Intro -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Dedication -- Acknowledgments -- Words from the Author -- Introduction -- Getting Started -- 1. Welcome to Your Kitchen -- A Happy Kitchen -- What's Cooking? -- Stovetops -- Oven Types -- Fire It Up! -- Potz 'n Panz -- Gadgets from A to Z -- Careful with That Knife -- My Little Muffin Pan -- Electric Gizmos -- 2. Stocking the Pantry -- Let's Go Shopping -- Gotta Have Food -- You Need Some Staples -- In the Can -- All Bottled Up -- How Sweet It Is -- You're Really Milking It! -- Flour Power -- Rice Is Nice -- You Don't Know Beans -- Get Fresh! -- Potato Eyes -- She's a Real Tomato -- Fungus Among Us -- I Love Onions So Much -- Squash, Anyone? -- Aye Yi Yi Chili Peppers -- Them Apples -- Berry, Berry Nice -- Let's Spice It Up! -- Does This Smell Funny? -- If You're Outta Dis -- More Food, Less Guilt -- How Many Apples in a -- 3. Terms and Techniques -- Boiling and Simmering -- Chopping, Grating & -- More -- Preparation Techniques -- Basic Baking Techniques -- How Do You Measure Up? -- Cooking Terms from A to Z -- 4. That's Entertainment -- Table for Two (or More) -- Napkin Magic -- Candles and Centerpieces -- How to Buffet -- Ragin' Cocktail Parties -- Rockin' Four-Course Dinners -- Recipes for Love -- 5. I Love Breakfast! -- Boiling Eggs 101 -- Frying Eggs 101 -- Oh My Omelets -- Cheese Omelet -- Omelet Variations -- Breakfast Meat -- You Silly Sausage -- Makin' Bacon -- Batter Up! -- Pancakes to Flip You Out -- Holey Waffles! -- Fryin' Up Some 'Taters -- Hash Browns -- Home Fries -- Breakfast Specials -- Toast Français -- EZ Eggs Benedict -- Huevos Rancheros -- Ole! Breakfast Burritos -- Tasty Toppers -- Berry Good Syrup -- EZ Hollandaise Sauce -- 6. Bottoms Up! -- Hey! Hot Stuff! -- Have a Cup of Joe -- Making da Coffee -- Tea for Me -- A Better Brew -- Chocolicious -- Hot Chocolate.

Chocolate Milkshake -- Fresh and Fruity -- Real Smoothie! -- Banana-Berry Smoothie -- Perfect Lemonade -- Who Spiked the Punch? -- Time for Wine -- Your Favorite Whine? -- Let's Get Glassy -- Open Up! -- 7. Appeteasers -- Ready? Let's Dip! -- Can You Salsa? -- Holy Guacamole -- Clam Dip -- Veggie Dip -- Mexican Dip -- Hummus -- Egg-ceptional Starters -- Devilish Eggs -- Eggs 'n Caviar -- Getting Mushy -- Marinated Mushrooms -- Stuffed Mushrooms -- Really Flaky -- Basil 'n Cheese Twirlies -- Baked Brie en Croute -- Toasty Treats -- Salmon Toast -- Mini Pizzas -- Mexican Fiesta -- Killer Quesadillas -- Macho Nachos -- 8. You're My Hero! -- Sandwich Basics -- Hot Dog! -- Burger Bonanza -- Perfect Cheeseburger -- Simple Grills -- Grilled Cheese -- Grilled PB& -- J -- Club and a Sub -- Club Sandwich -- Italian Deli Sub -- Pocket and a Wrap -- Portabella Pocket -- Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap -- Melt and a Dip -- Tuna Melt -- French Dip -- Deli Blue Plate Specials -- Lox and Bagel Plate -- OMG! Deli Reuben -- The Pride of Philadelphia -- Philly Cheesesteak -- 9. Salad Days -- Let Us Eat Lettuce -- Dressing It Up -- Vinaigrette -- Italian -- Sour Cream Ranch -- Blue Cheese -- Thousand Island -- Do Your Thing -- Mixed-Up Salad -- Side Salads -- Opa! Greek Salad -- Caesar Salad -- Warm Spinach Salad -- Lunch and Dinner Salads -- Chef Salad -- Tuna in a Salad? -- Gourmet Chicken Salad -- You Little Shrimp Salad -- Egg-ceptional Egg Salad -- Pic-i-nic Salad -- Perfect Potater Salad -- Pasta Salad -- Chicken Pasta Salad -- 10. In Hot Soup -- Soup Is Totally Hot! -- Broth Basics -- Eat Your Chicken Soup -- Mama's Chicken Soup -- Chicken-Tortilla Soup -- Veggie Soups -- Creamy Tomato Soup -- Italian Vegetable Soup -- French Onion Soup -- Minestrone! -- Rich Legumes -- Lentil Soup -- Chowda Power -- Coconut Curry Chowder -- 11. Simple Sides -- Gotta Have 'Taters!.

Baked Potatoes -- Twice-Baked Potatoes -- Mashed Potatoes -- Hungarian Fries -- Potatoes au Gratin -- Throw the Rice -- Stovetop Rice -- Rice-otto -- Fried Rice -- Spanish Rice -- A Grain or Two -- Couscous Parmesan -- Baked Polenta -- Beans, the Musical Fruit -- Baked Beans -- OMG! Refried Beans -- Veg-o-Rama -- Corn On and Off the Cob -- Sautéed Veggie Medley -- Green Beans and Mushrooms -- Asparagus with Mustard Dressing -- Acorn Squash -- Yams 'n Apples -- Veggie Tempura -- Bread, Fred -- Garlic Bread -- Yorkshire Pudding -- 12. Pasta . . . That's Amore -- Atsa Lotta Pasta -- Cooking Pasta -- Let's Get Saucy -- Marinara Sauce -- Tomato Meat Sauce -- Vodka Sauce -- Cream Sauce -- Alfredo Sauce -- Pesto -- Clam Sauce -- Pasta Dishes -- Tortellini with Roberto Sauce -- Baked Spaghetti -- Manicotti, You Stuff It! -- Mama's Lasagna -- American Classics -- Mac 'n Cheese -- Easy Cheesy Chili Mac -- 13. A Little Fishy -- Something Fishy -- Crustaceans and Mollusks -- Sauce Is Boss -- Tartar Sauce -- Cocktail Sauce -- Black Bean Salsa -- Fish Fry -- Deep-Fried Mahi-Mahi -- Pan-Fried Sole Almondine -- Bake and Grill -- Baked Cod -- Grilled Salmon -- Shark Kabobs -- Fish Market Specials -- Fish Tacos -- Salmon with Cilantro Sauce -- Ahi Tuna Burritos -- Shrimp Fest -- Boiled Shrimp -- Shrimp Gumbo -- Greek Shrimp -- Shrimp Scampi -- All Steamed Up -- King Crab with Butter Sauce -- Mussels au Currie -- 14. Chicken Tonight -- Fowl Play -- Cutting Up a Flippin' Bird -- Barbecue Tonight -- BBQ Chicken -- Fry It Up -- Fantastic Fried Chicken -- Extra-Crispy Fried Chicken -- Oven-Fried Chicken -- Rowbear's Cordon Bleu -- Chicken Roast -- Easy Roasted Chicken -- Greek Chicken -- Cutlets and Tenderloins -- Cutlets in Lemon Caper Sauce -- Chicken Tenders in Cream Sauce -- Stovetop Delights -- Indian Chicken Curry -- Chicken Chow Mein -- Moroccan Chicken.

Chicken Paprikash -- El Pollo Mexicano -- Chicken Enchiladas -- Chicken Fajitas -- 15. What's Your Beef? -- Meet Some Meat -- Steak Done Well -- Pan-Fried Steak with Gravy -- Pepper Steak -- Steak Toppers -- Mushroom 'n Onion Topping -- Béarnaise Sauce -- This Meat Is Prime -- Roast Beef with New Potatoes -- In the Pot -- Easy Pot Roast -- What a Grind -- Nirvana Meatloaf -- Me Gusta Tacos! -- Bad Boy Burritos -- Upside-Down Beef Tamale Pie -- Let's Take a Wok! -- Stir-Fry Beef -- Skillet Sensation -- Beef Stroganoff -- 16. Pigs and Lambs -- Hey Porky! -- Popular Pork Dishes -- Mediterranean-Style Pork Chops -- Rosemary Pork Loin -- Stuffed Pork Chops -- It's Time for Some Ribs -- Spice-Rubbed Baked Ribs -- BBQ Ribs -- Sweeeet! Ham -- Maple Glazed Ham -- Let's Talk Lamb -- Popular Lamb Dishes -- Pan-Fried Loin Lamb Chops -- Greek-Style Lamb Stew -- Bob's Kabobs -- 17. Holiday Feast -- Big Bird -- Serve It Up -- Gravy, Turkey! -- Stuff It! -- Cornbread-Apple-Sausage Stuffing -- Holiday Treats -- Candied Sweet 'Taters -- Broccoli Soufflé -- Cranberries Are Red -- Cranberry Sauce -- Cranberry Bread -- Holiday Sweets -- Pumpkin Chiffon Cheesecake -- Bread Pudding -- 18. Just Desserts -- A Trip Down the Baking Aisle -- Creamy Treats -- Hot Fudge Sundae -- Strawberry Shortcake -- Choco Pudding -- Coconut Custard -- Chocolate Cream Puffs -- I Love You, Cookie -- Chocolate Chip Cookies -- Mexican Wedding Cakes -- Chocolate Almond Biscotti -- Easy as Pie -- Homemade Pie Crust -- Apple-Blueberry-Walnut Pie -- Pecan Pie -- Chocolate Cream Pie -- Easy Quick Breads -- Cornbread -- EZ Banana Bread -- Have Your Cake -- Rich 'n Delicious Chocolate Cake -- Carrot-Pineapple Cupcakes -- Almond-Poppyseed Muffins -- Chocolate Almond Torte -- The Frosting on the Cake -- Rich Chocolate Frosting -- Cream Cheese Frosting -- Metric Conversion Charts -- Index.