Shortly after I moved into my first apartment my roommate and I decided to invite our boss to dinner. This was a very big deal. We probably spent a full week tossing around menu ideas, and finally decided that roast beef sounded like a very chic and sophisticated entree. (Hey, this was a long time ago.) With high spirits and youthful naivete, we took off for the supermarket-never realizing we had set our sights on out-of-season vegetables, and that we had absolutely no idea what cut of beef to buy or how long to cook it. Panic ensued, but I vaguely recall salvation in the form of long-distance telephone advice from our respective mothers…and lots of cheap wine.

If only I had been able to time-travel to 2009, I could have saved myself a lot of angst (and a nasty hangover) by flipping through this book by veteran chef and cooking teacher Debbi Dubbs.

As you could probably guess, What's In Your Pantry begins with a comprehensive list of staples to stock your kitchen cupboards. Combined with seasonal produce and the occasional protein, you have all the makings for straightforward recipes to carry you through just about any occasion.  The pages are not filled with mind-numbing timetables and roasting charts; just an artfully chosen selection of clear-cut recipes. There is also a helpful wish-list of kitchen equipment, and simple explanations of common cooking terms.

Following a collection of basics to get you cooking, the remaining recipes are sorted according to season, each chapter beginning with a list of the fresh fruits and vegetables available during that period - an invaluable aid for the blissfully unaware. The quest for quality continues, as the author doesn't resort to dumbed-down dishes that begin with a can of cream-of-something soup. (It's just not that kind of pantry.) Instead, it's all real food, laid out in recipes liberally peppered with tips, variations, and serving suggestions.

When you consider the number of students, young couples, and assorted other cooking novices who suddenly find themselves alone in a kitchen, the need for books of this sort is apparent. Oh sure, there are plenty of basic cookbooks around, but who wants to peruse a book the size of a telephone directory? Best yet, even an old pro like me can still find inspiration in Dubbs' delicious dishes.

This is not a book you place on the coffee table to impress your friends; it's a reference paperback you'll tuck inside your backpack to read on the train or bring to the grocery store. No glammed-up photos to foster unrealistic expectations; just some tried-and-true recipes to make the reader's life a little less complicated…and a lot more creative.

So before you fire up the hibachi for yet another summer hamburger fest (yawn), take a look at Chef Debbi's Rib Eye Steak with Agro Dolce Sauce. Or instead of picking up a giant bag of puffy cheesy things for pre-dinner nibbling, try your hand at Debbi's Italian Tomato & Pesto Pinwheels, or take a look at the Anytime Antipasto Salad. And although I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the gooey 7-layer bars that have been your signature dessert since high school, perhaps it's time to wow your friends (and encourage instant glasnost) with Strawberries Romanoff. From roasting a turkey to making a rustic fruit tart, we can all benefit from having a chef at our side in the kitchen.

Tomato Mustard Herb Tart

From What's in your pantry by Debbi Dubbs, Trafford Publishing 2009

The variations on this tart are endless; look for the unused jars tucked in the back of the pantry for toppings. Brush the crust with basil or tomato pesto instead of herbed mustard; grated Gruyere instead of fontina, imagine!

• 1 recipe pate brisee, or other pie dough
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced
• ½ pound fontina cheese, grated
• 3 medium roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°. Pre-bake the shell according to directions in Pate Brisee recipe or on the box if using purchased pie dough. Let cool to room temperature or cool overnight.

Spread the mustard over the bottom of the tart shell, top with fresh herbs and sprinkle with fontina cheese.

Arrange the tomatoes in an overlapping circle and season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmigianno-Reggiano.

Bake until the cheese is melted and tomatoes are slightly wilted, about 15 minutes.

Garnish with fresh herb sprigs. Serve room temperature or slightly warmed.

Serves 6

Frisee Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

From What's in your pantry by Debbi Dubbs, Trafford Publishing 2009

This is my basic dressing to which you can add any number of seasonings. During the summer I roast roma tomatoes and add them to the dressing using balsamic vinegar instead of the red wine vinegar. Feel free to use flavored olive oil instead of extra virgin and try different vinegars for a variety of tastes.

Serves 2

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 sprig Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• ¾ cup  extra virgin olive oil, approximately
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 small head of frisee lettuce

In a medium bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together all the ingredients except the oil. While constantly whisking, drizzle in some of the oil, stopping to taste occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the frisee with enough of the dressing to coat lightly and serve.

The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

For a creamier dressing add 1 Tb. mayonnaise

About What's in your pantry

What's In Your Pantry is an easy to follow guide on how to keep your pantry stocked with basic ingredients. By stocking essential ingredients you'll be able to create delicious dishes with or without a recipe. Debbi offers a simple approach to cooking; she shares tips and insider secrets to substituting ingredients, from your well-stocked pantry, to her basic recipes for quick and easy meals. With each season she also provides a list of fresh produce to incorporate into your recipes. What's In Your Pantry is an indispensable guide to have in the kitchen.

Available at Amazon.com

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"What? ANOTHER cupcake cookbook?" you ask. Feel free to roll your eyes; I felt the same way. That is, until I opened the cover and took a good look inside.

Martha Stewart has been wise enough to hire some of the most talented and creative minds to build her media empire. From decorating and organizing to gardening and cooking, her magazine articles, television segments, and books usually provide a meticulously researched approach to current home and lifestyle trends. This book is no exception.

Just when I thought I'd seen everything that could possibly be done to a cupcake, along comes Martha with recipes like Spun-Sugar Crowned Cupcakes (that look like cupcakes on a deliciously bad hair day); Candied-Hazelnut Cupcakes topped with a dazzling caramel spike; and stunning Mocha Cupcakes, each topped with dramatic peaks of coffee-flavored Seven-Minute Frosting and a single coffee bean. The best part is that all of these can be made without a Grande Diplôme.

Like most dessert books, basic recipes are mixed-and-matched throughout to create new cupcake flavor combos; and of course this means you may have to flip a few pages to locate each component of a recipe. This is certainly no big inconvenience, but I mention it because I'm told it makes some people cranky. (The cranks should definitely not bypass Martha's Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting recipe, however. I hereby testify that it is definitely flip-worthy.)

In addition, there are a goodly number of recipes complete on one page, like the yummy Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes below, and the less decadent but equally addictive Blackberry Cornmeal Cupcakes. I also appreciate that many pages are devoted to technique, as well as the original ideas for presentation and packaging.

When it comes to clever, this book takes the cake. Literally. The "playful puppy" and "red-delicious apple" Pretzel-Topped Cupcakes left me slapping my forehead and asking, "Why didn't I think of that?" And don't even get me started on the monkey-faced Mini Menagerie Cupcakes. (sigh) The Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes are so dang cute, I have added marzipan to my grocery list; and I've also got my eye on an appropriately spooky selection of "Creepcakes" to delight kids at Halloween. And when December rolls around, you can bet I'll be whipping up a batch or two of those easy but elegant Wreath Cupcakes for my grown-up friends.

If you can only have one cupcake cookbook in your library, this is the one to get.

Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes

From Martha Stewart Cupcakes by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Clarkson Potter 2009

Each of these chewy brownie cupcakes has a secret center: a chocolate-covered peppermint -patty. To ensure they have a dense, fudgy texture, be careful not to overbake (start checking at thirty minutes).

makes 12

• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup -all--purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
• 12 small (11/2-inch) -chocolate-covered peppermint patties, such as mini York Peppermint Patties

About Martha Stewart Cupcakes

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Renowned pastry chef Carole Bloom has written eight previous cookbooks, as well as numerous articles that have appeared in all the major food magazines. I have always found her recipes reliable and well written. So when someone this talented creates a book devoted to only one tiny aspect of her craft, I pay attention.

I must also admit I was already predisposed to this topic, since bite-size desserts make total sense to me…at home and everyplace else. What a luxury to savor your own private dessert, one perfect mouthful at a time.

When I go to restaurants, most of my friends know better than to suggest we share. Oh, I'm fine with dishes that are meant to be shared; things like fried calamari or Chinese food or pizza.
 
What I no longer tolerate (now that I'm a grown-up) is the "Let's all order something different!" dinner doctrine, in which each entrée is massacred as everyone at the table rips off "just a taste." And so instead of enjoying the mushroom risotto I ordered, I would first be expected to have "just a taste" of seared tuna, followed by somebody else's duck l'orange and chicken Parmigiana. Ick.

When it comes to desserts, however, I embrace a total change of heart. Desserts are dope. Maybe it's just that common sugar denominator, but it doesn't offend my senses to sample one spoonful of pomegranate sorbet followed by consecutive bites of almond torte, molten chocolate cake, and sticky rice pudding with mango. Seriously. The more desserts that cover the tabletop, the merrier. This is no time for monogamy. Let the forks fly! If the pastry chef offers a selection of bite-size sweets for the table, all the better.

So imagine the fantasies that danced through my head as I poured over this stunning assortment of simplified recipes for miniature cakes, cupcakes, scones, shortcakes, muffins, pastries, tartlets, turnovers, galettes, cobblers, crisps, custards, mousses, puddings, cookies, candies, ice creams, and sorbets. I mentally downed a half-gallon of (nonfat) milk as I dreamt of diminutive desserts like Nectarine and Raspberry-Blueberry Crisps, Double Lemon Meringue Tartlets, Mocha Soufflés with Cacao Nib Whipped Cream, Spiced Buttermilk Doughnut Holes, Pecan-Ginger Biscotti, and Sea Salted Peanut Brittle.

Whether I'm serving just one special sweet to a lucky few or a full-blown dessert buffet, I will no doubt turn to this book for inspiration. The portions may be scaled down, but the recipes are genius.

Wicked Brownie Bites

From Bite-Size Desserts by Carole Bloom, Wiley 2009.

I call these wicked because they are intensely flavored, bursting with deep dark chocolate and toasted walnuts, and they are the most delicious brownies I've ever eaten, making them hard to resist. These will surely satisfy your most intense chocolate cravings. I used a combination of my favorite chocolates and cocoa powder, Scharffen Berger unsweetened chocolate, Scharffen Berger 70 percent cacao content chocolate, and Pernigotti cocoa powder, to create these.

Makes 2 dozen brownies

Use two 12-cavity 2-inch round silicone mini-muffin pans

• 1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70 to 72% cacao content), finely chopped
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons, 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (4 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch processed)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine-grained sea salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 F. Place the mini-muffin pans on a baking sheet.

Place the walnuts in a cake or pie pan and toast them in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack.

Place the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in the top of a double boiler over low heat. Stir often with a rubber spatula to help the chocolate and butter melt evenly. Remove the top pan of the double boiler and wipe the bottom and sides very dry. Let the mixture cool while mixing the rest of the brownie batter, stirring with a rubber spatula occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top.

Or place the chocolates and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt on low power for 30-second bursts. Stir with a rubber spatula after each burst to ensure even melting.

Whip the eggs in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the wire whip attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and whip until the mixture is very thick and pale colored and holds a slowly dissolving ribbon as the beater is lifted, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and blend completely on low speed. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with the rubber spatula. The mixture will look smooth and dark chocolate colored.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Add the salt and stir to combine. In 3 stages, add this flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, blending well after each addition. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add the walnuts and stir to distribute evenly.

Use a 1 1/2-inch round ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the cavities of the mini-muffin pans, filling each cavity.

Bake the brownies for 25 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the mini-muffin pans to racks to cool.
 
When the brownies are cool, turn the pans over and gently push the brownies out of the cavities, then turn them top-side up.

Keeping: Store the brownies between layers of waxed paper in an airtight plastic container at room temperature up to 4 days. To freeze up to 4 months, wrap the container tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Use a large piece of masking tape and an indelible marker to label and date the contents. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

Butterscotch Crème Brûlée

From Bite-Size Desserts by Carole Bloom, Wiley 2009.

My husband and I ate dinner at Zin restaurant in Healdsburg, California on a recent trip to the Sonoma wine country. For dessert we had an outrageously delicious butterscotch crème brûlée served with small oatmeal cookies. I loved the dessert so much that I wanted to recreate it at home, and I think I was pretty successful. Caramelize the top of the crème brûlée right before serving so it doesn't become too firm. Make the custards the day before you plan to serve them because they need time to cool and chill.

Makes twelve 1/4-cup servings

Use twelve 2 1/2 x 1 5/8-inch round ramekins

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of kosher or fine-grained sea salt
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 cups boiling water
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) granulated sugar, divided

Custard:  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325 F. Place the ramekins in a 3-quart baking dish.

Warm the cream and salt in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir together with a heat-resistant spatula until thoroughly blended. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the hot cream into the butter mixture and stir to remove any lumps.

Whisk together the egg yolks and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously. Strain the mixture into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup and divide it evenly among the ramekins, filling each almost to the top.

Carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches partway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20 minutes, until the custards are set around the edges but jiggle slightly in the center.

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool on racks, then chill, covered loosely with waxed paper and tightly with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours.
 
Topping: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the custard in each ramekin. Use a butane kitchen torch to lightly caramelize the sugar on top of the custards.

Keeping: The crème brûlée, without the caramelized sugar topping, will keep up to 2 days, tightly covered with aluminum foil, in the refrigerator.

About Bite-Sized Desserts

Master baker Carole Bloom has collected a wide range of mini desserts here, and you're sure to find one (or two or three) that are perfect for every occasion. Wicked Brownie Bites, Double Lemon Meringue Tartlets, Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Crème, Spiced Buttermilk Doughnut Holes, Raspberry Sorbet Shots, and Salted Caramel-Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles are just a few of the petite goodies you'll discover. Throughout, more than forty striking color photographs show you just how appealing these bite-size desserts can be.

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Photography by Laurie Smith

Author-chef Beverly Gannon certainly has the credentials. In addition to running two very successful restaurants on Maui-The Hali'imaile General Store and Joe's in Wailea-she is a founding member and ardent supporter of the Hawai'i Regional Cuisine movement. Gannon also serves as the Executive Chef for Hawaiian Airlines and oversees Celebrations Catering. But with all her expertise in fancy foods, her first love is serving hearty meals to members of her family-both actual and extended.

A previous volume helped readers recreate the elegant meals served at The Hali'imaile General Store, but this book covers the subject closest to the author's heart: dishes scaled for family-style brunches, lunches, and suppers for 6 or more. Plenty of lush photographs add to its appeal.

Photography by Laurie Smith

I'd be hard-pressed to name another single cookbook that includes such diverse selections as Hali'imaile Really Sticky Buns; Mexican Chicken Enchilada Casserole; Dynamite Salmon with Coconut Curry, Baby Bok Choy and Jasmine Rice; Braised Lamb Shanks with Goat Cheese Grits; Shiitake Mushroom Bread Pudding; Vanilla Crêpes with Caramelized Bananas and Tropical Fruit Salsa; and her family's favorite Noodle Kugel. What ties them all together is the author's love of big flavors and the generous spirit with which they are served.

So the next time a warm summer breeze wafts through your patio, make yourself a fancy umbrella drink, crank up the volume on that old Don Ho album, and wiggle your toes in the sandbox-soon you will realize it's time for some fine family meals, Hawaiian-style.

Corn, Edamame, and Jicama Slaw

Reprinted from Family-Style Meals at the Hali'imaile General Store by Beverly Gannon with Joan Namkoong. Photography by Laurie Smith. Copyright © 2009. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com

Growing up in Texas, Mexican food was everywhere. Once I fell in love with it, I loved-and still love-to cook it. I love each element in this dish-the jicama, mint, sweet corn, and edamame, and together they're terrific. In the summer when corn is the sweetest, it can be rubbed with the olive oil and cooked on the grill, cooled, and then taken off the cob. Add the lime juice to the bowl of warm corn kernels and then cool.

• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup cooked and shelled edamame (green soybeans)
• 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 pounds jicama, peeled and julienned to a medium width
• 2 cups thinly shredded Chinese cabbage
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Mint sprigs, for garnish
  

1. With a knife, remove the corn kernels from the cob; you should have 1 cup of corn kernels.

2. In a sauté pan over high heat, add the olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add the corn kernels and sauté for one minute. Add the edamame and sauté for one minute. Add one tablespoon of the lime juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Transfer the corn and edamame into a strainer over a bowl and set aside to drain and cool.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cumin, lime zest, and the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of lime juice.

4. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the jicama, cabbage, cilantro, and mint. Add the mayonnaise mixture and blend well. Add the corn and edamame and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint to serve.

Serves 6

Kona Mud Pie

Reprinted from Family-Style Meals at the Hali'imaile General Store by Beverly Gannon with Joan Namkoong. Photography by Laurie Smith. Copyright © 2009. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com

When I first moved to Hawai'i, I had a mud pie at the Chart House in Honolulu and loved it. This is my version of it: a chocolaty crust, brownies, and coffee ice cream, and then I top it with hot fudge sauce. The best thing is that you can make this dessert, keep it in the freezer, and have dessert for a few days. That is, of course, if it doesn't get eaten the first night!

Brownies

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced macadamia nuts     

Pie Crust

• 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs, about
• 12 cookies
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
  

1/2 gallon coffee ice cream
Hot fudge or caramel sauce, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Grease and flour a 9 by 9-inch cake pan.

3. To prepare the brownies, in a microwavable bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the chocolate to melt the morsels and blend together.

4. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 1 minute, or until well blended. Add the melted chocolate and beat until the chocolate is incorporated. Mix in the flour and salt until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in the macadamia nuts. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Remove the brownies from the oven; keep the oven on. Cool the brownies, then cut them into 1/2-inch squares and set aside.

6. To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl, mix the Oreo crumbs and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cool, then place the crust in the freezer until frozen.

7. To make the filling, cut the ice cream into small chunks. (This will help prevent straining the mixer.) In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, add half of the coffee ice cream chunks and turn the mixer on. Mix for 1 minute, then add the rest of the chunks slowly. Continue to mix until the ice cream is smooth.

8. Using a rubber spatula, fold the brownie chunks into the ice cream, being careful not to smash up the brownies. Pour the ice cream mixture into the Oreo crust, smoothing the top. Return the pan to the freezer and freeze overnight.

9. To serve, release the sides of the springform pan and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with hot fudge or caramel sauce, and whipped cream.

Makes 1 (10-inch) pie

About Family-Style Meals at the Hali'imaile General Store

On the road to Haleakala, Maui's most famous dormant volcano, is one of the island's favorite destinations--where a laid-back atmosphere and top-flight menu welcome both residents and tourists. Developed from the restaurant's ever-popular repertoire, this all-new recipe collection is scaled for sit-down family suppers, lunches, and brunches, with built-in expandability for impromptu gatherings or full-on entertaining. Ingredient substitutions are included to help move dishes from the kitchen to the table with ease, and leftovers are skillfully adapted into future meals. Recipes are organized by the days of the week, based on a schedule Gannon's mother used, and are interwoven with charming family anecdotes.

Available from Amazon.com

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