It doesn't take culinary mastery and great recipes to be a great cook. But then again, it does take more than boiling eggs to lure you out of ordering take-out every night. Whether you want to pick up a new hobby, win your friends and family over [move "over" after "win"?] with your meals, or eat healthier, heartier meals, you'll need to know a few things about cooking.Basic Cooking For Dummies, Third Edition digs you out of microwave dinners and tipping delivery persons and propels you with all the ingredients you need toward becoming a superior home cook. This hands-on guide shows you the fun and easy way to prepare meals all your guests will love, from die-hard vegetarians to the most passionate meat eaters. You'll be able to handle boiling, poaching, steaming, braising, grilling, and other essential techniques, making it easy to master: Stirring up sensational soups Perfecting the art of the egg Dressing up salads to impress Creating wonderful pasta dishes One-stop one-pot meals Satisfying your sweet tooth with desserts Cooking for your boss Making the most of leftovers Meals for the most special occasions Packed with over 150 tempting, hassle-free recipes that will satisfy every palette, as well as advice on supplying, organizing, and budgeting your kitchen, you'll have all the know-how to become a culinary expert and possess the elusive key to anyone's stomach!

Bryan Miller is a former restaurant critic and feature writer for the New York Times, who also wrote Desserts For Dummies (with Bill Yosses), published by Wiley. He also has written nine other books, including three cookbooks with Pierre Franey (Cuisine Rapide; The Seafood Cookbook—Classic to Contemporary; and A Chef’s Tale, also with Richard Flaste) and four editions of the New York Times Guide to Restaurants. Mr. Miller also collaborated for 13 years with Pierre Franey on the syndicated “60-Minute Gourmet” column, which appeared weekly in the New York Times. His eleventh book, Cooking with the 60-Minute Gourmet, was published in September 1999. He is the recipient of the “James Beard Who’s Who Food and Beverage Award,” which recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of food and wine.

Marie Rama is an independent food, beverage, and media consultant, who also wrote Grilling For Dummies (with John Mariani), published by Wiley. She has worked as a professional pastry chef and as a recipe developer for several food companies and associations, including the McIlhenny Company and the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association. Ms. Rama has served as the Director of Weddings, Romance, and Entertaining for Korbel Champagne and as the “Lemon Lady” for Sunkist Growers, appearing on hundreds of television and radio shows around the United States and Canada. Ms. Rama lives in Bronxville, New York, with her husband, Mark Reiter, and their two sons, Nicholas and William.

Eve Adamson is an award-winning writer and the author or coauthor of over 25 books and hundreds of magazine articles on a variety of subjects, from cooking to yoga to pets. She is the author of Dachshunds For Dummies and the coauthor of Labrador Retrievers For Dummies, with trainer Joel Walton, both published by Wiley. She has coauthored or contributed recipes to several cookbooks, including the popular The Mediterranean Diet: A Recipe for Wellness, coauthored with nutritionist Marissa Cloutier. Eve is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and a self-taught home cook. She lives (and cooks) with her two children and artist Ben Minkler in Iowa City, Iowa.