredients, techniques, and cooking methods. For example, sumptuous white wine-braised chicken can be prepared in a few steps and with minimal pantry ingredients--perfect for a quick weekday dinner. On the adjacent page is a tantalizing recipe for coq au vin, which uses many of the preceding recipe's main ingredients but requires more preparation time and additional ingredients--perfect for that elegant dinner party or other special event.... The authors feature handy, easy-to-follow tips and techniques throughout the book, along with menu-planning ideas and cooking shortcuts.-- "Cook and Books and Recipes" (7/1/2011 12:00:00 AM), Full of recipes that any home cook can whip up with ease for a simple, satisfying meal or [to] serve with confidence at a dinner party. All the recipes in this book come in pairs. Each dish starts with the basic version and the second recipe offers a more sophisticated take with a bit of pizzazz. Chapters include everything from appetizers to sides and meats and seafood.-- "Fort Bend / Houston Lifestyles and Homes Magazine" (6/28/2011 12:00:00 AM)

Meredith Deeds is an accomplished culinary instructor and has written extensively about food for nationally syndicated magazines and newspapers. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Carla Snyder is an artisan baker, food writer and accomplished culinary instructor. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Together, Carla and Meredith have written six cookbooks, including the James Beard-nominated The Big Book of Appetizers. Good Morning America chose their book 300 Sensational Soups as one of the 10 best cookbooks of 2008.