Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast: 250 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Any Time of Day (Everyday Food (Clarkson Potter)) [Paperback]

Martha Stewart Living Magazine (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 23, 2010 | Series: Everyday Food (Clarkson Potter)

With 250 tempting recipes to take you from breakfast all the way through dessert, Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast is the indispensable collection that home cooks yearn for. Organized into familiar categories—including sandwiches and pizzas, appetizers, salads, soups and stews, pastas, main courses, and side dishes—this highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling Everyday Food: Great Food Fast helps you whip up the perfect dish any time of day.  
 
Here is a book for the way we cook and eat now, with an emphasis on stretching meals (for example, leftovers from a roasted chicken are used to make a quick gumbo and roasted vegetables perform a second act as a vibrant pizza topping), turning to economical ingredients that deliver great results (such as flank steak, served with a piquant parsley-garlic sauce), and making healthier versions of comfort foods without skimping on flavor (like a lower-calorie chicken potpie). A section on enticing vegetarian main dishes as well as a roster of irresistible desserts round out this comprehensive collection. Here’s a taste of what’s inside:  
 
Breakfast: Jam-Filled French Toast  
Sandwiches and Pizzas: Eggplant and Mozzarella Melt  
Appetizers: Goat Cheese Crostini  
Salads: BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing  
Soups and Stews: Minestrone  
Pastas: Spaghetti Puttanesca  
Main Courses: Meatballs with Rosemary  
Vegetarian: Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto  
Side Dishes: Roasted Sweet Potato Fries  
Desserts: Gingered Blackberry and Plum Shortcakes   
 
Brimming with great time- and budget-saving tips as well as smart kitchen techniques, Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast helps you use what you have on hand to make everyone’s favorite foods. With an easy-to-read format, a photograph of each and every dish, and plenty of ideas to keep you inspired, this is the cookbook you will turn to day after day for wonderfully simple, delicious meals.  

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sample Recipe from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast

Lamb Chops with Parsley Pesto

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Pesto made with parsley and sharp Pecorino Romano cheese (and without nuts) makes a colorful topping for tender lamb chops. It could also be tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or mixed with cream cheese for a dip to serve with crudités.

Lamb Chops
8 lamb loin chops (each 4 ounces and 1 inch thick)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Parsley Pesto (recipe below)

Heat a large skillet over medium. Pat dry lamb with paper towels. Season chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook (in two batches, if necessary) 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve immediately, topped with pesto.

Parsley Pesto
Makes 1/2 cup
2 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (2 ounces)
1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, finely chop parsley, cheese, and garlic. With the motor running, add oil in a slow, steady stream; season with pepper. Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and cover with a thin layer of oil; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Freezing Pesto
Pesto keeps very well in the freezer, so it’s worth making extra. Freeze it in small airtight containers, covered with a thin layer of olive oil. Defrost in the refrigerator before using.

---

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Recipe:
Farfalle with Arugula and White Beans
 
Serves 4  -  prep time: 10 minutes  -  total time: 25 minutes
 
Quickly wilted arugula, canned beans, and toasted walnuts add heft to this vegetarian main course. Try spinach in place of arugula and pine nuts instead of walnuts.
 
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces farfalle
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound baby arugula
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted for garnish
 
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta.
2. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the garlic to the pot; cook over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add arugula; toss just until wilted.
3. Add beans, pasta, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Heat, tossing, until butter is melted and beans and pasta are warmed through, about 1 minute. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce to coat pasta.
 
4 To serve, divide among shallow bowls, and garnish with walnuts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; First Edition edition (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307405109
• ISBN-13: 978-0307405104
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, homekeeping, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning daily syndicated television program, and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio; and provides a wealth of ideas and information on her website.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Cookbook! February 25, 2010

By B. Morehead

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I subscribe to Everyday Food and use the recipes constantly. I've never made an Everyday Food recipe that wasn't really good. I went ahead and bought the cookbook because it was a really good price, even though they've all been in the magazine. Some cooks might think that the recipes are fancy or complicated by looking at the titles or photographs, but they're really easy, and use easy-to-find ingredients, even in a small town. I also like the fact that the recipes never call for processed ingredients, like cream of mushroom soup, etc. Also, some of the recipes venture out from typical family fare, and many might say that their families won't eat the food. My philosophy is that if your family is hungry, they will eat what you provide, unless you want to be a short-order cook every night. This book is arranged differently than the first book. Where the first one was arranged by season (which I happen to really like), this one is arranged by meals and courses. Also, in regard to a previous low-rated review because of the binding, mine arrived in fine shape.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great if You Don't Subscribe to the Magazine March 3, 2010

By J. Blum

Format:Paperback

The recipes in this cookbook are very good. But because I am a subscriber of the magazine (which is excellent, by the way), this book is nothing more than a compilation of recipes from the magazine. If you don't subscribe, it's a great cookbook. If you do subscribe, all of the recipes will be very familiar, and you will spend double the money on the same thing.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love This Book May 17, 2010

By Tricia Vickers

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Enjoyed the first book and now I have another 250 recipes to make. All of the dishes turn out just as pretty as the pictures and taste great as well. I bought this book for both of my grown kids, who are beginner cooks and they both love it as well. They both said that having the pictures help them realize what the dish should look like and whether they are interested in making the recipe. Both of the cook books in this series make a wonderful addition to my cookbook collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I Like It....Lives up to the title! August 8, 2010

By Luminosa

Format:Paperback

I actually bought this a few months ago at Costco, looked through it and was very unimpressed and returned it. I have a HUGE much used/perused cookbook collection that includes the 1st book in this series which gets underused, and thought this one did little to grab me, at best. Fast forward to a few weeks ago...was browsing at a store and picked this up. Saw it with different eyes this time so re-bought and and have been using it.

It is a great collection of fresh quick recipes. The Pan Bagnet, a pressed tuna/egg sandwich a la Nice France, is fantastic. The super easy black bean stuffed baked green chilis, a quick and healthier alternative to chili rellenos is also fantastic; the coconut and beef curry with noodles, made w/shrimp and tofu as we don't eat beef, its superb.The Lighter Chicken Pot Pie made with a phyllo top crust is a keeper. And I could go on. It is just what it claims to be: a collection of mostly fast recipes made with fresh ingredients. There is a commendable nod to pan-Asian (ie, using or referencing Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other Asian food traditions) and Latin dishes (some Mexican, a Jerk Chicken recipe that is workable for the average kitchen and more) and some predictable Italian/pasta/pizza recipes that are good and straightforward. What I like about their recipes is that...they work! This is an experienced crew under M. Stewart's exec. direction: they KNOW how to build and test recipes. All things considered, the seasonings are nicely balanced.

Okay, here are two thoughts that I think noteworthy:
1....) If you live somewhere where you cannot go to the "International Foods" section of your supermarket and get things like Thai Curry Paste, coconut milk, some grains like quinoa, and a few other ethnically-specific condiments ingredients that might possibly be unavailable outside of metropolitan areas, well, there is still plenty to work with here, but you might be a bit frustrated. For alot of us this is NOT an issue, but I know from reading reviews of other books that it drives some people crazy to not be able to get what they consider exotic ingredients...so, consider that.

2.) I would have considered this for 5***** but I think there is one area in which they could have made it more versatile and usable, consistent with the theme of the book. They could, and don't, suggest possible substitutions/creative alternatives. Mark Bittman is stellar at this. Especailly helpful if you are touting a Fresh theme. We don't eat beef or pork and constantly sub out recipe items. More and more people are leaning toward poulty, fish/seafood and veggie proteins, so making suggestions for that would have been appropriate. Or for ways to be creative: we added marinated artichokes to the pan bagnat one time, tomatoes another, and roasted red peppers and capers another time....throughout the book it would have made sense to include ideas for a spin on the main recipe. And that is how folks cook now...so, for that I would add the 5th star.

I do recommend it... great easy book to just grab and go with, even if you are an experienced cook. I am just that with great foodie resources within easy reach, but I have a super demanding job and a book like this is a no brain-strain way to whip up just what the title says when I need something good, fresh, and fast. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All the basics - Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! January 7, 2012

By Annie

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I got this cookbook for ny 24 year old niece who has just become interested in cooking. She absolutely LOVES it! All the things she wants to cook are featured - not fancy stuff just regular dishes anyone would want good recipes for. The best part is there are tons of pictures so she can tell if she is doing it right and she'll know how the finished dish is supposed to turn out. While is is a basic cookbook and an excellent choice for beginners it is also a wonderful addition to any cooks library because of the volume of dishes included. This is a beautiful book - I might just get one for myself!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Cookbook Ever! September 20, 2011

By Kirstin

Format:Paperback

I am very enthusiastic about this cookbook. I agree with the other reviewers that the ingredients are always simple, easy to find and not processed, which is great. It is also very handy that the nutritional information for each recipe is in the back. The picture for every meal makes it easy to imagine and entices the reader to want to make each recipe. So far I've made probably ten recipes out of the book and they are all delicious and relatively healthy! Also, the stretch it meals are great for leftover quick meals during the weekdays. Very creative and helpful. Love it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Always has something we want to make May 12, 2010

By C. Starz

Format:Paperback

This is such a great cookbook--I'm an America's Test Kitchen kind of cook and appreciate good directions and consistent results. This book has both of those things AND is way faster. It's also much less intimidating for my husband to cook out of, and he likes that there is a picture of each and every recipe.