Food52 Genius Recipes

Apparently, my sister tells people that I am an amazing baker, which I don't consider myself to be.  I don't even like baking.  I just like sweets.  The only reason why I started was because I was unhappy with the baked goods bought from the market.  So, I decided to bake them myself.  For me, cooking is the same thing.  It's a joyless means to a necessary end.

So the easier it is the better.  Something that can be made using ingredients I actually have on hand in my kitchen.  No saffron threads or fresh ginger please.  Usually, I make something and it lasts me for a week or more.  By then, I get bored and at it eventually evolves into a stew at some point or another.  Even if it turns out well, I'm not wowed enough to make it again next time.

I've bought cookbooks in the past hoping for quick and easy recipes that might become staples that I wouldn't have to think about.  Unfortunately, they required a whole lot of ingredients or time or both.  Food52 Genius Recipes actually contain recipes that I am not intimidated by.  Crepes made from tortillas?  A salad utilizing hard unripe peaches or cauliflower soup made with and mostly water?  Yes, please!

I must confess I've been eating poorly.  I do well for a while and then I don't care completely.  When I feel lacking in energy, I turn to dessert or conversely to pure protein.  Just this past week, I've been eating rotisserie chicken for 3 days with salad and finishing it off with cake.  Well, I'm only getting older and no one is in sight to cook for me so I've got to be more thoughtful about cooking.  Eating out may be convenient but it's not the cheapest option.

I don't know about you, but I prefer recipe books that have pictures of the finished product.  Food52 Genius Recipes offers a variety of recipes for anytime of day whether it's breakfast, soups, snacks, or dessert.  I'm no vegetarian but I do like my vegetables, and this book offered quite a variety, whether they were unique salads, baked into a gratin, or grilled to perfection.  Maybe because it's been a while or maybe it has to do with the easiness of some of these recipes, but I am very eager to go to the market and try out some of these recipes.  Because if they turn out well, well then they really are genius.

* I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.