Packed with 250 recipes for every day and holidays, plus clever shortcuts and insider tips on everything from shopping to preparation, this is a cookbook that everyone will embrace. All the recipes have a big plus: the addition of plenty of tasty herbs and spices, such as crumbled tarragon, chives, garlic, sage, robust Dijon mustard, and fragrant hints of thyme, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and freshly ground pepper. Even the meatloaf is "Not Your Mother's" because it's so incredibly full-bodied. Whip up Dynamite Black Bean Dip; entrees that range from Black and White Steak au Poivre to Thai Green Curry; a Green Bean Salad with Hazelnuts; and pastas, breakfasts and brunches, pies, cakes, cookies, and other desserts. Home chefs will appreciate the cooking charts, dazzling photos, multiple variations on each recipe, and "We'll never tell" sidebars that reveal how to make undetectable use of the best convenience foods.