Cheap Easy or Hats off to Tea

Cheap & Easy: Good Food for Girls on the Go

Author: Sandra Bark

A gourmet-inspired cookbook for making meals on the cheap and easy

Girl, meet spatula.

With simple recipes for quick-fix meals and practical tips for stocking your freezer and pantry so that you always have what you need on hand, Cheap & Easy is an inspiration for those who are stymied by their tight kitchens and even tighter budgets.

Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer created the dishes in Cheap & Easy as an escape from too much takeout. Their recipes deliver maximum flavor with minimal work and include:

• The Independent Pancake: bakes in the oven so you can hang out with your guests

• Fred and Ginger Pumpkin Soup: perfect for a weeknight

• Lazy Girl's Lasagna: a time-saving version of the classic

• Blenderella: the margarita grows up and goes to the ball

• Smart Cookie: one recipe, many flavors

From comfort food to elegant entrées, from wholesome salads to that first sweet bite, Bark and Kanfer cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner; brunch; cocktails; and brown-bag specials perfect for work and the beach. They include plenty of choices for vegetarians and carnivores alike, with "playing the field" sections so you can vary the recipes.

So delete the Chinese place from speed dial because whether you are preparing for a spur-of-the-moment dinner party, an evening with your sweetie, or a movie night for you and the dog, Cheap & Easy is the only cookbook you will ever need.

Publishers Weekly

For women who'd rather speed-dial the restaurant around the corner than open up the fridge, or for those sick of eating leftover moo shu pork for lunch, 20-something Brooklynites Bark and Kanfer offer this snazzy yet simple cookbook. Starting with basics like "freezer feng shui" and a "pantry raid," the authors demystify the kitchen for neophytes and divulge secrets to abbreviating popular dishes like lasagna and meat loaf, while highlighting the essentials that make those dishes so enjoyable. From beverages to salad dressings and soups to sweets, the recipes map out the necessary tools and ingredients with a hip flair. For example, Chiquita Granola mixes old-fashioned oats and cinnamon with coconut and dried pineapple, and Come Hither Couscous doctors up the Mediterranean standard with fresh lemon zest. Abridged versions of heavenly desserts like 30-Minute Apple Crisp and Peanut Butter Ice-Cream Sandwiches are easy enough for even the most novice chefs. The book's best section, "Snacks and the City," offers sample menus like Hangover Helper and Slumber Party. While some dishes may leave readers pondering the sheer necessity of a recipe (e.g., Girl Meets Soy is a four-step process for what's essentially popping marinated tofu in the oven), others share advice on subjects as diverse as poaching chicken and flavoring whipped cream. And though Kanfer and Bark undoubtedly direct their quips and jests toward a female crowd, their book might serve as a counselor to not-so-savvy guys, too. (On sale Apr. 6) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

When Bark and Kanfer-both Brooklynites living in small apartments-realized that they were spending too much of their limited budgets on restaurants and takeout food, they decided to develop a repertoire of quick, simple, and affordable recipes. Aimed at their fellow twentysomethings, this book includes about 60 recipes for breakfast and lunch as well as dinner entr es, sides, and desserts. Although the dishes are indeed cheap and easy, both the recipe titles and the text suffer from an overabundance of labored puns and awkward attempts at humor. This leaves the book with an oddly dated feel rather than the Sex in the City tone that the authors were probably trying for: e.g., Fred and Ginger Pumpkin Soup is described as one "you don't have to dance backward in high heels for. This cancan is the easiest lineup around." Only larger collections should consider. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Look this:

Hats off to Tea!: A Celebration Brimming with Fun and Friendship

Author: Alda Ellis

Alda Ellis, a Southern lady of style and grace, invites women to celebrate and incorporate teatime. Artist Kathy Hatch entertains the eye and the imagination with whimsical hats, dresses, and tea treasures to adorn Alda's sweet memories, delicious recipes, and delightful ideas for tea gatherings.

• "Girls Night In" tea parties rule out formality and embrace laughter and fun
• "Brimming over with joy" moments honor birthdays, milestones, and the gift of friendship
• "A Children's Legacy" tea creates memories that last a lifetime

As warm as a satisfying pot of Earl Grey, this gift is wonderful for tea aficionados and anyone who longs to bring back the simplicity and community that surrounds the tradition of tea.