Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking would be a welcome addition to any kitchen shelf. Warm and inviting, this cookbook is traditional without being stale, simple without being dumbed-down. Classic Jewish recipes like potato kugel, kreplach, and stuffed cabbage are on equal footing with Thai, Italian, and Mexican favorites. All recipes feel modern and, yes, fresh.

As the co-founder of CookKosher.com, author Leah Schapira has amassed over 170 recipes, some based on friend and family favorites and others on her own invention, depending on the ingredients in her pantry. The book is sensibly divided into the following categories: soups, salads, dips & sauces, side dishes, brunch & lunch, main dishes, traditional, and desserts. A list of what's in season, complementary flavors, or a description of essential pots and pans accompany the opening of each section.

One of the most beautiful things about Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking is the photography, which captures the essence of each dish in bold, crisp colors. The food is truly the star here, right down to the thumbnail photographs accompanying the list of recipes at the front of the book. Schapira also gives menu suggestions in the first pages, leaving the home cook to wonder how much easier a cookbook could make life.

Our kitchen tested the carrot and cilantro soup, now a mainstay on our dinner menu rotations. The kids loved crispy chicken fingers and the choice of sauces, from the spicy buffalo to creamy hot sauce. Schapira assures cooks that they have the power to make sauce as mild or spicy as they like. The family will want to hang out at home, with the Make-In, Take-Out page that reveals recipes for popular restaurant dishes, like garlic knots, onion blossoms, and iced mocha coffee.

Amusing stories and anecdotes sprinkled with Yiddish words and phrases preface many of the recipes. Leah Schapira makes cooking accessible for even the most novice chef, and as for us, we can't wait to get back to planning dinner again!