Book Brief: Food Made Fast
Don't let a hectic schedule keep you from preparing delicious home-cooked meals. Instead, reach for Williams-Sonoma's newest cookbook series, Food Made Fast. Designed for busy cooks, these volumes make it easy to create satisfying meals in surprisingly little time. Each includes over 40 innovative recipes, all revolving around strategic preparation and a handful of well-chosen ingredients.

Many of the recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less, from start to finish—perfect for weeknight dinners. Others require only 15 minutes of hands-on preparation, then the dish is left to simmer on the stovetop or bake in the oven. Some recipes are prepared in large batches so you can create quick, tasty meals later that week.

Weeknights holds the secret to putting a great dinner on the table—and actually having time to enjoy it. Roast a chicken on Sunday, then use the leftover meat to create additional meals, such as chicken quesadillas with spinach and Monterey jack cheese, or an Asian-inspired salad with shredded chicken and juicy mangoes served over crisp romaine lettuce.

Pasta features recipes that will please every palate. Olive aficionados will love the spaghettini tossed with a pesto that showcases black and green olives. For a simple yet luxurious repast, try penne with a velvety tomato-vodka sauce. Delicate egg noodles and roasted butternut squash cloaked in a sage-infused cream sauce capture the flavors of autumn.

Soup offers dozens of options that are complete suppers in themselves, requiring only a simple salad and a loaf of crusty bread to round out the meal. Highlights include sweet potato soup and zesty Mexican meatball soup.

In Baking you'll discover how easy it is to prepare baked goods—both sweet and savory—from scratch. A filo roll filled with fresh spinach and feta cheese makes an impressive main course, while the homey peach brown betty is comfort food at its best.

All four volumes combine vibrant color photography with expert strategies for smarter cooking, including tips on meal planning and shopping. These timesaving books offer everything you need to enjoy good food, simply prepared.