Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller is by far and away my favorite new cookbook of the last twelve months. When I recently mentioned that fact to someone, they were surprised saying something like, “But don’t you need a week to even get ready to make one of his dishes?” That is the point of Keller’s new book. It is specifically designed and written for the home cook. The recipes are clear, often with just a few ingredients, and no more intricate than any other cookbook. I have made the Whole Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables at least four times -- it is one of my favorite one pot meals. The Split Pea Soup is delicious as is the Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with olives, lemon and fennel. Believe me, this is a cookbook to cook from, not just read.

The new Ruth Reichl cookbook, Gourmet Today made several lists of favorite cookbooks and it is another terrific compilation of lots of recipes from the now defunct “Gourmet Magazine”. The emphasis this time is on healthy, seasonal foods that are generally quick to prepare and Reichl proves this is possible with 1,000 new recipes. I have about nine cookbooks that are always on my shelf next to my stove; my essential collection includes both Bon Apetit cookbooks, a couple of Mark Bittman’s books, all three of Sara Foster’s books, and now two Gourmet cookbooks edited by Ruth Reichl.

After watching Rick Bayless win the Top Chef Masters Tournament, I was inspired to get out Bayless’s books and cook up some Mexican food. And I did, but then I needed to do something other than cook all day so I turned to Lourdes Castro’s cookbook, Simply Mexican. Honestly, I think Bayless is by far the superior cook, but sometimes I don’t have the time to find the right chilies, roast them, puree them and then strain them. Often I have time to just open up the jar of chili powder. Castro’s book is for the home cook who enjoys the flavors found in Mexican dishes but needs a lot of shortcuts. Her Snapper a la Veracruzana is superb (I think the secret is the pickled jalapeno). And the Chicken Enchiladas, though a little more work, are worth the time and are totally unexpected because of how different they are from the enchiladas found in most restaurants.