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A Twist of the Wrist - Quick, Flavorful Meals with Ingredients from Jars, Cans, Bags, and Boxes
by Nancy Silverton with Carolynn Carreño
Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN 1-4000-4407-8
Published March 2007 - Hardcover - 264 pages - $29.95

This is the perfect cookbook for those who love to cook but don't have that much time.  Well-known chef/restaurateur Nancy Silverton's new book solves all kinds of cooking problems.  You don't have to rely on deli food which has been on display all day.  Although her ingredients are prepackaged, you actually cook the meal, only quicker.  Contents include: Salads; Soups; Pasta and Polenta; Eggs; Crostini; Traditional-Style Entrées; Beef and Veal; Pork; Lamb; Chicken; Seafood, and Desserts, as well as Shopping, Equipment, What Makes a Meal, and A Note on Seasonings.  Now, I'm not a fan of packaged foods as such, but as Nancy says, there is a much larger selection of products available these days, as well as much better quality than of days gone by.  Some of the dishes that sound appetizing are Tarragon Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon over Arugula; Tuscan Bean Soup with Prosciutto and Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; Chorizo, Potato, and Spinach Frittata with Crumbled Fresh Goat Cheese; Bacon, Onion, and Gruyère Frittata; Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Sage Pesto; Hot Chocolate Sundaes with Coffee Ice Cream, and Shortbread Cookies, as well as Hot Fudge Sauce (sounds heavenly!).  Nancy's "Twist Essentials" is very useful to help you with your shopping.  This is a lady after my own heart - wide-mouthed salad bowls, layering salads on individual plates, and using home-made vinaigrettes are all things I like to do.  And, her recipes don't take ages to prepare.
Partially but beautifully illustrated.  No nutritional guides.
Conclusion - A very useful book that every working person should have in their kitchen.