Everyday Easy - Two for Two

Normally I write one post for each cookbook, but I thought I'd write about two books from the Everyday series. I've written about Everyday Easy Chicken and Everyday Easy One Pot so you know I'm a fan of the series.
There are two more books and I thought I'd just share them both with you at once, since the theme for both is fast, easy and economical. Everyday Easy: 30 Minute Dinners and Everyday Easy: Cheap Eats. Both have the same handy recipe planners at the front of the books to entice you with the great photos, both have great tips on techniques...like how to boil an egg and how to tell when the raw eggs in the shells are fresh or stale (those from 30 Minute Dinners) and some great tips on using leftovers differently as well as how to package, store and defrost for later (that from Cheap Eats).
This Spanish Style Chickpeas & Spinach dish will be on our table often. It took me longer to write it up than it did to prepare. It's from Cheap Eats and it's awesome...great as a quick side dish with grilled meat or as part of a tapas menu, served with good cheeses, (Manchego would be fantastic -it's my favorite Spanish cheese - firm and salty), some olives and some cured chorizo sausages. Oh, and did I mention some full bodied red wine?

It's finally warm here, so I've bookmarked a few wonderful casseroles and braises for cold and rainy days (not to mention a full winter's worth of goodies like Provencal Lamb with ingredients like onions, paprika garlic, black olives, capers sherry...and that's just one dish! For you vegetarians, there are many wonderful dishes like the goat cheese tartlets, vegetable samosas and for those of you who don't eat meat but do eat fish...I'm ready for the smoked mackerel and scallion tart. Note to self to pick up some smoked fish at the Farmers Market.
This Tuna, White Beans & Olives Salad is perfect for the warm weather - a great idea for a picnic, don't you think. Naturally there are tons of pasta dishes - what could be quicker? And they range from sophisticated Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Walnut Sauce to Fettuccine Alfredo and Lnguine with Tomato Clam Sauce. I can't wait to try the Minced Chicken with Exotic Mushrooms, Soy and Lime with rice. The photo definitely looks good enough to eat.

Do check out the Everyday Easy series whether you're new to the kitchen or just frazzled and out of time...you'll find them great additions to your book collection.