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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

Updated: 09/17/2008 12:44 am

"Cheater BBQ: Barbecue Anytime, Anywhere, in Any Weather," by Mindy Merrell and R.B Quinn (Broadway Books, $17.95)

Think of this book as barbecue without prejudice. Don't own a smoker or a grill? No problem. Your oven and a crockpot will do, say Merrell and Quinn, who believe that the glorification of BBQ kings and pit masters has intimidated otherwise curious cooks from trying to add a little smoke. If an outdoor barbecue isn't practical, the authors contend, there's nothing wrong with adding a few drops of liquid smoke in the 100 or so recipes they offer here. After all, the flavor's the thing.

"The Heinz Tomato Ketchup Cookbook," by Paul Hartley (Ten Speed Press, $12.95)

It's not uncommon for a cookbook to come out touting the use of a corporate brand ingredient. What is rare is when the book is entertaining, informative and full of company trivia. The recipes included here are, at times, a bit extreme. (Tomato and potato waffles? Seriously?) But tastier options outnumber the fanatical dishes. For the record, there's no truth at all to the rumor we cut our tongue licking the page with the photo of Balsamic Barbecue Ribs.

"The New Lasagna Cookbook," by Maria Bruscino Sanchez (St. Martin's Press, $27.95)

Lasagna as we know it has been around for more than 600 years in one form or another. Cooked simply in its home country of Italy, the layered dish became a fairly flamboyant concoction in the past 30 years (after the casserole-loving Americans got their hands on it). This book explores those simpler roots, while expanding the repertoire with different ingredients and expeditions into breakfast and dessert courses. Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Lasagna might just be the best reason to get out of bed in the morning.

"Jamie at Home," by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion, $37.50)
Celebrity chef Oliver, known for his Food Network shows, his nickname "The Naked Chef" and his work to rid British schools of processed food, encourages readers to "cook your way to the good life." I don't know if the life he leads is depicted with accuracy in these pages, but this is one gorgeous, lush, warm and inviting book. With more than 400 pages, the recipes are simple, the photos are intimate and beautiful, and the text comes off more like reading someone's culinary diary than a stiff, cold cookbook.

Jeff Houck

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