To Krissoff, perfecting uncomplicated recipes and kitchen habits—such as learning to roast a whole chicken and use it for several days’ worth of meals, to cook a pot of creamy beans and one of fluffy rice, or to preserve foods when they’re abundant—is essential to living hopefully and with great pleasure. Krissoff explores these simple but vital subjects—ranging from how to start a fire in a clearing in the woods to making a simple but celebration-worthy layer cake, and even remembering to make a mug of hot cocoa just because it’s the first cold, gray day of fall—reminding us that appreciating these moments is key to a life well-lived.

In this cookbook infused with memoir, there are charming step-by-step illustrations that demystify key cooking skills, vibrant food photographs, and short essays that reveal keen insights gleaned from a life as a recipe tester, cookbook author, and mom interspersed among the recipes. The more than 85 recipes in this book are Krissoff’s essentials, perfected for your ease. They represent a chronicle of how she learned to cook but also of ongoing efforts to help her daughter develop a level of competence with improvisatory home cooking. From kneading your own yeasted bread dough to refining your classic tahini dressing, Krissoff brings you all the foolproof recipes you always wished you had, while offering insight into the meaning and beauty behind these simple moments.

Other cookbooks by this author

• Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
• Canning for a New Generation: Updated and Expanded Edition: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
• Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
• Hot Drinks For Cold Nights: Great Hot Chocolates, Tasty Teas & Cozy Coffee Drinks
• In Praise of Home Cooking: Reasons and Recipes
• Secrets of Slow Cooking: Creating Extraordinary Food With Your Slow Cooker
• Slow Cook Modern: 200 Recipes for the Way We Eat Today
• Slow Cook Modern: 200 Recipes for the Way We Eat Today
• Southern Cooking Family Style: Menus & Recipes for Family Gatherings Grand & Small
• Vegetarian for a New Generation: Seasonal Vegetable Dishes for Vegetarians, Vegans, and the Rest of Us
• Vegetarian for a New Generation: Seasonal Vegetable Dishes for Vegetarians, Vegans, and the Rest of Us
• Whole Grains for a New Generation: Light Dishes, Hearty Meals, Sweet Treats, and Sundry Snacks for the Everyday Cook
• Whole Grains for a New Generation: Light Dishes, Hearty Meals, Sweet Treats, and Sundry Snacks for the Everyday Cook