Make everyday meals extraordinary with latest cookbooks

We’ve become somewhat hedonistic when it comes to feeding ourselves. We’re no longer satisfied with basic nutrition-fillers for meals — we crave texture, flavor and visual appeal. But we don’t want or have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. Two brandnew cookbooks offer ideas for simple cooking with minimal effort and time, but with a big flavor payoff.

New York Times bestselling author Deb Perelman just released “Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant & Unfussy New Favorites.” The mother of two emphasizes the need for meal prep that’s doable for busy people. Perelman organizes “Smitten Kitchen” mainly according to breakfast, dinner, dessert and snack recipes. And while the recipes might look a bit sophisticated at first glance, Perelman’s accessible style makes even the Miso Maple Ribs with Roasted Scallions recipe seem easy. And in keeping with the simple-ingredients-full-flavor ethic, Perelman shows how sugar, soy sauce and peanut oil can transform tofu and broccoli into a savory dish.

Food writer Alison Roman debuts her first cookbook, “Dining In,” and the mouthwatering photography makes it a visual feast. But there’s much more. Novice and gourmet cooks can find comfort in the mess that is Roman’s kitchen pantry (even her organizational skills are less than perfect). Roman reveals some of her essential must-haves, which are sorted into “salty,” “spicy,” “crunchy,” “fatty” and “tangy” stuff. Like Perelman, Roman precedes each recipe category with a personal excerpt describing its background and origin.

Here, too, Roman emphasizes the balance of simplicity and great taste with recipes such as Cucumbers and Kohlrabi in Crunchy Chili Oil, and Burrata with Tangerines, Shallots and Watercress.