You know the time between December 26 and January 2 when you don’t know what day it is, and you’re still wearing your pajamas? This is the perfect time to cozy up and read a good book or cookbook. Here are my reads for this next week.
The Wedding People – It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn alone, wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight. Everyone in the lobby immediately mistakes her for one of the wedding people, but she’s the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and possible disaster the weekend might yield except for Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan―which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other. In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking – With three little boys less than two years apart and a packed schedule as an online creator, Caroline Chambers often doesn’t feel like cooking. Can you relate? When you can’t motivate yourself in the kitchen, this is the simple cookbook you should reach for.
Inspired by Caro’s wildly popular Substack newsletter, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking is brimming with efficient recipes that take the guesswork out of dinner. Each is a complete meal: protein, veg, starch, done! The recipes are organized by the amount of time they take to cook, so whether you have 15 minutes to throw together Peanutty Pork and Brussels or a little bit longer to simmer Turkey Bolognese with Sneaky Veggies, dinnertime is doable. On top of that, Caro gives you more ways to choose, so you can search by protein (Chicken thighs waiting in the fridge? Make White Chicken Chili. Nothing but beans in the pantry? Cannellini Caprese with Burrata is it!) or mood (Tomato Farrotto is perfect for a cozy craving, and Crunchy Honey Harissa Fish Tacos are an excellent way to show off). Most importantly, these recipes include Caro’s famously extensive swaps, riffs, tips, shortcuts, and more to be sure they work best for you, helping you save money, improvise, and even learn a thing or two. They don’t compromise quality or flavor—and they deliver every time. With a few ingredients, steps, and dirty dishes as possible, dinner awaits!
Perfect for beginners and those seeking easy cookbooks for simple meals, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking is the ultimate “I don’t want to cook” cookbook. With its focus on efficient, flavorful recipes and minimal ingredients, this easy dinner cookbook appeals to time-constrained parents, working professionals, and anyone who craves delicious homemade meals without the fuss. Readers seeking uncomplicated cookbooks for beginners will appreciate Caroline Chambers’ approachable style, clever shortcuts, and flexible recipe options, making this book a go-to resource for satisfying meals on even the most exhausting days.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have resulted from hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.
From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it, you’ll be good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.
The Side Dish Bible One of my intentions for 2025 is to eat more vegetables. I like them, but making the same three vegetable dishes gets so dull. Published by America’s Test Kitchen, the chapters are organized by type of side dish to help you find what you’re looking for. For weeknight inspiration, Basics You Can Count On offers quick-and-easy recipes like Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts you can make in just 10 minutes. Having company? Choose elegant sides from Dinner Party Winners, like a stunning Pommes Anna or Pearl Couscous with Caramelized Fennel and Spinach. Tasked with bringing a side to a potluck? Potluck Favorites offers recipes everyone will ask for, like Chopped Caprese Salad. Reimagining your holiday table? The Holiday chapter mixes reliable standbys like Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Classic Bread Stuffing with fresh, seasonal dishes like Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Radicchio and Garlic-Scented Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk and Cilantro. A Bread Basket chapter includes creative sauces and toppings for taking things up a notch.
Happy Reading!
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
